Uncompromising (Age Gap, gxg)

Chapter 37

We fell asleep like that, with Zee laying on top of me and her head on my shoulder, though we did move about in the night. But I still woke up to her in my arms, her face inches from mine as her dark lashes fluttered slightly while she dreamed. I smiled, hoping that the dream was about us together, but that thought was shattered as she started squirming in my arms.

"No, mami, no!" she cried out, her voice fearful in her sleep. Having been there for many of my daughters' nightmares through the years, I didn't hesitate at all, but started to shake her gently. Unfortunately, that only seemed to make things worse, as she started to yell louder. "No, mami, please!"

So, I kissed her.

I know, we were supposed to be limiting it to one kiss, but it was all I could think of to change whatever was happening in her dream. Maybe a gentle kiss would make her realize there was a better external stimulus to concentrate. In seconds, she was kissing me back, even as she whined, and her hands wrapped around my body, clutching at me desperately before she broke the kiss as she woke up sobbing.

"I'm sorry, baby. I tried waking you up, but I think I made it worse." I was wiping away her tears and holding her tight while she started to calm down. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, then hugged me closer. "Thank you. I'm sorry, I don't think I've had a nightmare like that in a while." I didn't want to ask yet, it might be too personal, so I just kept holding her until she was breathing easy and became limp in my arms.

"I'm glad I was here to help. Do you want to get up, or stay here?" I just rubbed her back, trying to soothe her and ease her trembling.

I don't know how, but she burrowed further into me, pulling me a little on top of her body and breathing deeper. "Can we stay like this for a little longer?" Her voice was deep and sleepy, and I just wanted to hear her talk more. But no, she needed more rest after that nightmare.

"Of course," I promised. "You just rest, and if you have any more bad dreams I'll be right here."

"No, no more dreams like that." She smiled as she kissed my neck. "I'm right where I want to be now."

She was right where I wanted her too, and I let myself relax while still acting like a weighted security blanket for her. We stayed that way for about 45 more minutes, just relaxing and dozing, until my bladder demanded my movement. Once that was taken care of, I crawled back into bed and kissed Zee's forehead. "I'm going to go start breakfast, okay? Just come on up whenever you like."

"I'll be up in a bit then. I'm just going to take a quick shower." She stretched out, her taut body straining at the fabric of the skimpy clothing that she wore and making me growl in my throat.

"Damn, you keep moving like that and you're going to be breakfast!"

She reached up, stroking my cheek and smiled. "I can't wait till we're at that stage, because that sounds like the best way to wake up. But you'd have to be my breakfast too." She was adorable when she was sleepy, and I just wanted to sink back down into the bed with her.

"Can I have one more kiss before I go make breakfast?" I asked her as I leaned in a little. "I promise it won't be long." She nodded quickly, and I bent down the rest of the way to let our lips gently touch once more. I sighed, and she hummed softly, and it was just one more reminder of how our life could be soon. Waking up to Zee next to me in bed, and sharing morning kisses, would be pretty perfect.

She slowly broke the kiss, leaving our lips almost touching. "It's going to take a long time before I believe this life is real," she whispered. "This makes the rest of my life seem worth it."

I couldn't help but smile at that, even though it worried me as a statement. Based on that and what she'd cried out while having her nightmare, it made me wonder what her home life was like back in Fort Lauderdale. There was a reason she was here for Thanksgiving after all, and she was planning to be back in December after her graduation, which was much earlier than she needed to be for the internship. But that was why we were starting out slowly, right? Even if this week we just got comfortable with one another, it would be nice, because once she graduated and moved in, we'd see each other daily, and it would make everything easier.