Saving Steve (Steve Rogers x Reader)

*Chapter 23 - Stay*

Soft fingertips trail across your forehead. You feel them brushing away messy hair, and crack  one eye to find Steve hovering above you, his blue eyes following his hand across your face as his touch barely grazes your skin.

He's so deeply  enthralled in following the line of your jaw down your neck to your shoulder that he doesn't notice you're awake. 

"Good morning," you whisper. 

Steve's gaze snaps to yours, and a demure smile reaches the corners of his eyes. 

"G'morning."

You let out a content sigh as Steve's fingers continue to dance across your brow. A desire to be close compels you to shift slightly, rolling into Steve's side and leaning your cheek to his bare chest, nuzzling into the hollow of his collarbone. You breathe in deeply, and melt into that familiar scent of fresh rain and cedar trees.

Steve lets out a tranquil hum and wraps his arms around you, pulling you tightly to his body as he presses a soft kiss to your temple. Skin to skin, your body heat trapped between the sheets, you never want to leave this bed. But you know you won't be so lucky, and you wonder when you'll have to.

"Steve?"

"Hmm?"

You run your fingers gently down his jaw, playing with his beard before letting them fall to the front of his chest, trailing along his rigid muscles and enjoying the small twitches you receive in response.

"What happens now?" you ask.

Steve pulls back slightly and looks down at you, his cheeks turning a dark shade of pink as he grows flustered. Cleary you've caught him off guard. 

"W-well, I...I don't really know the intimacy customs today, or w-what a dame expects a fella to d-"

"No," you laugh, cutting him off. "No, Steve, relax. I mean...what do we do about all of this? About Ross? I mean, we can't stay here forever, can we? Shouldn't we be...I don't know - moving on? I'm pretty sure that's always how people get caught in the movies," you laugh. "Staying in one place too long."

But Steve doesn't laugh. Instead his jaw tenses and his brow furrows. 

"Hey," you say gently, running your thumb across his bottom lip.  "What's wrong?"

Steve sighs and pulls his arms from around you, leaving you cold and exposed. You pull the sheet tighter to your naked body as he sits and swings his bare legs over the side of the bed.

"Steve?" you call out, confused by his reaction.

"There are some things that I still need to take care of here," he says, angling his head to speak to you over his shoulder. 

"What? I thought you were just in hiding?" you ask.

"But, you're right," Steve says, ignoring your question. "It's dangerous to stay in one place for too long. And I'm putting you at risk by keeping you here. I...I'm going to figure out a way, okay?"

"A way for what?" you ask, growing increasingly suspicious as you sit up, clinging to the simple, thin sheet. 

"A way to get you home safe," Steve answers. "I just need a little time. But I promise I'll figure it out."

Stunned, you crawl up behind Steve and place a gentle hand on his shoulder, feeling him tense, then relax. He reaches up and places his hand atop yours. 

"What if I don't want that?"

The words slip out faster than you realize you even thought them in the first place.