Strange Love

Rin couldn't take his eyes of Shelly as she cleared the table. He's gotten them takeout from her favorite restaurant in America and they'd brought it back to enjoy in their new home. He followed her to the kitchen, stepping behind her as she set the plates into the sink. He placed a hand over hers as she moved to turn the water on. "Leave them, I'll get them later." He whispered against her neck as he bent to place a light kiss directly below her earlobe. He wrapped his free arm around her waist as he seductively ran the other up the length of her arm.

Shelly let out a soft mȯȧn as she bent her neck to the side giving him better access. "Rin…" She panted his name as she let her hands fall away from the counter and found his thɨġhs. Though they'd tried several times, they'd yet to make love since the baby had been born… since he'd come back to her. She had never craved anything so much in her life as she did his touch at that moment. She rocked her hɨps against the growing hardness pressing against her backside.

Rin spun her around bringing his mouth down to meet hers in a hungry, passionate kiss. He didn't break their kiss as he lifted her onto the countertop, pressing himself between her thɨġhs as he did. The corner of his lips curved as a muffled mȯȧn filled the air around them. He slipped his hand under the hem of the sweater she was wearing. She whimpered breathlessly as his hand found one swollen brėȧst. "This isn't too much, is it?"

She shook her head but could feel the burn of embarrassment tenting her cheeks. "It's just..." She glanced away as the heat of her cheeks spread down her neck and across her ears. "I... um... the milk..."

Rin chuckled as he brought her face back around to meet his. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about, love. I thought we already had this conversation?"

She let out a sigh as she held his beautiful pale eyes and knotted her hands in his sweater. "I know... it's just still kinda weird to me..." She glanced away again as a sarcastic smile curved her lips. "It's not like we've gotten many chances to be intimate for me to be used to it..."

"True." He murmured as he leaned closer placing a light kiss on her jaw. "Now we have an entire house to break in." His lips turned up into a playfully seductive smile before he lowered them to hers. He tugged her sweater off only pulling away from her lips long enough to get it over her head. His eyes searched her. "I never thought you would look more beautiful than the day we were married, but to look upon the soft swell of your body now that you've had our first child... you're simply stunning, my love."

She ran her fingers through his wavy hair. As long as she'd known him he'd always kept it short and neat. Now it was nearly shoulder-length. His ebony hair and dark skin made his pale blue-green eyes stand out. She stroked the pad of her thumb over the tiny beauty mark just below the outer edge of his left eye before dropping to his thick, kiss-swollen lips. "You're beautiful too, you know..." She replaced her teasing fingers with her lips for a lingering kiss. She slid her hands under the shoulders of his sweater and pushed it down his arms, enjoying the hard yet lean muscles of his arms. She didn't waste time as he shimmied the sweater to the floor, sliding her hands under his shirt and slowly through the light sprinkling of hair leading from his pant line to his ċhėst.

Rin held her heated eyes as he pulled his shirt off and flung it onto the floor as well. A low growl left his slightly parted lips as she tugged the buŧŧon of his pants free and pushed down the zipper. His breath caught when her hand slid into the front of his pants and her mouth found his taunt nɨppŀė. He watched with aroused curiosity as the tip of her tiny pink tongue teased circular patterns around the hardening bud. He gently cupped the back of her head, lacing his fingers into her thick blonde hair. His head fell forward with a groan as her fingers traced the outline of his hard ċȯċk through his tight boxers. "Shell..." He panted her name as he gently tugged her mouth away from his nɨppŀė and guided her lips back up to meet his. He could feel her hands pressing his pants and boxers both down over hɨps causing his ċȯċk to spring free. He couldn't hide or deny the overwhelming pŀėȧsurė feeling her hands on his body were bringing him, but he pushed his own dėsɨrės aside as he stared down into her mesmerizing eyes. "Are you sure about this? Are you sure you're... ready?"

Shelly nodded, her fingers curling around his exposed shaft after pushing his clothes down as far as she could reach. "Yes." She answered without hesitation.

His lips dropped to hers, feeding hungrily from her mouth. He pulled back letting his forehead rest against hers as she continued stroking him. "If... if it becomes too much don't be afraid to say so... ah... we-we can stop at... ah... any time..." He mȯȧnėd breathlessly against her lips as he bit into his own bottom lip.

