It was nearly five o’clock in the morning when Holly finally slid into bed. She let out a deep, contented sigh.
“I’ve missed this bed,” she said.
Victoria sat at the vanity table, brushing her hair and waiting for her face cream to sink into her skin.
“I should think so,” Victoria said, watching her in the reflection. “It’s bound to be far superior to whatever straw-filled sack you endured at that motel.
Holly rolled her eyes. “It was a nice hotel,” she pointed out.
Victoria hummed rather than issuing the outright denial that she clearly wanted to.
“There is one problem with this bed.” Holly propped her head up on her elbow.
Victoria raised a confused eyebrow.
“It’s strangely empty,” Holly explained, running her hand over the soft sheets.
Victoria smirked. “Well, let’s see what we can do about that.” She lowered her hairbrush, gave herself one last look over in the mirror, and then climbed into bed.
Holly shuffled over and snuggled up against her, fitting perfectly into the crook of her shoulder. She wrapped her arm around Victoria’s middle. Victoria reached up and switched the lights off. The early morning sun was already peeking through the curtains.
Holly closed her eyes and listened to the soft breathing of her partner.
She wasn’t at all tired. Her mind was still a blur of information and further questions. Things weren’t settled, but at least they were now safe, and together. The few short days away from Victoria had been a shock to Holly.
She’d obviously known that she was in love with Victoria, but just how in love she was had proved to be a surprise. Not a second had gone by without her thinking about her missing other half.
Holly had always known deep down that she was in this relationship for the long haul. She’d felt that way almost immediately, and every new passing day served to cement those feelings.
Logically, she knew that they hadn’t been together long and that they faced a mountain of opposition from people who thought they were mismatched, but that didn’t matter. She knew how she felt.
“Are you asleep?” she whispered.
“How could I sleep?” Victoria answered honestly. “A madman just kidnapped me.”
Holly wanted to point out that most people would be utterly exhausted after being kidnapped and having found out that one of your nearest and dearest friends had been using you for years. Not to mention everything else that had been going on.
But Victoria wasn’t most people.
Holly loosened her grip on Victoria’s side and brought her hand around to her torso. She gripped at the fabric of the silk pyjamas.
“Off,” she whispered.
Victoria didn’t hesitate and hastily unbuttoned the top with her free hand, the other clutching Holly to her. Holly tried to help, and they chuckled when they both reached the final button and tried to undo it, causing the task to take twice as long.
“I’ve missed you,” Victoria whispered. “Not just this, all of you.”
“I feel the same way.” Holly got up and straddled Victoria as she tugged off her tank top. She tossed it to the floor and leaned forward to separate the two sides of the pyjama top. She peppered Victoria’s neck, breasts, and torso with kisses.
Victoria’s hands went to Holly’s hips and firmly held her in place as she rolled her head from side to side and gasped at the sensations Holly’s lips trailed behind them.
“Never leave again,” Victoria muttered. “Stay with me.”
“Always,” Holly promised between kisses.
Victoria’s hips twitched upwards, and Holly could tell that she was eager. She couldn’t blame her; she felt exactly the same way, but she also wanted to take her time and demonstrate to Victoria just how much she loved her.
Suddenly she sat up, forcing Holly to do the same.
“I’m serious,” Victoria said. “I can’t be apart from you again.”
Holly swept Victoria’s hair back with both hands. “You won’t have to. You’ll have to forcibly remove me if you want me to leave.”
Victoria smiled. “Never.”
She tilted her body, and Holly fell to the mattress. Victoria kicked off her pyjama trousers, and Holly did the same. A second later, Victoria lay down, and they faced each other, coming together in a kiss that had precisely zero finesse. Holly knew neither of them were going to last long. They simply needed to be together, to prove their love for one another, and to put the frightening thoughts of being apart well and truly behind them.