Chapter 29
Leon's heart thundered inside his torso as he realised that she was agreeing to go home with him. She said yes. It was actually happening. He was finally going to get the chance to tell her about madly in love with her he was. Did Zara share his feelings, or was she just happy to see what happened between them? Either way, he didn't want to keep her waiting any longer, so he pulled his phone from his back pocket and texted Aaron so he would know where they went.
Leon was staring at Zara with a warm smile, and he wanted to kiss her so badly, but he didn't want to embarrass her or draw attention to them. He took a hold of one of her hands on his chest, and they headed towards the elevator. Zara pressed the button to summon it, which arrived after a few seconds. Once they stepped inside, it was empty, and no one else entered, so they were alone. His breathing was short and shallow, and his heart raced in his chest in nervous excitement.
Gathering some courage, he looked down at Zara, who was biting her lip and blushing red as she stared at the floor. Leon smiled and felt a lot braver, brave enough to push a little further. He turned toward her, and she smiled as he gently shuffled them back until her back was against the elevator wall. They kept hold of each other's hand, but Zara brought her free hand up to grasp his tie to tug him closer. This made Leon smile, and he leaned down as if he was going to kiss her, but he held back. She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering what he was doing, even though she didn't pull on his tie to close the gap between them. Instead, he held along her jaw, his fingers curling around to the back of her neck, and his thumb grazed over the soft skin of her cheek. His other hand found the small of her back to keep her against him. He ghosted his lips over her cheek and up to her temple, watching her eyes flutter closed, and her chest rise and fall in quick, anticipating breaths. Leon heard Zara let out an audible sigh that was just close enough to a soft moan that threatened to drive him insane. He had a passing thought to use the emergency stop button and have her right there against the elevator wall.
The sound of the elevator dinging broke them from their moment, and they separated but didn't let go of each other's hands. When the doors opened to the hotel lobby, they headed towards the front doors, and Leon cheered mentally when he saw a taxi with its vacancy light on out the front. Even though taking her home had significant implications for what they would do when they got there, he was primarily excited about having some time to spend alone with her that wasn't at work. He did want to completely ravish her, badly, but now that they had finally crossed the line broaching friendship, could he really be himself around her. The distance that he'd kept from her was impossible to continue, and he felt liberated to cross the line.
The taxi driver had his window down and Leon walked over to tell the driver his address, and they smiled and gestured for them to get in. Leon opened the door, and shuffled over to the far seat and watched as Zara climbed in. The car trip would only be short, around 20-25 minutes to his apartment building from the hotel, depending on traffic.
The whole ride there, Leon kept hold of Zara's hand, even though he knew his hand was probably sweaty, considering how nervous he was. He didn't care, though, completely unwilling to be physically separated from her. They talked a little, but mostly enjoyed the silence, but he smiled when she put her head on his shoulder affectionately. When they pulled up out the front of his apartment building, Leon tapped his phone to pay the fare, even though Zara had her's at the ready. He reluctantly let her hand go to allow her to get out of the car, and he did the same after thanking the driver and wishing him a good night.
Once they were both out of the car, Leon felt a little more awkward since they were almost at his place now and worried that Zara might have second thoughts. He moved to stand next to her, and when she looked up at him, all of his worries left his mind. She smiled brightly at him, and he felt he would melt into a puddle if she kept looking at him like that. Her eyes were so dazzling in the light from his building, and he reached out to run his thumb over her cheek affectionately. He was still in shock at the sudden shift in their relationship dynamic but overjoyed that she'd decided to come with him.
When a cool breeze made her shiver, he snapped out of his reverie as he stared at her and led her inside his building. They got in the elevator, still holding hands and went up to his floor silently. Leon didn't know what to say, and Zara must not have either. The elevator doors opened, and he led her to the right, where his apartment was in the corner. After unlocking the door, they went inside, and Leon let her hand go to turn some lights on. Fortunately, his apartment was relatively tidy, which he thanked his past self for doing. She bent over to undo the strap on her shoes and he couldn't help but watch as he took off his suit jacket and hung it over one of the bar stools. He huffed when she stepped out of them, noticeably shorter without her heels.
