Title: Even Closer
Author: AnitaB
Author's notes: This is a direct sequel to a story by Gatekeeper, but she refused to post. I thank my reviewers for convincing her the universe was interested enough. Her fic is up now and titled "Not quite Heaven." It's set after the fall of at least the part of Division that houses the recruits we've met. Alex, Thom, Nikita, and Michael escaped with injuries and are now trying to put their lives back together.
Alex and Thom know they want to be together, but his leg injury and her history with guys made things move a little slower than either of them wanted to. There are a few things that need to be said first. Alex/Thom romantic committed smut ahead.
I own nothing and nothing I do own would be worth the lawyer's fees of suing me. No money is made and no infringement is intended.
Even Closer
By AnitaB
Chapter one: Waiting and Words
It was hard to wait. But Alex had done everything she could to make waiting easier. She slept most nights in his arms and gave him the sweetest little kisses several times a day. Thom got to hold her hand and even wrap his arms around her waist when neither of them was in pain or distress.
It was still the slowest physical recovery of his life. But if he was up to training with Michael, Thom was more than ready to take on Alex. If she'd have him.
Thom smiled before ripping the tape on the back of his wrist with his teeth. If he went to his sweet, violent girl with his knuckles still in their wraps, he'd end up in another round of sparring. As much as he loved it when Alex laughed and proceeded to soundly thrash him, or when she was pinned beneath him smiling, that wasn't how he wanted to spend their time tonight.
"Hey, Alex," Thom threw the tape scraps in the trash and followed the sound of her footsteps down the hall.
She stopped, hesitated a moment, then turned to greet him with a smile. "Hey, Thom, how's the leg?" Her voice was warm, a little softer and breathier than normal. But that was probably because he was looking at her without hiding even a little of the feelings caught up in the back of his throat. "Seems easier to walk on."
"Yeah," He proved just how much easier by catching up to the hand she half held out to him. "I haven't had any pain meds in almost a week and Michael said I'm at almost 100%." Thom lifted her hand and pressed his lips to the inside of her wrist. "I don't have any stitches to pop anymore."
He knew she understood exactly what he meant when those beautiful grey eyes warmed and fell to his lips. His Alex was thinking about kissing him. She wanted that kiss almost as badly as Thom did. "A clean bill of health." She stepped closer to trail the very tips of her fingers down the line of his bicep, drawing a little shiver of heat from his sweaty skin. He watched her bite her lower lip as he flexed under her touch. "And since you've already had a workout, what did you have in mind?"
For a second he thought about just pinning her to his chest and taking her over with a hard, deep kiss. He thought about flinging her over his shoulder, carrying her to the same bed where she cuddled into his arms and ripping her out of every single scrap of her clothes. Part of him wanted to throw her legs around his waist and plunge himself inside her with only the wall at her back keeping them from hitting the ground.
/No, not that way.\\ Thom captured those wandering fingers with his, kissing her fingertips and containing those hands between his. "We have to talk first. Come with me?" The way her eyelids fluttered just made him smile against her skin. When she bit her lip and nodded, Thom found himself helplessly leaning forward to drag his tongue along that soft sweet curve of skin. Willpower alone let him pull back after she responded so warmly and sweetly. "Alex…"
"Lead the way, Thom. I'm with you." He loved the soft heat in her eyes as her fingers tightened around his. If he stood here looking at her for one more second, more would happen in this hallway than he'd planned. Hallways and two flights of stairs passed under his feet, but all he noticed was the woman keeping up with the pace. When they hit the door of what was functionally their room now, Alex was a step and a half in front of him. "Thom?"
"Alex," He guided her onto the edge of the bed and sank to his knees at her feet. "Wait, sweetheart. I need you to listen to me, okay?" Alex nodded, twining her hands through his as she leaned forward. Now he just had to figure out how to say it. "I know your history, know how much it means that you told me about it. And… I … I don't ever want to be pain or payment for you. I don't ever want to be another man to hurt or use you." He watched the edge of fear in her eyes be overwhelmed by warmth and trust. Nothing mattered more than that look on her face and her hands tightening around his. "I want to show you how it should be… between us. But… I need you to trust me… be honest with me."
"Thom…" Alex pulled her hands free to cup those fingers against his jaw. "Thom… I…"
"Please, Alex." Thom reached for the kiss she offered, then made himself pull back after a chaste brush of lips. "I need you let me know if you like what I'm doing or not. No faking anything for me, please. There's no point to do anything if you're not enjoying it as much as I am."
Her eyes closed and her arms circled his neck to pull him in. "What I… liked or didn't like… never mattered before."
Thom had to close his eyes for a moment of rage. If he ever got his hands on even one of the men that had laid a finger on her… well, he'd put all his impressive and questionable training to slow and painful use. "It matters to me."
Her fingers cupped his jaw, tilting his face up to hers. "I know that, Thom. I just… I just don't really know what I like and what I don't." He pushed aside his anger to pull her closer. She was here: strong, alive, and warm in his arms. Thom didn't want to waste a second of the time he had with her. Gently stroking his fingers along her cheek, he led her down to his lips for a soft, sweet kiss.
"Then we'll figure out what we both like as we go. But no hiding from me, no faking anything you don't feel. Because it matters to me, you matter to me." He gave a quiet laugh. "It scares me just how much you matter to me."
Her smile and soft laugh sent warmth through his blood. "I know I like that." Alex tugged on his shirt, telling him silently that he wasn't close enough. Thom was smiling as he climbed onto the edge of the mattress next to her. "And I know I like it when you kiss me, Thom."
