nocta.

But was that your mind, or the door to the bedroom that needs its hinges replaced? An intruder or the stream of water hitting your drum at the perfect angle?

Do you turn the faucet off (and do what?) or do you let this play out like you’re some blonde Hitchcockian starlet, stabbed to death in a ceramic grave, embalmed in PVC and soapy loofah net. 

You’d really hate to die all naked and wet like this. And unmoisturized. You make a mental note to include a full-body rub-down with petroleum jelly in your funeral plans. 

You glance over your shoulder, seeing only em empty bathroom through the fog-stained glass. No Norman Bates waiting on the other side of the shower door with a sharp blade in his hand and a cheshire grin on his face. Apparently, it’s not your time.

Swallowing down your paranoia, you turn around to face the cascade of steam and blue-hot pellets that cleans your body of all its sins. Leon calls you ‘Lucifer’, the way you bathe in hellfire. ‘Hotter than a bullet’, he says. Whatever that means. You never ask those types of questions. 

What did you see out there? 

Where did that scar come from? 

How the hell do you know bullets are hot?

You rinse the soap from your front, the suds from your hair, your eyes screwing shut as the shampoo runs down your forehead. And when you open them, now facing the shower door again, you see a heart drawn in the condensation. 

Then, you blink and it’s gone, the heat erasing the dripping strokes you saw only seconds ago. 

Your ancestors outran Malaria so you could be killed in the shower. 

Or.

It’s midnight and you watched a slasher movie while being home, all alone. What did you think was going to happen? And it’s not your fault, really. It was just on the television, one of the few channels that wasn’t flooded with commercials about weight-loss meal plans and insurance claims. 

Turning back toward the stream, you let the water prick your skin. And then, a pair of hands wrap around your waist. 

You’re not imagining things this time around.

“Boo.” 

You spin on your heel, grout and tile scratching the skin on your way around. Blonde, devilishly handsome, and just dim-witted enough to pull something as dumb as sneaking up on someone in the shower. He said he wouldn’t be home for another week. Now he’s here, naked as the day he was born, standing behind you in the shower, with his hands roaming your sides.

I love you, you’re back! 

I hate you, you’re a beast!

A dilemma, indeed.

“Holy shit, Leon,” you gripe, heart beating so fast, it might break free from your chest and run a marathon down the street. “Not fucking funny.” As he laughs, you throw anything you can get your hands on at the clown: a loofah, a bar of soap, almost a shampoo bottle. He grabs your wrists, snatching the bottle from your grasp, returning it to the niche in the wall as he presses pause on his laughing fit to apologize. 

An apology doesn’t carry the same weight if it’s followed up by ‘I had to’ and ‘I just couldn’t help myself’.

“You scared me, Leon. I thought I was about to be a headline on the news or show up on the side of a milk carton.” 

He arches a suspicious brow, the mist from the showerhead catching on the dark, coarse hairs. “Bit old for the milk carton, aren’t you?” 

You land a punch on his chest, knuckle digging straight into sinew. It hurts you more than it hurts him. He only winces so you don’t feel bad about being so weak. “Not. Helping. Asshole!”

“Come on,” he coos, wrapping you in his arms. It’s been nearly a month without seeing him in the flesh, and you’re not going to put up a fight if he wants to hold you, so you let him, sinking into his touch. His skin is warm, smelling like government-issued soap, skin-eating and putrid. It’ll be his second shower of the evening, and the only enjoyable one. “That’s more like it. Happy to see me now?” With his arms still wrapped around you, and yours around him, he smooths the damp hair at the back of your head.

“I would have been happier if you had a collar with a bell,” you say, retreating, letting your eyes fall to his form, drinking it up from the callouses on his toes to the tiny scrape on his forehead.

Another question you never ask: how do you know how to do that? 

To sneak up on people without making a sound? Without so much as a strand of your hair being seen? 

Dipping his chin, letting the water run down his head, drenching the blonde curtains, gluing them to his temples, he chuckles. It’s a dark, vibrational sound that echoes throughout the glass chamber, nearly knocking you off your feet. 

He glances up at you, droplets coating his eyelashes, making his blue eyes all the more piercing. “For you, I’d wear anything around my neck.” 

