Fic: Not enough (1/1)
Title: Not enough
Fandom: Murder Call
Characters: Tessa Vance, Steve Hayden
Prompt: 034. Not enough
Word Count: 4244
Rating: Mature (R)
Summary: There was tense energy in the air, unresolved, seeking relief, and as Tessa watched Steve’s slow approach, the air disappeared from her lungs. [Set between part 6 and 7 in “I’ll be the one”.]
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. They belong to Jennifer Rowe, Hal McElroy and Southern Star. I make no profit out of this. The banner's by the super-amazing tempe_brennandr, who volunteered her fantastic skills to make that awesomely sensual picture. Don't even need to read the story, you can just enjoy the banner!
Not enough
(banner by the amazing, super-cool tempe_brennandr. I dig that girl!)
There was tense energy in the air, unresolved, seeking relief, and as Tessa watched Steve’s slow approach, the air disappeared from her lungs.
From the moment she’d noticed the look in his eyes shift earlier, her heart had been beating like crazy. As Steve bent down, head cocked slightly to the side, dark eyes never leaving hers, she could feel the blood pound furiously in her veins, her ears, her chest, and wondered faintly if he could hear it as clearly as she could.
Then his nose grazed hers, and there was no longer any time to think. In a split second, Tessa’s lips parted slightly, her eyes closed, and before she knew it, soft, gentle lips were drawn to hers like a magnet.
A burst of electricity shot through her. It was like a heady rush, addictive, and she suddenly felt like a complete teenager again, giddy and reckless. She inhaled sharply through her nose, willing her lungs to work again, and melted into the kiss a half second later, instinctively reaching her arms up to circle around his neck, pulling him closer.
There was no resistance. Steve’s arms snaked around the small of her back as if they’d always been supposed to do that; his motions still gentle, still exploring, whereas Tessa’s pulse raced even faster. She felt light-headed, her whole body awash with sudden fire and unbearable heat, and after feeling so cold for a long time, so alone, she relished it.
Her tongue darted out all on its own, running along his lower lip, gently insisting entrance. It seemed to stun him momentarily, then she felt him grin, and she grinned stupidly in turn, using the opening to pull his lower lip between her teeth, sucking on it. Her hands snuck up into his hair, tousling it, using it as leverage to pull him even closer, fix him in place.
In response, his hands settled on her hips and jerked her closer still, some of the gentleness gone, a more possessive streak kicking in. Tessa’s breath caught in her throat again, her lips pulled apart for lack of oxygen, and Steve’s lips caught her lower one between them, sucking it slightly hard, running his tongue along the sensitive inside.
Sharp bursts of heat emanated from her core, causing her to gasp and pull back slightly, out-of-breath, stunned by her body’s reaction. Their eyes met again, inches apart, and Tessa was aware once more of the blood pounding beneath her skin, deafening nearly all other sounds. Steve looked stunned too, his narrowed eyes dark and bottomless, and he was breathing quite heavily.
I did that. The thought popped up into her head and Tessa, in a brief second, felt immensely pleased. Childishly so.
None of them spoke immediately, rationality catching up to them; struggling against the magnetism still keeping them fixed in place. For each second that passed, Tessa could feel the energy dissipating and she knew, rationally, that it was time to take a step back. No need to change their entire world tonight. Besides, she was somewhat uninhibited, having been hyped up on pain killers since earlier that day, and Steve had clearly been drinking, so they definitely shouldn’t-
“Tess…”
But God, the way he spoke her nickname…
“You want to stop?” She forgot to breathe again, but for a different reason, as she realised she didn’t want to quit. Didn’t want to leave like this.
But she wasn’t sure if she was brave enough to cross that line. Not yet. Kissing was one thing, but sex…? It’d been so long. Maybe she’d forgotten how to do it and she didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of him. After all, he was older than her, more experienced, whereas she hadn’t…
“I…um, maybe we should” Steve muttered, interrupting her train of thought. Despite his words, though, his hands tightened slightly on her hips. Only after a few breathless moments, reluctantly, did his grip loosen and his hands seemed to be falling down, letting her go.
The loss of touch, of connection, made her tense. Tessa felt exposed, alone once more, her heart beating its way out of her chest, her stomach plummeting. She tightened her arms around his neck, locking them in place, her lungs screaming for air, feeling absolutely reckless, not at all completely sure about this, but unable to stop. “Maybe we shouldn’t.”
“Tess…”
She silenced him with a kiss, the inferno inside her erupting in seconds, feeling as if she knew those lips already, knew their secrets. She couldn’t let him go, couldn’t let things end like this…
And although Steve resisted, it didn’t last long.
***
He was a weak, weak man. So easily ensnared, so easily overcome. They were already in his bedroom. Tessa’s lips were bruising against his own now, the sensations going straight to his groin, and Steve struggled to keep hold of his precious control.
There was no point, though. She made such delicious little noises and her body was all softness and curves underneath his fingers. She didn’t even protest when he dragged his hands up to delve underneath her suit jacket, needing to find skin, to explore more of her. A groan tore from his lips when he found it, soft and hot, and he yanked her closer, no empty air left between them.
Steve forgot about everything else. His world narrowed to the heavy breaths intermingled with hot, wet kisses, to the lithe hands sneaking their way underneath his T-shirt, running across his back, to the lips that grew ever bolder, ever more reckless. Running on instinct, he broke away from her lips and found her neck, sucking it between his lips, marking her, grazing his teeth across her skin, tearing a breathy gasp from her throat.
