16. As Close To Perfect

16

AS CLOSE TO PERFECT

R aine's mouth opened and Aster's did the same, his tongue moving and both of them making out like long lost lovers seeing each other for the first time in ten years.

It was probably silly on her part that she asked him to say she was right again. It didn't have anything to do with those words as much as his inflection around them.

In her mind, she'd hoped it was him saying he loved her.

She didn't care about whether he knew the exact day they started dating. Or little things like that.

She was more interested in the fact he was a great boyfriend like she'd said.

He did the right things.

He had the characteristics that she looked for in a man.

No one was perfect, least of all her.

But she felt what they had right now was as close to perfect as it could get.

"Can we have sex right here on the couch?" she asked.

"We can have it anywhere you want," he said. "You never have to ask."

No one could see them. Her living room faced out toward trees in the back, but her couch was away from the glass doors that were between the kitchen and the room they were in. The only windows on this side of the apartment. It was dark out too.

Maybe she was sick of being the good girl that everyone assumed she was as an elementary school teacher.

She just wanted to be herself and be free to enjoy her life without looking over her shoulder and waiting for some kind of judgment based on her job or who her parents were.

Her lips were leaving light kisses on his cheek, his neck, over to his ear and she was finding the freedom to just be in the moment.

She didn't think he'd be the type that liked gentle tender sex and wasn't sure why she was doing what she was.

It had more to do with the fact she just couldn't get enough of him.

She wanted them to spend the night together and knew he had to work tomorrow. He wouldn't want to worry about leaving her in his place and this was easier even if he didn't fit as well in her bed.

Maybe it was selfish on her part so they'd sleep close together and almost hug. He'd put his arm around her and pull her close and she felt so safe and secure with him.

She wasn't sure she'd felt that with another man in her life and just wanted more of it.

Her hands went for the bottom of his shirt and lifted it up and over his head, her fingers trailing over his scars, then her mouth following.

The thought of what he went through and that she might not have ever met him if that hadn't happened was conflicting to her.

She didn't like to know he was in pain and understood how Daphne could be worried.

"I love touching you," she said. "Does it bother you when I touch your scars? Does it hurt?"

"I don't feel anything," he said.

"But does it bother you?" she asked. "You didn't answer that part."

"Nothing you do to me bothers me," he said. "Or I should say it'd bother me more if you didn't touch or look at it. But I'd understand if it turned you off."

She smiled and fought back the tears from gathering in her eyes.

"It's not a turn off. It's a sign of the hero that you are. The strong person that lives within you."

"Stop talking, Raine," he said.

He pulled her head down to his. She supposed she was embarrassing him with her words.

He lifted her shirt up and over her head, then tackled her bra next.

His mouth moved to her nipples and pulled one in and sucked until she couldn't take it anymore.

"Aster," she said. "You're killing me."

"Oh," he said. "The other side needs it now. You should have said something."

It wasn't what she wanted, but it felt too good to tell him to stop.

This time though his fingers were playing with the nipple that his mouth had left while he was licking and sucking on the other.

She was grinding against his cock that was hard under his jeans.

She almost felt like a kid again. One that was afraid to have sex yet but needed to get off.

There was no fear in her life anymore.

Not with Aster next to her.

"I need more," she said, her fingers moving to the button on his jeans.

"Take what you want," he said.

"I'm going to," she said. She wasn't sure where her boldness was coming from, but Aster seemed to like it. And it crossed her mind that she wanted to be free to be herself with him again.

She undid his jeans and when he lifted up, she tugged them down with his help.

"I've got a condom in my wallet."

"I've got them in my room," she said, jumping up and running to her room not that far away. She didn't even feel that self-conscious doing it topless, but when she got back to him she tossed the condom at him. "Put it on," she almost demanded.

He hadn't removed his jeans, only adjusted them out of the way, and she liked that. It was sexy in a way and he only lifted his eyebrow at her and did what she'd said with a smirk on his face.

She removed her jeans because she needed to be able to open her legs and they'd just get in the way.

When she was naked, she crawled back on his lap, lined herself back up and sank down hard and fast.

"I like that you're taking charge," he said. "Can I just sit here and let you do that work?"

"Hey," she said, moving up and down slowly. "Equal opportunity."

"Good point," he said. "Come closer."

His mouth went back to a nipple and this time it felt more wonderful knowing that she was getting the relief she needed below.

She was rising and falling, he was sucking on one side and pinching her nipple on the other.

She couldn't remember ever feeling this much sensation in her body before and the twinge of pain from his fingers only fueled her more.

Her hips were rising faster, the pressure was building, but she didn't want it to end.

Sometimes when they were together, she wanted the feelings to go on and on.

His hands fell away and grabbed her hips. As if he sensed that she was getting there.

Her arms went around his neck, their mouths met again in a feverish kiss, and all else left her mind.

He was lifting her as fast as she was sitting down. Their wet bodies below were making noises in the room like never before.

Maybe it was a touch of erotic in her mind fueling her.

When she got to the top of the peak, she felt herself start to tumble down in the most glorious fall of throbbing and pulsing.

Then she felt him coming right with her, hugging her tight. Their kissing had ended and it was just the two of them embracing on her tiny couch while they experienced the ultimate pleasure two people could reach.

It was on the tip of her tongue to say she loved him, but she knew it might be too soon.

Or too cliché to do it right now.

Her head went to his shoulder and she took a few deep breaths.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him.

"Pretty relaxed," he said. "You?"

"The same. Between all the food today and that release, I want to stay like this all night and sleep."

Her eyes were shut and she found herself yawning.

"Wrap your legs around me," he said, standing up.

"Where are we going?"

"The bathroom and then I'll carry you to bed," he said.

"You're going to trip on your jeans," she said.

"I kicked them off," he said.

She'd felt him moving his legs around minutes ago but didn't think much of it.

"Okay," she said. No reason to argue when she didn't feel she had the strength to do much more than let him take care of her.

He walked to her bathroom, their bodies still joined and she actually felt herself getting worked up again. Guess she had more energy than she thought for that.

He set her on her feet in the bathroom and then turned to take the condom off. She shut the door in his face so she could pee and then opened it and he wasn't anywhere around.

He appeared quickly with all their clothes in his hands. He picked her up. She found it utterly sweet.

Their clothes were tossed on the chair in her room and he reached his hands out to pick her back up the way he carried her there. She thought he was joking but wasn't going to turn it down.

He actually brought her to her bed and laid her down after shifting the sheets out of the way and covering them both.

She snuggled into his side. "Am I being too needy when I do this?" she asked.

"No," he said. "Maybe I like it."

"Good," she said. "I like it a lot." She wiggled some more in his arms, let out a sigh, closed her eyes and didn't remember anything else after that.