You pause for a moment, letting those words in their lewdness settle in your stomach. Then, you cackle. Like a witch on a broom, soaring through an inky, Halloween sky, across a big, butterball full moon. “You’re so cheesy, Leon.” His face falls and he rolls his eyes. You never let him off easy when he attempts to play these little games–one-liners and corny jokes to try and set the stage for what he really wants to say…

“Just let me fuck you, okay?” 

There it is.

“That’s all you had to say.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He’s already pumping his half-stiff cock in his hand, it sitting heavy in his palm as it slides back and forth in his fist. “Turn around, princess.” His other hand is positioning you, molding you like a ball of clay, moving your body so that your tits are pressed up against the glass wall, your cheek turned and flat above them. 

He presses his tip through your lips, shoving his length between them, gathering the slick of your arousal before thrusting himself into you, every punishing inch at once, leaving you no moment of reprieve before you’re forced to take it all. The stretch has you purring like a cat, your back arching to find the angle that guarantees almost instant pleasure–the euphoria that comes from feeling full, stuffed to the brim with his cock. 

He pistons in and out of you, muttering a few sweet nothings about the way you feel around him, how much he missed you, how he thought about you and your angelic face every day he was out in the field. You’ve missed the feeling of him inside you so much that you become as drunk as a white-trash divorcée in a bar, singing bad karaoke, pissed off long island iced teas and revenge.

“So tell me, baby, did you miss me?” He asks, nose nuzzling into your cheek as he speaks in your ear. You fail to respond, far too focused on the slow build of your pleasure, hammering the nails into the roller coaster you’ll soon ride up, then down. Unable to shut his mouth for more than five seconds, he returns to your ear, nibbling the lobe before his voice reappears. “Happy I’m home?” 

It’s distracting, sometimes. The way he incessantly pokes and prods while literally poking and prodding. The difference is, one feels good–really, sinfully, it’s-own-circle-of-hell good–and the other one makes that good go poof! 

“Can you just stop asking me questions?” You ask against the glass, backing your hips up just an inch to meet his thrusts half-way. 

He chuckles, the vibrations tickling your cheek, and his hands continue to roam your body, sliding down the sides of your torso, one settling on your throat, the other at the slope of your waist. His fingers just hold your neck, tethering you to him as he presses your front back to the glass, your spine now flush with the line of his abdomen. You can feel his quickening heartbeat against your shoulder blade, paying attention to the rhythm as it grows. 

Leon adjusts the shower head so that the stream of water can cascade down both your bodies, now melded together as one. The sound of his hips slapping your ass as he plummets into you harmonizes with the sound of the wet sheets. 

It takes a while for you to find your high, but once it’s within arm’s reach, you relax your hips and your abdomen, and let your body do the rest of the work. You scream out, crying Leon’s name as his grunts eclipse your whimpers, your walls clamping down on his cock, so tight he can hardly remove himself, and he doesn’t. He finishes violently inside you, growls hot on your neck as he spits out gratitudes to you, to the stars in the sky above, the deities that live among them, for returning him home to you once more. 

“Fuck,” he curses as he finally slides out of your pussy, taking with him the evidence of your mutual ecstasy. “That was so good.”

Planting kisses on your droplet-mottled shoulder, he exchanges the chaste pecks for bites, then kisses again, working his way up the crook of your neck, the curve of your ear. You’ve yet to remove yourself from the glass wall, too jittery to trust yourself not to fall if you do. Plus, you don’t pass up the chance to stay pressed against a hard surface by Leon’s vast chest, savoring the feeling of your skins’ union. 

His hands trail up and down the flesh of your arms, teasing you with the gentle scrape of his nails, the tickling pads of his fingers. Then, as if anything at all needed to be said to punctuate such a beautiful expression of your love, Leon speaks. 

“So, let’s talk more about that collar.”

It felt like life was too good to complain. All your dreams were coming true so why were you feeling sad? Now, wide awake against your will the answer revealed itself. It's your family. You're missing them.

They weren't perfect by any means, but you loved them. When Leon proposed you packed up. A few weeks before the wedding you were settled into his place. Well, his place was in Washington D.C. So, things had to change.

