Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 47287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Cassidy’s heart chose that moment to consider River indispensable.
Cassidy wanted them to be happy, to be fulfilled, to be loved. And he wanted to be the one to help all their dreams come true.
He wanted River to come see his workshop and hang out in the kitchen while Cassidy cooked for them. To come to double feature night with him and Nora on Thursday nights, when they watched a movie that had been considered canonically great and another that was considered terrible and figured out how they were in conversation.
He wanted to wake up with River, who was adorably mumbly and confused after they arose and did adorable, endearing things like drop their forehead to Cassidy’s shoulder and groan.
He wanted to sit behind River and play with their hair; pick fluffs of cat fur off their clothes; kiss the spots above their eyebrows that wrinkled when they frowned.
He wanted to attend more events with River’s gang of friends and be included in their referential patter. He wanted secrets with River and dreams and private jokes.
He wanted to make River feel loved and cared for and supported and he wanted it now. Even though it was early, Cassidy could see his love for River floating over the next rise on the horizon, inevitable, if the course remained clear.
"So," River said. "Secaucus Psychic?"
Cassidy wanted to watch TV with them, to cuddle with them, to chat about the show and fall asleep together.
"Yes. Absolutely."
And they watched, snuggling on the cushions, until River fell asleep against Cassidy’s shoulder.
Done, came the text from Bram. Have a great Christmas.
Thank you so much. I owe you one.
It was late and River woke when Cassidy turned off the television.
"You wanna go to bed, sweetheart?" Cassidy asked.
"Mhm."
River was halfway asleep anyway, and they trudged upstairs slowly and fell right into bed.
Cassidy curled himself around River and they snuggled back into him, pulling his arm across their chest.
"Hi," they murmured, kissing his hand.
"Hi," Cassidy responded, heart a puddle.
"Okay, night," River mumbled.
"Good night, baby."
River’s soft hmmmm told Cassidy they liked that, and Cassidy spent the minutes before he fell asleep trying to catalogue all the things he wanted to do with River, the places he wanted them to go together, the meals he wanted to cook for them.
He thought of River’s vision board and how what they wanted more than anything was a place of their own. Space to run their life on their own terms. It was what Cassidy wanted also—what he already had in the works. It soothed him more than he wanted to admit that they were compatible in their goals for the future.
CHAPTER 25
River
River woke, as they so often did, to a cat tail flicking their nose. They reached out a hand to pet whichever beast was there and gently encourage them away from their face. It was Inspector Gadget.
"Go stalk your new daddy," River grumbled. Then they scooped up the cat and placed her on Cassidy’s chest, which rose and fell peacefully with his slumbering breaths.
Inspector Gadget nestled into Cassidy’s armpit without waking him and River fell back asleep.
The next time they awoke it was a slow drift back into consciousness from a warm caress up and down their side. They nestled backward into to Cassidy and felt the twitch of his erection against their ass.
Cassidy hummed and gathered them closer, placing soft kisses on their shoulder, neck, hair.
"Morning."
"Don’t stop," River murmured.
They were luxuriating in the land between slumber and waking, when their consciousness hadn’t yet kicked in enough to make them feel awkward.
Cassidy’s hand danced along their ribs. His hands were always warm, no matter how cold it was outside, and sometimes when he saw River was cold, he’d slide a hand under their shirt, pressing heat into their skin.
His fingertips were rough on the tender skin of their nipples and when he pinched them a little, River writhed, electricity shooting straight to their crotch. Then Cassidy’s hand was there too, working them with a dreamy pressure.
River thrust backward, grinding into Cassidy’s hard cock. Cassidy shuddered and moaned and then River was completely surrounded, the space between their bodies gone, their breath hot.
"You’re so fucking hot," Cassidy murmured and River turned in his arms to catch his mouth in a kiss.
They kissed deeply and ground together.
The bolt of pleasure that shot through River nearly made them dizzy and they climbed on top of Cassidy. He loved when they did this. His eyes always went hooded and lustful and this time was no exception.
River leaned down for a kiss and Cassidy’s arms encircled their back. When the kiss ended, River pressed their bodies together from chest to thigh, shuddering as waves of pleasure pulsed through them.
The began a slow and dirty grind together that quickly turned desperate. River’s blood felt fizzy, their muscles liquid.
"Fuck, baby, c’mere."
Cassidy’s big hands splayed across River’s hips and ass as he dragged River onto his lap. River’s hips and spine were loose and their thighs were tight as they rocked. Cassidy took their whole weight easily, leaving River to seek their pleasure however they wished.