Takes Its Toll

by Kit Graves

  “Are you hungry?” he asked next, peering into the kitchen over her shoulder. “We can-”

  “No,” she said, turning his cheek so he was looking back at her. “Let’s not.”

  Watching his easy smile become a pointed smirk did something to her insides, something liquid and thrilling.

  She didn’t care about being brazen anymore. She wanted to feel close to him: to draw nearer again, back into the warmth and peace that his arms always promised.

  “I guess it’s bedtime then,” he said, putting those arms around her now and shuffling her forward, guiding her to the bedroom. She tilted her head back for a slow kiss, drawing away only when he began dropping his mouth to her neck and shoulder.

  She may have wanted this badly, but she was still holding out for a bed.

  They finally made it and Olivia sunk into the mattress with relief, holding her arms up so Harlan would drop himself into place above her. He held himself over her easily, muscles taut but face relaxed. Slowly, he nestled his weight against her, their bodies finding their familiar fit.

  She ran her fingers through his hair, catching it in the ponytail holder he wore that day and tugging the dark, shimmering strands loose. It fell around his face, not long enough to obstruct it, but enough to show a stark comparison between their shining strands and the rough pits and bristling stubble of his face. He made a silly face at her, and she laughed, knowing she’d been caught staring. But she wasn’t embarrassed, didn’t blush for once. He was hers to stare at, and she could look forever.

  “What?” he asked softly, staring back for a moment. She caught her lip in her teeth grinning: she couldn’t help it. Happiness bubbled like champagne in her throat.

  “Nothing, I just like looking at you.”

  “Me too.” he hummed, drawing back long enough to tug at her sweater. “Off please.”

  “Off it is.” She shifted up a little, helping by offering one arm at a time. He went for her pants next, but she shook her head and pointed at his shirt. “Nope, you next.”

  “So bossy,” he teased, grinning as he moved to oblige her.

  They stripped down in turns, taking their time about it. It was thrilling to touch every exposed layer, to skim her fingers through his chest hair, wriggle her hips up to help him tug her pants down. They caught on her ankles, and he eased them off carefully, brushing a quick kiss on the inside of her calf. She’d never felt more at peace. It was like their bath again, the way she felt so relaxed and enveloped and ready to be touched.

  “I know you have the month off and all,” he said, finally setting all of their clothes aside, “but I’d love to pick up the pace a bit.”

  She nearly snorted. “By all means.”

  He laughed, and then she felt him against her, and knew he hadn’t been exaggerating. He gripped himself, pushing the head of his cock over and over her again, rubbing her clit in slow, insistent circles.

  Olivia pushed back, sighing a little as her eyes slid closed.

  She wanted this to be forever.. Sparks flew up behind her eyelids, and she gasped a little as he found his way home inside her, each insistent inch driving deeper, each moment better than any she'd known before. It was overwhelming the way he danced her through sensation, and it was all she could to to keep up. And there was so much more of him. His shoulder filled her line of sight - or maybe it was just that she couldn't take her eyes off of him. His most secret, most confident smile. The smell just under his throat, where the scent of cedar and sweat mingled into something utterly Harlan.

  “I love you” slipped from her lips and into his when we went to kiss her, nearly swallowed between breaths.

  “I love you,” he answered, surrounding her in peace and safety and pleasure.

  Chapter 35

  Olivia woke up early in an empty bed. She stretched out, luxuriating in the feeling of her limbs, none of them sore from the accident anymore. It had been a long month of physical therapy and soaks in the tub, but her winter holiday had come around and she was finally in the right shape to enjoy it.

  And oh, was she enjoying it.

  She rolled over and checked her phone, seeing a text from Laurel, all her roommates plus George out for drinks. It made her smile, seeing him alongside them, like the disparate parts of her family were coming together. She plugged it back in before getting up, reaching for the nightgown that Harlan had peeled off of her last night.

  She could hear him puttering around in the kitchen of their vacation rental, eggs sizzling and the smell of coffee creeping into the bedroom.

  The sight that awaited her was something worth waiting a lifetime for. He was shirtless, wearing just a pair of sweatpants, his bare feet sticking out from underneath them. She always worried about his chest hair catching fire as he cooked, but wasn’t going to complain about the view.

  “Morning,” she offered, sidling up to sit on the counter across from him.

  “Bon giorno,” he replied, giving her a kiss. “Coffee?”

  “Yes please.” He handed her a mug and kissed her nose before pouring, going back to the eggs while she hopped down to add milk and sugar.

  They sat on the apartment’s balcony, which looked over the rolling hills of Tuscany, the bridges across the Arno a thousand times more beautiful than the one where they’d met. Harlan had surprised her with tickets to Italy on the first day of summer vacation, and Olivia hadn’t quite been able to believe her luck until the plane took off.

  She still couldn’t believe her luck. Harlan patted his lap once they’d finished eating, and she sat down, leaning away a little to take in his face. She was closer to the pitted, scarred side, and she ran her fingers down her cheek. He was so handsome. The scars didn’t impact that - they were like freckles to her now, or a birthmark. It was hard to imagine that the best thing in her life - Harlan - had all come from a day where he had thought her disgusted by them. She was so glad to have apologized, grateful to him for forgiving her, and gratified to have her life include him now. He’d been at her side for car accidents and hospital visits, improved himself at every setback, earned the favor of her friends and family, and now brought her to Italy. She couldn’t believe it. After all the horrible things that had colored the last few years of her life, it was almost overwhelming having the scales tip back with good things. All good things, all coming from Harlan. She kissed his forehead and leaned against him, inhaling the scent of cedar and smoke.

  “Ready for the day?” he asked, giving her a squeeze. “I can’t wait to see you surrounded by the other masterpieces.”

  “I don’t know what I did to deserve this,” she said, instead of answering. Even with Tomer gone, the things he’d said to her still danced at the edge if her consciousness, bogging down her happiness even at the most inopportune times. Maybe that would never go away. But at least she could voice it, and move on.

  Harlan gave her a moment before tugging her back against his enormous body. “In case you didn’t know, you deserve it without doing anything. I feel the same way, you know.”

  She shook her head, disbelieving, but smiling anyway. “I guess we’re even then.”

  “I guess so.” They were quiet for another moment. Beyond them, the rooftops were orange and red and brown, domed and covered in tile, secret walkways and ancient buildings and brand-new gelaterias peeking out from every corner. It was a whole world, waiting to be explored together.

  With everything they’d been through, alone and together, Olivia felt like they deserved an adventure. Yes, what she’d gone through had taken its toll, but with her family and friends around her and Harlan at her side, she finally felt like maybe - just maybe - that toll had been worth paying, because it had brought her here.

 

 

 
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