Brighter Than The Stars: Book One

Alternate 2.8

They turned a couple of wrong directions before Elijah finally stopped in front of the door with the worn, gold numbers confirming it was theirs. After two swipes of the keycard, the little light turned green, and he pushed it open, the room already lit up enough for them to find their way with morning pouring through the window.

Her father paid for a suite, as that was the first room he found that was available, and didn't want to risk losing it while he continued calling around. But suites in their area were a bit different from the city. Suites here didn't come big a big TV, pillow-top mattress, our spacious floor-plan. They wouldn't be cleaning the room every day they were here, instead waiting until you checked out. 

It was fine by her. Madeline didn't need much. Just a bed to share with Elijah that wouldn't cause him nightmares. And maybe being two towns over kept the house far enough away where it no longer held that power over him. 

Elijah dropped their bags on the teal loveseat in the corner, then took off his glasses and put them on the coffee table in front of it, followed by his phone from his coat pocket, then Maddie's from the pocket of his jeans that he hadn't given back after talking to Mrs. Baker. "I'm going to take a shower," he told her, dropping his wallet by their other things. "Mind grabbing me something to drink? I have to take my medication."

Seeing as they'd spent all of their time together, Madeline was well aware of the medication her took. She knew he was on Xanax for his anxiety and depression, and Prazosin for his night terrors and PTSD. Xanax three times a day, and Prazosin twice. 

One Elijah disappeared into the bathroom, Madeline grabbed her own wallet and key card, and left the room. Immediately, she was hit with the smell of bleach she hadn't noticed before, with a faint chlorine smell that'd been heavy in the lobby. She'd noticed the vending machines next to the elevator when they'd stepped off, and walked her way back in that direction. 

She'd decided on two caffeinated sodas, two un-caffeinated sodas, a juice and a water, as well as a bag of crackers in the next machine over. 

When Madeline returned to the room, juggling all the bottles as she struggled with the key card, she heard the shower running and dropped all the products on the bed. It was then she decided to strip herself bare. Madeline needed to feel him, and needed him to feel her. 

"I'll be out in a few minutes," he told her from behind the glass. 

Madeline slid the glass open, and stepped in behind him, noticing he didn't so much as flinch at the intrusion. But when her lips pressed against his wet, bare back, just between the shoulder blades, she felt Elijah let out a slow breath. 

Her fingertips danced around his naked flesh, all the way down his spine, then around, going back up his rippled, scarred chest. "I love you, Elijah," she whispered, just loud enough to be heard over the running water. "My mom thinks I've been in love with you since before I understood what it meant. Apparently your mother used to joke with her about us being married one day. I'm telling you this because you and I were written in the stars. Like you said, we're fate. You were the only man I was ever meant to love."

Madelines fingertips dragged back down his torso, reaching that tuff of hair before taking his growing erection in her grasp. "Every time you feel yourself losing control, every time you feel that anger building, remember how I make you feel. Let that be what takes you over. Don't ever let our love be overshadowed."

Elijah turned and pressed her against the cold tile as she began to pump his erection. She didn't have experience in sex, but did have plenty of experience in this. She sort of had to since she'd held off on actual sex for so long. 

"I love you," she told him again, just before his mouth ravaged hers. Tongues, teeth, lips all collided in urgency. Any time their lips separated, she'd repeat the words the words to him. It was her promise to him. She needed Elijah to feel that love. She needed to remind him that, even through the emotional, mental, and physical scars, he was worthy of every ounce of that love. 

"God, I love you." Elijah's voice came out almost as a growl. Husky, coarse, and beautiful. "I wish I could have you right now."

She wanted that more than anything, after a sweet morning turned sour, it was something they both needed. To feel loved, wanted, desired, and cared for. "So take me."

"No condoms," Elijah reminded her. "We can stop for some on the way back to your parents. That, and shower sex is vastly overrated."

"Is it, now?" That was certainly a bummer. It always seemed like it would be sexy. 

Elijah let out a groan as she continued pumping him, and dragged his fingers through his wet hair. "Can't remember why at the moment."

She reached her body upwards, as high as she could manage, and dragged her tongue across his earlobe. Madeline was determined to have sex before leaving this hotel. "So how about you take me to the bed, and pull out?"

A smile graced Elijah's lips as he looked down at her. "That I can do. But this time, no rushing. I want to savor every inch of your body."

Though her skin flushed at the words, Madeline did her best to play coy. "What a coincidence. There was something I wanted to savor to," she told him, bringing her gaze down to his erection.

"You're going to be the end of me woman," Elijah spoke in a light laugh before he turned off the faucet. "And I couldn't imagine a better ending."