Not that you minded. You were excited for it, really. But its been a few months and you used to see at least one family member every week. Not anymore. You sigh and burrow into your pillow. You really shouldn't be bothered so much by this.

Silent tears begin to fall and small sniffles are muffled into the pillow. You're angry at yourself for being so whiny and ungrateful. You're a grown adult. It's not a big deal to be away from family. Leon's your family now. That should be enough, right?

The warm husk of your husband's voice reaches you. Your name falling from his lips in a concerned tone. "Go to bed, honey. It's nothing." You try to hide the way you swipe at your eyes and erase the wobble from your voice. Leon, of course, is not having it.

"Liar." His muscular arm rolls you over so he can look you in the eyes. Your red-rimmed, watery eyes. His own are soft and searching yours. "Tell me what's wrong."

You sigh, knowing you can't hide from your husband. "I'm just missing my family and feeling stupid for it."

"That's not stupid." His calloused thumb arches over your cheek and his lips meet your brow. You melt, a part of you already soothed by him like you received the loveliest lullaby.

"I could book us a flight. We could leave tomorrow." His kisses trail off. Lips caressing every inch of your face. Right down to your chin and the column of your throat.

"You'd really do that?" He shifts on top of you and your hands glide along his spine. Your head falls back into the pillow, exposing your throat to his affectionate marking. The blanket shifts on top of Leon, barely covering his ass.

"Of course. It's no problem." He mumbles against your skin as if it's the easiest thing in the world. No doubt he'll pull some strings, but your thoughts are drifting. More and more you're focused on the heat building between you two.

His kisses deepen, worshipping the curve of your shoulder and the plains of your chest. You moan, grip tightening on him. His hardening member teases your entrance and in response your legs lock around his waist.

His sultry chuckle in response signals the end of your rest. It's safe to say, you're both whipped for each other. In the morning, he'll have scratches down his back and you'll have bruises on your hips.

The next day Leon wakes you up with a gentle shake of your shoulders and a kiss on your forehead. The sun is high in the sky, revealing that he let you sleep in. You groan, gradually waking and rubbing at your eyes.

"I got your bags packed. Should have time for breakfast and a shower." He sighs, and continues in a sarcastic tone. "And double check what I packed you because apparently I always forget something." He evens adds air quotes. You just laugh in return, grinning at the man you chose to share the rest of your life with.

You leave the comfy bed and head straight towards Leon. Your fingers curl around the belt loops of his jeans, pulling him forward and kissing his prickly jaw. "Thank you, honey."

His lashes flutter and his whole body relaxes. Muscles melting and thoughts narrowed in on you. Before his arms can trap you and his mouth can consume your attention you slip away. "I'm gonna go shower now, okay?"

You walk away but not without leaving a flirty wink. You hear his answered sigh and mumbled complaint.

The afternoon slips by, a filling breakfast and a satisfying shower. It's a struggle to not go at it at least one more time before leaving especially when Leon's eyes are always devouring you. But you somehow manage to keep on track, reaching the airport in time.

Its luxury and opulence is out of this world. It's clearly for the rich and elite. Most of it is too much to process at the moment. "Ready?" Leon's hand is on your lower back, his other one on a suitcase's handle. You nod, smiling up at the ruggedly handsome man.

Some employees in formal outfits guide you along until you're both in a private jet. "Leon, this is insane." Your eyes are wide as you take in the interior. Large leather seats, cushions, flowers, and furnished wood. Only you and your husband as passengers.

He laughs before approaching an iced dish holding a wine bottle. "Only the best for Mrs. Kennedy." His eyes dance over you causing your heart to pick up speed and fire to spread throughout you.

He pours two glasses, handing you one. A voice over the intercom startles you. It declares departure and a necessity to buckle into a seat for lift off. Both of you find seats, Leon claiming one by the window and you naturally finding a spot next to him.

It's a bit bumpy even as a luxury vehicle. You give Leon a shaky smile and his free hand takes yours. His hand large and calloused. Yet his grip is gentle and speaks volumes of his love towards you. You lean into him and peer out the window past his shoulder.