Zara wandered around, looking at his bookshelf, while Leon did his best to be a good host and offered her a drink. She accepted with a smile and nod before continuing her perusal of his collection. He poured them a glass of wine each, then brought it over to her. As she sipped her drink, she moved into him, nuzzling into his side. Leon put his arm over her shoulder to encourage and keep her close. His heart thudded loudly, and he tried to figure out what to do next. Everything within him was telling him to kiss her, but he didn't want to rush things between them. He always preferred to let his partner set the pace so that they were comfortable.
"Zara." Leon got her attention, and she looked up at him. "You know that I care about you, right? It's not because of..." He trailed off, unaware of how exactly to say what he was thinking.
"Yeah, I know. That's why I came here with you." She didn't seem phased by his question, appearing far more relaxed with their situation than he was. Maybe she was just better at hiding it.
"Sorry. I'm just nervous." He blurted out before he could stop himself and then mentally scolded himself for it.
"Me too." She dropped her chin to her chest shyly and stared at the floor.
"I didn't expect you to come with me." He continued when she made a 'Hmm' sound. "Why did you?" Leon wanted to know but didn't know a more delicate way to ask.
"That would require me to make a confession." She stepped away from him, turning her back toward him to hide her face.
"You've piqued my interest now." He said with a chuckle and moved to sit on his couch.
She groaned audibly but was smiling despite herself as she joined him, sitting next to him. He was pleased when she sat close enough for her thigh to brush his own. Feeling like it was okay, he put an arm over the back of the couch so that it could end up over her shoulder when she leaned back.
"Well, shit." Zara laughed softly, then lifted a bent leg up so that she could turn to face him. "I confess that I might have already had a bit of a crush on you back when we first saw each other at the coffee shop."
Leon leaned back in surprise, and his eyes widened as he watched her cover her face with her hands in embarrassment. He remembered the bright smile that she gave him when they first looked at each other and how it had immediately made his heart race. He'd been paralysed watching her, unable to do anything except stare at her. She was beautiful, but that smile had changed his life. As he sat with her now, in his apartment after having known her and worked with her for months, it had all been from that moment. Everything that had happened since then had come down to her smiling at him.
"You did?" Leon had no idea what else to say.
"I recall feeling someone's eyes on me and then seeing you looking at me. You just had the sweetest expression, and I thought you were gorgeous. I was far too nervous to say anything to you, though. I'm such a fucking coward." Zara was blushing from what he could see from the light he'd turned on that was only partially illuminating the living area.
"Do you remember when we were at the cafe, and I walked over to you, but your phone rang?" Leon asked, and Zara looked puzzled before shaking her head. "I didn't think you had noticed me then. I had finally worked up the courage to talk to you, but right when I was about to, your phone rang, and I chickened out and left."
"I did not notice that. The only time my phone rings that I actually answered it. It was likely work calling," Zara said as she rolled her eyes. "Clearly, fate had something else in mind for us."
"I'm pleased it did." His response was smoother than he expected, and Zara laughed softly.
"I am, too." She replied with a smile and leaned into his arm over the back of the couch, her cheek pressing against his bicep as she pointedly avoided his eyes. "I admit that I've been quite taken with you recently. It's been hard to pretend I don't have feelings for you when you've been so…"
"So?" He prodded.
"You're incredibly sweet, and encouraging. You've made me feel more confident. You're so clever, and we can talk about serious things, or just be silly and have fun. I enjoy spending time with you."
Leon regarded her for a moment, smiling at her as she shuffled a little closer to him again, and he took that as a sign that she would be okay with a little more physical contact. He reached out and put his other hand on her waist, and curled the arm she was resting on up to pull her into his embrace and nuzzled into the crook of her neck. His phone vibrated in his pocket, but he flatly ignored it. When Zara's phone vibrated, the notification chime interrupting the silence, she made a subtle growl and pulled it from her purse. She bypassed whatever was on the screen and put it on silent, turning off the vibrate function as well before she put it face down on the coffee table. Leon did the same, and then he adjusted their position. Zara followed his lead, lying between his legs when he put them onto the couch.
They naturally moved into a comfortable position with Zara's head on his chest, and he ran his hand over her hair soothingly. She closed her eyes, and he smiled at the content look on her face. She was more at ease with him than he expected her to be, but they had known each other and worked side by side for some time now. With her admission about being interested in him, maybe things were leading to this point. The dynamic in their relationship had shifted, and they couldn't return to anything platonic. Since they didn't have to return to work until Monday, he wondered if he could keep her with him tonight and maybe the rest of the weekend.
She raised her head and smiled at him, resting her chin on her hand. "Hey."
