Chapter 257 - The Importance of Aftercare

Arei waited patiently, still working his tongue lightly against her c.l.i.t enjoying every sound and shiver she made as she rode out her o.r.g.a.s.m. He kept his fingers pressed against her g-spot, applying just the right amount of pressure until her shuddering finally subsided. He slid them out from her body and stuck them into his mouth s.u.c.k.i.n.g her juices from his fingers before climbing over her and capturing her lips for a deep, passionate kiss.

Jos tangled her arms around his neck and her legs around his as best as she could, holding him tightly against her as she kissed him hungrily back. The taste of herself on his lips only made her want more... need more. "Arei..." She murmured against his lips.

He used her grip on him to help him lift and pull her up to the head of the bed, then placed another lingering kiss to her lips before he pulled away and set back on his legs. He turned and retrieved the glass of wine, taking a long drink before turning and offering her a drink. "Thirsty?" He asked as he extended the glass.

She nodded, curiosity replacing hunger in her eyes. "Thank you." She whispered as he handed her the other glass.

"Go ahead and finish it. It should help you sleep better. I know you've been tossing and turning a lot lately." He said as he set his glass back on the tray and began climbing off the bed.

Jos's eyes widened in shock. "Wait... what... what are you doing?" She asked.

He arched a brow. "Putting this stuff back on the window seat so we can lay down. Is there anything else you need? If you'd like more wine, I can leave the bottle on the nightstand."

She shook her head as overwhelming sadness hit her. {After all that, does he really mean to just... go to sleep?!} Her eyes trailed over his body as he stood and gathered the tray. He was still aroused. {Maybe he is just moving it out of the way???} She tried to reason as she followed him around the room with her eyes.

He placed the tray on the window seat, locked the door, and placed his glass of wine along with the remaining bottle on his nightstand. He pulled the sheets down and waited until she crawled under them before getting in himself. He turned and clicked the light off before turning to her and pulling her into his arms. "Now, how about that conversation?" He asked placing a kiss to her forehead.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She searched his face but saw no sign of joking. "After that we... I..." She shook her head as she lifted from his arms and moved over to her own pillow. "I... I'm suddenly sleepy... if you don't mind... I'm... going go... sleep..." She struggled through her words as hurt, confusion, and frustration battled one another. She could see the slight frown settle over his expression in the darkness of the room. Not wanting him to read the pain that must now be radiating from her own eyes, she turned away from him and laid on her side.

Arei scrunched his brows together as he lifted his head from the pillow and studied her back. "Oh... alright..." He'd looked forward to talking with her more. He rolled over on his side toward her and began running his hands over her back and arm soothingly, hoping it would help her to relax and sleep. To his utter surprise, he could feel a slight tremble in her arm shortly after he'd began rubbing. {Is she...crying?!} His eyes widened in alarm. "Jos?" He pushed himself up onto his elbow and bent closer to her, giving her shoulder a gentle yet firm tug bringing her flat onto her back. Sure enough, he could see the glistening trail of the silent tears that streamed down her face. "What's wrong, kitten?" She wouldn't meet his gaze, instead, she turned her face away from him. A deep frown settled over his features as he first slid his hand along the farthest cheek, then carefully turned her face to meet his. He used the pad of his thumb to brush the tears away from the closest eye. "Talk to me, kitten. What is wrong? Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you? Was it the beard?" His cheeks reddened as he glanced away. "I'm sorry if it wasn't good... I'm out of practice... I'm sorry... but you seemed like you were enjoying it..."

She shook her head her bottom lip quivering slightly as she forced a response. "No... it wasn't any of that..." She turned away from him again. "Forget it..."

Arei pushed himself up into a sitting position and began massaging her shoulder. "I may be out of practice, but I do recall any time a woman says forget it... you do the opposite. Now, please, tell me what's bothering you." He gently rolled her onto her back once again. Holding her tear-filled eyes with his own worried ones, he whispered pleadingly. "We promised honesty to one another."

