Kesari

 

Checking myself in the mirror one more time, I took a deep breath and swung myself out of the car. Roy had texted me to be back by 5 sharp and it was 5:15.

I was the only person in the world who would wind up late to a romantic evening.

Staring at the house, I rubbed my arms and smiled nervously. That was what this was, right? Roy wanted to do something nice for me. I’d never been treated like this before. Other boyfriends had been sporadic and often indifferent in relationships. Clueless.

Those were boys, said a voice in my head. This is a man.

At that, I almost laughed out loud, but then I walked into the house and it was dark. Glancing around, I let out a small sigh. Something must have happened at the Cantina. Damn it!

I’d just resigned myself to an evening alone when someone seized me around the waist and pressed a kiss to the side of my face. Roy was laughing in my ear as I gasped and tried to swat him.

"Did I get you?" he asked, his beard tickling my neck as he nuzzled me.

“You’re a bastard,” I said, trying to get loose, but he laughed and kissed my shoulder.

“You’re in for a surprise,” Roy rejoined. “Close your eyes.” I made a face and his lips found that spot on my neck that made my eyes close on their own. “Thank you.”

With an arm around my waist, Roy guided me through the kitchen and into the living room. Then he let me go with a “not yet” and I stood there as he quietly moved around the room. Firelight leaped up behind my eyes and I couldn’t help but smile wider.

When he came back, he took my bag and helped me out of my coat. I heard him pull in a hard breath and my smile grew.

“Wow. Kesari, you are a vision,” he said.

There had been a long-sleeved, off-shoulder dress in cream among the clothes Piper had gotten me. I’d never thought I’d have an occasion to wear it, but I’d brought it with me to change into. I’d also dabbed on some mascara and lip color. And I was glad I had.

Opening my eyes, I saw Roy looking at me with an intense expression that made me want to kiss him right then and there. But he stepped back and grinned like a schoolboy.

“Oh my God,” I said, looking around. Flowers everywhere, peonies to roses. Candles on every shelf. Dinner laid out. And Roy, wearing a crisp pair of pants and a sweater that brought out his eyes.

“Roy, you didn’t have to do this,” I said, my throat aching a little and my hand going to my heart. Then my fingers hit something metallic and I glanced down. “Roy!”

Laughing, he came behind me as I went over to the mirror and I began to laugh too. He'd found a necklace with the molecule for caffeine hanging off the end.

Wrapping his arms around me, he whispered in my ear. “I saw it in San Fran. Thought of you and, well, I had to get it.”

Watching us in the mirror, something hit me and I let out a soft, “oh.”

Roy raised his head, his eyes meeting mine. “What is it?”

I turned to him. “You’d think this wouldn’t work,” I said, gesturing between us. “But it does. We belong together.” I pointed at the mirror. “That picture is complete.”

He glanced at the mirror and then back at me. “I’ll take your word for it, Kes, because right now I’ve only got eyes for you.”

I swatted him as he leaned in for a kiss. “You romantic sap! How did you hide this for so long? It’s so goofy, I can’t even handle it.”

Roy grinned at me. “You thought you had me all figured out, didn’t you?” I made a face and he laughed. “Come on, let’s eat.”

All during dinner, there were little touches.

Roy's fingers drifting up my neck or across my shoulder. My palm on his beard. A stolen kiss between bites. Ankles overlapping as we sat on the floor in front of the fire and sipped our wine.

“Where are Lev and Rurik?” I asked as I swished around the last mouthful of wine.

“Lev is sleeping in the other room and Rurik is with Obi on patrol,” Roy said, his eyes tracing across my lips, which I bit. He grinned. “Want coffee and dessert?”

“Oh, sure,” I said, my stomach rampaging with butterflies. I couldn’t help but think of how Roy had kissed me this morning, how his hands had felt pressing me against him, the slip of skin on skin. Standing up, I followed him into the kitchen and he gave me a look as I sidled up next to him.

He was holding a can of spray whip cream and grinned at me. Suddenly a wad hit my collarbone and I glared at him.

“Whoops, finger slipped,” Roy said, not even bothering to hide his smirk. “Let me get that.”

Leaning down, he licked it off and I shook my head. “Sure.”

“Huh?” Roy asked as I snatched the whipped cream and tried to spray it at him. But I missed. Looking down, he sighed. “You just want to make me clean, don’t you?”

“Maybe,” I said, giggling. “Here, I’m sorry.”

I went to wipe it up, but Roy caught my hands and was kissing me, my lower back pressing into the counter. Dropping the canister, heard it clang and roll away. But neither of us cared.

Roy was radiating heat, a solid, hard line against me. Then I was being lifted against him, my legs around his waist and he was carrying me with one arm into our bedroom, and shutting the door behind us.

Turning, Roy pressed me against the door and lavished kisses on my neck. I was panting and holding his head, sighing with delight when he hit a sensitive spot.

“I’ve never been kissed like this,” I murmured.

