Thank you for such wonderful responses. I think there is only maybe one chapter left. Maybe. I might not get it all wrapped up in one. We'll see.
Disclaimed, as always!
Chapter 9
There was something to be said about love and how it can change one's outlook on everything.
Lizzie thought she knew about love, but what she experienced before Red couldn't fill a thimble in comparison.
He only problem, was keeping it from spilling out, bleeding onto the fabric of the life they created together.
They are so damn close now. She knows she's going to ruin it.
She knows that one day he is going to tell one more story about a stupid fish and she is going to spill her guts.
His smile, his laugh, they are everything to her.
He takes every opportunity to touch her. To hold her hand. To wrap his arm around her.
To brush stray hairs away from her face.
Never pushy or demanding, as if he lived for the sole purpose of being there for her.
She could think of no greater feeling in the world.
Oh, she knew what Naomi said. But she was partly right.
Raymond Reddington was a master at making her feel as if she were the center of his universe.
Funny thing was, she believed him.
There was no longer a reason for his close proximity.
She was less fragile. Her nightmares were few and far between.
However, he still held her, each and every night.
Oh how she lived for the night.
He would kiss her cheek, wrap his arms around her and hold her all through the night.
He was a light sleeper so he was alerted immediately if she were in the grips of a nightmare.
If that was the case, she would wake up to him running his hands over her, telling her that he was there and he wasn't going to ever let anything happen to her.
She was blossoming with Red and it was all because she loved that man with every fiber of her being.
If only he felt the same way.
He may love her. She didn't doubt that he cared in his own way.
There was one problem: he didn't want her.
At night, he held her, always afraid that she would awake frightened of the weight of his arm, so considerate he was.
It wasn't his manners she was interested in right now though.
She longed to feel the press of his erection against her bottom as he held her.
Wanted to see the sparkling fire in his eyes when he looked at her body.
The scarring was minimal. You really could only see it in the sun. Pale crisscrosses that looked almost opalescent covered her body.
She was pretty pale in complexion though, and that's what saved her the shame of being noticeably disfigured.
She wanted Red to look beyond the victim. Beyond the prisoner and see that she was just a woman and she just wanted one man…him.
The shared kisses, small pecks that left her pupils dilated and wanting more. Constant holding and hugging.
How could he not know what she was feeling? She was showing him that she was ready to move their relationship to the next level, but he wasn't getting the memo. At all.
One night she felt particularly brazen and wanted to let Red know that she was ready for him to make a move on her, so she sat directly on his lap while he was talking to Dembe.
Red looked as if he would fall off the sofa if she hadn't been straddling him when she ignored the cushion he patted next to him and went straight for his lap.
He was going to fucking die. This was the literal 10th circle of hell. Every time he saw her, his erection was hard enough to pound in railroad ties.
He'd be damned if let her on to his lecherous thoughts though. The very last thing she needs is an old man pawing at her.
She was healing. She was gaining back her confidence and was playful and flirty.
He was happy that she felt comfortable enough, safe enough, to even be playful and flirty after what she'd been through.
He knew everything at this point. She had told him bits and pieces that caused him so much rage and grief that he thought for sure he wouldn't survive the crushing pain in his sternum.
He would be there for her until she was totally healed, no matter what.
She probably had no idea that she was affecting him so deeply.
Every morning in the shower, he would take himself in hand and wonder how perfect everything would be if she would want him as much as he wanted her.
Some days required two showers.
Thankful that his high school health teacher was wrong, because according to her, he would have went blind from excessive masturbation days ago.
Days later, Liz walked up behind him and covered his eyes, tried to disguise her voice in a deeper register, and said "Guess who?"
He laughed and said "I don't remember calling an escort service and requesting a busty brunette with a baritone, but I suppose I can cope, you'll just have to keep quiet."
He snaked his arm around her and pulled her down into his lap as she gave in to a fit of giggles.
God he loved her. She was so adorable.
Her giggles turned to happy shrieks as he nibbled on her neck and growled.
He slowed the pace of his kisses, becoming more intent on his journey to her mouth.
Ragged breaths, but no protests left her mouth. She was excited, turned on even.
They looked into each other's eyes as his mouth closed in on hers.
And then for the first time, Red felt the touch of her tongue on his lips.
It was electrifying, and galvanized him into action. He hugged her to him and hoarsely whispered "Are you sure, Lizzie? If you're not ready that's fine. More than ok. But I will admit that I have been dreaming of this moment for quite some time now."
Her eyes were glossy with excitement and passion she licked outside of the shell of his ear and whispered seductively.
"I want this Red. I want you."
TBC…
Let me know what you think!
