What Was Lost

Chapter 10

Her eyes followed him as he rose from the chair, marveling at the way his sinewy muscles flexed and moved beneath his skin. He exuded a raw, primal beauty that stirred something deep within her.

As he made his way to the bathroom, she couldn't help but question how she had ended up in this moment with him. How had she found herself here, on this table, with this man?

When he returned, a towel in hand, he gently tended to her needs, cleaning her between her legs with care. Afterwards, as she attempted to sit up and slide off the table, he stopped her, cupping her chin between his fingers.

"Wait," he whispers. "Just a few more moments." And with those words, he brought his lips to hers in a slow and sensual kiss. She melted into his embrace, every inch of her body responding to his touch.

After what felt like an eternity of blissful moments, he pulled back and locked eyes with her. "I don't have to bend so far to kiss you like this," he said with a smile, his hand caressing her cheek.

"We're not having sex tonight, are we?" She asks, her voice slightly breathless as they finally break apart.

"No." He helps her down from the table. "When we finally do, I want you to feel completely comfortable and at ease. I can wait until you're ready."

She thinks she hit the jackpot with finding an understanding friend with benefits for her first post-marriage encounter. Tori's experience suggests that it's a harsh dating world out there, with little emphasis on patience and respect.

Feeling a bit flustered, she runs a hand through her hair and looks around the room. The dim lighting casts shadows across the walls, and she notices the scattered clothes and bottles from their earlier session.

"This is stupid," she admits shyly, "but in my hurry to come over, I didn't think about bringing anything else." She gestures at herself, suddenly self-conscious.

A low, rumbling chuckle escaped from his lips, "I'm perfectly content with that," he responds with a playful glint in his eyes. She meets his gaze and gives him a significant look, causing a wide grin to spread across his face. "I'll find you something," he offers, nodding towards the direction of his bedroom.

He leads the way and she can't help but notice the array of framed pictures on his dresser as he rummages through it, searching for clothes for her. Each one tells a different story, capturing moments frozen in time. Some show adventures in far-off places, while others depict loved ones. She can't help but feel drawn to each one, curious about the memories they hold for him.

As she examined the faded photograph, her eyes were immediately drawn to a young boy with tousled darkened hair and sparkling green eyes. He stood proudly alongside three other boys, their arms draped over each other's shoulders in a show of camaraderie. Behind them stood a striking woman with warm brown skin and curly hair, her arms wrapped around a man with dark hair who held her close.

"Is this your family?" she asked, unable to tear her gaze away from the photo.

He glanced at what she was looking at before nodding. "Yeah, that's us. You met Nick already," he said, gesturing to the young boy standing beside him who looked no older than ten. The other two boys in the photo appeared to be pre-teens.

"You have some incredibly good-looking parents," she commented, her eyes lingering on the loving couple in the back of the photo.

"Mom was a model for a brief, but fiery moment in the 90s." He nods, his eyes sparkling with pride. He gently hands her a pair of well-worn sweats and a soft t-shirt. "Well, that certainly explains where you get your looks from."

He smiles, his dimples deepening. "They're an example of opposites attracting."

Curiously, she furrows her brow and tilts her head slightly. "Why is that?"

With a contemplative expression on his face, he responds with a thoughtful hum. "Good girl, bad boy. Mom was always an exemplary student, while dad seemed to excel only at finding trouble." Their mismatched personalities seem to complement each other perfectly as they both share a knowing smile.

The temptation to ask more about his family and their dynamic is strong, but she recognizes it's just her nosy therapist side speaking. Instead, she nods silently.

As she slipped on the comfortable clothes he had picked out for her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash
over her.

He turns to her with a small smile, watching as she pulls on the t-shirt. "You look beautiful in my clothes," he comments, his eyes taking in every detail of her.

She blushes at the compliment and looks down at the oversized shirt that falls just above her knees. "Thank you," she murmurs shyly.

A playful glint danced in his eyes as he picks up the negligee off of the bed, "This made me very happy tonight. You'll wear this again for me sometime?"

He talks with a confident air, his words painting a picture of future occurrences as if they're already set in stone.

"Yes," she nods, "I have more where this came from."

But even as they both try to play it cool and deny any deeper connection between them, there is an underlying current that binds them together - something she can't quite put her finger on yet.

As if sensing her thoughts, he leans down and brushes his lips against her forehead before leading her out of the room.

"Let's eat some food," he says cheerfully, breaking the momentary trance.

She smiles up at him and follows obediently, feeling content in this simple and comfortable moment with him.

Little does she know that this carefree night will soon give way to a whirlwind of complicated emotions and decisions that will test their arrangement.