Two for one deal today! I just want everyone to notice the RATING CHANGE and be gentle. I've never written any explicit scenes before so this is a new experience for me, let me know if I messed it up!. If you are offended by explicit sex then read no further, this chapter is a solid R rating. Consider yourselves warned!

When Erik heard her gasp he looked over "What?"

"N…N…Nothing, it's nothing" she forced a smile on her face and shoved the phone back into her clutch. "Just tired"

Erik's lips were set in a grim line "You've never lied to me before Christina" he sounded angry. Chris bit her lip and looked at him before giving an exhausted sigh.

"Last night, someone kept calling my cell phone. All from an unavailable number and the one time I did answer, all there was on the other end was heavy breathing. And now I have a lot of missed calls…from an unavailable number"

He held his hand out and waited for her phone, she handed it over, watching the set of his jaw as he scrolled through the call history. Finally he handed it back to her and stared out in front of them.

"Chris will you please let me have someone look into this?" he nearly pleaded, his eyes shining with unshed tears "I…I couldn't bear it to lose someone else."

Chris took his hand in his and pressed it to her cheek "Of course Erik, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you" she watched as a variety of emotions played across Erik's face, the most prominent one was fear, which she could understand. They rode in silence; she wasn't really paying attention to where they were going until they were pulling into his driveway.

"Erik? Wh-"

He interrupted her, putting the vehicle in park and turning to look at her "Will you please stay here tonight Christina?" he asked softly, his eyes pleading with her.

Anything to take away the fear on his face "Sure" she pulled him in for a kiss, her hand pressed against his cheek "But I don't want you to worry, I'm sure it's just some stupid prank. These things happen sometimes"

Erik said nothing as he exited the vehicle and walked around to her side. When she pushed herself onto the pavement of the driveway Erik drew her close to him and she could feel how painfully tense his body was. Once they were inside his house he summoned the head of security, someone she hadn't even known existed.

As it turned out Erik employed a full security force, complete with a state of the art security system. Apparently he was ensuring that the fate he suffered nearly 6 years ago didn't happen again. When the conversation was over he turned back to her and pulled her upstairs. Now that she was completely freaked out she wasn't sure she wanted to be alone. He opened the doors adjacent to his own room and showed her inside.

"I've sent someone to your place to collect your things, you can use these rooms anytime you'd like" his voice was tight, his mouth set in an angry line, his eyes sparked with tension

Chris took a breath and grasped his hands "Erik" one hand slid up his arm to his shoulder, then neck. "Don't let this ruin our night" she whispered, stepping closer to him "Forget about the past, forget about your fears" she let the other hand drift up to his shoulder as she pressed herself against him, tipping her head up to look him in the eye "Just be here, with me" she licked her lips and watched as his eyes darkened, his mouth parted slightly. "I'm tired of sleeping alone, waking up alone Erik." She whispered, her breath catching "I'm scared too, but I'm not going to let fear rule my life anymore Erik. What will be, will be" Chris let her hand move up his face and into his hair, his head pitched back almost immediately as she brushed his hair away from his face.

A groan escaped him; she could see the surrender in his eyes as he looked down at her. "I'm not asking for anything you are not ready for Erik, I'm not talking about making love" she licked her lips again "But I 'am' asking for your companionship, for you to hold me tonight…I can't promise I'll keep my hands off you completely but I will promise not to take it 'that' far"

Her little speech had rendered Erik mute…unable to form words altogether, though other parts of him throbbed painfully at her words. All he could do was pull her to him, crushing her against his chest as his lips ravaged hers, his body coming alive in a way that he hadn't thought possible. Christina could feel the proof of that pressed to her stomach, her arms tightening around his neck as she opened her mouth, letting her tongue dance with his in the most erotic way. Before she realized what was happening his hands were on her rear, pulling her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist, holding her above him as his hands ran up and down her back, igniting her skin on fire.

She heard a door slam and realized he had left the guest room and entered his own, kicking the door shut behind him. Erik deposited her on his bed, his hands braced on either side of her, his head bent to his chest and his breathing was ragged. Chris tipped his chin up so she could look at him.

"Erik?" she queried softly.

"I'm sorry Chris, I…I shouldn't have…" a finger on his lips silenced him.

"Erik, stop thinking so damn much" she smiled at him "I'm not asking you to make love to me because you're not ready. But I am asking you to let yourself experience the pleasure I have to offer you" she nipped at his ear, delighting in his sharp intake of breath.

