He growled again. It didn’t fail to make her shiver against him, and then he slipped his tongue back in her mouth and a sound slipped from her throat as well. She shuddered, pressing herself harder against her boyfriend.
“Sterling…” she mumbled, tongue becoming numb with what he was doing to it. She was thankful he hadn’t pressed her against the wall. The tongue and teeth, she could handle. But not that.
At the sound that Eden let out, Sterling pressed his mouth harder against hers. His name slipped from her lips, and he smiled against her. Pulling away, he pressed their noses together. “I love hearing you say my name like that,” he murmured, somewhat breathlessly.
Eden panted harshly against him, her entire weight on him. He had rendered her completely weak, and it was just by a kiss.
Just a kiss? the voice in her head snorted. Eden flushed bright pink, more so after what Sterling said. She opened her dazed eyes, lips still parted, tongue still numb.
"Yeah?" she whispered, way too quiet that she was afraid he couldn't hear her. "I… I liked that, Sterling…"
Steeling hummed, his arms around her becoming a less desperate, hungry hold and more of a tender, loving one. “Mm, yeah? Good. I’m glad,” he breathed, resting his forehead on her shoulder.
Eden leaned into him, her arms slipping from around his neck to his middle, wrapping around him. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, breathing him in deeply. "Thank you," she whispered, enjoying being in his gentle hold. "For this.
“Anything for you,” Sterling promised softly. “Anything. Just say the word, and I will do what I can for you.”
Eden smiled, satisfied by his words. "The same is for you," she hummed. "I'll do anything for you. No matter what it is. If it makes you happy, I'll do it."
Sterling hummed and pulled back to kiss her forehead. “You’re an amazing girl, Eden McArthur. Now, let’s eat. I’m starving,” he chuckled.
Eden nodded, the smile still on her lips. And when he chuckled, it sent pleasant tingles down her spine to the tip of her toes. She liked the feeling. "Yeah, let's fill your belly, hm?" she teased, poking his stomach and instantly flushing. She'd been pressed against him several times, but she never paid much attention to how strong his muscles were. "We wouldn't–wouldn't want you to starve, would we?"
Sterling raised an eyebrow when she poked him and blushed. He smirked and took her hands in his own, squeezing gently. “What’s with the blush, beautiful?” he chuckled.
Eden turned pinker, shuffling on her feet. She squeezed his hands back, though weaker than he did. “No reason,” she mumbled, knowing she would most certainly be teased if she told him why.
“There’s always a reason. You just don’t want to tell me,” Sterling said with a laugh, kissing her forehead again. “Okay, you’ve gotta get off me so we can go eat, babe.”
“I don’t want to tell you,” Eden agreed, turning her head away, the heat climbing till her ears. God, why did he always make her flustered? Then his next words reached her ears and she took a step back. “You’re the one who’s holding me, Sterling.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll stop teasing you now,” Sterling said with a bit of a laugh. “Where should we go? Just sit down here and eat?”
Eden merely rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine with sitting here and eating. This is fine.”
“Did you get any food? Or bring anything?” Sterling asked softly, tugging her down to sit on the ground.
Eden shook her head, sitting cross-legged on the ground. “I didn’t, no. But I’m fine.”
“What if I share a few bites with you?” Sterling offered, grabbing his bag from where he had dropped it on the ground and sitting beside Eden.
Eden leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. “It’s okay,” she insisted. “You eat. I’ll be fine.”
“Please? Just a few bites,” Sterling insisted softly, opening the bad and pulling out a sandwich and some carrot sticks.
Eden bit her lip before she sighed, opening her eyes. “I can have two or three carrot sticks,” she murmured.
“Thank you,” Sterling said, pressing a kiss to her temple. “You know I care about you and that’s why I want you to eat, right?”
Eden hugged his arm, nodding, cheek pressed against his shoulder. “I know,” she said quietly. “And I like that you do. Care, I mean.”
“Good,” Sterling murmured, kissing the top of her head. “Take as many as you want, as many as you think you can handle.”
“Okay. Thank you, Sterling,” Eden exhaled through her nose, reaching out to pluck a carrot stick. She could a small bite, chewing softly, slowly. “Are you okay with spending lunch with me? You don’t have anything else to do?”