So delicious, so hot. Steve felt as if a fire was burning its way through his skin, consuming him from the inside, and his head felt all intoxicated, as if he’d had far more than five beers. Only his ears remained perked for sound, her sounds, his hands and fingers dragging across hot, sweaty skin beneath her suit jacket.
Too thick, too enclosed, too many clothes. As his mouth trailed down to the edge of Tessa’s tank top, he reached up and grabbed the lapels of her open jacket, pulling it away, exposing her more fully. Strong arms emerged, lost contact around his neck for a moment, and Steve used the momentary freedom to raise his head and lock their lips together again, all swollen and bruised, while his hands continued to shed her jacket.
She was breathing heavily, her eyes clouded in the brief moments they met, and Steve finally felt as if she was down to earth with him, on the same page. Not letting her go, he shed her tank top as well, leaving her only in her bra. Sensible one, nothing fancy, and yet the sight of her full breasts entrapped in that piece of garment was enough to make him growl.
But she was suddenly trembling, halting him mid-action, taking in every expressive motion in her appearance. The arms suddenly drawn closer to her body, tense; the shoulders raised as if in defence; the slight touch of fear in her eyes. It stunned him, made him confused.
“Tess…?” His voice was barely louder than a mutter, all husky and smooth, as he let his hands caress the naked skin of her upper arms. “You okay?”
“Yeah…” She attempted a smile, which didn’t quite reach her eyes, and Steve felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped all over him.
“We don’t have to do this.” He reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, smiling as gently as he could, even if certain parts of his body was screaming at him for stopping. “We’ve got time.”
“I don’t want to stop,” Tessa whispered, an embarrassed smile curling her lips, a blush rising in her cheeks as her trembling continued. “It’s just…” She didn’t quite meet his eyes, glancing away. “It’s been a while.”
Of course it had…he should’ve thought of that. No steady boyfriend for years, and Tessa wasn’t exactly the type of casual encounters, not like Dee. At once, Steve felt much older than her. It also set off his protective instinct and he pulled her close in a simple hug, wanting to expel those trembles with his pure warmth alone.
He kissed the side of her head. “Even so, we don’t have to do it tonight, Tess. This is far enough.”
Tessa’s arms tightened around his, her face buried in the crook of his neck, her voice thick. “I feel so pathetic.”
“You’re not,” Steve said immediately, a well of warmth pooling in the core of his chest, a soft smile gracing his lips. He tightened the hug, ran a hand across her hair, conscious of her neck wound. “Besides, it’s just you and me here…and I’m no better. Been awhile for me too.”
Tessa sniffled lightly. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Pulling back, Steve tipped her downcast chin up so he could see those beautiful, blue, shimmering eyes in the dimness, and gave her a smile when she hesitantly complied. “I wanted it to be you.”
He could see the transformation in her face: the relieved, exhilarated grin that expelled the darkness for a long while. That made her cast down her eyes for an entirely different reason than embarrassment, a heated blush making her eyes shine. Reaching up, he caressed her cheek and wiped away the few runaway tears that’d stopped now. She met his eyes again, all softness and warmth.
Instead of replying, she leaned up and kissed him. Not a bruising one, nor rushed, but nevertheless enticing, hooking him in, making him melt into her lips. Like before, her arms snuck around his neck and Steve’s arms fell down to encircle her waist, holding her close but not too tight, allowing a bit of air; a bit of freedom.
***
An entirely new emotion was filling her up now. Tessa could feel it start in her toes, making them curl, and run its way up her legs, thighs, abdomen, chest and out into her arms and fingertips, finally possessing her head. Excessive warmth followed its path, not raging but a slow burn, and for each gentle kiss, she could feel her trembling begin to subside.
She felt good, comfortable, at ease, and the tension was bleeding out of her muscles, freeing her motions to explore once more. She ran her hands through Steve’s hair, down his neck, over his strong shoulders, biceps, and up again to the front of his chest. Not rushing, lips still locked.
His skin was hot against hers, his stubble coarse, but right now she didn’t care she’d be sore later. An insisting heat was pooling in the pit of her stomach, traversing downwards, making her thighs rub together instinctually, and her pulse was racing once more.
Grabbing the front of Steve’s T-shirt, Tessa fisted the textile in her hands, adding a little bit of pressure to her kiss before pulling back just enough to catch his dark, bottomless eyes while she spoke. “I want to do this.”
His expression tightened minutely. “You sure?”
“Yeah.” Tessa nodded and flatted her hands on his chest, running them down to his abs, sensing the strength there, the willpower. She grinned breathily, her heart beating wildly again. “Maybe not too fast, though.”
Steve smiled too, his hands settling on her hips once more, and he leaned down to steal another kiss, drawing it out, reeling her in, before leading her to the edge of his bed. They sat down together, facing each other, Tessa’s palms still on his chest, slightly awkward smiles on both faces.
He let her take the initiative, she realised, and she continued to trail featherlight fingertips down his chest, hooking her thumbs underneath the edge of his T-shirt. Her breath caught slightly as she began to pull it up and Steve raised his arms to let her remove it fully, exposing every part of his chest to her. Dark hairs here and there, some of it trailing down into his trousers, but overall giving him that rugged look she loved.
