Life of a Mental (No longer writing)

Chapter Twenty Two

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Riley traced the curve of my spine with a light finger as he propped his head up against his hand on the pillow. I rested my head against his bare chest and I wrapped my arm around his torso. Softly, he started humming a song I faintly recognized as some old Irish hymn. 

I breathed in deeply and smiled, letting Riley’s natural scent fill my lungs with glee. Unlike with Cale, there were no odours of overused hair products or strong cologne. Riley smelled so clean, natural and wholesome. 

Looking away from Riley, I frowned as it occurred to me that I was still in love with Cale. After all, why would I be thinking about him in a moment like this? No, no, I shook my head. I love Riley. Well, I like him at least.  

I settled on the idea that I had some sort of feeling towards Riley otherwise I would not have done what I just did.

Cale and I are over, I thought, turning back to Riley and deciding to live in the moment.

He lifted his hand to my face and slow started tapping his finger against my cheek. His lips moved in silent words with each tap of his finger.

I gripped his hand in my own and asked, “What are you doing?”

He smiled as he continued to lightly tap my face. “Countin’ your freckles.” Taking my hand to his face, he pressed it to his cheek before kissing it.

I drew my hand away and covered my face to hide the deep scarlet shade on my cheeks.  Shaking my head, I pulled the sheet over my face as I slipped away from him.

With the sudden weight of Riley’s hand on my stomach, I stopped moving away from him and lay still in the bed. “No, stop,” Riley whispered in a deep voice.  I felt Riley grab my thigh as he heaved himself up to straddle me. He pressed his body against mine with both of his elbows resting on either side of my head. “Come here,” he said peeling the sheet away from my face. “You made me lose count,” he said with a huff. “I think I was at thirty-three.”

I turned my face away from his fingers. “Don’t count my mistakes.”

Riley stopped and looked at me for a moment. Taking both my hands in his, bringing “They’re the most beautiful things about you.”

“A way for you to move on is to realise your beauty.”

I laughed against my wishes. Rolling my eyes, I looked away from Lippman; he was a foolish man to think I –or any being for that matter- was beautiful.

Despite my urge to laugh, I gave him a questioning look. Between my oversized eyes, imposing freckles and pale skin, he was wrong. “Then I’m not very beautiful.”

Riley snorted. Cupping my face in his hands, he lifted my chin to his lips. The touch of his mouth was light and airy against mine. It was a brief kiss, hardly a peck but the moment he pulled away, I yearned to feel the sensation of his smooth lips pressing my own once more.

Rubbing his thumb against my cheek, he whispered in a dry, loving, voice, “I’m devoted to you Liv with all my heart. I love and adore you with all that you do. There’s nothing you can do that will ever make me think you bad; you’re perfect.”

I smiled faintly; unaware of how to respond to that with all the sincerity that he has spoke. “I love you too,” I whispered, running a finger over his jawline, feeling the adolescent hair. He made a small moan in the back of his throat as my lips caressed his.

He rolled off me and opened his arms, singling for me to move closer. Wrapping my arms over his body, I rested my head against his chest. As he shut his eyes, he rubbed my back like he would rub a baby’s.