Title: Wildfire
By: Jessica
Pairing: Eric/Calleigh
Rating: M
Timeline: Post 8x11. Contains spoilers for general season eight, including episode 8x14, which contains the specific spoiler in from which this fic comes. Anything in season eight will be fair game.
Summary: One spark is all it takes to start an uncontainable flame. The more it burns, the more impossible it becomes to hold back.
"We promised we weren't going to let it happen again."
/1/
"You should have your keys already out, you know."
Startled, Calleigh quickly whipped around, blinking in the darkness until the identity of her visitor became clear to her. It was late, much later than the hour she normally made it home after work – she'd insisted on staying late, catching up on some old files. She'd also spent some time in the gun range, distracting herself the best way she knew how – nothing was ever more therapeutic than the sight of a perfectly destroyed target at the end of the range.
But that was earlier. Now it was dark, and the very reason for the unease she had felt early in the day was lurking in the shadows mere feet from her door. His face was impassive as he made his slow approach, and despite the surprise he'd caused her, along with the slight flutter she'd felt within her chest, Calleigh tried to keep hers the same. "Eric?"
Absently Eric gestured to the darkness. "You never know who might be waiting…hoping to catch you off guard."
Calleigh crossed her arms, lifting a brow in amicable challenge – not playful, but certainly not cold. "You mean, like you?"
He smiled softly, hesitating for but a moment. His reply was solemn yet affectionate. "Doesn't count. You always know when I'm around…"
There was a chance he might've simply meant the fact that he'd never been able to sneak up on her, not in all the years that he'd known her, but for Calleigh, the implication went far deeper. Maybe it was his cologne, or the subtle nuances that graced his every step, or perhaps it was something even more than that – whatever it was, Calleigh had always been able to sense his presence. Except for tonight, of course, but that was likely because she'd forced all thought of Eric so far from her mind that allowing herself to think of him wasn't even a faint possibility. It had been difficult…but reminding herself that she was supposed to be angry with him helped.
Puerto Rico. Without a single word he had left, simply disappearing without so much as a glance goodbye. It had been yet another secret on the heels of the ones that had nearly broken them – she'd liked to think they were unbreakable, but even Calleigh couldn't deny that secrets that led to gunfire had an inescapable way of driving a wedge between two people. In the wake of that, though, he'd made that solemn promise to her. No more secrets, he'd said. No more lies. Let me fix this. Apparently, though, his sudden trip to Puerto Rico hadn't been deemed important enough to fall under those headers.
Understandably, Calleigh had been upset. She was upset; was angry.
But if the flip-flop of her heart right now was any indication, she was also still quite head over heels for him.
It made sticking to the necessary boundaries incredibly difficult to do.
Briefly she averted her eyes, fixing them toward the steps below in the wake of his comment. There was no real reply to that, but even if there was, Calleigh wasn't sure she would've trusted herself to speak it. Instead, she turned her mind back to the facts, and pasting a smile on her face, she lifted her eyes again, glancing just past Eric's shoulder, noticing the clear absence in her driveway. "How did you get here? Where's your car?"
He smirked, offering a light shrug. "I took a cab," he admitted, watching the confusion flicker through Calleigh's eyes. "My car's been acting up lately; I try not to drive it unless I have to." The rest of his explanation went unspoken, but both of them could feel it lingering in the air – he didn't exactly have the money to spend on car repairs at the moment.
His steps were slow and deliberate as he ascended the steps, pausing on the second from the top. With Calleigh a step above, it left their eyes nearly level, and Calleigh swallowed hard, finding herself unable to look away. There was just always something about his eyes, so dark and intense, that invited her in and made it incredibly difficult to leave.
And it was so much harder now, with the step back she'd insisted they take. It was true what they say – absence does in fact make the heart grow fonder, and the more time that she didn't get to be with him, Calleigh only wanted him that much more. It was such an intense longing, a yearning that haunted her late into the night and didn't disappear with the rising sun.
It was almost cruel to have him so close to her now, after he'd all but disappeared. To have him so close, but not be able to reach out to him… Reflexively, Calleigh tightened her fingers around her keys, pressing the cool metal into her suddenly clammy palms. "What brings you by here so late?" she asked, her voice surprisingly steady. She wished she could say the same about the beat of her heart.
Eric smiled sheepishly, extending a closed hand to her. His fingers slowly separated from his palm to reveal a simple silver chain, one that Calleigh recognized immediately. "I found this in the break room earlier today…"
A quick glance to her wrist indicated that she had indeed lost her bracelet, and Calleigh smiled softly, reaching out to take it from his palm. "Thanks," she murmured, unable to ignore the spark that electrified her body as her fingertips brushed his skin. "It, uh, has a weak clasp – I guess it came undone sometime today. I didn't even notice I'd lost it," she explained quietly, mentally scolding herself for the unavoidable tremble in her voice.