“Of course not,” Roy said, sounding smug as he pulled back. “I’m the best.”

“Are you now?” I asked, arching one brow. Flickering light caught my eye and I glanced beyond him to see he’d lit a fire in here and set up candles. “Oh, Roy.”

“See?” he whispered in my ear, kissing below it and then setting me down. “But it’s more than that, Kes. It’s because of how I feel about you. You’re the most important part of me.” I turned and watched him fumble in his pocket. “Before I forget, I also got you these, I don’t know how you’ll feel about it, but I hope you take it. They’re earrings – diamonds grown in a lab. I know a guy.”

“You know a guy?” I asked, my eyes brimming with tears. “Roy, this is too much.”

“No, it’s not even close,” he said, pulling out a small silver box and handing it to me. Inside were nestled two diamond studs, glinting and shimmering like stars. “Made me think of the stars here. I was going to give you these either way – as a kind of memento.”

“Right, because friends give each other priceless gifts like this,” I said. “Roy, I don’t–”

“You already did, Kesari,” Roy said. “You gave me your friendship – your kindness and openness. You unlocked something inside of me.” He looked down and rubbed his face. “You brought me back into the light – I was so lost, you have no idea.”

“Roy, you would have found your way back,” I said, setting aside the box and placing a hand on his chest. “You already were. That’s why you helped Piper. In fact, I don’t think you were ever lost. You were just being pulled in so many different directions by so many people.

“You care, Roy. And I think maybe you were taught to strangle it and hide it, that it was a weakness by the Zimas. But you have a good heart and that couldn’t stay hidden. You care. Maybe more than I do. And you’ve been running from that for too long.”

Roy looked back up. “Until I ran straight into you.”

“You helped me too, you know,” I said, looping my arms around his waist and looking up into his face. “You helped me conquer a dark and ugly fear in my heart, one I was running from, too.”

Rough fingers caressed my cheek. “So, you ran into me, too?”

“Thank goodness, too,” I said in a wavering voice. “I’m my best self with you, Roy.”

“Hey, now that goes two-ways,” he said, leaning down and kissing me.

It was a sweet, delicious kiss. But then his tongue slipped between my lips and stroked mine. Fire raced across my skin, spilling from a deep place in my belly and I stood on my tiptoes, demanding more. My hands were holding his neck, digging in and desperate.

Roy gripped the back of my dress, sliding it up and then he was gripping my ass, pressing me into him. The hardness in his pants rubbed against me and I gasped into his mouth.

Our kisses became frenzied, his hands now gripping the back of my thighs as he leaned me over, delving deeper. I was raking my hands through his hair, then pushing them into his shirt.

Pulling me upright, Roy stepped back and took off my glasses, placing them on the mantle. I watched as he reached down, pinching the fabric of my dress and slowly sliding it up, then off.

Reaching for him, I helped him take off his shirt before I stepped back and kicked off the tights I was wearing.

Now in a bra and panties, I watched Roy take me in and smile. There was an edge of the leopard in his smile. Triumph and satisfaction, knowing what he wanted was in reach and his.

I stepped up to him, hands going to his belt, but Roy stopped me. Gripping me around the waist, he pushed me against the wall. Leaning down, he kissed the swells of my breasts and his fingers danced across my panty line.

Soft moans escaped me and my hands explored his muscled back as his lips tasted their way downwards, past my navel, then stopping and reappearing on my thigh. He went lower, lifting my leg so he could kiss the inside of my knee, a spot I’d never thought about before and I had to place my hands flat on the wall. Watching him worship me was increasing the pleasure to another level.

Now he was at my ankle and I was letting out sounds I’d never heard myself make. Soft and sexy, punctuated with gasps for air. Deep desires were making my toes curl and an ache was growing between my legs. Roy’s fingers danced across it and I bucked up, mewling.

At that, he pinned my waist down as he made his way back up. I was squirming by the time he found my lips and nipped at them. Reaching for him, I wrapped my arms around his neck as he slid his hands to my back and undid my bra.

Each kiss was frantic now, as though it would be our last. Then he broke away, staring down at me as he tossed away my bra and lowered his head. Teeth teased a sensitive nipple and I cried out. My hands raked through his hair and down his back, scratching at him without meaning to.

Roy’s other hand was teasing circles up my thigh and I couldn’t take the competing sensations, then he slipped my panties to the side and found my warmth.

“Roy!” I gasped and he lifted his head to gaze down at me.

His fingers were circling and teasing me as I grabbed his shoulders and panted hard. “I had to wait all day after you teased me this morning,” Roy said with a diabolical grin. “You’re in for a long night, gorgeous.”

With that, his mouth found my other breast as his fingers began to work faster. I was writhing and shaking, pleasure building in such an intolerable wave I thought I would come apart at the seams. And then I did, hitting a pitch of bliss I’d never felt before.