"Well… then let's start there." Thom slid his arms around her waist, flattening his hands against the lean strength of her back to pull her close against his chest. "Kiss me, Alex. 'Cause I love it when you kiss me back." Her hands fisted in his hair and he groaned into the warmth of her lips. This was a slow, careful, deep exploration, something between a gentle and hungry. And it still wasn't enough.
000
Alex couldn't count the number of times she'd shed tears out of pain, frustration, or even anger. But only Thom had ever made her want to cry for the beauty of a moment. He was kneeling at her feet offering her everything she'd ever wanted and the one thing she'd never thought she'd ever get again. Thom was offering her freedom and affection, trust and hope, innocence and touch. Thom was in her arms offering her himself. Hell itself couldn't get her to say no.
And he was way too far away for her to feel him like she needed to. To touch him like he needed her to. "I know I like that." Alex bit her lip and closed her fingers around a fistful of his shirt. A sharp tug put a smile on those lips as their owner obeyed and climbed onto the bed at her side. She wanted those lips, wanted a kiss from this gentle, amazing man. Well, he'd asked her to be honest with him. "And I know I like it when you kiss me, Thom."
It was like he didn't want her to breathe when he wrapped those strong arms around her and tucked her tight against his chest. The words on those lips made her hands clench in his hair. Thom loved kissing her. But he couldn't love it as much as she did. Sipping the groan off his lips, Alex fought to give him a slow, sweet, deep kiss. This was about feeling, exploring, touching. Not rushing. Thom was worth every single second she could spend this close to him.
And she needed to know what he liked. That meant she had to stop kissing him long enough to explore his responses. Pulling back weakly, she braced both hands on his chest to keep him from following her lips with his. "Alex," His hands clenched in the back of her shirt, his arms tensing to pull her back in range. "Please, sweetheart."
Wow. He really did love kissing her. But now she wanted to give him more. Alex smiled and touched her fingertips to his lips. "Thom, I need to know what you like, too. This isn't just about me. It's for us." His eyes darkened and his breath caught in his throat. He liked that, he really liked that she cared about his feelings. "So let's see about something you like."
"I like kissing you, Alex." She watched his eyes lock on her lips before he licked his lips. Alex barely managed to bite back a groan as his hands stroked along her back, trying to pull her closer. "I like holding you, feeling you in my arms."
"Would you like to feel me closer?" The speed of his nod and the clenching of his hands brought a gasp to her throat. /Yes, Thom, I like that you want me this much.\\ Alex adored that he wasn't pushing her. Every inch of his body language said he wanted her closer. And they both knew that he had the strength and speed to put her anywhere he wanted to with or without her consent. But Thom wouldn't move her one inch without her permission. Time to let him know he had it. "How close?" Alex swung one leg over his lap and settled her weight on his knees. "This close?"
"Closer." His chin angled up, offering her a kiss with just a motion of his head and his eyes on her mouth. "Much closer, Alex, please." She just couldn't resist that sound in his voice, leaning forward to brush her lips against his. Thom breathed a low, sweet groan into her mouth before following the sound with a thrust of his tongue. /Thom,\\ Completely on its own, her body pressed closer, moving right against the wall of his chest just to feel the heat of him against her skin. "Yes, Alex, that close." Strong arms folded across the small of her back, snuggling her hips flush against his, erection and all. All she managed was a breathless gasp before his lips reclaimed hers. He was… hard… against her. And for the first time in her life, Alex thrilled at the very obvious proof of male need. This was Thom. This was her Thom, kissing her like she mattered more than air and wanting her enough to harden at only a kiss. At her kiss, while they were both still fully dressed. "This," his biceps flexed, rocking her hips against the front of his. "Even this isn't close enough, Alex." He felt so unbelievably good that she couldn't breathe, couldn't do anything but cling to the hard strength of his shoulders and rub against that hard heat. "I'd like to get you even closer, Alex. Would you like that?"
He stopped the helpless movement of her hips against his by tightening one arm at her back. His fingers stroked across her lower lip, keeping her from kissing him. Alex wanted that kiss, needed it, needed it now. "Thom, please."
He wanted it, too. She could read it in the heated stroke of his eyes but he wasn't about to rush. "Would you like that, Alex? Do you want to feel me even closer?" He couldn't possibly expect her to speak, let alone put together a complete sentence when he had her every nerve focused on the deep, sharp ache between her thighs. Thom could ease that ache, could make this heated touch of skin even better. She just knew it. But right now the only skin she could reach was his face and arms.
It was time for some skin. Alex forced her nails out of the smooth heat of his shoulders and cupped his face in her hands. She claimed a kiss, driving her tongue into the delicious heat of his mouth with a helpless groan. Alex rocked her hips against his just for the tightening of his hands at her back. Now that he was breathless, she could speak. "Fuck, yes, Thom, I would like… I would love to feel you even closer than this." She rested her forehead against his and circled her hips around the focus point of his erection. Their breath caught in sync as he arched into the movement with perfect timing. "But that would require we both lose these clothes."
"Yes, please, Alex. I would like to touch you." Alex found herself hefted off his hips. Strong hands clasped her waist and pushed her back onto his knees. "I want to touch and kiss every beautiful inch of you. Would you like that?" Calloused fingertips slid just under the edge of her shirt, dragging heat along the skin just above her belt. Now every single inch of her skin was clamoring for exactly what Thom was offering.
"Yes, I'd like that. Now take off my shirt and touch me." She wanted him to smile just like that at least once a day for the rest of their lives. And if he smiled every time he touched her, she'd get addicted to the rush of heat pretty damn fast. "Thom…"
"I've got you, Alex. Arms up, sweetheart." When the cloth finally cleared her fingertips, Alex breathlessly wrapped her arms around his neck and got lost in his kiss.
000