Eric smiled softly, the fleeting glimmer in his eyes confirming her suspicions – he knew the effect he had on her, had always had upon her. "Maybe you should get that fixed," he breathed, his gaze solidly on the motion of her fingers as she reattached the bracelet to her wrist. "Wouldn't want to lose it or anything."
"Right," Calleigh replied absently, nibbling anxiously at her lip – she caught herself though, before she thought it too noticeable. "I'm not sure that's it, though," she pushed boldly, scanning his eyes for something that might give him away. "The reason why you're here, I mean."
"You think I'm lying? Why would I –" Abruptly he stopped himself, though not before Calleigh stiffened noticeably. "Right," he muttered.
Calleigh quickly sought out her voice, knowing that the silence that loomed overhead would be a heavy one, the likes of which she never wanted to feel around Eric again. "I just…this is really out of your way for just a bracelet. And if it were really about the bracelet, you could've easily waited until you saw me tomorrow at work," she reasoned. Her conviction startled her – she wasn't sure if it was due to the truth of the statement though, or if it was more due to her desire for it to be true.
Eric shook his head. "Not anymore." He sighed, resisting the urge to move closer to her. "I never know when I'll see you again, thanks to the different jobs and…well, you know," he trailed off, gesturing slightly between them. "Point is, it might've been something important to you, and I didn't want to keep it too long."
It was incredibly sweet of him, and Calleigh couldn't help but smile. "Thank you," she repeated quietly, lightly fingering the chain as it once more circled her wrist.
He smiled in response, and Calleigh had to look away, lest she fall victim to the telltale flip-flop of her heart. She bit at her lip as a heavy silence settled. There were so many words that remained unspoken, too many explanations never given, but neither of them wanted to make that leap, not tonight. It was dangerous, and Calleigh knew she didn't want to tempt fate. She didn't want to mar the otherwise amicable atmosphere between them, not with this being the only personal meeting they'd shared over the past so many weeks. She was fearful of letting herself admit it, but she'd missed him.
She'd be lying if she said she didn't want to invite him in right now; invite him to stay the night.
But that wasn't part of the plan. Their plan.
Suddenly anxious, she lifted a hand, tucking her hair behind her ears. She wasn't blind to the way Eric's eyes followed the motion; nor was she blind to the way they alighted finally upon her neckline. And there they lingered, his gaze growing intense enough to draw a shiver down the length of her spine. She wasn't sure upon what his eyes had alighted, but he didn't leave her wondering for long.
With a playful glimmer in his eyes, he slowly moved closer to her, knowing that the opportunity was just too good to pass up – boundaries be damned. "Speaking of clasps," he murmured, and with only a moment's hesitation, Eric lifted both of his hands, bringing deft fingers lightly to her neckline. Calleigh's eyes widened only briefly before successfully she masked her surprise, but it was long enough for Eric to see. "Your necklace – your clasp is twisted around…" he explained, and with a touch as light as the softest feathers, he gently tugged the chain back around, positioning the clasp in place at the back of her neck, his fingertips electrified by the combined warmth of her skin and the softness of her hair. "All better."
One tiny aspect might've been, as he said, all better, but it was the only thing. She couldn't fight it; she'd been instantly weakened by his touch along her neckline, and she swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly feeling of cotton. "What – what is it about my jewelry tonight?" she breathed, unable to tamp down the tiniest tremble in her words. Absently Eric flicked his tongue over his lips, and it was all Calleigh could do not to moan aloud at the sight. Her heart was pounding; he'd barely touched her, and she was already drowning in him. His scent, his touch, his very presence there on her doorstep. How he could always, always do this to her was beyond the level of her comprehension. Before she was even sure of what was happening, his name was escaping her lips, barely above a whisper. "Eric…"
He grinned slightly, almost a smirk. His eyes had gone dark, darker than Calleigh could remember seeing them, at least in the memories she hadn't tried to suppress. She fought it, fought it hard, but the shiver that coursed through her body would not be denied. It started at the top of her spine and slowly traversed her entire body, all the way to the tips of her fingers, the tips of her toes. And she knew unequivocally that, with his hands still lingering along her neckline, Eric had felt it.
"It's, uh, it's not the jewelry," he admitted, his voice a low whisper, just barely audible in the night. Calleigh swallowed hard, unconsciously laying her palm against his side in an effort to balance herself. She felt she might collapse as the distance between them became nil, allowing the electricity to pass freely between them, scorching them both with an undeniable, heated attraction – despite the lies, the secrets, the heartache, that attraction had never, ever faded.
And Calleigh couldn't help but succumb to that as he brushed a lock of blonde away from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear. Her knees wobbled as she gazed into his eyes, unable to look away. Eric had always been an open book to her, and now was no exception – his intentions were superbly clear in those dark orbs, and while Calleigh knew she should say no, while she knew she should push him away, she found that she simply could not.
