Balancing Protective Love

Braces

As Alex kissed Linda, his hand sliding up to cradle her neck, he deepened the kiss, his tongue softly exploring her mouth. He paused when his tongue brushed against something metallic, his brow furrowing slightly. Pulling back just enough to speak, he whispered against her lips, "You had braces?"

Linda blinked, taken off guard by the sudden shift in tone. "Uh, yeah. A few years ago," she admitted, feeling a wave of shyness creeping in. She knew exactly what he had felt-her permanent retainer behind her teeth.

"Let me have a closer look," Alex murmured, his voice low but insistent, his eyes now focused on her mouth.

Linda immediately stiffened, pulling back just a little, her eyes darting away nervously. "No, it's... it's fine, really. You don't need to..."

"Hey, relax." His voice softened, his fingers gently tracing along her jaw. "There's nothing to be shy about. I just want to make sure it's all good." His thumb stroked her cheek soothingly, coaxing her to calm down. "I won't hurt you, I promise."

Linda hesitated, biting her lip as her heart raced. She trusted Alex, but she couldn't shake the feeling of vulnerability. Still, the way he looked at her, the reassurance in his touch, made her feel safe enough to give in.

"Okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Alex gave her a soft smile, pulling her closer and placing a kiss on her forehead. "Good girl." The way he said it made her heart flutter, and she slowly relaxed again. Gently, he tilted her chin up, his eyes scanning her face with care.

"Now, open up for me," he instructed, his voice still calm but with that firm, dominant edge she had grown to expect from him.

Linda parted her lips hesitantly, feeling her cheeks flush as he gently inspected her retainer. His brow furrowed slightly as he noticed the break at the top.

"Hmm, looks like it's broken up here," Alex noted, his tone shifting into something more serious. "That's not good, Linda. You need to get this fixed."

She swallowed hard, the nervousness creeping back. "I don't know... I mean, it's been like that for a while. I thought it was fine and uh it already happened a couple of times before."

Alex's gaze hardened slightly as he sat up straighter, more assertive now. "It's not fine. You can't just leave it like that. It could start shifting your teeth again or cause more problems." He paused, looking her straight in the eye. "I'm fixing it."

Linda felt her stomach knot with anxiety. "But... what if it hurts? What if it gets worse?"

"It won't," he reassured her, his thumb brushing against her bottom lip. "I'll take care of it, and you won't feel a thing. Trust me. I'm not letting you put this off."

Her heart pounded at his firm tone, feeling both comforted and overwhelmed by how serious he was. "I... I guess," she murmured, unsure.

Alex's lips curved into a small, satisfied smile. "You're doing great, babe. I'm proud of you for letting me handle this." He stroked her hair, the tension in the room lifting as he praised her. "You'll be fine. Just trust me."

With a soft sigh, Linda nodded, still feeling a little shy but grateful for his care. "Okay," she whispered.

"Good girl," Alex murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead again. "You've got nothing to worry about now."