"Are you sure you're comfortable? Can I get you anything else?"

Auggie shook his head no, and before Annie could walk away, he reached out, snagging her arm. He congratulated himself for finding her on the first shot, and with a smooth pull and tug and twist, soon had her sideways on his lap. "Ahh, that's much more comfortable," he said.

"Auggie, come on, you need to rest," Annie said, placing her hands on his shoulders to balance herself. Her movements dug her lower region into his, though, and he lay his head back with a moan. "Sorry, did I hurt you?"

She moved to get up, but he clamped his hands on her hips and pulled her even closer. "Quite the contrary," he said with a smile.

Annie wanted nothing more than to continue their flirting and teasing, and all the other hot and steamy movements he was conjuring in her mind, but she knew it was the painkillers talking. She leaned down and gave him one kiss and then stood up.

"I'll make us some lunch, and then you should take a nap," she said, leaving him on the couch as she headed to the kitchen.

Auggie immediately missed the warmth of her body against his, but knew she was right. The only reason he was feeling more-than-fine was the lovely effects of the pills Dr. Heatherton had given him. And other than a big of tingling in his eyeball, which he was instructed NOT TO TOUCH, he almost felt a bit drunk.

Which brought him to his current situation, which he hoped Annie didn't have to help with, either. He stood up gingerly and began to walk across the room to – what he hoped was – the bathroom.

Annie whirled around at the sound of his footsteps and almost ran across the room to take his arm and lead him to his destination. She took one step, then realized he was walking fine by himself. His steps small, sure, but he was making it to the bathroom door, and after holding her breath for the seconds it took him to get to the door, Annie let it out and turned back to the counter.

She knew he was more than capable of taking care of himself, even if she wasn't here. He just had that air of confidence. But all she could think of was that first night she'd slept over – when she'd drank too much wine to safely drive home. She'd woken him out of a nightmare where he found himself stumbling in the dark, completely blind and out of control.

Now that he was blind – albeit temporarily – he showed no hint of terror or sweats. Annie hoped it was just the effects of the medication, and his recovery would be smooth and without problems.

After lunch, Auggie took Annie's advice to lay down for a while. His eye was really starting to itch, and the painkiller he just ingested was starting to make him feel a bit dizzy. He took Annie's proffered hand after he stood and slightly swayed on his feet.

He kicked off his shoes as he reached the bed, and as he sat down, he was surprised to feel Annie's hands move to the buttons on his shirt, undoing them one by one. Though there was no sexual feel in her precise movements, just the scent of her so near was enough to set his body alight. He'd been so entranced in the past by her beauty, her smile, the sway of her blonde locks, that he didn't realize how intoxicating her perfume was.

He inhaled as she leaned closer to draw his shirt over his shoulders, his head instinctively tucking in between her head and shoulder. Her hair fell across his face, and the softness made him shudder. Once his arms were free of his shirt, they raised to her, his hands grasping her shoulders before she had a chance to move away.

"Annie," he whispered.

He could sense her hesitation, could feel her minutely begin to pull away, but he also felt something else. Her breath on his skin as he whispered her name. She'd exhaled with a sigh, and he desperately wanted to hear that sound again, to feel her warm breath over the rest of him. Slowly, he gathered her to him until she was once again across his lap and in his arms.

His head nuzzled into her neck where he yearned to imprint the smell of her perfume on his brain, he began to kiss the skin there, feeling on his lips how soft it was, how smooth. He also noted how shivery it got, with a flush of goosebumps when his tongue darted out to taste her. He wondered if the rest of her body would respond like that?

Making his way from the column of her neck up to her ear along her jawline, Auggie alternately kissed and licked while slowly leaning back until he lay on the bed, Annie laying across him. She never spoke a word. He heard only her breath and small gasps as he hit various sensitive points. While his mouth moved to fit over hers, his hands were busy mapping her body.

From her fingers along her forearms up to the sleeves of her shirt. His fingertips seeked skin, and they moved to her waist where the edge of her top slowly moved up, affording him access to her taut stomach. Her muscles hitched as her breathing deepened, and he smiled at the reaction his touch was having on her.

He needed to feel more, though, and his hands moved up her sides and around to her back, which arched as his fingers massaged up her spine to the band of elastic and fabric just under her shoulder blades. One flick of his fingers, and the material separated. His hands splayed along the expanse of her back, his palms pressing against her shoulders until she lay fully across him.

"Auggie."

His name on her lips sounded like a prayer, but it held undertones of worry. He may not have caught it in the past, but he heard it now, and he stilled for a moment. "Annie?"

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to hurt you, and you said the pills make you dizzy."

She was right, of course, and though he wanted to keep on with his exploration, there's no reason he needed to do it now. But he also didn't want to let her go. "I know, but could you just lay here, with me?"

"As if I could let you go now," Annie teased, pushing herself into a sitting position beside him on the bed. She pulled off her shoes and tossed them over the side of the bed. Looking down at Auggie lying beside her, shirtless, his arm reaching out, waiting for her to return, she quickly pulled off her t-shirt and bra.

When she resumed her position lying next to him, she giggled when he realized what she had done.

"That's not fair," Auggie growled. "How am I supposed to relax now?"

"Shh," Annie said, placing her fingers on his lips. "Rest now. I promise, I'll make it up to you later. For now, let's just sleep."

Auggie nodded, but wound his arm around her and pulled her up to lie against his side. It took half a minute for him to will his libido back down to a more manageable level – not an easy task given Annie's half-naked body setting his alight. But soon the effects of his painkillers and the calmness he always felt in Annie's presence took their toll, and he soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

A/N Thanks to everyone who's reading and reviewing and alerting. Someone asked about the role-playing comments in a couple chapters, and what I was alluding to. It's The Princess Bride, where Auggie would play Westley (As you wish...) and Annie would play Buttercup. Westley, as the Dread Pirate Roberts, wore all black and a black mask/scarf around his head.

With this chapter, I tried to show how Auggie would react to Annie's proximity if he only had smell and touch and taste to go by. And how Annie's place in his life has given him a bit of peace and eased his anxieties about his sight. :)

Please review.