Her lips twitched upward. Pleased and embarrassed in equal measure. She didn't know that she was much to look at,
especially now with the paint and the dress replaced with nothing but her everyday face. But she couldn't argue with
the look in his impossibly dark eyes. Gentle, she shifted enough to raise a hand and stroke her fingers down his
cheek. Movie entirely forgotten for the moment in place of a much more welcome fantasy. The one she was living in
now. She'd come back to the movie in a minute. She really would. It was only fair after all she'd watched him when he
was driving earlier tonight.
They could always rewind...
Slow she lifted her face to his. Brushed the tip of his nose lightly with hers.
"I love you..." the words whispered out of her just before her lips found his.
Whoever would have thought that The Fellowship of the Ring was a make out movie? Certainly not Tolkien, though at
this rate Hector would gladly erect a monument to him in the backyard (at the very least doing so would give him less
grass to mow....)
Amazing the fragmented train of thought before all thought went away, it really was. Amazing that is, just the way she
always kissed him as if he were the absolute center of the universe.
The movie completely forgotten, he kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her tighter and stroking her hair as he
shifted his own position to kiss her more.
drowning.
She was drowning.
There were so many layers to their love. So many forms and feelings it took. And right now it was sweet and thick and
dark and warm and deep. Like warm honey. Like liquid amber. And she was drowning in it.
Hector's breath was the only air and his hold was the only anchor. His fingers were in her hair and he had pulled her
so close. As if he could pull her right into himself. And if she could have found a way, she would have melted into him.
Melting anyway with the touch of his fingers and his mouth and his body against hers. So lost.... so found...
She lifted her head between the breaths, found his lips waiting for hers and he followed her down. Everything so slow.
So - melting. Drowning... Her hands trailed down his back, slide under the hem of his shirt, palms pressing flat as her
fingers slowly spread. His skin was so warm. Her arms slipped around him, fingers trailing, reaching languorously as
her lips parted under his again with a soft, whispered sound.
Drowning.
With no desire to be saved.
The credits played through and the disc automatically reverted back to the start menu, not that either of them noticed.
His attentions were completely consumed by her, his skin heating and reacting to the simplest touch of her hands on
his back, her impossibly soft hair winding itself around his fingers as he tangled them in it. Her lips were yielding, and
demanding, all at the same time beneath his.
He loved her, this woman in his arms, utterly and completely, it would have scared him were he not secure in the
knowledge that it was returned. Which in all actuality made it all the more intense.
Her mind had absolutely blanked and there was only the here and the now in her world. Her very small world that held
everything necessary to her. Hector. And his touch.
The kisses stretched so long and slow. Their hearts were tied up in the touches and she could feel Hector's emotions
pouring into her. Drowning her and welcome to. Because her own heart pulled him under with her. His arms around her
didn't relax. Kept her close and safe as they sank together. But his fingers in her hair were fierce and possessive.
Claiming. And she responded to that too. Accepting and offering as her mouth answered his, warm and slow.
His shirt was in the way. Caught between them the fabric kept her touch from traveling too far and after the third time
her exploring hands got caught up short, there was actually an amount of soft laughter until he'd propped himself up
enough to help her take his shirt off of him.
He was such an incredibly handsome looking man...
Her eyes met his. Warm and alive and so deeply happy and content. Full and bottomless with the way she loved him.
Realizing, with him over her and their legs tangled, that this was hers. This wonderful, amazing man loved her. Just
her. It was easier to be brave when he filled her chest with such endlessness. With an inhale, she reached down and
gently worked her way out of her own shirt. Letting it fall to the side next to his. It was the extent of what she could
manage on her own before her nerve gave out but, as unimpressive as she was undressed, it was the offering of
herself she was giving him. Her dark eyes rose again to find his. Needing to see his eyes. And her soft smile slowly
spread until the joy filled her entire face and she was raising her hands to tangle her fingers in his thick hair and draw
his mouth back down to hers again. Welcoming.
The dress was a nice thing, a very nice thing. But even that was fading quickly into distant memory as their eyes met,
and he could see the whole world in her eyes. His whole world was right there. And for the moment they were incredibly
light. Not the color, they were nearly as dark as his, but free of all that had been weighing her down since the fire in the
refugee camp.