Grinning, Tessa met his eyes again, feeling braver, feeling empowered by this small action. She leaned closer to kiss him, still gentle, still exploring, hands unable to get enough of him as they caressed his pecs, his abs, his sides, trailing around to his back, feeling the muscles there, the strength. Gradually, she shifted closer and relished his hands upon her skin as well, mirroring her movements, making her gasp, making her fingernails dig slightly into his back, as they traced featherlight touches over the swell of her breasts.
Slowly, clearly giving her time to prepare, Steve pulled away from her lips and leaned down to place hot, open-mouthed kisses on her chest. Collarbone first, then ever downwards, sending pleasant shots of energy to her groin, until he culminated at the edges of her bra, his hands on her shoulders, teasing the straps with his thumbs.
Tessa inhaled deeply, the action making her chest heave upwards, right into his hot mouth. Stars blinked behind her closed eyelids as he nibbled her through the thin fabric of the bra, fingers now deftly tugging the straps down her arms, and her hands went automatically to the back of his head, keeping him half in place as his nose nudged away the cup.
Then lips were on her hot skin and she forgot to breathe, inhaling sharply when he sucked her nipple into a pert bud, teasing it with the tip of his tongue. Before she knew it, her bra was unhooked and falling to her waist, and his hand cupped the other breast, caressing the bud with his thumb before switching sides.
Wetness pooled between her legs, throbbing wildly, wantonly, bursting outwards. Tessa gasped, heart racing, heat spreading everywhere as Steve continued his slow, gentle tease. She grabbed his back for support, for an anchor, head all cloudy and intoxicated. All of a sudden, she didn’t know what to do with herself, where to go, what to do. She was lost in the growing overload of sensations, her breath nothing but little gasps now as he flicked his tongue across her sensitive nipples.
“Oh.”
It was the only sensible thing that came to mind, except it wasn’t sensible at all. Just a sound that said it all, really, and it seemed to give Steve a confidence boost. His ministrations intensified, his hands began to run down to the edge of her trousers, fingers dipping beneath the constricting garment.
Acting on instinct, Tessa allowed her body to lean back so he could unzip her trousers. Even with his lips gone, she felt the ghosts of his kisses, and she shivered pleasantly in the slight chill of the room as he sat down on the floor to pull her trousers off all the way. Their eyes met and locked while he did, and Tessa ran her tongue along her swollen bottom lip, a faint taste of blood on it.
She sat, heart in her throat, as he pulled off his trousers too, the evidence of his arousal in his boxers all too clear even in the dimness. Still seated on the edge of the bed, feeling reckless, she reached out to caress his length with her fingertips. She watched how his eyes fluttered closed, heard how a gasp passed his lips, and grew bolder, feeling the hardness with her palm.
Before she could do anything more, however, Steve put his hand upon hers, a shaky breath leaving him. “Next time. Don’t think I’d last long tonight if you…”
He drifted off, but Tessa understood. In fact, it made her grin in exhilaration, feeling once more that sense of power, that control, that he’d allowed her right now; that she’d needed. Then he indicated for her to scoot further up onto the bed and kneeled down on either side of her leg, and the air left her lungs in anticipation.
Hunched on all fours above her, Steve sought her lips once more, still gentle but with a growing undertone of urgency that thrilled her rather than scared her. Reaching up, Tessa pulled him down on top of her, telling him silently that it was okay; she wouldn’t break, wouldn’t reject him; she hardly felt her injuries right now. As their groins connected through the remaining layers of clothing, though, she groaned and inhaled sharply, the contact sending pleasant bursts throughout her body.
Steve used the momentary pause to delve his head down to her breasts again, bringing her up to a boil, and his hands roamed every part of her skin that he could reach. She did the same in turn, roving fingers through his hair, gasping rapidly as his weight bore down on her, his tongue teasing her sensitive flesh, and she felt completely encompassed in a hot, heady cocoon.
Yet not complete. An impatience rose in her, made her shift and rub against his body, snaking her legs alongside his, spreading her thighs. When Steve’s mouth left her breasts, she groaned in frustration and wanted to pull him back…but then she felt him move even further downwards to nuzzle his nose against the lining of her panties, hot breath seeping through the fabric to that little bud of undoing.
She forgot to breathe as he dropped an open-mouthed kiss there, forgot to think as she lifted her bum enough so he could pull off her panties as well, forgot to feel embarrassed that he was now staring straight into the most private parts of her. Parts no one else had seen in years.
And then his tongue was delving into her heat, teasing the bud, flicking across the opening, darting inside, twisting and curling in ways that left her breathless, left her moaning out loud, forgetting everything. His palms teased the insides of her thighs, his thumbs grazed the edges of her privates, and the combined sensations were tearing half a cry from her lips, making her thighs tremble and twist around his head. Grabbing anything at all for an anchor, Tessa flailed, grasped bed sheets and Steve’s hair, holding on as the pressure built to a storming inferno.
Then, at the precipice, she fell. Plummeted into the depths. A loud cry escaped her throat, stars exploded behind closed eyelids, and her whole body was racked with waves of intense pleasure that left her gasping, heaving for air, shaking uncontrollably. As they passed, she felt rapidly cold, all the heat pooling between her legs, and she let out several shaky breaths that intermingled with involuntary, euphoric giggles.
It was only when Steve chuckled too that she became aware of him. Embarrassed, Tessa looked down to meet his eyes, which were full of smug delight and bottomless, mesmerising depth. She blushed furiously when he dropped a kiss to the inside of her thigh, causing her to jerk uncontrollably again, and covered her face with her hands, mortified. “Oh God.”
