26. Sally

My vision is limited, due to the fact that Drakar is still clutching desperately at me. My perspective narrows to just this man, this cool, proud, successful orc who has become my entire world.

“So ah, just to be clear, this hasn’t been a sham marriage you were ready to unload, and you really want a relationship with me.” I lick my lips nervously upon this pronouncement and watch Drakar track the movement.

“Because I’ve fallen in love with you,” he gently reaffirms as he gentles his touch for caressing strokes along my jawline. “And I don’t want to waste another second without you knowing.”

I’m still flush from the recent experience, but as he touches me, a now-familiar warmth rises. With it comes something else, a validation that settles across my bones and empowers my spirit.

“I want you to know that I will respect your feelings and wishes, regardless of my own,” he continues solemnly. “I will also continue to honor all the standing clauses of our original contract, as however you see fit.”

This has been quite a wonderful confession, and I take the time to appreciate the roll he’s on. Now I can bask comfortingly in the safety of his arms without restraint, secretly thrilling in the new-found depth of our connection.

“But I also think it’s important for you to have all the information before you make any consequential decisions. With that in mind, I want to tell you that regardless of whatever you decide- know that wherever you go and whatever you do, you will always be deeply and irrevocably loved. That I will love you, for every minute of our lives.”

Stepping further into his embrace, I slink along the bulk of his arms, resting my hands to clutch at his neck. Drakar closes the remaining distance as well, bringing one of those arms to wrap firmly around my waist, aiding in supporting my weakened knees. I may not have been injured, but I am as unsteady as ever, feeling like I’m tipping back into a bright lake.

“In the interest of full disclosure, I should probably tell you now that the same holds true on my end. I’ve fallen completely in love with you, and nothing will change that, not even time.”

He growls and pulls me even closer, lifting my feet off of the ground. “Say you’re mine, Sally Harte. That we belong to each other until the end of days.”

“Sally Tvojan,” I correct, sass inflecting my tone. The identifying reminder of our nuptial bond seems to open the floodgates because the next thing I know, Drakar is lifting me and spinning to press me soundly back against the wall.

Then there is no space between us and his lips are on mine, and time no longer even exists as I lose myself in his kiss. I feel weightless and supported all over again, and I surrender to the sensations as he lifts me against him, dragging my curves along his body’s firm planes.

He lashes me to him, unyielding and desperate, as I sink into his current, giving and taking as much as we can in the exchange.

The distant drone of an intercom voice filters through the haze of my thoughts, momentarily distracting me from trying to consume Drakar’s mouth.

Our kiss is raw, life-affirming, and escalating quickly considering we are making out in the middle of a hospital hallway. To his credit, Drakar doesn’t miss a beat, and switches to long, caressing kisses along my neck- utterly uncaring of how public our display of affection is.

“I thought I had lost you.” His whisper skitters across my skin, the harsh tone belying the depth of his temporary despair. I have to blink at the sudden emotion that threatens to overtake me, running gentle fingers through his cropped locks.

“Shh, I’m here. I’ll always be here by your side,” I reassure, leaning forward until our foreheads touch. “You’re not losing me- not today, or anytime in the future, if I can help it.”

“Do you really mean that? That you’ll stay by my side?” He hasn’t stopped touching me since our reunion, tenderly stroking me as if to reassure himself that I’m real.

I’m shocked to witness the depths of his despair at the thought of losing me. Seeing the emotions playing out, recognizing how scared he was and how much he cares for me is a profound revelation to me. For months now I thought my feelings were one-sided, and that my being a part of his life was merely a blip in his existence.

Now I know better, and the knowledge makes me feel powerful, invincible, and unstoppable. “I’m not going anywhere,” I promise him once again. “Well, not unless one of us gets arrested for public indecency.”

Drakar laughs at that, and it’s the first time all night that I’ve seen him smile. Because his smile is rare it is all the more precious to me, and I vow that one of my future goals will be to make sure Drakar smiles as often as possible.

“I guess we better take this somewhere more private,” Drakar says, pressing another significant kiss upon me. “Before we both get arrested.”

“Agreed.”

The drive is mostly silent, punctuated with meaningful questions that now have the weight of our future ahead of them. Mainly I think we’re just content with being around each other once again, with Drakar processing and me working through it all. Slowly everything gets laid out in the open, all the fears and insecurities we were hiding from one another.

“So you really thought that I would just terminate our relationship after everything we’ve been through?”

I don’t want to take one more second for granted, and that includes being as forthright as possible, going forward. “I didn’t know what to think, only that it was in my best interest to prepare for the worst. All that I knew was that I loved you with every part of me, but we had a contract with an expiration date.”

“Why didn’t you say anything about your feelings before?” Watching his hands flex makes me want them back on my body, but I shake away the distracting thought to answer his question seriously.

“We haven’t known each other for very long, and it looked like I had more to lose from where I was standing.” My voice is soft as the rain provides a steady backdrop.

Drakar considers this even as we pull up to the house, security waving us through. “I should have been more upfront and honest in my intentions. Allow me to do so now.”

He falls silent for a while, helping me out of the car and into the house. After removing both of our jackets, I find my breath catching as he leans down to whisper in my ear.

“First, I am going to care for you in all the important, necessary ways. Then, I am going to care for you in the ways that give you exquisite pleasure.” A shudder of desire pulses through me at his words.

“Once I’ve made sure I’ve taken care of you in all the ways that matter, we’ll sleep. Then I will repeat that process again the next day, and every day for the rest of our lives- if you’ll let me.”

“Yes please,” I murmur in a lustful hiss. He spins me around to face him, and I launch into his arms, our mouths finding each other simultaneously. Drakar hauls me up into his arms as I clutch at him urgently.

“I have to feed you, and make sure you’re alright,” he mutters in between dancing tongues. I’m blind to everything except his touch and the fact that we’re moving.

“There are other ways to show me you care. Please Drakar, I need you,” I pant against his wet clothing.

He practically roars in excitement, a sound that should terrify me but only makes me wetter. We’re in sync and on the same wavelength for the first time, and everything that affirms how we feel only drives us to new heights. I barely process the dull thud as I land heavily on a hard surface, and then Drakar is there, grasping my neck to hold me in place as he feasts on me once more.

I’m not going anywhere, not when my hands are so preoccupied with trying to remove his clothing. There is the faint recognition that we’re in the kitchen, and then he is flicking my hands away as he spreads my legs.

Opting for efficiency, Drakar reaches out and tears my outfit right down the middle in one great pull. I gasp as I feel the threads give away, heated passion lancing through me at his actions. Suddenly it feels as if his hands are everywhere, my stomach, my breasts, my back, all at once.

I moan loudly at the frenzy that is consuming both of us, then again louder as his hands breach my underwear. Strong fingers slip through the warm folds at my center, making my body burst into flame. When those same fingers reach inside me and press, I become so lost in pleasure I forget how to speak.

Leaving his fingers buried in me, he yanks me to the edge of the counter and drops the rest of my tattered clothing to the ground. Longing kisses don’t match the frantic push of his fingers, but I understand what he is trying to express all the same. Nevertheless, he spends the rest of the night writing his love over my body, and I do the same for him.