Letters From You

Shannon and I spent the rest of the night just lounging around my house, talking and laughing with each other. He really was so amazing. I couldn't get over it, and I kept telling him so. He'd just laugh me off and remind me that I was the one that was a superhero, making me laugh.

"I'll take the couch if you don't want my nasty self in your bed," he said when we were both barely able to keep our eyes open because we were so tired.

"I very much do want your nasty self in my bed," I told him, and I felt my cheeks turn red at the words. I hadn't meant to say them exactly that way. "Also, if you haven't noticed, I get weird when I'm tired."

"I noticed. It's adorable," he whispered, and when my eyes connected with his, there was a look there that I didn't immediately recognize. When I did recognize it, my cheeks instantly tinged pink again.

"You're looking at me like you're going to eat me alive," I whispered, and he offered a throaty laugh.

"I might," he whispered back, pulling me into a kiss before I even realized it. His arms snaked their way around my waist and he pulled me close. "Do you know how long I've waited to have you in my arms? Do you know how good it feels to finally be holding you?" he formed the words into a question, but it was clear that he wasn't waiting for an answer. His lips wandered from my lips down to my neck and the top of my chest. "Do you know how much I want you, Ashton?"

"You have me," I whispered, my voice hollow. His eyes locked on to mine, and they seemed to be searching for confirmation. I nodded slightly, pulling his face back up to mine so I could kiss his lips. I took the bottom one between my teeth and nibbled it just slightly. He let out a small groan of pleasure and I couldn't help but do it again. I couldn't believe how beautiful he was up close. Every inch of his face seemed like it couldn't be real; that it was some sort of hallucination. But it wasn't. He was there. He was kissing me. His hands were roaming all over my body.

"Tell me what you want me to do," he whispered the words, but there was force behind them.

"I want you to make love to me," I said, watching him to see if he'd make any sort of judgmental motion at the way I'd phrased it. He didn't. He just nodded as he looked up at me through thick black eyelashes.

He kissed my lips again, and then he did exactly what I'd asked. I couldn't believe how incredibly good he made me feel. I'd never felt so good in my entire life.

When it was over, we were both covered in a thin sheen of sweat as we collapsed on top of one another on the couch.

"You've officially convinced me that you're definitely the superhero of the two of us," I whispered in his ear, kissing the side of his neck as I did so.

"Nope. Definitely still you," he replied, chuckling lightly. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer in to him.

We talked for a while, but eventually he faded off to sleep. I lay there for a long time after, wondering how the hell I'd gotten so lucky.

When I woke up the next morning, Shannon was still sleeping peacefully beside me. A moment later, his eyes fluttered open slowly and he smiled.

"You're staring," he whispered, stretching his arms above his head before tucking them neatly back around me.

"Yeah, well, you're gorgeous," I replied, and he laughed.

We lay there for a long time after that, talking about anything and everything and laughing together. The more we talked, the more I began to absolutely dread the moment he went back home. We had two whole days left, but the time already felt like it was ticking away so quickly.

"I wish we could lay here forever," I told him, and he smiled at me.

"Me too, my little superhero," he replied, kissing the top of my head. "Me too."

"What's gonna happen when you leave, Shan?"

"Kicking me out already?" he joked, kissing the top of my head again.

"Of course not. But really, what's going to happen?"

"Well, you're going to go back to work. I'm going to go back to work. We're going to visit each other as much as we possibly can."

"Have you ever done the long-distance thing?"

"No."

"Me neither."

"We'll make it work, Ash. Promise."

"I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Losing you. I know it's pathetic. I know it's ridiculous. But still."

"I'm not going anywhere, Ashton. I promise. We're gonna make it work."

"You're so amazing."

"You're the most amazing," he whispered into my hair, kissing my head one more time.