Page 63 of Equilibrium
He held me, soothing me with his kisses, with his touch, with his mere presence. There was no rush in the way he caressed my body, going from my collarbone, between my breasts to my navel. There was no rush as his lips skimmed over my jaw, over the scar on my cheek, back to my lips.
Unlike all the other times, I could feel it, feel us. This wasn’t about physical attraction. This wasn’t about me drowning everything else, trying to forget for just a minute. This was about him taking care of me, and me allowing him to do so.
“You look beautiful,” he murmured against my lips. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
You are the best thing that happened to me,I wanted to reply, but something stopped me. I just couldn’t get the words out. I couldn’t tell him how I felt. At least not yet.
His erection was nestled between us, hidden by the denim of his jeans. I swiveled my hips, rubbing myself over him, as a growl tore out of his mouth, when his kisses became hungrier, desperate. His eye was swelling, but he didn’t stop kissing me, he didn’t stop touching me, and I couldn’t stop either.
I ran my hands over his shoulders, feeling the strong muscles, then over his chest, paying more attention to the nipples with the little studs in them, studs I wanted to taste and pull and bite. I wanted him to own me, and I wanted to own him.
Pulling his hair, I pushed his head backward and started kissing his jaw, his neck, leaving small bites and soothing them with my lips shortly after.
“I never forgot you,” I mumbled before giving another bite that pulled another hiss from him. We were going slow, so fucking slow, and I loved it even more than the wild sex we had before. I loved the sounds from him, the growls, the moans. I even loved my own even though I couldn’t remember when the last time was I had something like this.
Sex was always just a transaction for me, but not with him. Not when he allowed me to explore his body as he tore off his shirt, throwing it to the side. I scowled at the purple bruises that were starting to form on his ribs, and when I ran my fingers over the tender tissue, the hiss of pain from him sent a jab of pain through me.
I really, really fucking hated seeing him hurt.
“I should clean your wounds.” I looked up at him, realizing he was already staring at me. “Those could get infected, and I actually like your face.”
“You like my face?” He grinned, looking younger than he was. “Really?”
“Shut up.”
“I’m just sayi—”
But he didn’t manage to finish the sentence when the door slammed open, revealing a grinning Atlas.
“Your favorite nurse... Oh holy shit.” That grin disappeared faster than you could say sex as he started looking in the other direction, away from the two of us. The situation would’ve been comical if it wasn’t for the overprotective stance Storm took, shielding my body with his own and glaring at Atlas.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Atlas?”
“I brought you the first aid kit.” He slowly lowered the box to the ground, still refusing to look at us. “And I wanted to tell you that I called Doc, and he’s going to be here tomorrow to examine Ophelia.”
I snickered as he started retreating. “I’m just gonna... Just gonna leave now. Yeah, that’s right. Leaving, I’m leaving now. Didn’t see anything.”
“Atlas?” Storm started.
“Yes.”
“You’re still standing at the door.”
“Right, right.” He dragged his hands through his hair. “Just please lock the door in the future. I don’t wanna die because I saw something I shouldn’t.”
“Get out, Atlas!” I started laughing again as Storm roared. “And close the fucking door. Tell everyone I’m not available for the rest of the day.”
“But—”
“No buts.”
My whole body shook from the force of my laughter, but I couldn’t stop. Storm was behaving like a caveman, and I had to admit—I liked it. I liked feeling like there was somebody who wanted to protect me in every way possible, even if I didn’t really need it.
Atlas started mumbling something, but between small sounds of displeasure from Storm and my laughter, I couldn’t hear it properly. When the door finally closed after him, I howled, letting the laughter take over my body.
“This isn’t funny.” He groaned. “I didn’t want him to see you naked.”
“I wasn’t naked.” I chuckled. “I have my bra on.”
