Revolution (Collide, #4)(14)

"Let's do it," Merrick said and his worried face turned to Sherry. "Let's go as soon as possible."

Max, who had been awfully quiet in the corner, stood. Then Patrick and Ann stood. Then Simon, A.K.A. Josh, stood. They seemed to be doing that silent agreement thing. Merrick gulped and nodded at Jeff. Jeff looked at his now wife and in a rare show of affection got down on his knees and pressed his ear to her belly. She giggled out of surprise and nervousness as she combed his hair with her fingers.

"I'll do anything to keep you safe, little one. Don't you worry." He looked at us all without getting up. "Let's get going. Bring only what we need. Every person needs to get a bag together, but only what you can carry. We'll leave at daybreak."

That seemed to be everyone's cue.

We scattered in a haste to pack our pathetic little lives into bags and boxes. I dragged L to her room first and helped her stuff her clothes into a pillowcase. Then we went next door and I put all my crap into my duffel.

I pulled her down with me and figured we'd pick up our bedding stuff to bring with us tomorrow. This was it. It was sad that my whole life fit into one duffel bag, and the sad little beat-up guitar next to it.

"Are we going to be ok?"

I wanted to just say Yes, I was just too tired to not be honest. "I don't know."

"This is it, isn't it? This is the beginning of the end. Everything that happens from now on is going to be life or death, stay or go, win or lose."

"Uhuh," I answered and rubbed my chin on her head. "It looks that way."

"So…this is our last night of peace? And privacy?" she said with a funny tone.

I frowned. "Yeah, guess so."

She lifted up to lean over me. She bit her lip and gave me this fluttery eyelid look and…holy… I gulped as the meaning of her actions hit me. I didn't gulp with fear, but with finally!

"Well, you are my wife now," I said, my smirk ear to ear.

"I am," she agreed and kissed my chin. "Make me forget that the world's ending, Cain."

My heart ached a bit at that, but I complied with a willing mind and body and even grinned as I said, "Anything you want, L."

I wasted no time yanking - yes yanking - her shirt over her head. It was at that moment that I realized just how long it had been since I'd been in this…position. With everything going on in our lives, it was like my body just forgot to care about sex, but with her under me and wanting me, it cooked me like a brush fire. I feverishly finished disposing of the clothes that hindered me and when my rib cage touched her sweet belly, a loud, embarrassing growl reverberated through me. It didn't matter that I could feel her ribs because she'd gotten so thin, as had we all. It was still her.

She giggled and rubbed her cheek against mine; scruff against softness. "I'm already yours, you Neanderthal. No need to stake a claim."

"Sorry," I said sheepishly, which pissed me off, in fact.

"Don't be sorry," she said and then took my lip ring between her teeth. I panted. "It's very cute."

"I don't want to be cute right now," I insisted and buried my face in her neck. She laughed again, but it was a breathy laugh of surrender. "I just want to make the world disappear, except for this little, tiny room."

"Please," she begged, her cool fingers pressing on my back.

And so I did, finally, slowly, fiercely and happily.



Oh, Happy Day.

Chapter 7


Sherry



“I’ll keep watch tonight,” Miguel announced. “Everyone else go to bed. Tomorrow, we're outta here.”

No one put up any fight. We all drifted up and away. I saw Riley from the corner of my eye as she went to stand beside Miguel with Jethro. She was keeping watch, too.

I peeked over to see Lily had conked out on the sofa end. Danny reached down and picked her up gently. “I’ve got her. Go to bed.” He glanced between us. “You need it more than any of us. Glad you’re back to the land of the living.”

I fought to not roll my eyes. “The death jokes are too soon,” I snapped.

He nodded and smiled small indicating that he knew that. He and Celeste took Lily, and Merrick lifted me up in his arms. He carried me to our room and as soon as the door shut, it was like giving my body permission to freak.

I immediately started to shake and heave. He took us to the floor and wrapped his arms around me as I cried all over his shirt. He pressed me and squeezed in that reassuring way of his, up and down my body in waves. I lifted my face and slammed my mouth to his out of necessity. He let me know that this was what he needed, too, by gripping my legs and pulling me over him. With deft hands he pulled my shirt over my head and pressed me against him. The sigh that escaped his lips was full of relief as his hands wandered me as if he was checking to see if I was still really there in his palms.

I knew this ordeal had shaken him, too, not just me. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for him to go through that. I’d ask him about it, but for now…

His face, from not shaving for days, maybe even a week, was coarse, but it just added to my pleasure. It grated the skin of my neck and the tickly sting ignited me.

He let his hand run up my ribs and I sucked in a breath. He spoke against my temple. “When I think about never touching your skin again…about never feeling your breaths against my neck…never seeing your pout face again.” I chuckled sadly and accepted his kiss on the corner of my mouth. “I can’t think about it. It hurts too much.”