Page 65 of Fault Line

The way she moves beneath me is mesmerizing, every little sigh and moan driving me wild with need. I’m not sure how much longer we spend like this, tracing the curves and edges of each other’s skin, but time slips away as the room grows darker.

And when I finally push inside her, it’s pure fucking bliss. Perfect. Complete. I know this isn’t what we agreed on, but it’s what we were meant for—two halves of a dysfunctional whole.

I said before that I was content to leave things how they are, but I’m realizing that’s a bald-faced lie. I’m so fucking far from being content. The truth is, I want this girl for a million other reasons than what she can do for me in the bedroom.

I want to wake up with her in the mornings and not have to worry about whether or not I crossed a line. I want to take care of her when she’s sick and not have to practically force her into letting me. I want to fight with her and not have to fear that she’ll never speak to me again.

I want security. Trust. To be the one person she comes to when she’s in need. But for the first time in weeks, I’m not so sure the two of us are on the same page.

* * *

I wakeup in the middle of the night in Kaia’s bed, stretching my limbs out, the warmth of her sheets tangled around my body. Her head’s nestled against my chest, and the sweet, steady rhythm of her breathing lulls me back into a peaceful state.

I lie there for a while, admiring the delicate curve of her hips and the way her hair spills across my skin. It’s like a waterfall of dark silk. The soft light of the moon casts a gentle glow across the room, illuminating her features.

I’m not sure why, but last night felt more intense between us, more passionate, and it feels really fucking good to wake up with her in my arms. Reluctantly, I move to disentangle myself. But in my haste, Kaia stirs, her eyes fluttering open.

“Stay,” she whispers, a drowsy smile spreading across her face.

So I do. I stay wrapped up in her embrace until the morning light comes, until she kicks me out with a half-hearted chuckle and a swift pat on the ass.

Driving back home, I can’t shake the confusion that lingers in my chest. What happened last night between us? Was it just another casual hookup for her, or was there something more there?

I know what I’m feeling now, and it’s like a revelation, a sudden understanding of something that’s been there all along. Something hidden beneath the surface. It’s become crystal fucking clear to me that I’m falling for her, that I want more than just a casual hookup or some insignificant fling.

But even as I revel in this, I can’t help my apprehension.

As much as I pride myself on understanding her, Kaia’s mind’s still a mystery to me sometimes, her emotions locked up like a vault. But with each passing day, I’m beginning to see glimpses of the real her, the one behind the carefully constructed façade.

And I’m falling deeper and deeper every damn day, despite the fear that she might never let me in fully.

As soon as I step inside our house, I find Rai lounging on the couch with the TV blaring in the background. He looks up at me with a self-satisfied grin, like he’s been waiting for me to come home all morning.

“Hey, man,” I greet him, plopping down beside him on the couch. “Hypothetically speaking, what does it mean if a girl you’ve been sleeping with suddenly asks you to stay the night?”

He looks up at me, a mischievous glint in his eye. “It depends.”

“On what?”

“On whether or not the girl in question is Kaia Karras,” he says, a smirk spreading across his annoying face.

“Rai, you don’t need to use the girl’s full name,” I say, rolling my eyes. “She’s not a fucking celebrity.”

“She is in this house,” he retorts, not missing a beat.

“My god, man.”

“Okay, so that answers my question.” He flicks the TV off, turning to face me full-on. “As for yours, the answer’s simple, Becksy.”

My interest’s officially piqued. “Elaborate.”

“She’s starting to like you for more than just the hanky-panky,” he says, waggling his eyebrows.

“Jesus, where’d you even pick that up? The retirement home?”

“Sorry, let me try that again,” he says, fully beaming now. “She likes you for more than just a good ol’ dicking down.”

“Okay, I’m out of here.” I snort, ignoring his mumbled protests as I make my way up the stairs.

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