Hey everyone! Welcome back!
We've reached the official end of Into the Flame. I think I'll add an epilogue chapter after this, but for now this is the final chapter!
Thank you all so much for joining me on this journey!
(!Lemon Warning!)
Chapter 14: Kiss Me
What had he done?
Raeger slammed a plate down far too hard, startling the lone customer he'd gotten for lunch. He paid for his meal and sat down as far from the crooked chef as he could, inhaling his food. Raeger felt a twinge of guilt, but nothing was worse than the disgusting pit of regret in his stomach.
What had he done?
His phone had been blowing up all morning. Texts from Corona, flying hot and fierce. She was appalled at him. She couldn't believe the things- the lies- he'd told Maya yesterday. She'd even stormed through the restaurant, verbally berating him until he had to open. The carpenter's wife left in a blaze of fury, ranting about how imbecilic men could be.
Raeger hadn't argued a single thing.
He felt like dirt. Worse than dirt- his cold hadn't quite receded, so he felt like sick dirt. The one thing he'd made perfectly clear was that he never wanted to hurt Maya, and what had he done? Exactly that. He'd hurt her, broken her trust, and when she'd been so kind to him too… Raeger was gripped in a deep, icy fear. He wasn't sure their friendship would survive this.
Not only had he pushed the woman of his dreams into the arms of another man, but he'd lost the best friend he's ever had.
0 for 2, Raeger old buddy. Want to try for 3? Strike and you're out!
The chef threw his dishtowel onto the counter, whipping it against the stainless steel. He shouldn't have opened today, he knew. But what else could he do? He couldn't very well go see Maya. She'd been ignoring him since yesterday.
Raeger yanked his phone out of his pocket and checked his messages, as if to prove himself wrong. There was another heated one from Corona, but every single one of the 43 texts he'd sent to Maya were left unanswered.
She hated him, she had to.
This is exactly what he'd been afraid of. Raeger was terrible with relationships; he cared about Maya so much, he didn't want to subject her to the pain he'd cause her if they dated. He didn't know what to do, what to say; he'd never loved someone as much as he loved her. Terror shook his very core, and when Maya had said those wonderful things yesterday… well, he'd done what he does best.
"Fuck up," Raeger whispered harshly. "Colossal, earth-shattering fuck up."
"I hope you're not referring to the food?"
Raeger whipped around, having not heard the door. The first customer was long gone, the bare minimum of a tip left on the table. Raeger blinked at the new arrival, taking far longer than he liked to process what he was seeing.
A tall perfumer in a green suit stood before him, smiling pleasantly.
Well fuck me, Raeger thought bitterly, just who I wanted to see.
"Good afternoon Klaus," Raeger plastered a warm smile on his face, masking his displeasure. "Here for some lunch?"
"Just a coffee, thanks," he dipped his chin, taking a seat at the bar. Great. That meant Raeger would be standing in front of him for the duration of his visit. He tried to muffle his exasperated sigh.
"Not much traffic today, I see." Klaus mused, folding his hands delicately in front of him. Raeger silently pleaded for him not to speak, to leave him to his work, but he knew it was in vain. Klaus was a nice guy. Nice guys liked to talk.
"Pretty boring around here, yup." Raeger agreed, trying not to sound curt. It wasn't Klaus's fault he was in a sour mood, after all.
"I'm sure it'll pick up soon," Klaus insisted. Raeger nodded in agreement, glancing at the clock. Christ, was it 2 already?
"Actually, I'm rather relieved we're the only two here," Klaus continued, eyes darting to the door. "I was hoping to discuss something with you."
Raeger lifted his head, brewing the coffee by muscle memory. "Oh yeah? What's that?"
"I saw Maya this morning."
Raeger nearly dropped the mug.
"Oh."
It wasn't as if it was… surprising. Klaus and Maya were friends, after all, good friends. She was bound to see him every now and again. But after what he said to her yesterday… Raeger felt Klaus's words cut deep. It hurt. Hurt more than he wanted to admit.
"She seemed incredibly upset," Klaus murmured, sensing the coldness in Raeger's tense stance. "I couldn't help but wonder if you knew something about it."
Raeger bit his lip, focusing too hard on stirring.
The two men sat in silence while Raeger worked, ignoring Klaus's question. Yes, of course he knew something about it. He had a feeling that Klaus knew that too. So why the hell was he here throwing it in the chef's face?
