First Times

Who: Kurt and Natalya
When: Afternoon
Where: Their house
Warning: NSFW

Natalya had promised Doc she'd think over what he'd told her that night, but she hadn't anticipated that it would be all she'd be able to think about. Not that it had done her any good, because she hadn't come to a single conclusion or decision. Part of it was the chaos that had continued to spawn around them throughout the following day and night, and part of it was the fact that Natalya felt as though she were thinking herself in circles. Needless to say, she was nearly ecstatic to learn that the danger had passed and it was safe to go home. She needed the peace and solitude of the little place she'd carved out for herself on the lakeshore. She'd spent too long around too many people; she was still unsettled.

She was quiet on the cab ride home, grateful when they pulled up and she could go inside. With a small smile for Kurt, she took their bag into the bedroom to start unpacking.

Kurt was tired down to his bones. Even with the breaks of other people doing watch, one didn't sleep well when that kind of thing was going on. Not that he really ever slept well, but it was even worse when the direct threat of harm lingered. Still, he was grateful that they'd had a safer place to go, one with skilled backup. He had thanked Doc already, but it didn't feel like enough. Allies were something that needed to be appreciated actively, and the man had helped him in more than one way. He crutched his way to the bedroom after Natalya, watching her for a moment. The sun in his universe. "Join me for a shower?" he asked.

Natalya paused in the middle of folding a shirt, pressing it to her stomach to hide the faint way her hands shook at the suggestion. Likely they were both too tired for it to be anything other than a shower, of course, but... it was Kurt. He just had that effect on her. She looked down to hide a faint blush as she resumed folding and laid the shirt carefully on the bedspread. "That sounds very nice," she said quietly, turning to offer him another small smile.

'Nice' was better than nothing. He smiled faintly back. They hadn't been any sort of intimate since he'd been injured, and while that wasn't exactly his goal at current ... he wouldn't be opposed to it. it was just another symptom of her keeping distant, and Kurt would appreciate any sign that that was being alleviated. He turned and headed into the bathroom, leaning the crutch against the counter and starting to strip. He idly thought that the blank space where the mirror had been wouldn't be filled again for a while. He could definitely live without one. Kurt sat on the edge of the tub, turned the water on, and worked on peeling his jeans off. It was a slow, careful process.

Natalya paused to put away what she'd already folded - not that there was much that they'd brought in the first place - and slide the duffel bag to the floor before following. She was nervous entering the bathroom; it had been a while since she'd even touched Kurt beyond changing his bandages, let alone got naked with him. She studiously avoided looking at the mirrorless wall as she started to disrobe, gingerly peeling off her own jeans to avoid the scratches on her hip and thigh.

"Doc said my leg is healing well," Kurt offered up by way of idle conversation. She probably knew that already, but it bore mentioning. He leaned to test the temperature of the water and adjusted it a little bit. His blue eyes moved to her as she took her clothes off, lingering a bit on the wounds. They hadn't been deep enough to need stitching, but still. He hated to see them on her. Once he was nude, he got up and stepped carefully into the tub, turning the spray to shower and pulling the curtain just a bit. He didn't want to rush her.

"I am glad," Natalya said, the truth in her tone evident. She knew she and Kurt had been doing everything the doctors had said, but she was always worried about something going wrong or that it would heal incorrectly. She watched from beneath lowered eyelashes as he finished stripping and stepped into the shower, then forced her eyes away to finish the job herself. Taking a breath, she nudged the curtain aside to step in, then pulled it fully closed behind her.

Regular hot showers were a luxury that Kurt thought he would never stop appreciating. He was leaned up against the tile wall, letting the water rush down over him, hands slowly rubbing at his face. He looked at her after a moment, smiled faintly, and moved to make some room for her if she wanted it. He knew somewhere that he should probably talk to her, share some of the insight that his talk with Doc had given him. But it was hard to know where to start. And maybe it was a moment he didn't want to ruin.

Natalya wanted to see to Kurt, first; he looked so tired as she stepped in, leaning against the wall as if he were too tired to stand on his own. She didn't blame him, with his leg. So instead she reached for the sponge to wet it and lather it. She laid a hand briefly on his shoulder to turn him slightly before starting to soap his back. She hid a grimace as the spray from the shower hit her scratched hip and thigh, angled slightly to keep the water pressure off it.

