Chapter 7
Kris
When motivated, I could be a morning person.
Especially when I was awoken by soft kisses to the back of my neck, the press of Zhen’s body behind me.
Something about lazy morning sex, where I had time to spend indulging in Zhen, was worth losing an extra hour of sleep.
Quickies were fun, I had nothing against them, but I loved mornings like these.
Four months into the relationship, I was still learning some of his preferences, what he liked best in bed. But I knew he liked hickies, feeling the delicate pull of skin. Not to mention the bragging rights after. Zhen was very much the type to kiss and tell.
A pleased sigh fell from my lips. His hands roved over me from behind, fondling my breasts and tweaking a nipple through my shirt before moving lower, down and down until he reached under my sleep shorts.
I shivered, shifting so I could spread my legs, making room for his hand to slip between them.
Soft caresses, then sure strokes as he found the right spot, moving in slow, measured circles, all while kissing my neck as soft morning light streamed through the window.
I sunk into to the sensation, the undulating of his hips against my ass, the smell of sandalwood and something masculine, and it wasn’t long before I shuddered against him, lost in the crest of my orgasm.
Zhen pressed his lips to my neck one last time before flipping us, his weight pushing me into the mattress, and I melted. He made quick work of our clothes and reached for a condom in the nightstand, rolling it on with sure movements, his bronzed abs flexing.
I was the lucky audience of one.
Zhen flashed me a wicked smile, settling between my legs, and I loved his bare skin against mine. I loved getting hands on his firm ass, pulling him tighter against me as he lined himself up, loved hearing the little hitch in his breath as I squeezed both cheeks.
Zhen’s pace was slow, reverent, letting us both feel his initial stretch of penetration as he settled in me. I kissed his neck before whispering against his ear, “You feel so good like this.”
He made a low rumbly noise in the back of his throat, one he only made when deliciously content.
He slowly pulled out, the next thrust a little harder but still slow. My resulting gasp sounded closer to a moan. He’d hit the perfect spot, stars briefly making an appearance.
“Oh yeah?” he murmured, repeating the movement. “Like that?”
“I thought”—shit, that felt good, my legs clamped around his hips on sheer instinct, trying to draw him even tighter to me—“I thought you were going for slow?”
The naughty grin was back as he murmured, “I can do this all day, lao po.” He punctuated the sentence with another thrust. “You’ll be the one to give in today.”
Oh? Game on.
Which led to the next half hour of us teasing one another with caresses and nips and whispered words, trying to push the other over the edge, to wave the white flag.
After my third orgasm, I let out a whimper, ready to plead for mercy when Zhen’s speed increased, and I heard the telltale shift in his breathing and felt the hot puffs against my temple.
“I can’t go slow for much longer,” he panted, pulling back to shift angles. His eyes looked a little wild, and he made quite the sight with his silky hair loose around his shoulders. “You feel too damn good and look like a fucking angel beneath me.”
He was really on the edge, wasn’t he?
Now, I could be nice about this. But where was the fun in that? I pulled him in closer, got my mouth on the column of his neck, and sucked hard.
Zhen groaned, the sound vibrating him from head to toe, and his pace abruptly picked up even more. Whatever sanity I had fled, especially as he kept hitting the right spot with unerring precision.
Oversensitive after the other three, my building climax had claws and left me incoherent with pleasure. I let go of his neck, hands scrambling over his back for purchase even as I flew apart under him, a garbled scream caught in my throat.
Zhen slammed in a few more times before he let go, shuddering under the force of his climax. I barely registered it, honestly, I was too busy gasping for air, trying to regain my breath.
My very sexy husband collapsed on top of me. We both just breathed, relaxing in the afterglow, quite content where we were. He was heavy but I liked him like this, so I was happy he wasn’t ready to move yet.
Eventually, he popped up on one elbow, smoothing hair from my face.
The look in his eyes held pure affection.
Zhen wasn’t the type of husband who took what he wanted, rolled off, and neglected aftercare.
He liked to cuddle, to stay with me and bask in intimate connection.
I knew our relationship was much stronger as a result.
I finally found the breath to pant out, “Did I win?”
He let out a quiet laugh before his lips found mine in soft, sweet kisses.