Her lower lip trembled as she struggled to answer. "I thought you were... we were going... Gahhh... I'm stupid." She tossed back over on her side clutching her pillow against her c.h.e.s.t. "I can't do this with you... I can't do the teasing and the will we won't we... I get it you're giving me what I want... just enough of what I want to keep me hanging on..." She glared at him over her shoulder. "I can't..." She shoved the pillow away and in one quick movement was pushing herself up from the bed and walking around it, in search of clothing.

Arei furrowed his brows, trying to decipher her broken words. He watched as she yanked a dress from her luggage and slammed it shut, struggling against the zipper. She hadn't once zipped it back since they'd been there. She popped the handle out loudly as she stood and began stomping toward the door, dress still in hand. "What..." {I can't...} The words reverberated in his brain, her meaning finally taking form. {She can't what, be with ME!?! She's leaving, right now...} His feet were on the floor and in motion before the thoughts had even fully worked their selves out. He caught her hand and gingerly pried the handle of the luggage from her tight grip as the other hand flew around her waist. The second the luggage thumped against the floor he scooped her up and pressed his mouth to hers swallowing any protest she had. He took the final steps forward until her body was pressed between the door and his body, as he tried to pour all of his feelings out into one passionate kiss. The beeping of her watch echoed deafeningly in the quiet room. When he finally eased his assault on her lips, he pulled back only enough to search her eyes his own reflecting his intense anxiety. "Please, don't leave me. I'll do whatever you want, however you want it. I love you..."

Jos panted in his arms, wrapping hers around his neck. She let her head rest against the cool wood of the door as she struggled to regain control of her breathing and the rapid beat of her heart. The pleading tone of his voice and turbulent emotion radiating outward from his eyes, made her feel horrible for her own reactions and rash decisions. "I'm sorry..." She whispered in a low timid voice.

He quickly shook his head. "No, I'm the one sorry. Please, just tell me..." He searched her eyes for the unspoken needs there. "I'd love to give you what you want right here against the door, but to be honest the thought of you walking out on me again has me softer than a jelly donut." He raised one hand to stroke over her cheek as he lowered his lips back to hers. "I love you." He whispered against them. "Watching you head for that door was my worst nightmares actualized." His voice cracked and his eyes were moist when they finally met hers.

Her wide eyes held his. It was so strange seeing such a large man as emotional as he was right now while he begged her to stay. Was she being ins.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e insisting they have s.e.x while he was obviously not ready? She cupped his face in her hands as she continued to search his eyes. "I love you, too... I'm sorry, I had it in my head somehow that it wouldn't be real... that us being together wouldn't be official until we..." She swallowed hard as she shook her head. "I wouldn't leave you... I only thought it best to be in a different room... at least for the night..."

He shook his head. "What we have is real. It is just as real now as it will be in three hundred years from now. We have an endless lifetime together. There's no rush, no reason why we can't enjoy each other." He frowned as he held her tighter not wanting to let her go. "Do you still feel the same? Do you still want to sleep separately? I can sleep on the window seat if you want... It's safer if you stay in here though."

She shook her head, her breath breaking as she exhaled. "No... I was being irrational and childish..." She forced an awkward smile. "Cuddles and conversation?"

He nodded. "That would be nice." He carried her over and set her on the edge of the bed before stepping away again.

She tilted her head as she watched his glutes flex with each step. "What are you doing now?" She asked as he bent by his bags.

He glanced up at her over his shoulder. "I figured with the current atmosphere between us, it would be best to dress at least partially." He tugged out a white tee and a pair of gym shorts. He stood and walked back to the bed not bothering to put the shorts on first. "Here lift your arms." He said as he tossed the shorts over his shoulder and lifted the shirt.

Jos frowned as her eyes moved from the clothes to his magnificent n.a.k.e.d body. "If I promise to be good, can we cuddle without those?" She quickly added, "I mean it's good to have them by the bed in case anyone knocks or something but... are they really necessary?"