He looked a tiny bit surprised, though he shouldn't have. Really, it should've been drilled into his head by that point that she was going to take care of him first and foremost until there wasn't a breath left in her body. He moved where she wanted him to, letting his eyes drift closed and enjoying the feel of the sponge on his back. The water stung his own cuts, but he didn't pay it any mind. He'd been through so much worse, it was more just a relieving reminder that it was all over.

Natalya was as careful of his wounds as she could while still being thorough; she took her time with his back, shoulders and hips. The motions soothed her as well, calm stealing over her - real calm, not the artificial mood she'd been forcing herself into or the type of numbness that came with weariness. Setting the sponge aside, she cupped her hands in the spray to gather water and rinse him off.

Tension leaked bit by bit out of his broad back under her hands. That feeling that had lingered for so long, that he should be saying something, that he should be fixing whatever had come between them was starting to fade along with it. He mused idly how odd that was, that all it took was some touching. He didn't rush her at all, enjoying it far too much to push anything. No, he was just going to be pliable and obedient if this was what she wanted to do.

Natalya laid her hands lightly on Kurt's hips when she was finished rinsing the suds from him, resting her forehead against his back for a moment. The stress of the past few weeks seemed to catch up to her, breaking through the calm she'd found, and her eyes filled with tears, a few spilling over. She moved past Kurt to lift her face to the shower spray, hiding the evidence and trying to relax in the warmth. She'd missed being near him so much, and for all of Doc's wisdom she didn't know if she was brave enough to have the conversation he'd suggested. She didn't want to upset the tenuous peace that was settling over them, not just yet.

Kurt moved out of her way, but not very far. He put an arm around her instead, turning to the side so she could have the water, keeping his weight fairly easily on his good leg. He just watched her for a moment, thumb stroking her lower back lightly, the water making her hair even darker. He was close to saying it. Putting into words what he thought was obvious, but like as not wasn't, to her. But he didn't. Not yet. It seemed that holding back had become an ingrained habit, even when he was in an environment like this one, that probably couldn't get any more relaxing.

Natalya took a deep breath (or as much of one as she could with her face turned up to the water), then turned to let the warmth rain down on her neck and shoulders, which had been tight and knotted with tension since Kurt's injury. Blinking the water out of her eyes, she lifted her head to look up at him. She felt so much like she should say something; she could feel it like wings fluttering behind her breastbone trying to escape, but she didn't know what words to use. So instead she stayed quiet, blinking wide blue eyes up at him.

He slid one hand up her back, feeling the delicate bone structure of her shoulderblades. It was amazing that she could do everything he'd seen her do. She seemed so fragile to him. Perhaps it was her psyche shining through in some way. His fingers pressed in lightly over the muscles around her spine, massaging just a little as he looked back at her. There was another moment full of hesitation, and then he took a breath. "I love you, you know," he murmured over the rush of the water, just a small little smile at the corner of his mouth.

Natalya stilled, breath freezing in her lungs at his softly-spoken words. She was... stunned, and more than a little afraid, and wondering what she could have possibly done to deserve a gift like that. "Why?" she breathed, staring wide-eyed up at him, then blinked and blushed, dropping her gaze. But that only served to put a rather impressive part of his anatomy firmly in sight and she blushed brighter and shifted her eyes to the side before darting another look up at him. "I'm sorry," she said immediately, palms pressing to her cheeks for a moment. "But... are you sure?" There was more than a little awe and humility in the brief gazes she gave him, fingertips rubbing lightly over his stomach where her hand had come to rest.

It was telling that he wasn't at all surprised by the question or the apology, but it just made his smile broaden a little bit. "I'm absolutely sure," he said without any hesitation whatsoever. He leaned in and lightly brushed his cheek against her's. He wasn't going to address the whys of it unless she asked again and really wanted to know. Wanted to know in more of a way than she just didn't believe someone loving her was possible. Kurt drew her in a bit closer. "I believe I have for quite some time," he added quietly.

Natalya remembered to breathe after a moment, taking a deep breath of Kurt's clean male scent, something indefinably him underneath the soap. Tears were falling again before she realized it, less crying and more of a slow leaking while she digested the news. That somehow the amazing, kind, strong man who'd survived being transported across the decades to very nearly her own backyard thought she was worthy of his heart. He was blurry when she looked up at him; a faintly surprised expression crossed her face before she blinked and wiped at her eyes, a small smile trembling at the corners of her mouth. "I love you, too," she murmured shyly.

