Back to You(94)

Michael smiled sadly, brushing one of the tears away before he leaned down and pressed his lips to the salty trail.
He began moving again, but it was so slow, so careful, she could tell it was with tremendous effort. She could feel the muscles of his back trembling beneath her hands.
Michael pressed his forehead to hers, and Lauren slid her hands up to the backs of his shoulders and closed her eyes, trying to take in every second. Trying to memorize it. The feel of his weight on top of her, the sound of his labored breathing, the scent of his skin. And while she was concentrating on that, something incredible happened. The burning, the throbbing ache between her legs gradually subsided, and in its wake came a pleasant stretching. A warm friction.
Lauren could feel the rigidity slowly leave her thighs as she gave herself up to the new feeling, and she found that the more she relaxed, the better it felt.
As soon as the last bit of tension left her body, Michael exhaled heavily in what seemed like relief, dropping his head onto her shoulder.
“Lauren?”
“Oh { display: block; text-indent: 0%; font-size: 0.88rem; margin-top: an"> shoulder…wow,” she breathed in response, and she felt his lips curve into a smile against her skin. “This is…I didn’t know. Now you feel…” She closed her eyes and shook her head before she sighed. “I can’t think. Just keep going.”
He chuckled softly before he dropped his weight to his elbows, cradling her face in his hands as he kissed her. He was still incredibly gentle, but the tension had left his body too. He moved freely now, and his breath grew ragged, washing across her face every time he exhaled. Lauren lifted her chin, savoring the feel of it.
They began moving in unison, Lauren raising her hips to meet him, and it drew the most incredible sounds from his lips.
She could feel the smooth skin of his stomach brushing against hers, the tautness of his muscles as his arms flexed around her, pulling her closer, the silky friction between her legs, the warm rush of his breath on her skin.
It was sensory overload.
And when she felt his body go tense again, this time he fell forward, groaning into her hair, and she smiled.
There were no bells and whistles for her. No explosions. No seeing stars. But she wouldn’t have changed a thing.
It was the single most incredible experience of her life.
When Michael finally caught his breath, he slowly rolled off of her, immediately pulling her back against his chest. Lauren closed her eyes, and for a few minutes they just lay there in silence as Michael held her, running his fingertips up and down her arm.
“I feel like I should say thank you, but that doesn’t seem right,” she said lazily.
Michael laughed softly behind her. “Thank you? Are you gonna leave some money on the dresser on your way out?”
She probably should have been embarrassed, but all she could do was laugh. She was completely drunk with him; her body felt deliciously warm and heavy. “You know what I mean,” she sighed.
He pulled her further against his chest. “I know.” He pressed his lips into her hair and whispered, “And if anyone should be saying thank you, it’s me.”
She turned her head and looked up at him, but there was no laughter behind his eyes.
She lifted her chin and kissed him gently before snuggling back against him.
They laid there in comfortable silence, Michael continuing to trail his fingertips over her skin, and Lauren wished there was a way to stop time. She just wanted to stay where she was.
And she desperately wished he could stay where he was.
“What time are you leaving tomorrow?” she asked, hating the words as they left her mouth.
“Early. Probably sun up.”
Lauren glanced over at the clock on his nightstand. It was almost midnight.
She swallowed, trying to keep her voice even. “Should I go then?”
Michael shook his head behind her. “I’m not ready for you to go.”
Lauren closed her eyes. “Me either,” she sighed.
And she fell asleep right there in his arms, with him planting feather-light kisses in her hair.

She was half asleep and the sun hadn’t fully risen when she felt a hand brushing the hair away from her face.
She was too tired to open her eyes, but all at once, the memory of { display: block; text-indent: 0%; font-size: 0.88rem; margin-top: an"> shoulder where she was and what had happened came back to her.
“Are you mad at me?” she murmured sleepily.
“No. I could never be mad at you.” His voice seemed far away, even though he was right next to her.
Maybe she was dreaming.
She felt him press his forehead to hers. Her eyes were still closed, but she smiled.
“Call me when you get there.”