Chapter Sixty: Shirt On

Kayla was aching, it was a good ache, the kind that came from staying up all night doing devilishly sexy things with the handsome man that was sleeping contently beside her. She propped her head up on her hand, watching the rise and fall of his bare chest as Sean Roman slept. His clean shaven cheek was pressed into her pillow, his head tilted towards her, his blond hair tousled from last night's antics. He looked so relaxed right now, like there was nothing in the world that could touch him and she enjoyed seeing this aspect of him. Sometimes she thought he carried the weight of the world on those shoulders of his and she loved seeing him carefree.

There was no doubt in her mind how she felt about him. He was the first man she had come to trust after what had happened to her, the only one she felt truly safe with. They had come such a long way since that night in Molly's, the one where she'd literally bumped into him at the bar. She had been meek and unsettled, still trying to find her feet after the situation with her ex. She had forgotten how thrilling it could be when you met someone you connected with and the chemistry she had with Sean practically sizzled with sparks every time the two of them were in close proximity to one another.

One autumn night Sean had offered to walk her home after a late spell in Molly's and as the two of them had exited the bar something had happened. Her heel had caught a crack in the side walk and she had gone careening into him, before she knew it she was in his arms, pressed against that broad chest of his, her heart beating wildly. She'd tilted her head up and found herself hooked by his vibrant azure eyes. She didn't know who started the kiss, or even who ended it, she just remembered the gentle caress of his lips upon hers, his tongue teasing the parting of her mouth before she had moaned and drawn him in even closer. They had gone to Sean's instead that night, that torrid passion had swept up inside of them like a tornado and they were powerless to resist it.

In the elevator to his floor, she remembered that ragged pant in her ear as her tongue swiped at the curve of his throat, her nimble fingers already delving into the recesses of his shirt. It had been over a year since she had allowed anyone to touch her and she craved that physical and emotional contact more than anything else at that moment. Once inside of his apartment he had taken his time with her, he had undressed her slowly, his hands gliding all over her body as he stroked, kissed and teased her into submission. He'd treated her like a goddess that night, describing how beautiful she was, how good her skin felt against his. She knew now that they were words he used only for her, that even back then she was special to him. He made sure she knew it and she loved him for it.

A couple of weeks ago she used to worry that she didn't have enough of herself to give to him but she had come to understand their relationship wasn't about giving or taking. It was about partnership and supporting the other when they needed it. She'd tried to avoid him for so long before Kim had gotten shot, she hadn't been ready to acknowledge the feelings inside of her or to let go of that barrier of fear that kept her from embracing her life fully. However seeing how something so random could happen on the job had been the wake up call she needed, all she could think about at the time was how glad she was it wasn't Sean who had been at that door. She knew that was selfish but it was also honest. At that point she had made the decision to let go of the past and step forward into her future.

It had killed her turning up at the hospital and seeing him so broken and upset, his shoulders sagging in that small metal chair as he rubbed his hands over his face. She had never seen him look so tired or dejected, he didn't deal well with mental strife and she could see all of those emotions warring inside of him. At that moment he needed someone, more than he had ever needed anyone and it was time for her to step up.

Now he was here in her apartment, asleep in her bed, hopefully having blissful dreams.

Groaning quietly Kayla arched along the length of the bed, stretching out those aching muscles before slipping out from underneath the sheets. She scooped up the blue and white striped shirt that Sean had been wearing last night and slipped it over her head. It fell to mid thigh, covering the rest of her assets. She rolled up the sleeves to her elbows before tiptoeing from the bedroom and padding towards the kitchen in search of caffeine. It had been a late shift for Sean last night so she was happy to leave him sleeping in the bedroom, he'd been beyond exhausted when the two of them had finally slipped into sleep after hours of slow, deliberate love making.

Kayla flicked on the coffee machine, popping in one of the coffee pods she enjoyed so much before slotting a mug under the nozzle. She only had a couple of hours until she was on shift herself, which would give her enough time to grab a shower before she departed for work. First though, she needed coffee.

Kayla could feel his intimate gaze on her as she added the sugar to her coffee, tapping the teaspoon twice against the mug before she glanced over her shoulder. Her dark eyebrows raised as she took in the sight of him standing in the bedroom doorway wearing nothing but the top sheet from her bed wrapped around his hips. The sheet hung low, giving Kayla a very nice view of his firm muscular chest as he leaned against the door frame, an inviting eyebrow arched and that wicked smirk of his curving across his handsome features.

"Come back to bed." he murmured, his azure eyes drinking in his lover's supple form as she stood there wearing nothing but his shirt.

His love for her was insatiable, he was visibly aroused, he knew she could see it through the sheet he held against his lower body and it made him throb when she licked her lips as her gaze lowered to it.

"I suppose I could come back to bed for the right incentive." she teased him, taking slow deliberate steps towards him, his shirt rustling with every move she made. It was all he could do not to reach out and clasp her to him, instead he backed up until he was standing at the base of her bed.

"You look good wrapped up in my sheets." Kayla told him with a teasing lilt to her voice before she placed a dainty hand to his chest and pushed him backwards onto the bed.

Her fingertips reached down for the shirt's hem so that she could drag it up along the length of her sensuous form. She paused for a moment, laughing gleefully at his words as he spoke.

"Keep the shirt on."