Tangled Hearts.

~Chapter 19~

~Raelyn~

I laid there, completely out of breath, blinking up at the ceiling like it had personally betrayed me. 
Colby was slumped on top of me, just as destroyed, his damp hair sticking to his forehead. 
I huffed out a breathless laugh and lazily ran my fingers through his hair, trailing my nails down his back.

"Are you alive?" I asked, voice hoarse from way too much heavy breathing.

He nodded against my collarbone, exhaling so hard it tickled. 
"Nothing I can't handle, love," he mumbled, kissing my forehead like a sleepy drunk man.

I sighed happily, feeling him nuzzle deeper into my neck like a giant, clingy cat. 

He tilted his head back just enough to look at me, those soft brown eyes practically melting me into the mattress.

"Aww," I teased, reaching up to pinch his cheek. "Was I too much for Mr. Grouch?"

He groaned dramatically and flopped more of his body weight onto me, making me wheeze. 
"You wear me out, woman," he said, like he had just fought in a war.

I chuckled, smoothing his messy hair down. "You're lucky you're cute," I said, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

We just laid there, tangled up in each other, letting our heart rates calm down from the borderline Olympic event we just finished. 
There was something stupidly sweet about this — seeing him like this, soft and clingy and human. Not the usual grumpy, guarded Colby the world saw.

Eventually, I peeled myself off the bed, dragging my sweaty self into the bathroom for a quick shower. I threw on a pair of soft pajamas and padded back into the living room, sinking onto the couch with a happy sigh.

Two minutes later, Colby wandered out of the bedroom — barefoot, shirtless, and only wearing his black ripped jeans like some kind of lost Calvin Klein model. 
He plopped down next to me, confused and still adorably dazed.

"So..." he said, slinging his arm over the back of the couch. "What the hell was that about?"

I picked at the hem of my pajama shorts, suddenly shy. "Look..." I said carefully. "I get a little... hor—"

He held up a hand. "Nope. No explanation needed. I witnessed it firsthand."

I laughed under my breath. "After I feed, okay? It's like... a side effect."

He gave me a skeptical look. "A little side effect?"

I widened my eyes innocently. "Whatever do you mean?"

Colby snorted and leaned closer. "I don't know, maybe the fact that you were about two seconds from lol shredding me like a lion going through puberty?"

I burst out laughing, slapping his chest lightly. "You survived, didn't you?"

"BARELY," he said, throwing his head back dramatically.

I giggled. "Well, you better get used to it. I'm still debating whether I want to fuck you again or kill you."

"Honestly? Kinda hot either way," he said, grinning that stupid grin that made my knees weak.

I rolled my eyes, biting back a smile. "So... this wasn't your first time dealing with a blood-crazed half-vampire?"

He laughed. "God, no. But first time surviving it? Definitely."

I nudged him playfully. "Was it your first time... you know...in general?"

He smirked. "Nope. You?"