It seemed an eternity before he spoke again, his voice low and husky, and Calleigh gasped softly – when had he come so close to her that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her face? He grinned slightly, his eyes darting momentarily to her lips and further sealing his intentions. "It's you."
Her keys fell to the ground and out of Calleigh's thoughts as Eric's warm hands cupped her cheeks, leaving her no escape – not that Calleigh could say she had actively sought an escape at all - as he captured her lips with his own. It wasn't gentle, wasn't soft, but almost demanding, almost desperate. And Calleigh couldn't help but give in to that. As soon as his mouth covered hers, the urgency blossomed within her, urgency like she'd never felt before. It'd been too long.
And even more than that, it was hard to be away from him, though she wasn't sure she'd ever admit that aloud. And as it was, all she could admit to herself right now was how perfectly their lips melded together, almost as if they hadn't spent any time apart. Her hands went to his chest, fingers bunching in the material of his shirt and pulling him closer, whimpering as he was only all too happy to oblige her.
In the back of her mind, she knew this was a bad idea. There was a reason for the distance between them, a reason why she had insisted on having that distance between them. And yet, all that distance seemed to prove was that she wanted him even more…and that being near to him left her relinquishing all control. There was just something about the way his lips caressed hers that left her forgetting about everything else – from the secrets he'd kept from her that she was still trying to work her way through, to the vague non-answer he'd given her just before resigning from CSI, all the way to the fact that they were standing on her doorstep, her back pressed against her door and his hard body against her front. And suddenly, she remembered why being with him was always oh-so-dangerous – it was too easy to find herself addicted to him.
And that addiction would not be silenced – truthfully, she'd felt it as soon as she'd seen him earlier that day, the first time in…she didn't even want to think about how long it had been. That realization only left her kissing him harder, parting her lips to allow his questing tongue entrance, that questing tongue that had dizzied her as it had fluttered so softly against her lips.
She tasted so sweet, just as he had so vividly remembered. Somehow like strawberries, but oh so much sweeter. And he knew that he was gone as soon as his tongue met hers, drawing a muffled, pleased whimper from somewhere deep in Calleigh's throat. Her hands were on the move, grasping fabric and muscle, anything in order to draw him closer, almost as if he might leave again, and briefly that realization sent a pang of guilt through his heart, though the feel of her fluttering fingertips at the back of his neck quickly helped to silence it.
He shifted against her, moving a hand away from her body and back to his, and Calleigh couldn't help but give a soft whimper of protest at the loss. She could hear the rustle of fabric, could determine that he was reaching into his pocket for something, but for what, Calleigh couldn't spare the energy to wonder, not with the sensual way his tongue teased hers, driving an endless shiver along the length of her spine. Caught between the door and his body, she couldn't help but squirm, drawing the first grunt from Eric's lips as her soft, toned body moved against the hard contours of his.
The necessity for oxygen was quickly becoming an imposition, but in that moment, Calleigh felt she'd rather faint than have to draw her lips away from his. Her heart was pounding and her head was spinning, and she knew that if not from the support offered by both the door and his body – mostly his body, though – she would tumble to the ground in a quivering heap. Every inch of her skin tingled, except for her neckline, her cheeks, her hips – everywhere his hands had been; instead of tingling, those spots felt as if they might burst into flame at any given time.
His body pressed against hers suddenly, and Calleigh couldn't help but cry out, her mouth forced away from his in the process. She gasped, taking in a much needed breath of air and Eric, though it was stolen right away from her again as his lips immediately found her jaw – he'd always known that was one of her greatest weaknesses. Calleigh squeezed her eyes shut, biting her lip as he suckled lightly. Her breath hitched and she wasn't quite sure, but she thought a weak gasp of his name might've escaped her lips.
He shifted against her, and a mere moment later Calleigh heard the telltale sound of a key being deftly turned within the lock, and her eyes fluttered open, stars dancing in her vision. "What – what the hell?" she breathed, unable to formulate much as his lips softly tormented her skin, but knowing for a fact that they hadn't left her jaw long enough for him to bend down and retrieve the keys she had dropped.
Eric grinned, humming lightly against her skin. He knew exactly what she meant. "You never asked for your key back," he explained, pausing to suck lightly at the spot beneath her ear. Between the heat of his breath and the huskiness of his voice, Calleigh didn't need the feel of his lips on her skin to drive her utterly insane, but the added sensation served to heighten the feelings coursing through her body, pulsing with every quickened beat of her heart. Unable to stop herself, she moaned softly, tilting her head against the door to grant him better access. "And I never gave it back."
Any reply she might've thought about offering dissipated from her mind as he moved his head, nipping playfully at her earlobe while opening the door - and here Calleigh had always thought she was the one good at multitasking. She wasn't prepared for it when the door swung away from her, leaving her momentarily unsteady on her feet, but Eric's arms quickly looped around her, pulling her to his chest.
