Ecstasy of Love

Chapter 23: Claim

From Mia: Claim him yours, Jo!!

I let out a low snicker as I read her message. A few minutes ago, when we made a small stop at the gas station, I texted Mia needing one of her pep talks. Now that we have arrived at the place, the nerves that had been subdued during the drive have resurged again.

Hero stands waiting for me outside the car as he climbed down first, and raises a brow at me after he notices me still in the car. The sulking expression marring his features is now gone, somewhere along the drive it soothed itself away. Now he just curiously assesses me, probably wondering what I'm laughing at.

I give him a small smile before opening the car's door to climb down as well.

Unconsciously, my hand drifts to my forearm, brushing the lingering goosebumps that Hero's touch left on my skin. My arm still tingles at the thought, he spent the whole drive caressing my skin absentmindedly while I couldn't keep acting nonchalant in front of him.

With my head held high and dignity fisted on tightly, I walk towards Hero who is already sitting down and looking up the sky. I try not to but somehow I still find myself staring at him from a few feet away.

Without opening his eyes, his voice still startles me, "You're not sitting down?" He asks me softly. It makes me think back to the day we met and the way his voice used to be tough and detached then. I nod, then remember he's not looking at me.

As our arms brush each other when I seat next to him, his eyes open and zero back on me. A comfortable silence settles between us. He wasn't that talkative during the ride either so I guess he'd like it if we're silent better.

I wouldn't push him to talk, I understand we all need moments for ourselves and our own thoughts, but for instants like this, I think I would do just about everything to be inside his head.

My eyes float around the space, taking in for the thousandth time how beautiful nature is and still manage to make me feel in awe until my eyes flick down and I notice his scarred knuckles. What the fuck? This better not be what I think it is.

Suddenly the fighting pit comes to my mind and I realize I haven't heard Melissa gossip anything about the site or any other fight concerning Hero in a while. I wonder if he's been back there since that last time. I hope not, though I truthfully doubt it because the sight of his knuckles say otherwise.

I snatch his hand into my lap, bringing his attention away from his inside thoughts and back to me. Caught totally off guard, his body falls on top of mine, toppling me to the floor with him. The position, even if we haven't been like this ever before, is familiar. The same one from my dream last night.

Chest to chest, his rises and falls in sync with mine. I can feel every inch of his body humming against mine, his muscles skimming against my hardened nipples. Every one of my nerve endings liquefying with his closeness.

I search inside my mind for the words I was about to say, but suddenly everything is gone except for him. My mind feels as in a trance controlled by him. His hot breath falls on my lips but too soon, Hero lifts his weight off me as he supports himself with his arms and I instantly miss his warmth. I need it back.

Tugging down on his t-shirt, I signal him to bring his body closer. He stubbornly refuses, his body not even moving an inch with a smile lifting his lips. And I let out an annoyed-frustrated sigh.

He takes my face in his hand, his hand caresses my cheek, and I close my eyes for a second to revel on it before his movement sobers me up and I recall the important deal here. Him. Fighting.

My eyes return to their usual glare and I plant it on him. I ignore my ragged breathing as I seriously warn him, "Don't you dare distract me right now."