The Beautiful Ones

Cassandra lay awake that night across from Criss. He had one arm slung across her hips. His steady breath blew against the back of her neck. A whimper bubbled up from her chest as she curled into a tighter ball. Criss grumbled in his sleep and held her tighter.

Oh, Criss, she thought. You wouldn’t feel this way if you knew the truth. I don’t ever want to tell you everything, because I just can’t stand the thought of losing you. I just don’t… Don’t know what I would do without you.

“Mmm, love you, Cass.” Criss’s eyes open. He smiled sleepily and rolled her over so she was facing him. He wound his arms around her again and kissed the tip of her nose.

“I love you too, Criss.” She whispered, burying her face in his neck. He quickly fell back asleep.

But you wouldn’t really love me if you knew the truth.

**

Criss came home late one evening about a week after the Michael incident. He saw her lying on the couch, her legs thrown over the back, her arm hanging over the side.

She was wearing a pair of shorts and a halter top. The television was on, and she was completely engrossed in whatever it was. She had no idea how enticing she looked, all sprawled out like that.

Criss watched her for a few minutes. She didn’t even seem to realize that the door had opened and that he’d come in. He tiptoed across the room towards her. Her feet were bare, and he picked one up and began to massage it.

She made a pleasurable sound in her throat and stretched towards him, giving him better access. Criss chuckled and ran his hands up her calves.

“I don’t even get a kiss?”

“Come here and get one,” she replied lazily, barely tearing her eyes away from the screen to look at him. The halter top didn’t reach the waistband of her shorts, and Criss was treated to a few inches of her pale skin and the curve of her hips. He reached down and ran his fingertips over that skin. Cassandra gasped and shivered.

“Like that, do you?” he smirked.

“Y-yes,” she stammered. “And I want more.”

“Well,” he removed his hands from her body and made his way towards the bedroom. “If you want more, come here and get it.”

***

Cassandra was trembling when she walked into the bedroom. Criss was sprawled on his back. He opened his arms, and she crawled onto the bed and straddled him. This was nothing new for them. Often they had conversations sitting like this.

Cassandra bent down and pressed her lips against her boyfriend’s. The chaste kisses quickly turned deeper. His tongue dipped into her mouth, sampling the flavor of her. It was spicy and sweet, and just one taste was never enough for him.

Criss’s hands rubbed up and down her sides. He reached up behind her neck to undo the tie of her halter top. She broke away from the kiss.

“Wait,”

“Cass, babe, you know that you can tell me ‘no’ any time you want. You don’t have to do anything that you don’t want. I’m never going to push you, okay?” he explained gently, running his hands up and down her arms.

“Okay. Okay,” she whispered. He reached up again to undo the tie behind her neck.