drowned ✔️

• t h i r t y - o n e •

I fell asleep in Rhys's arms that night, feeling more safe than I ever had for the past two years. His hot breaths against my ear were comforting, his hair a gentle reminder of where I was. Where we were.

The morning came as it usually did, undesirably and far too bright, with the insufferable rays of sunlight flooding through Rhys's bare windows. The only advantage of the undying light was it's illumination of Rhys, in all of his beautiful glory.

His chocolate hair sparkled in the glittery sun, carving out his sharp cheekbones and chin. A sheen of dark hair was swept across the lower portion of his face, emphasizing the pinkness of his lips. His eyes fluttered open as mine found his lips, which subsequently curved into a suggestive smirk.

"Like what you see?" he prompted huskily, his eyes alight with humor. Even his fucking voice was turning me on.

"Yeah, I do," I muttered, my fingers reaching forward to trace his lips. His hand caught my wandering fingers, pressing them up against his cheek. "How can you look this beautiful?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he chuckled, leaning towards me. His lips met mine with a tenderness I hadn't felt in a long while, each second, each movement, drifting me further into airiness. I moaned against his lips, and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue past them.

"Guys, you better be keeping it PG in there!" Zax yelled out from outside Rhys's room. I groaned as Rhys pulled away, the moment effectively squandered.

"Your brother is the worst kind of cockblock," I muttered, catching his arm before he could escape the bed.

"It's probably for the best anyways," Rhys told me, offering me a sad smile. "I've got to get to work in an hour."

"What time is it?" I asked, remembering how my dad said he might actually come home today.

"A little before noon," he informed, falling back into bed to kiss me one more time. But this time, as he got up, I didn't stop him. I stumbled out of bed myself then, finding my discarded shoes in a daze. As I slipped them on, I looked back up at Rhys, who had lost his shirt in the process of my tying the laces of my boots. I let my gaze follow the carvings of his chest, biting my lip as I attempted to keep my unholy actions at bay.

"If you don't put on a shirt soon, we're never leaving this room," I called out, taking my phone from the nightstand. He laughed at my words, finding a fitted gray v-neck to clothe his inhumanly attractive abdomen.

A few minutes later, we managed to both leave his room primarily clothed, a feat I still considered largely impossible.

"I guess I'll see you later," I smiled, walking to my car. I could feel his presence behind me still, so I turned around to look at him once I reached my car door.

"I'll see you tonight," he told me, his tone commanding. "Eight o'clock. Be ready."

"For you? Always."