"You like it, huh?" Leon murmurs with a faint smile.

"It's incredible!" You nod and let out a chuckle. It's an indescribable sight. A powerful feeling that swirls in your gut and threatens to affect everything in its reach. Tall buildings becoming specks and cars disappearing all together. The steady green earth is all but abandoned. Clouds rise up all around the flying masterpiece. The second prettiest blue you've ever seen is filling your view.

"So, we got a while up here. How do you want to spend it?" Your husband's voice steals your focus. His wine glass is already empty and his thumb is rubbing over your knuckles.

Your eyes lock on thee prettiest blue which is found in the depths of Leon's eyes. Heat crawls up your spine at his expression. Playful yet intense. He might keep this sweet and wholesome. But clearly he wants to indulge in more lustful things.

You reach out, hand brushing his bangs away before cupping his cheek. His lids fall shut and he leans into your palm. A surge of confidence and joy runs through you like a shot of electricity. It's certainly better than an adrenaline rush or the poor attempts of an energy drink.

"What do you wanna do? What do you usually do on your long trips?"

He groans, snuggling further into your palm before placing a kiss on its surface. "Nothing fun I can assure you. It's just a lot of contemplation."

You hum in acknowledgement and he pulls away. His hypnotizing eyes blink at you almost like a puppy wishing to cling to its owner.

"I don't care what we do. I'm just happy I'm here with you." His reply is sincere and quiet. His low voice is a precious thing vibrating in your chest.

And how can you say no to that? Without hesitation you leave your seat and crawl into his lap. "Oh." He laughs, his arms instantly going to grab you and keep you. There's not much room in the row though and you're sliding off. Both of you are laughing now and with awkward maneuvering he unbuckles.

"Alright, get off for a second." You climb off with a defeated sigh and step into the aisle way. He joins you shortly after and scoops you up. Your legs and arms lock around him like a koala. Giddy noises escape you and bury themselves in his skin.

Leon finds a cozy looking seat that's by itself in the luxury jet. Nothing is in front of it to make things difficult. He settles into place, your body snug on his lap. "So, where were we?" Your husband gives you a devastating grin.

You grin in return. Then, your lips are meeting his and things take off.

You're on fire. His rough, thick fingers are playing with your nipples. You squirm in his lap, freeing yourself from your strapless bra yet keeping your top on. You're breathing heavy, nipples aching and back arching. "Oh, god. Leon, I need you." His hands squeeze and caress your freed breasts.

Your hips meet over and over. Two starving animals, humping on one another. Your nails bite into his large shoulders while he bites at your neck. It's only a brush of pain, but he's always careful and his tongue soothes over the mark. "Beg louder, baby. No one is gonna stop us. They're too busy keeping us in the air."

The reminder of your situation in his deep, hungry voice makes your thighs clamp tighter around him. You're thousands of miles up in the air. Located in a private jet with the only other passengers being pilots. It's you and your husband alone.

"Leon, please. I wanna feel you. I want you all over me. Please, honey. Please." His hand tugs your head back as he ravishes your neck. Drawn out sucking and long licks along sensitive skin. You grind harder on the bulge caged in his jeans.

"All over you, huh?" His husky breath washes over your ear. You're sure he would have had you on your hands and knees in an instant if it wasn't for the limitations of this particular seat. No, you'll have to ride him. The thought alone has you whining with shame but no control.

"All over me, Leon. Please, I want you inside me." Your hands grow frantic, clawing at his denim pants and your own clothes. Your clit is throbbing in anticipation of being skin to skin. Yes, marriage has absolutely been a blessing. And neither of you have any desire to stop this.

Leon growls when cool air hits his freed cock. His mouth moves to capture your own, tongues fighting for dominance and spit being shared. One tasting the other in an endless cycle of pleasure. His large hands clamp down on your hips and you know what's next.

"Leon!" You cry out, breaking the kiss when his tip sinks in. Then, his hips roll again. Again and again until he's buried inside your snug warmth.

He says your name, "Fuck. You feel like heaven. You're too good. I'm not gonna stop. We're not stopping until the plane lands."

When you're finally adjusted there's no mercy.

