Sliver
The next morning, you woke up and saw that Chris wasn't in bed. You looked at the clock and saw it was after 10. You got up and padded to the kitchen. Chris was leaning his back side against the counter, looking at his phone and sipping coffee, sans shirt. When you walked to him he put his phone down and held out his arm, "Hey, sleeping beauty." You got up on your toes to give him a quick kiss as he put his arm around you. "How ya feelin'?"
You smiled up at him, "Good. Did you eat already?"
"Nope, just waiting for you to get up, then I was gonna go grab us something."
"Babe, you didn't have to wait."
"I don't mind.", he kissed you again. "Coffee?"
"No, I think I'm gonna get a shower first."
"Okay. Whadda ya want?"
"Surprise me."
"Will do." He kissed you one more time, gave your ass a quick squeeze and pushed off the counter as you headed for the bathroom. He went into his room for a shirt and shoes, calling after you, "Love you, foxy."
"Love you, honey.", you called back.
You took your shower, brushed your teeth and went into your room to get dressed. You had just gotten on your bra, panties and jeans when your phone buzzed on the night stand. It was Nat, asking if you wanted to go shopping later with her, Pepper and Jane. You laid on your stomach across your bed, propped on your elbows, just your feet hanging off the edge and you started tapping out a response. You heard the front door open and close, followed by Chris's footsteps. "Breakfast, baby.", he called out.
"Okay. Just a second." You continued texting, coordinating the plan. A moment later he came into the room a spotted you on the bed facing away from him. He licked his lips at the sight of your bare back.
He crawled on the bed over you and slid a hand under your stomach, kissing your shoulder, "What ya doin', sexy?"
You hummed at his kiss, "Texting Nat about going shopping with the girls later."
"Cool. I'll invite the guys over. There's a game on today." He kissed your shoulder once more and started moving backward off you, but stopped midway, resting on his elbows. His hands splayed at your sides, holding you gently and you felt his lips touch your lower back with a soft kiss.
You felt yourself swell down below in a heartbeat and sighed, your hands coming to rest on the bed mid-text, your mouth hanging open. You turned your head and let it fall downward, your back arching slightly at his touch. His lips touched you again along with his tongue in another spot near the first. You whispered, "Uhn, baby."
He hummed at your reaction and stood, patting your ass twice, "Come eat, beautiful."
You looked over your shoulder at him, biting your lip, "That was so sexy. Thank you."
He grinned, "Thank you for being sexy... And half naked."
You smiled, rolled over, sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed, "Promise me you'll do that again."
He offered you a hand and helped you up, pulling you into him, "It would be my pleasure, sweetheart." He crouched down in front of you, placed a knee on the floor, his hands on your hips, "And here." He kissed your stomach in the same manner and continued peppering kisses there as he spoke and you took a jagged, quick breath, your hands coming to rest on his shoulders. "I love your waist. You're so soft, baby girl." He nuzzled his nose against your skin and looked up at you, grinning softly before planting a final kiss on you.
Your chest was heaving so slightly when he stood. You were feeling a pooling in your underwear, knowing that you'd have to change them and regretted having just taken a shower since that's where you relieved yourself. He kissed you softly, then you spoke, "You make me so weak, Chris."
He smiled lazily, "I hope I make you strong too."
You grinned widely, "Yes. Yes you do."
Once you were with the girls at the mall, browsing through the women's clothing in one of the large department stores, Nat came to your side in a rush, "(Y/N), you gotta get this." She held a lacy hot pink push up bra and panty set out to you. She nodded enthusiastically, her eyes wide as you took it.
"Wow. This is-"
"Hot. I know. Get it."
You laughed, "Nat, you are the ultimate wingwoman. I really like this.", you both headed for the register.
"I just love seeing you happy. And nothing makes a girl happier than driving her man crazy with lust, yeah? Have you guys done the dirty deed yet?"
You looked around, wide eyed, spotting an elderly lady only a few feet from you, looking at the two of you while she browsed a dress rack. "Geez, Nat. Keep it down."