"Hey," Leon answered with a smile.
He moved the hand in her hair to cup her cheek, enjoying how she smiled in response to his touch. Unable to help himself, his eyes dropped to her mouth, and he was desperate to kiss her. Zara swallowed and licked her lips, and Leon just couldn't hold back any longer. He kissed her with all of the passion and desire that he felt for her, enjoying her instant reciprocation. She gasped but shifted closer to allow for more contact as he tangled his fingers in her hair. When Leon heard a soft sigh from her, he ran his tongue along her own and smirked as he felt her shiver in his arms. He wanted more but didn't allow himself to rush. However, Zara was keeping up with him and then some. She was more intense than he expected, and Leon felt like he should have made a move sooner. If he'd known that she shared his feelings, he would have leapt on her given half a chance.
For now, he relished in her evident desire for him, giving it back as good as she gave it. Zara was keen to explore further, and he would allow her anything she wanted. She pulled back just a fraction to adjust her position and moved her legs to straddle over his hips. Reluctantly, he allowed her to lean back, and she placed her hands on his chest. His hands landed on her hips, encouraging her as she moved against the ever-tightening constraints of his pants. He couldn't help the primal rumble deep in his chest as she rolled her hips again a few more times.
"Zara..." He moaned her name and sat bolt upright, pulling his mouth to hers with a hand on the back of her neck.
Responding with a moan of her own, it was muffled by his mouth against her. He devoured it eagerly, wanting to make her repeat such sounds again and again. She smiled against his lips, and Leon guessed that meant she was comfortable with what they were doing. Careful to not let her fall, he spun them around so that he could plant his feet on the floor before standing up. He lifted her with him, then placed her on her back on the couch. When he moved her hair aside, he kissed down her neck and along her collarbone.
"Le...on." Her voice saying his name was angelic. There couldn't possibly be a more beautiful sound.
Although he didn't want to stop, he tore his mouth away from her skin. His chest heaving with the force of his breath, he took a moment to just look at her. Her cheeks were flushed red, and her eyes were dark with craving.
"We should stop. I don't want to rush and I didn't ask you to come here just to...sleep with you." He heard himself say, not recognising that it was his own voice saying it.
Zara blinked at him slowly, momentarily confused, as she took in what he said. It was his turn to be confused when she smiled broadly up at him. He bit his lip, trying to calm himself down. Looking at her certainly didn't help him do that, not with her flushed cheeks and darkened eyes.
"If that's what you want." Her eyes gave away that she didn't believe her own words.
"That's..." Leon hesitated, not wanting to pressure her as he squeezed his eyes shut. "I do want to. Fuck, of course, I want you. Everything in me burns for you." He opened his eyes again, but it didn't help.
"Me too." She said with another smile, encouraging him that she was alright with this.
"I want you in more than just a physical way." He chewed his lip and looked away from her face, staring down at her hand on his chest, right over his heart. His usual eloquence was hidden behind the fog of his lust for her, and he hoped he was still making sense.
"So do I."
His eyes found Zara's hazel ones again. It wasn't that he didn't believe her earlier, but it seemed to have sunk in more now that she actually cared for him in the same way he cared for her. He could see that she was serious in the light shining across from the kitchen. His heart was racing, not just from their exertions but from the emotion he felt being with her. He put his hand over the top of hers that was over his heart.
Leon smiled at her. "I want to be yours." He held back on saying what was deep in his heart, thinking that it was better to keep it simple for now.
"Mine." She echoed back to him, and he could have sworn that the earth stopped spinning as he heard her.
Leon put his elbows on the couch on either side of her head, caging her between them. She lifted her head up to meet him as he kissed her again. Her arms around his neck encouraged him that she wanted this just as much as he did. Cradling her head, he enjoyed the smell of her hair and felt intoxicated by it. He brushed his fingers in her blood red locks, then traced his fingers down the front of her throat, down her chest, between her breasts. His lips followed the trail his fingers started, kissing and nibbling as he went.
All he wanted to do was make her tremble and make her feel like they could be heaven and earth collided. His heart fluttered as he heard her soft sighs of pleasure in response to his touch. Running his tongue along the neckline of her dress, she shuddered underneath him, and her back arched off the couch. Hesitantly, not wanting to push too far too fast, he ran his hand over the curve of her breast and down to her waist. She lifted her back further to encourage him, leaning into his touch with a moan. Leon's moan of answer was muffled by his mouth on her skin, loving how she curled into him to maximise the feeling.