"Raeger," Klaus began, dragging out his name in trepidation, "I won't pretend as though I'm privy to everything that's gone on between the two of you. But if you don't mind, I'd like to give you my two cents."
"Go ahead," Raeger spat, his voice unintentionally venomous. "Not like I can stop you."
"No, I suppose you can't," Klaus chuckled. "Raeger, when it comes to women, I don't believe anyone is an expert. Everyone is unique, and there's certainly no blanket cure to every disagreement. There are things that most of the villagers don't know about me, and one of them I'm going to share with you now."
Raeger waited, his knuckles white as he clenched his fists on the countertop.
"I…" Klaus cleared his throat. "I've had many, many girlfriends in the past. That's not a brag, by the way, so please don't think I'm boasting. I merely mean to say that I've had experience where many men have not. Including you, I believe."
Klaus shifted in his chair, the conversation unsettling him. Raeger was surprised. Sure, Klaus was an attractive man, not to mention sophisticated, so it wasn't impossible to imagine he'd seen his fair share of women. But the crease in Klaus's brow indicated that perhaps it was more than even Raeger meant when he said 'many'.
"I hope to offer you some advice," Klaus continued. "Maya, in the short time that I've known her, has proved to be a shining star in an otherwise black night sky. As I'm sure you know, I nearly pursued her myself. I… well, I've seen the way you look at her, Raeger. I know that look. And I know it's not wise to ignore it."
Raeger absently dropped Klaus's mug in front of him. It went untouched, the men locked in a stare that would chill even the hottest summers.
"Why are you telling me this?" Raeger spat, unable to stop himself from firing back. "As far as you're concerned, I'm out of the way. Isn't now the perfect time for you to White Knight in and save her?"
Klaus's jaw twitched. Raeger waited, his shoulders quaking.
"I'd be more than happy to," Klaus admitted, sending a shock of fear through Raeger's chest, "if that's what Maya wanted."
Raeger pressed his lips together, holding back all the angry things he wanted to say.
"Alas, it seems like I'm the furthest thing from her mind," Klaus lamented, squaring his shoulders. "You have quite the spell cast, and I would argue that you still have time to fix whatever blunder caused this riff."
Raeger couldn't stand to look at the older man anymore. He turned abruptly, busying himself with a tea towel.
"This is none of your business," he ground out, struggling to keep his voice even. "It has absolutely nothing to do with you. So, I'd appreciate it if you could finish your coffee and get the fuck out of my restaurant."
Silence. Raeger didn't think he'd ever been that blunt with someone in his life, but he couldn't take it back. His heart was on fire, blood rushing through his veins with the force of a tidal wave. Klaus had no right to be here, rubbing salt in his open wounds.
"You're right."
Raeger tilted his head, just enough to tell Klaus he was still listening.
"This is none of my business," Klaus sighed, finally picking up his lukewarm mug. "And you certainly don't need to listen to me. I just thought I would give it a shot, since no one else seems to be able to get through to you."
Raeger took a calming breath, relaxing his iron grip on the tea towel.
"I have to get ready for supper," he muttered, taking a half-hearted step towards the kitchen. "Excuse me."
He almost made it to the corner before Klaus spoke again, stopping him in his tracks.
"But," he began, his voice hard and almost cold. "If I were you, I might think about listening to someone besides that idiotic voice in your head, for once."
"And what the hell do you know?"
Raeger whirled just as fast as Klaus stood, nearly tipping his chair. Raeger took two massive steps towards the perfumer, not really sure what he was planning to do. Klaus watched him with cool interest, his golden eyes as solid as stone.
"Where have you been over the last few weeks?" Raeger demanded, his blood pressure soaring. "You call yourself her friend, but who spent every night comforting her? Who gave up every second of free time they could to be there for her? Who dedicated their whole life to her? Who proved over and over that they want nothing but the best for her? There's only one man in this room that loves her more than anything, and it sure as hell isn't you!"
Raeger let out a frustrated curse, tugging furiously on his hair. Klaus regarded him quietly, waiting for the tirade to pass.
"I love her, you pompous piece of flowery shit," Raeger lamented, "I would do anything- anything- to fix this, but it's not. That. Simple. You can't just storm in here, pretending like you know everything, and tell me how to deal with my problems. You- you-"
"I what?" Klaus interrupted, an amused smile playing at his lips. "Please go on, I'm quite invested in this little rant of yours."