I kissed back, smiling with each one because he was really such a pleasure to kiss, and felt a bubble of happiness every time he touched me. Even with us sexually sated, the buzzing feeling didn’t dim any.
“It is, unfortunately, almost eleven,” he informed me.
I groaned, irritated my nice morning was already over. I had to get up, shower, and get ready for work. I could maybe wallow for another five minutes, but only if I planned on putting damp hair into a bun.
I mean, I’d probably do that regardless because I felt lazy. There weren’t any consultations on the docket today, so it was fine.
“I love these kinds of mornings,” Zhen said, eyes shining with content.
“I do too. I’m glad we indulged before Jo Jo arrived.”
“Same. Not that Jo Jo would care if he overheard us, but he’d definitely tease.”
“Hard pass. Let me up. I unfortunately need to be a responsible adult.”
Zhen pulled out, then tied off the condom before helping me out of bed altogether, as my legs still trembled.
He had that effect on me. Our shower fortunately had a built-in bench, so I sat while washing, recovering enough to stand and put on clothes.
Technically I didn’t have to be in until around twelve, but it never hurt to arrive a little early.
Reaching the kitchen, I pulled out a few ingredients and tossed them into the crockpot before putting that bad boy on low. Dinner: check!
Zhen had a to-go thermos of coffee for me and lips poised for a kiss.
I took both before hopping in the car and heading off to work.
I knew by the time I got home, Jo Jo would be here.
Zhen picked him up from the airport in about an hour.
I looked forward to meeting the other half of the chaotic duo.
Still, I appreciated Zhen had spent time with me this morning. He was a sweetheart of a husband that way.
I thought about the word husband as I drove to work.
We called each other husband and wife, but it had started as a joke, in a way.
These days, when I said it, I wasn’t joking.
I genuinely thought of him as such. I mean, we shared a house and finances, divvied up house chores, took turns cooking—that sounded pretty married to me. But did Zhen want the formal wedding?
Did I?
After what my parents had put me through, the idea of marriage they’d hammered into my brain, I’d never felt keen on the idea.
I wanted my person, someone to share life with, but I’d also been sort of content to just live life alone.
But I knew Zhen had an entirely different outlook.
Of course he did, with amazing parents showing him what a marriage should look like.
Were we at such a point? We’d talked of the future, but it felt rushed to make decisions right now when I couldn’t honestly look him in the eye and say I love you.
I felt myself falling, because how could you not love Zhen?
But I wasn’t there yet. And it didn’t seem right to ask for more until my feelings had settled.
Still, I wanted to know if marriage was on the table with Zhen. He said kids were, so I assumed marriage, but maybe I shouldn’t.
Shaking the thought off, I parked in my usual spot and shifted my mindset. Work mode, work mode, you can talk to Zhen later.
I sailed in through the back door, all the way to the front desk, greeting Charlotte, who looked like she’d beaten me in by a full ten seconds. Her purse wasn’t even in her drawer yet.
“Morning, Sis.”
She stared at me, then rolled her eyes. “You do not need to make it that obvious you got some this morning.”
“Wow, you’re jealous.”
She sniffed. “Damn right I am. I would love to be fucked. Not fucked over, mind.”
I paused before putting my thermos and purse down, really looking at her.
Well. This was interesting. Her gripe hadn’t sounded completely like a joke?
“I’m sure it’ll happen eventually. But Char, are you seriously interested in dating?
Or are you looking for a fling or merely complaining?
You haven’t tried dating since moving to Demonbreun, so I figured you were still working through stuff.
I know you mentioned therapy was going well, and I’m happy for whatever pace you want to work at, but just checking in with you. ”
She dropped into her chair rather heavily, then stared at me with this mutinous expression only little sisters had unlocked. “What. I can’t want a boyfriend?”
“Absolutely not what I said. I just figured, after your last fiasco, you would be cautious about dating for a while?”
“Oh.” Charlotte blinked as if this line of thinking hadn’t even registered as a possibility.
“No? I mean, our parents picked out James, and I wasn’t exactly emotionally attached to him.
It was mainly that I’d just graduated college and was excited to get out of the house, to start my own life, more than anything. ”
Ahh, okay, confusion cleared. She hadn’t spent any time crying over her former fiancé, more upset with our parents. Which was understandable but had also struck me as a little odd.