Chapter 245 245

Chapter 245 245
Maya

Kelsey was finally drifting off.
Her tiny eyelids fluttered once, then again, then stayed shut for good. I held her just a little longer, breathing in her baby scent; the sweet mix of powder, milk, and that intangible softness only newborns have. She was warm and safe in my arms, her body nestled close to my chest, the rhythmic rise and fall of her breath syncing with mine.
Beside us, Kaylee lay in the crib, already fast asleep. One fist tucked under her cheek, the other resting on the little bunny blanket, her chest rising and falling in the slow rhythm of baby dreams.
The nursery was quiet, filled with the soft rustle of the ocean breeze slipping through a half-open window. I sat in the rocking chair by the window, one of the many new pieces of furniture that was the result of Elias's crazy buying spree.
The late afternoon sun bathed the room in gold. Beyond the glass, waves lapped gently at the shore, their distant murmurs calming. I let my head fall back against the chair and closed my eyes briefly, feeling finally at peace.
I hummed a song as I rocked back and forth, content. Happy. My babies were alive and according to the doctor, were doing just fine. Cam and Margaret were behind bars and for the first time in months, I could move around without constantly looking over my shoulder, living in fear. No shadows lurking at the edges of my peace. No nightmares waiting to claw their way back into my reality.
And for the first time in what felt like forever… I was content.
And Elias had stood by me through it all. Never once wavered. Never once asked for more than I could give. He'd been the glue holding me together when I'd been broken, damaged. His strength had buoyed mine, patient and loving. Now I felt… whole. Or maybe not whole, exactly. But healing.
My lips parted in a smile, butterflies fluttering in my belly as I remembered the last kiss we'd shared, just before he'd left to go talk to Margaret. The memory set off the butterflies in my stomach, heat shooting through my veins as I recalled the urgent press of Elias's lips moving against mine, the kiss had been greedy, needy, filled with a promise of pleasure. I touched my lips and smiled.
Kelsey let out a tiny sigh, her mouth twitching into a baby smile as she nestled deeper into my chest. Finally asleep. I pressed a kiss to her downy head then gently laid her in the bassinet beside her sister.
Almost as if on cue, the door opened. Elias stepped inside, his tall frame momentarily backlit by the hallway light before he shut the door behind him.
His eyes found mine instantly and his expression softened, the tension in his jaw and shoulders easing as he came towards me, a certain lightness in his step that hadn't been there this morning. My smile widened because I knew what it meant, because I felt the same way too.
He was free. We both were.
"Hey," I said softly.
"Hey," he replied softly as he stopped in front of the cot, looking at the twins. "Are they both asleep?"
I nodded, lowering my voice to a whisper. "Kelsey just drifted off. Kayley's been out like a light."
He moved over slowly, careful not to make a sound, and crouched beside the babies. He pressed a gentle kiss to each tiny forehead, his hand brushing lightly over their soft tufts of hair.
The tenderness in that moment made my heart twist.
Then he straightened up and came to me.
I didn't hesitate. I reached for him first. Wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my head against his chest, breathing him in, filling my lungs with the familiar, soothing and maddening scent of him.
He froze for a second. Not stiff, just… surprised that I'd taken the initiative to hug him first. Then he chuckled, the sound rumbling in my ear and pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me fully. For several moments, we just stood like that, basking in each other's touch, swaying gently.
"How did it go?" I asked after a while, tipping my head back to look at him.
He smirked, but there was no real humor in it. Just satisfaction. "It was… gratifying. Watching her unravel when she realised she was powerless…was kinda anti climatic."
I reached up, smoothing my hand along the edge of his jaw. "She's tenacious, always has been. But I'm glad she can't hurt you anymore."
He turned his head and pressed a kiss to my open palm, his gaze boring into mine. "She can't hurt you either. I'll never give her the chance. Ever." He vowed solemnly.
"I know." I told him, looking into his eyes and letting him see how much I trusted him. How much I loved him.
How much I cherished him.
Wanted him.
"Let's not talk about her anymore." I said quietly.
"Done." Elias said, flashing a grin that sent heat coiling through my body. God! It was almost unfair how effortlessly sexy this man was. Just one smile from him could turn my thoughts sinful, my body craved the pleasure only he could give.
My brain switched to lust mode and I just had to kiss the sculpted line of his jaw, then slowly, deliberately, pressed a trail of open mouthed kisses along the his neck, lingering at his adam's apple, hiding a smile when he swallowed hard and his breathing changed, coming faster, sharper.
"Maya…" he murmured, voice husky with desire, arms tightening around me as I kissed my way back up to his mouth, teasing the corners of his mouth until he couldn't take it anymore. One hand slid into my hair, anchoring my head in place so he could kiss me properly.
There was nothing chaste about the kiss.
It started tender, our lips just brushing, but quickly deepened, became hot and searching. His hands slid down to my waist, anchoring me to him as he tilted my head how he wanted, then proceeded to ravish my mouth.
When we finally pulled apart for air, we were both breathing harder.
I traced his lower lip with my thumb and gave him a teasing smile. "By the way… the doctor gave me the all-clear the other day."
His brows lifted, intrigued. "The all-clear?"
"Mmm." I bit my lip coyly. "You know… to resume certain activities."
His eyes darkened and he grinned, devilish and sly. "You'll have to be more specific, darling. I don't want to risk misinterpreting medical advice."
I laughed, slipping out of his arms and taking a few backward steps toward the door. "Well, then. You'd better follow me, Mr. Sinclair - if you want a practical demonstration."
His eyes tracked my every move, dark and heated, amusement dancing behind the desire already building there.
"Oh, I'm definitely following," he said, his voice low and promising.
I danced playfully out of the room, glancing back once to see him shutting the nursery door softly behind us.
By the time we reached our bedroom, his hands were already on my waist, his mouth on mine again. We kissed like we had nowhere else to be - like the world outside no longer mattered.