Lux et Veritas

Chapter 9: Affinity

Author: Knowhere

Rating: R

Disclaimer: The idea, concept, and other miscellaneous belong to me. But the big television originated characters do not.

AN: I know it's been a while, but give me time to think the story out and write it well. I don't like to be rushed; I like the finished product to be presentable and not some hurried strung together words. So, hence the long wait.

Please note the change in rating and I ask that readers plan accordingly. My apologies for the delay and also don't forget to review at the end.

And to my friend across the big blue, thanks for the emails, ideas, and help.

Summary: Very AU. A more relaxed college freshman Rory meets a more confident adult Jess for the first time. Different backgrounds, attitudes, and behaviors for the both of them. Literati.

I look over to her side. She's dosing lightly with her head against the passenger window. She pulled on her hood a while ago and just brought her legs up to her chest and gently drifted out of our conversation. I had tried my best to keep her thoughts away from the impending dread of having to face her father in such a horrible condition, but now in the silence I can be honest with myself. And to her sleeping form.

I have no clue what the hell I am doing. I've never celebrated an anniversary with a girlfriend, let alone been the one who someone relies on as a source of comfort. I haven't even taken this girl out on a proper date and I'm already driving her to visit her father in the hospital. What am I doing? Have I gone out of my mind?

She's stirring and I place my self-doubt and worries on the backburner. For now.

"Hi." Her voice is scratchy and she runs both hands over her face to rub out the sleep.

"Hey." Even in the midst of all this tension, I can't help but notice how cute she looks. Tousled and incoherent, she takes my breath away. Not that I would tell her right now. It's a bit too soon to be revealing such a mushy side of me.

She flips down the tiny mirror in the sunshade and makes a face at her reflection. I see her running a finger under each eye to wipe away makeup. I watch her out of the corner of my eye as she tries to smooth down her hair that has been disrupted in her hood during her nap. She grunts in frustration.

I turn to look at her in question.

She shoots me a look but only puts her hood back on in reaction. "Don't look."

"Don't look at what?" I reach over to turn down the music.

"Me." She's curled back into a ball.

I chuckle. "Is that a rule?"

"Never mind."

"What is it?" It clicks. But I'm not above joking with her to make light of the situation. "I think you're pretty."

Big eyes peek around her black hood to look at me. "You're mocking me." Her tone is light.

"Yes, but I still think it's true."

"I've never had a boyfriend who's seen me immediately after I've woken up."

"Huh." I don't know what to say.

"That came out wrong."

"It did?"

"Well," she's tracing a finger on the windowsill, "I mean…"

"Yeah?"

"I don't know. Can we just save this conversation for another time?"

I want to say no, but I don't want to push. "Sure."

Silence surrounds us and I reach over to turn up the music. I see her nodding her head to the sounds of my CD while she pushes the sleeves up on the sweatshirt. I keep my eyes on the road and I notice that the traffic is relatively light. Thank god. I hate having to sit in traffic. Driving a stick shift can get annoying. Why did I not opt for an automatic instead? Oh right, at that time I was still under the impression that guys needed to drive sticks. Boy, Freud would have a field day examining the finer details of my reasoning behind driving a stick.

"Are you close to your dad, Jess?"

Startled, I turn for a second to look at her. She's looking intensely at me and refuses to drop the gaze even after I return it. "Um, yeah I suppose so." She's raising an eyebrow for me to continue. I clear my throat. "I mean, he was gone quite often on business but he always made time for me when he got back. When I was young I was on a little league," I can sense that she has a comment for that but I cut her off, "which my mom put me in, oddly enough. But I was no good. I mean, I sucked and I hated it."

She laughs. "I can't picture you in any kind of organized sport."

"Oh there are pictures. But I snuck a book under my batting helmet and I would sit in the outfield reading as the other kids played." I chuckle at the memory. "Once, I wasn't paying attention and apparently people were yelling at me, but I was reading and a fly ball came my way."

Her eyes widen. "You were hit in the head by a baseball?"

"Well, yeah. But I had the helmet on at the time. I never took it off after I was up to bat and struck out by the way, but the helmet pretty much saved my life." I glance over at her. "I begged my mom not to make me play anymore but she said that every little boy needed to try out sports. It was actually my dad who came out one day and watched the game and let me decide about quitting. He was the one who didn't care if his son would rather read in his room than play with the other kids. Of course, he wasn't the exactly ideal parent figure too. When I filled water balloons to throw at the annoying next door neighbor, he was the one who showed me how to turn on the front yard hose."

