The Desire Variable | Rewrite

⸻ THIRTY-NINE ⸻

"Lex, I'm okay," I say soothingly.

"You're not. I'm going to fucking—"

"I broke his nose," I cut him. "And my brother beat the shit out of him. Stefano had it ten times worse, so it's all good, baby."

The confusion in his eyes is amusing, but the moment is too intense for that, so I hold back my smile. "You broke his nose?"

"There was so much blood. I didn't expect it to hurt like that," I explain, stretching the hand I punched Kate's ex with. "It's not painful anymore, but I can still feel it."

Lex doesn't answer right away, looking at me with a mix of stupor and what may be respect. After a moment, he takes my hand and gently brings it to his mouth, laying a tender kiss on my knuckles. The warmth of the gesture renders me speechless.

"Is it better?" he asks, gently grazing the spot he just kissed. He's looking down at me with affection, devotion, and what I can now see is love.

I nod, swallowing away the heavy lump in my throat. I'm not ready when he unhurriedly bends, holding my face in place, to give me the softest, most tender kiss on my cheekbone, where the redness is the most intense.

"Better?" he softly murmurs.

Fuck... I love you. I love you. I love you.

"Yes... But for some reason, my lips are a little sore too," I pretend, craving a kiss.

His smile is so genuine, I can hardly believe he was furious moments ago. I successfully calmed him down. Ever so tender, he holds my chin with his index finger and gives me a delicate kiss. He moves back, caressing my bottom lip with his thumb. Our eyes meet, and I drown in his, admiring the dark specs in his gray irises.

"Is it better?" he asks again, his voice so soft it feels like a cloud enveloping me. I'm so enthralled, so emotional, I don't trust my voice to do its job and I shake my head with a slight frown.

He chuckles and bends to kiss me again, harder this time. Before he can move back, I frame his face with both hands and pull him closer. In a few seconds, the tender kiss he initiated is gone. I give him all I have, all I feel, all I want. The ache on the side of my face as I move in unison with him doesn't stop any of this—not when I need him with so much intensity.

It becomes clear that he also wants it all as his large, powerful hands course over my body with hunger. We both move toward the couch, peeling away each other's clothes on our way there, I vaguely think that the pizzas will get cold, but before I can mention it, Lex's skillful mouth engulfs the perky tip of my nipple over the lace of my bra, robbing me of all coherent thoughts.

Nothing matters other than the man in my arms. The man in my heart. The man in my life.

***

Panting, sweating, and exhausted, I'm sprawled over Lex, trying to get down from the immeasurable high I was just in. When I look down at him, he's in the same state of bewilderment as I am, his cheekbones adorably red, his body covered with a thin veil of sweat, his breathing short.

After one last kiss, I move up to dislodge him from within me before wriggling closer to him with my cheek on his firm chest. "I take it you didn't want to help your dad out with his chore?" he says, his voice a little hoarse.

"He was doing fine by himself. And I couldn't stop thinking of you, spending your Sunday evening working. I thought a movie and pizza would be better than working. Unless you already finished it, you'll see what happens to Frodo and the guys."

He lets out an amused chuckle that has me jiggling over him. "I didn't. I wouldn't risk angering you."

"I knew you were a smart man." With a satisfied sigh, I push myself off of him. "I need a moment in the bathroom. Can you get everything ready?"