No Strings Attached

Chapter Forty Three

Alex woke with the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains of Norma's room, the warmth of her sheets cocooning him in comfort. For a moment, he just lay there, his body still, breathing in the quiet of the morning. His gaze turned to the woman beside him, and the same disbelief hit him every time his eyes found her. Norma. Here. With him.
He hadn't let himself imagine a morning like this in a long time, never believed it would come to him again. But there she was, her chest rising and falling with each gentle breath, her blonde hair spread across the pillow in a tangled halo. The outline of her body, the peaceful expression on her face, it was all so surreal to him.
His fingertip traced her jawline slowly, the touch barely grazing her skin, as if he were afraid she might vanish if he touched her too firmly. His eyes followed the curve of her neck, her soft collarbone, and then down to the rise and fall of her chest under the blanket they shared. Everything about her was so real, so vivid in the quiet morning light.
Unable to resist, he pressed a soft kiss just under her ear, his lips trailing along her throat in the gentlest of caresses. He moved lower, kissing her collarbone, sucking lightly, and heard the faintest breath escape her lips. But when he looked up, her eyes were still closed, her body unmoving. She was still asleep.
His hands became bolder, roaming her sides with an innocence that gradually deepened into something more lingering, more intimate. His lips followed the path of his fingers, tracing the curve of her body down her stomach. He could feel the heat of her skin, the soft shiver that ran through her as he kissed lower.
He could sense her starting to stir, her breathing changing, her body reacting to him even in her sleep. His hands gripped her thighs, the touch still innocent but lingering, his fingertips brushing the soft skin there.
Norma's hands moved up, her fingers gentle as they cupped his cheek. Her eyes were still closed, but she pulled him closer, a silent invitation. His lips moved lower, his kisses finding the delicate curve of her inner thigh, the slight hitch in her breath telling him everything he needed to know.
And then, as his lips finally found her, her legs spread for him, one hooking over his shoulder. Norma gasped sharply, her body shivering in response to him, her fingers pulling at his hair, urging him closer. Her soft moan, barely above a whisper, was all the confirmation he needed.
Her touch was gentle but firm, guiding him with the soft pull of her hands. Alex's heart hammered in his chest as he lost himself in the moment, his senses consumed by the rhythm of her breath, the feeling of her hands, the taste of her on his tongue.
This, he thought, was what he had been waiting for. What he had been deprived of for too long.
As Alex's tongue worked on her, the soft sighs that escaped Norma's lips quickly transformed into sharp, breathless gasps. Her legs tightened around him, instinctively pulling him closer, urging him deeper. He could feel her body tremble with each movement, the delicate rhythm of her breathing faltering as she teetered on the edge.
But just as she was about to lose herself completely, her hands gripped his shoulders, pulling him up toward her. Her legs slid from his shoulders to wrap around his waist, a silent command in the way she moved, in the way she looked at him. The intensity in her gaze was unmistakable, and Alex didn't need words to understand her.
He wasn't one to deprive her of what she wanted. With one swift motion, he moved over her, his body aligning with hers, before slowly sliding into her. The world outside seemed to disappear as they became lost in the moment, the only sounds being the soft gasps of their breathing and their bodies moving together in a familiar rhythm that felt almost like a dance.
Norma's eyes fluttered closed again, her fingers threading through his hair as she pulled him closer, her breathing ragged as the rush of sensation built within her.
"Look at me," he murmured softly, his thumb tracing the curve of her cheekbone.
Her eyes snapped open, meeting his with an intensity that matched the fire building between them. A fresh wave of pleasure rolled through her, causing her body to tighten in response.
"Breathe, baby," he whispered, his voice tender but steady. "Relax, and breathe."
It took her a moment, the sensations overwhelming her, but she focused on his words. Slowly, her breaths became less frantic, turning into softer, more controlled moans. Despite the rush of pleasure, she listened to him, willing her body to relax under his touch, even as the pleasure surged through her.
As she surrendered to his command, the sensations only grew stronger. His hand moved to press gently on her lower abdomen, and suddenly, she could feel every inch of him, sending her into her climax faster than she'd thought possible.
"Oh, God, Alex." The quiet cry escaped her lips as her back arched, her grip on him tightening as the waves of pleasure overtook her. Her head fell back against her pillows as his moans join hers, the beautiful melody one she'd dreamt about almost every night they were apart.
Alex felt the world narrow to just the two of them, their hearts beating in unison as the intensity of the moment wrapped around them like a wave, pulling them both under.
As their breathing began to slow, Norma leaned up to kiss him gently, her lips soft against his as they took a moment to catch their breath. His forehead rested against hers, and she whispered a soft, contented, "Good morning."
Alex chuckled, a warm, almost amused sound. It was sweet, the innocence of it, as though they hadn't just spent the morning completely entwined with each other before even fully waking up.
"Very good morning," he murmured, rubbing the tip of his nose along hers lightly, a teasing glint in his eyes. The simple, playful touch felt like a reminder of how close they were now, how real this all was.
"Please tell me you don't have work today," she whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with a desperate sort of longing. Her grip on him tightened instinctively, as if she were already staking a claim, unwilling to let him go, regardless of any obligations.
He kissed her softly on the lips before pulling back just enough to smile. "I don't have work today," he said, his voice low and comforting.
Norma's face lit up, her smile wide and genuine, her relief palpable. Without warning, she rolled them over so that she was straddling him. She didn't even flinch, her bare chest exposed, but there was no embarrassment in her eyes. There was no need to hide from him anymore. She felt completely at ease, completely herself.
"Hm, what to do," she said with a playful smile, her hips already moving against his in teasing rhythm. The spark in her eyes told him she was just as eager to continue their morning as he was.
Alex laughed softly, leaning up to kiss her again, unable to keep himself away from her for too long. His hands slid down her back, pulling her closer as their lips met with renewed urgency. The playful teasing in her movements ignited something in him, and he knew that this was just the beginning of the kind of morning neither of them would ever forget.
After they'd completely exhausted themselves, their bodies tangled in a contented mess of sheets, it was Norma's stomach that signaled the end to their escape from reality as it gave a loud, unmistakable rumble. She chuckled softly, feeling a little embarrassed, but Alex raised his head from the pillow, his brows furrowing in mock seriousness.
"You're not going to starve yourself on my watch," he said, his voice playful but firm.
Norma laughed, shaking her head. "I'm not even that hungry," she protested, moving to kiss him again.
But just as her lips were about to meet his, her stomach gave another disgruntled growl, louder this time. Alex pulled back with a grin, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Your body says differently," he teased, before rolling out of the bed.
Norma stayed lying there for a moment, watching him move across the room. The way his muscles rippled as he dressed was enough to make her smile, and she felt her pulse quicken again just from the sight of him. As he pulled his pants on, he caught her staring and smirked knowingly, leaning down to place a loving kiss on her lips.
"I'll start on breakfast," he said gently. "You take your time. You might be sore," he added with a teasing grin, making her laugh lightly.
He moves to pull away but she snatches his shirt from his hands as he does so, making him look to her with a mix of shock and confusion.
"You won't be needing this today, sheriff," she tells him softly, a playful smirk on her lips as she looked up at him innocently.
"As you wish, my dear," he replies with a smile as he leans back down to give her one last kiss before heading out of the room.

Thank you to those still reading!! Your support means everything to me<3 If I was smart, I would stop the story here, but I don't want to stop writing about Normero so I'm going to grab this story out. If anyone had any story ideas, I'm open to writing about anything!
Also I don't know if anyone noticed but I pretty much wrote Norman out of this story. I don't like writing about him so let's just say he's off at college or something.
xx