I thought she would laugh, but she grew serious instead. "My dad never even came to any of my birthday parties."

"I'm," I stumble over my words, "I'm sorry."

She doesn't look over at me. "Nah, don't be. It's not your fault." She doesn't want my condolences.

"Well, my parents always made my birthdays a big deal even when I didn't want it to be."

"Yeah, that sounds like my mom. She goes all out for the big day." She leans her chin on her open palm.

Silence fills the car once more.

I glance over and watch her push the button to make the window go down. But then she pushes it once again right away to make it go back up. "Do you think it's possible to love someone but not like them at all?"

"Yes, I think that is a very real possibility."

"Yeah, me too."

---

I take her hand and lead her into the hospital.

The double doors open with an automatic swish and my nose wrinkles at that hyper-clean hospital smell. We pass the uninventive gift shop filled with 'get well' cards and odd fake flowers with tiny balloons peeking through on white plastic sticks. She tugs on my hand and I hang a step back as she asks for the room of Christopher Hayden.

We're awkwardly quiet as we both look up and watch the elevator light bounce from five to ground level. And the silence continues as we enter along with another couple. I watch her push the button for seven and take a step back to stand next to me. We're no longer holding hands and I see that her shoulders have slumped forward in anticipation of the moments to come. I gently take a step towards her and hug her from behind. Now is not the time to worry about boundaries in our tentative relationship (if I could call it that). Her shoulders relax and she leans back against my chest.

The doors open and I just follow her; hands in my pockets. We approach the waiting area and she suddenly turns to me. "Jess? Do you mind just waiting here for me while I go in? I think I should do this by myself."

"Yeah, sure. I'll just wait here." I bend down and kiss her quickly and it stuns me to think that it felt so natural, like we do it everyday.

I watch her walk slowly down the hall with her arms crossed awkwardly halfway between her chest and her stomach. I sit down in the uncomfortable plastic/leather hybrid of a chair and pick up a random magazine lying on the end table. I briefly think about going back out to the car to get my book, but I don't want her to walk out of the room and have me not be there.

I lean forward and rub my face in both palms and I notice the smell of coffee in front of me.

"Careful, it's hot."

I look up to see Lorelai holding a little paper Dixie cup brimming with a dark liquid, offering it to me. "Thanks." I take it.

She sits in the chair next to me. The material creeks under her. "So, it's nice to see you again Jess Mariano. Even more so since you're not curled up next to my only offspring, clutching her like it's your last possession on Earth."

I chuckle because there just isn't any other reaction worthy of that statement. I turn to her and lower my eyes. "Yeah, sorry about bailing on that lunch you requested."

She shrugs. "We can always do it some other time."

"You mean you're not going to threaten death and tell me to stay away from your daughter?"
"Why? Is there a need to threaten you and to tell you to stay away from Rory?" She's dead serious.

"No; no need."

She nods once and quickly. "Good." She takes a long gulp from her cup. "So, what's the story with the two of you?"

"Doesn't take long to be all chatty, does it?" I mutter under my breath.

I look up to see one eyebrow perched high on her forehead.

"Sorry." I turn my neck sideways to try to release the building tension. It cracks and the sound pierces the noise of the hospital buzz. "I'm just a little worn out. It's been a tense twenty-four hours."

"Yeah, I understand." A beat. "I'm glad you're here. I mean, for Rory. I know nothing is easy when it comes to her and Chris."

I nod.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

I look up to see Luke standing in front of us in flannel and a baseball cap. "Hiya Uncle Luke."

His mouth hangs open but Lorelai stands and puts a hand on his arm. "Lukey, you remember you nephew Jess, right? Can't be getting senile so soon, can you honey?"

He turns to her. "Lorelai, I am well aware that is my nephew."
"Well then what's the problem?" Her awkward conversation skills amuse me. Apparently it amuses herself as well judging by the fake wide-eyed look she's giving Luke.

"Can't you be serious?"

"Fine." She huffs. "Jess has so nicely brought Rory from Yale to see Chris. Nice fella, isn't he?"

I expect her to pet me like a dog any second now. I look up at Luke and smirk. He shakes his head and sits down next to me. "I think I have a headache now."

