Crossing Destinies (A Pretender Story) #Wattys2019 #Wattys2021

Chapter VI: Andante Amoroso Part 2

Chapter VI: Andante Amoroso Part 2

Sunday, June 16th, 06.35 a.m.

Erin was sleeping, lost in a peaceful sleep, a slight smile lingering on her lips. She was dreaming...

Loving arms were around her, she was feeling the comforting warmth of a male body crouched against hers, on the nape of her neck the pressure of tender and hot lips... Here was finally somebody who loved her, who wanted her, who would chase away the loneliness troubling her heart... Then suddenly she found herself alone, abandoned, refused... No, no, not again, she couldn't stand it... Anguish crushed her chest, taking her breath away, choking her...

Erin woke up with a start, gasping for air, her heart pounding wildly, a lump in her throat, an iron grasp squeezing her stomach. The early sun illuminated the closed curtains. She was in her bed... and terrified she realised she was alone.

"Jarod..." she squeaked. An indescribable panic took possession of her soul, cancelling all her rationality: he was gone, he had left her!

She stood up; naked, her legs yielding in distress, she staggered through the room to go out looking for him. Walking by the guest bathroom, she stumbled and almost crashed into the closed door. She leaned heavily on it, trying to regain her balance. Through the wooden panel, the faint noise of the shower reached her. Her eyes widened in disbelief; her breath hanging on a hope she didn't dare to believe yet, she wrenched the door open.

Scared by the sudden noise, Jarod spun around; he was under the shower, his well-built body covered only by a few curls of foam, and he stared at Erin through the transparent Plexiglas of the box. He saw her, one hand on her throat, her chest raising and lowering convulsively as if she had been about to choke and was now breathing better. He realised that she had been in a terrible anguish, even if he couldn't guess the reason: maybe a bad dream? He moved to meet her, to offer her his comfort, but she anticipated him, opened the box door and jumped in. She threw her arms around his neck and Jarod could see that she was on the verge of tears. She trembled violently in his arms, and he held her tight, stroking her back to reassure her, while water was soaking her from head to toe.

"It's all right, baby", he whispered in her ear, "It's all right... I'm here, with you."

After a few moments, Erin stopped shaking and raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were still immense and wide open because of the fear she had felt.

"I'm sorry", she whispered, ashamed by her weakness, "For a terrible moment, I thought you were gone. Right gone, with no reason, like..." her voice trailed off, but Jarod guessed the rest: like the other one.

"I'd never do such a thing on my own will", he declared firmly, "They'd have to take me away from you by force!"

To emphasise his words, he lowered his head and kissed her. Erin opened immediately her mouth, clutching on his lips as if they were her salvation, and Jarod realised once and for all that, if she was his lifeline, he was hers. From that moment on, none of them could ever forsake the other one.

Desire shot through them like a fire, a desire that was of both body and soul, a desire that was need.

She felt the evidence of his longing against her abdomen, and shoved one hand between their clinging bodies to caress him intimately. Jarod groaned, his parted lips against hers. Erin kissed him in the most arousing way she knew, wishing to make him understand how much she wanted him.

He understood; flattered, he slipped one hand between them and searched for the most hidden folds of her body. Feeling his fingers coming forward, Erin lifted one leg and twisted it around his to favour him. Gently, Jarod plunged one finger into the core of her femininity: with water pouring on them, he couldn't feel her wetness, but he caught her warmth, and the moan she uttered couldn't be mistaken. With a gasp, he clasped her buttocks and lifted her from the ground, propping her against the wall to keep his balance.