She felt him move up the bed and roll onto his side next to her, still chuckling. “Hey, Tess…” He dropped a kiss on her naked shoulder. “’s okay. You enjoyed it, right?”
“Yes.” Still blushing, Tessa parted her fingers enough that she could see Steve’s worried expression next to her. Feeling guilty at causing that, she lowered her hands and gave him a wide smile. “Just caught me off guard, ‘s all. Like I said…been awhile.”
Steve smirked slightly. “Hopefully not the last.”
Glancing down to his still evident arousal, Tessa looked up again with a reckless arch of her eyebrow. “Definitely not the last.”
He grinned at that, which turned into a low gasp when Tessa reached down to touch his length, feeling its hardness, relishing its twitches. Rolling over and getting to all fours, she pulled his boxers down and threw them away carelessly. Steve’s breath caught visibly in his throat as he stared up at her, waiting, and she felt her body respond to the sight of him, stoking the smoldering cinders again.
Deciding not to think, she let her tongue run up and down his shaft, took him in her mouth, and tasted the saltiness of him. It didn't take long before he twitched in her mouth, almost strained off the mattress, and guttural breaths tore from his throat. She didn't want to end it like that, though, and she pulled back to climb further on top of him, trailing kisses along his jaw, smelling herself all over his face.
“Please tell me you've got something in your nightstand table,” she muttered against his stubble as he let his hands roam all over again, her breasts pressed against his chest, her pelvis rubbing lightly against his.
Steve chuckled again. “Yeah.”
Rising up, Tessa scooted close enough that she'd reach said nightstand table and pulled out the drawer there. Unexpectedly, there was a lot of stuff inside, books and whatnots, but she didn't have time to linger right now and indulge her curiosity. She found the box in question, selected a wrapper and tore it open with her teeth.
At the darkening look in Steve’s eyes, she grinned and settled herself back in position again, pulling the rubber on with only a little help. Then she met his eyes again, heart hammering in her chest, and straddled him. God, she was already wet, making it easier, but at the same time she felt herself being stretched to her limits. A grimace crossed her face.
“You okay?” There was shakiness in Steve’s voice and gentleness at the same time, his hands on her hips to steady her, guide her. Tessa grinned again, overwhelmed by him, warmth spreading everywhere.
“Yeah.”
Once she felt sufficiently in place, she began to move. Achingly slow, watching every little expression in Steve’s face, feeling her own eyes flutter closed too at the throbbing spiralling through her core. When his hands found her breasts, she gasped and moved a little faster, trying to find the right rhythm, their rhythm, forgetting all about being embarrassed.
The waves roared upwards, halting her air supply, pooling wetly at her core, pulling her along the rollercoaster that sped ever up, up, up. Leaning a little backwards, hands grounded in the bed sheets, she felt him hit that spot, and she cried out, mouth open, feeling him strain off the bed to slam harder into her, holding her hips down with rough hands, never letting up.
She lost track of time, lost track of space, caught up in the blaze of sensations overtaking her body. Quickly, quickly, she was spiralling, climbing ever skywards, until he suddenly pressed his palm between her legs, giving her that extra push over the edge that left her shaking uncontrollably, almost taking off the bed only to slam down hard, rocking him, pumping him, and drawing him into the abyss with her with a guttural groan.
Trembling for an entirely different reason than earlier, Tessa half-collapsed on top of him, only barely able to support her weight on her arms. Her heart was hammering and distantly, she could hear his heart do the same against her ear. The hair on his chest tickled her nose, but she didn’t care, couldn’t care, as she was suddenly too busy grinning from ear to ear.
Then she started giggling, trapped in euphoria, and heard him hiss sharply before jerking his hips back, exiting her in one swoop with a definite wet sound.
“Sorry,” Tessa snorted, unable to keep the trembles from turning into giggles.
“’s okay.”
At least Steve chuckled too, drawing his arms fully around her as he caught his breath, chest still heaving slightly. Completely sated, she burrowed into his warmth, rolling slightly on her side so he wouldn’t be weighed down by her now limp body. They were both hot, sweaty, and Tessa was quickly turning cold as well, her energy being spent somewhere else. Steve must’ve noticed, because he pulled at the covers next to her and covered her up as far as they went.
“Thanks.” Still breathless, Tessa grinned, snuggled against his body, entangling her legs in his. She knew she was supposed to feel embarrassed at this, but somehow she couldn’t. Her mind was too pleasantly buzzed. “That was…”
“Amazing?”
“Mind-blowing,” Tessa said, craning her neck slightly so she’d be able to meet his eyes. He looked as relaxed and elated as she felt, and somehow that made up for everything that’d happened in the last few months. “You’re good at this.”
“Back at ya.” Steve chuckled and dropped a kiss to her forehead, then met her eyes again with a teasing look. “Next time, though, I want to see you swinging in the chandeliers.”
Tessa snorted and rolled her eyes. “Better put some up, then.”
All the response she got was another laugh that rippled through his chest, all warmth and safety, and she laid her head back down with a wide smile. Steve’s arm hugged her closer, his head resting on hers, and she exhaled softly.
“You okay?” he asked again, a little while later.
“Better than,” Tessa said and smiled, glancing up to those soulful dark eyes she could easily drown in. “Definitely not the last time.”
Steve simply grinned.