"Good thing we're at a hospital, Lukey. Now, I'm going to go check on Rory. Play nice boys." She disappears down the hall I watched Rory walk down not long before.

"Jess?"

I turn to look at him. "Yeah?"

"Is something going on?"

"I just gave Rory a lift." I'm not about to go spilling my guts to a relative I've barely seen a handful of times.

He snorts. "Right."

I don't feel like talking anymore, so I just lean back and close my eyes.

I feel Luke do the same next to me.

---

I slowly open my eyes when I feel someone gently shaking my shoulder. Rory is bending down and whispering my name. "Yeah, what's going on?"

"We're leaving now. Visiting hours are over."

"Oh right." I stand up. "You alright?" I quickly glance around the room and notice that Lorelai and Luke aren't here. "Everything go okay?" I touch her shoulder and she leans into me for a hug.

I see that her eyes are a bit red from what I assume to be crying and she tugs at the hair in her face. "I think so. He's still not awake, but the doctors are confident that he'll be fine once his body gets over the shock. At least I think that's what they said. You know, they talk so fast and it's hard to catch on." She's rambling.

"Yeah, I know the feeling." I think about the times she rattles off sentences like there's no tomorrow.

She pulls back from the hug and looks up at me. "Listen Jess, I just wanted to say thanks for taking me here and everything."

I just smile because I don't know what else to say.

"I think I'm going to spend a couple of days back in Stars Hallow with my mom. Just stay close in case anything happens. I already called some of my teachers and I'm planning on emailing the rest requesting extensions on assignments."

"That sounds good. I'm sure you'll want to be with your family for a bit."

"So, is it alright that I won't be in class? I won't get in trouble?" She tiredly smiles up at me and I join her.

"Yeah, I think I can make the exception." I bend down to kiss her.

She locks her arms around my waist and giggles. "Thanks."

I lift one of my hands to brush a lock of hair that has fallen across her face.

"Jess?" Her gaze is intense.

"Yeah?"

She opens her mouth but closes it again. I see her leaning towards me, but her head turns and she steps back quickly and I see her mother approach along with my uncle.

I take a step back as well. "Right." I run a slightly shaking hand through my hair to calm myself.

"Honey, you ready to go?" Lorelai is obviously keeping a respectable distance from us, in case we were having a moment.

"Yeah, I'll meet you guys downstairs." Rory's reply is pointed.

"Okay." They both turn to go, but I catch a glimpse of Luke turning his head around the corner to catch one last look at us.

"I have to get going. It's late."

"Yeah, it is." Though I have no idea of what time it actually is.

"I'll uh, see you in a couple days?" Her head is down and I realize she's suddenly shy again. It amazes me how she can go from sultry to shy in moments. Although I'm pretty sure she doesn't tease me on purpose. It's just a nice by-product of her quirks.

"You have my number?" I know she does, but I just want to remind her that she can talk to me.

"Yes."

"Okay." I take a step forward and run a finger down her jaw line. I close the space and I feel her gasp into my kiss and I take the opportunity to run my tongue across her bottom lip. She follows through and the kiss is becoming more passionate than I had expected. I can't seem to get enough and the thought of her leaving doesn't help and my hands go down to her waist and I pull her into my hips. She makes a noise and shifts her hips until she's found that spot and I kiss her harder, knowing full well the effect she's having me. My hands are slowly traveling up the length of her body and I suddenly realize that we're still in public and she's not going home with me. I slow down the kiss and pull back, but only to lean my forehead on hers with both my hands on her face. I open my eyes to find that hers are closed tightly. With a tiny kiss placed on the tip of her nose her eyes slowly open again.

A wide grin breaks out across her face and she doesn't move from my embrace. "Well, that was…yeah. Good." She trails off.

I release her face, but grip her belt loops instead. "I aim to please."

We both laugh.

She backs up, but I notice with excitement that her lips are red from our kissing and her hair is not neatly in its place. "Alright, I have to go now."

I smirk. "Okay, 'night."

---

Jess here. Leave a message. I'll get back to you. I notice the answering machine kick in, but I don't rush to take the call. Instead I kick the door close and I hear the rumble of the impending collision of Adso against my legs.

