Want You to Stay || Chenford / The Rookie

Part 36

They stay like that for a while, still breathing heavily and wrapped up in each other as their racing heartbeats slowly return to a normal cadence. Tim eventually finds the strength to pull out, but doesn't loosen his hold on her, unwilling to break the contact between their heated bodies. Lucy curls herself into him and burrows into his neck as they recover, then shifts to pull him down to her for a lingering kiss.

When they finally break apart, Lucy exhales an adorable, "Wow," that has Tim laughing softly in agreement.

He fondly nuzzles her temple, before shifting to look down at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So I have to ask... is real me as good as dream me?"

Lucy shakes her head, a wave of affection for this beautiful, funny, frustrating, wonderful man coursing through her. "Real you is..." she slides one hand up to thread her fingers through his short hair, then cups his cheek, "...so much better."

He lets out a satisfied hum as he pulls her more firmly against his body, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Lucy?" he asks a few minutes later.

"Hmmm?" she mumbles into his chest, eyes heavy with the weight of her exhaustion.

"I've still got a lot of questions about the giraffes."

***

Lucy turns sleepily in Tim's arms when she wakes the next morning, the explicit details of the night before flooding her memory before she's even opened her eyes. Holy shit.

She had had sex with Tim Bradford. A lot of sex, actually. And it had been unbelievable.

"Mmmm," Tim mumbles as he shifts, arms tightening around her, "You're still here."

Lucy snorts derisively, eyes flying open to glare at him, "And you're still an asshole."

Tim chuckles, slowly opening his eyes to take her in. "I'm glad you're still here?" he tries playfully.

"Hmm," is all Lucy offers him before continuing, "I'm sorry to inform you that you're stuck with me this time."

"You promise?" And there's a tenderness in his gaze that more than makes up for his teasing.

And Lucy knows that underlying his jokes is a vulnerability, a fear that maybe this was too much, too fast — a literal hostage crisis followed by love confessions and another round of high octane, passion-fueled sex before they'd even had a chance to go on a proper date. A fear that she is going to freak out and bolt again.

Lucy shifts so that she can slide her arms under his, wrapping them around his chest. "I promise, Tim," she reassures gently. "I meant what I said; I love you. And I'm ready. I want to do this. I want you. I'm not going anywhere. Seriously, I don't think you have any idea how much I've wanted this."

"I think I have some idea," Tim smirks, as he slides his hand down her side to rub slow, lazy circles on her hip.

"Oh, really?" Lucy pushes herself up off his chest and twists to face him, glancing at him through her lashes. "That's funny... cause I'm pretty sure I gave you a literal strip tease and yet..."

Tim rolls his eyes. "And I nearly dragged you into a bathroom to have my way with you at my godson's baptism party."

Lucy scoffs. "You mean the party that happened yesterday? The one where I wore a dress that was way too sexy for a baptism just to get your attention? I got naked on FaceTime for you, Tim. Weeks ago. I'm sorry if I'm going to need a little bit of convincing that you wanted it as much as I did," she teases.

Tim's eyes darken at her words and his eyes drop to where the sheet is slipping precariously down her chest.

Lucy can feel her breath hitch in response to the unexpected heat of his gaze, a jolt of arousal coursing through her based on nothing more than a goddamn look.

"Don't you dare!" she yelps as he lunges for her, pulling her back into his chest as she giggles and attempts to squirm away, "You aren't getting any of this until you admit you're kind of an idiot for missing all of the very obvious signs that I was into you."

He pins her, mouth finding her neck and hand slipping down into the sheets as her laughter dissipates into the sounds of her pleasure and her hands slip around his back to pull him closer.

His eyes shift to meet hers as he begins to kiss his way down her body.

"Oh my god... what are you doing?" she moans.

"Proving to you just how much I wanted this... as many times as it takes, Lucy."

Lucy trills with anticipation, fingers tangling into his hair as she unabashedly encourages him on his path, "Mmmm... god... that should be illegal... right there...

She lifts her hips as Tim doesn't hold back, skillfully bringing her to the brink in just a matter of minutes. "Oh my god," Lucy gasps again as her legs begin to quiver.

Tim abruptly lifts his head to look up at her, pulling a vocal cry of protest from Lucy as she tries to guide him back to where she wants him.

"Tell me again who the idiot is, Lucy."

A cross between a whine and a whimper escapes her as she squirms, "Me... definitely me."

"Good girl," Tim grins up at her before dipping his head to put an end to her torture.

"Tim?" Lucy asks a few glorious minutes later as she snuggles into his arms.

"Hmmm?"

"I love you so much."

She tilts her head back to meet his lips for a kiss that is equal parts sweet and dirty as she gets lost in the taste of herself on his tongue.

Her lips curve into a teasing smile when they finally break apart, laughter sparkling in her eyes. "But..."

Tim arches an eyebrow eyeing her as if he absolutely cannot wait to hear her qualification, even as he is strategically positioning himself for their next round of warfare by pressing his lips to the curve of her shoulder.

"... you're definitely still the idiot."