It's Always You Who: Lia and Riley When: Evening of the 8th into early morning Where: The ranch Warnings: NSFW
With things having calmed down after dark, Lia had been ready to take Sophia back to their home and return to their normal routine. But Riley had still worried and asked her to stay, and with minimal protest, Lia had agree. Honestly, she liked staying at the ranch, though she was sure it had more to do with sleeping beside Riley for the past few nights than anything else. It helped that Sophia loved it too. The housekeeper made her pancakes, and Sophia got to see the horses every morning before she left for school. Sophia had asked her that morning if they were going to move in with Mr. Riley, and had pouted all the way to school when Lia had told her they weren’t. Lia wasn’t sure what they were doing, exactly, and she wasn’t feeling up to broaching that particular subject to Riley just yet. Moving in together might be too much for them both, but Lia supposed she wouldn’t know for sure until she asked him. Which she would. Eventually.
Tonight though, Sophia was spending the night at her friend’s house again, and Lia was chewing anxiously on her lip, in the spare room at the ranch that Riley had initially set her up in, though she had been staying in his room since. She knew Riley was inside, finally. Had heard him downstairs, and then in the shower. Lia hadn’t told him about her conversation with Micah yet, and that was just another subject she was trying to avoid for the moment. There was so much talking to be done, but the last thing on Lia’s mind right now was starting a long, emotional conversation.
No. Right now, she sat on the edge of the bed in the damn coat Gin had given her earlier. Lia had taken great care with her hair, leaving it down around her shoulders. She wasn’t completely naked underneath the coat, but given how little fabric the dark red, lacy bra and panties had, she might as well have. Lia was flushed from head to toe, wondering if she could actually do this and not die of embarrassment, or even of laughter. She would have done something like this in a heartbeat had she been nineteen again, when they had just been married. But she felt self conscious all of the sudden, despite the fact that she had taken care of herself,, physically. Maybe she was afraid of rejection. If she tried to seduce him and he said no, Lia was pretty sure she would never taken a stitch of clothing off in front of him again.
But she was probably being silly. They may have changed over the years, but Riley was still Riley to her. The boy she had fallen in love with, had married and had a child with. She had to stop thinking of him as someone who could break her heart again.
The coat was the first surprise. What was inside the pocket of the coat was the second. If everything went well enough, Lia would give him that particular surprise afterward.
It was dim in the room from the gray skies, and night was settling in. Lia looked up when she heard Riley upstairs, getting out of the shower. She shouldn’t be able to hear that so clearly, but she did. It was something she had to ignore for the moment. Standing up, Lia ran her hands over her long hair again, checked the coat tie and swallowed hard before she left the room. It was a blessing that no one was in the hall, and she moved swiftly, praying the housekeeper wouldn’t stop her on her way upstairs to Riley’s room. It was almost amusing how nervous she was, and Lia forced herself to remember the confidence she had carried around with her in high school, and for years after. Funny how Riley could still make her feel like a seventeen year old again, with sweaty palms and butterflies taking flight in her stomach.
Licking her lips, Lia stood outside his bedroom door before knocking. Here we go. Confidence. She still had it. She just had to use it.
Riley's day had been a long one. First running around after sales orders with his contacts in the dome which had taken longer than it normally did because his head was somewhere else trying to figure out what was happening with Lia. Then he ran into Serge and had the most unsettling conversation with the other man about wolf strikes. It seemed there was a lot wrong with the wolves that had come into town and gone after the people who had been attacked.
Unable to face Lia or his own thoughts head on, he'd taken to the riding along the fences of his property. He'd told the housekeeper to excuse him from dinner on the need to check there were no gaps or breaks in the fences, but really he was riding hard and looking out for signs of a wolf. Some reason to go off hunting with a credible, forgivable excuse. But there'd been nothing but strong fences and safe cattle.
So he'd returned home, sad to have missed spending time with Sophia, something he'd really come to enjoy since Lia had agreed to move the both of them temporarily into the ranch house. He'd had such fun playing word games with her and showing her around the horses in the mornings. Her laughter was something he was going to miss when the inevitable time came for them to move out again. He knew it was going to sting but at least she wouldn't be thousands of miles away.
He was also going to miss pulling Lia close in the middle of the night. Feeling the warm, tangible shape of her body there, safe and sound. As though things had never changed. Some nights he forgot entirely about the past six years and they were 19 again, asleep in a hay loft on a warm afternoon instead of locked inside a dome with wolves attacking.