He let out a breath, mild frustration reflecting in his tone. "I don't think it's fair of me to keep doing these things to you. You've made it clear it's not enough and causes you more pain than me keeping things causal in all regards." When she still didn't move he tossed the shirt to the bed before flopping down beside her himself. He balanced his elbows against his knees as he ran his hands through his hair. "I'm not sure what to do here, Jos. It seems no matter what steps I try to take forward they only end up knocking us back five." He turned his head to hold her gaze. "There is no way in this world you're truly ready to move forward with me as you want. It's been over 500 years since we last spoke until here recently, and though a lot of things are still the same... so much has changed. I want to know this person sitting with me here right now. I want to know about everything about how you grew into this amazing person." He sat back up and c.a.r.e.s.sed her cheek in one large palm as he searched her pensive stair. "Has the little you've learned about me been enough?"

She pressed her lips together as her brows knotted. "No... there are still tons I'd like to learn. I look forward to reading your journals once we break this Fern thing... I just assumed that it could all come at the same time. We could be physical and still build on all the other things as we go." She shrugged. "I imagined we could have conversations about the time we've been apart and the people we've grown into as we soaked in the tub or held each other after a long night of lovemaking... Arei... we only ever made love those few times, all in the span of less than a day..." She reached out and placed her hand on his c.h.e.s.t over the tattooed brand. "Getting those memories back allowed me to discover a side of you I didn't realize I'd lost. Realizing that that sweet, caring man was still beside me trying his best to protect me and give me all the things I could ever ask for... plus some... There isn't anything left that I need to know, nothing that I could possibly discover that would change my feelings for you... my gratitude for all you've done."

He placed his hands over hers, cupping them tightly to his c.h.e.s.t. "I see... but I don't want you to feel like you owe me your body out of gratitude or as a form of payment or reward for anything I've done. I want your body as an extension of you as a whole, as an added bonus... something extra but not needed, for the whole person who loves me, for me and not because I'm a nice ride in the sack..."

Jos furrowed her brow. "Arei, I'd never look at you that way. To be perfectly honest, the thought of having all of you inside me still scares the hell out of me... I wanted the physical connection because I felt like that was all that was missing... You already have all my heart, all my soul... You've had it this entire time, we were both just blinded to it. I'm more than ready to be more than this awkward... whatever it is we are... I'm ready to put a name to it..."

A smile curved one side of his lips as he huffed out an amused chuckle. "You're ready to name it? What would you name it?" He released one hand from hers and brought it to her face. Stroking her cheek with the pad of his thumb he said. "There are so many different names you could give this... soulmates, lovers... you seemed to like that one last time... Fiance..."

Her cheeks heated. "I'm not sure I'm ready to pick up exactly where we left off all that time ago, but... together... a couple, boyfriend... If you're willing to carry the title..."

Arei smiled warmly down at her, tugging her closer and pressing his lips to hers. He leaned back, his eyes sparkling down at hers. "I'd love that title."

***

Zeus chuckled as he closed out the app connected to Jos's wristwatch. The heart rate alarm had gotten his attention earlier, but now he was losing interest. He tossed his phone to the side. "It would appear I don't need to expend my efforts of keeping them apart. My bumbling nephew can do quite well on his own."

Selena closed her computer that she'd been working on all this time. Folding her glasses and placing them on top of the closed laptop, she slowly turned to face him. "I don't understand why you insist on interfering at all."

Zeus frowned. "For the same reasons I've always interfered with his siblings, they are too powerful. I can't risk another scheme to overthrow my power."

Selena couldn't mask her full irritation as she struggled not to roll her eyes. "Correct me if I'm mistaking, but your own wife headed that attempt joined by two of your children. Poseidon only helped them with no intention of taking power for himself, though you punished him anyway... still punishing him, really..."

His upper lip curled in anger at the mention of his own blood's turn against him. "Even more reason to punish them, isn't it? Imagine had Orion and Artemis's relationship worked out and produced a child. I can't have that any more than I can have Areion and Jos producing." He glared toward the window. "No, as long as they are together, I will work to destroy them... Just as I did Triton, Polyphemus, Orion, Charybdis, and the others..."