But that heaviness wasn't there. There was happiness and peace, which was all he ever wanted for her. And himself,
to see that look in her eyes again. None of the darkness was there, just peace, and love for him, shining through. Even
if it was just for these moments, it was enough.
Her hands wrapped up in his hair as surely as his were hers brought him back down to her. Unchaperoned with
nowhere specific to be and nothing pressing to do, they had all the time in the world even as all the blood rushed all
around him at the feel of her bare skin against his as one of his hands disengaged itself from her hair to slid up her
side, enjoying the simple touch of heated flesh to heated flesh.
Their legs remained tangled up, there was no where to move, and nothing to hide, and for the first time he didn't want
to. Either move or hide anything.
No one had ever mentioned the joy. The heat and the breathlessness and the need. But never the joy. It bubbled up in
her, bubbled in her blood, in her heart. Accompanying the love that swam so thick and dark and pleased through her.
He loved her. Oh God... he loved her. It was in his touch, in his breath, in his skin. Soaking into every inch of her like
sun on a clear day. She loved him and he loved her and it was - simple. And perfect. And everything.
She shivered under the sliding touch of his hand but it was pleasure. Oh. She wanted him to touch her and the
whispered sound that escaped her against his mouth reflected it. She'd felt his touch before but this - this was better.
More. Closer. Her lips moved against his. Pleased and content and offering and asking. Skin humming under the
warmth and heat of his own as her hand slipped from his hair to glide down his back again. Feeling the roll and
movement of muscle, the heat and smoothness of it under his skin.
Everything she wanted - everything she wanted to give - right here. Always - right here. She sighed his name against
his mouth and everything was in that silken sound.
He really didn't want to move. Definitely did not want to move. But on the other hand, if he didn't there would be no
moving. At all. In any way.
And....moving would give her time. To really make sure she wanted this. As ready as he was, and as much as he
wanted to share this with her, if when it was over she had regrets, it wouldn't be worth it. So moving would be beneficial
in that area also.
So, balancing his weight on his hands over her, he looked at her. "Come on." He said and got off the couch reluctantly
and reached for her hands to pull her to her feet. She did look amazing barely dressed....
And though he really should have let her walk separately (playing into that whole giving time by giving space), he really
didn't want to lose that contact with her, even if they were changing locations (where nosy neighbors were less likely to
catch an eyeful of either of them). Using that 'excuse' in his mind, as soon as they were out of the living room he
picked her up easily into his arms and climbed the stairs, checking the blinds before laying her down on the bed,
leaning over as he joined her to kiss her.
She opened her arms to him the way her heart already was. Drew him down to her with soft welcoming whispers in the
shadowy, moonlit room. Everything she wanted... everything she needed... wrapped up and around one single man.
One single wonderful man...
She was long past any 'experience' she might have had and had spent all of her 'nerve' just to get his far. But being
coaxed... oh, she liked that very much. Loved his gentle, slow touch. The slide of his skin against hers and his mouth
on her. The trust was complete - and not just on her side - and that... that drew heaven down around them. So her
clothing was slowly shed under his hands and, despite the way she knew her body looked, it was with pleasure and
desire instead of awkwardness or embarrassment. Need and acceptance and love instead of uncomfortability as his
hands and his body moved against hers. Stole her breath and gave his own in return.
Everything she wanted... everything she needed... wrapped around one single wonderful man...
Her Hector...
They'd spent a lot of time blissfully getting to know each other on a whole other level. Ignoring the telephone and the
door, Hector even threw the dead bolt on. They broke for when his male friends came over to putter around with the
car in the garage, and Andi gratefully hid away with Tommy's girlfriend Amy, before she was overcome with the smell of
gasoline and raw testosterone as the men got into their element.
Ignoring everyone else before and after that, they snuck out for rides on his bike as he promised her, before anyone
else in the neighborhood could interrupt with small talk or trifles. Some in the neighborhood didn't even believe he was
back, and he liked it that way. Quiet. And peace. And her.
But there was a christening to attend. He didn't have a choice, it was his nephew and he was the godfather.
"Do you want to take the bike?" As he usually did, but then again he usually showed up alone. "Or should I borrow a
car from someone again?" If she wanted to wear a dress, and brought it with her to change into, it shouldn't be that big
a deal.
