The golden light of dawn filtered softly through the sheer white curtains of the villa, casting warm, honeyed rays across the tangled satin sheets of the master bed.
The storm from the previous night had vanished completely, leaving behind a crisp, serene morning punctuated only by the gentle hum of ocean waves lapping lazily against the shore.
Jay stirred slowly, her eyelashes fluttering against her flushed skin as she fought off the heavy pull of sleep.
She was wrapped in an intoxicating cocoon of warmth-a solid, radiating heat that anchored her to the middle of the bed.
Opening her eyes, she found herself practically buried against Keifer's broad, bare chest.
His chin rested lightly atop her head, one of his long, heavy arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pinning her flush to his side.
The clean smell of cedarwood, ocean salt, and warm skin lingered around him,
instantly causing a wave of heat to flood Jay's cheeks as vivid, searing memories of the night before rushed back into her mind.
Her slight shift caused Keifer to stir.
A low, rumbling hum vibrated deep inside his chest as he slowly blinked open his dark eyes.
For a moment, he just stared down at her,
his expression soft and heavy with sleep.
But as he took in her tangled hair, her swollen, glossy lips, and the way she was frantically trying to duck her chin into his neck to hide her blushing face,
a slow, dangerous smirk began to curl at the corner of his mouth.
The sleepy boy vanished instantly;
the incorrigible teaser was fully awake.
"Good morning, sunshine,"
his deep morning voice rasped against her ear, thick and gravelly from sleep.
Jay buried her face directly into his chest, her small hands coming up to weakly push against his hard abs.
"Don't look at me,"
she mumbled, her voice completely muffled against his skin.
"Go back to sleep."
Keifer let out a low, chest-shaking laugh that vibrated straight through her.
Instead of letting her hide, his grip on her waist tightened, hauling her up until her face was hovering just inches above his own.
"Hide?
Now?"
he teased, his dark eyes sparkling with wicked mischief as his thumb lightly caressed her lower lip.
"That's funny, considering how bold my wife was just a few hours ago.
Who was it that said... 'ruin every inch of me'?
Hmm?
Was that someone else, or-"
"Keifer!"
Jay squeaked, her entire face bursting into a brilliant shade of crimson.
She slapped a hand squarely over his mouth to shut him up.
"Shut up! You are unbelievable!"
Keifer's smirk only widened behind her small palm.
He gently caught her wrist, kissing her palm before pulling her hand away, his dark eyes dancing with endless amusement.
"What?
I'm just stating facts!"
he chuckled, leaning in closer until his hot breath brushed her ear.
"If I remember correctly, last night you were the one asking for more...
Asking me not to stop, actually."
"Keifer, stop it!"
Jay covered her face with both hands,
her heart pounding frantically against her ribs as she squirmed beneath him.
"I am never talking to you again!"
He laughed loudly, a rich, happy sound that filled the entire sunlit room.
He pulled her hands away from her face, pinning her wrists gently beside her head as he hovered over her, enjoying her total fluster.
"Come on, sunshine, look at me,"
he murmured, his voice softening just a bit, though the teasing glint never quite left his eyes.
"You were so brave last night, and now you're turning into a shy little peach?"
"Because you won't stop teasing me!"
she huffed, biting her lip to fight off her own smile.
"You're enjoying this way too much!"
"Can you blame me?"
he grinned, leaning down to press a swift kiss to her burning cheek.
"You're cute when you're flustered."
Keifer chuckled softly, but as he looked down at her flushed, radiant face, his playful smirk gradually began to fade.
The mischief in his dark eyes melted away, replaced by a quiet, fierce warmth.
His large hand slid up to lightly cup her jaw,
his thumb gently smoothing over her cheekbone.
His eyes searched her face with painstaking care, reading every subtle detail of her expression.
"In all seriousness, Jay..."
his voice dropped into a soft, velvety murmur, completely stripped of jest.
He leaned in, pressing a tender, lingering kiss to her forehead before pulling back just enough to look directly into her eyes.
"Are you okay?
How are you feeling?"
The sudden shift from reckless teasing to deep, protective sincerity made Jay's heart flip.
"I'm... I'm really okay, Keif,"
she whispered softly, her eyes locked onto his with absolute devotion.
"Are you sure?"
he asked softly, still scrutinizing her face.