Raeger worked his jaw, choosing instead to say nothing. He'd already blown his lid, he didn't need to embarrass himself more. Raeger cast his eyes to the counter, measuring his breaths until he could speak again.
"The coffee is on the house," he said flatly, using every ounce of control he had left to ignore Klaus's chuckle.
"Thank you," he smirked, settling back into his chair. Raeger stayed where he was, feeling more drained than ever.
"Believe it or not," Klaus rumbled. Raeger wished he'd just shut up. "I didn't come here to antagonize you. I have one more thing to say, and then I'll drink my coffee and go."
Raeger waited.
"Whatever you may think, the solution to your problem is that simple." Klaus leveled a hard stare in Raeger's direction, stirring milk into his cold coffee. "Grow up, and stop pushing her away. Whatever your fears, whatever your doubts, whatever it is that's holding you back, let it go."
"And if I can't?"
Klaus's face softened, making him look younger.
"Share it with her. Bear the burden together. I believe you two could foster a love that radiates light wherever you go, but not if you let her walk away."
Raeger stared. Whatever he was expecting Klaus to say, it most definitely wasn't that.
Bear the burden together. Share it.
Klaus's words sank into Raeger's stomach, resting there like a stone and eradicating the remnants of his anger. For all the worrying, all the pain, the drama, the wondering; one thought had never occurred to him before. Not in all that time.
It was ok.
It was ok that he didn't know what he was doing. It was ok that he was afraid. It was ok that he was on unstable footing. As long as he shared it with Maya, everything would be ok.
Raeger dropped his spoon with a loud clatter, the utensil ricocheting off the floor tile and striking his ankle before settling on the ground again. He wasn't even sure when he picked it up, but that didn't matter- Raeger was stripping off his apron and marching towards the front door.
"Sorry Klaus," he muttered, barely offering a glance to the perfumer. If he had, he would've seen his fond smile. "Can you lock up when you're done? I have someplace to be."
.
"This will blow over, dear. I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but it will."
Maya chewed her lip, listening intently to Corona's soothing voice through the receiver.
"Raeger is a mess," she added, hoping to spark some life back into the distraught farmer. All things considered, she was handling it rather well. At any given moment, her heart was aching, but she was up and out of bed, and her farm work was done. Both Maya and Corona considered that a win.
"He's an idiot, that's what he is." Marian's voice echoed in the background, answered by some vicious shushing. "Well he is! He obviously loves her, I don't understand why-"
"Raeger's reasons are his own," Corona growled, shutting Marian down. Maya felt herself smile a little, "no matter how stupid they are."
"He doesn't need to justify anything," Maya sighed, picking lazily at some carrot sticks. She was hurt. Really, really hurt, but she meant what she said. Raeger didn't have to explain why he didn't want to be with her. She'd been ignoring his messages because she didn't want to listen to him try.
The line was dead as Corona tried to think of something to say. Maya glanced to the clock, realised the time, and saved her the trouble.
"I have to go water the garden," Maya insisted, struggling to her feet. "I'll talk to you later, ok?"
Corona promised she would check in soon, and then Maya hung up.
The relative silence of her farm house was more comforting than anything Corona and Marian could've said. She wasn't angry at Raeger, not really. He'd done nothing but be honest with her, even if he hadn't expressed himself the best. Maya was just… embarrassed.
She threw herself out there, much like she had with Klaus, and she got burned. Again. It was a hard pill to swallow.
And then for Raeger to tell her to pursue Klaus after all… well, that stung.
"I'm such an idiot," she sighed, pulling her sweater lower on her thighs. Maya wasn't sure how this was going to affect her friendship with Raeger, but she knew it wasn't going to be good. She hadn't risked looking at any of his texts, but Corona assured her that his cold seems to have eased off. At least Maya wasn't worrying about his health, on top of feeling so rejected.
Raeger had told her she'd be better off with Klaus. There was only one major problem with that: Maya didn't want Klaus. She wanted Raeger.
Watering the garden was a bit of a lie. Maya went to the sink, poured a glass of water, and drank. She just needed a day, one day, to get back to herself. She'd text Raeger tomorrow, if he was still willing to talk to her, and then they could try and smooth this out, if it was even possible.
