get
used to it.”
He scattered gentle kisses along my neck and
shoulders. “How can I make this better?”
I took his hand and laced my fingers in his
and pulled his arms around me like a blanket. “You are doing it.
Being near you makes it better.”
Slowly, I began to relax. When my body
finally stopped trembling, Jaxson scooped me up into his arms.
Without a word he carried me back to bed. He rubbed his fingers
over my hands, gently tracing patterns on my skin. The strength in
his arms, in who he was gave me the sense of security I needed at
the moment. The sense of security I always craved but could never
have. I knew it was false, but I tried to ignore that.
Morning came quickly. I could tell Jaxson was
already awake, though he was not moving. I nestled my face into his
neck and tightened my grip on his waist.
“Are you finally awake?” He sounded
amused.
“No,” I said with a sigh.
“Though you do talk in your sleep, I do not
believe that is the case now.”
I pulled back and looked at him. He looked
more amused than he sounded.
“What do I say? When I sleep?”
The wall chimed before I got my answer. He
disentangled himself from me and walked quickly to the bureau. He
dressed in his pants only, then opened the wall. Griff was waiting
just outside the entrance. He gave me a large smile, showing nearly
all of his teeth, after a quick glance at Jaxson.
“Staying in for the day?” he asked Jaxson,
though his smirk was directed at me.
“Would you mind taking care of my
responsibilities today?”
“Not at all.” He backed away and disappeared
before I could make any objections.
“I am alright, Jaxson. You do not have to
stay for me.”
“I am staying for me,” he said as he laid
back down. He settled in close, tucking me under his chin. “I did
not get much sleep last night.”
“Sorry,” I whispered.
“Do not be. I would gladly give up sleep for
that any night.”
I was glad my face was buried in his neck. My
skin was no doubt, rosy.
“Care to deprive me further?” he whispered,
his lips brushing against my ear sending a different kind of chill
down my spine. My body rose to meet his as my back arched in
response.
~o~
The smell of food roused me.
“Welcome back.” Jaxson’s face lit up as he
spoke. He lifted the lid from the tray next to me. I was suddenly
starving. He plucked a strawberry from the platter and held it to
my mouth.
“What would you like to do today?” he asked
while I took a bite.
“Swim,” I answered as he offered me a slice
of pear.
He said nothing but his eyes revealed just
how pleased he was with my request.
I ate quickly.
~o~
My stomach fluttered with excitement as I
watched Jaxson disappear through the body sized opening that led to
the Living Waters. I could only wait a moment before my
anticipation got the better of me, and I stepped through my own
personalized opening.
Stepping out on the other side, dressed in
the tiny, soft swimwear, still filled me with awe. I caught sight
of Jaxson standing in the water, nearly hidden in the dense fog
that rose up from the pond. The look on his face erased any
astonishment I had for the miracles of the ship.
I swallowed and tried not to look away, as
the heat rose in my cheeks. I did not want to break his gaze. I
wanted to remember that look, always, and how breathless it made me
feel.
It was no longer the look that came after he
surveyed my nearly bare body. His eyes never moved from mine. It
was a look that told me, though he thought it was Anaya he was
loving, it was really me. It was my personality and my actions that
made him happy, that brought about the tender look.
I waded slowly out to where he stood. He
smiled and kissed me softly. The moment his lips left mine, I swam
away. It was difficult, but I needed to know I could. A bonus side
effect was that he followed me.
He did not chase me down as I had done to
him. He casually swam just close enough for the power of his
presence to be felt.
used to it.”
He scattered gentle kisses along my neck and
shoulders. “How can I make this better?”
I took his hand and laced my fingers in his
and pulled his arms around me like a blanket. “You are doing it.
Being near you makes it better.”
Slowly, I began to relax. When my body
finally stopped trembling, Jaxson scooped me up into his arms.
Without a word he carried me back to bed. He rubbed his fingers
over my hands, gently tracing patterns on my skin. The strength in
his arms, in who he was gave me the sense of security I needed at
the moment. The sense of security I always craved but could never
have. I knew it was false, but I tried to ignore that.
Morning came quickly. I could tell Jaxson was
already awake, though he was not moving. I nestled my face into his
neck and tightened my grip on his waist.
“Are you finally awake?” He sounded
amused.
“No,” I said with a sigh.
“Though you do talk in your sleep, I do not
believe that is the case now.”
I pulled back and looked at him. He looked
more amused than he sounded.
“What do I say? When I sleep?”
The wall chimed before I got my answer. He
disentangled himself from me and walked quickly to the bureau. He
dressed in his pants only, then opened the wall. Griff was waiting
just outside the entrance. He gave me a large smile, showing nearly
all of his teeth, after a quick glance at Jaxson.
“Staying in for the day?” he asked Jaxson,
though his smirk was directed at me.
“Would you mind taking care of my
responsibilities today?”
“Not at all.” He backed away and disappeared
before I could make any objections.
“I am alright, Jaxson. You do not have to
stay for me.”
“I am staying for me,” he said as he laid
back down. He settled in close, tucking me under his chin. “I did
not get much sleep last night.”
“Sorry,” I whispered.
“Do not be. I would gladly give up sleep for
that any night.”
I was glad my face was buried in his neck. My
skin was no doubt, rosy.
“Care to deprive me further?” he whispered,
his lips brushing against my ear sending a different kind of chill
down my spine. My body rose to meet his as my back arched in
response.
~o~
The smell of food roused me.
“Welcome back.” Jaxson’s face lit up as he
spoke. He lifted the lid from the tray next to me. I was suddenly
starving. He plucked a strawberry from the platter and held it to
my mouth.
“What would you like to do today?” he asked
while I took a bite.
“Swim,” I answered as he offered me a slice
of pear.
He said nothing but his eyes revealed just
how pleased he was with my request.
I ate quickly.
~o~
My stomach fluttered with excitement as I
watched Jaxson disappear through the body sized opening that led to
the Living Waters. I could only wait a moment before my
anticipation got the better of me, and I stepped through my own
personalized opening.
Stepping out on the other side, dressed in
the tiny, soft swimwear, still filled me with awe. I caught sight
of Jaxson standing in the water, nearly hidden in the dense fog
that rose up from the pond. The look on his face erased any
astonishment I had for the miracles of the ship.
I swallowed and tried not to look away, as
the heat rose in my cheeks. I did not want to break his gaze. I
wanted to remember that look, always, and how breathless it made me
feel.
It was no longer the look that came after he
surveyed my nearly bare body. His eyes never moved from mine. It
was a look that told me, though he thought it was Anaya he was
loving, it was really me. It was my personality and my actions that
made him happy, that brought about the tender look.
I waded slowly out to where he stood. He
smiled and kissed me softly. The moment his lips left mine, I swam
away. It was difficult, but I needed to know I could. A bonus side
effect was that he followed me.
He did not chase me down as I had done to
him. He casually swam just close enough for the power of his
presence to be felt.
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