Love Among The Ruins-Chapter 34

NADINE’S P.O.V

He did prove me wrong- in every way possible. Although, in my defense, after coming off the high of three orgasms, I was easily influenced.

I wasn’t sure how or when I passed out but when I woke up, I was sprawled over a hard chest.

The first thing I realized was how sore I was. I felt the ache between my thighs and couldn’t help but bite back a smile. It was a reminder that everything that happened last night was real, it wasn’t a figment of my imagination.

I glanced down at Rowan who was shirtless. He had boxers on but that was about it. I couldn’t remember slipping on his shirt so that had to be his doing. I wasn’t sure if it was for my benefit or his but I appreciated it.

His hands were wrapped around me, one lazily resting on my ass while the other tangled itself into my curls and the most amazing thing about it all was that he was still asleep. It was rare to wake up before Rowan.

I pulled back slightly so I could watch him, he was breathing softly and for once, he didn’t look so stoic and cold, he looked younger, his features were softer and he looked peaceful save for his furrowed brows.

Before I could stop myself, I reached out to smooth it over with my thumb. I stilled once I realized what I was doing but it was too late, his breathing had changed and I saw the smile he was trying so hard to bite back.

"I think you’re obsessed with me," he mused, not even bothering to open his eyes.

"If you keep frowning, you’re going to get wrinkles. I was only trying to help you."

He hummed, clearly not believing what I had just said. "If that makes you sleep better at night. Speaking of that, how do you feel? Sore?"

I rolled my eyes and pushed off him but he was faster, his hands pulled me back to him, not letting an inch get between us. His fingers tightened around my strands and he kissed me. It was a long and slow kiss that had my toes curling and my hips moving of their own accord until I brushed against a part of him that I was now so intimately familiar with.

Just like that, I was dripping for him. The soreness was forgotten and I needed him inside of me.

"Fuck," he pulled us up into a sitting position so that I was straddling him and kissed me harder. "You make me lose my fucking mind."

"Rowan," I moaned into his mouth.

He muttered another long string of expletives before pulling back. His eyes were screwed shut, almost as if it pained him to do that. His fingers stroked my strands in a calm and comforting manner while his other hand traced circles on my hip.

He kissed me again. "As much as I want to bury my cock inside of you and spend the rest of my fucking life there, we have to move."

Just like that, the spell was broken. It felt like someone had drenched me with ice cold water. I scrambled off his lap and he didn’t stop me, merely watched as I shuffled over to another corner of the room.

He watched my movements like a hawk and I could have sworn that I saw the hint of a smile on his lips but it was too dark to be sure.

"Do we spend the night here?" I asked, desperately trying to focus on anything except the ache between my thighs and the fact that he was shirtless and stretching.

I could see the defined v that disappeared into his boxers, I knew what was hidden underneath. I sounded like an addict, like a fucking stalker. We had fucked once and now, it was all that I could think of. It was all I wanted to do.

"It’s your choice," he shrugged. "We have everything we need here and there is no need for us to leave now. We can’t go far even if we wanted to, it is too dark and the risk of us meeting a creature is high especially after what happened this morning."

Somehow, I had forgotten but now, it was back in my mind. The look on Mac’s face as he died, the sound of Irene’s screams as she was killed. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

It replayed over and over again, no matter how much I had tried to blink it away. It was permanently imprinted into the walls of my mind and I knew that it would take nothing short of a miracle to make me forget about it.

"It wasn’t your fault," I felt Rowan’s presence in front of me.

I could feel the heat radiating off him, could feel the intensity of his eyes but I chose to stare at his feet. I didn’t- couldn’t- see the look in his eyes, not right now.

"You were doing what you thought was right," he continued.

"You said it was stupid."

He shrugged. "I stand by that. It was stupid, but the intentions were not."

His fingers gripped my chin in a firm but light grip and he tilted it up so that I was staring at him. I wanted to look away, wanted to focus on anything other than the sheer intensity in his eyes but I was like a moth to a flame- I couldn’t look away.

"They were going to die anyway," his voice was firm and held no room for discussion. "There is nothing you could have done. The moment they were scratched, their fates were sealed."

"I should have noticed-"

"No, I should have," he cut me off. "I have seen that before- you have not. I should have known something was wrong. That is no one’s fault but my own. Do you understand?"

I nodded slowly.

His thumb brushed my lower lip gently, I wasn’t sure if it was subconscious or if it was an invitation.

He did it again, slower this time before pulling back and clearing his throat.

"We’ll stay here for a few more days, at least until majority of your cuts are healed."

"Here as in the store or in another house?"

"We can go looking for another house."

He turned his back to me and grabbed another shirt from the bag. I wasn’t sure why I felt some kind of way, we fucked, it didn’t make us a couple but I didn’t expect the immediate switch and dismissal.

"Is that it?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. "Do we just pretend like it never happened?"

His answering laugh was humorless. "I can’t pretend, princess. The picture of you taking my cock is etched into my brain, your taste will forever be at the back of my mouth. It’s all I can think of."

"You’re doing a damn good job of showing it."

"You’re sore, I’m not blind or stupid."

"I’m not that sore."

He turned to me and for a moment, he was silent.

A second passed, then two.

Finally, he ran his hands through his hair and cursed. "Fuck me."