And then he was leading her inside, hesitating only for a moment – just enough time for her to protest, to say no. But no such protest ever came; instead, Calleigh only spared enough thought to somehow kick her own keys just inside the threshold before letting them lapse from her mind completely. And then her hands were finding the back of his head, fingers lacing together there and drawing his mouth back to hers. She thought she might've heard the front door close behind them, but she couldn't be too sure – all of her senses were so in tune with Eric and Eric alone that there was no room in her perception for anything else. Vision, what little of it was utilized, was given only to the sight of Eric's deep brown eyes, darkened with desire for her. Her sense of touch perceived only the heat of his hands, either on her skin or through layers of clothing, layers that quickly became too much between them. Her sense of smell perceived only Eric's masculine, knee-weakening scent; taste perceived only the taste of his lips against hers. And even her hearing was not immune; every little low grunt or hitch of breath from Eric seemed to be magnified tenfold to her ears.
He'd taken over everything. And right now, Calleigh could think of nothing better.
Lights were not bothered with – there was simply no need and really, they were the last thing on Calleigh's mind, a mind that was suddenly overwhelmed by the realization that here he was again. In her house…where she wasn't sure he'd ever be again, at least not like this. Her kisses took on a greater urgency as her hands found the buttons on his shirt, deftly unhooking them as she let him lead her blindly backward. "You – you didn't even tell me, you know," she protested breathily, nipping sharply at his bottom lip. He grunted quietly, and Calleigh couldn't deny the way such a simple sound left her thighs clenching. Any punishment she'd intended though by her teeth was quickly negated by the soothing swipe of her tongue over his lips. Her lips brushed against his as she continued, breaths mingling in the minute space between. "Puerto Rico," she murmured, pausing for a kiss. "I – I had to find out from – from Horatio…"
Her breathlessness and inability to think straight affected her words, causing them to surface in short, trembling bursts, but there was no time to linger upon that – her fingers had disconnected all of the buttons on his shirt, leaving his chest free for her hands to roam. At the same time, his fingers threaded through her blonde locks, tousling them as his mouth covered hers again and again and again. It was almost enough to leave her forgetting everything until she felt more than heard the quiet apology against her mouth. "I'm sorry."
It shouldn't have been enough. But somehow, tonight, it was all she needed. Pushing her hands over his shoulders, deliberately touching as much bare skin as she possibly could, Calleigh pushed his shirt away from him, trying not to whimper in protest when his hands left her hair in order to shrug the fabric from his arms, letting it fall forgotten to the floor below. "I – I missed you," she managed to force out between increasingly heated kisses, messy kisses that left her desperate for more. She hadn't quite realized just how badly she would miss him until he was gone, gone without an anticipated return date, and the memory left her kissing him with a newfound fervor, her lips melding with his with an intensity she hadn't quite felt before.
So lost was she in those kisses that she didn't even notice that his quick fingers had unhooked the buttons on her own shirt, revealing her taut abdomen and lace-covered breasts to his questing fingers. She forced herself to let go of him, just long enough to rid herself of the offending material, just another barrier that had served to keep them apart. It was only then that she realized they'd made it to the hallway, having begun a trail of clothing behind them – not only were their shirts gone, but shoes as well, and Calleigh's breath hitched as she realized where Eric's hands were determined to reach next.
Warm palms covered her breasts, and Calleigh couldn't help but moan softly, arching into his touch. "Eric…" she breathed, eyes to the ceiling above. She struggled to breathe as his mouth assaulted her throat, a kiss here, a nibble there, his lips leaving no patch of skin unexplored. Her nails scratched lightly at the back of his neck, urging him on as she tilted her neck for him, offering him all the better access he could want. Still half-clothed, and she felt already near to an absolutely blistering peak. Skilled fingers lightly rolled quickly hardening nipples through the lacy fabric of her bra, and Calleigh felt her heart might just pound completely out of her chest.
Driven by her own desire, Calleigh's trembling hands sought out his belt with the purpose of undoing it, but nearly undoing herself as she pulled his hips against hers. His arousal was clear to her, plain as day, and Calleigh felt the heat rapidly pooling between her thighs. Another low moan of his name escaped her lips, one that was rewarded with by the feel of his tongue swiping along her collarbone. "God, I want you so much," he murmured suddenly, sending Calleigh literally reaching for the wall behind her, seeking something, anything to steady herself. "You don't know what you do to me…"
That was debatable, Calleigh thought, if what she did to him was anything close to what he did to her. Hair tousled, cheeks flushed, gasping for air, heart pounding, and desperate, desperate for more. Her eyelids fluttered, and before she could stop herself, she was letting escape a murmured, "Eric, please."
