an: This is directly continued from Chapter 6 of 'Between Heaven and Earth' and rated a mild M for loving :) It will be posted in two parts. Lyrics from Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford & sons. Thank you to laloga for all the beta work.
Please review!
~ Closer to Heaven ~
You heard my voice, I came out of the woods by choice
Shelter also gave their shade, and in the dark I have no name
So leave that click in my head, and I will remember the words that you said
Left a clouded mind and a heavy heart, but I was sure we could see a new start
You brought me out from the cold
Now, how I long, how I long to grow old
This, here, now...with Elmont, on his bed, in his lap, and the way he was looking at her...Elleree could not imagine anything better.
One strong hand slid from her hip to her lower back, urging her closer and she slipped her own hands up and over his muscled shoulders, looping her arms around his neck. They kissed, again and again, slow at first - the gentle press of his mouth to hers - but with every touch of their lips the passion between them increased and each of his kisses became more eager.
Little by little, Elleree found herself moving closer until she was flush against his body, every inch of her pressed to every inch of him. Her knees sunk into the softness of the bed below them, enough to allow her to rest her weight against him, bringing her even closer.
The heated kiss broke on a shared gasp and Elmont's arm tightened around her waist as his mouth dropped to her shoulder, bared by the slipping of her chemise.
"Elleree," he murmured, sighing softly.
"Mmmm."
As he nipped at the curve of her shoulder, the soft hairs of his goatee made her sensitive skin tingle. Pressing closer, she could feel him hardening beneath her already, and she could not help herself, rocking her hips into his.
A low moan rumbled from his chest when she moved against him so she did it again, earning the same response. On her lower back, his fingers tightened, keeping her pressed to him and he turned his head so his lips were now tickling her neck.
Her own hands slipped lower to caress the hard planes of Elmont's broad back and Elleree savored the heat of his skin under her fingertips. Shifting again, she wanted, needed to be closer even as he continued nuzzling the over-sensitive skin where her neck met her shoulder, making her entire body buzz in anticipation.
The coarse material of his breeches was rubbing on the delicate skin of her inner thighs, however, and she found it was starting to feel abrasive and a bit uncomfortable. Elleree tried to shift her legs without losing contact, but to no use; his pants really needed to come off. Finally she pulled back, pressing her palms to his chest and leveled him with a serious stare to attempt to keep him from completely distracting her again from her goal of getting him naked.
He met her eyes, casting her a mock-frown as she moved away from him.
Her lips twitched, but she managed not to laugh at his disappointed expression. "You're rubbing me the wrong way," she explained.
"I've never had any complaints before..."
Elleree did laugh at this, and lifted on her knees, removing herself from his lap. "I believe I had a task to complete, Captain, and I will not let you distract me from my goal."
"Quite admirable," he grinned, eyes glinting.
Elleree gave a little push to his shoulder, and shuffled across the bed. "Lay back."
Elmont complied, swinging his legs up and stretching his form along the length of the large bed. Hands resting at his sides, he looked up at Elleree kneeling beside him as soon as he'd settled, his expression expectant.
Unable to help herself, she grinned and leaned down to press her mouth to his. Slowly, she caressed his lips with her own, and she felt one hand lift to twine within her hair as he kissed her back.
Too, too good.
Outside the rain beat a furious pattern on the roof, much louder here on the upper floor of Elmont's home. Gusts of wind buffeted the walls but to no avail. This, their haven, was safe and sound against all manners of intrusions, at least for tonight.
When she sat up again, she looked at him, her fingers sweeping across his chest. "How do you feel?" she murmured, her voice quieter than she'd meant it to be.
"Quite glad you came," he answered. "And...uncomfortably overdressed." As he said this, he shifted his hips and her smile widened.
"Well, we can't have that." Slowly she let her fingertips skim down his chest to his abdomen, tracing the soft line of dusky cinnamon colored hair that trailed down from his navel.
Once again, his hips jerked as her hands fell upon the clasp to his pants and she had to bite her lip at the swell of happiness and arousal that washed across her. Anxiousness urged her to hurry along, to rush through this so she could flee again - to make sure she was never in any one place long enough to face the consequences - but she forced herself to hold back, to slow down. Elmont deserved so much more...if he wanted it, and she was beginning to think perhaps she could let herself have more as well. When she was alone with him, it was the only time she felt like nothing else mattered, not her class or lack of money or anything. He cared for her and that was something worth holding on to.