Hey Jess, it's Rory. Uh, I'm still in Stars Hollow but I'm planning on coming back soon. My Dad's recovering now and he'll be released from the hospital in a couple of days. I figured I better be getting back or I'll have a lot of work piling up. I hear her nervously clear her throat and I just lean against the kitchen wall looking at the machine, waiting for her to continue. Anyways, since I didn't drive down here I don't have my car with me and my mom's Jeep has broken down again. I was wondering if you could give me a lift. Again. Um, of course you're not obligated. She pauses. But I would appreciate it. So if you could just give me a call. Seriously though, no pressure. Okay, then. Just call me. Uh, bye.

"She's crazy, isn't she?" I respond affectionately. Adso shakes his head and jingles his tags in response.

---

I tug the collar of my shirt and run a hand through my hair that has been messed up by the wind blowing through the open window of my car. I'm nervous all of a sudden as I note the many garden gnomes in her neighbor's front yard. I ring the doorbell and I can hear running steps approaching and I can see her blurry form through the glass. The door whips open and she flies towards me. "Jess!" I stagger back and join her laughter as she barrels into me for a fierce hug. My arms wrap around her slender frame and one of my hands has found its way into her hair to hold her closer. She takes the initiative and reaches up for a quick kiss. She whispers into my ear, "I've missed you."

"Me too." My own voice surprises me as I hear its hoarse sound.

She pulls back, but I don't let her step back from our embrace. "Thanks for coming to get me. I know you were supposed to have class today."

"Just happy to help." I tilt my head to the side and catch her shining eyes. "You know, you don't have to thank me every time I do something like this. I'm glad to do it."

"I know; I'm just still getting used to the idea of all of this." Her ponytail swings with the gesturing of her head.

"All of this, meaning us?" My hands on the small of her back have found a bit of her skin that has become exposed by her reaching up to hold me. I realize that it's soft.

"Yeah, us." She leans forward and tucks her face into the hollow of my throat. "Take one day at a time."

With her body flush against mine, I can't think of much else but the feeling of heat that's rushing through my body right now. "Yeah."

"Okay, let me just get my stuff." Her left hand runs down my arm and reaches for my hand. Tugging on my hand, she makes me miss a step over the threshold and I stumble a bit.

"Is your mom home?"

She turns around and gives me a playful pout. "And here I was thinking you were here to see her daughter."

I roll my eyes in response.

"Nah, she's at the inn. I said goodbye to her this morning. I told her I'd call her when I got back to school. And I saw Luke at breakfast in the diner and said goodbye as well."

I follow her through the house and lean on the doorjamb to her bedroom door. "Right, Luke." I poke my head in and look around.

I watch her dart around her room lifting some shirts off the hangers in her closet. "Yeah, about that. What's the deal with you and Luke? He was being kinda weird this morning; avoiding eye contact with me and everything. He does that when he's uncomfortable. Especially when he wants to ask me something, but feels like he can't. Did you guys talk at the hospital?"

I tuck my hands into my pockets and finger the spare change and the lonely piece of spearmint gum. "Something like that."

She stops her packing and turns to look at me. "Something like what?"

"Well," I nervously scratch the back of my head, "Luke asked me if there was something going on with us."

"What did you tell him?"

There's a huge gap between us; it's the length of her room as she's perched upon her desk with her legs dangling and with me still unable to cross from being in the kitchen to inside her room. "I was caught off guard. And I didn't know what we were telling people. So I might have told him that I just gave you a ride to the hospital."

Her head bends and I watch her examine her fingernails. "Uh huh."

"It's just that I don't really know Luke, and I had just finished talking with your mom." I cross the room quickly to stand right in front of her. "Sorry."

She hops down. "It's alright. I understand. Though I think he will know 'cause my mom was trying to grill me for information when I was going to bed."

"Sure, of course." I shrug.

"That's alright, right?"

I drop a chaste kiss on her lips. "Nah, it's fine. It's your family."

"Well technically, it's sorta your family too. Luke." She tilts her head to the side.

"But it's your mom's boyfriend."

"That's true. Wow, that's ironic that they're together, and we're together isn't it?" She leans into my body and I can smell her shampoo. "Hey, what if Luke and Mom get married? That would make us related."

I make a face. "Uh, let's not think about it that way."

She giggles and swings away to reach for her duffel bag. "Come on cousin, let's get outta here."

I groan at the phrasing and she laughs at me while reaching for my hand.

---

I fumble for my keys in my pocket all the while juggling her duffel in my other hand. She turns her head and starts kissing the side of my neck and I can't help but moan as she finds the pulse point while her hands have found my waist.