His answer was a devastating kiss as he pushed her back into the mattress, covering her with the length of his body. Her legs came up to wrap around his waist, his hand trailed up one, starting from her ankle all the way up to her thigh where it skimmed up to her hip and even further to her breast. Head pitched back as Erik's lips found the sensitive skin of her bare chest her fingers dug into his hair as she gasped his name. His lips found hers again as her hands ran over his back, learning every inch of it. Her hands tugged his shirt out of the waistband of his pants so her hands could feel his skin.

As though she doused him with ice water Erik leapt off her, his hands digging in his hair a look of pain in his eyes. Chris was completely shocked and gaped at him in confusion and hurt.

"Erik?" her body felt cold with his gone "What did I do?"

Tears were falling down his cheeks, the look of total pain on his face threatened to break her heart. She could hear his gasping sobs as his legs gave out and he collapsed to the floor. Almost crawling to him, her own limbs still limp with pleasure she put her hand on his shoulder, hurt when he jerked away from her.

"I can't do this Christina. I can't let you do this" he sobbed, he looked at her with a wild look in his eyes "I can't let you see…feel…"

Confusion riddled her thoughts "Feel? Feel what? Erik, you're not mak-" but then she got it. His body…covered in scars, just like his face. It all led them back to that night, the fire.

Anger overtook his pain and he jerked around to her, ripping the mask off in anger and tossing it aside and grabbing her arms, pulling her up so she could see his scarred face. "Is this what you want Christina? Is this monster the 'thing' you want? I killed my wife and child! I can't kill you too!" he shouted at her.

Christina felt the tears falling down her cheeks, not because of his face but because of the heart wrenching pain in every muscle of his body. "You didn't kill your wife Erik, she died in a terrible accident! You're NOT going to kill me! You need to put your past behind you and you need to accept what I'm willing to give you!"

She could feel his grasp loosening a little so she could maneuver in front of him; she took his face in her hands, ignoring his sharp gasp and his attempts to move her hands. With one hand she gently ran her fingers over his melted cheek, his lips were trembling, his eyes slammed shut. Her fingers explored his face, up his nose and up to his brow.

"Erik, look at me" when he finally complied she kissed him "You couldn't help what happened to Alexis and Madeline. But you 'can' help what happens with me. I'm here Erik, with you. I'm alive and so in love with you Erik. I want you in every way there is to desire and want a person." She brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead before resting her head against his "But you have to give yourself to me Erik, all of yourself. Not just pieces here and there."

The pain in his eyes threatened to kill her resolve but he hung his head, resting it on her shoulder "I want to Christina, Christ I want to. I'm scared. What if I forget?"

Using her thumbs Christina wiped away his tears "You won't forget Erik, I would never ask you to. Always remember them, always love them. Just let me love you too, let me in," she pleaded, pressing a kiss to his hair "I don't care about your face or your body. I love the man beneath all that. Let me love you"

His kiss took her by surprise; it was a kiss of longing, desire, passion and love. His fingers threaded in her hair, pulling her closer, his tongue plunging into her mouth, taking everything she had to give. Effortlessly he lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bed, placing her on the mattress with extreme care before stepping away "No going back Christina, this is the point of no return" he rasped out harshly, his eyes boring into her own.

Chris pressed a hot kiss to his lips before sitting on her knees, her nimble fingers undoing each button on his dress shirt, with all undone she spread his shirt with her hands on his skin, his gasps of pleasure shooting right to her core where a familiar warmth and tingle was starting. He reached for her but she remained out of his grasp "I have scars just like you Erik, not nearly as extensive as you…but scars just the same."

As she had been talking she had also been lifting her dress over her head. Feeling suddenly very naked she felt a stab of embarrassment before his heated gaze stamped it down. For a moment Erik's brain couldn't process anything other than her nakedness…but then his brain caught up and he saw the puckered white scar on her shoulder, her thigh and a jagged scar running along her side. His fingers traced them reverently before his lips followed.

"You are a work of Art Christina" he gasped as her hands touched his chest then drifted to his stomach. His finger lingered on the jagged scar that ran across her side.

"A third round from that fire fight. They hadn't realized it had grazed my side until you got me to the aid station. My body armor hid the blood"

His eyes lifted to meet hers; she'd been through just as much as he had. Suffered loss, just as he had. He finally understood what she meant by letting her in, letting her love him. He could no longer hate himself for what had happened. All he wanted to do was remember…and love her.

"Christina…I…I haven't done…it's been a long time since…" he couldn't finish the thought though and fortunately she understood what he was trying to say.