He finished his shower, his mind finally clear for the first time all day. He heard the knock on the door and tossed his towel in the hamper. "Just a sec," he called out, figuring it was the housekeeper with a tray of food or perhaps Lia with a question. He pulled on a light pajama bottom and a white tshirt. He grabbed a dry towel to swab his hair and called, "Come on in."
Lia heard him call out and then turned the knob to open the door. Slipping inside quickly, Lia closed the door behind her and stayed in front of the door, her eyes on Riley. He smelled like soap, but she could smell him distinctively underneath it. Being in the same room with him helped dissipate her anxieties. All she could think about was getting his clothes off.
Lia smiled, a touch of mischievousness slipping into her expression. He might recognize the look from when they were teenagers, and she had wanted to tease him. She hadn't yet moved from where she stood. He might even think she was leaving, given the coat. "Hi."
Riley glanced up distractedly at her and his hand paused in mid scruff of the towel to his dark hair. He pursed his lips, his eyes holding a light of slight confusion and slight amusement. He was trying to make out the expression on her face, having yet to notice the coat. He'd seen that look before but it had been so long ago that he couldn't quite place it yet. It felt like something good was behind that smile and he set down his towel to stand up. He took a couple steps toward her. Then he did see the coat and his mind shifted to the fact that Sophia was staying at a friend's house or so he'd been informed by the housekeeper.
"Hi?" Or was it goodbye? He couldn't sure. She was perhaps stopping by to say farewell before heading home to settle in before Sophia would be back. He supposed doing it this way would make for an easier transition for Sophia. And if that was the case, he was okay with it. A bittersweet feeling crept through him. "You're on your way home then? I hope you had a good stay." Wish you were staying longer.
Lia lifted a blonde brow and resisted the urge to huff. Lord, she loved him, but sometimes he always assumed the worst. Though, to be fair, she gave him plenty of reason to, hadn't she? But enough of that for now. Her smile turned a touch sly and she shook her head before stepping away from the door, taking several feet toward him. "I'm not quite ready to leave yet, if that's okay with you. I just thought we could spend a bit more time together before I have to sleep alone again." Lia could hear his heart beating in his chest - something else she shouldn't have been able to do - and it would have been in perfect sync with hers had hers not been racing with anticipation. Lia watched his face and untied the coat, sending a quick prayer up to the heavens that Gin was right about this. If not, her friend was going to hear it from Lia later. She let the coat fall off of her shoulders to pool around her feet. There was no doubt about the fact that Lia had every intention of staying that night.
He had opened his mouth to tell her that she didn't ever have to sleep alone again, because he always wanted her with him, but thought better of it. He knew she was independent, fiercely so, and wouldn't give in to that yet. Even if it had been wholly innocent so far. In fact, he'd have been fine with it be completely chaste for as long as it needed to be if it meant she would stay. Which was why he was supremely conflicted when she untied her coat and it slid to her feet revealing more of her than he had seen in a very long time. His eyes slid along her skin, his own warming with appreciation for the loveliness of her body. He found her eyes again and lifted his brows ever so slightly.
He wanted to ask her why now? On the night before she was going to leave. And did it mean the same thing it had (or hadn't) the other night? Was this more of the same from then or was this genuine? Of course, the questions didn't last long in his mind because he wasn't sure he cared enough when faced with her there in red that had his heart beginning to beat faster. He took a hesitant step toward her, still half way across the space between his bed and the door. "I guess it's okay," he responded nonchalantly. His voice the only thing seeming to be under his control just then. Which was fine with him.
For Lia, the desire to have Riley came from a bevy of complicated emotions. She felt an overwhelming need to make him hers again, even though Lia knew he already was. It was an unshakeable urge to claim him completely, even if she was still trying to fully comprehend that part. But it was also love. It was Lia wanting to move forward, to give him everything, and hope that he would do the same in return. She had been without him for so long, and it didn't make much sense now to continue to put their life together on hold. Anything could happen. That wolf could have killed her. Lia didn't want to wake up tomorrow, or next week, or next year, with regrets.
"You guess," Lia said teasingly before she started across the room to close the distance between them. When she stopped in front of him, Lia lifted her hand to brush it through his dark hair. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to inconvenience you, Riley."