So she willed her trembling fingers to calm.
Carefully, she undid the buckle and couldn't help rubbing her fingers over the skin of his lower abdomen, just below the loosened waistband. As she did, Elleree looked up to watch his expression and was happy to find him entirely affected by the simple touch. His eyes closed briefly as she teased him, and she could see his breathing had hitched.
Emboldened, she continued, loosening the material just enough so she would be able to slide it over his tapered hips and down.
Eager and anxious, still trembling a little, she hesitated for one moment before she continued. The light from the lantern on the stand was low, casting a soft golden glow to the room, but her eyes had long adjusted and his body, stretched out on his bed, was clear to her.
This was nothing new; it was not that she had never seen and felt all of him before, she had - but this slow stripping and unbuilding of every barrier between them, in such clear light, literally as well as figuratively, was entirely foreign. Elleree knew it was what she wanted, so much, but still it was difficult and she took a breath.
The last time they had been together had been months ago - late, late at night, in a tiny dark room at the Inn. She could barely remember how it had started, beyond an ache of loneliness and a blur of passion - but she knew it had been fast and wonderful and she had left as soon as he fell asleep, with a gentle kiss to his brow and a flare of regret. But this...
Elleree looked to the candle within the lamp...she could reach it from here if she wanted, a quick blow and the light would be out...but Elmont touched her wrist before tangling his fingers with hers.
"Leave it," he rumbled, sliding his other hand up her bare leg and back down."I don't want to miss anything."
Elleree nodded and her mouth curved in a faint smile. He was right of course, always bloody right.
Moving closer, she hooked her fingers in the waist of his breeches and as slow and careful as she could manage, she pulled the material over his hips and down, so he was covered only by his thin underclothes. Barely covered... She held her breath.
"Almost there," he teased.
Startled, Elleree glanced up at his face, realizing she had been staring, and she felt her cheeks warm.
"Patience..." She chided him, repeating herself from earlier and he chuckled in reply.
Elleree swallowed, her heart fluttering at both the sound of his husky laugh and the heat in his eyes. The light in the room was not bright, but still she felt a wave of shyness. As much as she wanted this, she was not quite ready to strip him naked, lying before her as he was.
But she could not help taking a second to fully admire him, his hair tousled, expression ardent but content. On display, his form was near perfection, muscled shoulders and arms, broad chest, powerful legs and barely covered - she could see he was quite anxious for her.
So she bought time, lying down beside him instead and she pulled his face to hers for another kiss. Without hesitation he kissed her back, encouraging her to open to him, his tongue sweeping through her mouth, and she let her hands slide around his waist to slip into his underclothes.
Gentle fingers explored smooth skin until she was cupping his backside and she gave the firm muscles a little squeeze. His reaction was instantaneous and addicting, a quiet masculine groan that made her stomach flutter, made her yearn, so she squeezed again and his hips jerked, pressing himself into her body.
Elleree closed her eyes even as she tilted her head back, his mouth sliding to the arch of her throat, but she was encouraged by his obvious eagerness. Turning her wrists, she used them to start in drawing his remaining clothes down his hips. When she had pushed them as far as she could, reluctantly she removed her hands from his warm skin to continue.
Catching the material in her fingers, she drew them further down his legs, as far as she could reach, letting her fingertips caress his legs at the same time. Elmont rumbled his approval and rolled over, quick to help in removing his underwear the rest of the way.
Then he returned to her, the full length of his body pressed along hers. The soft chemise was the only thing between them while she laid on her back beneath him. He smiled down at her, smoothing the loose wisps of her auburn hair away from her face. With a light tug on her messy plait, he slid his fingertips along the length of the twined strands, catching the tie at the end and pulling it free.
Carefully, he threaded his fingers through her hair, loosing it in tousled waves to spread across the bed. Lifting her chin, she leaned up to kiss him again - a simple, slow press of her mouth to his.
He shifted, and she felt how eager and ready he was... Her throat caught and she could feel the beat of her heart thudding within her chest, quicker and quicker.
When he pulled away, she whispered his name and before she even realized he had sat up, his palms were sliding up her thighs...
tbc