Though her cheeks were wet anyway from the shower, he reached up to thumb away some of the extra moisture she'd missed, that sublime little smile not going anywhere as he did. He believed her, that she did. He hoped so, anyway, and that it was genuine and not a by-product of her fractured childhood. But that thought had no place here, so he dismissed it. He slid his fingers over the delicate curve of her jaw to lightly cup the back of her neck under her wet hair. He leaned in and kissed her. It felt like it had been forever since he'd really had the opportunity, and there wasn't going to be one better than this. It was soft and lingering and heartfelt, his other hand still settled high on her back.

Natalya's hand curled over his bicep where it had come to rest, her other hand trailing up his stomach to flatten against the curve of his shoulder. There was so much unsaid between them, but she wanted this moment for the two of them, wanted to just enjoy being close to him again. He felt so solid, big and safe and she felt something inside her thaw and unravel. What if Doc had been right? What if he could come to terms with the liability she represented? It was a tentative hope, but hope nonetheless, and she gave him a slow, gentle kiss, body gradually softening against his.

If he was a true romantic, he might've been spouting off with flowery details on how he felt about her. How he'd come to realize that she was his sole motivation for sticking around. For not throwing himself off of the end of the breakwall. It was the offer of a purpose, sure, but the reason he took it was right there in his arms. The reason he wanted a purpose. But he wasn't really a man to run at the mouth that way. It was occupied anyway, getting to know her's again. His arm curled around her small waist to hold her to him more solidly, eventually breaking off the kiss to breathe and trail kisses across her jaw and down the side of her neck. He'd missed this.

Natalya's head was spinning, slow warmth spreading from the pit of her stomach outward. She slid closer to him, raising herself up on her tiptoes. Not that it made a huge difference in the disparity between their heights, but anything she could do, she did. She tilted her head to the side, eyes closing, and let a soft sigh escape.

Maybe it was a combination of the steam and her being naked with him for the first time in weeks, or just her, but Kurt felt his own kind of heady. He basked in her moist skin, nipping very lightly here and there at the big muscle there. She was open to him again, he could feel it, and he wanted her in all kinds of ways. To have her completely as he could and keep her safe. The possession and protection was all jumbled together in his head, and he didn't have the will at the moment to disentangle it. He moved into kissing her again, one hand sliding down to her upper chest as the other curled around her uninjured hip.

Natalya knew there were things that should be said first, but she wanted this. Wanted him, even if the worst happened and it was the last time. Time enough later for discussion. She clung to him as he nipped at her, shivers running down her spine. She slid her hand up his arm, both arms winding around his neck, back arching slightly to press against his hand. She felt restless, needing to move, to feel his as much of his skin against hers as she could get.

The way she moved, the way she held on to him, it was enticing. His palm slipped down further to cover one small breast, lips moving to cover her's again. This hadn't exactly been what he had in mind when he'd suggested a shower, but he wasn't going to complain. Or stop, because it was all far too lovely to interrupt for any reason. Except maybe moving to the bedroom. He pressed against her a bit more firmly, loving the feel of her soft solidity.

He made her feel so alive; how could she not love him for that? Natalya found herself responding readily, easily to him in ways she would have never expected to respond to anyone, ever. She was tingling from her head to her toes, drawing in a soft gasp before kissing him again, hands careful of his scratches as they slid down his back to cup his hips, exerting a tentative sort of pressure to urge him closer.

If his leg wasn't compromised, he might've tried to continue things in the shower. It wasn't like she was heavy. But he didn't trust his balance all the way, and he thought it would probably bother her, worrying about his leg. So he reached out blindly and groped for the knob to turn the water off. They could officially clean up later, this took precedence. "Come to bed with me," he murmured, parting from her just enough for that, but no further.

She barely noticed the cessation of the water at first; all her attention was focused on him and the heat between them that didn't dissipate when the spray cut off. "Yes," she breathed, and that was all the answer she needed to give. Verbally, at least, and she finished answering him with hands and body, pulling away from his mouth to nibble lightly on the strong line of his jaw.

Just that affirmative sent a pleasant shiver up his spine. It was a unique sort of feeling for him, to know that a woman he cared so much for wanted him just as much as he wanted her. He tilted his head to give her room, hands sliding over her wet form with abandon now. If they were going to bed, that would actually necessitate getting out of the shower, but his body didn't seem in any great rush to do that just yet.