Roy tilted his head at me as I caught my breath. “Sorry, I ever made fun of yoga.” His eyes ran up and down my body as I realized he’d taken my panties off and was swinging them around one finger, which he then stashed in a pocket. I gaped at him and he laughed. “You’ve got amazing flexibility and the nicest legs I have ever seen.”

I laughed and went to reach for his pants, but again Roy stopped me. This time he turned me so I was facing the wall. His hands gripped my breasts as he kissed his way across my shoulders, then down my spine. My hands were bracing me, my breathing heavy again as that same delicious spiral of pleasure bore down on me.

As Roy went lower, the ache between my legs was sharper than before. And when he kissed the back of my thighs, I was whimpering, his name falling from my lips.

He tugged me back, bending me over and suddenly his tongue laved my center. I screamed his name, lost in this intense pleasure. It came again and again, and I was begging for it.

When I came, it hit me so hard, my knees gave out and Roy caught me against him. Lifting me in his arms, he placed me gently down on the bed and lay on his back next to me, grinning.

Rolling over as soon as I could, I palmed the hard length in his pants and Roy sucked in a breath. Sitting up, he leaned in and kissed me.

“Take off your pants,” I demanded between kisses.

“Mm,” he said, kissing my neck. “Maybe.”

“Roy!” I said, pulling back and he laughed.

“You’re cute when you’re bossy,” he said, standing up and undoing them, slowly.

Standing up, I helped him undo them and shove them off. Then I bit my lip at the large bulge in his boxers and he shot me a teasing grin.

“If there’s one thing I know about you, Kes, there’s nothing too big for you to handle,” he whispered in my ear and I flushed.

“You and your lines,” I muttered, my fingers dragging up and down the V at his waist.

“Kesari,” he said, cupping my cheek. “Are you – you’re sure you’re ready?”

Getting down on my knees, I smiled up at him as I pulled down his boxers and his hard, thick rod sprang free. I tossed his boxers across the room and then took him into my mouth before he could say another word.

“You’ve made your point,” Roy said in a strangled voice. “I never dreamed – damn.” A groan rumbled out of his chest and he stroked his fingers through my hair. “Kes, ah.”

Gripping him, I went faster and Roy began to make harsh sounds that rekindled the flames in me. But it was all about him right now and I dedicated myself to it.

When he came, his cry was filled with deep satisfaction and my name echoed through the room. I grinned as I got to my feet and stuck out my tongue at him.

Roy didn’t even smile, he shoved me down on the bed and bore me into the mattress as his body covered mine. We rolled and tossed, bodies sliding together as we tasted each other’s skin. His lips on my neck, mine on his cheek. Hands roaming and exploring. Memorizing.

Finally, he straddled me in the center of the bed and shoved pillows under my back, propping me up. My foot traced along his calf as he nudged my legs apart and brushed across my entrance. I watched the intensity on Roy’s face, the desire in his eyes scorching me.

I moaned as he gripped my thighs and I reached up to hold onto the headboard. His chest was rising and falling, his body poised and I nodded. Finally, finally, he slid in filling me.

Gasping, I quivered as my body adjusted to him. He’d filled me to my breaking point. Roy held back, his eyes taking in every detail and savoring it as well. The blue was soft.

My legs hooked around the back of his and we began to move together. Now he was pulling me up, closer to him, his hands roaming across my back and mine were doing the same. Our lips met, matching the pace and I forgot everything.

We were one and I was rising with the absolute ecstasy of it.

“Roy, you’re mine,” I whispered in his ear as we broke apart, gasping. His face was in my neck and I watched the stars burn through the skylight. “Mine.”

His kiss was fierce and hot on my skin, then he found my lips again. “Yours,” Roy said, staring down at me as he began to move faster. “Always. Me and you.”

“Ah, Roy, yes, yes!” I gasped out, my nails digging into his back.

“After tonight you’ll never doubt that you are mine,” Roy said in an intense voice and our gazes locked again. “My joy, my light, and my world.”

At that exact moment, Roy hit a deep spot of pleasure in me and I shattered, arching up as the stars exploded and I became nothing but joy for a brief, endless moment.

He let out a sound of satisfaction, then also came, his body stiffening as mine as he groaned my name into my ear, deep and masculine, sending a shiver down to my toes.

When he slid out, it sent a shockwave through me and Roy met my eyes. He’d felt the same thing.

We were entwined. Body and soul, heart and mind. The two of us had become one and now things would never be the same. Like two opposing forces that craved each other, we would always need each other. Always long for this completion. And always find each other.

Roy nodded as I tried to grasp the enormity of this feeling, which seemed to expand and defy the known limits of this vast universe. It was so powerful, so breathtaking and profound.

“I know,” he said, cupping my cheek. “I feel it, too.”

“Like you said,” I murmured as he pressed his forehead to mine. “Together it is less scary.”

"But I was also wrong," Roy said, raising his head. "It is also a million more times intense.”

I placed a hand on his heart. “I think I’m okay with that one.”

A grin pulled up in his cheek and Roy brushed his lips across mine. “Me too.”