PART SEVEN of "I'll be the one"
Fandom: Murder Call
Characters: Tessa Vance, Steve Hayden
Prompt: 034. Not enough
Word Count: 4244
Rating: Mature (R)
Summary: There was tense energy in the air, unresolved, seeking relief, and as Tessa watched Steve’s slow approach, the air disappeared from her lungs. [Set between part 6 and 7 in “I’ll be the one”.]
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. They belong to Jennifer Rowe, Hal McElroy and Southern Star. I make no profit out of this. The banner's by the super-amazing tempe_brennandr, who volunteered her fantastic skills to make that awesomely sensual picture. Don't even need to read the story, you can just enjoy the banner!
Not enough
(banner by the amazing, super-cool tempe_brennandr. I dig that girl!)
There was tense energy in the air, unresolved, seeking relief, and as Tessa watched Steve’s slow approach, the air disappeared from her lungs.
From the moment she’d noticed the look in his eyes shift earlier, her heart had been beating like crazy. As Steve bent down, head cocked slightly to the side, dark eyes never leaving hers, she could feel the blood pound furiously in her veins, her ears, her chest, and wondered faintly if he could hear it as clearly as she could.
Then his nose grazed hers, and there was no longer any time to think. In a split second, Tessa’s lips parted slightly, her eyes closed, and before she knew it, soft, gentle lips were drawn to hers like a magnet.
A burst of electricity shot through her. It was like a heady rush, addictive, and she suddenly felt like a complete teenager again, giddy and reckless. She inhaled sharply through her nose, willing her lungs to work again, and melted into the kiss a half second later, instinctively reaching her arms up to circle around his neck, pulling him closer.
There was no resistance. Steve’s arms snaked around the small of her back as if they’d always been supposed to do that; his motions still gentle, still exploring, whereas Tessa’s pulse raced even faster. She felt light-headed, her whole body awash with sudden fire and unbearable heat, and after feeling so cold for a long time, so alone, she relished it.
Her tongue darted out all on its own, running along his lower lip, gently insisting entrance. It seemed to stun him momentarily, then she felt him grin, and she grinned stupidly in turn, using the opening to pull his lower lip between her teeth, sucking on it. Her hands snuck up into his hair, tousling it, using it as leverage to pull him even closer, fix him in place.
In response, his hands settled on her hips and jerked her closer still, some of the gentleness gone, a more possessive streak kicking in. Tessa’s breath caught in her throat again, her lips pulled apart for lack of oxygen, and Steve’s lips caught her lower one between them, sucking it slightly hard, running his tongue along the sensitive inside.
Sharp bursts of heat emanated from her core, causing her to gasp and pull back slightly, out-of-breath, stunned by her body’s reaction. Their eyes met again, inches apart, and Tessa was aware once more of the blood pounding beneath her skin, deafening nearly all other sounds. Steve looked stunned too, his narrowed eyes dark and bottomless, and he was breathing quite heavily.
I did that. The thought popped up into her head and Tessa, in a brief second, felt immensely pleased. Childishly so.
None of them spoke immediately, rationality catching up to them; struggling against the magnetism still keeping them fixed in place. For each second that passed, Tessa could feel the energy dissipating and she knew, rationally, that it was time to take a step back. No need to change their entire world tonight. Besides, she was somewhat uninhibited, having been hyped up on pain killers since earlier that day, and Steve had clearly been drinking, so they definitely shouldn’t-
“Tess…”
But God, the way he spoke her nickname…
“You want to stop?” She forgot to breathe again, but for a different reason, as she realised she didn’t want to quit. Didn’t want to leave like this.
But she wasn’t sure if she was brave enough to cross that line. Not yet. Kissing was one thing, but sex…? It’d been so long. Maybe she’d forgotten how to do it and she didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of him. After all, he was older than her, more experienced, whereas she hadn’t…
“I…um, maybe we should” Steve muttered, interrupting her train of thought. Despite his words, though, his hands tightened slightly on her hips. Only after a few breathless moments, reluctantly, did his grip loosen and his hands seemed to be falling down, letting her go.
The loss of touch, of connection, made her tense. Tessa felt exposed, alone once more, her heart beating its way out of her chest, her stomach plummeting. She tightened her arms around his neck, locking them in place, her lungs screaming for air, feeling absolutely reckless, not at all completely sure about this, but unable to stop. “Maybe we shouldn’t.”
“Tess…”
She silenced him with a kiss, the inferno inside her erupting in seconds, feeling as if she knew those lips already, knew their secrets. She couldn’t let him go, couldn’t let things end like this…
And although Steve resisted, it didn’t last long.
***
He was a weak, weak man. So easily ensnared, so easily overcome. They were already in his bedroom. Tessa’s lips were bruising against his own now, the sensations going straight to his groin, and Steve struggled to keep hold of his precious control.
There was no point, though. She made such delicious little noises and her body was all softness and curves underneath his fingers. She didn’t even protest when he dragged his hands up to delve underneath her suit jacket, needing to find skin, to explore more of her. A groan tore from his lips when he found it, soft and hot, and he yanked her closer, no empty air left between them.
Steve forgot about everything else. His world narrowed to the heavy breaths intermingled with hot, wet kisses, to the lithe hands sneaking their way underneath his T-shirt, running across his back, to the lips that grew ever bolder, ever more reckless. Running on instinct, he broke away from her lips and found her neck, sucking it between his lips, marking her, grazing his teeth across her skin, tearing a breathy gasp from her throat.