Natalya wasn't all that keen to move either, but she realized his leg would soon be getting sore if it wasn't already, and she didn't want to be the cause of that. With a soft sigh, she pulled back slowly, pushing aside the curtain and stepping out, sliding a hand down to catch one of his and tug him after her. As an afterthought, she grabbed a towel. It wouldn't completely dry the two of them, but it was better than nothing.

Kurt went where he was tugged, faintly amused as she snagged the towel. He ignored the crutch, just limping along with her to the bedroom. And openly admiring the view as he went. There was just something about the sway of a woman's hips from behind. As soon as they were close to the bed, he pulled her around to face him again, arms wrapping around him as he kissed her deeply.

The towel was caught between them, rather uselessly, as Kurt pulled her into him again. She dropped her hold on it in favor of wrapping her arms around his shoulders and stretching up onto her toes again, mouth finding his with a feeling of relief, so much did it feel like coming home. She slid her fingers through his short hair, breath coming faster. She wasn't thinking of the step she was likely about to take, a big step for her, focusing instead on the way he felt against her.

There was a considerable height difference, and she didn't feel close enough to him. He shifted around and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her down into his lap. The chill of the air against his wet back, compared to her warmth against him was absolutely delicious. He wasn't sure if this was going quite where he hoped it would, but he didn't mind. He hadn't ever been disappointed before, this time wouldn't be any different. He just wanted to keep this up, enjoying her in a way he hadn't felt able to in so long.

Natalya let the towel fall to the floor as she curled up in his lap, one hand trailing down his back so she could hold him more securely. She shivered, a soft noise made deep in her throat to express her pleasure. The longer she spent with him like this, the more she wondered what insanity had led her to believe that they were better apart. Far from it - they were best together.

He used his good leg to push them back a bit on the bed, one arm wrapped solidly around her while the other hand roamed where it could. He couldn't seem to decide if he wanted to be tracing her curves or tangled up in her hair. He kissed her with a bit more force, his want more than evident. Holding her to his chest, Kurt laid back with her, turning a bit so that they were both horizontal and comfortable.

Natalya tucked herself against his body as they laid down, stretching out and shifting close. She pulled back slightly to gaze up at him, eyes searching his for a long moment as if trying to convey to him that she was ready. He'd - they'd - waited long enough. With a faint smile, she leaned forward again to return his kiss firmly.

He thought he knew what she was trying to tell him with her eyes. He hoped so, anyway, that he wasn't wrong and just reading in because he wanted it to be there. They'd shared a bed for months now, and feelings for almost that long, and yet that one thing still hadn't happened. That one act of intimacy. He had a brief second of worry -- as it had been a long time -- but it faded out in the pleasure of just being with her soon enough. He broke the kiss off after a moment to lavish attention on her neck and collarbone. If it was going to happen, he was going to make sure she was warmed up enough.

Natalya was just as nervous - if not more. Taking this step would be giving Kurt parts of herself that she'd never given to anyone before in her life. She hoped she was ready for it - she wondered for a brief moment if they weren't rushing things, but that thought passed quickly. It wasn't rushing. It felt right. She took a soft breath at the feel of his mouth on her collarbone, lashes fluttering, and tunneled the fingers on both hands through his hair, arching slightly against him.

Kurt made his way down the rest of her body, moving in slow increments, and shifting her upward at the same time. He avoided the hip that was injured, nuzzling at the other as he gently moved her leg, parting it from the other. The concern for her in the back of his head reminded him continually to go slow and be gentle with her, to make it as enjoyable as possible. He closed his mouth around her and stroked her with his tongue, hands caressing the outside of her thighs.

This, at least, was something Natalya had shared with him before, but the sensation now was just as shocking as it had been the first time. The touch of his tongue sent a bolt of lightning up her spine, heat following in its wake, and she gasped aloud, fingers flexing against his shoulder. Though she was nervous, she trusted him, trusted that he wouldn't let anything happen that they both didn't want. Her eyes drifted shut and she relaxed as much as she could, concentrating instead on the feel of his skin against hers, the sense of his presence.