"You know, you're not helping me in the search for my keys."

She laughs and pulls away. "You need help looking for them?"

I stop my search and glance down at her. "Unless you want to make out in my hallway, I need to find my keys."

"Here, I'll help." She reaches into my front pocket and my head tilts forward with a groan at the feeling of her searching fingers.

"Hey, you're doing that on purpose."

"Doing what?" She bats her eyes at me.

I roll my eyes at her. "Yeah, right." I reach into my other pocket and stick the key into the lock.

"And here I was trying to help."

I throw her bag on the couch and kick the door with my foot to shut it. Turning back to her I pull her into my body and she yelps in surprise. "Oh, I can use your help here." I shift my hips to emphasize my point.

Her eyes widen. "How romantic." Her deadpan remark makes me laugh.

"I can do romantic. Remember what I said?"

Her eyes darken and I catch the streetlight bouncing off the dark blue irises. "That would be nice."

I back up both our bodies towards my bedroom. Bending down, I catch her lips and kiss her gently. She tries to deepen the kiss, but I pull back to look at her. "How did I get so lucky?" My voice is husky and it pierces the silence.

Her smile drops and she bites her lip. "Is that your romantic line that you use on all the girls?"

"No." I don't want her to misunderstand this as just a dime a dozen. This doesn't happen for me often, if at all, and in the midst of the joking around I want her to know that I take us very seriously.

She nods and I can tell that she gets it. Slowly, she looks up and avoids eye contact. "I'm kinda nervous."

I kiss her forehead and slip down so that our noses are touching. "Me too."

She smiles and pauses for a moment. Suddenly, she's recovered and I can see it in her eyes and she kisses me hesitantly at first but it continues with growing passion. I cradle her face in my palms and her searching hands have found the bottom of my shirt and her fingers inch their way across my abdomen. "Rory, you're killing me." I practically growl into her mouth as I pull back from our kiss.

She peeks up at me and holds out her hand like a child. "Let's go to bed."

I raise my eyebrow at her. "Yes ma'am." I take her hand and lead her the rest of the way into my room. Her hand is warm in my palm and I love that our fingers are all tangled up with each other. Reaching my room, I realize that I'm about to turn on the light, but I fight the habit and walk over the edge of the bed. I turn back to her and I smile gently. "Hey you."

"Hey you back." She takes a step closer and her feet shuffle between mine. She looks bashful and I watch her undo the buttons of my shirt. One by one her fingers work slowly, but I take the time to enjoy the view. She finishes the last button and she slips the shirt off my shoulders and places a wet kiss on my collarbone.

I clutch her t-shirt with both hands and nudge her and she raises her arms as I pull it over her head. Even in the dim light I can make out the little flower pattern on her bra and I kiss a bare shoulder. Her mouth finds mine again and my eyes shut as I give into the feeling and reach around for the clasp. I can feel her hands working the buckle of my belt and I hear the sharp clink of it coming undone. She wiggles her hips and her jeans join her other discarded clothing that has gathered on the floor.

I sit down blindly on the bed and I pull her down on me, all the while refusing to end our kiss. She shifts her body while I'm slowly inching both of us down to lay flat on the bed and I love feeling the full weight of her on top of me. Coming to terms with the fact that right now only my boxers separate the two of us, I adjust our position on the bed and roll her off of me. She stops my hands and sits up on her knees and leisurely tugs my boxers off. I lean back up on my elbows and nod in my direction back up at the head of the bed. "Come 'ere."

She grins and she comes up to sit straddling halfway between my hips and my chest. She bends down and her hair makes a curtain around her flushed face and I lay back down to look up at her. I extend my hand up to her face and I cup one cheek in my palm. It's hot to the touch and the contrast of the coolness of my hand to the heat of her cheek makes her sigh and lean into me. "Jess…" I watch her eyes drift shut and her eyelashes flutter as she opens them again and locks them with mine.

Both of my hands grip her knees that are bended at my side and she watches me with wide eyes, refusing to break contact. I slide cool palms up from her knees to her thighs and she whimpers as I reach her hips and find the bones that jut out creating a hollow where my thumbs fit in perfectly.