For now, Maya needed peace. She sniffled, fighting back fleeting thoughts of how happy she'd been not 24 hours ago, and downed another glass of water. What's done is done, and once she was rested, she could focus on picking up the pieces.
.
"Maya!"
Raeger's fist pounded against her door, rattling the window to mimic the shaking in his knees. She was home, he knew she was home, but getting her to answer him was another matter entirely.
"Maya, please! Open the door!" He pleaded, feeling panic stir in the back of his throat. The entire walk to Maya's farm had been fueled with jumpy adrenaline. He felt alive, excited, determined, and also faintly nauseated. "I need to talk to you!"
Raeger brought his hand up for another desperate rap when suddenly he heard the unmistakeable sound of a lock turning. He was going to do this. He was really going to do this.
And as much as he hated to admit it, he was here because of Klaus.
After his anger ebbed, Raeger realised what a dick he'd been. Klaus was there trying to help, in his own way, and Raeger nearly punched him. That was so unlike him, but his nerves felt raw. Klaus was both the worst and best person to give him a pep talk today, and while it almost resulted in a fight, it also got him to Maya's doorstep.
Klaus was a good guy after all.
Catching his breath, Raeger prepared himself for Maya to open the door. He wasn't sure she would at first, maybe she'd change her mind at the last minute, but after a few deep breaths the knob began to turn. A flood of relief washed him but it was immediately followed by panic. In that instant, he realised that he hadn't prepared this far ahead. A terrible fear gripped him then; he'd been so focused on just getting Maya to respond that he hadn't actually figured out what he was going to say.
"Raeger, I'm really not in the mood to talk right now."
Maya's quiet voice drew his attention to the newly formed crack in the door. She was there, just as he'd hoped she'd be. But she wasn't herself. Raeger's heart sank as he took in her ruffled hair and glittering eyes, her faint pout and barely audible sniffle.
I did this. I did this to her.
Raeger's nails dug painfully into the palms of his hands, his knuckles going white. Corona was right to berate him. He didn't think he could ever forgive himself for this.
"I'm sorry," he apologised quickly. Raeger wasn't entirely sure what he should say, but an apology seemed like a good start. He tried to stop his shuffling feet as he continued, "I really need to talk to you."
Maya fixed him with her watery gaze, taking a deep, steadying breath.
"Fine," she whispered, too tired to argue. She'd been awake most of the night, alternating between texting Corona and Marian. She pulled her shoulders back, opened the door until she could face Raeger properly, and waited.
And that's where Raeger froze.
Shit. Shit. What the hell was he supposed to say? I'm sorry? Yeah, duh, but what else?
"Maya I-" he began, tumbling over his words. "I know I've been an absolute asshole. Like, the worst kind of asshole. But you have to understand-"
No, idiot. She didn't have to do anything. Breathe. Start again.
"What I said yesterday… it was stupid. It was so, so stupid. I didn't mean a word of it, I swear. I just-"
"If you didn't mean it," Maya interrupted, hurt in her voice, "why did you say it?"
Raeger blinked, flip-flopping between being embarrassingly honest, or just honest.
"Because I'm a shitty person?" He ventured, wincing when she didn't laugh. "Ok, no jokes yet. Got it. Uh," he chewed his tongue. "Maya, I don't know why I said those things. I really- okay well I kind of know, but it was dumb. It was a total non-reason."
From the look on Maya's face, he was making less and less sense as he went on.
"Ok, I'm fucking this up…" he trailed, bouncing on his heels. "This is exactly why I said what I said yesterday. I was afraid of hurting you by accident, and then I hurt you on purpose- wait! No, not on purpose. I meant I hurt you when I tried to avoid hurting you. And that makes no sense, does it?"
Raeger groaned, squeezing his eyes shut against the stress headache forming between his ears.
"I care about you so much," he rambled, his heart thumping at the speed of a jackrabbit, "and that terrifies me. I'm no good at this stuff, I never have been, and I've already let you down so many times. I can't stand the thought of hurting you, ever, and I just-"
Raeger was too caught up in his endless stream of verbal vomit to notice that Maya's sniffling had stopped, her tears drying before they reached her cheeks.
"You deserve so much better than me. Klaus- I hate him right now- but he could make you happy. I mean- shit, why did I bring up Klaus? I'm such an idiot-"
Raeger groaned, digging his fingers into his skull.
