an Everlasting Pursuit

forty four

I felt hot. Like someone had opened an oven door and forced me to sit beside its pooling waves of heat.

Rolling over, I attempted to kick the duvet from my body but found myself strangely restricted. I grunted, thinking that I had just cocooned myself too much and tried to kick my legs free. I bucked my hips, agitation growing as the remnants of sleep disappeared.

My foot contacted something solid, and I froze when a low grunt of pain came from right beside me. My heart skipped a beat, inhaling sharply as the sound registered in my mind. Weight suddenly shifted, taking the basking fiery heat with it. The mattress dipped, jostling me, and the restrictions lifted with the movement.

Do I pretend to be asleep?

Do I pretend to be dead?

Who was in this bed with me?

Why did my head hurt and my stomach feel sore?

"I know you are awake, flower."

I held my breath as the deep tone of voice caressed my ears. Goosebumps rose on my skin, my body recognising the soothing tone of my supposed soulmate before my brain.

My eyes flew open once my brain registered who was lying beside me. The first thing I saw was his tattooed skin and arm moving through the air to rest along my torso. The heavy yet familiar weight of the limb had me realise it was what had been pinning me to the bed all morning.

All the memories of last night came flooding back at once. He had wanted to stay because he didn't feel like I was safe alone and he climbed into my bed after asking some rather sensitive questions. I swallowed when I realised how much I would have told him if I hadn't of fallen asleep when I did.

"I thought you would have left." I murmured, my throat dry.

He hummed. "I was going to when the sun rose, but... I slept all night."

I turned my head to seek his face, my eyes travelling up his bare-wait, wait, wait, wait.

"I said clothed!" I squeaked, my eyes finding the wonderful sight of morning wood.

He grumbled. "It was so damn hot in here and you insisted on cuddling in the duvet like a damn child."

I frowned at him. "So you thought getting mister potato out would be a wonderful way to cool down?"

He smirked. "Mister potato?"

I huffed, removing my eyes from his bare body. "It was hot because you are like a furnace."

Pushing the covers from my body, I pulled myself to the end of the bed. Glancing down, I found that I too was naked and had a moment of hesitation as a weird dread came over me. He wasn't Darius, was he? He wouldn't... Touch me in my sleep, right?

"Nothing happened." His voice murmured, as if sensing my thoughts. "I was just hot. I stayed on top of the covers all night."

My shoulders relaxed, finding the truth in his voice. "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me for natural decency and consent, Ailia." He growled. "I will not touch you until you beg for it."

I suppressed a shiver, my back still facing him as I stared down at my feet on the carpet. I didn't answer, unable to think of a response worthy enough to his statement. He had stunned me. He seemed agitated, but I couldn't determine whether it was because of me. His small grumbles gave him away.

"I'm going to shower." I muttered. "Are you..."

I turned, standing from the bed at the same time he did. Our eyes clashed with each other, and I couldn't help but let my eyes wander. His body was too glorious to not look at, my mind drawn to the tattoos and sculpture of his chest and shoulders. His muscle rippled as he moved, his lips pulled down into a small frown.