You cling to him as he thrusts up into you. Your hips shake and jerk, eager to contribute. But he's taking you for the ride. Your cries and his groans grow to a concerning volume. So, that's when his lips crash into yours. He's holding you tight to his chest while thrusting up into you.

He's fast and relentless, strong arms holding you in place. Your eyes roll back as your cunt squeezes his dick ruthlessly. Your orgasm is fierce and all consuming. His mouth leaves your swollen lips and glides down your throat.

"I'm not done yet." His voice is deep and rasping. His dick twitches inside of you, but it's still rock solid and holding you open. You whimper, rolling your hips into his desperate thrusts.

You plant your hands on his chest and get to work. You lift yourself up and drop down. You're shaking something terrible, but he slows down so you can take over. You ride your husband in the belly of a private jet. His hands worshipping your body and his groans music to your ears.

He calls your name again followed by curses. The smell of sex surrounds you and sweat causes your remaining clothes to stick. Slick noises from your pussy meeting his dick is all too mesmerizing. "Baby, I can't . . ." Leon trails off, losing it first.

His teeth sink into the crook of your neck as his hips stutter beneath you. His cum filling you up. Your hands tighten on his shoulders and your head falls back as the second orgasm crashes over you.

Shuttered breaths and trembling limbs are the aftermath. Leon gently brushes kisses where he bit you and mumbles an apology. Your hand curls around his nape, fingers playing in the ends of his hair.

You could stay here forever. Both of you intertwined in every way imaginable. His arms holding you on his muscular thighs. His head buried in your neck like a tired dog.

"So what now? There's a shower . . ." He scoffs, "sorta. Oh, and there's a bed."

You choke out a laugh and pull his head back from you. "If there's a bed, why did you take me here?"

"I don't know. Wasn't thinking with my head." He shrugs, amused and far too proud of himself. You both know what was doing the thinking for him.

"Yeah, okay. Well, let's go to the bed." You just shake your head at him before carefully climbing off.

Before he's even done zipping his jeans back up he's mentioning a round two. "You're crazy." At this point you're laughing. No longer able to fight how giddy he makes you. Leon picks you up bridal style this time.

"Maybe, but something tells me you like it." Leon tilts his head and adds a devious smirk to completely wipe out any reservations you might have.

"Shut up and take me to bed." You flutter your lashes at him, voice lowered in a flirtatious manner.

"Yes, ma'am."

🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬🛬

I'm sorry this took so long. I've been teasing it for it awhile. It's because I was scared of getting his character wrong. 😅

Universe help you.

Then pushing yourself out of your trance you dragged your gaze away from him, trying to calm your thoughts, or at least pretending to do so.

honestly, it had only been two months since you started dating him, and the two of you had agreed to take things slow. He had figured out pretty early on that you were rather shy, so he'd simply told you, "We'll go at your pace." And for that alone, you were endlessly grateful to him.

and yet there were already so many dirty-not-so-shy things flooded your mind—thoughts you couldn't quite bring yourself to say out loud, so here you were, 'admiring' your man from afar, as if he is still just a 'crush', though he wasn't, he was something precious now— he was yours, and that single word still melted across your tongue like honey every time you thought it.

anyways... now as you see him completely covered in sweat as he worked through another set, those quiet, strained little grunts escaped him with each curl— which, to your complete embarrassment, sounded far too much like music to your ears.

meanwhile, he curled twenty-kilogram dumbbells as though they weighed absolutely nothing, making the whole thing even more unfair to witness.

as you stare at his straining biceps— veins mapping rivers beneath his taut skin, muscles flexing with every shift of his weight, you could not help but imagine what it would feel like to bite them, to feel them pressed against your finger tips, to feel that power wrapped around your neck, while he pins you down as he pounds into you, relentlessly.

Christ. You didn't want to think like this, and yet here you were, imagining exactly that— and soon heat crept up your neck, flushing your skin.

You shifted uncomfortably, acutely aware of the dampness pooling between your thighs, your underwear clinging where you were already slick and aching.

But could anyone really blame you? For thinking like that? First of all he was yours, second who wouldn't admire that kind of view— standing right in front of them?

