sandandwater

Notes: This takes place just before Pippa's Christmas post. Sorry for the time line hopping.

Peaceful. Unaware. Beautifully naïve.

His face is all delicate planes and muted angles in the cool, pale light of the moon. Long lashes cast shadows over soft skin, marring the ethereal visage belonging to the man lying beside her. She can’t sleep so she watches him instead. Watches him despite wanting to press her face into her pillow, protection against aching in her heart, the tightness in her throat and the stinging behind her eyes. Pippa won’t turn away and she doesn’t wipe the hot tears seeping from the corners of her eyes. They run down her cheek and into her ear.

Her mind has been made up for days, weeks, really. She made the decision while they were apart—thinking seems easier when he isn’t right there. Now she has to tell him. Break his heart and leave him. Pippa continues to study him until the weight of her stare (or maybe the noise of her troubled thoughts) seems to draw Rory away from slumber. She even returns his sleepy smile with one of her own, whispering his name as his hand comes up to cup the curve of her cheek.

“Hey now…” he whispers in concern as he feels the dampness on her skin, realizes she’s been crying. “Sweet, don’t cry. I’m here. I’m right here.”

He folds her into his arms, kisses away the tears she’d ignored. Pippa lets him run his hands over her body and push her nightgown up over her hips as he rolls her beneath himself; his movements are well practiced even if they are heavily drenched in drowsiness. She knows he’ll barely remember this come morning—if he recalls it at all.

Still, he’s hard and she’s willing and it doesn’t take much for her to guide him to where he wants to be. Her face stays pressed against the warmth of his neck as Rory shifts, rocks against her and thrusts between her legs. She doesn’t want him to lift his head and look down at her; he shouldn’t have to see the sadness in her eyes as they make love. He makes love—Pippa winces as she corrects herself.

He’s making love; she’s only biding her time.

Pippa Kerr//368

Come as you are

She was ignoring him, curled up in a ball with her face buried in a pillow. He sat at the edge of the bed with his bare back towards her, head hanging and cradled between his hands. Not for the first time, Pippa had gone from hot to cold without warning and rebuffed him mid-advance. His hands on her where they pressed against her shoulder, the curve of her hip…his breath on the side of her neck didn’t bring forth feelings of desire and need. Instead, they called up memories of someone else touching her with far less compassion and she’d cried then screamed. Rory couldn’t comfort her when she got like this, she didn’t want him to.

As you were

Candlelight and tangled sheets covered their sweat-slicked skin as they continued to explore each other in a lazy, nearly sated manner. Her hands slipped over his chest, her head following with lips grazing skin, teeth nipping along familiar territory. At the sound of the deep and contented sigh escaping his lips, Pippa lifted her head to smile at him. Words weren’t needed; she knew that look and understood his unspoken request. Rory’s hands settled on her hips as she shifted, rose and straddled his waist. He smiled as her hands found purchase against his shoulders, moaned as she leaned forward to kiss him.

As I want you to be

Pippa watched him undress, peeling the damp shirt away from his body, kicking shoes across the floor. Listened as he unfastened the buckle to his belt, the rasp of the zipper undoing the denim he wore low on his hips. Closed her eyes and thought about joining him on the other side of the room. She’d press kisses along his spine, wrap her arms around his waist and sigh as his hands came to rest over hers. Eventually, Rory would turn and embrace her, lift her off the balls of her feet and bring her closer for a deep kiss. She’d tangle a hand in his shaggy hair and inhale deeply, lost in him even as he lost himself in her just as he used to do after every gig.


Pippa Kerr//Last Call//351