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"Yeah," she echoed, and watched as he rolled up off theoff layers The hat went on the dresser next to hers The battered leather jacket went next, thumped on the armchair with a click of buckles; he unbuttoned the jeans, slid them off, and sat on the bed to dispose of shirt, socks and underwear

As he stood up, she lost her breath at the sight of hieous planes of his body, which were objectively great, but for the bruises They were days old and fading, but he’d taken a hell of a beating in that wreck

He’d been lucky No, she’d been lucky not to lose hih she kneas acutely aware of her stare; he crossed the small distance to the bathroom, closed the door, and a few seconds later she heard the hiss of the water start

It felt like a drea off her sweaty clothes, all the way to the skin; the chill motel air made her shiver, and made her nipples stiffen and ache as she hesitated in front of the door Then she opened it, breathed in the warm steam, and as she shut it behind her, Patrick slid back the shower door He was shrouded in the , and the sloar you’d come"

"Haven’t yet," she said, "but what the hell, we can start slow"

She stepped into the stinging hot downpour and sealed the two of thery rush, damp flesh and a dark, sainst his lips The water hardly had rooood, to be with hiht

Thisthis was a drea ti, lazy with desire and sated by touch He was already fully aroused, but one thing Patrick was a ht now, he was in thehands shampooed her hair, soaped her body, slipped into soft, dark places that ainst him

Soainst the tile, but it didn’t; he shut off the water and toweled her dry, head to toe, and she wiped hiain, tracing her tongue along the hot velvet length of his erection That wasn’t enough, not for her, and froroan she drew from him when her lips parted and slid down, he liked the extra attention

He let it go on for a long fewin slow, deep, raw breaths; his eyes were half-shut, watching, and his hands caressed her daether, silent and one Then he gently pushed her back and lifted her up and kissed her again, slowly and deep and drunk on pleasure

Then they went to bed

It was a solid hour of love that kept the world outside the walls--Jane, the past, the future, even the nanites busily crawling inside her veins and the loo at the outside of the sensations he woke in her body--tension, friction, release, pain, pleasure, sweat, tears, a thousandas hetime, free

Justfree

"Easy," he said, as she arched against hio faster "We have time" It was all he said, other than whispers hot in her ear and against her skin, but even he couldn’t hold time back forever

When he finally collapsed on her, sweaty and tre and spent, she rolled hirowth of hair over hardof it felt good Soothing

"God," Patrick finally said, in a voice that was ood Thank you"

She laughed a little, and turned her face toward hientle brush of his fingers "Thank me?" she said "I like that you’re so polite, but"

"Thank you for letting go," he said, and he was very serious "Thank you for not letting my past with Jane stand between us"

Jane Some of the warmth went out of the room with the mention of her name, but Bryn tried not to let it show She put her hand on his cheek--prickly with stubble, he needed a shave, and she’d have friction burns all over her to prove it--and said, "Jane’s not here Let’s not bring her into the bed with us"

He took in a breath, closed his eyes, and let it out Then he nodded "Sorry I just--Bryn, I don’t knoe’re still--"

"We are," she said "We’re okay I proave him a small, crooked smile "I almost wish I didn’t"

"I did warn you I was complicated"