Zara ran her hand through his hair, tugging on the lengths as he hooked his fingers on her dress's neckline and the edge of her bra and pulled it down an inch. His mouth ran over the revealed skin, and he felt her hands trying haphazardly to undo the buttons on his shirt. Leon straightened up and helped her, working on the top buttons while she undid the bottom ones. He shifted the shirt off his shoulders, then flung his arm out to ditch it on the floor. She ran her fingers over the faint scars on his ribs, her brows furrowing for a second.
Leon watched her face, etching her expression in his mind. His hand moved along her calf and thigh, her dress shifting with it. Her other leg hooked around his hip, encouraging him closer. The black lace of her panties was revealed as her dress hiked up, and his eyes fell between her legs. His cock twitched in response, and his inhibitions disappeared instantly. Zara clearly wanted this, and so did he. Now that he had the chance, he would wreck her and make her see stars.
Smirking at her, he kissed her fiercely, feeling her wrap her legs around his hips to keep him against her and then rolled her hips up to meet him. She dug her fingernails into his arms and repeated the motion. He was rock hard in his slacks and hissed as she adjusted to move against him with more pressure.
He pulled back from their passionate kiss. "You'll drive me mad."
"Good." She said proudly with a sexy smirk.
Leon laughed happily and decided to return the favour. He tucked one hand tightly around her hip, tilting her upwards slightly and moved the other to her throat. Her bottom lip came between her teeth as he bucked his hips several times, feeling himself rub against her enticingly. She moaned softly and squeezed her eyes shut. He observed her writhing in pleasure with both lust and pride.
"Fuck." He swore in a hushed whisper.
Finally, he decided to stop teasing her and himself by extension, and he started taking her dress off. She helped him by directing him to the zipper on the side and by lifting her shoulders and hips to take it off. He dove onto her, touching and kissing every inch of her skin that he could reach. Zara's hands snaked between them, grasping at his belt buckle and urgently undoing it. When she finally got it undone, she unbuttoned his pants and put her hand inside to touch him. As she grasped him gently, a low sound of approval rumbled in his chest and the back of his throat. His mouth and hand were on her breast, moving her bra to the side to access her nipple, making Zara breathe in sharply. Her back lifted, and Leon took the hint to undo the clasp on her bra. It was promptly tossed on the floor and ignored.
"Leon, please." She begged him, and he looked at her in surprise.
The faint voice reminding him to go and get protection got a little louder and managed to break through to the front of his mind with her begging. He nodded and lifted himself up to stand, then held out a hand for her. She took his hand with a smile and followed his lead. They shuffled towards his bedroom, and Leon moved behind her and kissed across her shoulder while massaging one breast and running his hand over her panties. It took them far longer to get to their destination, and Leon almost tripped over his pants since they'd fallen down his legs. They both chuckled in amusement as he caught himself against the bedroom door frame.
Zara laughed softly and kissed him as they reached the bed, and Leon lowered them onto it. She used her feet to push his slacks down his legs and hooked her fingers into the waistband of his underwear but couldn't reach too far to help him take them off since he was too tall. He took over and did his best to remove them while he continued their kiss. He leaned on his elbow, traced his free hand down between her legs, and pulled back to watch her face as he touched her over the fabric of her panties but quickly lost his patience. Tugging them aside, he eased his finger inside her, breathing heavily as he felt how tight she was. Her eyes fluttered closed, and the sound she made was phenomenal. It was far better than he imagined, and he was eager to fuck her, but his genuine desire was for her to enjoy it more than he did. As he increased the pace that he moved his finger inside her, she moaned in response, her hand fisting in the sheets. He added a second, causing her back to lift off the bed. Her expression was incredible, mouth open as she breathed heavily, and darkened eyes fluttering.
"You're so fucking beautiful." He murmured, thinking out loud.
Although he loved being able to watch her face contorted in pleasure, he shifted to lay between her legs, wanting to taste her. She looked down at him with half-lidded eyes and a heaving chest as he kissed the inside of her thighs, nipping lightly at the soft skin as he got closer towards where his fingers were already working. Her fingers raked through his hair, encouraging him to continue. Eventually, he reached between her legs and kissed the sensitive bundle of nerves, which made her legs shake. A high-pitched moan escaped her lips as he dragged his tongue along her folds torturously slowly, then continued the motion at the same pace. His fingers moved simultaneously, and her grip on his hair tightened. Moaning his name made him aware of how painfully hard he was, and he didn't want to wait any longer.