"What I mean is- I thought that you- that I- I didn't trust myself enough to give you everything you deserve in life, and I just wanted you to be happy, but I also want you to be happy with me, and after yesterday that's all I want, but I fucked it up so colossally, and I- I-"
Maya was giggling now, watching Raeger stumble helplessly over his words. His hair was unruly now that he'd pushed his hands through it so much, and he looked vaguely sick. Maya couldn't hold back her smile.
Finally, Raeger sighed, releasing the breath that he'd been trying to hold. "I suck at this," he grinned, encouraged by the sight and sound of Maya's laughter. It was one of his favourite sounds in the world.
"Yes, you do," she agreed, her eyes crinkling happily. "But I think you got your point across."
She pulled the door the rest of the way open, a tentative excitement building in her stomach.
"I hate you, you know that, right?" she informed him, quirking her eyebrow. Raeger grinned, the same tentative excitement rushing his heart.
"You absolutely have every right to," he agreed, taking a step closer to her. She didn't move away, which he took as a good sign. With a brave hand, he traced his index finger along the side of her cheek. "I hate me too. Do you think we can hate me together?"
Maya snorted, shaking her head.
"I shouldn't forgive you so easily," she insisted, thinking back to the pain she'd felt only moments ago. "You hurt me. A lot."
A shadow passed over Raeger's face.
"I know," he murmured, his finger dragging across a wayward tear. "And I will never forgive myself for that. I… I love you, Maya. I love you so much, but I have no idea what to do with that. I've never loved someone as much as I love you, and I'd rather see you happy with another man than choose me and get hurt again."
"Hurt is a part of love, Raeger," Maya corrected, leaning into his touch. "I know you'd never hurt me on purpose. I just… I want to figure this out together. I can't do that if you're making my choices for me."
Raeger smiled, feeling as stupid and happy as he'd ever felt before.
"You're right," he agreed, "I was a jerk. I can't make decisions for you, even if I think they're the right ones."
Maya shoved him.
"Ouch, now that hurt," he mocked, rubbing his arm. Maya eyed him skeptically. "Did I not just say I'm terrible at this?"
"You weren't kidding."
Raeger rolled his eyes, feeling that now-familiar flutter in his heart as he looked at Maya, at the way she regarded him with fun, and happiness, and maybe even love.
"Maya…" he began, chewing his lip. "Will you choose me?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth that fear locked around his throat. Raeger waited, feeling like the world had stopped, as Maya blinked up at him, choosing her response carefully.
"Raeger," Maya smiled, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. "I choose you."
"Call me Pikachu," he grinned, fighting off his glee with the first joke he thought of. Maya's smile immediately fell, her brows furrowing in a deadly glare that scared him into nervous laughter.
"Uh, never mind," he cleared his throat. A great relief was finally flooding through him, his bones quivering like jelly, assuming he hadn't already messed it all up with a poorly timed Pokémon reference. "Can I just kiss you now? Before I say anything really stupid?"
Maya had barely bobbed her head when she was swept off the floor and into Raeger's embrace.
She shrieked, her startled cry fading into oblivion as Raeger's mouth covered hers, sloppy and desperate, making them both laugh. There was a moment of light-headedness as they spun, and then her feet were on the floor again, her back pressed against the wall.
"I love you," Raeger mumbled, his fingers brushing gently through her auburn hair. Maya's heart thumped against her ribs.
"I love you too," she smiled, her words captured by his lips as they kissed again.
This time, Raeger felt nothing holding him back. Their kisses before were clouded with doubt and questions, but now he felt light. His lips grew rough and demanding, no longer restricted. Maya wrapped her fingers in his thick hair, tugging as they kissed.
This is what he wanted, what he'd been craving. Maya's body was electric in his embrace, making him tingle in all of the best ways. He pressed her hungrily against the wall, granting a cursory glance to the front door to make sure it was locked, and then let himself go.
He was kissing Maya. And not just kissing Maya, but kissing the woman that he was finally going to make his.
"Breathe," Maya panted, breaking the kiss to suck in a gulp of air. "Can't breathe."
Raeger laughed, instead trailing a string of light kisses along her jaw and down the slope of her neck. He felt Maya's fingers twisting soft patterns through his hair.
"I have been known to have that effect on women," Raeger purred, grazing his teeth over Maya's skin. She rolled her eyes, taking the opportunity to whisper softly in his ear.
"And what about the effect I have on you?"
