Inferno

Chapter 23: In His Arms

Eric doesn't respond at first. He tenses up beneath me but then just as fast he's wrapping his arms around me and pulling my body closer to his. At this point I'm laying on top of him and we're still kissing, enjoying every moment of it. His lips are soft beneath mine, moving slowly. He bites my lower lip between his teeth and pulls it back, gnawing on it softly. The heat of his mouth warms me up as his tongue traces my lip. I open my eyes to see him looking up at me with a playful glint in his eye. I pull back from him, causing his teeth to lose their grip and release my lip. I take a deep breath, a slow smile forming over my face.

"Well, that was uh..." Eric trails off, his breathing slightly labored.

I keep my one hand on his cheek and curl the other one around the back of his head, cushioning it and raising it slightly off the floor.

"Shut up," I smile at him, then kiss him again. There's no hesitation in his kiss this time.

His hands slide up and down my back until they rest on my sides. His thumbs brush back and forth over my hips, teasing my shirt up just a little bit. I move my mouth away from his mouth and to his jaw, trailing kisses down the side until I reach his ear and can take his cartilage between my teeth. He groans beneath me, his hands tightening on me.

I sit up, resting myself on his stomach and use one hand to brush my hair that was hanging in front of my face back. He smiles up at me, the same smile that I had seen in my simulation. A real smile.

He has nice teeth.

"I have to say," he says quietly, the smile not leaving his face, "I'm really happy you chose Dauntless."

I let out a laugh, smiling down at him. He lets out a chuckle as well, moving to sit up. I get off of his lap and stand up, looking down at where he's sitting on the ground with his legs stretched out.

I lean down and press a kiss to his forehead before taking his arm and pulling him to his feet as well. He towers over me, wrapping his arms around me once again and pulling me close.

"I'm also really happy you did that." He says as he leans down and presses a quick kiss to my lips.

When he pulls away I wrap my arms around him and rest my head against his chest, breathing him in. He smells like cologne and bark, a good combination. He rests his chin on top of my chin and we just stand like that for a minute, relishing in the feeling of each other.

"I thought you didn't like me."

I lean back and look at him. "I always have. I just needed to accept it, and when I did, I was... scared."

"Of me?"

"No," I reassure him, rubbing his back. He relaxes beneath me. "Of myself. I just- my dad. I had never felt something like it before. I mean, there was Four, but he was my brother. This was a whole new form of feeling I was experiencing. And then there were rules and regulations, and I didn't want you getting in trouble."

He sighs. "I was worried about it for a while too. Then I just decided to fuck it, because I am a leader. You were excelling without any special help from anyone. You did it all on your own."

I freeze. 'You were excelling without any special help from anyone'.

It's partially true. I didn't get any help from anybody.

My divergence isn't a person.

Eric steps back. "What's wrong?"

I look up at him, face blank. "Nothing. I need to find Tris."

I turn and walk out the door. I hear Eric running to keep up with me. "Hey, what are you doing? Why are you acting like this?"

"Acting like what?" I mumble, not really paying attention.