Disclaimer: nada, nothing, zip. Get it, good.
Author's note: okay I thought I'd throw a wrap party for moonlight Enchantments for being such a great reviewer. (Not that the rest of you aren't great too, but she has consistently made me smile with her speedy and frequent reviews) Soz if I'm making you blush.
Ray sighed sleepily the warm shape of Neela laid close to him, her head resting on his bare chest like it was made for the sole purpose of being her pillow. His arm had gone to sleep about twenty minutes ago, just after he had heard her breathing signal her own contented sleep. He was still reluctant to move, to wake her but the numbness in his arm and tingling in his fingers was demanding a more comfortable position. He deftly pried it out from under her sleeping form, laying her head back on the pillow carefully so as not wake her.
"Too early" She murmured drowsily. He smiled happily to himself, She was beautiful, she was perfect and she was his.
He fully intended to keep her as long as he could hold onto her, as long as it took for her to realise she was too good for him.
"I love you," He whispered kissing her lightly on the top of her head.
Movement and a loss of warmth intruded on her comfortable slumber, His voice reassuring her tenderly as he kissed her lightly.
The simple loving gesture reminding her of the side of Ray that belonged solely to her, the side no one else saw, the Ray that she had nearly given up on having through her own fears.
She opened sleep heavy lids and smiled up at him.
"Morning" She whispered laying a gentle kiss on his full pouting lips.
"Hi" he grinned trapping her in his arms. He pulled her in close drawing her in for a deep passion filled kiss that left her breathless and yearning for more when he stopped.
"Okay that was good but I'm sure you can do better" She joked cheekily earning herself a disapproving shake of his head.
"Is that right? " he laughed lunging at her and pinning her to the mattress. He tickled her knowing that she was dreadfully ticklish. She screamed squirming wildly beneath him.
"Ray stop it" She squealed manically writhing underneath him.
"Not until you concede," He grinned mischievously tickling her even more.
"Never" She choked out gasping in huge lung fulls of air, formulating ways to stop him and take control of the situation. She was much smaller than him unable fight him off and turn the tables. She considered the options left to her, there was no way she would concede to him. His unbearable smugness would be too much.
She was trapped underneath his heavier form, completely at his mercy. He grinned wolfishly revelling in all the ways he could use that to his advantage, when she threw him completely off by attacking him with a well placed kissed, all thoughts of tickling her disappeared as he became absorbed in the sensation of her lips on his. He didn't argue as she rolled him casually onto his back.
'This could be good too'
She peppered his face and neck with warm fleeting kisses, straddling his hips with both hands on his chest she looked down at him through expressive brown eyes filled with impish energy.
"Do you concede?" She grinned from ear to ear.
"Never" He pulled her down to him capturing her lips hungrily. This sort of torture he could happily handle.
Her lips locked passionately to his she knew she was right, it didn't matter how long it lasted. Ray was hers and she was his, if only for a short time it would still be better than never having this.
He had changed her inadvertently, remade her into a different Neela, Still strong and fiercely independent but more spontaneous and daring. Ray Barnett had made cautious little Neela a better version of herself.
And it's a wrap.