She needed him; he needed her. And tonight, those necessities would not be denied. Her soft plea left him growling quietly, returning his mouth to hers as his hands crept around her middle, reveling in the soft skin before finding the clasp of her bra. Before she could even breathe in, he had it unhooked and falling away from her body, revealing two perfect breasts to his eyes and hands. "God you're beautiful," he growled, pulling back long enough to drink in the sight before him. It wasn't enough, though, and very quickly his palms found her cheeks again, brushing her tousled hair back as he drew her lips back to his in a messy kiss. Calleigh whimpered, her entire body suddenly set aflame by the feel of her uncovered breasts against his bare chest.
Their mouths meshing, Calleigh tried again to reach for his belt, this time successfully unbuckling it and moving in to the button and zipper on his slacks. But again she faltered as his fingers shattered her concentration, eagerly seeking out a rounded breast. Calleigh gasped against his lips as his touch fluttered just around where she wanted him, needed him, but never quite achieving anymore than a brush or a graze against her pebbled nipple.
He left her wanting, though, as his hands slowly drifted away, finding safer territory along her taut stomach. His mouth left hers again and began kissing a trail of fire downward along her jaw and back over her throat, revisiting skin that still burned from the last assault from his lips. Her breath hitched in anticipation as his hands, strong and masculine and so much steadier than hers had been, drifted over the top of her pants.
He paused, hesitating for only a moment before his touch skimmed even lower, finding thighs that quivered beneath his touch, even through the layer of fabric that separated them from his hands. Calleigh's nails bit lightly into his shoulders, and Eric brought his hands up again, suddenly wanting that layer of fabric gone. His mouth closed over the juncture of her throat and shoulder, relishing in the way Calleigh panted, whimpering softly as he suckled. She was squirming in anticipation now, and he loved every moment of it.
But while he loved to tease, Eric couldn't deny that his own desire was nearly drowning him – it had been too long away from her, much too long, and with that thought guiding him, he made quick work of buttons and zippers, reveling in the shiver he elicited when his hands slipped beneath, following the curve of her hip before gently pushing the material from her hips. It fell unbidden to her feet below, and with a couple of quick shuffles, her feet were free and her pants were left forgotten, leaving her only in a pair of lacy black panties.
And that was too much for Eric. Hands at her hips, he effortlessly lifted her into his arms, groaning slightly as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist. Her palms found his cheeks and brought his mouth to hers in hungry, demanding kisses as he struggled to walk with her, finally crossing the threshold into her bedroom – a place where he hadn't been in much too long. It hit him abruptly and he couldn't help but nearly stumble with her in his arms, forced to turn to the wall for a bit more stability.
Calleigh's back hit the wall a little harder than Eric had intended, but Calleigh only moaned, her hips beginning a slow yet demanding rhythm against his, a rhythm that left him breathless and nearly stumbling to his knees again, and he still wasn't out of his own pants yet. He gave a quiet growl of her name, two syllables laced with such lust and seduction that Calleigh couldn't help but cry out.
It was impossible to catch her breath as his mouth began descending along her throat, his tongue and lips working in tandem to tease every receptor in the sensitive skin. She whimpered as his kisses dusted her collarbone, lingering only for a moment before continuing their trek downward. He traced kisses along her sternum, drawing ever closer to the swells of her breasts, and Calleigh was certain he could feel the erratic beat of her heart through her chest. And she was hypnotized by the gentle kisses and light flutters of his tongue, so hypnotized that she couldn't help but cry out in surprise as his mouth closed around a nipple.
Her hips rocked erratically against his, seeking out any kind of relief from the sensual storm he was subjecting her to as his tongue drew quick, lashing circles around her nipple. She couldn't help but arch toward him, breathing heavily as the suction of his mouth drove her wild. Her body was on fire, and Eric knew exactly how to stoke it farther, push her higher. She was utterly swept away by him, unable to think, unable to feel anything but this all-consuming desire for him. She wanted him more than she could ever verbally quantify.
She whimpered loudly as his fingers found her other breast, lightly tugging and twisting at her until now neglected nipple while his mouth continued the assault on its twin. Within short moments, Calleigh was near seeing stars, and he hadn't even gotten her to the bed yet.
With that thought driving her, she cupped his cheeks and forced his head upward, drawing his mouth back to hers. She needed to be kissing him; she craved the feel of that oh so kissable bottom lip against hers, caught gently between her teeth. She nipped playfully and was rewarded with a sharp push of his hips into hers, and Calleigh gasped audibly, feeling the evidence of his arousal against her barely covered core. She was on fire for him, and suddenly nothing was quite as important as having him inside her. He brought her a sense of completion that she'd never felt before with anyone else, and beneath the light of day she was mildly terrified of that. Right now, though, she craved that feeling. Craved him.
