Page 69 of Love in Pieces

Thirty minutes pass before I hear Abby’s door open briefly. She slides her wrappers out in the now empty bag, the small act making me chuckle a bit before her door clicks shut again. I finish up the rest of my tacos and sit back down next to her door, grabbing a new piece of paper.

Full?

She responds quickly.

Yes. Thank you for the food.

Good choice by the way. I knew you’d make the right decision.

She responds with a small smiley face. I stare at the paper for a moment, silently laughing at just how different our handwriting is. Hers is half cursive, half print, while mine looks like a toddler is guessing how to hold a pen. I’ve never really cared how my writing looks, but seeing the stark comparison between the two, I’m a little surprised she can even read it.

Are you okay?

That’s probably the wrong thing to ask, come to think of it, but I’ve already slipped the paper back under the door.

A much too long moment later, the paper slowly slides back out. One word:No.

As I stare at that singular word, I can feel the weight of it. And I know for a fact that it’s heavier for her, sitting on her chest like a pile of bricks.

I hear a small click next to me when the door to her room opens a crack. I don’t dare look in, but she slides her hand out from the crack reaching around the door frame, offering those delicate fingers to me. I weave my fingers into hers and I hear her breathe out, as if she was afraid I wouldn’t take her hand. So, we sit like that, suspended momentarily in a sort of understanding. And the touch of her skin on mine, if even a small shred of herself like this, is enough to make me forget every other person my fingers have touched.

A slight tug on my hand sets my heart racing, realization dawning that she might let me into that turbulent mind of hers. I stand, not letting her hand slip from mine, and round the corner into her room, closing the door behind me.

Abby sits on the floor with her knees tucked to her chest wrapped in her favorite blanket. Her black hair is pulled back into a loose, messy ponytail. She watches me carefully, resting her head against the wall, her eyes following mine. Her arms twist around my torso when I take a seat next to her. I place a kiss on top of her head, lingering a moment to take in the minty scent of what I’ve since learned is her conditioner.

When I pull away, she brings her free hand up to my cheek, her lips colliding with mine. It’s urgent, pleading. I push past the shock of the situation, relishing in the desire I’ve felt since her birthday. I place my free hand on her cheek and slowly snake it back into her hair. She pulls her other hand free from mine and gently holds the back of my neck. The intensity of the kiss grows when she parts her lips, inviting me in for more. Her leg slides over mine so she straddles me. My tongue traces her mouth, charting it for the next time I taste these savory lips.

There’s no hiding my excitement. She’ll feel all of it. I grip her waist, watching her body move over mine already moving in a slow melodic rhythm with me. At the same time, our hands slip underneath each other's shirts, exploring the yearning bodies beneath. The fabric of the blanket falls off her shoulders, settling at her hips to reveal a white tee with an emblem on the front of her right shoulder. She bites her lip as she trails her arms down my torso, then lower. Her eyes are hungry like she’s starved of connection.

She’s just slightly taller sitting on my lap like this, giving me perfect access to the delicate skin of her neck and I decide that’s where I’ll start. I place a kiss on her jaw, trailing the bone until I get to her ear, nipping the lobe. She takes a sharp breath, letting her head fall back. I place another kiss below her ear, inching my way lower until I reach her collarbone. A light lick up the center of her neck has her reeling, her hips already moving faster on top of me.

I slide my hands under her shirt again, creeping up her petite figure, cupping her breasts, her nipples are hard. She pulls the shirt over her head, tosses it across the room, and presses those round lips to mine, making me forget everything for a moment. Our tongues swirl, fighting like swords, and she bites my lower lip playfully before giving me a sly smile. She yanks on the sides of my shirt, forcing it over my head and dropping it next to us. She traces a finger down the center of my chest and then back up to my chin before tipping my head up and copying the kisses I placed on her neck.

When she finishes, my breathing is heavy, as is hers. She stands, taking my hand and pulling us to her bed. She shoves the books to the floor, a pen hitting the wall, and a notebook falling open at the end of her bed. She kneels on the mattress, begging me to join her. Inching backward, she lays her head against the pile of pillows, so I slowly climb on, hovering over her, arms braced on either side of her head.

Her naked body, aside from the black panties she still wears, breathes heavily under me. The rise and fall of her chest focus my attention on her breasts again, and I take one into my mouth. A small moan escapes her lips, and she arches her back, pressing her hips to me. I pass a hand over her other breast, palming it tightly before slowly moving lower. I pause at her panties a moment but slip my hand under the fabric, finding the sensitive bundle of nerves. Light circles make her writhe. My hand slides lower as I slip a finger in, slowly pressing it in and out. She moves with me, and I slide another finger in. The heavy moan comes from her chest this time. I force myself to watch her as I suck the other nipple.

Her eyes are closed, her head tipped back, breathing heavily. The corners of her mouth tug toward a smile.

I move my hand faster, thumb working her clit. The sensation coaxes her mouth open, and her breathing gets shallow and quick as she makes her way to a climax. I keep the pace. Her fists are balled in the comforter beneath us and when she reaches her peak, there’s one last sharp breath before she slowly comes down from her high.

Before her breathing evens out, she tugs at my pants, undoing the button of the khakis and lowering the zipper. I lower the pants, pull my briefs down with them, and step out of both. There’s no missing my eagerness as the length of my cock springs free. I move over her again, placing the head at her entrance. She widens her legs, giving me easier access as I slide in. Her breath hitches from the new pressure but she bites her lip as I push in farther. I cover her lips with mine as I thrust. She wraps a leg around my back and laces her fingers through my hair. I hold the back of her neck with one hand, weight on my elbow, the other holding the curve of her hip.

Our breathing becomes one while I’m almost to my climax, faster than I want to be. I hit a peak of pure ecstasy, a heavy breath escaping me before I fall to the bed next to her. We lie there for a few minutes catching our breath, our hands woven together.

Abby turns to me. I can’t quite tell what she’s thinking or feeling. It’s a lot, that I know. What she says next catches me off guard.

“Thank you,” she whispers, placing a kiss on my cheek.

My brows twist together while I try to compute exactly what she means. Thank you for what? The sex? The food? She reads my mind before I can question her.

“For not questioning me further. For going with the flow. For ... trying, even after I shoved you away.” She looks away as if embarrassed by her previous actions.

“I’m not going to leave you high and dry. Today was tough. For multiple reasons. I’m not going to pretend I know exactly what you’re going through, but you won’t go through it alone.” I kiss her temple. She smiles, tucking her head into the crook of my neck, her warm breath sending a shiver down my spine.

---