Songbird by Jamie Campbell

the pain of being released from his grasp while he reached for his wallet – still in the pocket of his jeans. I missed him for the few seconds it took for him to retrieve a condom.
    I tried not to watch as he slid it on, still a little shy at seeing him completely naked. He climbed back onto the bed, losing his hands in my hair and pulling me toward him for another kiss. Our lips locked as he settled himself between my legs.
    His lips moved to my neck, nuzzling my ear and sending goosebumps shooting across my skin. His breath tickled, causing my want for him to escalate a thousand fold.
    “You are so beautiful, Brier,” he whispered. It was Forest that made me feel beautiful, the most gorgeous I had ever been.
    He hovered over me as our eyes locked together. His dark, intense gaze could see right down to my soul, I was sure. His eyes, normally so unreadable, burned with desire. I reveled in being the one he burned for.
    “I want you so much,” I managed to pant out. He was completely taking my breath away, barely leaving any air in its wake.
    He slid into me. Finally, I got what I wanted. It barely took any effort to get me to the brink. I coursed over the edge of oblivion as stars swum over my vision. I had never felt anything that mind-shattering before. Forest satisfied me in a way that no man had ever done. It was like our bodies were made to interlock, fitting perfectly together with a charge that would make an electric current jealous.
    “Brierly,” Forest moaned against my skin as he found his release. I couldn’t speak at that point, my mind was completely given over to the sensations running through my veins. I gripped his broad back and just held on for the ride.
    When Forest finally let me go and lay on the bed beside me, I felt naked without him so close. Every part of me tingled, I wouldn’t let regret creep in. Not this time and not now. I didn’t regret what we just did, I was happy about it. And hopefully I would still feel that way tomorrow.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
     
    F orest was still asleep when I awoke the next morning. I hadn’t woken up with anyone since Braydon and it felt weird to have someone there again.
    Didn’t I promise myself a year ago that I wouldn’t go through that again? That any kind of relationship only ende d in disaster and an irreparably broken heart? I’m pretty certain I had that conversation with myself. Probably in the lonely hours of the morning when it was just me fighting my eating disorder.
    He looked so sweet as he slept. His beautiful face was relaxed and twitching ever so slightly. I wondered what he was dreaming about. It was probably too much to ask for it to be about me. One night didn’t give me the right to invade his dreams, I’m sure.
    As I stared at him, I couldn’t imagine he would hurt me like Braydon had. He had to be different, he just had to be. I couldn’t get on that rollercoaster again if it was going to end in tragedy. I had made the decision yesterday that he was different and I had to believe that. Otherwise I was setting myself up for another year of hell. And I doubted I would be able to survive it again.
    I crept to the shower, careful not to wake him. My alarm would do that soon enough. As I let the hot water cascade over my skin, if I concentrated, I could still feel Forest’s hands on me. The way he had been so gentle when he touched me, the way he set me on fire like nobody had ever done before. It was enough to get me hot all over again.
    And I didn’t have time for that. I finished showering and dressed quickly, trying to remember what was on my itinerary for the day. If I had interviews, I had to put more thought into my outfit rather than if I was just sitting on a bus all day. Forest had done a good job of wiping my memory, but I thought I remembered something about an interview or two. I dressed for people to see me.
    Forest stirr ed awake as the alarm started beeping from my phone. He looked even