9. CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 9
Cassidy
Graham straightens up. His eyes are locked on mine as he takes off his jacket. He loosens his tie with painfully slow movements, sliding it down his shoulders. It falls to the floor as he steps closer.
I'm frozen in place. He's not looking away. I lick my lips. His eyes turn savage. In an instant, he loses his shirt, and I forget to breathe.
"Well?" he challenges.
His arrogant tone provokes me, so I follow his example and take off my blouse. Graham motions toward the lower parts of my body. My hands touch the waistband of my pants.
"I see that all I need to get you to do as I say is to start stripping in front of you," he comments. "I'll keep that in mind for the future."
The sound that escapes my throat is half amused, half afraid. "I'm only trying to follow your lead like a good employee I am."
"More like a good little fuck toy," Graham says sweetly.
His torso is naked as the day he was born, exposing the finely chiseled muscle of his chest and the outline of a six-pack that seems carved into it with sharp blades.
I hope my mouth isn't too wide open, but seriously, the man is blessed with a body that is guaranteed to take you to heaven. And then bring you back for more.
"Bossy," I snap. "Remember that you're still wearing clothes. Maybe, and it's a strong maybe, I was waiting for you to show me the advantages of working for you."
A real smirk splits his face. "You didn't get a clear enough view in the office?"
My heart is pounding so hard that I fear it will escape through my chest. Or strangle me. Maybe both.
He chuckles, as if hearing my thoughts. "I'll show you whatever you want me to. Don't worry about a thing. How about I give you another preview?"
His cock presses against the pants that seem to be getting too tight around it. My pussy moistens, getting ready.
Is this really happening? Am I about to have sex with the hottest alpha boss in the world? Maybe I am a bit na?ve, but this kind of thing happens to other people. Not me.
So where am I right now? And how did I manage it?
And if this is indeed real, will I have regrets later? Am I about to make a giant mistake?
My doubts fly out of the window when Graham unzips his pants, and his shaft is all glorified and unrestrained.
My jaw drops. It's not my first time seeing his cock, but damn, he's at full blast now. The guy is huge. Insanely so. And, I admit, I was right all along about him having a mouth-watering cock. It's a gift. Honestly, what have I done right in my life to deserve this?
Fuck it.
He pushes his pants down to his knees, shrugging them off his feet. As he comes up to me, it's clear that there will be no more room left for second-guessing, not unless I verbally protest my unfulfilled arousal.
Graham pulls me against him, kisses my mouth, and undoes my bra with a flick of his wrist. No, he doesn't undo it. He tears it apart...with his claw?
The sound of silk ripping fills my ears, followed by a gasp that escapes my throat. Without even saying a word, he tells me to be quiet. Well, not really, but...who cares.
Once the bra is discarded, I can't really complain. The burning flesh of his strong chest feels soothing against my full breasts.
I feel his erection pressing against my belly, the engorged flesh of his shaft almost scorching my skin.
As I place my hands on his shoulders, his thumbs caress my cheeks. "Let me," he whispers against my lips. His hands slide to my ass. I arch my back instinctively. His groan tickles my lips.
I'm breathing on his mouth, feverishly now, as if I was running a marathon, panting and anxious, wanting to cross the finish line. The sound of his fingers undoing my pants sends a jolt of anticipation through my body. Impatient, I wriggle to get free of them.
We find a position that finally gives me some room to move. I manage to kick them off as Graham explores the contours of my legs. With one fluid movement, I get back on the bed and pull him on top of me.
Warm, soft lips meet mine in a gentle motion that makes my knees weak. The effect is stronger as our tongues find each other. But for once, I'm going to play it my way.
I won't lie on my back and spread my legs, wanting to be done. In fact, the need to devour Graham becomes the only rational thought in my head.
He said it himself. It's fuck or be fucked.
Well, right now, I want to fuck.
So, I push him onto his back, feeling his thighs with the palms of my hands. I trace his abs with the tips of my fingers, making him hiss.
My tongue follows the trail of my fingers until I reach the top of his shaft, and it twitches up in joy, ready to be taken in. The smell is so manly, so musky, that I lick my lips.
All of Graham. All of him. I will.
He wraps my hair around his hand and fists it, giving me space to let my tongue loose. As I suck on his cock, an intense, vibrating growl leaves his throat.