Riley left his hands at his sides as she approached, playing it playfully cool. He certainly wasn't feeling cool however and he bit his lip to hold off a smile that might have looked a little too much like a kid at Christmas seeing his presents for the first time. It really had been way too long if that was his reaction. He didn't touch her though as she ran her hand through his hair. He shrugged. "I suppose, I mean, it's not really an inconvenience. I had planned on organizing my sock drawer…"
He ran a finger along her shoulder, the tips slipping slightly under the strap of the dark red bra she wore before sliding away up the back of her neck. He bent to kiss her, tossing caution to the wind and allowing his mouth to be insistent against hers in a way that it hadn't been before. Before he'd either been unsure of her feelings or frenzied with need. This time he was claiming her as his again, pulling back only after a moment, his teeth catching her lower lip gently before letting go and looking into her eyes. "I think I can postpone…" he murmured with a smile.
Lia kept her hand pressed to his cheek when he kissed her, matching his level of desire with her own. She could feel the hunger between them, and Lia found it a little fascinating, listening to the way his heartbeat had picked up speed. He could play it cool all he wanted, look at her with that nonchalant smile, but Lia knew better. She knew his blood was running hot, that his body was as flushed as her own. "Don't worry," Lia said, brushing her thumb over his cheek slowly. "I'll help you organize your sock drawer tomorrow. We'll make an afternoon of it." She smiled and lowered her hand to slip both underneath the hem of his t-shirt. Her fingertips grazed his abdomen toward his hips. "I feel a little guilty that you just took a shower. I think you may need another one by the time I'm finished with you."
Riley could almost not think about what she was saying. He made a sound in the back of his throat, a half sigh of gentle vibration against her lips. "I knew I could count on you to make that up to me." His hips pushed in against her fingers, forcing them to drag downward past the band of his pajama bottoms where his skin was still warm and moist from his shower. He tugged his shirt up and over his head, tossing it aside. His hands grazed along her ribs now, feeling the warmth and softness of her skin beneath his fingertips as they quested over stomach to catch her hips and pull her up against him. He gave a satisfied sigh to feel her flush against his chest, fitting as they'd fit so many years ago. He wanted all of her right now, wanted to lay her naked on his bed and make love to her until neither one of them could move. He kissed his way along her jaw to her ear where he whispered, "I'm sure we can arrange for you to be in need of one yourself."
Lia let her own gaze skim over his upper body, but she was pulled flush up against him before she had a chance to really touch him. Keeping her fingers dirfting along the waistband of his pajama bottoms, Lia tilted her head to the side to give easier access to his seeking lips. Her eyes closed and she smiled at the feel of his breath against her ear. "Maybe I'll just join you when you take yours," Lia suggested, turning her face to press soft kisses against his throat. It had been so long since they had touched each other this way, and yet at the same time, it felt like no time had passed at all. Lia had memorized his body years ago, when they were young and caught up in exploring one another for the first time. The only difference now was that he had a bit more muscle from his tours in the army, and the scars left behind from war. She loved every inch of muscle, every flaw. He belonged to her, completely, and Lia couldn't resist the desire to make sure Riley understood that. With a happy, contented sigh, Lia began to push his pajama bottoms down his hips, hoping he wouldn't mind it too terribly.
He smiled against her throat at her words. "I think I could be persuaded to share," he replied in a warm breath along her shoulder as he nipped at her skin, fingers pushing at the strap of her bra playfully before trailing away along the sides of her breasts. He pulled back just a bit to look at her. To see the expression on her face, the desire in her eyes. He was asking if she was sure this time without saying the words because he refused to break the momentum with questions. His expression belied just how beautiful she was, no longer on the verge of silliness but very seriously intent on getting her into his bed. He swiveled his hips slightly in response to her pushing against his bottoms. They fell away, leaving him as he was born, scars and all in front of her. Momentarily he trapped her fingers between them. "I think you're wearing a bit too much yourself," he said before letting her free to do as she would.
Yes, she was sure this time. The nerves earlier came from her own insecurities and fear that he might reject her. But Lia knew she probably wasn't giving Riley enough credit. They might have already taken this steps days ago had she not been holding out for whatever reason. They hadn't been together again very long, yet this felt so incredibly overdue. Lia wanted to touch more of him the moment he was bare, but then Riley had her hands and Lia looked up at him before a smile curved at her lips. "All right. I suppose it's only fair." Taking one step back, she reached behind her to unclasp her bra, watching his face as the straps slid over her shoulders and she pulled it down her arms and away from her body. It fell to the floor to join his pajama bottoms. As she shimmied out of her panties, Lia was soon as bare as she was, and she realized there was really no turning back now. Not that she would want to. She had many regrets in life, but this was certainly not one of them, nor would it ever be.
