Chapter 38 #2
She has this way of delivering sarcastic comebacks that I eat the fuck up.
“It’s because you’re so sweet.”
“Wow.” She slow claps. “Cheesy line of the year award goes to this guy right here.”
I do a mock bow. “I accept. And now for my speech. I’d like to thank—”
She bumps my shoulder. “Don’t think that’s necessary.”
We laugh together, and it actually warms my heart exactly like they say in a cheesy romance movie. The mosquito complaints aside, sitting here with her feels right in a way nothing has for a long fucking time.
“This is nice,” she says, scooting her leg closer to mine. “Just being here with you, talking. I missed this.”
“I missed it too,” I admit. “Every fucking day.”
She turns toward me and I can’t help it, my hand reaches for her face like it has a mind of its own. My finger trails down her cheek, cupping her chin, stroking along the nearly invisible scar there.
“Leon...”
The way she says my name makes my chest tight.
“I held onto every memory while you were gone, replaying them in my mind, thinking about every tiny detail. Sometimes I wondered if I was remembering it better than it actually was, you know? Like maybe I was building it up in my head because I needed something to hold onto. Like I was crazy for thinking it was that good.”
Her eyelids flutter as I smooth my finger over her bottom lip. “And now?”
“Now I’m thinking my memory was actually pretty shit, because this, being here with you, touching you—it’s so much better than I remembered.”
I trace her bottom lip with my thumb again, and her breath hitches. She’s so close, so fucking beautiful in the moonlight, and I’m dying. Actually dying to kiss her. The want is so strong it’s clawing at my chest, making it hard to breathe.
Slowly, I lean in closer, giving her every chance to pull away, or say stop. I’m so close that we’re sharing the same air, but it’s not close enough. My forehead touches hers, and I brush a stray piece of hair behind her ear. God, she smells so good… so fucking sweet.
“Bailey,” I whisper, barely recognizing the roughness in my voice. “Can I kiss you?”
Her eyes search mine for a moment that feels like forever while my heart pounds against my ribcage. Then, so quietly I almost miss it, she breathes, “Yes.”
“Thank God.”
I close the distance between us, our lips finally touching, softly, tentatively at first. I don’t want to push too hard, or move too fast and fuck this all up.
But then she responds, moving her mouth against mine, and everything else fades away.
It’s just her—my Bailey and her perfect lips, kissing me back.
As the kiss deepens, I slide one hand into her hair and the other around her waist to draw her closer. Fuck. She tastes as sweet as she smells. I’ve been craving this—craving her, for so damn long.
She slides her tongue over my lip ring before slipping it between my parted lips. I’m goddamn done for. And then she lets out this small moan and I pull back, panting hard.
“Bailey,” I look up at the stars before resting my forehead against hers again, not wanting to put any distance between us, but needing to before I take things too far. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”
Her answering breath is just as deep as mine. “I’m glad you asked… That was… I missed you.”
“I’ll always ask.” I drag my nose against hers, and leave a soft kiss on her cheek. “I promise you that.”
We sit there for a while longer, until Bailey complains about the mosquitos again. Hands intertwined, we heard back in the direction of the campsite. It’s easier to find now that my eyes have adjusted to the dark.
We get back to barely glowing embers in the fire. The night is quiet at first. But then the sound of a sleeping bag moving against tent fabric interrupts that, followed by a particularly enthusiastic moan from Falin.
“They’re still going?” Bailey asks, groaning.
“Try living with all of them,” I say. “It’s never-ending.”
Although, I can’t blame them. If I had Bailey in my bed all the time, we’d be the same way.
“Thank God I’m already in therapy,” she says. Her gaze lingers around the campsite and I see the exact moment she realizes that there’s only one available tent and her sleeping partner is currently extremely preoccupied and doesn’t seem to be finishing anytime soon.
She moves her lips to speak but I beat her to it. “I can sleep in the car,” I offer quickly, even though the thought of cramming myself into the backseat, and the subsequent pain that will follow, makes me want to cry. “Or out here by the fire. I’ll be fine.”
She looks at the dying embers, then at the car, then back at the tent where another moan slips through.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she says, though her voice wavers the tiniest amount. “You’ll freeze. We’re adults. Adults who happen to be in a… something ship. We can share a tent.”
The last thing I want to do is make her uncomfortable. “It’s fine, honestly. If you’re not ready—”
“We just kissed. I think I can handle sharing a tent.” She heads toward the zippered flap. “Besides, I trust you.”
My chest tightens.
“I’ll put out the fire so you can start getting ready.”
I keep myself busy dousing the fire and cleaning up any remaining food.
By the time I’m done, the sounds from the other tent have thankfully quieted down to just low murmurs.
It’s going to be hard enough being less than a foot away from the woman I love, but add in a soundtrack of Jas and Falin fucking and I might just find the nearest bridge.
“All set?” I ask when I finally work up the courage to unzip the tent.
“Yeah, all good.”
Don’t fuck this up.
Bailey’s already settled on top of the sleeping bag, lying as close to one edge as physically possible. She’s changed into an oversized sweatshirt and pajama pants, and her hair is pulled back in a messy bun. She looks so damn beautiful as always.
“There’s only the one sleeping bag in here,” she says, looking up at me with those big blue eyes.
“Oh. They probably have the extras in their tent. Should I?”
She winces. “That’s probably not a good idea. It’s fine, we can share.”
I swallow hard. “Yeah… okay.”
Universe, you’re fucking with me now.
She pats the spot next to her before opening the top layer and sliding inside. I keep my shirt on, although it most definitely smells like campfire, but kick off my pants before sliding next to her. “Is this okay?”
“Leon,” she says, giving me that sarcastic tone I love. “Just keep your mitts to yourself and we’ll be fine.”
“Of course.”
I got this.
Then she turns to face the tent and her ass is inches from my cock.
I so don’t got this.