Jeez. now, you weren't focused on yourself, or your workout, or whatever the hell you were supposed to be doing. Your attention was entirely on him. This hulking man barely seemed to struggle through his sets, making each rep look effortless.

He looked like a Greek god who had casually stepped down from his heavenly abode just to work out at the same gym as everyone else.

and just as soon as his eyes met yours, he sent a sneaky wink your way, and you looked away instantly, legs pumping faster on the treadmill as if you could outrun your own pulse. But the thoughts had already wrapped themselves around your veins, coiling tight, begging you to stop pretending you didn't want exactly what they were offering.

Caught in hecking 4k.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

He could not hear your thoughts could he?

Well you want him to hear everything swirling inside you, but.... maybe just not ... so soon?

by the way those words just jinxed-- something: you will know, what--soon enough.

also thats not possible, telepathy, you think to yourself and run faster onto the treadmill below.

Leon and you always worked out here every evening for an hour. It had become your little routine together.

He'd disappear into the locker room for a few minutes before coming back out wearing that black compression shirt— the one that looked like it was holding on for dear life just to keep those pecs together.

Oh fuck. Just to feel them. Once. Or... you trailed off, mid-thought. perv. fucking perv. that's what you were.

Leon usually caught you immediately, after changing in his gym clothes, and a slow, knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he always leaned down just enough for only you to hear, as you swallowed thickly, your gaze stuck on his chest, "Like them?" he chuckled, and you let out the tiniest squeak imaginable before immediately turning your face away from him, your cheeks burning so fiercely they could've rivaled the gym's heating system, while Leon's quiet chuckled deeply, as you said "no." Before moving away from him.

this was kind of a ritual now, for him, to tease you, endlessly— you won't say you didn't like it though.

as the memory fades, and you stare at your man, from across the room, he pass you a quick smile and soon, almost without warning, Leon set his dumbbells back onto the rack before walking straight toward you.

Your heartbeat instantly betrayed you. You hurriedly jabbed the stop button on the treadmill, the belt gradually slowing until it came to a halt beneath your feet, then stepping off, you fanned yourself with your towel that rested above the handle of the machine, though at this point you couldn't tell if you were trying to dry the sweat clinging to your skin or cool the warmth steadily spreading through your stomach.

Leon strutted towards you stopped directly in front of your face and meeting your eyes with a sheepish grin, your ears turning completely red, as he kept his unwavering blue irises on you, and his one eyebrow lifted, "Babe..." he drawled, a teasing smile already tugging at his lips. "How long are you gonna keep staring at me?"

Your brain quite literally short-circuited, and you tore your gaze away from him as quickly as you could, clearing your throat before mumbling, "I wasn't staring." You placed particular emphasis on the last word, hoping he'd get the message. Unfortunately, only you knew you didn't mean a single bit of it.

"No?"

"Absolutely not." You responded.

Leon smirked as if he could right through you, then he hummed softly as he leaned down, gently backing you up until your lower back met the cool frame of the treadmill, the chill seeping through your shirt. A smug little smirk tugged at his lips as he took full advantage of the unusually empty gym. His fingertips brushed lightly across your cheek before he murmured, "You've been admiring me through the mirror for the last ten minutes."

"I was... looking behind you." You corrected trying to squirm away from him, but he doesnt let you instead he, puts his head on your shoulder, and let out a quiet chuckle which rumbled through your entire frame, "There was a wall behind me, babe."

caught again. god damn, his instincts.

You refused to meet his eyes, licking your lips as you desperately searched for anything that would change the subject. "Someone might get the wrong idea about what we're doing," you murmured, but your body and your voice was shaking at the closeness of his proximity. Then a slow teasing grin spread across Leon's face. "Then they're more than welcome to."

You rolled your eyes, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing just how flustered he'd made you. Your heart was already racing, warmth blooming across your cheeks as you gently shoved at his chest, for a second he doesn't move.

"This gym is empty," he pointed out again.

"I uh - ah- you are so annoying!" You say pouting pushing him away again, hitting on his chest.

He laughed softly at your pathetic attempt to "hurt" him, and this time, he let himself be pushed away with surprising ease. Taking a step back, he slipped his hands into the pockets of his joggers, still watching you with that infuriatingly smug smile that said he'd won anyway.

