Waking Up

The hazy edges of consciousness were there. He could feel them, even as he tried to ignore them and curl back into that black void of sleep. Maybe he could even find Tessa's arms in a dream. Or he could hear Jake's laugh and catch a glimpse of Romeo's wide dark eyes that saw so much. Not as quick to smile as his brother, but when it happened, it was like a fist around his heart. 

 

He knew that as soon as he woke up that the schedule from hell was waiting for him, and the other side of his bed would be empty. This plush bed that his wife would love. Disgusted because he knew that sleep was officially gone, he bunched his pillow under his head and stared into the ceiling high mirror that reflected the black out curtains he'd pulled. He didn't have any choice but to look at his own haggard face. 

 

With wakefulness came awareness and the realization that someone was leaning on him and warm breath bathed his shoulder.

 

Oh shit.

 

Oh God, please tell him that someone hadn't managed to find their way into his hotel. 

 

Please, God.

 

It wasn't the first time he'd found someone in his suite, but it had been a very long time since anyone had managed to get past security. He lifted his head slowly and turned his head. Silky copper hair slid across the cloud white pillow and the heavenly aroma of pears wafted over him as the woman --Tessa--burrowed deeper. Her cheek rubbed against his arm and the tiniest little moan told him she was asleep.

 

He knew her moans as well as he knew the notes to Wanted. This was the, cuddle-me-closer-and-don't-make-it-morning moan. Everything inside him wanted to roll over and curl her into him, but he took a moment to watch her sleep. Shadows framed her long lashes. She wore one of his old white tanktops just like she always did at home. He almost pinched himself, thinking he was still dreaming.

 

Her arm was tucked in against his, her left hand light on his skin and her wedding set sparkled in the low light. Unable to stop himself, he rolled over as gently as he could. Instead of waking up, she shifted into his arms, her cheek seeking out his chest as her arm went around his back. He held on tightly. She wasn't awake, so she couldn't see just how shell shocked he was. How she'd gotten there didn't matter, the fact that she'd come--that she'd known he needed her somehow was all that mattered.

 

Even after all their years together, he hated to own up to how much he needed her. Any weakness pissed him off, but one sniff of her pear scent, one brush of her cheek, or the ultimate kryptonite...the way her nails skimmed through the hairs on his arm--all of it unraveled him like nothing else. His fingers slid into her heavy fall of hair and he pressed his cheek against her hair.

 

"I missed you," he whispered.

 

Her little murmur of pleasure was followed up by her lips against his skin. "Surprise."

 

He leaned back and caught a look at her sleepy eyes. "How?"

 

"Airplane. A very long, very endless flight that not even my Kindle could make better."

 

"Considering you'd probably marry your Kindle if you could, that's saying something."

 

She laughed, the puff of air on his skin pushed the absolute comfort of her in his arms into that darker, more restless corner that always wanted more--always wanted her closer. Her nails lightly raked over his back. "Oh no, I'm already married to a man that tells far more interesting stories."

 

He brushed his lips over her temple and across the crest of her cheek. The light tickle of her eyelashes against his mouth stirred him up. He dipped lower, smiling into the kiss as she met him with a teasing swipe of tongue across his lower lip. All her heat and familiar curves melted into him like the Belgian truffles she loved. Rich, smooth, and sinful even in small doses.

 

She rolled onto her back, her nails raking over his lower back and down to the curve of his ass even as her thighs opened for him. He hissed as he realized she'd only worn the tank to bed. Sliding inside her he moved slowly. The curling moans that rolled through her chest and into his seemed to reverberate right into where they joined.

 

She clasped him, arms, thighs, and the soft, warm tissues inside her. Everything in perfect alignment so he could just sink into her and gather all that strength she seemed to have in reserve and let it power him back up. He lingered inside her with long, slow strokes, savoring all that was his wife and what they were as a unit. She arched beneath him, her long, lovely neck teasing him to gather her tighter and with each thrust he swiped the tip of his tongue along the cords of her neck, his lips along her jawline and his teeth scraped along her chin until he could reach her mouth. Even that first night they met, it was her mouth and her clear green eyes that caught him. 

 

And they caught him here, as if it was the first time. 

 

Her soft moans and straining body finally pushed him for more. The languid loving drifted into strident thrusts. Her fingers fisting in his hair as their lips broke apart and his name came out in a guttural cry. Knowing his wife's body and what he could do to extend her pleasure, he grasped her hands in his fingers and drew them up over her head until she was stretched out beneath him. 

 

She clutched his fingers, widing around his wrist as he slowly dragged his chest over her tight little nipples. His mouth at her ear, she bowed below him as the angle changed just that much and he could grind against her heat. Sweat gathered between them and the friction increased and he let go, driving into her until the orgasm blinded them both.

 

When his brain worked again, he gathered her shuddering body in and spooned around her. "So this sweat is okay?"

 

Laughing she slipped her fingers in his sweaty hair, dragging him even closer into her neck. "Definitely."

 

"Just checking." And they both drifted off.