The Assignment (Elvis presley story)

Chapter 37

Ava sighed deep and long, drawing in his scent, damn near desperate for it. His sound of satisfaction hummed through her. It was just one of those golden moments that didn't need sunshine to make it so. Any second, she expected him to draw back, tell her how they couldn't do this, that it would tangle up their lives, that they had to stop.

Only he didn't.

Instead, his arms snaked around her and cushioned her back from the rock on which they lay. One large hand cradled her head as he deepened the kiss, changed the angle, devoured her.

She felt herself floating, then realised he was lifting her off the rock. Seconds later, he lowered them both to the grassy ground. Ava realised then that she would have to be the one to call a halt to this if they were to stop at all. If he had not arranged her on top instead of beneath him, she knew she wouldn't have said a word. As it was, he had more or less put her in control. She felt obligated and oh, so reluctant. With another sign, this time of regret, she moved back, her arms propped on his chest and looked down at him. She could hardly see his features clearly now in the deepening twilight.

"Almost got away from us, didn't it?" She whispered.

He released his breath slowly and ran his hand over the side of her face, letting it come to rest on the curve of her neck. It lingered there, warm, comforting, possessive. She knew he could feel her pulse going ninety to nothing.

"Yeah, it did."

She noted he didn't apologise for it this time. Neither would she. If she was sorry about anything at all, it was that her common sense had kicked in when it had. She wanted him so fiercely even now, she could hardly keep from kissing him again to let him know how much.

"Gotta get up from here or it might yet." She pushed off him and sat back on the grass, running her hands through her hair and resting her elbows on her knees. Neither she nor Elvis needed this complication, they both agreed on that. This "it" They were fighting grew like summer crepe myrtle, branching out in all directions at once and making a huge tree before you knew if you didn't keep cutting it back. Maybe it was time to dig it right out of the ground.  

But first they had to get some rest.

Ava felt around, then unbuckled the pack straps that secured her rolled-up blanket. In moments, she was snugly wrapped inside it with her head resting on her bagpack. Clouds obscured the moon and Stars completely. She should have checked the weather. The mountain was as dark as the back of a cave and you could almost smell the rain.

Elvis startled her when he settled right next to her with his back flush against hers. Not a lot of safety in that, but she supposed it was more prudent than cuddling spoon-style.

"Buona notte, volpe piccola," he said with a smile in his voice. Good night, little fox.

"Good night, blue eyes," She replied.

Elvis hadn't really promised when it came to not pushing for something to happen between them. It was almost as if he knew something eventually would and, like it or not, neither of them could do a damn thing about it. Ava tried like crazy to squelch that eager, wicked little voice inside her that screamed a fist-pumping, snoopy-dancing Yes!  Surely her brain was suffering a death of oxygen at this elevation. All right, maybe they weren't that high up yet, but it was definitely laboring under the deliciously combined scent of fresh mountain air and essence of Elvis. At any rate, she wouldn't sleep a wink with that magnificent butt pressed smack against hers. That was the last conscious thought before exhaustion overtook her.

However, late in the night, she did wake long enough to realise it wasn't his back that snuggled next to her, but his front. One strong arm surrounded her, his hand resting lightly on her stomach.

If his breathing hadn't been so deep and regular, she might not have Willed herself back to sleep.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And thanks for reading! Xoxo