I wake up in a sweat. Looking around frantically, I slowly bring myself to realize that I'm in my bedroom on the train. Beads line my eyebrows as I squeeze my eyes shut attempting to erase my mind of the nightmare I was just experiencing.
"No, Katniss," I tell myself, "the games are over."
I take in a sharp breath as I hear a short, soft knock on my door. I must have been screaming again. I rise from my bed, and a small but eager smile comes to my lips. I know who it is. My eyes shift quickly to the clock… 1 am. I maneuver around the darkness of my room and find myself at my door. I'm careful not to let the door squeak, and the small curvature of my lips turns into a full smile as I peer into Peeta's deep blue eyes. I take in a long breath and eagerness overwhelms me. I lock my arms around Peeta's neck and feel his strong, muscular arms secure around my waist.
"Couldn't sleep?" He whispers tenderly into my ear.
"Nightmares" I respond, and he nods his head.
I take another look into his beautiful blue eyes. They're tinted with sadness; the way they always are when he thinks about how difficult it is for me to sleep. He must've been up with nightmares, too, and can never fall back asleep after hearing me scream from my room.
"Stay with me?" I ask with my arms still locked around his neck.
"Of course" he says with a slight smile, taking his hand and gently brushing my cheek.
I take his hand and walk to the bed. We've been doing this often now, and it's almost every night that I find myself with Peeta. It's hard to describe what he does to me, how he makes me feel. I slip into bed first, and he follows my lead. Under the covers, Peeta's warmth instantly settles my mix of emotions. I lean against his chest, and stare into his eyes.
"I love you, you know" he tells me as he strokes my cheek again, looking intently into my eyes.
"I know," I say, "and I love you too."
It wasn't until recently that I had decided that I loved Peeta. I knew it all along, really, that I needed him to help keep control of my fire. He still wasn't used to hearing me say these words, and it triggers him to give me a long, passionate, kiss. The kind that makes me wanting more. He takes my face into his hands and stares into my eyes again. I study his face. His jagged jaw bone, his full lips, the licks of fire and torture that forever remain as scars; I love every imperfection. He pulls me closer, and our bodies touch each other. I place my legs between his two, and cuddle into his neck. He makes me feel so safe, and the nightmares are no longer haunting my fragile body. I listen to his heartbeat against his chest.
"Kiss me" he says.
I obey. This time, though, he holds my lips against his for a longer time, drinking in the moment. His hands begin to move up and down the silhouette of my short nightgown. He kisses me again, but harder this time, and with more urgency. I get goose-bumps as his gentle fingers caress my waist. I find myself within a tangle of passionate kisses. I feel his tongue against mine and I am short for breath. His hands slide up and down my body less delicately now, with a hunger for more. I reach out, and tangle my fingers in his shining blond hair.
I can feel the warmth of Peeta's skin, and it draws me closer. The way he is kissing me, the way his hands feel over the thin sheer nightgown, I feel an eagerness that I had never previously experienced. The feeling creeps over every inch of my body, and my hips move in closer. I feel his hard manhood against me, and a hunger creeps through my body.
"Peeta," I breathlessly get myself to say aloud. He quickly jerks back his hand, afraid that he crossed a line.
"I… I'm sorry Katniss, I just…" Peeta begins, worried that he upset me.
"No, Peeta" I whisper back with a smile, "I think… I think I'm ready."
Those few words were all it took. Peeta responded with a sweet smile, and began to slowly move both hands down to the bottom of my nightgown. He effortlessly slipped it over my head, and I lie with my back down, completely naked.
"Your turn," I chuckle, and take off his shirt for him.
Peeta looks over my naked body, taking in every inch of it. His eyes trace me. He cups his hands in my full breasts.
"You're stunning," he says in a trance.
He quickly swings one leg over me, and begins to kiss my neck. His lips travel down my body and make their way to my breasts, slowly licking circles around my nipple. Taking my nipple in his mouth, I let out a short moan. This excites him, and I find his lips meet mine again.
"Your pants," I whisper.
He slips them off of himself, and he's back onto me in a flash. He crouches over me and I feel his hands slowly making their way lower. I let out another small moan, and Peeta takes this as a "go" signal. I feel one finger slip inside of me, and I take a deep breath. The feeling is unimaginable. He begins to move faster, putting another finger inside me and quickly moving in and out. I begin to get wetter as the noises of pleasure escape from my lips.
My hands begin to travel up and down his muscular body. I touch a sensitive spot, which is the spot he's been waiting for all night. My hands travel up and down his member and moans escape from his lips. He is still over me, and he leans down to whisper something into my ear.
"I'm ready when you are, sweetheart."
My heart nearly stops. An electrifying sensation moves through my body. I can barely think, and I impulsively grab his shoulders and press his naked body fully on top of mine. One more long, sweet, kiss on the lips, and I whisper: "I'm all yours."
He enters me, and it's a feeling I can't describe. I feel so connected, yet in a daze. Every inch of my being is screaming with pleasure and I feel so close with Peeta. Tension inside me builds and builds, as waves of passion convulse through my body. He looks into my eyes, making sure that he isn't hurting me, and the pleasure he can read on my lips makes him smirk in response. Faster and faster, in and out, Peeta consumes me. Each thrust only adds to the pleasure, and he squeezes his eyes tightly and moans.
It's so nice to feel him inside me like this, throbbing and eager. Sweat gleams on his forehead and every thrust creates its own sensation. He begins to move faster, and my voice begins to get louder as I scream out his name. He becomes sweatier, every thrust pushing deeper inside of me. My lips let out one final moan, and Peeta again lets out my name in one exasperated gasp. In one final, deep thrust, I feel Peeta's warm liquid inside of me, and he collapses on top of my body.
I'm the first one to giggle. I push Peeta to the side and he takes my face into his hands.
"Katniss Everdeen," he begins, "you make me the happiest person alive."
"Peeta Mellark," I respond with a smile on my lips, "you are quite the impressive performer."
I give him one final, soft and sweet, kiss on the lips. I cuddle back into his chest and he wraps his arms around me, right where I feel safest. I love him. And he loves me. And for some reason, I think there will be no more nightmares tonight.