Across the Music (Across the Ocean Book 2) (19 page)

Maybe I should call these nightmares memories, since they always go the way that things actually went. I'm only thankful that I woke up before the worst part. Sometimes I can't wait up, and I become trapped in witnessing the events that happened fourteen years ago.

There are dark curtains over the window in the room keep the light from the sun out, and I'm grateful. If Gunnar or Loki were to wake up and see me like this, they'd probably think I was damaged goods. Maybe I am damaged goods.

I'm brought out of my sleep by a strange sound; a feminine sound of distress. Blinking sleepily, I listen carefully. I can hear rustling in the bed below mine, and I do my best to climb down the wooden ladder quietly. Fortunately, it's dark in our room, and there is only a tiny creak or two from the steps.

My heart clenches when my eyes register Sophie on her bed. Her knees are drawn up to her chest, the duvet down by her feet with her arms wrapped around her knees. She's rocking slowly back and forth, seemingly staring off into the nothing in front of her. I'm not even sure she has noticed me, even though I don't see how she couldn't.

I take the few steps it takes to reach the edge of her bed, and tentatively reach one hand slowly out to touch her shoulder. She jolts with a start, apparently so lost in her thoughts that she truly didn't notice me.

"Are you alright?" I ask simply. I sense, more than see her shrug, and I move to sit on the edge of the bed. I hear a small creaking sound, and know that Loki is waking up.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I persist. Even though it feels like there is an invisible brick wall surrounding her, surely she needs
something
to help her. My eyes are adjusting quickly, and now I can make out the outline of her much easier.

"It was just a nightmare," she whispers, and it's hard to hear her. "I don't want you to think less of me because of all this extra baggage I carry around with me." Her voice is small and sad, tugging at my heart.

I climb onto the bed, pushing her forward some in order to fit myself behind her, with my legs on each side of hers. She's stiff and maybe a little unwelcoming at first, but once her back comes in contact with my bare chest, she relaxes almost instantly. I wrap my arms around her and between where her knees meet her chest, to rest lightly on her stomach. Her head leans back to rest on my shoulder, and I feel strong and protective over her. I feel like nothing can get her, if she just stays here with me where she belongs.

She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, and I feel her relax more into me. We don't say much, but I do have time to realize that she's wearing a tank top with no bra, and a simple pair of panties. I quickly try to think about something else, since I'm only wearing a pair of boxers, which is the usual bed time attire when I'm not at home.

"I don't think I could think any more highly of you. You're like a magical, mystical creature I've never seen before, and I'm only more intrigued by each new thing I learn about you." I murmur this into her ear very softly. It's a good thing it's dark in this room, I can feel the blood rushing to my cheeks in slight embarrassment at admitting this to her. Fair is fair though, she is trusting me to comfort her, so I might as well try to do a good job and be honest with her.

There is more creaking from Loki's upper bunk, and I notice his feet coming down his ladder. My arms instinctively tighten around Sophie, secretly wanting to keep her all to myself for this moment, but then I realize that this isn't about me and being selfish, but about her and doing what I can to ease her. A few moments later, and Loki is standing next to the bed we're on, peering curiously at us without saying anything. He waits a beat, then climbs onto the bed directly in front of Sophie, facing her with his legs criss-crossed in front of him. I can see he's not wearing a shirt either, his tattoos only blurs that I can't make out in the dark. He's wearing a pair of pajama pants.

"Do you want to tell us about it?" Loki says in a sleepy voice. His hands reach out and pull her feet forward and onto his lap where he proceeds to rub them. Her arms drop to the bed on either side of her legs. I'm strangely comforted now that he is sitting with us, even though I wasn't before. Maybe I
am
realizing that I can't be selfish in this moment. This has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with Sophie. I want her to be surrounded by people who care about her, and who is better than Loki and me? No one.

Sophie sighs again, but it sounds less despairing, and more of a pleasant sigh, possibly due to the foot massage Loki is delivering. I move my own hands to her arms, lightly stroking up and down with my fingertips in such a way as to bring goosebumps on both of her arms and a shiver to run through her.

"It was about my... about my brother," she begins hesitantly. "It's a dream I get often, and I'd bet money that the reason I had it tonight is because I was thinking about him, and singing his song, and just – well. The dream is just a perfectly preserved memory of the day he died, taunting me and tearing me up inside." Her voice quivers with her words, unsteady and full of pain. I can't even imagine what that must be like. I have literally no clue. I've never seen anybody die, or dealt with anything so tragic. I honestly have no idea how to even respond to this, and I don't know what words I should say. Dammit, I feel helpless in this.

An idea strikes me, and I sit with it in my mind, contemplating whether or not it's really the best idea under these circumstances. With limited choices as to how I can help ease her mind, or to distract her from her memories and nightmares, I can only hope she'll accept my method in place of proper words.

I turn my mouth towards her ear again, nuzzling her neck and ear, trying to gauge by her body language how receptive she is to me and my touch; how open she is to me being physical towards her. Relief washes over me when her head moves at once towards me, while giving me better access to her ear as she rolls her head slightly to the side. Loki's hands continue to rub their feet, until I see them begin to creep up her legs to her knees, grabbing them gently and pushing them so her legs fall open. My own hands on her arms begin to trail up over her shoulders, light as a feather, to her neck and collar bone area.

Nuzzling her neck once more, I take a deep breath, inhaling that sweet scent of hers before lightly blowing it out between pursed lips over the edge of her earlobe. A shiver runs through her, and I take the chance to slide the tip of my tongue along the edge as well. I'm fairly certain she'll get mad at me by this point, demanding that I'm an insensitive bastard who only thinks about sex. Maybe she wouldn't be wrong. I can't deny to myself that sitting so close to her, feeling her need for comfort brings visions of fucking her until she forgets everything to the forefront of my imagination. She surprises me with a small moan instead of yelling at me, and her hands lift up to grip my knees that are at either side of her.

