Page 53 of Tethered

His touches are soft, his kisses gentle, before his lips skim over every inch of exposed skin in his reach. This isn’t fucking, it’s making love, and I couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone else. This, right here—him and me—it’s everything I dreamed of but was too scared to admit I wanted out loud.

We come together, clinging to each other as he murmurs to me about how good I feel. When I’m boneless, he lowers me to my feet, making sure I’m steady before he releases me.

He spends the next ten minutes washing me from head to toe before he lets me return the favor, even letting me remove his eye patch. It’s precisely what I needed. As we dry off, I fill him in on the rest of the day.

“So Porter confronted you? I should have figured when he never turned up here.”

“He was never going to let me live in peace, especially now that I have his family here with me. He sees me as an obstacle in his way. Even more so, now I have them.”

“You ever going to tell Dawn and Hannah who you are to them?”

“Dawn knows. She figured it out and sprung it on me. I just haven’t had a chance to talk to you about it. As for Hannah, I think I’ll leave that up to Dawn to decide. Talking of which, where are they?”

“David swung by and picked them up. Jen wanted Dawn to have a sit-down in her office, and David offered to take Hannahto a water park with his sisters for the afternoon. I didn’t want you to come home to an empty house, so I decided to stay.”

“I would have understood if you’d gone.”

“I watch them when they’re here because they deserve to feel safe, but I won’t ever put them above you.”

I should object. Dawn and Hannah should be the priority given the circumstances, but I can’t find it in me to say the words. I’ve never been the most important thing in someone’s life before. And I’m not benevolent enough to give it up.

“Well, Shepard is coming for dinner, as you know. But Austin kind of invited himself to this event, so this evening is going to be interesting.” I bite my lip, worried this might blow up in our faces.

Riggs slides his thumb over my lip. “Stop worrying. Everything will work itself out.”

I grumble about him being too sunny for my current mood, but he chuckles.

“Go spend some time in your workshop while I figure out what to make for dinner.”

“We can order in. I didn’t mean for you to cook.”

“I don’t mind. I find it relaxing.”

“Okay, if you’re sure. And if you need me to do anything, just holler.”

He presses a kiss to my forehead. “Will do.”

I watch as he slips his eye patch on and heads to the door. He looks back. “About what you showed me before…”

I rack my brain to figure out what he’s talking about exactly and veer off in a very dirty direction. He smirks at me, so clearly, I’m not doing a good job of hiding my inner pervert.

“I was talking about the sparks.”

“Oh…Ohh. What about them?”

He huffs. “Well, I have some questions.”

“Okay, shoot.” I pat the bed for him to sit as I towel dry my hair. “The food can wait a minute. I didn’t freak you out, did I? I mean, you didn’t seem freaked out, but of course any normal person would be freaked?—”

He covers my mouth with his hand, his grin in full effect. “You need to take a breath, Opie. I’m not freaked out. I’m curious.” He lets go of my mouth but leans in close to give me a soft kiss, helping the tension ease out of me.

“Sorry.”

“It’s cute.”

“Only you’d think it cute that your girlfriend has witchy powers.”

“Girlfriend?”