"I wasn't... too much for you?"
"No, Keif...I promise,"
she reassured him, giving his cheek a sweet, gentle touch.
Relieved, Keifer offered a soft smile and began to shift his weight to give her some space.
Jay tried to move as well, attempting to adjust her legs to get out of bed
-but the moment she tried to shift her lower body, a sharp, dull ache radiated through her hips and inner thighs.
"Ah!"
A soft wince escaped her lips, her brow furrowing as she froze.
Keifer's sharp eyes caught her reaction instantly.
The warmth in his face turned into immediate, sharp concern.
"Hey, hey..." he murmured anxiously.
"I'm sorry...
I'm so sorry, sunshine."
Without a second thought, Keifer shifted himself closer.
He carefully pulled her body toward him, positioning her so her tender, aching thighs rested comfortably between his own strong, sturdy legs.
He used his height and warmth to support her, taking all the weight off her lower body while his broad hands gently rubbed her hips to ease the tension.
Does it hurt bad?"
he asked softly, his voice thick with genuine guilt as his dark eyes searched hers.
"I'm sorry... I should have been more careful with you."
Jay shook her head quickly, touched by his immediate worry.
"It's fine, Keif... just a little sore, that's all.
You don't have to keep apologizing."
Jay rested her head back against his chest, feeling the rhythmic rise and fall of his breathing.
A gentle, fond smile touched her lips as she looked at him.
"Your birthday turned into such chaos..."
she whispered softly, tracing a small circle on his knee.
Keifer paused his gentle massage for a second.
He leaned down, placing a warm, soft kiss directly onto her lips before pulling back, his hand rising to gently caress her flushed cheek.
"It was the best birthday ever,"
he replied low and sweet, his dark eyes filled with endless sincerity.
"Because I got you... completely."
She looked up at him and smiled.
He kissed the tip of her nose, keeping his hands soothingly against her hips.
After a few minutes of easing her pain, he leaned back, reaching down to grab the heavy comforter that was tangled around them.
In one smooth motion, he began to pull the blanket down to check on her.
Jay's breath hitched in her throat.
Realizing she was completely bare underneath, sheer embarrassment flared through her again.
"Keifer, no!
Wait!"
she gasped, her hands instinctively flying down to grab the top edge of the blanket, pulling it tightly up to her chest.
Keifer paused, staring at her wide, panicked eyes before a slow, dangerously charming grin spread across his lips.
"Sunshine,"
he drawled softly, leaning down until his lips almost brushed her hot cheek,
"I already saw everything last night... and this time, ....for real.
There's literally nothing left for you to hide from me."
"Keifer!"
she whined, her face burning hotter than the morning sun as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Stop saying things like that!"
He let out a low, breathless laugh at her adorable shyness.
Instead of teasing her further, he reached down and gathered the plush comforter completely around her shoulders, tucking her neatly into it like a small, soft burrito so not a single inch of her skin was exposed.
"Alright, alright, I'll spare you,"
he whispered fondly, pressing a sweet kiss to her cheek.
Before she could process what he was doing, Keifer slid one powerful arm beneath her blanket-wrapped back and the other under her knees.
With effortless strength, he lifted her off the mattress into a secure bridal carry, keeping the blanket tightly wrapped around her frame.
"Keifer! I can manage!"
she gasped, instinctively clinging to his bare shoulders.
"Nope. Walking is officially banned for you today,"
he declared righteously, striding smoothly across the hardwood floor toward the master bathroom.
He pushed open the heavy double doors with his shoulder.
The grand bathroom was flooded with soft morning light, centered around a deep, luxurious freestanding marble bathtub.
Keifer walked over and leaned down, setting the water tap to a perfectly warm, soothing temperature.
As the tub quickly filled with steaming, fragrant water, he turned back to Jay, gently loosening the blanket from around her shoulders.
This time, there was no teasing in his eyes-only pure, gentle devotion.
She just looked in at him.
He carefully lowered her into the warm, soothing water, stepping into the spacious tub right behind her.
Sitting down, he pulled her back gently against his bare chest, letting the heated water wash over her tired muscles while his arms wrapped securely around her waist, holding her close in the quiet, perfect stillness of the morning.
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Hey buddies! How are u?
I hope u guys like the chapter.
Ok buddies
Bye buddies ❤️ 😘