I'm loosing myself in the moment and the soft feeling of our kiss, but all of a sudden I feel her cautious fingers grasp me and become bolder. I can't help but stop the kiss and throw my head back into my pillow with a loud groan. "Oh god." The muscles in my neck are clenched in the impending feeling that is coursing through my veins. I feel her bend down to kiss my exposed neck and her hair tickles my chest. I laugh and look up at her. Knowing full well that if she continues her way that I'll be done way before I plan, I sit up preparing to switch positions.

Nudging her head to the side I sweep some of her hair off of her shoulder and breathe in her intoxicating scent. I trace the curve of her neck with my tongue but pause to nip at the skin that connects her neck to her jaw. Still, I continue to sit up and she's fully resting her upper body's weight on me. My hands slide down the path of her arms to her elbows and I have to pull back from my assault on her neck to watch her reaction as my right hand closes in on her breast. Her head lolls back and my other arm comes up to support her and I shift once more to lay her down on the bed. She arches her back and I tighten my hold on her and her legs bend at the knees, tangling our limbs together.

I dip down and rest my weight on my elbows and I hear her moan from the disconnection of my hand from her chest. Scooting down the length of her so that we're no longer in eye contact with each other I bend my head to take her left breast in my mouth. She tightens on contact and I reach up to massage the other in my hand. I flick my tongue against her and she arches again and the bed gently bounces as she flattens once more against my sheets. She sighs explosively and her hands tangle their way into my hair. Short nails are tracing my skull and I know that she's trying to release some of the building tension. "Jess…" She trails off with my name dying in a hiss on her lips and I extend my body up to kiss her as she whimpers the last syllable. Our tongues tangle and I feel her biting at my lower lip.

Her hands are gripping my forearms and I realize in my foggy haze that she's wrapping her legs around my waist. I feel her eyes intently staring at my reactions as she continues to move her lower body against mine until she makes me catch my breath and we both realize that she's found that one particular spot. She forces her hips against mine and I can't hold back. I search for her eyes. The question is left unspoken.

Her response is a sharp nod and a noise that sounds like the result of a moan and a whine. Her eyes are fluttering again and mine are wandering all over her face, hoping to memorize the look of her biting down on her lip and the mesmerizing sight of damp hairs matted on her forehead.

I reach into the drawer of my nightstand and retract with a single condom in hand. Her head has gone to lay sideways as she watches my movements in silence. I see her reach up and she takes it from my hands and she rolls it on me herself. She tugs oh so gently and gives me a confident stroke that makes me curl my toes in anticipation of what I know will come. My hands come up to support her, with one hand behind each shoulder blade and she leans on my arms as I lay her down against my bed. One of my thumbs reaches from behind her shoulder blade and presses against a hardened nipple. She gasps loudly and as the noise escapes from her open mouth, I absorb the sound into my own. She squirms against my thumb and I bring the hand around from her back to gently pinch. Her eyes roll back and I bend down to soothe the pain with my tongue.

I feel her hips come up and oh god, does it feel amazing, as I comprehend the reality that I'm inside of her. She undulates her hips and I watch her lips part to take a deep breath. I watch her chest expand and I push forward again, kissing her shoulder and then back up to her mouth where I feel her gasp. She pulls back suddenly and I'm surprised at the cool air hitting my face and her hands go down to my hips and she digs in her nails as I feel her tighten her muscles. I feel her breathing come in pants and a sound that comes out of her like a startled cry.

I securely hold her hips in my hands and I lift her lower half off the bed to increase the angle. She comes up to support both of us by pushing against my headboard and I'm watching her every movement. I watch her eyes snap open suddenly only to close just as quickly as she comes up to grasp my shoulders. I'm no longer gentle and the force of my plunge makes her collapse against my pillows.

I hear myself grunt, but am totally unaware of anything happening but the pulsing, clenching feeling that is making my body insanely tense. She tightens her legs around my waist and arches her back in tandem with my thrusts. Her arms come up to circle my neck and the movement brings her breasts right up into me again. I take her in my mouth once more and I feel her excitement as I suckle.

I almost forget to breathe as I feel her pushing hard against me to twist her hips and grind, creating a delicious feeling that invades my senses. She does it again; once, twice, a slow third and I take her moving hips into my hands and grip her tightly as I sense her clenching around me. I think I hear her cry out my name and I look up to see her leaning away from me with her body strung out, pulled tight with a heaving chest that can't seem to get enough air.