He seemed to get the idea, much to Calleigh's delight as he tightened his strong arms around her, pulling her against him as he turned away from the wall. Those few steps to the bed were some of the hardest Eric had ever attempted to take, with a squirming Calleigh in his arms, her tongue wrestling with his and her hips rocking rhythmically against his. Halfway there she moaned loudly, and Eric nearly felt his knees give out right there. Somehow though he made it, and with an almost delicate tenderness that went against every coiled spring of tension in his body, he lay her softly down on the bed, her head on the pillow.
She didn't lay passively there for long though. Eric's admiration of her body had clearly gone on for a moment too long, and she rose slightly from where she lay, reaching out for him and finding the hard contours of his biceps. She tugged at him, and Eric needed no further invitation. He slowly crawled onto the bed, grinning down at her as she lay back again, pressing a soft kiss to her taut stomach. Her muscles quivered beneath his lips, and Eric gave a pleased smirk, depositing kisses here and there as he made his way upward.
It wasn't long before her hands found his pants again, and at her insistent urging, Eric quickly shuffled out of them, his boxers tangled up somewhere within. Now, only a simple, black lace barrier separated them, but it felt like entirely too much as Eric's body covered hers, his mouth seeking hers. He found it quickly, capturing her lips in an urgent, heated kiss, and couldn't help but moan against her soft lips as she lifted her hips against his, deliberately grinding against them. And if that weren't enough on its own, Eric could feel her heat through the thin layer of fabric, and that drove him completely out of his mind. It was impossible not to thrust his hips against hers, time and time again, each time drawing a deeper moan or a high-pitched whimper from the beauty beneath him. "Do you have any idea how much I want you?" he breathed, barely separating their lips to utter the words.
Calleigh squirmed, digging her nails into his shoulders. The sharp sting was masked by the pleasure that bubbled through Eric's body, and he groaned loudly, burying his face against her neck. He knew the tension was tightly coiled within Calleigh, and coupled with the hardened ache of his own arousal, Eric knew there was no way that this could be drawn out. The almost primal lust he felt for her was nearly overpowering; he knew it would overwhelm him once he was finally settled within her. He'd simply been away from her too long, and the explosion of heated desire would not be denied.
And he felt guilty about it, though only for the briefest second – as far as he was concerned, Calleigh deserved to be brought to the edge over and over again by slow, sensual torment, before finally being allowed to fall; she deserved the sensual onslaught of a slow and thorough exploration of her body every single time. But then her eyes met his, smoldering emerald to deep, darkened brown, and Eric shuddered deeply as he saw the same burning need in her gaze as he felt within himself. She needed him just as he needed her.
That knowledge driving him, Eric's deft fingers quickly gripped at the fabric of her panties, the sensitive nerves in his fingertips appreciating the tiniest anticipatory flutter of her muscles. No time was wasted in the removal of that final lacy barrier, and though they had looked good – damn good – on her, Eric gave them not another thought as they were finally discarded, leaving them nothing else but the exquisite feel of bare skin to bare skin.
And that was enough to have Calleigh dizzied and gasping for breath, though instead of oxygen she found Eric's mouth firmly upon hers. Her arms looped around his back as he kissed her, trying anything and everything to get him impossibly closer to her – he couldn't be close enough, as far as she was concerned. She ached for him, body and soul – only one of which she was willing to readily admit, and mostly because she couldn't silence the way her body cried out for his touch.
She murmured his name on a breathless sigh as he broke from her mouth, his lips following a trail they'd followed so many times to the pulse point in her throat, leaving nothing short of fire in their wake. With a smirk at his lips, he allowed a hand to glide downward over her taut stomach, brushing against every spot along the way he'd discovered to make her breath hitch. As expected, she gasped softly, squirming lightly as he fluttered his tongue against the sensitive skin of her throat.
The farther south he moved, the faster Calleigh's heart pounded, the rhythm almost painful against her ribs. Before she could fully come to grips with reality, his fingers found their way between her thighs, instantly eliciting a breathy cry. And if she was affected by the first, briefest brush of his fingers, Eric found himself equally affected – the slick heat of her arousal left him biting at the inside of his cheek, unable to hold back a low, breathy growl.
He lifted his head, meeting her dazed emerald eyes as he boldened his exploration; he was utterly enthralled by the sight of her beneath him, cheeks flushed, quivering under his touch and biting her lip in an effort to hold onto what little control she had left. Knowing that he could do this to her every single time was nearly enough for him, so much that he was forced to draw in a deep, steadying breath, though it only ratcheted up his arousal even farther as the overwhelming scent of Calleigh filled his nose.
Watching her eyes as intently as he could, he slowly brushed the pad of his thumb over her most sensitive bundle of nerve. The single touch catapulted Calleigh toward the precipice, as filled with delicious tension as her body already was. She cried out, squirming beneath him, squeezing her eyes as tightly shut as she could. In the very back of her mind, she somehow registered just how ridiculous it really was – one touch, and he had her there. Eric smirked – he knew he had her right there. Keeping that in mind, he deepened the caress, shuddering as it became evident to him just how close she truly was.