Shelly smiled up at him as she shifted to place kisses onto his neck. When more mȯȧns rumbled through his ċhėst, her smile widened and her confidence rose. She began altering between nips, kisses, and licks until he suddenly pulled away from her. Bewilderment overtook her expression as he turned away from her. "Rin? What is it."

He pretended to wipe his mouth on the bend of his arm as he tried to hide his own awkward blush. "I'm sorry... I... got a bit carried away..."

Shelly pushed down off the counter. His blush grew more as she neared him. Her eyes moved from his red cheeks down to the droplets of cloudy white liquid on the floor. Confusion turned to realization as she figured out what had happened. "Oh..." Her wide eyes moved from the sėmėn on the floor up to his averted gaze. She reached out for his arm giving it a light tug, urging him to turn around to face her.

Rin swallowed hard as he turned, still feeling embarrassed at his lack of control and the possibility of ruining their first night in their new home. "Sorry... I didn't mean to..."

Shelly reached up and cupped his face, tugging him down for a light, soothing kiss. "There's no need to apologize. If anything it's more of a compliment than anything... honestly... I've been kinda afraid that you didn't find me as attractive anymore..." It was her turn to look away in embarrassment. "You know since we haven't... done it... yet..."

Shock hit Rin like a ton of bricks. He quickly pulled her against him and captured her lips, maybe a little too roughly, but at the moment he couldn't help it. He let the ŀust he'd been holding back flow out unabashed. Unsurprisingly he ċȯċk jerked back to attention. He pressed it more firmly into the lacy material of the shift she was wearing. When they were both panting, he pulled back slightly, one hand still tangled in her hair and the other holding her tightly against him. "I only held back because I was afraid of causing you pain... between what happened and childbirth... I was afraid my dėsɨrės would be too much..."

She ran her fingers through his ċhėst hair. "On the contrary. Rin, as I told you our first time together, I could never see your touch as repulsive... as anything less than healing..." She placed a kiss to the center of his ċhėst. "I love you, Rin."

A warm smile spread across his face, any signs of hesitation fading away as her eyes meet his. "I love you." He sent her a playful smile as he lifted one hand and snapped. In a flash, they were out on the back patio close to the hot tub nȧkėd.

Shelly's eyes widened, and she pulled him closer. "OH, IT'S COLD!" She called out as she wiggled against him.

He chuckled as he grabbed her and ran toward the hot tub. As they settled into the warm water, he pulled her into his arms. "Better?"

She nodded as she slid her arms around his submerged waist. "Yeah, but you better zap us into the bathroom and some warm robes once we're outta here!"

He chuckled again. "Promise." He replied as he placed a light kiss to the tip of her nose.

It didn't take long for the gentle, loving kisses to evolve into needy, passionate ones. Shelly turned, shifting her legs to straddle his ŀȧp. She lowered herself onto his hard shaft, her head falling back in equal parts pŀėȧsurė and discomfort at the stretch it was causing. She suċkėd in a sharp breath of the cold night air as his mouth teased her throat and his hands began guiding her hɨps. "Ah, Rin!"

His lips curled into a smile against her soft skin. "Ah, how I've missed hearing you mȯȧn my name, my love. And to see the seductive faces you make while we are mȧkɨnġ ŀȯvė." He couldn't help but wish for a way to capture her beauty right now as the steam rose up around her to meet the perfectly clear, starry night. "If every night could end just like this, then life will be perfect."

Shelly tilted her head, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Sex under the stars? I'll see what I can do-ah..."

He chuckled as he pushed deeper inside her, causing her teasing words to cut off. "That too, but I only meant you in my arms, happy... a pleased smile curving your beautiful lips..."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, her gaze becoming more steamy. "I'm not anywhere close to pleased yet lover boy. You'd better get to it." She teased as she nipped his lower lip.

A wicked smile curved his lips. "Is that so? I shall have to try harder then."

***

Russ let out a heavy sigh as he stared out of the window of the study overlooking the old garden currently enveloped in darkness. He didn't turn as he heard the soft opening and close of the door, instead, he watched her reflection in the glass. "You're still awake... it's late..."