So delicious, so hot. Steve felt as if a fire was burning its way through his skin, consuming him from the inside, and his head felt all intoxicated, as if he’d had far more than five beers. Only his ears remained perked for sound, her sounds, his hands and fingers dragging across hot, sweaty skin beneath her suit jacket.
Too thick, too enclosed, too many clothes. As his mouth trailed down to the edge of Tessa’s tank top, he reached up and grabbed the lapels of her open jacket, pulling it away, exposing her more fully. Strong arms emerged, lost contact around his neck for a moment, and Steve used the momentary freedom to raise his head and lock their lips together again, all swollen and bruised, while his hands continued to shed her jacket.
She was breathing heavily, her eyes clouded in the brief moments they met, and Steve finally felt as if she was down to earth with him, on the same page. Not letting her go, he shed her tank top as well, leaving her only in her bra. Sensible one, nothing fancy, and yet the sight of her full breasts entrapped in that piece of garment was enough to make him growl.
But she was suddenly trembling, halting him mid-action, taking in every expressive motion in her appearance. The arms suddenly drawn closer to her body, tense; the shoulders raised as if in defence; the slight touch of fear in her eyes. It stunned him, made him confused.
“Tess…?” His voice was barely louder than a mutter, all husky and smooth, as he let his hands caress the naked skin of her upper arms. “You okay?”
“Yeah…” She attempted a smile, which didn’t quite reach her eyes, and Steve felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped all over him.
“We don’t have to do this.” He reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, smiling as gently as he could, even if certain parts of his body was screaming at him for stopping. “We’ve got time.”
“I don’t want to stop,” Tessa whispered, an embarrassed smile curling her lips, a blush rising in her cheeks as her trembling continued. “It’s just…” She didn’t quite meet his eyes, glancing away. “It’s been a while.”
Of course it had…he should’ve thought of that. No steady boyfriend for years, and Tessa wasn’t exactly the type of casual encounters, not like Dee. At once, Steve felt much older than her. It also set off his protective instinct and he pulled her close in a simple hug, wanting to expel those trembles with his pure warmth alone.
He kissed the side of her head. “Even so, we don’t have to do it tonight, Tess. This is far enough.”
Tessa’s arms tightened around his, her face buried in the crook of his neck, her voice thick. “I feel so pathetic.”
“You’re not,” Steve said immediately, a well of warmth pooling in the core of his chest, a soft smile gracing his lips. He tightened the hug, ran a hand across her hair, conscious of her neck wound. “Besides, it’s just you and me here…and I’m no better. Been awhile for me too.”
Tessa sniffled lightly. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Pulling back, Steve tipped her downcast chin up so he could see those beautiful, blue, shimmering eyes in the dimness, and gave her a smile when she hesitantly complied. “I wanted it to be you.”
He could see the transformation in her face: the relieved, exhilarated grin that expelled the darkness for a long while. That made her cast down her eyes for an entirely different reason than embarrassment, a heated blush making her eyes shine. Reaching up, he caressed her cheek and wiped away the few runaway tears that’d stopped now. She met his eyes again, all softness and warmth.
Instead of replying, she leaned up and kissed him. Not a bruising one, nor rushed, but nevertheless enticing, hooking him in, making him melt into her lips. Like before, her arms snuck around his neck and Steve’s arms fell down to encircle her waist, holding her close but not too tight, allowing a bit of air; a bit of freedom.
***
An entirely new emotion was filling her up now. Tessa could feel it start in her toes, making them curl, and run its way up her legs, thighs, abdomen, chest and out into her arms and fingertips, finally possessing her head. Excessive warmth followed its path, not raging but a slow burn, and for each gentle kiss, she could feel her trembling begin to subside.
She felt good, comfortable, at ease, and the tension was bleeding out of her muscles, freeing her motions to explore once more. She ran her hands through Steve’s hair, down his neck, over his strong shoulders, biceps, and up again to the front of his chest. Not rushing, lips still locked.
His skin was hot against hers, his stubble coarse, but right now she didn’t care she’d be sore later. An insisting heat was pooling in the pit of her stomach, traversing downwards, making her thighs rub together instinctually, and her pulse was racing once more.
Grabbing the front of Steve’s T-shirt, Tessa fisted the textile in her hands, adding a little bit of pressure to her kiss before pulling back just enough to catch his dark, bottomless eyes while she spoke. “I want to do this.”
His expression tightened minutely. “You sure?”
“Yeah.” Tessa nodded and flatted her hands on his chest, running them down to his abs, sensing the strength there, the willpower. She grinned breathily, her heart beating wildly again. “Maybe not too fast, though.”
Steve smiled too, his hands settling on her hips once more, and he leaned down to steal another kiss, drawing it out, reeling her in, before leading her to the edge of his bed. They sat down together, facing each other, Tessa’s palms still on his chest, slightly awkward smiles on both faces.
He let her take the initiative, she realised, and she continued to trail featherlight fingertips down his chest, hooking her thumbs underneath the edge of his T-shirt. Her breath caught slightly as she began to pull it up and Steve raised his arms to let her remove it fully, exposing every part of his chest to her. Dark hairs here and there, some of it trailing down into his trousers, but overall giving him that rugged look she loved.
