Warriors

Chapter Sixteen: Aftermath

As I start to wake up, I feel Fergus gently caressing my face and playing with my hair. I slowly open my eyes, and his are soft and warm when I look up at him. He smiles and I smile back, he keeps doing what he was doing.

"Hey."

"Hey, you. How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright. Sober but alright. Were you watching me sleep?"

"No... ok, yes. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Is it weird?"

"No, it's sweet. I keep expecting you to realize how fucked up I am and leave."

"I would never do that. I've worked hard to prove that you can trust me and show you how much you mean to me."

His eyes burn into mine, and I feel like I'm under a trance. His face is closer to mine than I thought, and I can feel his breath on my skin. I want him to be closer and look at his lips, thinking about how soft they felt against mine. When I look back up, his eyes are on my lips. His fingers trail down my cheek slowly, making me shiver. I look at his lips again and let myself give in. I close the distance and kiss him softly and he holds my face to his. He kisses my jaw, and his voice is no louder than a whisper.

"What are you doing?"

"What I want."

I try to kiss him again, but he stops me.

"Not like this, sweetheart. I want you to think."

"I did think. I'm not drunk or high, and my head is clear. I need this. I need you."

"I don't want you to do this because you're angry at him or because you're lonely or hurt. It has to be because you have feelings for me and nothing else. I don't want you to regret this."

"I won't regret it."

 I move closer to kiss him again, and he puts his hand on my chest.

"Stop. Please stop pushing me away. I'm not doing this because of him. I'm doing this because you're right. We owe it to ourselves to see what this is. It's time I admit I have strong feelings for you, and I'm sick of fighting them."

"You have to be sure, Mallory, you can't undo this. I told you before. There is no stopping, no going back."

"I know that. I know what I want."

He looks so torn, trying to decide if I'm being serious, and I know that if I want him, I have to make the first move. He finally lets me close the small distance and press my lips back against his. I can feel him give in and kiss me deeper, and I get taken over by lust as I kiss him more urgently. His hands explore my body, and he rolls on top of me to press against me. I moan and slide my tongue over his, and he kisses down my jaw and neck to my collarbone and bites it softly. I gasp and bite my lip, and he pauses.

"I shouldn't be doing this. I have to stop."

"No. Don't."

He sighs and tries to get up, but I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him back to me.

"I thought you wanted this."

"I do. Fuck I do. More than I've ever wanted anything, but I can't help feeling that you're not thinking straight. You have no idea how bad it will hurt me if you regret this."

"I won't."

"You don't know that."

I bring my face back to his again and brush my lips against his softly, looking into his eyes.