"Erik, this isn't a test." She pushed his shirt off his shoulders and pressed her own chest to his, gasping at the feeling of his skin on hers "All I'm asking you to do is" she kissed him "enjoy me and what I plan on doing to you. I promise we won't go too far" she kissed him again "But if I can't do something I think I might go mad" she teased, feeling relieved when she felt and heard his own chuckle "Me too love"

With a shy smile Chris worked his belt till she heard the hiss of it being pulled from the belt loops on his pants, her fingers fumbled at the button to his trousers for a moment as a wave of nervousness hit her. Pushing his pants to the floor and looking up into his eyes as she heard them whoosh to the floor she leaned back on her haunches so she could look at him. Magnificent…that was the only word that came to mind…that and 'wow'.

Erik pulled the covers back to expose the cream sheets before he settled himself on them, pulling her to him. "Christ you're determined to make this difficult aren't you?" he muttered when she nipped his neck, her hands roaming his chest and stomach, fingers grazing just slightly south of the boarder.

Her mischievous chuckle echoed off the walls of his room. She pushed him onto his back, kissing his lips, then his neck, and then his collarbone before trailing her lips down his stomach and back up. His fists were tightly clenched at his sides; his breathing was heavy and erratic. "Relax Erik, I promise you'll like what I have in mind. Trust me"

Forcing himself to do as she commanded he nodded, letting his head fall back to the pillows only to shoot open again as he moaned when he felt her fingers graze him, a place that hadn't felt a touch other than his own in nearly 6 years. He thought he would die when her hand plunged under the waistband of his boxer briefs, his back arched almost and another, louder moan escaped. He looked down to see her watching him with a glazed expression in her passion filled eyes. She knew she would have to take it slow, it had been a long time for both of them and she was determined to make it amazing and unforgettable for both of them.

Covering his body with hers so she could kiss him, his hands cupped her face lovingly before she moved away again. Her hand found its way back to where he so desperately wanted it, hissing through his clenched teeth he watched her looking like an erotic goddess above him. The way her hand moved on him, soft but hard.

She felt him throbbing under her hand, a drop of moisture forming on the tip. She spread it around with her thumb watching him thrash under her, knowing she had taken him as far as she could. Before disappearing down his body she kissed him and murmured, "Trust me". What did she mean by that?

His answer came when he felt her mouth envelop him completely, he couldn't stop the "Oh god!" that came out of his mouth, on their own his fingers dug into her hair as her tongue worked magic on him, taking him to a place he hadn't been to in such a very long time. "Christina" he gasped, powerless in her grasp, unable to do anything more but thrust into her mouth with an urgency that belied how desperately he needed his release. Her wicked tongue was dancing with him in a delicious way, he could feel his release coming…"Christina…I'm…I don't…" he couldn't form the words but she knew what he was trying to tell her. She grasped his hand, her eyes showing him she understood before suckling harder, ensuring he lost control soon. "Oh god! I'm…oh Christina!" he cried out, his back arching as he filled her mouth with himself, unable to hold back any more. His entire body trembled along with his release. When he stopped trembling she crawled up to him, he pulled her to him and kissed her, tasting himself mixed with her own exquisite taste. "Mon dieu Christina, I don't know if I can survive you"

Chris grinned at him, letting her head fall to his shoulder as his arms tightened around her. His cheek pressed to her head, his hands caressing her back, her sides, and her breasts anything he could reach. "I think that a return of favor is called for, no?" he asked, grinning as his hand caressed her stomach, pelvic bone before he peeled her panties away. His hand delved between her thighs, kissing her and groaning at the same time when he felt how turned on she was, perfect, waiting for him. His finger found the spot she so desperately wanted him to find, her back arching as he had done not long before. His fingers wreaked havoc with her senses along with his lips as he kissed her, his other hand running up and down her back, pressing himself to her as he continued his torture.

"Erik" she gasped, looking up at him, her eyes wide and glazed with pleasure…pleasure that he was giving her. He could feel her responding to him, her hand gripped his wrist and her mouth parted in a loud groan as he felt her shutter, her own release hitting her in waves. Hearing her voice call his name over and over was a most powerful aphrodisiac; he wanted to bury himself in her, find his pleasure in her…but knew he couldn't, not yet. Parts of him refused to hear reason. It became easier when she stopped gasping his name, letting herself fall to the bed and curl against him.

"Oh god Erik, that was…" but there were no words, all she could do was pull his face down for a gentle kiss, their passion burned for the moment. Erik knew he would want her every night, every morning and every moment in between. He would never stop loving or desiring the goddess curled in his embrace.