Chapter 24 - Alexey #2
She smiles, but there is a vulnerability behind it that tugs at something deep inside me.
I lean down and kiss her, slow, tender, and full of everything I have been holding back for months.
She responds immediately, her hand coming up to cup my jaw, and her fingers tracing the scar there with the same gentle touch she has shown since the first time she reached for it.
The kiss deepens gradually. What begins as reassurance quickly turns into something warmer, more urgent. Her pregnancy has made her even more sensitive to every touch, carrying greater weight.
I am careful, always careful. But tonight, the need to be close to her, to show her with my body what I have already promised with words, is undeniable.
“Tell me if it’s too much,” I pull back just enough to look at her.
She shakes her head, eyes full of desire. “It’s not too much. I want you. I want this.”
I help her to her feet and lead her gently to our bedroom across the hall.
The nursery door stays open, a quiet reminder of the future waiting for us.
In the soft lamplight of our room, I undress her with reverent hands, kissing every inch of newly revealed skin.
Her body has changed beautifully with the pregnancy.
She has fuller breasts, a gentle swell of her belly, and the sensitive places that make her gasp when I touch them.
I am gentle.
Delicate.
Sensual.
I lay her down on the bed with pillows arranged carefully behind her back and under her knees to support her. My hands explore her slowly, mapping the places that make her sigh and arch.
Anja wraps her arms loosely around my neck, gently pulling my face towards her. As our lips meet, I can feel my arousal heightening.
Anja writhes beneath my touch as I slip my hand between her upper thighs.
As soon as I gently slide two fingers into her wetness, she gasps.
Sliding my hands beneath her, and slowly remove her blouse.
As she slides her arms from the shirt, my eyes immediately see how enlarged her breasts have become.
Lowering my head, I kiss the spot between the mounds, and Anja moans from my touch. I learned a couple of weeks ago that her breasts were sensitive, and I did my best to not to irritate her, especially during these moments.
Moving down her body, I hook my thumbs around the thin piece of material on her thong. I tug the material, and Anja lifts her hips to allow for easy removal. Once her thong is discarded, I begin kissing her swollen abdomen. Just knowing our baby is safe within her body brings a smile to my face.
When I settle between her thighs, I take my time, kissing along the inside of her leg, tasting her until she is trembling and whispering my name like a prayer.
Kissing her mound, I inhale the sweetness as my finger finds her clit. Her hands instantly grab for my head. She guides me where she wants my tongue.
As her hips thrash, encouraging me to quicken my flicks, Anja groans. She arches her back, and her head falls back on the pillow. Her reactions to my touch and tongue tell me she needs more.
“Oh, Alexey!” Her hips begin grinding harder.
Licking her tender and swollen area, Anja's breath speeds up, and I can sense her orgasm is coming soon. I noticed that as her pregnancy advanced, her arousal came fast and furious.
At that moment, I decide to stop the floor play and advance to the lovemaking. After all, I didn't want to miss out on my own climax.
When I finally slide into her, it is with exquisite care.
She is warm and welcoming, her body adjusting to mine with a soft moan that sends heat rushing through me.
I move slowly and deliberately, every thrust measured to give her pleasure without overwhelming her.
One hand stays on her belly, feeling our child move between us, while the other braces beside her head.
The rhythm we find is intimate and deep. Not rushed. Not frantic. It is the culmination of months of respect, attraction, and the slow dismantling of every wall we both built. Her hands grip my shoulders, nails digging in just enough to anchor her as pleasure builds.
Leans down, I kiss her through it all, not stopping with her mouth, but also her neck. I find the sensitive spot beneath her ear and whisper words of love and devotion against her skin.
When she comes, it is with a quiet cry, her body tightening around me in waves that pull me over the edge with her. I hold her through it, burying my face in the curve of her neck, breathing her in as release washes over us both.
My climax comes with a shudder throughout my entire body, and collapses from sexual adrenaline before I'm able to stop it.
Afterward, I stay inside her for a long moment, simply holding her close. I am careful as I shift us, pulling her against my chest so her head rests over my heart. My hand returns to her belly, feeling the baby settle after the movement.
Anja’s fingers trace lazy patterns on my chest, brushing over the faint scars there.
“I love you,” she whispers again, voice soft with exhaustion and emotion.
“I love you too,” I reply, pressing a kiss to her hair. “More than I ever thought possible.”
We lie together in the quiet, the nursery light still visible through the open door across the hall. The proposal has sealed what we’ve become, but I know her heart still needs time to fully believe it. The ghosts of her past do not vanish overnight, but I’ll be here until they do.
I make another silent vow as she drifts toward sleep in my arms.
I will prove it to her every single day.
That choosing me is not another cage.
That this life, our life, is the safest place she will ever know.
The war with Fadir is ending.
But the real work of building our future has only just begun.
I am ready for all of it.