The Sun in My Eyes

30 You're All I Want, So Bring Me the Dawn

***WARNING***

  STEAMY SEXY TIMES AHEAD. And some metaphorical falling. A truth is revealed and then the  spiral of angst begins. Oh yeah, also, Priya and Bobby concoct Operation: Nope. Enjoy! 

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Bobby woke up to Lili's soft touch. Her fingers swept over his chest, tracing the constellation of his freckles. He smiled and reached for her. "Morning gorgeous," he said.

"Morning." The early flush of sunrise from the sliding glass door filled their little oasis with light. Naked, she arched her back and stretched, glowing like a goddess and he couldn't resist skimming his fingers over her stomach, watching the light sparkle prettily between his hand and her skin.

The night before had been profound. Magical. He'd never experienced anything like it, and he wanted more. He pulled her into a kiss and a surge of electricity passed between them, raising goosebumps on his arms. The pulse in her neck called to his mouth and he heeded that call, licking, kissing, biting. He made his way down her chest, cupping her tattooed breasts, kneading the way she liked. The way that made her moan.

"I never finished investigating your tattoos," he murmured, making her shiver. "Tell me about these ones." He traced the words with his tongue.

"It's a poem." She gasped as he blew on her nipple, making it stand at taut attention before he drew it into his mouth. "Ah, uh, the minute I read it, I knew I needed those words on my body. I needed to absorb them."

"Mmm." He released her nipple. "What does it mean to you?"

"Well, I told you how my first year of Uni was terrible, like. But it was more than being lost. I studied too hard and worked too much, and I made myself sick. I had no friends. I wasn't sleeping. I wasn't eating. I was a mess." She reached down and cupped her breast, running her fingers over the letters, still damp from his tongue. "I collapsed during a dance class and ended up in hospital."

"God." He sat up. "Babe..."

"I'm fine now. I really am." She stroked his cheek. "My new social worker came to check on me and she was wonderful. She really listened and she forced me to slow down and take better care of myself. Made me go to therapy. At first I fought her about wasting time on things like sleep and friendships, when I should have been studying. I felt like, if I let go for even a single second, everything would come crashing down. I remember her grabbing my hand and squeezing it so hard it hurt. And she said, 'Girl, this is your life. It's happening right now and you're missing it. You think you're being strong, but this isn't strength. It's fear. Not feeling things and holding everything so tightly seems like the only option, because it's worked so far. It's carried you through all the bullshit. But it's not working anymore, so you're going to have to do this another way. It's time for you to stop hiding behind control so you don't have to feel anything. Be brave enough to let go.'"

Anxiety fluttered in Bobby's chest, as if the words had been aimed at him. He pushed it aside and kissed her neck, scraping his teeth over the spot. "Wow, she sounds pure brilliant."

"That's Lauren. Annoyingly right about almost everything."

"Oh!" He stopped kissing her neck. "Lauren, your best friend Lauren?"

"Yeah. She's basically my mother, sister, best friend and sometimes, when I'm feeling a little dramatic, my worst enemy. She's the most amazing person. I'm so lucky she came into my life. Anyway, when I saw that poem the words resonated. That's how I used to feel. Bathed in brokenness. But now I feel strong. I put myself back together."