WANTED

Chapter 28

Woken by his bladder in the wee hours of the morning, Nickolas shuffled down the hall to the washroom. He could still smell the rose hips and lavender from Elizabeth's bath. He smiled to himself, thinking of the pure joy on her face. He loved the way she lit up at the little things. Loved watching her walls crumble, just a little at a time. He loved the face she made with her first sip of coffee or the last bite of dessert. 

When he walked in the washroom, all his happy musings crashed down around him. The air was forced from his lungs when he saw her, laying in a wet heap on the floor. The pain of her reality hit him the hardest. Thick white scars littered her pale skin, crisscrossing her back, rear, and thighs. Rage filled him at the sight of her bare back, followed by panic as realization set in.
He covered the distance in two strides, calling her name. "Elizabeth, Elizabeth, wake up." He knelt and shook her shoulder. Her skin was freezing.
"Elizabeth," he called again and rolled her onto her back. Crimson stained her face and glued her hair to her cheek. Grabbing the washcloth from her bath, he quickly washed her face, revealing a gash across her forehead. The bleeding had stopped, but she was unconscious and freezing. How long has she been like this? Why didn't I hear anything? Nickolas cursed himself. He should have waited up for her. He needed to get her warm. Lifting her bridal style, he carried Elizabeth to his mat by the fireplace. He covered her in blankets and put the hotwater bottle at her feet before lying down next to her. Nickolas crawled beneath the blankets and pulled her cold limp body into him. Elizabth whinced at the sudden heat, Nickolas figured that was a good thing and pulled her closer. He lay there for hours rubbing her back and arms, trying to warm her icy skin.

The sun was long up when Elizabeth finally opened her eyes.
Nickolas let out a massive sigh and began to laugh. The last several hours had been terrifying, and the stress of waiting, helpless, was finally over. Elizabeth was staring at him like he had two heads. All he could think to do was kiss her. Her quizzical brow, her brused temple, her thin cheeks red from the heat of the fireplace, her fat busted lip. He sprinkled kisses over her whole face while she continued looking at him like he'd last his mind.
"Sweet 'Lisabeth." He kisses the tip of her rose. "You scared me, love."
"What, what happened?" Her voice was weak and scratchy.
Nickolas cleared his throat. "I found you on the washroom floor. I think you fell getting out of the bath. Pretty nasty gash on your head. " He added, brushing her hair back from her forehead.
"Explains the headache." She mumbled, snuggling closer. Without warning, Elizabeth went stiff in his arms.
"You okay? 'Lisbeth?"
"I-im n-naked."
"Yes. That's how I found you." He was more concerned about warming her up than getting her dressed, but now he realized how it must look to her.
"Sweetheart, I know you are scared and more than a little uncomfortable, but I promise Lizzie nothing happened. You're safe, love."
"Y-you, saw. Me, naked." She said slowly.
"Yes."
She looked at him expectantly. Waiting for him to say something, but what was there to say.
"So?" She asked tentatively.
"So, what, love? How much did I see?"
"Y-yes, and well.. I know it's not, i-im not, what do you think?" She fumbled.
She worried about her scars, about whether or not I find her attractive. Does she think she's ugly because of the scars on her back?
"I saw,"he sighed, "I saw enough to put your fears into perspective. I saw enough to understand you a bit more. As far as what I think, I wasn't looking like that. I was panicking. When I walked in that washroom, I thought you were dead."
"Oh."
" You sound disappointed."
"I-i just, I don't know, I know men like women who are flawless,  and I, I'm a mess."
"I'm flattered that you want me to like what I see. It gives me hope for the future. But I honestly wasn't gawking." He chuckled, unsure what to say in this situation. Obviously her skin wasn't flawless but that doesn't mean it isn't beautiful. If he told her she was beautiful lying naked on the floor she'd be terrified. He was puzzling what he could possibly say in this situation when she suddenly sat up letting the blanket fall in a heap in her lap.
His breath caught, staring at her creamy pale skin in the firelight. He watched with growing pleasure as she gathered her hair and pulled the firey mass over her shoulder. He propped himself on his elbow and delicately traced a scar with the tip of his finger. He drank her in. Her beautiful mess of red hair, a starck contrast to her pale skin littered with freckles. Her hips, soft and round, though he knew if she turned around he'd see sharp bones poke through. She had a pair of dimples just above her rear.
Nickolas, unable to stand it any longer, snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her into  his lap. He settled his face into her neck and whispered "God your beautiful." He sprinkled kisses on her neck and shoulders and delighted at her shudder. Adjusting her hair, he began trailing kisses down her back, covering every scar in his love. He eased her onto her stomach and covered her in kisses. From her shoulders to her toes, he tenderly kissed every scar, whispering to each, "You're so beautiful."
When he came back up to her neck, she rolled beneath him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Nickolas set his mouth to her throat and nearly came unglued at her moan. He spent a long time there, kissing her neck, making her shudder. She pressed her sex into his, begging for more. Nickolas knew that couldn't happen, not yet. No matter how much he wanted her, she wasn't ready. But there was something else he could do.
"Elizabeth," his voice was thick and husky. "I want to pleasure you." He ment it as a question.
"I-im scared, but I don't care. I want you."
"You don't need to be scared, this is all about you." He kissed her breathless. "I need your permission love." Elizabeth nodded vigorously and he began making his way down, trailing kisses over her, suckling at her breasts, kissing her stomach, until he came to rest between her thighs. "God you're beautiful." He said before setting his mouth to her core.