Chapter 6

Paul.

She giggled and pushed me away playfully as I kept tugging her shirt. Her fingers traced intricate lines on my skin, and my hands felt every inch of her body, sending chills down her spine.

Reaching our destination, we both stopped at the door of our room, our breaths now coming faster. The intimate ambiance created by the room's low lighting only increased our passion for one another. We looked at each other with hunger, both of us aware of what was coming.

When she finally spoke, she did so with a determined expression on her face. "Come on, let's get to our bed," she said in a sensual whisper as she led the way inside.

Our lips met in a passionate kiss that left us both gasping for air as our bodies continued to explore one another as we moved across the room. Our hands never left each other as we staggered in the direction of the bed, our passion growing stronger with each step.

At last, we arrived at the bed, our haven of passion and love. She threw her arms around my neck and collapsed onto the bed, dragging me down with her. The passion between us was now uncontrollable as our lips met once more in a fierce embrace.

Her fingers felt every muscle and curve of my skin as we freely moved our hands over each other's bodies. As soon as we made love, the outside world vanished and only our deep bond remained. It seemed as though the outside world had vanished, but the only sounds in the room were our heartbeats, loud groans, and breaths.

As we alternated positions, we discovered new ways to enjoy each other's bodies and, for a brief moment, the jealousy and other things that had been bothering me throughout the day were forgotten. For what seemed like hours, we engaged in foreplay, our desire for each other growing stronger by the second.

When the climax finally came, we gave in to our desires and united in a synthesis of ecstasy and love. Only the two of us remained as the outside world vanished, engrossed in a tornado of passion and feeling, enjoying the warmth of one another's affection.

Before long, morning had arrived. Jane was curled up against me with her head resting on my chest while I made lazy circles on her bare shoulder. The room was bathed in a warm glow as the gentle morning light came through the curtains. I twirled a loose strand of her hair between my fingers as my hand moved to it.

“Are you awake?” I whispered.

She tightened her arm around my waist and made a sleepy noise.

I kissed the top of her head with a smile. “That’s a yes.”

With her voice muffled against my chest, she said, "Barely."

"Good, because I'm going hungry." I nudged her gently, earning a groan of protest.

As she pulled the blanket over her head, she whispered, "You get up."

"All right," I said dramatically as I sat up and swung my legs over the bed's edge. “But don’t blame me if all the good coffee’s gone.”

"In this house, there is no such thing as good coffee," she remarked, smiling as she peeked out from under the blanket.

I laughed and put on some sweatpants before going to the kitchen. I couldn't help but feel lighter as I made the coffee. As if the burden I had been bearing ever since the capture had somewhat subsided.

It had been... ideal last night. It felt like Jane and I were back to normal for the first time in weeks. No facilities. No tests. No creature. Only us.

Jane was still under the covers in the bedroom when I returned with two mugs. I put the mug on her bedside table and said, "Coffee."

Her face brightened as she peered out once more. “You’re a hero.”

I smiled as I sat next to her and said, "I try."

She closed her eyes in satisfaction as she took a sip. "All right, maybe the coffee isn't so bad."

I leaned in to give her a kiss while laughing. Her lips were warm against mine, and the world briefly disappeared once more.

We remained interested in one another as if the outside world didn't exist, and the morning melted into the afternoon.

Jane was sprawled on the couch, her feet resting on my lap as she flipped through the TV's channels. My mind wandering, I traced patterns on her ankle absently.

I finally broke the cozy silence by saying, "Jane."

“Hmm?”

"What are your thoughts on him?"

Her eyes remained on the screen as she tensed up a little. "Who?"

“You know who,” I said in a light-hearted but direct tone. "The creature."

She gripped the remote with slightly tighter fingers. "What are you asking?"

I shrugged, speaking informally. "I was just wondering. Ever since we brought him in, you've been... obsessed with him. I would like to know your thoughts."

Jane paused, then looked at me at last. "I'm not sure, Paul. He’s... different.”

“Different how?” I leaned forward and pressed.

With a sharper tone, she repeated, "I don't know." Pulling her feet away, she sat up. "Please, I just don't want to talk about it."

"Jane..."

Our phones buzzed on the coffee table before I could finish.

The bell saved the day.

Jane took hers first, looking over the message. She stood up and said, "We're needed at the facility."

I took my phone and read the same message after nodding. The familiar tension of duty had taken the place of the moment between us.

I had a feeling it was going to change everything, whatever was inside waiting for us.