Part 6

"Say it," I whispered into his wet hair.

"What do you want?"

"You," he moaned. "Inside. Deep. Please, Tanaben"

The nickname almost broke me. But not yet. Instead, I pulled out my fingers and turned the water off. His head snapped back to look at me, confused and desperate.

"Bed," I said, voice low. "I want to take you in our bed."

His expression made heat punch through my body.

"...take me," he breathed.

I wrapped him in a towel, lifted him again, bridal style this time and he clung to me like he'd never let go. We left a trail of steam behind us as I carried him into the dim bedroom.

I laid him down on our bed. His hair was messy, dripping onto the pillow, lips parted, pupils blown wide with lust. He reached for me with both arms.

"Come here," he whispered.

I crawled over him, slow and predatory, stalling with my mouth against his inner thigh again just to make him gasp and curse my name. When I hovered above him, we stared at each other for a long, heated heartbeat.

"You ready?" I asked, brushing my lips against his.

"For you?" he said, pulling me down into another kiss.

"I'm always ready."

His fingers traced my jaw like he was checking that I was really there — that I wouldn't dissolve back into the distance he'd feared all week.

"Slow," he whispered. "I want to feel every second of you coming back to me."

I kissed him, first soft, then deeper, letting the tension build slowly. Our bodies fit together like they had been missing a piece. His hands roamed my back, holding tight but gentle, like he was memorizing the shape of me again.

"I hate when you're gone," he admitted against my lips, voice cracking just a little.

"I know," I whispered into his skin. "I hate it too."

We moved together, closer and closer, every breath shared, every touch answering a need we hadn't dared speak while we were apart. His legs wrapped around my waist, not pushing just holding, trusting. I supported him with my hands, with my body, with everything I was.

"You're home," Santa breathed, eyes locked with mine. "You're finally home."