It's not a very familiar sensation, not a new one either. Yet it's just so inebriating, intoxicating. His body and mine, the smell and taste of him, all those pieces coming together create a sensation so unique and unlike anything I've ever experienced.
Even though I don't know how to do this well, Graham responds in a way that can only be described as visceral and primal.
As if proving my point, he pulls at my hair and growls. "Cassie. Stop."
He didn't call me Cassidy.
He's at my mercy for once.
But it will pass soon, so I take his cock in. He writhes underneath me. The muscles in his belly and thighs tense. The taste in my mouth changes, stronger now, saltier and muskier.
"Cassie," he warns with a low growl, but my efforts double as I suck his flesh all the way in.
His fist in my hair tightens, almost painfully.
All of a sudden, Graham isn't under me anymore. His whole body stiffens. His cock throbs and spurts of hot, salty cum hits the back of my throat. Damn, the man's well-endowed in so many ways.
I let go of his cock and take in the scene in front of me.
Graham's panting, looking at me in a wild way. The sheets around the hand that weren't buried in my hair are torn. Clawed apart.
Is it weird that it turns me on?
This wild beast inside him is always at bay. Yet, always close to being released.
And now, at this moment, it's been fully put to the test, but only part of it has been unleashed.
"Don't be too proud of yourself," he scolds, as he moves to stand over me like the alpha that he is.
He motions for me to lie back on the bed. As I crawl up, his hand slides down the curve of my spine. I shiver. One second later, his mouth kisses the small of my back. A loud moan echoes through my room as my body tenses, realizing that I want his mouth to keep moving downward.
Higher. Lower. I want him to taste it all.
This is so crazy.
He doesn't seem in a rush to get rid of my panties. He nuzzles into my warmth and gives me a good sniff, making me tremble. This shouldn't be the way it goes for a normal couple.
But we're not normal—we're not even a couple. Normal has been removed from the equation ever since this began. I have to ask myself what my intention with all this is.
What if I want this to happen again and again? What if I want him to become something he isn't, unable to control his wolf?
My mind goes blank when he slides the underwear down my hips, exposing my wet pussy to the cold air.
What's worse is, he knows I am now exposed and vulnerable, which he didn't appreciate when the roles were reversed.
Is he going to deny me my orgasm? Is he going to torture me because I pushed him over the edge?
Whatever game he is playing right now, I want him to continue. It might be dangerous, but I give him my complete and utter trust.
It's time for me to let go and be fucked. Like he said I will. But oh, this is going to be a glorious fuck. Something I'll definitely enjoy. Something to savor and to not forget.
My trust doesn't go to waste.
Graham plants gentle kisses on the back of my thighs, his fingers tenderly touching my wet, throbbing pussy. He inserts his finger between my folds and starts stroking my inner lips, slowly. Teasing me. I will him to speed up his actions, but the big bad wolf has his own plans.
He stops mid-motion and lifts his body up. He trails one strong hand up my spine. As if knowing what's about to come, I clench my ass cheeks.
Graham kisses the dimples next to my spine, driving me crazy. How does he know these little things about my body so fast?
Unable to stay still, I wriggle. He is having none of that because before I know it, a sting of pain jolts from my buttocks.
He spanked me. What the...?
The look I give him is a mix of shock and arousal. There is a glint in his eyes as his hands make a new exploration of my body, starting from the small of my back.
Another slap. His palm lands hard and hot on my flesh.
"Spank me again, I dare you," I say in a hoarse whisper, daring him to touch my drenched core. The pain of his spanking shot straight to my center, causing it to ache for him even more.
He smirks, and although he tries not to, he ends up bending to my whim. He continues to spank me, the force he exerts even greater this time.
I bite my lip to stop myself from releasing my guttural, desperate moan.
With each slap of his open hand against my flesh, my arousal is amplified. The same hand that was inflicting pain onto me seconds ago now moves back to my pussy and enters it swiftly. First, one finger. Then two.
His thumb graces my clit, making me yelp in pleasure. Is this his plan, to drive me over the edge before the main act even begins?
Damn, if so, I don't know if I could take that. Already now, it feels so intense. Too intense.
But fuck. I've had it with regrets. If I die today, I don't think it's such a bad day. I might just die the right amount.
"Fuck me, Graham," I order, letting the wine get in my head.
He growls, the low sound one of primal power. "You'll do well to remember who's the alpha boss here."
