AN1: Hello all you wonderful readers! This is your monthly reminder to check that your email opt-in is still turned on (if you want it to be). Since this bugger gets auto reset every six months to go away- you may want to double check it if you've noticed email notifications have gone buh bye.
Sun streamed through the sheer curtains and Tommy looked down to see Kim was soundly asleep on his chest. He ran his fingers up and down her spine, tracing another tattoo that he hadn't realized was there until last night. As many times as he had seen her half naked recently, he hadn't let himself really look at her. It was a temptation that he knew he wouldn't be able to walk away from.
There was so much that they needed to talk about, but they had both needed last night. He was completely spent and it had been years since he had felt this way. The last time he had been with anyone was after they'd rescued her from Murianthius and that had just solidified how he wasn't ready to be with anyone else. He may have tried dating other people, but his gut had known since then. After last night he finally felt like he could look at her and focus as opposed to fighting everything in him to not jump her where she stood.
"Morning," Kim whispered as she leaned up and gave him a kiss before rolling over to her back. She stretched against him before she curled back into his side and he gently massaged her scalp. She closed her eyes as a smile spread on her face. How did he remember this as well? "I haven't slept that good in a long time."
"Me neither. You think we can talk now?" Tommy asked and she gave him a surprised look. He wanted to have a serious talk before either of them had had coffee? "If we don't start talking, we're just going to start another round and while I want that- this- there's so much…"
"Yeah, want room service again?" Kim said as she rolled out of bed and paused as she stood up. She took a few deep breaths as her body reminded her of just how active they had been last night. While their bodies fit together so well, her body had also forgotten the feel of him. Her body had forgotten what nights like last night led to.
"You okay?" Tommy asked as he propped himself up and she held her lower abdomen as she nodded. It would fade the more they were together, but it might put a damper on the rest of the weekend. "Crap, you're sore."
"A bit, I'll be…" Kim started as Tommy scooped her up and she relaxed into him. He had no ill effects from their lovemaking and she was absolutely going to let him take care of her for a bit. He was the only person that she trusted to take care of her, even though she loved her other friends she never felt she could be this vulnerable with them. "I'd say you're going for brownie points, but that's not your style."
"I've never been able to stand you hurting, especially if I caused it," Tommy said as he carried her into the bathroom and sat her on the counter. She spread her legs for him in invitation and he closed his eyes, reminding himself that his goal was to loosen her muscles so that they would be able to enjoy themselves not to cause her more pain. He looked over at the bathtub and realized that they both could fit. A hot bath would help her and he also wanted her to relax, it wasn't something that he had seen from her lately. "I saw they had eggs benedict on Texas toast with some sort of brisket- interested?"
"Yeah and if you can get some fruit and…" Tommy gave her a look as she just nodded. He still remembered that too. "Is there anything you don't remember about me?"
"No. Have a good soak and I'll be back with breakfast." Tommy gave her a quick kiss and he then jogged back out of the bathroom. She gave a lustful look at him as he went out and she then eased into the tub. She hadn't been able to relax like this since she had Ollie, not that she would trade him for the world. It was just something that she couldn't afford to do, but with Tommy she could let down her walls.
She lost track of time as the bubbles surrounded her. Tommy didn't know the gift that he was giving her- time to be carefree. And it was more than that. He was the man that would protect her and their son from the world if he could. She had seen it in him when they were younger and it was only more evident now. She just didn't worry when she was with him and she couldn't really say that about anyone else.
She heard the door creak open, but didn't open her eyes- she'd know the sound of Tommy's footsteps anywhere. She figured that he had come to get her for breakfast and resigned herself to getting out of the tub. She was surprised when he pushed her forward a bit and then climbed in behind her. She opened her eyes to see a tray propped across the tub and she sighed. He had really thought of everything.
"You did good. Since when do you like hot baths?" Kim asked as he shook his head that he didn't and she looked back at him. "Tommy…I could have gotten out of the bath…"
"Nah- I've seen that look too many times before, but I haven't seen it a lot since you've been back and I want you to relax as much as you can," Tommy said as he leaned around her and made himself a bite of food. He was fine with the bath as long as she was there with him. He was fine with a lot of things as long as she was there with him. "What was it really like? Doing this alone?"
"Hard. Nearly impossible at times. I…I worked my way up at the gymnastics center, took night classes…cobbled together a Bachelor's degree in Sports Management. And I tried really hard to never let Ollie see how hard it was. I still won't let him see how hard it can be. I don't ever get to…I can't relax…" Kim trailed off as he forced her to take a few bites and she just sank into him. No one cared for her the way that he did. He took so many responsibilities away from her, but not because she couldn't do them, but because he didn't want that weight on her. She desperately wanted to share the weight in the ways that he offered her, but that meant stepping into something she'd never thought she'd do again. Dating him. "I tried dating, but…well you saw how Ollie can be and it just never…they weren't you."
"Kim- I can take the details," Tommy said as he rubbed her arms and she turned back to face him before shaking her head. "Kim…"
"I know you can, but…I can't. We were in a really good place when we left Miami and I was getting over all of it. I just want to…I did what I had to, Tommy. I don't know how to open up- I've had to be strong and take care of both of us and…" Kim was cut off as he kissed her and she felt the words he couldn't say rip through her. He got it. He got it because he had done the same thing, even if it wasn't for the same reason. "You're the only person that I can even see…I haven't been with…I haven't let myself…I…"
"Hey, hey, hey. Take a deep breath," Tommy whispered as she shook in his arms and he then cupped her face. Her eyes locked with his and he saw the panic settle. She was terrified that she had said too much too quickly and that it would push him away. However, he had been waiting for her to word vomit about everything, because he knew that it meant that she was finally comfortable with him again. "I tried to find someone else too. And it didn't work, none of them ever worked. But we don't have to be anything. Or we can just be this. Or we can see what more is. I'm here for you and Ollie, however that needs to be."
"Really?" Kim asked as he gave her a sad smile and then nodded. He wanted the blind trust to be back for the both of them, but time had changed her in this way and he couldn't change her back. It was going to take time for her to trust that he was not playing some sort of long game to get her back for what she'd done. "I can't do the last four months for the rest of my life, but I don't know if marriage or living together or..."
"How about we just start with dating?" Tommy said as she stared at him and he laughed. He was willing to just start with dating? He didn't want to jump into them in his house and being this nuclear family? "Beautiful- I'm not rushing into anything, especially with you. Sure, we'll probably have sex more than a couple that is really just starting out but…I'm not looking to jump into marriage. I want you and Ollie to be ready for that and I know that it's not just you I have to win over, it's him too."
"Oh thank God," Kim whispered as she caught the mock offense on his face. "It's not that I dislike the idea. I just…you're not mad."
"Not even close. Eat, relax- we can figure out what dating looks like once we get back. This weekend, let's just do what we want," Tommy said as she kept an eye on him and he pulled her back against him. "And in case you've missed it- I just want you."
"They were right to give us the honeymoon cottage," Kim whispered as she passed him another bite of food and he gave her a confused look. "We're not exactly quiet."
"We're going to have to figure that out, but not this weekend," Tommy muttered as he pushed the tray away from them and she spun around in his arms straddling him as she settled there. "You're still sore."
"And that's never stopped me before. Why would it be different this time?" Kim asked as he shook his head and she leaned down to kiss him again. "If you don't want to…"
"Who said anything about that?" Tommy said as he leaned back and she smiled down at him. She ran her hands down his chest and his head tilted back as he bit down on his lip. She realized just how fully he trusted her again as he surrendered complete control of his body to her. There was something that was so innately intimate when they made love like this- no battle of wills, just giving in. "Have your way with me."