Promise

Chapter 12

Plume had brought me back to the ship, and just like the night before, we were in his bedroom. But this time not for the same purpose.

He had stripped me out of wet, cold clothes and found me a big blanket he wrapped me up in.

As he took off his shirt, I asked, "Plume, what are you doing?"

He smirked. "Trust me, it's not what you think. I'm not looking to do anything. I just want to warm you up. With that blanket and my body heat on your skin you should be warm again in no time. And once you are, please let me know so you can get some rest."

I nodded. "Alright. Thank you."

Undoing his belt, he pointed to the other side of the bed and said kindly, "Go lie down over there. Get under the covers too, it will help warm you up even faster. You need it."

I did what he told me to, as he soon climbed under the covers as well only in his underwear. Although I had nothing on but the blanket wrapped around me and the covers on top of me.

He got closer, his hands touching my waste. "Come closer," he whispered. I was hesitant. Like I was shy. Why was I shy? This was Plume.

"Darling, don't be shy, it's just me. Please. You're cold."

Sighing, I let him pull me in closer as he opened the blanket, as I could then feel our skin touching. The heat from his chest and stomach on mine felt amazing. I hadn't realized how cold I had been until I experienced actual heat once again.

"Better?" he asked. I could feel his gentle breath on my face, our foreheads touching.

"Yes," I answered. "It is."

Bringing his hands from around the blanket around me to actually inside the blanket, he touched my arms.

"They're so cold," he said, sounding worried. He used his hands as friction on them, attempting to warm them up. Which he was succeeding at.

Then, unexpectedly, his hand trailed from my arm, to my hand, and finally, my bare hips. Butterflies erupted in my abdominal. His warm gentle hands gripped onto my hips pulling me in even closer to him, his soft, wet lips gripping mine. I played along, our lips caressing one another's, his tongue teasing mine. I put my hands in his hair. His lips left mine, meeting the side of my neck.

How did he make me so weak like this?

Trailing his fingers down my spine, and continuing to kiss my neck with more than just his lips, I found myself closing my eyes in pleasure, letting out a small moan, that was more like a sigh.

I wasn't ready for what happened next.

Submerging suddenly beneath the covers, his mouth kissed my stomach, as he trailed them up and down. I forgot how sensitive my stomach was. The feeling was unexplainable. My hand found his hair, as I could only caress it as his lips caressed my stomach.

They trailed to my hips, and seemed to skip right past them, as they went to my thigh, and stayed their for a while. Was this headed where I thought it might be?

His lips were only getting closer and closer to my inner thigh, and I could feel him adjusting himself even lower under the covers.

As pleasurable as it was, I didn't know if I was ready for this. I didn't know if I wanted him to know me... like that. Not yet. But I couldn't decide....

I needed to decide fast though. His lips were only trailing closer and closer up my inner thigh. The next destination was what I was debating about. When he finally reached my groin, I had finally decided that was as far as it was going to go.

"Plume!" I said in a panicked voice. More panicked than I had intended.

He shot up from the covers, looking guilty.

"Y-yes?"

"Not... not tonight."

He nodded, and pulled me close to him again.

"Sorry, I just kind of got... caught up in you again," he said, seeming embarrassed.

Smoothing his hair out of his face, I smiled.

"It's alright. I'm just... not ready yet. I don't know. Sorry."

"No, no, don't be sorry. I'm sorry. I need to remember that I must not love you with lust, but with pure love. You're beautiful and... I forget that sometimes. But I need to remember you are fragile. You are precious. And you're more than just a girl... you are Promise. And if you are mine, I will treat you how you deserve to be treated."

I couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, Plume."

I felt very tired and the thought of falling asleep in his warm and tight embrace sounded amazing.

I closed my eyes, leaning my head against his again. "I'm so worn out," I whispered.

"I can understand why," he chuckled. "Get some sleep, my dear. I will stay with you."

I should have said thank you, or something else, but I'm pretty sure I was already half asleep, dozing off, only barely hearing what he said. He kissed me on my forehead, then the room fell peacefully silent. I could rest.

I may have had a million things on my mind. My father being dead. What had happened when the mermaids brought me under. Captain Blackbird. But for now, I could just pretend none of that existed. Because I was in his arms. He was mine. And that's when I realized I wanted to fall asleep like that every night for the rest of my life.