To prove his point, he grabs my waist and turns me around in one fluid motion. It should have made me afraid to stare him in the face in such a predicament. But the look in his eyes is intoxicating.
Savage, feral lust, and want.
Oh. And a sense of superiority that makes him seem proud, and even victorious.
Of me, of all people!
This...is almost beyond belief.
As Graham licks my neck, he uses his hand to keep on pleasuring my soaking pussy. I arch my hips, wanting more of his fingers inside me.
I moan, biting on his shoulder to prevent a yelp from escaping my lips. He chuckles, his hot breath tickling my skin.
"You made me finish too soon, so your punishment will be the opposite," he promises and removes his fingers just as the pressure starts to build up.
"You are being unfair," I complain.
The smirk on his lips tells me he knows exactly how to even out the playing field.
Without stopping his assault on my body, he attacks my lips next.
Hard, wet, unrelenting.
He pins me down to the bed as his mouth plays with my stiff nipples. He wastes no time licking my skin in a circular motion, his five o'clock shadow scratching me deliciously.
Licking his lower lip, he gazes at me as his hands run a trail up my body. The way he looks at me, I know he plans on tasting me. The wicked glint in his eyes only confirms that he'll do to me everything he wishes to.
Fuck.
He begins kissing his way down my belly. My legs go tense. That wicked tongue finds my slit.
My vision blurs. In and out, the tongue starts moving inside me. His eyes glow, looking up as he takes in my expression. The pressure of his tongue disappears. I whimper.
He tisks. "Wait, and you'll see I'm not a bad guy after all."
Licking his lower lip, he sits back up, giving me space to let my legs rest. It doesn't take long until I feel the swollen head of his cock grazing my entrance.
"Easy," I warn. Not because he's a wolf, but because his cock is big and thick. More than I'm used to.
His eyes flicker playfully.
He leans in, capturing my mouth again, giving me a taste of me. Of us. A mixture of scents I never knew could be good enough to be tasted. But now that I have, I want more of it.
One of his hands explores my curves. The other holds his cock, rubbing it over my engorged clit. The pressure in my center is almost painful, with electric jolts amplifying the intensity.
Now, all I want is for him to dive into me and thrust his stiff cock inside me. But he isn't planning to please me anytime soon. With agonizing slowness, he positions the head of his cock at my entrance, pressing gently.
So gentle.
"Wait," I say quickly.
He freezes.
"What? Are you okay?"
"There's no ride without a helmet," I tell him.
"Is this seriously the way you refer to a condom?" he muses, with a low groan.
I nod. "Do you have one?"
"In my jacket," he admits, breathing in deep.
"Grab it, please," I plead.
He goes and picks up the jacket from the floor. In a lightning-fast motion, he returns with a condom and a huge smile on his face. And his condom size is not-so-surprisingly not regular.
"Does this satisfy you?" he says smugly as he pops open the packet. I nod. I should tell him I'm on birth control, but this doesn't seem like the right moment. Maybe later. When we're both spent.
All of a sudden, his demeanor changes. For a moment, my wolf shifter boss suddenly becomes a tender lover as he strokes my cheek with his index finger.
In this position, I can see how big and muscular he is. I'm not afraid. A girl could get used to being the target of his attentiveness and maybe even want more.
He takes care to quickly and efficiently put the condom on. Then, lifting his gaze toward me, he smirks in a very sexy way. "You better not stop me again because I'm not sure I'll be able to listen."
"Don't worry," I whisper.
Fuck it.
Without a warning, Graham's body lowers, and he teases my entrance with the head of his cock once again. Without saying a word, he sinks into me.
A ripple of pain courses through my body. It's not painful per se, but it's a feeling I'm not exactly familiar with, and I gasp.
Graham must read the look in my eyes because he looks concerned for a moment. But, I nod and urge him forward, my arms pulling him deeper and deeper. He is huge.
He is all man.
As I said to myself, I'm going to let him take me all the way.
Graham's muscles tense, his face hard and determined, though his eyes tell a story all their own. As if by intuition, I spread my legs further to accommodate the muscular body of the alpha male I'm about to succumb to.
His jaw is clenched, his neck bulging with veins. But his cock feels and tastes just right, and he's obviously able to control himself. No matter what. For now, at least.
A growl escapes his lips, savage and hungry.