Jaden nodded as she approached, meeting his gaze in the reflection of the glass. "I wanted to wish you a happy birthday before I turned in for the night..."

He turned, instantly finding her bright Jade eyes. "Thank you." His brows furrowed as she pulled a pen from behind her back and took his hand. Her eyes sparkled as she held his gaze. "I wanted to give you something... It's not much... but... is it alright." She lifted the pen to his hand.

Russ nodded both surprised and intrigued at her gesture. "Sure, go ahead..."

She sent him a warm smile before setting to work drawing a symbol on the top of his hand. When she was done she lowered her hand holding the pen but continued holding his hand examining her work. He forced his eyes away from her and to the symbol. "What is it?"

"It's Icelandic..." She gave a light feminine chuckle. "But I suppose you guessed as much." Her eyes lifted to his, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. "It means love."

"Oh..." He said, giving the symbol another more attentive study. His lips curved into a smile as he plucked the pen from her hand and flipped her hold on him. He replicated the symbol on her hand and gave her a satisfied smile.

Jaden giggled as she shook her head. "No, it's more... um... how do you say... a love charm of a woman to a man..." She tilted her hand from side to side as she continued to study it in amusement.

Russ frowned and moved to wipe it off but she stopped him. "No... leave it... I like it..." Her dancing eyes met his. "It seems more... you... like this."

His frown deepened. "How so? Because it's fuċkėd up and wrong..."

Jaden's amusement faded. "No... I don't see you like that at all. Clumsy and yes a bit incorrect at times... but it means more because of the innocence behind the incorrectness." Her brows knitted. "Is that how you see yourself... wrong and f...fucked up?" She stammered over the curse word.

His irritation melted away as a slight smile curved his lips. He tilted his head as he studied her. "You really don't like that word do you?"

Jaden shook her head. "It's only ever brought me pain..."

Understanding caused his smile to fade. "I'm sorry... I'll try not to use it around you again..."

She nodded in appreciation of his consideration. "Thank you... but you still didn't answer. Is that how you see yourself?"

Russ nodded. "It is... And believe me, It's a pretty good description. I've done a lot of Fu-messed up things that I regret."

A dull pain tugged at her heart as she read the sadness in his expression. She thought back to some of the things he'd told her already... the implied things he hadn't said... and the rumors she'd heard. She fought against the urge to step back as images filled her mind. She shook them away and forced herself to take a step forward. Her eyes moved up to meet his. "We have all got things in our past we regret. If we continue to let those things hold us in that past, then we'll never be able to move forward... never be able to learn from those regrets and make a better future." Her eyes searched his. "Do you truly regret them or simply feel ashamed... or guilt and self-pity?"

Russ frowned as his brows knotted together. "Regret. I wish I could change them, not for the guilt it causes me but for the pain I've caused them. I can make excuses for those actions all day long... but at the end of the day it was my decisions and actions alone that were to blame... nothing else..."

She nodded. "Then you should give apologies where they are needed and make good on future actions... and most importantly you must forgive yourself so that others may do the same." She watched as he nodded, a doubtful sadness still lingering just behind the forced smile he gave her. She raised the hand she still held to her lips and placed a light kiss on his knuckles. "I know it is a lot to ask of someone not fully being able to understand or know what they've been through... but I hope that we can work together to move beyond our pasts and toward a pleasant future."

The corner of his lips lifted in a genuine smile as he cupped her face. "With you by my side, I'm sure it will be much more than pleasant." He bent down toward her but froze in place, his lips hovering dangerously close to hers. "May I?" He whispered raggedly.

Jaden nodded, pushing ups onto the pads of her feet to meet his lips as she did so. She pulled away before he was able to deepen it, but his arms tightened around her before she could move away from him.

"Can I hold you for just a few more minutes... just like this, nothing more?" He whispered.

She nodded again, relaxing in his embrace, and letting her ear press against his ċhėst to listen to the elevated beat of his heart. She had meant it when she drew the symbol on his hand. She was growing more in love with him each day, whether it was because of the person he was or the pull of their inner wolves, she wasn't sure... but the feelings were there, nonetheless. She slowly released the tight squeeze of her fists against his ċhėst and let her hands snake around his waist.

They remained that way, not speaking long into the night.