I paused and looked at Coraline. Really just looked at her. We'd talked about going further, and I still wondered what she thought about that. But mostly I just wanted to see her, to know she was safe, after I'd almost lost her. She deserved to be happy. She deserved to feel joy.

I smiled then, and lowered myself on her, and kissed her neck, and then her collar bone. Slowly, gently, carefully, I brushed my kisses lower, between her breasts, while my hands continued to play with and tweak her nipples.