Riley reluctantly let her step back from him, though it was well worth the separation to see what she did next. His eyes trailed the curves and plains of her body much the same way hers had slid over his when he'd revealed his scars to her. There was a reverence and love in his eyes and the telltale expression of just how beautiful he thought she was. "Gorgeous as ever," he murmured, not pulling her back toward him for a long moment as he remembered all of her that he'd memorized when they were together and younger and when he'd dreamed of her all the years he thought her dead. The frustration of that nearly slipped into his mind but was quickly washed away by the fact that there was nothing keeping them apart now. Not even their clothing. He kissed her again them, his lips insistent but not rough, his hands slowly seeking those places along her skin he knew would drive her closer to him, closing the literal gap and the six years as well.
Lia was just shameless enough to admit that she loved it when he complimented her. Even about the small things, like how she had worn her hair on a particular day, or what dress she might have worn. Riley always made everything he said sound sincere and that had been one of the difference between him and the other boys who had wanted to date her. Everything about Riley was different. She had known that from the moment they met back in school. Maybe even before then. Lifting her arms, Lia wrapped them around his shoulders, drawing him near when he bent down to kiss her. She exuded passion and love. Maybe a hint of impatience, now that their bodies were pressed flush against one another. The kiss she returned was one of desperation and a desire to forget everything that had gone wrong between them before. It was as if being with him again, like this, would heal lingering wounds and finally give them a blank slate to start over with. It was likely an ideal view, and maybe not very realistic, but it was all Lia had at the moment, and she clung to it as tightly as she clung to Riley.
When she pressed against him, Riley felt the world fall away. There was nothing to worry about anymore, not even the fact that she was still warmer than ever before. He didn't care. He was flushed with desire himself. Still feeling like a kid with presents on Christmas, he wanted to open her and be part of her entire life again. He caught her up in his arms, lifting her off her feet to lay her on the bed, settling between her legs as he continued to kiss her. He was moving faster than he had before but the want… the need for her was much more than he could temper any longer. His fingers tangled in her hair as he kissed away from her lips and along her jaw to her ear. "I love you," he murmured. There was nothing else other than that now. Their love, the waiting, the fire of having his grief turned around into the joy of finding her again. Alive. He felt more than alive against her, every nerve ending craving her nearness.
In a cliched way, it felt like she was seventeen again, caught up her desire for Riley. It amazed her that even now, so many years later, she could still feel the butterflies fluttering about in her stomach when he touched her. What had possessed her to walk away from this? Who had that girl been? Those were questions that still floated about in her head, but now wasn't the time to analyze or try to answer then. All she could do was let her hands roam over Riley's shoulders, down his sides to his back as she tilted her neck for his lips. Underneath the raw emotion she felt was a deeper craving, one that had her wanting to nip at his shoulder and beg him to take her again. But Lia didn't want to rush this, not like she had wanted to before, and she had to clamp down on those urges before they overwhelmed her. "I love you," Lia replied softly, pressing her fingertips gently into the small of her back before she drew her knees up his sides. "It’s always you."
It's always you. Riley shivered slightly at her words and what they meant. His every sense was heightened with the need for her. He'd wanted to be inside of her for so long now and once he was, it was so much more than his memory which had apparently dulled over time inspite of the dreams-turned-nightmares of making love to her only to lose her and the ones that were so sweet that he woke up grieving. This was nothing like any of that. They were together, connected more than before. He felt it even as he focused on her, her body, wanting to make it sing, not wanting to rush through this but enjoy every moment as though it were the last. Hoping that the years of waiting didn't end things more quickly than he wanted.
Lia couldn't really remember the last time she felt so complete. And happy. Maybe it had been years and years ago, before she left, before Riley left. Sophia had brought her a kind of joy Lia hadn't known could ever exist, but there had always been a tiny part missing. And Lia knew that it had been Riley, only she never wanted to openly admit it to herself. She ran her hands through his hair, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist to keep him near her. She felt as if he were the only solid thing left in the world to cling to. He was hers in every way imaginable, and Lia knew at that moment that it would always been that way, no matter what happened between them. "Love you," she whispered again, her mouth seeking his for another kiss.
