Always And Forever
Story 3: In Your Arms
"It's fine." Vee lied through her teeth, trying not to hiss as she rubbed her ankle.
Even if her ankle wasn't throbbing from the stumble over the larger rocks, even if she caught her balance Graham would still be sitting her down and pretty much begging for the okay. When his big eyes were staring into hers, she couldn't help setting pride aside for one moment to rip off her boot and get it over with. Admittedly, the lack of a shoe lessened the concern of swelling.
Of course,her ankle wasn't broken, nor visibly injured. It still hurt to merely stand on, Vee saw the look in Graham's eyes.
It was a rush. The swift motion had hair loosen, her hands frozen mid-wring and legs flailing. But she was off solid ground, securely held in Graham's arms while his hands desperately searched for the right placement, his fingers anywhere near her hip at all a sensation neither expected to ever know.
Every. Last. Drop. All the blood must have rushed to her face, because she genuinely thought she'd pass out from the combination of his careful touch and just being so close. If she didn't lean into his chest, she could have fallen. Take her word for it.
Graham was saying stuff, though it would be forever unrecorded because her mind was more focused on KISS HIM NOW RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE HURRY. Was it dramatic to say she would have died happily in those arms? Because suddenly nothing mattered but subtly enjoying the warmth, the security and Graham's emotions so easily pouring through into his touch.
She couldn't help but interrupt his speech, jerking her body up making their chins bump before she caught his lips roughly. She could let her feelings out through touch as well, even if he made strained confused noises against her mouth. The human heart must be stronger than it gets credit for to not have burst then, because she released all the bottled attraction. Graham even kissed back softly with wonderful inexperience...
Vee's eyes opened, blurry and burning for no sensible reason. She sat up from the pillows and blanket she seemed to have writhed in, seeing the horrible scenery that was her inn room and her uninjured foot. She inhaled, gathering one of the fluffy pillows and shoving it to her blazing face.
"You don't look..." Graham's voice faded as Vee flashed a glare before moving her glass to her lips.
If they hadn't pretty much made a ritual out of meeting every morning in the inn's restaurant on her Daventry visits, Vee would have locked herself in her room all day to throw out all her thoughts on parchment just for an outlet.
"I mean, you're..." Graham trailed off on his own, eyes quivering as he glanced away.
Vee didn't mean to pretty much gulp down half the fruit juice as a substitute for stronger stuff, slam it making her empty plate rattle and the crust remains leap. She saw Graham cringe away when trying to lean over again, shook her head at him and let go of her normal composure to slump.
"I was woken by a strange dream." Vee managed to say neutrally. She clasped her hands, balancing her chin calmly for contrast. "I'm still affected, Graham. I understand if you don't want to spend time with me today; I can't promise I'll be nice company."
"Is there any way I can help?" Graham asked, so unaware of innocence radiating from the head tilt.
Vee accidentally choked on air; the image of herself scooped up in Graham's arms flashed in and out of her mind. Denying what she truly wanted was going to make her life hell. She sat up with rigid, perfect posture she trained for years to accomplish only to remain a wreck burying her face in her hands.
Graham got up from the table, circled it and made a move he probably wouldn't have if not overcome with concern... Even though anyone could have looked their way and joked about the display of affection from their once tragically single king, he placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them.
"How could I not at least try to help someone I care about? If something troubles you, of course I want to do what I can! So, you're not bad company; that would be me..."
"Can you meet me in my room, then?" Vee blurted hoping it didn't sound sexual. Never mind her trembling hands clutching quaking knees.
"...But let me try to sell you on-" Graham met her gaze when she peeked over her shoulder, his own face surprised either by the location or instant success.
The door was left unlocked, the curtains open and letting in light and the bed unmade. Vee seated herself as formally as possible, meaning she was hunched over, nervous. Graham was too, but that wasn't enough to stop him from joining her shoulder to shoulder and leaving a sweet peck on her cheek. He moved away before feeling the resulting volcanic eruption on her skin.
"Sometimes my own dreams are too specific for me to not think about all day, and I have no one to talk to them about. I'll listen if that's what you need." Graham told her in the gentlest voice to match one of his hands covering hers. "Or maybe you just need support. I'm here either way... Because it's damaging to be alone so long."
"Well, I want you to stay." Vee confessed, feeling the breath flee her lungs. "Do I want to waste time finding a poetic way to ask if I can be wrapped in your arms? Too late; I asked already."
She retracted a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, regretting not sleeping in. Hey, if she did the result could have been a lot more intense in a different way. She might never be able to look him in the eye again, but life isn't meant to be fair.
Not hearing a reaction was worse than mockery. Vee slowly rotated, especially when she heard a rustle. She saw Graham wear a serious expression suited for walking into a political meeting rather than his current state of holding his arms out and leaving his sides and torso open for her as if that wasn't a laughable request.
Vee didn't think she needed to say anything else; she knew she was smiling with anticipation, not holding back now that he was offering. She didn't think she was foolish for worrying too much earlier; they were actually trying not to make a whirlwind out of their courtship, but it wasn't always easy.
With acquired consent, Vee flopped down pulling at one of those arms so he would fall onto her in the middle of the haphazard pillows. Graham's shoes left a hollow thud on the wall as the bed was not only barely enough for one adult but also against that.
The combined body heat, the scent of wildflowers and the general forest in his hair and his frenzied heartbeat could have made her drift off for the rest of the morning. If his arms linking around her frame didn't trigger something else. She should have brought a layer of blanket between them so she wasn't aware of their bodies close as could be. There was no sexually charged excuse for the idle motion coming from her groin to his. He knew.
One leg got in her path, seemingly blocking before she felt it continue sliding against hers as if trying to process this was indeed another human leg. Smaller, but no more capable of getting one where they needed to be. Or hooking another, keeping the shared heat blazing as if the stream of sunshine and clothes with mattress underneath wasn't close to burning them alive.
Vee couldn't imagine wanting to be anywhere else that morning, a fact Graham couldn't help but see both from her cuddling into his chest in an attempt to muffle accompanying pleased sounds when his arms carefully joined in and glided up and down her back. He wasn't much better, so many lovesick sighs escaping making up for all the times thus far she intoxicated him.
And then there was a knock at the door. "Housekeeping, Princess!"
Vee and Graham somehow avoided cracking their skulls together, grabbing blanket and cape respectively. But in the moment Graham rolled off, back against the wall the blanket was thrown in the air and falling over both as she crashed into him just as they were covered under darkness. Just as the cleaning lady pushed the door open and poked her head inside.
Only Vee's head stuck out, and she couldn't tell if she felt dumber acting like a teenager caught with her boyfriend or fake snoring making dead serious eye contact with Graham even in the dark.
Their confidence shot through the roof when the door creaked back shut with a hushed apology for disturbing her sleep. When alone again, they didn't leave the blanket unless needing air... Especially as Graham's lips were drawn to Vee's, finding more intimacy in the darkness. No reason to speak of how Vee knew; she sent signals too before her arm stretched across her chest past them to knead his.
From that day on, Vee was never shy about letting Graham knew she craved one particular embrace. It took a few tries for Graham's reaction time to improve when they were in the bedroom after a long day, and Vee sprinted and leaped intending to be caught. He didn't look it, but Graham could be perceptive and even though he would eventually "jokingly" ask how she found him attractive when she sprawled on top of him and just listened to his heartbeat always pushing itself to its limits over her, he knew she was stating her honest opinion without having to go down the meticulously organized mental list.
Yes, the list was real.