Inside my belly, the heat starts to rise. "I'm about to come," I say in a gasp.
Graham flicks my clit, and I feel the explosion of my orgasm rip through me. The world falls away. I sink my teeth into his skin in an effort to muffle my cries.
Suddenly, I sense a growl rumbling deep in Graham's chest. It reaches my ears just in time for me to have a second to prepare myself.
The second his jaw tightens, I expect a change to happen.
Something is unleashed.
He may be dominant. But he is also a beast.
With his animal instincts, he turns feral. His thrusts get more vigorous, almost violent. He fucks like a monster, without compassion, with great strength, speed, and flexibility. At least, that's what it feels like to me. I’ve never been with a dom, but I’ve always wanted an alpha to fuck me.
Despite it all, every part of his body seems to be bent on giving me pleasure. My orgasms are multiple, each one more earth-shattering than the previous one. I lose count, losing myself to his wild rhythm.
Raw power throbs in my veins, but I get used to it. Slowly, ever so slowly.
"More," I demand, allowing my own kind of wildness to take control over me.
As his claws wrap around my throat, his wolfish fangs come out. I should be terrified but...I want this. There’s something about the way he’s in control of the beast inside him that makes me feel safe.
Strength. Sex. Desire. This need to be dominated by him.
I want him and only him. All for me.
I begin grinding myself against his thick shaft.
"Yes," I exhale. "Fuck me."
His moves are so powerful, pounding into me. Our bodies crash into each other. Sweat and cum mixing together. The sex is primal, wild. Rough and raw. I want it all.
This is by far the craziest and hottest thing I've ever experienced. Can it really get any better? I can't wait to find out.
Feeling especially brave, I do the unexpected. I reach over and grab a fistful of his hair.
I'll be damned. I'm doing it! I'm really going to make a wolf behave like my wildest fantasy.
He opens his mouth and leans over.
I'm bracing myself for his attack.
After all, a beast is what he is. Not something to take home and try to tame.
His mouth nears my ear. A familiar sensation swells in my chest. Is it...normal? Well, shit. I am nervous all of a sudden.
"Turn around," he growls, his voice nothing like human. "Get on your knees."
"Doggy style?" I inquire, eager to please.
He smirks. "More like Wolfy style."
My insides melt. He pulls out of me and helps me up. I turn on the bed and lift my ass up to him. Graham nuzzles my pussy from behind.
My heart's still pounding when he runs his stiff length along my ass, before entering my pussy from behind in a swift motion.
His cock is way deeper inside of me, yet there is so much more left to explore. Damn, he's fucking huge. And aggressive.
Unlike before, there's no more holding back. His cock is lodged deep inside me, the power of his thrusts taking us both over the edge.
I shudder when his fingers come up to my neck, but I don't complain. I can't wait to find out how far the alpha wolf's dominance really goes.
With my face now buried in the pillows, Graham begins to pound into me. His size, combined with the amazing friction of his cock sends me to another dimension. Soon enough, I find myself in the position of a rag doll, giving in to his strokes.
"Graham," I moan, my throat now too dry and my vocal cords malfunctioning. "Fuck me. Harder."
The animalistic way he is driving into me, his cock huge inside my pussy. But he is using his claws and teeth to show me the wolf inside him. The beast that could eat me alive is determined to give me nothing but pleasure.
The danger should start seeping into my veins, but the risk only turns me on more and brings me closer to my climax.
I lift my hips in the air as I scream. But the loudest sound comes from behind. Another deep, loud growl reverberating through my walls. The sound should be terrifying, yet it fills me with excitement.
I know I made the right decision by choosing to sleep with my boss. He will show me such pleasures that I'll lose my mind.
The heat from the base of his cock starts to rise as it jerks violently inside my tight pussy. A loud grunt makes its way through his jaws as his hot load starts filling the rubber.
He pounds into me at an inhumane speed. The head of his cock swells, reaching that secret spot inside me until I'm exploding in an intense climax.
Giving one last push, Graham finally pulls out.
"Holy fucking shit," I utter. I am completely spent, yet the orgasms keep rolling over me.
"If you enjoy me like this, I wonder how you'd feel if you were actually mated to a wolf. Imagine making love without the rubber. Fuck, Cassie," he snarls, plopping down onto his back on the bed.