"Zara, I need you," he thought out loud, and she opened her arms to invite him back to her.
With a brief kiss, he did his best to stay clear-headed long enough to open a drawer in his bedside table and sighed in relief when he had a condom there. He hadn't expected Zara to come home with him and was pleased they could continue, especially since he wanted her so much. She sat up and stroked him as he tore open the packet, but she returned his favour and took him in her mouth. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he almost collapsed onto the bed, his muscles tensing at the amazing feeling. He felt the vibration as she hummed her enjoyment in response to his moan. Guiding her with a hand in her hair, he tugged upwards to lift her head up to kiss her. Leon turned towards her and knelt between her legs. He quickly put on the condom before peeling her underwear off eagerly.
Giving her a quick glance to ask her if it was okay, and she nodded in a rush, desperate for him. Leon bit his lip, and he eased himself inside her, doing his best to maintain his control so this could last as long as possible. Her eyes widened, fluttering, and her mouth opened further until he was buried inside her. He pulled back, and his strangled moan made her smile sexily at him.
"You okay?" He asked, wanting to make sure he hadn't hurt her. "You're so tight." He blurted out.
Zara's smile grew and she nodded. He started moving tentatively, doing his best to adjust to how perfect she felt. She tilted her hips in time with his movements, and her head turned to one side when he hit particularly deep. Cupping her cheek with his thumb on the other side of her jaw, he turned her back to face him, wanting to watch her face. He ran his tongue along her neck and pulse point, then kissed her. Everything felt right in this moment. Being with her like this and being inside her felt so right. It was like the universe had aligned just for this moment for them.
"Oh, you feel so good," Leon said, tucking his head into the crook of her neck and shoulder.
Zara only responded with a moan and put her hands in his hair. He hadn't gotten it cut in months, but she seemed to like it, so he wouldn't bother cutting it if she did.
"Tell me what you like." He asked after a kiss, still maintaining the same pace as before. She hadn't seemed uncomfortable at the start, but considering how tight she was, he didn't want to hurt her by going too fast. Also, because he was larger than average, and she was pretty small.
"Don't be gentle," she said with a devilish smirk, and he nodded with one of his own.
Tucking his arms under her, he held onto the top of her shoulders for leverage. He kept the same pace but drove into her hard and fast, then withdrew slowly. Zara moaned and panted wantonly, shuddering and shaking. She bit down on her pointer finger to silence herself, but Leon didn't want her to. He tugged her hand away and kissed her, muffling her moans with his mouth.
"Let me hear you." He requested, enjoying the sounds she made far too much not to hear them.
"More." She rasped, and he responded by speeding up his thrusts. "Fuck."
Leon shifted back onto his knees and continued, grasping at her breasts as they moved in time. She extended her arm to touch him but couldn't quite reach, so he took hold of her hand and leaned forward to kiss the back of it. He held it against his cheek, moaning as he revelled in how good she felt. The slight sting of her nails digging into his skin added to the intense feeling.
When he let go of her hand, he tucked her legs under his arms, hiking them onto his shoulders. He saw her jaw drop, her eyes go wide, and her moans hit a new octave as he moved deeper than before. She was far more flexible than he realised, and he smirked as he put his hands on the back of her thighs and pushed them down, folding her almost in half.
"Fuck, that's so hot." He said in lust-drunk wonder.
Zara chuckled at him, likely amused by the surprise and awe on his face, before he gave her a few more hard, pounding thrusts before he stopped and pulled out of her. He kissed her with fire, as if he was only able to breathe her air.
Frowning for a moment in disappointment when he pulled away, she quickly clambered towards him, pushing him back onto the bed with her hands on his chest. Straddling him, she positioned her hips over him and sunk down until her ass was on his thighs. Leon grasped her hips and encouraged her movements, and she rose up before dropping down on him once more. His eyes squeezed shut, and he hissed as she rotated her hips to hit the good spots inside her. More, more, more…
Reaching his hand down to where they joined, he rubbed his thumb against her and watched her shudder at the added pleasure as she began bouncing on him. Her hair fell across her shoulders and chest, shifting in time with her movements. Leon could die happy with the sight of her riding him and how perfect she felt. He fit so perfectly inside her. He couldn't have anticipated how incredible it would feel; hopefully, it was mutual. She seemed just as hungry for him as he did for her.