His goal wasn't to push her over her edge, so Kurt took his time about it, just enjoying the little sounds she made and the way her body moved. It naturally made him want her with even more heat, but control was what he did. Still, he hoped she could feel it, hoped she knew that he found her arousing and gorgeous and something to be desired. He lingered in pleasuring her, before the ache got too bad. He lifted his head and moved back up, settling his body half over her's, careful where he put his weight. He kissed at her neck below her ear, breathing her in deep. "Are you sure?" he murmured in what he was fairly sure was English.

It took Natalya a moment to parse his question, to translate the words into something she could understand. He'd come close to completely driving her crazy before just stopping, and she had to catch her breath. She slid an arm around his waist, sliding the fingers of her other hand through his hair again, cupping the back of his head with her palm. "Yes," she murmured back softly, hooking her uninjured leg over his hip to hold him closer.

He wasn't sure that one word had ever had as much of a physical effect on him. Kurt let out a soft little groan against her neck. He kissed it again before pulling back a bit to reposition himself. Putting his weight mostly on one elbow, he aligned their hips better, eyes on her face. Worry reared it's head again, just for the practicality of his size versus her own. He didn't want to hurt her, but he wasn't naive enough to think that it wouldn't. He almost asked her again while he hesitated, but leaned in to kiss her instead.

Natalya was perhaps as innocent as one could get, but she was also aware that it was going to hurt. She was nervous all over again, but she wanted this to happen, and waiting wouldn't make it hurt any less. Besides, people wouldn't do this so often if it hurt all the time, now would they? "I'm ready," she murmured softly against Kurt's lips, moving slightly against him. Underneath the nerves was the hint of excitement, the desire to be close to him.

Kurt took her at her word, his free hand cupping the side of her face as he rocked his hips the right way and started to slide into her warmth. He hadn't ever taken anyone's virginity before -- that he knew of, anyway -- so he wasn't sure if slow or fast was better. He pulled slightly back from the kiss, eyes cracking open to take in her expression. He felt her body's natural resistance and pushed past it. The sensation of just how good it felt to him only slightly blurred the edges of his focus on her.

Natalya bit her lip, trying to keep her body relaxed as Kurt pushed into her; instinct kept trying to tighten her muscles around him, unused to the sensation. She hid her face against his shoulder and didn't make a sound, feeling uncomfortably stretched. It did hurt, a lot, but she could sense Kurt's pleasure and that made it at least a little more bearable. She took a tiny breath when she felt he could push no further, hands tightening over his shoulders. "Wait," she murmured in a tight voice. "Give me a moment."

He froze up immediately, though instinct was starting to kick now. There were always certain things that took over when this happened -- things that had surfaced more than he was at all comfortable with the last time, but that was in a completely different world than this, to his mind -- and his body did want to move. Kurt held it in check, cradling the back of her neck where she was pressed into his shoulder. "Say stop and it's done," he murmured back, wanting her to know for sure that she held the reins here, he would do whatever she wanted.

Natalya was perhaps a bit selfish in making him wait; she closed her eyes and took slow, deep breaths and gradually the pain lessened by degrees. "No," she breathed, "it's all right. I am all right." She made herself relax again, grip loosening until she was holding him normally instead of nearly digging her nails into his shoulders. "Just... slowly," she asked softly, blushing and burying her face against his shoulder again.

Slowly. He could do that. He was half-tempted not to believe her and to pull out anyway. He would hope that she wouldn't ignore what she wanted in this for his sake, but it was difficult to be sure, knowing her as he did. In the end, he decided to trust her. If not now, then when? He shifted his hold on her a little so that she was more cradled, and started to move in her. Slowly. It made his breathing even more unsteady.

Natalya's breath caught slightly when he started to move. It didn't hurt, not really, but it was uncomfortable. Even so, it was bearable, and though she didn't know, she also didn't think it was that unusual for a first time. Especially with someone of Kurt's size. But she wanted to do this - even if it was uncomfortable and nothing happened for her, that didn't mean it couldn't in the future. She took a deep breath and kissed his shoulder where her face was buried, trying to open herself up to his feelings instead.

Those feelings were torn between concern for her and a blossoming sense of pleasure. Because it did feel incredible. Still, he controlled the instinct to rut and moved slow, one hand shifting to bury fingers in her hair and cup the back of her head. He was aware somewhere that this was an important experience, closely tied in with her trust in him, and he was going to do whatever he could not to ruin it for her. His breath caught lightly and he paused for half a second before continuing.