The moment he moved away, the air somehow felt colder without him, and you hated that it he moved away, "Well, anyway..." he murmured, tilting his head ever so slightly, his eyes never leaving yours. "Did you like the view atleast?"

"Gosh", your face exploded with heat and with an embarrassed huff, you grabbed the front of his compression shirt and tugged him along before he could tease you any further. "C'mere."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise as you practically dragged him toward the quiet hallway beside the common washrooms, and his hands flew out of his pocket as he tried to maintain his balance, "Babe?" he laughed, his eyes crinkling with each syllable, "Where are we—"

Before he could finish, you stopped directly into the dim hallway and cupped his face with both hands, and, before your courage could abandon you, you pressed a quick, flustered kiss to his lips and instantly a soft, surprised sound escaped him as his arms instinctively slipped around your waist, drawing you just a fraction closer.

Your heartbeat immediately quickened, pounding so loudly you were certain he could hear it. the kiss lasted barely a second before you pulled away from him, and just as quickly, your cheeks burning brighter than ever as you stared anywhere but at his eyes. "There, now shut up."

Leon simply stared at you, completely ignoring your muttered, 'now, shut up.' Instead he whispered, "wow" then he, let out quiet soft whistle, "and two seconds ago, you were worried someone might see us."

You lifted your chin, trying your best to look smug despite the warmth creeping into your face. "I can be bold."

He bent forward until he was nearly doubled over, laughing so hard he had to brace himself, rolling your eyes, you reached up and ran your fingers through his hair, and he shook his head leaning into your touch, "hm." Then he straightened up and slowly stepped closer to you until there was barely any space left between you and him, "I like this side of you, more than anything."

Your confidence began to evaporate almost immediately, and before you could reply, he merely shrugged, as if he'd said nothing out of the ordinary, then achingly slow, his fingers found yours, gently intertwining them with an effortless familiarity.

"Right now..." he says, his gaze lingering on your flushed face. "...This sweaty, this flustered..." He paused just long enough to watch your expression crumble before a teasing smile touched his lips. "You look tasty enough to eat."

You swatted his broad bicep with playful indignation, trying to hide the way your stomach fluttered all over again. His laughter only grew louder, warm and unrestrained. "But..." he continued, leaning in until his forehead rested gently against yours, and a teasing smile curved his lips as he closed his eyes briefly. "You should know," he crooned softly, amusement dancing in his voice, "if you keep surprising me like that..."

You swallowed thickly trying to drink every drop of your emotions, "yeah?"

"I'm going to have a very hard time letting you walk away with just one kiss."

Your eyes flew wide just as he suddenly pulled you into a quick embrace. "Leon!" you shrieked, your voice breaking into startled laughter as your arms instinctively wrapped around him.

He laughed warmly, pressing one soft kiss to your forehead instead, "Relax," he said, smiling at your flustered expression. "We've still got another twenty minutes of our workout."

You groaned, burying your face into the crook of his shoulder, the heat of exertion still radiating between you. His voice dropped, low and intimate against your ear. "When we get home," he breathed, sliding his palms lower until they found the dip of your spine, "can we kiss one more time?"

The question lingered between you, hanging in the quiet air. He looked every bit the gentleman— though, at the same time, he reminded you of a patient puppy, silently asking for something and waiting to see if he'd be allowed to have it. And if the answer was no... he'd simply accept it.

His hands pressed gently, guiding you to arch into him, and you responded instinctively, your back curving, breath hitching, and you felt way too responsive, beneath his touch, and for a hot second you wanted him to take you right here, slowly your shyness dissolved entirely under his touch.

you simply nodded, cheek still pressed to the damp fabric of his shirt, and aderaline took over you body, "maybe... we can do something far more than a kiss?" you whispered, your throat swelling instantly as you finally let your heart speak, then he sighed and grunted your name, into your skin, and kissed your neck, whispering something, crude, which almost felt like a promise, from him, to ruin you completely.

then after the workout, when you two finally stumbled through the front door, you spent the entire evening doing another type of cardio—sweat-slicked bodies and breathless moans, while burning something far more than mere calories.