"Oh, god. Leon." That answered his question.
Increasing her pace, he couldn't keep his hand on her properly, so he moved it and let her move on him however she wanted. Gritting his teeth as he struggled to stave off his climax, he gripped her hips hard enough to bruise and thrust upward a few times. She gasped, and he took the chance to flip them over again.
Leon gave himself a moment by devouring her, making her legs shake, feeling it against the sides of his head as he pleasured her with his mouth. She gripped his hair tightly as her toes curled, and she moaned his name divinely. He only let up when he was sure she would come within the next minute, then swiftly moved to enter her again, fucking her hard and fast, keeping her close to her high. As she got closer, it was easy to feel as she bore down on him with much more force than he expected. The tight grip threatened to end him, so he rubbed her bundle of nerves to maximise her climax. She went quiet with wide eyes and her mouth open, and then her muscles tensed before it hit her hard. Her violent shudders and tightness, not to mention her moaning his name and her expression, sent him over the edge immediately after her.
Zara, Zara….The feeling was overwhelmingly powerful, and he heard himself saying her name over and over again. Bearing down on him as she rode out her high, clenching so fucking tightly it heightened his own orgasm and he growled low in answer. She was so perfect.
His strength fell away, but he caught himself with his weight on his elbows so he didn't crush her beneath him. He rested his head in the crook of her neck and caught his breath. She twitched occasionally, almost like an aftershock. The intense feeling and the emotion were almost too much, and he clung to her tightly. Her hand moved soothingly over his back, and she kissed his hair, cheek and shoulder.
"You okay?" she asked softly, her voice a little harsher than usual, likely due to the loud moans he elicited from her.
He nodded but couldn't manage the words, nuzzling into her tighter. Everything had just hit him like a freight train, and he just needed a minute to let it simmer. Having her here was still settling in, and he was still wrapping his head around the fact that it was real. Experiencing his strange dream had caused him a brief moment of confusion about whether this was real when she'd agreed to come home with him, and the shock had taken some time to wear off. The moment of disorientation had come abruptly, and he was more than happy to take refuge in her arms.
"Hey." She asked pointedly, and he lifted his head to look at her, even though it would make it harder to keep it together.
Zara's hair, which had been so nicely done earlier, was thoroughly ruined and splayed out on the bed. Her eyes were warm and bright and seemed far more green than hazel. She was smiling at him so sweetly that it just melted his heart.
"What is it?" Her question made his mind reel, and he didn't know how to express what he would say.
"I just...I can't believe you're here with me." Leon smiled and brushed some hair behind her ear affectionately.
"It's real. Unless it's folie à deux, and we're both nuts," she added with a cheeky laugh.
Leon joined her in laughter but rolled his eyes dramatically. He kissed her cheek and rolled off her, lying on his side next to her. They finished catching their breath and coming back to reality in comfortable silence. He ran his finger over the tattoo on her upper arm, and kissed it softly. The weather had gotten warmer, so she'd been wearing clothes that had shown more skin. Although he'd noticed it before, he inspected the black shape between her breasts just underneath her sternum, and realising that she was right when she said he wouldn't have guessed where the Sulfur logo was on her body.
"I never ended up guessing it." Leon said, thinking out loud, and looked up at the sound of soft laughter.
"You never would have gotten it right." She smirked down at him.
He moved down to the tattoo on her thigh and inspected it before seeing red finger-shaped marks on her skin. She must have noticed him making a face and raised an eyebrow in question before she twisted to see what he was looking at. Once she saw it, she shrugged nonchalantly, seemingly not worried in the slightest.
Realising he needed to clean up, and likely so did Zara, he made a suggestion. "Shall we go and have a shower?"
"Yeah, sure." She agreed, levered herself upright with her arms behind her, and followed him into his bathroom.
As they showered, Leon would kiss her shoulder or cheek whenever he could, making her smile bashfully. Once they'd finished and dried off, he combed her hair for her, feeling bad that he'd made a mess of it. She retorted that she very much liked it and wanted to do it frequently. This made him laugh, and he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.
Eventually, they shuffled back into the bedroom and got under the covers, intending to get some sleep. Leon could only fall asleep after pulling her into a warm embrace...