The sensual assault from his fingers was delightful, but he'd been too far away from her for much too long. Eric liked to take her to the edge over and over again before finally succumbing to what they both wanted, and while normally Calleigh wouldn't protest – not wholeheartedly, anyway – it had simply been too long; she'd missed him far too much. She wanted him inside her; she wanted him with her. Swiftly, before he could turn her completely into a defenseless, quivering heap, she shot a hand downward, her fingers clasping around his wrist with a grip that faltered slightly as his thumb brushed her again. "No," she whimpered, unable to catch her breath enough for anything more eloquent. Pausing, she swallowed hard, struggling so desperately not to lose herself in his exquisite touch. "I – I need you…"
Normally, he would've protested that, but the desire in her voice and the ache he felt below were enough to silence the need for teasing that he usually felt. Being one with her was his number one priority, though his resolved wavered slightly when he drew his fingers away from her, eliciting a sigh from her parted lips. His own heart was pounding in anticipation as he settled between her thighs, though for a moment he just lingered there, watching as Calleigh panted softly beneath him. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair was tousled, and Eric couldn't help but lower his head, catching her lips in a quick, urgent kiss. "You're so beautiful," he murmured.
Calleigh whimpered, simply giving in to the desires of her body as she lifted her hips to his. "Eric…"
It was the slow, needy drawl of his name that finally did it. He positioned himself and waited for her to meet his eyes, wanting to see the need shining within. "I missed you," he all but growled, and before Calleigh had a chance to linger on the words or the emotion held by them, Eric shifted his hips and thrust, filling her to the hilt with one swift motion that left Calleigh's back arching and her eyelids fluttering.
Any more preamble than that was unnecessary; she was long past ready and so was he. Covering her mouth with his and eagerly swallowing her moan, Eric began a rhythm that Calleigh readily matched. Every clash of their hips left Calleigh quivering and Eric shuddering above her, their bodies quickly and easily growing accustomed to such a perfect dance. It had hit him before, but never quite with this same intensity – they moved so well together, whether the pace was slow and deliberate, or quick and desperate, much as this was becoming.
Lips meshed and tongues mingled eagerly as Calleigh's hands flitted restlessly over his back, nails occasionally digging into his skin. Every thrust was deep, deliciously hard, and Calleigh could already feel the electric pleasure pooling deep within her belly. Their bodies glided together so sinuously, guided by the thin, slick sheen of sweat between them. She still wanted him impossibly closer, impossibly deeper, and her fingers dug into his hips, trying to draw him deeper with every thrust.
Eric broke from her lips, quickly taking in a sharp gasp of air. Watching her face for a moment, he thrust hard, relishing in the pleasure that coursed across her features. He could feel her urging him, and if possible, it only made him more desperate for her. With a low growl, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, savoring every little sound that slipped from her lips – hitching breaths, pleased sighs, desire-filled moans and desperate cries. And just like every other time, when his name began to find itself attached to any of those, Eric would swear he was in heaven.
He pressed his lips to her throat, applying a light suction that left goosebumps over every inch of her skin. "I – I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he breathed against her skin, unsure if the sudden clench of her muscles around him was a direct result of his thrusts or his low, gravelly tone. All he knew for sure was that it was enough to have him faltering in his pace, just the slightest bit. "I – I want to take you there someday," he continued, purposely using the voice she referred to as that voice; the one about which he always played dumb whenever accused of using it on her. "Puerto Rico."
Calleigh parted her lips, only to surrender a surprised "oh!" as Eric thrust deep, almost effortlessly finding her spot. Suddenly, it seemed her entire body had been electrified, and she couldn't help but squirm wildly as now every sensation felt magnified. She cried out his name, arched beneath him, anything she could do in the wake of such blissful, sensual assault.
And it only continued, pushing her farther than she would've ever imagined possible. "I thought about you," he continued, his lips latching to the sensitive lobe of her ear now. Calleigh moaned, her eyes rolling back in her head as he punctuated each word with a deep, spine-tingling thrust. "Every single night." He paused, swirling his tongue around her earlobe before tugging oh so gently with his teeth. "The way you smile, the way you laugh." He drew in a breath, steadying himself both physically and mentally as she quivered around him. Every deep thrust, every withdrawal followed by another mind-numbing thrust left the tension in his own body coiled almost to the limit. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold on, but if the way Calleigh was writhing and crying out was any indication, she was right there with him.
Tilting his head, Eric nuzzled at the sensitive patch of skin along her jaw, just beneath her ear. "Your perfume, shampoo…" he continued, his voice still melting every tiny reserve of control that Calleigh had left. "God, I missed you, Cal," he growled, focusing on the exquisite clash of their hips, over and over again. "Do you have any idea just how insane you make me?"