She focused on his feelings, little curls of pleasure here and there that pleased her to know that so far, she didn't seem to be a disappointment to him. Natalya held Kurt close, lips continuously moving over his skin. Her discomfort was fading, though slowly, but it was enough for now to be close to him.

Kurt settled into a rhythm, though it took concentration to still move slowly. He tried to focus on her body language, the feel of her mouth on his shoulders and chest, staying alert for any sign that she wanted him to stop. He kissed the side of her head gently, letting his focus on her distance him a bit from how good everything felt.

Natalya was gradually starting to feel something good of her own as the pain faded, and Kurt's pleasure only helped that along. She made a soft, encouraging sound, running her hands over him and starting to hesitantly move her hips against his.

Her added movement really didn't help that whole distancing attempt, and he let out a soft grunt. He held his lips against her temple and continued with the steady movement, letting his eyes fall closed as he shifted his hips just a bit to accommodate her. She seemed to be getting into it, which just made everything feel better to him.

Natalya was starting to see why people might like this 'having sex' thing; though she still felt more soreness than pleasure, she could feel tantalizing little hints that there was more to discover on later attempts. She closed her eyes and ran her hands down Kurt's back, focusing on the feel of his warm skin against her palms.

Despite the slow pace, and attempts to keep his mind off of his own pleasure, Kurt was creeping closer to his breaking point. He paused every so often to kiss her deeply, but it was getting more and more difficult to make himself stop. Everything just felt so wonderful, and she wasn't protesting it in the least. After a few more moments, his breathing started to ramp up, and his hips moved faster by pure instinct.

Natalya encouraged him with soft words and gestures, touches of his increasing pleasure curling warmly through her mind. She wasn't close to release herself, but adored that Kurt was finding his. It was enough, for now; she relished his closeness, the warmth of his body moving atop hers. Her breath caught, and she leaned up for a long kiss.

He gave it to her, but at least had the presence of mind to control his lower half somewhat. Just as he peaked, breath halting in his chest, Kurt pulled out and turned his hips a bit. He was sure there had been incredible advances in contraception since his time, but he wasn't positive of any of them, and that was the best he could do. It still felt incredible, regardless. After a moment, he broke the kiss to crack his eyes open and look at her, questioning concern mixed with the warm relief in their depths.

Natalya shivered at the muted feel of Kurt's pleasure, breath catching slightly as she remembered - far too late - that neither of them had anything in the way of contraception. She was glad Kurt had remembered at the last moment, though it was rarely an effective means. She put that aside for later consideration, instead letting her fingers slip through his short hair as she gave him a smile - shy, but warm and genuine.

Kurt rolled onto his side next to her, settling in and propping his head up with one hand. He smiled faintly back at her, using his free hand to trace the line of her cheek. Well ... it hadn't been the most satisfying outcome for her, he imagined, but there would be plenty of time. He leaned in to kiss her softly. "Thank you," he murmured. Because it really was something of a gift.

Natalya smiled and turned her cheek into his hand, cuddling against him though her body still felt... a little keyed up. "You're welcome," she said with a shy, small laugh, fingertips tracing lightly across his ribs. She was pleased that she'd been able to take this step with him.

His hand drifted down to her chest, tracing her collarbone before sliding to her flat stomach. "Are you still ... ? Or did it hurt too much?" he asked quietly, looking at her eyes. He hadn't ever taken anyone's virginity before, he wasn't sure how of all the details.

Natalya wasn't sure what he was asking with the first half-question, but she shook her head to the second. "It only hurt at first," she said softly, meeting his eyes for a moment before tucking her head against his shoulder. "It was... uncomfortable, but that was fading. I do not think it would hurt next time." Or if it did, she'd get used to it more quickly.

She seemed content just to cuddle up to him, so Kurt let the first question go. Next time, hopefully, he would be able to really please her. In the meantime, heavy sleepiness was stealing over him, and he found himself more comfortable than he had been in a very long time. He rested his cheek against her head. "Good," he murmured. And after a heartbeat or two, added, "I love you."

The words, as before, took her breath away. She smiled softly, head pillowed on his shoulder, and gently stroked his side. "I love you, too," she whispered. She wasn't yet ready to sleep, but a quick glance at his face showed distinct signs of sleepiness, and she was just fine with laying there and listening to the steady thump of his heart.