Complete, yes. They'd been through a lot since finding each other again - doubt, fear, love, danger - and it had re-bonded them in many ways but making love to her was like the missing pieces finally all falling into place. A renewal of his vows to love and cherish her as he'd always meant to and knew he never would stop doing. Encouraged by having her pull him closer in that way, Riley lost himself entirely in Lia, giving her all of him. Heart and body, mind and soul. He moved with her, smiling against her lips at her words as he kissed her, his voice a periodic sigh or rumble in his chest. She felt so damned good.
It was harder to keep the noises of pleasure to herself, although Lia did her best to bite her lip when Riley wasn't kissing her mouth. She knew there were other people in the house, but it was getting to the point where she just didn't care. This was everything she had wanted for years, more so since she found him again. Clinging tightly to him, Lia ran her hands through his hair, gasping softly against his mouth as her body pushed closer to falling over that delicious peak. It was as if nothing had changed. They still fit together as if they had been made for one another, and Lia drew her knees up his sides, moaning his name as she lost herself to the pleasure pummeling her body.
Riley watched her face, impossibly more beautiful than ever, re-memorizing every inch of her body. He didn't care if people knew they loved each other like this but it was probably a good thing that everyone else lived in another part of the house. He loved hearing her, always had, and each sound thrilled along his skin. Transported back, they were teenagers and so in love, desperate to be as close to each other as possible. It still felt the same, passionate and all-encompassing, the outside world forgotten. When his name passed her lips, hers was echoed on his. He buried his face against her neck, holding her just as tightly through the flood of pleasure. He held her until he stopped trembling and then relaxed down against her side.
Lia was reluctant to let him go, and she kept close to his side even after he relaxed beside her. Somehow she knew nothing would be able to wipe the smile from her face tomorrow. Her blood began to cool again and Lia lifted a hand to wipe a bit of hair away from her damp forehead. A happy noise formed in her throat, and she kept her eyes closed, feeling as if she could lay there and sleep for the next eighteen hours. But she also knew if she did that, she would forget to give him the gift she had stashed away in her coat pocket. Pushing lightly at his shoulder, Lia opened her eyes. "Move it, love. I've got one more thing for you," she murmured.
Riley didn't move away but continued to hold her, his fingers stroking her skin idly wherever they fell. A soothing gesture rather than one meant to excite. He felt so good and exhausted. He kissed her shoulder and her cheek, feeling her breathe and cool some beside him. He didn't want to break the silence, say anything and dispel the happiness he felt, but it was inevitable that one or the other of them would. It turned out to be Lia and she pushed at him too, asking him to move. So he obliged, rolling onto his back and folding his arms behind his head to see what she had in store. "I can't imagine wanting anything more than that." he replied, smiling.
"It might be as good," Lia warned, though her lips curved into a small smile as she scooted off the bed. She didn't feel shy about her nakedness, given how often Riley had seen her bare in the past. Her body had changed a bit, thanks to Sophia's birth, but Lia felt as if she were still in pretty good shape, considering. Grabbing the coat off the floor, Lia fumbled in the pockets until she found the small box. She pulled it out, dropping the coat back to the carpet, and then climbed back onto the bed, shifting until she got comfortable beside him. Then she set the box on his bare chest, pulling her bottom lip between her lip for a brief moment. "You can open it." Inside were their wedding rings. It was up to Riley whether or not he wanted to wear his, but she wanted to show him she had them, and they were there when he was ready, if not now.
Riley liked that she wasn't suddenly shy about her nakedness. The truth was he'd loved the photos she'd sent of her pregnant self. He would have loved her naked then too. Probably because she was his Lia. All he saw was beauty when he looked at her. Which he was doing quite a bit of just now and grinning like a teenager. "I don't know. That was pretty damned good. You'd have to have something I can't even imagine in there," he said, indicating the coat as she rummaged through the pocket.
He looked from her face to the box and back again for a moment when she set it on his chest. Then he gingerly opened it and breathed in softly. Very few things had ever brought Riley to tears in his life but the sight of the rings in the box combined with the timing of her presentation threatened tears that burned at the corners of his eyes. Six years she'd been dead and all he'd wanted was to have her back. Now he didn't have to grieve. He could be happy. He had her and she wanted him. Them. He looked at her again with a slightly watery smile and held up her ring. "With this ring….?"
