Free The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski Page B

within my hand.
    Afterward I collapse on top of him fully, my cheek pressed against his chest, my knees still bent at his sides as I straddle his lap. I hear his heart beating rapidly in my ear. He splays his arms out on both sides across the bed and catches his breath before enveloping me within them. I feel his lips press against my hair.
    I just lay here, thinking. I think about what just happened and what didn’t. I think about how good he smells and how warm his skin is against mine. I think about how tame he has become. All because he’s worried he’ll hurt me, physically, emotionally, probably even spiritually, if that were possible. And I love him for it. I love him for how much he loves me back, but I hope he doesn’t stay this protective of me forever.
    For now, I’ll leave him alone about it. I guess I have to prove that I’m myself first before he can let his guard down from around me. And I respect that.
    I lift my cheek from his chest and smile into his eyes.
    I wonder if he’ll try to explain himself, tell me why he pulled out, maybe say he just wasn’t sure if he should, or not. But he never does. Maybe he’s waiting on me. But I never say anything about it, either.
    To stir the silence between us and cut some of the uncertainty in the room, I playfully wriggle my hips on top of him and laugh a little.
    “You gotta let me recuperate first, babe.” He smiles back at me and smacks my ass with both hands.
    I let out an exaggerated yelp, pretending that it actually stung and then I wriggle on him some more.
    “You better stop,” he warns me, his dimples deepening in his cheeks.
    I do it again.
    “You think I’m playin’? Do it again and you’ll regret it.”
    Of course, I do it again and brace myself mentally for whatever he plans to do to teach me a lesson.
    He reaches between us and grabs both of my nipples in his fingers and squeezes them just enough to make me freeze for fear of moving too abruptly and risk them getting ripped off.
    “Oooowww!” I let out a peal of laughter and grab his hands, but he pinches a little harder when I try to pry them away.
    “I told you,” he shakes his head at me, putting on such a serious face that I’m impressed at how convincing it actually is. “Should’ve listened.”
    “Please, please,
please
, let gooooo!”
    He licks the dryness from his lips and says so casually, “Are you going to be good?”
    I nod fast about ten times.
    He narrows those devilish green eyes at me, stringing me along. “You swear?”
    “I swear on the grave of my long-lost dog, Beebop!”
    He pinches my nipples one last time, making me wince and grit my teeth, before letting go. And then he raises himself upright on the bed and wraps my legs around his waist. He leans inward and traces each of my breasts lightly with the tip of his tongue, kissing them afterward.
    “All better?” he asks, staring into my eyes.
    “All better,” I whisper. Then he kisses my lips and makes love to me gently before we fall asleep, curled up with each other, sometime after three in the morning.

11
    I thought I’d have a much worse hangover than I do this morning. Last night was the first time I’ve had a drink in months, but I’m not complaining. I roll over on my side, and when I see the clock next to my face reading an hour and a half past the time Andrew was supposed to be at the airport, my eyes pop open and I shoot upright on the bed.
    “Andrew!” I say, shaking him awake.
    He groans and rolls over, barely opening his eyes a crack. He reaches out his arm and tries to bury me underneath it so he can go back to sleep, but I push it away.
    “Get up. Missed your plane.”
    The only part of his body that moves are his eyes popping open much like mine did, and when reality sinks in, the rest of his body follows suit.
    “Shit! Shit! Shit!” He gets out of the bed and stands in the center of the room, naked.
    I never get tired of looking at him—naked or clothed, it doesn’t matter. How