She did have an idea. "Oh God," she moaned, biting hard at her lip as the first bursts of pleasure threatened to overcome her. "Stop talking…"
He knew it was her weakness. And right now, his voice was completely undoing her, every little growl sending little ripples of pleasure straight to her core. Her nails dug into his skin, very likely leaving their mark. But the tiny, sharp bursts of pain were nothing compared to the exquisite feel of being one with her, being connected to her so very intimately. It never failed to take his breath away. "You feel so good…"
The low growl was delivered right to her ear; along with his gravelly voice, she could feel the heat of his breath against her skin. She swallowed hard, searching for the strength to bring her palms to his face and direct his lips back to hers – suddenly, she needed to be kissing him; needed it so desperately as the shimmers of her climax began to slip just into her grasp. "Eric – Eric!" She couldn't help but cry out his name; it fell over and over from her lips, an almost desperate plea that simply would not be silenced – by now, she couldn't even be completely sure of what was escaping from her parted lips. "God, Eric – so – so close..." She whimpered; her voice failing her for a moment as Eric's skillful fingers skimmed along her breast, just barely glancing along a pebbled nipple before fluttering over her taut stomach. She could almost feel it coming, but still Calleigh arched beneath him, crying out as his questing touch settled between her thighs. "Eric, please…"
"Let go," he breathed, his lips hovering just above hers, just agonizingly out of her reach. "Just let go…"
Calleigh had no choice. His voice drove her insane. The dual assault of his skilled fingers and his hard, deep thrusts left her defenseless, no choice but to succumb to the pleasure, the liquid fire building and building deep within her, just waiting for that final push to send it through the rest of her body, such an exquisite flame by which to be burned.
Finally he obliged her, hungrily covering her mouth with his, and with one, two, three more deep, shudder-inducing thrusts, Calleigh cried out loudly, the sound muffled only somewhat by Eric's lips. Her climax ripped through her like nothing else, the low tingle in her belly growing and growing until it had no choice but to explode in a violent burst of technicolor pleasure.
Her walls clamped around him so tightly that Eric couldn't help but force his lips away from hers, only long enough to bite out a low curse. He growled her name, low and husky, and with one last thrust into her still quivering body, Eric came hard, hard enough to take his breath away and dot his vision with stars. He caught her lips again, just in time to catch her whimper as she trembled with the aftershocks of such an exquisite climax.
It seemed as though they would never fade either. She had no idea how long they lay there – him still nestled snugly inside her, their bodies calming and cooling, lips exchanging slow, lingering kisses. In that moment, if she'd had her way, Calleigh would've never wanted him to move; would've reprimanded him for even thinking about leaving her bed.
It was inevitable, though, that the euphoria would eventually fade. And as it faded, it left room for everything that Calleigh had pushed away to slip back in. The apprehension, the tension, the secrets and lies. And it was clear that Eric felt it too. He shifted, and Calleigh shivered a bit as he finally slipped out of her. Biting her lip, she refused to acknowledge the empty feeling, both physical and emotional, that it left her with. And that only added to the suddenly stifling emotional weight between them.
Calleigh closed her eyes, unable to meet his as he moved to her side, for once not lifting her with him like he so often did after their lovemaking in the past. Her heart sank with the realization – they were her rules; he thought she wanted distance.
After all, they'd put up boundaries for a reason, all those weeks ago.
And tonight, they'd burned them all to the ground, as though they were merely fortifications of paper.
Calleigh wasn't ready to put them back in place yet. Without a word, she slowly shifted beside him, snuggling into his side just as she had done so many nights in the past. His arms circled her then, albeit more tentatively than what she was used to. And then came his voice – two lingering questions spoken within just one simple word. "Calleigh…"
Closing her eyes again, she merely shook her head and sought out a hand with one of her own. Lacing their fingers, she gently squeezed his hand, though she was certain the gesture was more confusing than reassuring. "In the morning, okay?" she murmured finally, answering both of his unspoken questions with a single statement. The conversation – they both knew that was coming – could wait until morning. It was also an invitation to stay, which was all she wanted tonight.
They'd broken the rules – rules set in place to prevent anything like this. But what was done was done, and it would do Calleigh no good to linger upon it now. She might not be able to justify the loss of her carefully-held control, but she couldn't go back and change it either.
For now, Calleigh allowed herself to enjoy the strength of his arms around her, the warmth of his bare skin against hers, the slow rise and fall of his chest with his breath. For now, she would let herself forget all that she simply could not forget by the light of day – secrets, lies, and beyond all else, unspoken fears.
She felt him press a tender kiss into her hair, and Calleigh couldn't help but softly smile. She was tired, and it felt too good to be held like this, to be held like him again after so many lonely nights. And if her decision hadn't already been made, that realization would've solidified it for her.
Tonight couldn't be changed.
And the walls could wait until the morning to be rebuilt.