"Oh...Oh, you have got to be kidding me," I tell him, wondering if that's some kind of a soulmate thing that all the books are crazy about. "Is that even possible?"
"My brother mated with a witch," Graham says between pants. "As far as I'm concerned, anything's possible."
No words seem appropriate, because I'm breathless and with my mind fuzzy. On the other side, I wonder if it is okay for me to lie down because I need to regain some strength, but I really want to keep this moment of happiness.
No words can help me fix it, whatever my relationship with Graham is now.
But somehow, the pillow smells good. Like Graham, like my wolf-boss-with-benefits who fucks like a beast. Or someone who isn't entirely human, to be precise.
To my surprise, as I turn onto my back, he's looking at me. And the way he looks at me right now is beyond normal. It's almost as if he cares and feels and hurts. So, alien for a shifter with an asshole personality.
I take a deep breath.
"Graham?"
"Yes?"
For some reason, seeing him here, seeing us in this situation makes me laugh. I laugh so hard that my stomach hurts. I don't think he’s amused by it, but hey, it's my night. I've made the right choice by letting him in, and now all I want to do is enjoy my time with him. At least until the wine wears off. Or until I feel my legs again.
I glance at Graham.
"I'm not sure I believe what you just told me," I say after catching my breath.
"Well, dear Cassie, would it help you to know that I'm not in the habit of lying?"
I laugh. "Said every man who lies."
"Assuming I am a man right now would be a grave mistake," he growls, rolling on top of me.
"Good to know," I murmur. "Speaking of, aren't you lying to the entire world about being a human?"
"It's not lying if they don't ask," he replies without missing a beat.
"Of course!" I exclaim, this time fighting the urge to roll my eyes. "Whatever you need to tell yourself."
"Careful, Cassie," he warns softly, using my nickname ever since he buried himself in me. "If you continue to tease me, I will be forced to punish you."
"What kind of punishment are we talking about?" I ask, my body reflexively rising in his arms.
"I was thinking a thorough spanking would be necessary."
"But I liked that!" I protest.
He cocks an eyebrow and gives me that wolfish smile that makes me so wet. "In that case, next time we have sex, I will keep you from reaching an orgasm."
"That's cruel!" I exclaim. "Besides, there won't be a next time anyway."
"Oh, really?" he challenges, a playful smirk on his face. "Who says I can't just turn this into an ongoing thing? The arrangement seems fine by me. If it's what you want, too, then...I see no reason to get involved with all the unnecessary emotions."
"Damn, Graham. Really charming."
"Aren't I? Some wolf I am, though. We should talk about your filthy mouth next. Punishments usually follow bad behavior," he adds with a grin. "Oh, Cassie, once the line has been crossed, it's hard to walk back. You know that, don't you?"
My throat constricts, and I force myself to say, "Don't mess with my head like this, Graham."
"Don't worry, baby," he says gently. "I'll never do anything you don't want me to. I might be a beast, but I'm not an animal."
And then he lowers his head and kisses my shoulder, lips closing delicately around my warm skin. I'm not saying it, but my body tells him that I didn't plan for this to happen, and for all his bossiness and stupid brashness, it happened anyway.
The need for him hits me hard in a split second, without a warning. It's as if he saw inside me and read my desires in one single glance.
I can still feel the heat of his flesh and taste the musk of his skin. And those damn eyes of his aren't of this world.
But like they say, this night is still young.
Because from the way he looks at me, my shifter boss isn't ready to call it a night and retreat to his nest in the forest or whatever hole he crawls in to sleep.
Speaking of holes...
"Why don't we take a shower?" I suggest, wrapping my legs around his waist. I'm enjoying his closeness, so I might as well stop fighting it. He smiles at me. "I'd hate for all our mess to get onto the sheets."
He smirks and teases, "Now, what would be the fun in that? I thought I just told you I'm all for getting it messy and dirty."
"If you want to sleep here, you will get your firm ass in the shower," I say sternly. After all, this is my bed.
"Oh, so I'm sleeping in your bed?" he teases with a grin.
"You bet your sexy Alpha ass you are," I reply with a low voice and squeeze his butt cheeks. A high-pitched giggle escapes me, which I blame entirely on the wine.
With surprising ease, he sits us both up on the bed, and it takes me a moment to realize he's handling me as though I weigh nothing. Damn. A hot wave spreads all over my body.
