Page 94 of Fractured Grief
I removed the towels from the bed, placed the oil on his dresser, and put his clothes in the hamper. Then I settled back on the bed to wait.
I noticed a stunning faux-leather-bound book on his bedside table surrounded by exquisite, ornate animals. I picked up a bison and admired the details. Lexi had been incredibly talented. Each animal was unique and different, with different expressions, different fur techniques; they were all individual and stunning. I found the lone fox with the broken tail at the back. He was so tiny and yet so detailed. His eyes looked like they followed you. I assessed the tail and thought about the best way to fix the little guy.
Indy still hadn’t returned as I gazed at the journal, running my hand over the letter pressed into the front cover; IJC. Indy’s initials, I wondered what the J stood for. I was still tracing the letters as I clutched the fox in my other hand when Indy strode back in.
His gaze shot to mine. I felt like I’d been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. I snapped my hand back from the book and scrambled to place the fox back with the other animals.
“I’m sorry. They’re just so beautiful, I couldn’t resist,” I babbled, unsure if he was mad or if I’d just undone all my hard work relaxing him.
I watched him cautiously as he visibly shook himself off and walked over to sit next to me on the bed.
“It’s okay,” he whispered, picking up the journal. “I’m very protective of this and those animals, so it surprised me to have someone else touch them, but I want you to, Seb. I want to share this with you.”
He reverently placed the book on my lap. “Take a look.”
I slowly opened the book to the first page, feeling the weight of his trust and love in this moment. The page had a message in messy handwriting that said it was from his soul sister, his Lexi. I traced the message with my fingers, noting the warped parts and raised bumps on the page from what must have been Indy’s tears.
As if reading my mind, he spoke, “I hadn’t been able to open this since she died. I only managed to do so recently, after one of our appointments. Reading this message for the first time since she’d been gone was different. Yes, those were my tears,” he stated, as he too traced the warped paper.
“It’s beautiful, Indy. It’s clear how much she loved you,” I whispered, feeling the reverence of this moment. Indy was sharing something raw and real with me—something no one else had seen. I turned the pages slowly, gasping as the stunning artwork was revealed. They looked like photos. The details in every stroke, the use of texture and shadows. It was breathtaking, his talent truly extraordinary.
“These are incredible.” I was completely in awe. Each picture was unique. Each more exquisite than the last. I turned page after page of Hazel and Lexi. Two stunning girls, brought to life by Indy’s talent.
I turned to watch Indy and saw he was smiling as silent tears streamed down his face. “I haven’t been able to bring myself to look at the pictures of her. It was too hard.” He gazed up at me, his multi-colored eyes sparkling with tears. “But you made it easier. Thank you for giving a piece of her back to me.”
His words hit me hard in the chest, taking my breath away.
The moment was heavy, overflowing with emotions, but a lightness too. Indy smiled and let his tears fall down his cheeks as he gazed back at the drawings of Lex.
“It’s so good to see her smile,” he spoke reverently as he traced the picture with the back of his forefinger, careful not to smudge it. “Thank you, Seb.”
Indy cautiously took the book from my hands and placed it back on the bedside table before he moved to straddle my lap and caress either side of my face.
“Thank you,” he said again, before kissing me like his life depended on it. His tongue pushed into my mouth, taking control and dancing with mine. He moved my hands down to grip his bare ass, his towel from the shower discarded on the floor. We kissed and caressed as our hands roamed.
I was hard and aching as Indy writhed on my lap. Soon, Indy was nibbling his way down my neck, pulling down the collar of my Henley to reveal more skin. He made quick work of removing it and flinging it off to the side, along with my undershirt.
Indy sat back and gazed at my chest. His fingers tracing the lines of my various tattoos, each movement different as he followed the story mapped out on my skin.
I shivered as he circled my nipple, enjoying the zing that went through me.
“Hmm, you like that,” Indy noted and did it again.
The breathyyes,I moaned out quickly became a curse as he leaned forward and sucked my nipple into his mouth. He flicked the hardened bud with his tongue as he tweaked the other one with his nimble fingers. I was confused by the sensations and didn’t know if I wanted to lean into it or move away. Indy surprised me again by biting my sensitized flesh, causing me to buck and groan as my trapped erection rubbed against Indy’s bare ass.
I was on edge, overwhelmed by sensations as Indy continued his assault on my chest. He licked and nipped every part of my pecks until I was a begging mess, leaking endlessly into my boxers.
“Please, Indy. I need…more,” I moaned, completely under his spell.
“I’m not done with you yet,” he growled, bringing my arousal to new heights.
“Please!”
I had no idea my nipples were so sensitive. It felt like every tweak and flick sent lightning straight to my cock. I tried to shift Indy to get at my pants and free my aching cock, but Indy quickly put a stop to that.
“Oh no, you don’t,” he rasped. “You’re at my mercy now.”
“Oh my God!” My eyes rolled back in my head, and I nearly levitated off the bed at his words. How did this man have so much power over me? It was intoxicating.