She looked over at him from where she was putting away food. Thinking... what a good looking man he was, long legs
stretched out and dark eyes on her. His hair was growing past his regular cut, which still wasn't saying it was close to
long. But it was shaggy. Nice for tangling fingers in, she thought with a smile and then remembered he'd asked a
question. Chuckling, she gave up what she'd been doing and walked over to slip into his lap. Comfortably facing him
with a leg on either side of his waist as she curled her fingers lightly in the fabric of his shirt.
She was feeling like a teenager around him a great deal lately. Without the awkwardness.
And she was certainly feeling more physically possessive as some of the women in the neighborhood had noted in
response to the way she even casually touched Hector. The challenge had hardly been missed.
"I like the bike." She grinned. She loved the bike in fact. She slipped her hands down to rest them around his waist.
"But I should wear a dress, yeah? Will I have time to change? And how long are we staying?" His family... that was still
a scary thought for her. Strangely - not as scary as it had been. But still a scary thought. What if they didn't like her?
What if she did something horrible and messed everything up?
"Ah...usually until my father and I start snapping at each other like rabid dogs." He said honestly. But he'd been honest
with her from the start about his father and his own attitude toward the man. "And wear what you want. It's not like they
can start without me. Basically they need me, Tyler and Suzanne," Dee's best friend and godmother of Tyler, "to do
this whole thing, right?"
He hoped he'd be able to leave before he had to exchange more than pleasantries with his father, but the rest of the
family hadn't seen him in a while either. And then again, hopefully everyone would be distracted by Andi to not give a
whit about him.
He rested his hands on her hips as she sat on his lap and kissed her lightly. "But anytime you want to leave, just drag
me out. I've known them all for years," he said with a grin. "They won't mind."
She rested her forehead against his.
"I am not going to take you away from your family." She told him softly. Seriously. Worried about that. But still she
found herself relaxing in his presence and from his kiss. And frankly, from the possession in his hands when they
rested on her. She was his. Everything else would have to sort itself out. "But I think I should wear a dress. Just to
appear 'proper'." She paused and the edges of her lips started to curve. She brushed the tip of his nose with her own.
"So *not* the black one. When do we have to leave so I've time to change once we get there?"
He raised an eyebrow at the mention of the 'black one.' "I like that dress, but I guess you're right. I hear the Catholics
are uptight enough as is." He said with a chuckle and tipped his head back to look at the clock behind him. "Okay, if we
both shower, and change, we can leave in about an hour? That will get us there fifteen minutes early. Any earlier than
that and one of us has to skip a shower." He said with a chuckle. They already knew how productive showering
together could be. Meaning not very.
His exposed throat was really too tempting and got a light nip before she slide off his lap, laughing. Real laughter with
nothing muted or constricted about it. "Half an hour each in the shower?" She teased it, knowing both of them were
masters of quick showers thanks to their lifestyles. "And if we just skipped the showers think of all the things we could
do with that extra time." Eyes dancing she grinned: "So - dibs on the shower first." She announced before slipping out
of the kitchen.
Knowing she should be nervous. And would be no doubt. But right now... there wasn't room for it.
"Cheater!" He called after her and made busy picking up the rest of the kitchen until he heard the shower stop, well
under the half hour time limit, and made his way up stairs for his own shower. He came in while she was dressing and
kissed her. "If we skipped the showers, we'd never make it then." He said with a chuckle before slipping into the
bathroom for his own shower.
She hummed when his lips touched her and chuckled at his comment. It was true. Once they got started, and they
were always right on the edge, they might as well kiss the rest of the day goodbye. Actually having time for a change
meant they ended up taking it all for themselves. It was a wonderful change from not even having time to put up her
hair some mornings.
She finished buckling her jeans as he went into the bathroom, watching his shirt come off and thinking, once again,
what a very, very nice back he had, before turning her attention to pulling on a simple button up shirt and then sitting
down to lace up her hiking boots. She really was going to have to buy sneakers one of these days. She pulled her hair
back in a pony tail and than gathered up the sun dress and sandals, putting them into her backpack along with what
she'd need to make herself 'presentable' once they got there.
Now she was starting to get nervous. Which made her glad she'd already eaten.