And to think there was a time when I believed Tim to be strong and lean. Graham would make him look like a child with his shirt off. Graham will make any man look like a child.
Still, I wrap my hands around his neck, letting him pick me up and carry me toward the bathroom. How my wolf-boss is this gentle, I don't know. And I don't care either. It's just so nice.
He holds me with one arm while he uses his other hand to start the shower. Soon enough, hot water begins to fall.
He carefully sets me down and then takes my hand to guide me into the shower.
"I'm not sure if I love or hate the scent of that soap," he admits.
"Is that why you're getting us clean?" I ask with a smirk. "So you can smell me better?"
Graham lets the hot water flow over his face, and for a moment, I get lost in the scenery. Every inch of him is mouthwatering, starting from his stubbly jaw and muscled chest to his cut abs and that delicious V that points to his cock.
A cock I just recently learned to accommodate. A cock I just might ride for a few nights to come.
Graham is beautiful, handsome, and so devilishly hot. And there is absolutely nothing that can stop him from getting what he wants. Except maybe the unwritten rules of different species that separate us.
Those are strong. Stronger than me.
Or him.
I'm a human, and he's a wolf-shifter. I don't know what that means for us.
He wets my hair, then pours some shampoo on his palm before scrubbing it, massaging my scalp. It's so tender I close my eyes to better enjoy the sensation.
I don't think it was wise. Why? Because something is happening in the frontal lobe of my brain and this feeling of want just continues to grow, making it harder to breathe.
"I'd suggest you take your mind off that," Graham advises. He must smell my neediness or...I don't know, hear me gasp.
I decide to tease him a little. "What if I don't want to?" I ask provocatively, my hand traveling down his body.
As his cock starts to swell, he stills himself with a tense groan. "Careful, Cassie," he warns gently. "You're still drunk, so you can't feel it yet, but once you get some sleep, you'll notice that your pussy is raw. I fucked you harder than I intended."
But that's not an apology.
If anything, he sounds...arrogant. Making me annoyed with how badly I want him even now.
When he finishes with my hair and rinses the shampoo, it's my turn to wash him. I put shower gel all over his body, enjoying the feel of his strong muscles under my palms. I explore the contours of his pecs and abdomen, watching the water roll down in little beads over his washboard abs and muscular shoulders.
"You could open a cleaning salon or start the world’s first health spa for wolves," Graham suggests.
My lips quirk. "Your compliments have a certain bluntness to them, Mr. Wolfman. I might need to invest in this line of business if all men show their gratitude as efficiently as you do."
He lets out a low, possessive growl at the mention of other men. Who knew he could be this jealous. "No, you don't. While you agree to fuck me, I'm the only one who gets to smell this good and be this delicious."
As a reply, I gently nudge his cock with my palm. He hisses and curls his hands into fists. "Are we still going to behave like civilized, domesticated creatures after this?"
"How about we stop talking about everything and focus on getting cleaned for now?" he suggests.
"You know," I interrupt, my hand continuing to stroke him. The shower room fills with steam, and so does the desire inside my center, a wave of heat swirling in my belly. "All I can think of is fucking you all night long, even though it's probably impossible for you to have another hard-on."
He raises his brow. "Are you seriously taking a bet against my dick in your pussy?"
I grip his shaft harder as a reply.
"Cassie," he exhales in a low, hoarse voice. "Tell me what you want."
It's when I realize my heart starts pounding harder and louder.
"I'll tell you what I don't want," I whisper. "This to end."
"I will give you everything your pussy desires," he promises. "But in the morning. We should both get some sleep now."
All my insides melt together. Damn. This one just keeps surprising me.
I nod, and to my surprise, I stand on my tiptoes and gently press my lips against his. It's nothing much, just a hint of what's to come.
For the time being, though, we clean up and leave the shower. We dry off and return to bed without bothering to put any clothes on. He pulls me closer to his hot body, my back pressed against his chest, and his cock nestled between my ass cheeks.
As much as I'd love to give in to the lulling silence and sleep, the feel of his closeness has a contradictory effect on me.
I almost roll over and start kissing him again. Maybe, fuck him one more time. Just because. Just in case.
But I don't.
Instead, I allow his closeness and deep breathing to calm me down. I let his strong arms wrap around me and fill me with a feeling of safety and security as I drift off toward the best sleep I ever had.