Breathe

Chapter 13

Marlena knelt before John, where he lay on the futon, and stared at his shirtless body. The flames from the hearth flickered orange and yellow across his skin. He was lying prone in his boxer briefs without his tank top, his eyes were closed, and she could imagine that his pulse was pounding exactly like hers. Marlena closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. She could do this. It was the first time they were doing TTT like this, and she was fairly certain that they had moved away from the clinical side of things, and were moving into uncharted territory. No tank top, no shorts... in his underwear...definitely not clinical. The thinnest layer of cotton would be between his skin and her hands. She had asked Dr. Vellanki about it in her session that morning. Was what she wanted appropriate? Marlena's doctor had reassured her that she should be doing what she was comfortable with. She knew she wanted more, so she had shyly asked John if he was willing to take it further, not that she had expected him to say no. After their kiss on the deck two days ago, they had kissed several more times, once being caught by Avi, who just stared at them with wide, curious eyes, asking, "What are you doing?"

"Are you ready?" John asked, opening his eyes, and staring up at her. He knew his pupils were probably blown with arousal. He couldn't help it. No amount of thinking about Sami and Eric's prior arguments would quell the urges in his body. Marlena seemed to have expected it. There were times when he almost thought she wanted his body to react. Why else would she tease him the way she did?

"Yes," she whispered, placing her palm on his abdomen. She watched his eyes close, and felt the ripple of his muscles under her palm signaling her effect on him. She smiled softly to herself, and again, she felt that rush of power. She did this to him. Sliding her palm down, she dipped her index finger into his navel, watching him shiver, and then she swept her hand over his hip. "Are you cold?" she asked him.

His body shook with anticipation. "Doc, I think you know... I'm not cold," he said with a smirk.

Marlena glanced down, and saw that he was half-hard in his boxer briefs. In the weeks since her rescue she'd become more comfortable with having him near. Sleeping with his shirts helped - the constant sound of his voice, and the kindness she saw mirrored in his eyes - all of i served to remind her of what they had once been. All of it helped heal the horror of her years with Stefano. John's cock twitched beneath the cotton. She wasn't sure what made her do it, but she ran her finger down the length of him, and his hips bucked. His eyes stared at her intently, and she smiled to herself again, when he groaned, "Doc..."

Moving her hands to his chest, she ran them languidly over his heated flesh, concentrating on the feel of his coarse hair under them, while breathing deeply of his scent. "You smell so good," she whispered. "Your smell makes me feel so safe, and I don't know if I even have the words to tell you what that means to me."

"You are safe. With me, you will always be safe," he murmured. He couldn't control his body's response to her, and shivered again, when she rubbed the pad of her finger over his nipple, intentionally looking for a response. She got one, as goosebumps covered his body, and his nipple pebbled under her ministrations. His body ached. He arched towards her touch, moaning, "G-d, woman. I love you."

Marlena laughed softly, enjoying the light moments they shared when things got heavy. "I love you too, John," she said. She wanted more. Staring at him, she asked quietly, "Can I try something?"

His breathing hitched, and he said softly, "Yes."

Marlena took a deep breath, gathering the courage to move, and then she climbed over him, straddling his body. She was wearing a pair of neon pink bike shorts Hope had left behind, and a simple white t-shirt, but John thought she was gorgeous with her long blonde hair streaming in waves over her shoulders and down her back. She'd gained weight over the last few weeks, and that healthy glow she'd always had, had returned to her. She settled her body on his, sitting her center directly over his cock, and he nearly bit his own tongue to keep from moaning in pleasure. Leaning forward slightly, she splayed her palms over his chest, and rubbed over his skin. The position put pressure on her clit. In a shaky voice she said, "I was wondering if I would be okay with this."