Grinning, Tessa met his eyes again, feeling braver, feeling empowered by this small action. She leaned closer to kiss him, still gentle, still exploring, hands unable to get enough of him as they caressed his pecs, his abs, his sides, trailing around to his back, feeling the muscles there, the strength. Gradually, she shifted closer and relished his hands upon her skin as well, mirroring her movements, making her gasp, making her fingernails dig slightly into his back, as they traced featherlight touches over the swell of her breasts.
Slowly, clearly giving her time to prepare, Steve pulled away from her lips and leaned down to place hot, open-mouthed kisses on her chest. Collarbone first, then ever downwards, sending pleasant shots of energy to her groin, until he culminated at the edges of her bra, his hands on her shoulders, teasing the straps with his thumbs.
Tessa inhaled deeply, the action making her chest heave upwards, right into his hot mouth. Stars blinked behind her closed eyelids as he nibbled her through the thin fabric of the bra, fingers now deftly tugging the straps down her arms, and her hands went automatically to the back of his head, keeping him half in place as his nose nudged away the cup.
Then lips were on her hot skin and she forgot to breathe, inhaling sharply when he sucked her nipple into a pert bud, teasing it with the tip of his tongue. Before she knew it, her bra was unhooked and falling to her waist, and his hand cupped the other breast, caressing the bud with his thumb before switching sides.
Wetness pooled between her legs, throbbing wildly, wantonly, bursting outwards. Tessa gasped, heart racing, heat spreading everywhere as Steve continued his slow, gentle tease. She grabbed his back for support, for an anchor, head all cloudy and intoxicated. All of a sudden, she didn’t know what to do with herself, where to go, what to do. She was lost in the growing overload of sensations, her breath nothing but little gasps now as he flicked his tongue across her sensitive nipples.
“Oh.”
It was the only sensible thing that came to mind, except it wasn’t sensible at all. Just a sound that said it all, really, and it seemed to give Steve a confidence boost. His ministrations intensified, his hands began to run down to the edge of her trousers, fingers dipping beneath the constricting garment.
Acting on instinct, Tessa allowed her body to lean back so he could unzip her trousers. Even with his lips gone, she felt the ghosts of his kisses, and she shivered pleasantly in the slight chill of the room as he sat down on the floor to pull her trousers off all the way. Their eyes met and locked while he did, and Tessa ran her tongue along her swollen bottom lip, a faint taste of blood on it.
She sat, heart in her throat, as he pulled off his trousers too, the evidence of his arousal in his boxers all too clear even in the dimness. Still seated on the edge of the bed, feeling reckless, she reached out to caress his length with her fingertips. She watched how his eyes fluttered closed, heard how a gasp passed his lips, and grew bolder, feeling the hardness with her palm.
Before she could do anything more, however, Steve put his hand upon hers, a shaky breath leaving him. “Next time. Don’t think I’d last long tonight if you…”
He drifted off, but Tessa understood. In fact, it made her grin in exhilaration, feeling once more that sense of power, that control, that he’d allowed her right now; that she’d needed. Then he indicated for her to scoot further up onto the bed and kneeled down on either side of her leg, and the air left her lungs in anticipation.
Hunched on all fours above her, Steve sought her lips once more, still gentle but with a growing undertone of urgency that thrilled her rather than scared her. Reaching up, Tessa pulled him down on top of her, telling him silently that it was okay; she wouldn’t break, wouldn’t reject him; she hardly felt her injuries right now. As their groins connected through the remaining layers of clothing, though, she groaned and inhaled sharply, the contact sending pleasant bursts throughout her body.
Steve used the momentary pause to delve his head down to her breasts again, bringing her up to a boil, and his hands roamed every part of her skin that he could reach. She did the same in turn, roving fingers through his hair, gasping rapidly as his weight bore down on her, his tongue teasing her sensitive flesh, and she felt completely encompassed in a hot, heady cocoon.
Yet not complete. An impatience rose in her, made her shift and rub against his body, snaking her legs alongside his, spreading her thighs. When Steve’s mouth left her breasts, she groaned in frustration and wanted to pull him back…but then she felt him move even further downwards to nuzzle his nose against the lining of her panties, hot breath seeping through the fabric to that little bud of undoing.
She forgot to breathe as he dropped an open-mouthed kiss there, forgot to think as she lifted her bum enough so he could pull off her panties as well, forgot to feel embarrassed that he was now staring straight into the most private parts of her. Parts no one else had seen in years.
And then his tongue was delving into her heat, teasing the bud, flicking across the opening, darting inside, twisting and curling in ways that left her breathless, left her moaning out loud, forgetting everything. His palms teased the insides of her thighs, his thumbs grazed the edges of her privates, and the combined sensations were tearing half a cry from her lips, making her thighs tremble and twist around his head. Grabbing anything at all for an anchor, Tessa flailed, grasped bed sheets and Steve’s hair, holding on as the pressure built to a storming inferno.
Then, at the precipice, she fell. Plummeted into the depths. A loud cry escaped her throat, stars exploded behind closed eyelids, and her whole body was racked with waves of intense pleasure that left her gasping, heaving for air, shaking uncontrollably. As they passed, she felt rapidly cold, all the heat pooling between her legs, and she let out several shaky breaths that intermingled with involuntary, euphoric giggles.
It was only when Steve chuckled too that she became aware of him. Embarrassed, Tessa looked down to meet his eyes, which were full of smug delight and bottomless, mesmerising depth. She blushed furiously when he dropped a kiss to the inside of her thigh, causing her to jerk uncontrollably again, and covered her face with her hands, mortified. “Oh God.”
