Sea Haven 01 - Water Bound

energy to get up.
    Shivering, she dropped her hand and clutched at the sheet, frowning.
    She was going to blow this. It had been so perfect. Absolutely perfect, and she had no clue how people handled the aftermath of making love. She recognized the difference. He’d poured himself into her, body and soul, given her a priceless gift, and she was liable to inadvertently throw it back in his face from lack of experience or knowledge.
    Her mind raced round and round, filling with fear. She was going to ruin everything. She was in new territory and it was frightening. Her brain wanted to retreat to familiar places. The rain, maybe, just allow herself to be absorbed by it, but she didn’t want to do that to Lev. It was difficult, trying to fight the inclination with her head all over the place and no ability to rein it in.
    Lev frowned down at Rikki, suddenly concerned. He laid his hand over her heart to discover it pounding so hard he was afraid she’d have a heart attack.
    “What’s wrong, Rikki?” he asked, his voice gentle, almost tender.
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    She shivered and reached beneath the bed for her weighted blanket, her gaze eluding his.
    “Lubov moya , you’re moaning. Are you in pain?”
    Her fingers fumbled on the blanket, and he reached over her and found it for her, tucking it around her with care.
    “I’m sorry,” she managed.
    “Don’t be sorry, Rikki, talk to me. Let me know what’s happening.” He didn’t wait for her to speak, but pressed his left palm against her left palm and thrust into her mind.
    Use your words , Rikki . A woman’s voice advised.
    Her mother, and it was a memory that often comforted her. She rocked her body a little, as the memory of her mother holding her tight, putting pressure on her chest when she felt her body was flying apart, surfaced.
    “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
    She sounded so forlorn, his heart twisted, but he waited in silence. She opened her eyes to look at him. The moment her gaze connected with his, he heard her thoughts. That face, rugged and strong and so beautiful . His eyes.
    As blue as the beloved sea. His expression tender . He felt relieved that she took comfort in his presence and wasn’t wishing him gone.
    He wrapped his arm around her waist and moved her body with his easy strength, tucking her close to him. “There aren’t any rules, here, Rikki.”
    Her eyes flared wider and a little gasp escaped. “No. No, there have to be rules. There’re always rules. What do I do? I don’t know.”
    “What did you do before with Daniel?” He didn’t want to bring the man’s memory into her mind, not after what they shared, but he needed to find a way to comfort her.
    “I left. I got up and left, fast, and went back to my house.” She looked around her. “But this is my house and you live here too, and I don’t know what to do.”
    She sounded so confused and vulnerable that his heart ached for her.
    “Remember what we promised each other?” he asked. He smoothed tendrils of hair from around her face. “We make our own rules. I say we hold one another and talk until we’re both either too tired to stay awake, or we’re recovered enough to make love again.”
    She looked genuinely shocked but also more than a little interested. “Again?”
    “Doesn’t the idea appeal to you?” He slid his hand under the blanket and cupped her breast, his thumb sliding over her nipple, teasing it into a hardened peak.
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    She gave him a dark scowl. “Of course the idea appeals to me, but I never read the rules on sex. Is there a certain number of times a day or a week?”
    He smiled at her and bent to take possession of her mouth. He kissed her long and deep and with enough mastery to keep her tongue dancing with his. He loved how she gave herself up to him. There was no hesitation when he touched her. He nibbled on her lips and took a nip out of her chin before he answered. “Two individuals sharing their life together have sex when they choose. It can be slow and gentle or wild and crazy. But it should be an expression of love. And trust me on this, Rikki. I love you. When I’m touching you, I’m loving you.”
    He kissed his way down her throat to the side of her neck. Her pulse fluttered like that of a bird’s wing and then began to pound with alarm beneath his lips. He stroked her hair gently, fear sliding into his mind at the thought of what she meant to him. He knew he had committed himself fully to her, to a new life, but he