She punctuated her question with a gentle, slow flick of her tongue along the shell of his ear.
Raeger felt himself immediately grow stiff. He hadn't intended this to be more than what it was, a whirlwind kiss, but they were alone in Maya's house…
What exactly was the problem?
A newfound thrill trickled through his veins. Raeger's hands found Maya's hips, caressing them, pulling her body closer to his. She hummed happily, tightening her grip on him. He smirked.
"Are you going to stop me this time?" Raeger whispered huskily, wedging his knee gently between Maya's legs. She shook her head, whimpering as he rubbed against her.
"As long as you don't say another woman's name this time," she breathed, digging her nails desperately into his skin. Raeger groaned, sinking his teeth into the delicate skin near the base of her neck.
"Fuck no," he cursed, suckling until he left a definitive mark. Maya gasped, arching her back into his touch. "I'm only thinking about you."
Maya laughed breathlessly, arching her back until they were wholly entangled.
Raeger could never quite get a handle on kissing Maya. He wasn't bad at it, at least he didn't think he was, but he was always so overwhelmed. Each time they'd stop, he'd convince himself he was overthinking, that he was imagining how good she tasted, that he exaggerated how soft her lips were, it was impossible for one person to be so damn enchanting. But then they would kiss again and it was like an injection of fire beneath his skin. Raeger wasn't imagining it at all- it was perfect and imperfect, exciting and comforting, new and familiar, all at once. He'd never kissed anyone like this before.
Maya's hands trailed down his chest, undoing the buttons of his shirt and tugging the fabric free of his body. Raeger let her do the work, focusing instead on keeping his tongue firmly in her mouth.
If Fritz walked in on them this time, Raeger didn't think he'd ever forgive his friend. As if to reassure himself, Raeger gave the bolt on the door another cursory glance. Having found it tightly locked, he let out a breath.
"What's wrong?" Maya murmured, peppering kisses along his jaw and neck. Raeger shook his head, threading his fingers through her hair.
"Nothing," he promised, interrupting her explorative kisses with a deep, sensual one of his own. "Nothing at all."
Maya smiled, satisfied with his answer. She pushed herself away from the wall, pulling him with her to her bedroom. Raeger noticed something different in Maya this time; she was bolder, braver, and, somehow, sexier than before. Maybe it was the relief of finally knowing what their relationship was, or maybe it was something else, but whatever it was drove him wild.
She only meant to guide him down next to her on her bed, but Raeger had other plans. In one fluid motion he pushed her backwards until he was hovering over her, his knee returning to its' comfortable position between her thighs.
"I think you're overdressed," he commented, toying with the hem of her sweater. Maya rose to the bait, wiggling free of the garment. Raeger took a moment to drink her in, every inch of supple skin that he couldn't see before, from the slope of her neck to just below her navel, everything was utterly beautiful. He absolutely had to have his hands on her.
He kissed her until he was lightheaded, his palms slipping down her sides until they caught on the waist of her pants. Maya gave him a challenging look, one that forced him to take note of how dark her irises were. Raeger's throat went dry.
"I'll take off mine if you take off yours," he offered, grinning to mask how completely she affected him. Maya nodded, shimmying until she was left in only her bra and panties. Raeger sucked in a breath.
He took his own pants off in a daze, too focused on the goddess before him to think about much else. Maya was more stunning than he ever could've pictured, with soft curves and smooth, pale skin covering every inch of her body. Raeger let his eyes drag over her, a myriad of inappropriate thoughts assaulting his mind.
And he could finally act on them all.
Maya's body pulled him back to her like a magnet, twining their limbs together as Raeger's hands made their way to more intimate parts of her. He briefly brushed over her chest, relishing in how well Maya's breasts fit in his palm, before he slipped further down, his fingers teasing the hem of her underwear.
"I love you," Maya whispered again, and he loved the sound of it as it spilled from her lips. Raeger replied in kind, shifting until one of her legs was caught under his, and then he reached between her thighs.
She was already soaking wet, his fingers slipping easily inside of her. Maya gasped, her grip on his hair tightening. Raeger groaned, feeling her warmth surround him. It was better than he ever could've imagined, and they weren't even having sex yet.
Soft, desperate moans began to spill from Maya's throat as he played, her head tipped back. Raeger ran his lips down her slender neck, danced across her collarbone, and slid back up to her ear, nibbling and licking the sensitive skin he found there. Maya shuddered, tangling her fingers even deeper in Raeger's thick hair.
