STILL THE ONE

Chapter 11 - When You Miss Me Close Your Eyes

I promise that one day I'll be around
I'll keep you safe
I'll keep you sound

Right now it's pretty crazy
And I don't know how to stop
Or slow it down

Hey
I know there are some things we need to talk about
And I can't stay
Just let me hold you for a little longer now

Take a piece of my heart
And make it all your own
So when we are apart
You'll never be alone
You'll never be alone

You'll never be alone
When you miss me close your eyes
I may be far but never gone

When you fall asleep tonight
Just remember that we lay under the same stars

They didn't speak as they walked into his apartment. Previously, they would have all but attacked each other the moment they were alone, but there was hesitation. They had done so well with their new reality, if they took this step now, they would be back to square one. She looked at him and she didn't really care. She felt something deep and emotional, as well as something hot and primal – how often did all those things come together in one person? In a person you liked to be with, who you cared about, and who you desired? How could it possibly be wrong? Maybe they couldn't do it openly because of the tour, but they had managed to keep it a secret so far, they could try to keep doing that, and then after the tour......

He put his keys on the hall table and turned toward her, seemingly surprised at how far away from him she was standing.

"Come here," he said softly, and although he could quite as easily walked towards her, she did as he ordered with a shiver down her spine. He took her face in his hands and kissed her and as their lips joined they both sighed and on realising they had done so, they both smiled against each other's lips. She slid her arms around his neck, he wrapped his around her and they stood there for some time, kissing over and over, making up for all the days of kisses they had missed. "Will you stay?" he whispered in her ear and she nodded. He took her hand and they walked slowly up to his room. Each step she thought of what awaited, of what it would be like as they removed their clothes and she had the freedom of being naked with him again. Another step and she thought about her fingers caressing the muscles of his arms, chest, abdomen, back and thighs, tracing his tattoos, following the trail of her fingers with soft kisses. One more step and she anticipated his caresses, the things he did with his lips and tongue and fingers that drove her insane with pleasure, and as they reached his door, the memories of him inside her and how perfectly he fit there, and how intense it felt as he moved within her had her stumbling through the doorway.

"Are you ok?" he asked and she nodded, overwhelmed at the thoughts that filled her, the desire that sped through her body, the aching thud in her chest. They slowly helped each other undress and then he picked her up and lay her gently on the bed, after pulling back the comforter. He lay beside her and angled her jaw towards him with his large hand so he could kiss her again.

"Tell me," he said softly, his lips only a breath away from hers, "tell me what you want."

She stared at him, his eyes dark with longing, the pulse throbbing in his neck, his curls flopping over onto his forehead. He was so beautiful. So she told him, and everything she said, he did, and then she did everything she wanted to do to him in return, and then they fell asleep in each other's arms, holding tightly, as if terrified to let each other go.

***

He had woken her early so she could get back over to her place and get ready to go to the photography studio for their photo shoot. Andrew and Roger weren't coming but there would be members of their teams there. They turned up separately and hugged hello. She sniffed his hair.