"I bet he's a tiger in bed.", she replied to you, speaking a little louder, grinning at the old lady as you passed her, who's eyebrows shot up and her face got red. Her loud statement drew the attention of two women you were passing as well, one with a baby in a stroller. They both giggled.
You laughed and elbowed her, your voice low, "Knock it off, you little shit."
She let out a throaty laugh, "Never."
During that week, you and Chris both finally finished packing up Seb's things to ship the last few boxes to his mother. She said she was fine with the two of you keeping or selling his furniture and electronics. You both decided to donate them. You kept the small Christmas tree that had still been on his desk, putting it in a box to store away. You already had everything you had wanted to keep; his pillows and his shirts, though you never use them anymore, so they got tucked away in your closet. You thought about making a quilt with the shirts. Maybe someday.
You stood there in his empty room while Chris carried the last box upstairs. You had your arms crossed over your chest, holding yourself while you looked around. Nothing. He was completely gone from here now. You felt a stinging in your throat as you welled up, trying to take deep breaths, but failed. You breathing turned to whispered sobs as Chris made it back down the stairs.
He saw you standing in the middle of the room, your back to him, your head hanging down. Your silent crying tugged at his heart, his expression pained; he never liked to see you cry, but now, seeing you as his own girl crying? It was ten times worse.
You heard his scuffling footsteps across the carpet behind you. He said nothing, but instead, wrapped his arms around you while your own were still hugging yourself, tears falling freely amidst your tiny sobs. You rounded and lifted your shoulders, instinctively making yourself smaller as he embraced you. He read your queue and curled around you protectively by rounding his own shoulders and hunching over you a bit and holding you a little tighter, making himself your safe place to hide. He kissed the side or your head softly, then rested his cheek against yours.
You leaned your own head against his cheek.
No words were spoken, they didn't need to be. He was already telling you everything you needed to hear with his actions. And he held you... He just held you.
One week later, in the evening, Sam, Maria, Tony and Pepper came over to hang out and watch a DVD. You were all gathered in the family room, the couples in various states of cuddling, bowls of popcorn divided out and beers in hands. You and Chris were on the short side of the sectional, the other four sharing the long portion. Chris was laying his head on your thigh, his hand tucked under your leg and your arm draped over his ribs under his arm.
You started raking your fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes for a beat, then he turned his head and kissed your jean clad thigh and squeezed it gently from beneath it. It made your stomach flutter and you continued your motions.
When the movie was over, you all chatted a bit and then everyone started filing upstairs to leave, you and Chris walking them all to the door. You said goodbye to all your friends and closed the door behind them. You turned and walked the couple steps it took to get to Chris, smiling softly in the light of the dim end table lamp between the couch and love seat.
You wrapped your arms around his neck and got up on your toes to kiss him soft, but deep. His hands settled on your back as he pressed you against his body and let out a low moan. You both continued kissing slow and passionately for a long few moments, it didn't take long for you to feel yourself teetering on the edge of insanity if you had to go another night without giving yourself to him... And without him taking you.
You broke the kiss and he put his forehead to yours, both of you panting as you spoke barely above a whisper, trembling, "Chris, I can't- I can't wait anymore. I need you."
His faced twisted slightly as his eyes closed, his voice low and slightly strained, "(Y/N), I-" He paused for a excruciatingly long beat, there was still a sliver of guilt hanging on inside him. He barely shook his head against yours, he didn't know which way to go.
You gripped at the back of his neck, clutching his shirt in your other hand against his chest. Your voice was small and desperate, on the verge of crying as you whimpered out the words, "Please, Chris. Please." The last one came out a whisper, "Please."
Hearing your desperation pained him, enough that he felt close to tears himself. Your foreheads still touching, his hands gripping your sides firmly now due to all the intense emotion flowing between you. God, he wanted you so badly, but that minuscule amount of guilt within him was holding him back. But, the dam was getting weak, especially after your pleading with him. His voice came out a growl when he finally spoke... "Fuck, I need you, baby."
His hands held your face as his mouth crashed into yours. He then gripped you under the ass and hiked you up effortlessly, your legs wrapping around his waist. The two of you kept kissing, letting out soft sounds of heightened anticipation as he carried you to his room.