It touched her that the sight of the rings affected him. After all this time, Lia hadn’t been sure he would want them. The two pieces of jewelry were the last real ties to their old life, and while Lia knew it might have been smarter to get new rings, somehow she could bear to part with the ones she had. Lia had kept them for six years for a reason. She smiled at Riley and reached out to brush his hair away from his forehead before she brought her hand to the ring he was holding. “I thee wed?” Her cheeks felt warm, but she was full of joy and optimism for what the future held. It would be tough, she knew, but worth it. The white gold was her favorite kind of jewelry, and Lia picked up Riley’s to slip it back on his own finger. “I think… it’s probably time to talk to Sophia and tell her that you’re her father.” Lia hadn’t been able to bring herself to do it yet, but if she and Riley were making this commitment again, it needed to be done.
Riley hadn't been sure she'd want to wear the ring. He would have accepted it if she wasn't, he would have hated it and it would've hurt, but he would have swallowed it as long as she stuck with him. But that she did want to wear the ring was the last straw for his ability to maintain some semblance of manhood and his eyes were officially watering. He laughed softly and swiped at his eyes with the back of a hand. So silly to cry but he couldn't help it. The relief and joy of this moment was almost painful! When she slid his ring on him, he pushed his finger through and took her hand in his.
"Are you sure you're ready for that? For all of this? I don't want you to feel rushed, Lia." I don't want you to wake up tomorrow morning and wonder what the hell happened and regret it, feel trapped, and leave again… Which felt like a very real possibility in light of how good this all felt right now. It couldn't be completely real to him until they were living it day to day. Until then, he was going to wonder if he was grasping at wisps of smoke. Nothing and no one but Lia really affected him like that. He felt secure in everything else in his life. He hoped, without having a real right to, that he'd one day feel secure in them again.
“I’m sure,” Lia said. “I know that maybe it feels like we’re moving too fast, but it feels right to me. I don’t want to be with anyone else. I want you.” Need was another word for it. Crave, even. The intensity of the emotion she felt for Riley at that moment was frightening, in a way. She couldn’t even begin to put it into words. “Sophia deserves to know you’re her father. And it’s necessary if we’re going to be a family.” Lia curled her fingers around his once the ring was on her finger, where it should have stayed in the first place. “I guess I just thought… why put life off for another day? We love each other. I know it’ll be hard, but I think it’ll be worth it too.”
It didn't feel too fast to Riley. He'd been pretty ready to just accept her back almost immediately. Which would possibly have been a disaster because they would have been breezing past too many unresolved feelings. That was why it was important it hadn't happened that fast. He wouldn't argue that with her though because it was unnecessary. "It feels right to me too," he agreed and kissed her hand, his eyes never leaving her face. "Life is hard. But I think we can do this together. I felt that way when I first put that ring on your finger and I haven't stopped. And I'm so glad that Sophia will be a part of that. Thank you."
They had a lot to work through but Lia felt more confident now that they could do it. She wasn't sure how Sophia would react to the news about Riley but Lia was guessing her daughter would be ecstatic that she would finally have a daddy. Even better that her daddy had horses. But that was something to think about later. "Don't thank me," Lia murmured. "It's something we both want." She shifted down to lay against him, draping her arm over his chest again. Lia felt sated and happy, more than content to lay there with him for the rest of the night. And maybe make love again in the morning.
Riley was going to pretty quickly have to think about being a parent too. Not taking the reins but taking Lia's lead and thinking like a dad, not just a husband. Safety of a little one around big animals and a million other things he wasn't going to think about just now. Right now felt like the first night of a honeymoon and while a honeymoon couldn't last forever, it could at least last the next few hours. He stroked her arm with his fingers, loving her closeness. "It is, you're right." He kissed her softly. "Do you know how happy I am right now?" It was sort of rhetorical, a statement of his complete contentment in the moment. He closed his eyes with a quiet sigh and a smile.
The feel of Riley's fingers against her arm was comforting and soothing, and Lia realized then how long it had been since she felt so content. She couldn't erase the last six years, but this was a step to making them easier to forget. "Mmm." Lia understood how he felt. She knew they would have to get back to reality, but Lia was more than happy to put it off for a few more hours.