The tension I was experiencing moments before rush out of my body and suddenly I can barely hold myself up. I breathe in deeply and exhale in a growl. My lips are dry and my words come out hoarse, "Oh god." I roll on my side and I watch her join me, collapsing into one of my outstretched arms. I curl my elbow underneath her and pull her directly into my body.

One of her hands has come up to her lips and she bites down on her fingernail. "Hi." Her voice is raspy and I watch her tongue dart out to wet her lips. Damn, that was sexy.

I wiggle my way forward and nudge her nose and I help her moisten her lips again. The coiling tension in the pit of my stomach is gone now and my limbs have relaxed and it's a wonderful contrast to the pressure I felt radiating through my body just minutes before.

She giggles. "That was…" She closes her eyes and opens them slowly. "I uh…"

I smile as I watch her struggle for words. I know how she feels. I pull her close and I can taste the salty skin beneath my lips. I let out the breath that I didn't know I was holding and I close my eyes as I feel her heartbeat against my bare chest and I hear her breathing even out against the crook of my neck.

---

The numbers that are glowing red are telling me that it has only been a couple of hours since I've made love to this girl in my arms, but it feels like it's been a lifetime. A life that I would love, and plan to, relive as often as possible.

I cradle her body in my arms and I am alert of every part of me that is touching her skin. My entire being is hyperaware of her presence and the position of our bodies and a large part of me just wants her to wake up so that I can talk to her. My forefinger traces the shell of her ear and I kiss the side of her mouth. I feel her moving against me and smile against my parted lips. She's nibbling on my top lip but moves to soothe it with the flicking of her tongue. She hums against me and I lazily pull back to get a good look at her face.

Her eyes are half open with an impossibly sultry look passing through her features and a lock of hair has fallen in front of her left eye. One of my outstretched hands goes to sweep it aside and she sighs against me at the sensation of my slightly callous finger against her smooth skin. Blue eyes open and I watch her blink a couple of times to chase away the sleep. She smiles slowly, but it has now become a full-blown grin that spreads from ear to ear. "Would it be totally lame if I said, 'thank you'?"

I laugh; a chuckle that stretches through my entire body. I go to nuzzle the exposed part of her neck and she leans even more into my body as she lies on her side, mirroring my actions. "You're welcome." I lower my voice an octave and I can feel her shiver against me.

"You know what I would love?"

I kiss her shoulder and bite the slender curve of her arm while my hand has gone up to knead her breast that is hidden beneath my sheet. "Hm?" I let her feel the vibrations of my question against her skin.

Her head tilts up to look at me. "Something to eat. I'm starving." She has a doe-like look in her eyes and she grins.

I smile as well. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She nods her head to punctuate her point.

I tuck her hair behind her ear. "What would you like?"

"Cereal."

I smirk. "Is that your choice of post-coital munchies?"

"Of course. Ice cream is too cliché."

---

She laughs loudly as I yelp from the sudden coldness of the milk that she's accidentally spilled on my chest. I just watch her, unmoving, as she angles her body to lick the spilt milk from me. She bends down again to circle one of my nipples with her tongue and I reach for her bowl to place on the nightstand. As I place it gently out of the way she lays down flush against my body and I peel off the sheet that she was using to cover herself in so that I can feel her again, skin to skin.

I sigh against her ear only to take a deep breath again as I watch her snuggle into every crevice of my exposed body. She sits up on me and I just lean back on my pillow that now smells sharply of sex to enjoy the view. She unhurriedly moves her hips on top of mine counterclockwise and my hands go to help her move once more. I can't help but part my lips in a groan and I catch her amused look. "Minx."

She laughs again and this time it's utterly sweet. The sound floats above us and I sit up to kiss her just as sweetly as she laughed. Her arms come up to wrap around my upper torso and mine entwine in her hair that's becoming more and more tangled. I can feel her heart thudding against my chest and her nipples tightening on contact. She's leaning too much against me and we flop back down on the bed with her once again on top, crushing me with delicious weight. She's shaking and I pull back to realize that she's giggling.

I go to kiss her once more to swallow her laughter and she responds quickly. The kiss is full of desire that has once more come over me and I feel her squirming. One of her legs comes forward between mine and I hear her take a sharp breath as she feels me against her once more, demanding and waiting. As she traces my abdomen with one hand and inch her way closer with each movement, my eyes drift shut and I hear the distinctive click of the light on the nightstand go off.