Everything they did felt so natural. It wasn't like other women he'd been with, where they spent the first few times figuring each other out. No, it was like he and Maya had already formed that bond, and now he knew exactly what to do.
"You're so fucking gorgeous," Raeger whispered sensually, his words ghosting across Maya's flushed skin. He captured her answering whimper with his mouth, twirling his tongue with hers until she couldn't breathe.
Her hips bucked involuntarily as he moved, her back arching off the bed as pleasure pooled in the pit of her stomach. Raeger groaned at the feeling. His erection was straining against his boxers, begging to be attended to. He began to slowly undulate his hips, rubbing himself against Maya's thigh for some relief. She noticed what he was doing, loosing one of her hands from his hair to reach down and wrap her slender fingers around his shaft.
Raeger gasped, the firm grip she fixed him with took him off guard, and he couldn't suppress the satisfied rumble that reverberated through his chest. He thrusted into her palm, panting now as the pleasure of her touch overwhelmed him.
"Shit," Maya murmured, almost to herself, "you're so big."
Raeger's eyes squeezed shut, his heart beating hard. Maya's sweet, soft voice tickling his ears with desire was almost more than he could take. He felt himself shudder, but fought it viciously back down.
He couldn't stop yet. He didn't want to- every fibre of his being wanted this to last as long as it possibly could. With a great effort, he stopped pumping into Maya's hand, removing it from his boxers and placing it on her own breast.
"Grab it," He whispered in her ear, licking the shell to coerce her into complying. She did, massaging her voluptuous chest with a rhythm that sent his heart galloping. Raeger moved his lips from Maya's ear, capturing her raised nipple in the warmth of his mouth and suckling gently.
Maya gasped again, pleasure rushing her like a tidal wave, crashing over her entire body as she shook, digging her nails into Raeger's skin as she repeated his name over and over again until she could no longer speak.
"Fuck," Raeger cursed, removing his hand and covering Maya's body with his own in one swift motion.
Maya was still caught in her climax, whimpering as she came down from her high. Raeger gently parted her thighs, hooking her knees around his hips, and slipped easily inside of her.
He groaned in answer to her satisfied cry, reveling in the sensations coursing through him as he was wrapped in her heat. Maya rolled her hips, pulling him further inside her, encouraging him to move. Raeger did, pumping his hips in slow, deliberate thrusts.
"Harder," Maya pleaded. Raeger complied, increasing the pace of his thrusts until Maya's breasts were bouncing deliciously. He didn't expect her to be a talker, but it was the best kind of surprise.
Her moans got louder, but it wasn't enough. Raeger needed her to scream, to cry out his name with as much vigor as she could, an incredible, possessive need had overcome him, and without further hesitation he turned Maya over, positioning her on her knees and gripping her hips.
He'd never felt so rough before. Raeger pounded into her, watching as she moved with him, lost in the pleasure that he was giving her. How had he ever doubted her feelings? He was kicking himself now, terrified by the notion that he'd almost lost her, driven to feel as close to her as he could get.
Maya sank into the bed, her breasts pressed tightly to the cushions, her knuckles white as she gripped the throw pillow.
"Christ," Raeger cursed, tracing the deep curve in her spine with his eyes, feeling a tight coil in the pit of his stomach. He was so close, his legs quaking as he thrust harder and harder, Maya's cries drowning out any other thoughts he may have. With a final groan, Raeger reached around Maya's hips and let his fingers toy with her, until they were both left gasping and satisfied.
Without waiting for them to catch their breath, Raeger flipped Maya onto her back and fell on top of her, wrapping her legs around him, his arms around her waist, and kissed her. She whimpered into his mouth, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck, her skin flush, sweat sticking to both of their bodies.
He kissed her as long as he could, breaking away only when he needed air. Raeger let his head drop into the crook of Maya's neck as they panted, caught in each other's embrace. They were silent except for their breathing, glowing in the aftermath.
"I sure as hell hope you weren't thinking about Klaus that time."
Maya erupted into a laugh, having forgotten for a moment the strange circumstances behind their very first kiss. She shook her head, pressing playful kisses along Raeger's jaw. He grinned, tightening his hold on her waist.
"You know, for a moment there," she winked, meeting his gaze with mischief. "I was entirely focused on you."
The end.