Ren's throat tightened. He pressed his face into her hair, inhaling the faint scent of her skin, his chest rising and falling with quiet restraint. In that stillness, he realised he wasn't just holding her, he was holding everything he couldn't say, every fear and every piece of tenderness that came with loving her.
"I love you," he whispered, barely audible, the words swallowed by the night.
But she was already asleep and so he stayed there, unmoving, holding her as if letting go might mean losing something he wasn't sure he could live without.
He could feel the soft rise and fall of her body with every breath, the rhythm syncing unconsciously with his own. The room had gone quiet except for the faint hum of the air and their shared heartbeat beneath the silence.
He loosened his grip just enough so she could rest easier, but his arms still circled her like a promise he couldn't put into words. Every so often, she shifted slightly in her sleep, pressing closer and each time she did, a wave of tenderness swept through him so fierce it almost hurt.
Ren blinked against the heaviness in his eyes. The day, the emotions, the ache of everything they had shared pressed down on him like gravity. Yet even as sleep crept in, he resisted for a moment longer, unwilling to close his eyes, unwilling to lose this fragile, perfect stillness.
He whispered her name once more, quietly enough that only the night could hear it. Then, finally, with his face buried in her hair and her warmth pressed against him, Ren drifted into sleep, still holding her, still afraid that if he let go, she might somehow slip away.
Morning light filtered softly through the curtains, brushing across Noelle's face as she stirred. Ren's arms were still wrapped tightly around her, his hold protective, unwilling to let her drift even an inch away. She smiled sleepily and shifted only to pause when she felt him tense slightly.
It took her half a second to realise why.
A faint laugh escaped her, muffled against his chest. "Ren…" she murmured, voice laced with amusement.
He groaned softly, half in embarrassment, half in surrender before burying his face into her hair. "Don't," he mumbled, voice husky with sleep and embarrassment. "It's… not what it looks like." "And yeah… good morning," he muttered, his voice still rough with sleep.
Noelle chuckled, the sound low and teasing. "Very good morning, apparently."
Ren pressed his face into her hair, shaking his head with a sheepish smile. "You're making it worse," he murmured, though his arm never loosened.
Noelle placed her hand over his cock and hold it gently as she absent-mindedly starts rubbing and stroking on it. Looking into his eyes, Noelle looked at him innocently and asked, "Is that what they call 'morning wood'? Do you want me to help you?"
Ren hissed his reply and rushed out of bed, "We're in need of the shower!! Shoo!!"
Noelle thought that Ren wanted to clean up after last night's session but she was wrong. Ren wanted to take her in the shower.
Steam curled around them, softening the bathroom to warmth and mist. The shower hissed gently, a steady rhythm that seemed to wash away the night before. Ren reached for her hand under the water, fingers threading through hers.
The bathroom filled with the soft hum of running water and the faint scent of lavender. Steam curled around her as she tested the warmth with her hands. Ren hugged her from behind, pressing his body against hers. As he came up fully flushed against her, he kissed her ears, indicating his intentions.
Ignoring his advances, she poured water gently over his chest, watching how he blinked at the droplets. With a touch as light as breath, she squeezed a bit of shower gel into her palm, rubbed it into foam and smoothed it over his skin.
His broad shoulders, chiselled belly, the curve of his neck, each touch was deliberate, tender, as she tried to massage his stress away. He wriggled when her fingers brushed his tummy, "That's ticklish. Are you trying to count my chocolate bar? There are eight."
She couldn't help but laugh too, her heart full in that simple, perfect moment. She tried to soap his lower torso, wrapping her hands around his erection and softly fondle his balls. He closed his eyes to enjoy the moment.
He halted her hands in mid motion and lifted her into the bathtub. Noelle laughed softly as bubbles clung to her arms, the light foam drifting between them. Ren leaned back against the edge of the tub and into her, his eyes half-closed, finally letting the tension ease from his shoulders.
She dipped her hands into the suds and coated her breasts with them. Pressing her breasts against his back, she began to rub his back in slow circles, the foam slipping and sliding beneath her boobs. He chuckled under his breath, the sensation ticklish against his skin. "That feels… strange," he murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting.
"The foam's supposed to help," she said, smiling. "You're too tense."
Her hands reached round to the front to his tummy as well as lower back as she tried to wash his torso. The soapy touch send a jolt of pleasure to his body and made him laugh in a rare, unguarded moment. "Weird," he admitted, "but kind of nice."
The bathroom was filled with the scent of lavender and steam, the air hazy and warm. Noelle knelt by the tub, her hands gathering a handful of foam before spreading it gently across Ren's shoulders.
The suds shimmered against his skin, sliding slowly as she traced small circles with her fingers.
He let out a soft sound that was half a sigh, half a laugh. "You really don't have to do this," he murmured, though he made no move to stop her.
"I know," she said, smiling. "But you're terrible at relaxing, so I'm taking matters into my own hands."
Her touch wandered lower, bubbles gliding down his back in slow trails. The foam slipped between her fingers and made him laugh again, deep and warm.
She smiled to herself as she tried to massage out the knots in his shoulders, her movements gentle but unhurried, the steam wrapping around them like a cocoon. Ren couldn't resist her, her serious demeanor made him want her more as he pulled her to sit on his lap, giving her a look to ask for more. She yelped in surprise as he rubbed his erected cock against her to indicate his intention.
Noelle let out a soft, half-hearted sigh and slowly got up. For a moment, Ren worried he'd pushed her too far, that she might be upset with how demanding he'd been. But instead, she looked at him meaningfully and perched on the side of the bathtub, standing on all fours and glanced over her shoulder, her voice quiet, almost shy.
"Just… be gentle," she murmured. "I'm still a little tender and sore all over."