Steady On.

Chapter 49.

The sun was shining bright, the clouds scattered throughout the sky as Rey's eyes fluttered open, her cheeks still red and body warm from the night's events.

Smiling, she turned to lay on her back, stretching out on the empty bed as the sheet lowered, exposing her breasts to the cold air as her muscles relaxed against the bed. She looked around the room, realizing Kylo was nowhere to be found.

Sighing, she slowly sat up, covering her yawn with the back of her hand.

"Ben?" she called out.

Silence answered.

With a furrowed brow, Rey got out of bed, securing the black, satin sheet tightly around her body as she went to look for him.

Her lower abdomen ached, and her center was sore, the cause of it reddened her cheeks even more as she opened the bedroom door, looking down the hall to see the light from the fresher on, the door only half closed.

Slowly, she made her way down to the room, gently pushing open the door to see a shirtless Kylo standing in front of the mirror, a small blade held to his cheek.

In the mirror, his eyes shot to hers, unbothered.

As her eyes glanced over him curiously, she watched as his own glanced down her body before returning to his reflection, moving the small blade along his cheek.

Baffled, Rey spoke first.

"What in the stars are you doing?"

Glancing at her once more, Kylo felt the urge to laugh at her shocked expression, but quickly suppressed it.

"Shaving." He answered simply, continuing his task at hand.

Rey's brow raised at him suspiciously, and he returned it just the same as he finished up, Rey's eyes never leaving his face as she watched the last bits of hair leave his jaw.

His face was clean, his black hair wet and combed away from his face. It reminded her of the first time she had seen his face, unbelieving that it was so long ago now.

Watching his face, her center grew warm just as it had in the middle of the night before he took her once more...

Blushing, she clutched the sheet to her chest harder as his eyes wandered down and watched the movement.

Feeling uncomfortable under his intense gaze, Rey cleared her throat.

"Well, what's on the agenda today?" she asked timidly.

Kylo snickered.

"Eager to get out?" he assumed, placing his razor down on the sink before turning to face her head on.

Her hair was down, cascading past her shoulders in wisps of soft brown embers, her cheeks pink and eyes wide with wonder, and her jaw set with a sternness that drove him wild.

Even several feet away, he could feel her warmth around him, making him wonder if it was their physical presence, or their bond.

"Not eager... I've been doing quite well with training if I do say so myself..." She shrugged, moving to toy with the leaf of a large plant sitting atop the counter, feeling playful. "Thought you could use a break from preying on the innocent..." Rey's eyes caught his gaze at the last bit of her statement, nearly laughing at his amused scoff.

"Really?" he asked, dragging his hand over his freshly shaved chin. Easily, he channeled the energy around him, as if muting every sound and capturing the attention of every living thing within the hut.

Rey's eyes widened as she felt his demanding presence command her attention, her body involuntarily moving to face him. Whatever he was doing, she was beginning to feel dizzy and entranced, warmth filling her vision, every sound drowning out except for his voice, a soft melody to her ears.