She felt him move up the bed and roll onto his side next to her, still chuckling. “Hey, Tess…” He dropped a kiss on her naked shoulder. “’s okay. You enjoyed it, right?”
“Yes.” Still blushing, Tessa parted her fingers enough that she could see Steve’s worried expression next to her. Feeling guilty at causing that, she lowered her hands and gave him a wide smile. “Just caught me off guard, ‘s all. Like I said…been awhile.”
Steve smirked slightly. “Hopefully not the last.”
Glancing down to his still evident arousal, Tessa looked up again with a reckless arch of her eyebrow. “Definitely not the last.”
He grinned at that, which turned into a low gasp when Tessa reached down to touch his length, feeling its hardness, relishing its twitches. Rolling over and getting to all fours, she pulled his boxers down and threw them away carelessly. Steve’s breath caught visibly in his throat as he stared up at her, waiting, and she felt her body respond to the sight of him, stoking the smoldering cinders again.
Deciding not to think, she let her tongue run up and down his shaft, took him in her mouth, and tasted the saltiness of him. It didn't take long before he twitched in her mouth, almost strained off the mattress, and guttural breaths tore from his throat. She didn't want to end it like that, though, and she pulled back to climb further on top of him, trailing kisses along his jaw, smelling herself all over his face.
“Please tell me you've got something in your nightstand table,” she muttered against his stubble as he let his hands roam all over again, her breasts pressed against his chest, her pelvis rubbing lightly against his.
Steve chuckled again. “Yeah.”
Rising up, Tessa scooted close enough that she'd reach said nightstand table and pulled out the drawer there. Unexpectedly, there was a lot of stuff inside, books and whatnots, but she didn't have time to linger right now and indulge her curiosity. She found the box in question, selected a wrapper and tore it open with her teeth.
At the darkening look in Steve’s eyes, she grinned and settled herself back in position again, pulling the rubber on with only a little help. Then she met his eyes again, heart hammering in her chest, and straddled him. God, she was already wet, making it easier, but at the same time she felt herself being stretched to her limits. A grimace crossed her face.
“You okay?” There was shakiness in Steve’s voice and gentleness at the same time, his hands on her hips to steady her, guide her. Tessa grinned again, overwhelmed by him, warmth spreading everywhere.
“Yeah.”
Once she felt sufficiently in place, she began to move. Achingly slow, watching every little expression in Steve’s face, feeling her own eyes flutter closed too at the throbbing spiralling through her core. When his hands found her breasts, she gasped and moved a little faster, trying to find the right rhythm, their rhythm, forgetting all about being embarrassed.
The waves roared upwards, halting her air supply, pooling wetly at her core, pulling her along the rollercoaster that sped ever up, up, up. Leaning a little backwards, hands grounded in the bed sheets, she felt him hit that spot, and she cried out, mouth open, feeling him strain off the bed to slam harder into her, holding her hips down with rough hands, never letting up.
She lost track of time, lost track of space, caught up in the blaze of sensations overtaking her body. Quickly, quickly, she was spiralling, climbing ever skywards, until he suddenly pressed his palm between her legs, giving her that extra push over the edge that left her shaking uncontrollably, almost taking off the bed only to slam down hard, rocking him, pumping him, and drawing him into the abyss with her with a guttural groan.
Trembling for an entirely different reason than earlier, Tessa half-collapsed on top of him, only barely able to support her weight on her arms. Her heart was hammering and distantly, she could hear his heart do the same against her ear. The hair on his chest tickled her nose, but she didn’t care, couldn’t care, as she was suddenly too busy grinning from ear to ear.
Then she started giggling, trapped in euphoria, and heard him hiss sharply before jerking his hips back, exiting her in one swoop with a definite wet sound.
“Sorry,” Tessa snorted, unable to keep the trembles from turning into giggles.
“’s okay.”
At least Steve chuckled too, drawing his arms fully around her as he caught his breath, chest still heaving slightly. Completely sated, she burrowed into his warmth, rolling slightly on her side so he wouldn’t be weighed down by her now limp body. They were both hot, sweaty, and Tessa was quickly turning cold as well, her energy being spent somewhere else. Steve must’ve noticed, because he pulled at the covers next to her and covered her up as far as they went.
“Thanks.” Still breathless, Tessa grinned, snuggled against his body, entangling her legs in his. She knew she was supposed to feel embarrassed at this, but somehow she couldn’t. Her mind was too pleasantly buzzed. “That was…”
“Amazing?”
“Mind-blowing,” Tessa said, craning her neck slightly so she’d be able to meet his eyes. He looked as relaxed and elated as she felt, and somehow that made up for everything that’d happened in the last few months. “You’re good at this.”
“Back at ya.” Steve chuckled and dropped a kiss to her forehead, then met her eyes again with a teasing look. “Next time, though, I want to see you swinging in the chandeliers.”
Tessa snorted and rolled her eyes. “Better put some up, then.”
All the response she got was another laugh that rippled through his chest, all warmth and safety, and she laid her head back down with a wide smile. Steve’s arm hugged her closer, his head resting on hers, and she exhaled softly.
“You okay?” he asked again, a little while later.
“Better than,” Tessa said and smiled, glancing up to those soulful dark eyes she could easily drown in. “Definitely not the last time.”
Steve simply grinned.
PART SEVEN of "I'll be the one"