Loki takes the opportunity to take his massage slowly up her legs, obviously having heard her moan and realizing what I was thinking. Good friends do that, you know. My hands begin a very careful journey down her chest, sliding fingertips along the line of her top where it rests just above her gorgeous breasts. Sophie still hasn't told us to stop, and I'm wondering if she is just as willing to try and erase the bad memories as I am.

Taking this all as encouragement, I feel a little braver, venturing my fingertips under the edge of her top to feel the creamy swell and heat of her breasts. Placing the flat of my hands against her, I slide both hands down until I feel her taut nipples against the palm of my hands, and my long fingers can cup the underside of her breasts. Her chest arches forward, as though silently pleading for more, and I give her more, allowing my fingers to rove back up and grasp her nipples between the thumb and forefingers of each hand, pinching and rolling them. Her moan this time is louder than before, and it helps my confidence in the situation stabilize.

Loki's hands have reached Sophie's upper thighs, rubbing and massaging. I can hear his hands moving against her skin, soft and sensual. My eyes have adjusted to the darkness well enough now that I can see the shapes of our bodies, but no real details of anything. It doesn't matter anyway, it's best if we can't see and only feel instead.

Leaning my head down, I take my lips to the tender skin of her neck, trailing them down and back up again only to repeat the process with my tongue after, my fingers still rubbing and rolling her nipples. Her body is no longer tense with anguish, but rather tense with what I hope is lust. I want to make this good for her.

Loki's hands are now just below the junction between her thighs, and I feel her hips move slightly forward to get closer to his hands. I smile at our success, and move to remove her shirt; gripping it from the top while she lifts her arms to help me. I toss it to the floor before moving my hands over her breasts, massaging and lifting them with my thumbs rubbing lightly over her nipples every so often.

Her breathing has picked up, and there is a scent of her excitement in the air that fuels my own excitement and lust. Moving away from her breasts, my hands glide down her soft and smooth belly until my fingers meet the waistband of her panties. Loki's hands are very near mine, and I want to take this further. I'm having a hard enough time keeping check of my own arousal, and I'm hard as stone already, my cock pressing against her back. I know she has to feel it.

Loki's hands finally reach to the little piece of heaven between her legs, and his fingers rub over her pussy through her panties, causing her to lift her hips again.

"Oh yes, please touch me." Her whisper fills our ears, and lifts any reservations we had previous to it. Loki grasps both sides of her panties and pulls them down and off in one neat motion, tossing them in the same direction as the top I threw earlier.

Finally, she's naked and ready for whatever we have planned for her, and it turns me on so goddamned much that she has placed so much trust in Loki and me, even though we hardly know each other. I don't care how long I've known her now, as long as I don't have to stop getting to know her, ever.

I reach down and grab both of her knees, pulling her legs even wider apart for easier access. Her arms reach up and her hands link together at the back of my neck. This causes her breasts to lift enticingly, and I can't help but slide my hands over them again, feeling their weight in the palms of my hands, and kneading them firmly before releasing them to head back down to her pussy.

I think I'm the luckiest woman in the world. These two men are devoting all this time and energy in order to help distract me from my shitty nightmare in the best way possible. I'm so aroused, so wet. Four hands on my body, rubbing and stroking me until I'm crazed with lust is something I think any woman secretly dreams about. My clit is throbbing fiercely, demanding immediate attention, and I don't think I'm that far away from begging for release. In here without any lights, it's so sexy and sensual. Lovers grasping each other in the dark. The blood is pounding thickly through my veins, and I'm panting in anticipation of what will come next. Hopefully me. Ha, you see what I did there?

Loki's fingers slide down through the wetness between my legs before Gunnar's hands arrive right above Loki's. I'm having a hard time telling which hand belongs to who, and my eyes close while my head relaxes back onto Gunnar's shoulder.

A finger softly grazes my clit, another one rubs at the entrance to my pussy, probing to see if I'm wet and ready. Believe me, I'm so ready. More fingers slide through my wetness, bringing it up to make my clit a slippery and sensitive heaven. I am unable to predict where their fingers will go next, and it's exciting and thrilling, being held in their hands in such a sensual manner. I can't stop the soft moans from escaping my lips, and I don't bother trying anymore.

Turning my face up towards Gunnar's cheek, I nip with my teeth at the line of his jaw where a short and raspy stubble has begun to grow. Running my tongue down to where is pulse is hammering in his neck, biting softly and kissing away the sting. He lets out a low grunt with the bite, and in retaliation, rolls my clit gently between his fingers, causing my legs to spasm and twitch involuntarily in the excessive and overwhelming pleasure that shoots through my body and gives my limbs the appearance of having a seizure. I moan into the curve of his throat, grinding my hips in a plea for more.

Two fingers push inside of me abruptly, deliciously filling me. I don't even care who they belong to. Two more fingers are rubbing my clit in steady circles, and I'm thrown into a whirlwind of pleasure that consumes me. Having one hand skillfully stimulating my clit, accompanied by the two fingers moving strong and firmly inside of me at a steady pace makes the world seem as though I'm having an out of body experience, looking down upon myself writhing and grinding against the hands that pleasure me from space where I'm in a constant state of bliss.

The bubble of pleasure that will explode and send me straight to the stars is building and growing inside of me, my legs tensing and releasing in anticipation of one hell of an orgasm. Somewhere in the distance, I can hear myself moaning loudly and unabashed with the sensation, alternating between begging for more, and pleading with them to never stop.