Page 55 of Sunrise Arrows

Inside, I leave the lights off and take her up the stairs, water dripping from her hair across the hardwood floors as we go. In the loft, I lay her out on the bed, covering her naked body with my own, and begin to kiss the trail of tears from her cheeks, my hands framing her face to block everything out but me and her.

“Tinsley, baby, I’m sorry,” I murmur, chasing a tear as it races from the corner of her eye into her hair. “Please stop cryin’. It’s destroyin’ me to see your tears and know I caused them.”

“I never wanted to hurt you, Archer. I—” she hiccups and clings tighter to me “—I’m so, so sorry that we did. You never called, so I believed him. It wasn’t until Ames said, said you never—” her voice breaks off into a sob and she tries to hide in my neck, making herself as small as possible. “I thought keepin’ it from you after I found out would be… that it’d be easier than you knowin’ what happened that night and then a year later.”

Curling back from her, I smooth the drying wisps of hair back from her face and pull her out to look at me, those damn eyes of hers nearly glowing in the dark from how hard she’s crying.

“Baby, what are you talkin’ about? Who?”

She shakes her head, unwilling to answer me, tear stained lips reaching for me instead, a broken plea of, “Please,” passing between us. “Please, love me.”

“I’m always gonna love you, Tinsley. That will never, ever fuckin’ change,” I swear.

Fingers in her hair, I skim my hand down her side, hiking her thigh up around my hip, our mouths coming together. A sharp whimper of relief leaves her and she gives over to the coming distraction and affirmation of my vow. Her limbs cling to me and she presses her body in close, forcing out every sliver of space that exists between us. She seeps herself into my soul, making it her home as if it hasn’t been lingering on her memory and patiently waiting for her return.

Our breaths grow short the longer we go with only the other’s exhales for oxygen. I can’t let her go though. The caressing tangle of her tongue with mine is far more important than something so trivial as taking a full breath.

Small moans and quiet gasps fill the space, and my skin and hers begin to heat, banishing the chill of the lake. Between her supple thighs, my cock grows, finding its way home to her pussy.

Tinsley is wet and hot around me, and I glide through her lips with each gentle roll of my hips. My slick head massages her clit with each stroke, and she tries to pull away with a moan. Not ready to detach from her, I keep a secure hold on the back of her head and swallow the sound, letting it fill me up from the inside out.

Her raw, desperate anguish and apology washes away what remains of my anger, and all I want now is to heal her from whatever damage has been hidden within her. To take my time lavishing apologies I should have given her before now upon her skin.

Rolling us over, I bring us up toward the top of the bed. Our lips finally part as we move, but with each inch gained, one of us is chasing the other, hungry to reconnect.

Against the headboard, I drag her body up into my lap, sitting her over my erection.

Here in the dark, amongst unmasked truths, we’re driven by connection. We move in unhurried ease, her body slow and sweet as she works herself up on me without penetration.

Her arms wrap around me, drawing herself in even closer. She parts from our kiss, soaking in my nearness as she brings her cheek to mine.

“I could lose it all tomorrow but as long as I have you, I have everything,” she whispers. “I only wanted to spare you any more pain. I would do and sacrifice anything to spare you the pain of the truth.”

“Tinsley, losing you is the only thing that can hurt me.”

“I fear I’ll lose you if I tell you.”

I hold her to me as I rise to tuck my legs under myself and murmur, “Let me show you that you have nothin’ to fear, baby. Not with me.”

She nods her head—a single tear rolling down her cheek that I brush away—and lifts her hips up. With her hand between us, she guides me to her pussy and gradually begins to sink down on my cock.

Her face is exquisite as I fill her. Mouth parted, eyes struggling to stay open and on mine, her beautiful brow pulled together in sweet agony, and though I can’t see it in the lightless room, I know a rosy flush warms her cheeks, making her glow.

When I’m fully inside her, she stills and looks down between us at how I stretch her. Glancing up at me, Tinsley murmurs, “I love you,” and starts to move.

I meet every swivel and rock of her hips with unhurried upward thrusts, relishing in the feel of her around my bare cock. Her breasts move with the gentlest sway and her head lulls back, my name a soft devotion on her lips as she slowly takes us higher.

This is why I gave up on moving on with no real effort behind my attempts.

I could stay here inside her, holding her to me all night, and be more satisfied than I ever have.

This is home.

* * *

I’m stillinside Tinsley as she traces the bridge of my nose with the tip of hers. At the end, she nuzzles her head under my chin and caresses her fingers down my left arm, silently worshipping my strawberry tattoo as I do her arrow.

I don’t want to disrupt the peace that has settled between us, but what brought us here still lingers like a watchful spectre—and I’m not the only one that feels it.

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