8 - "Six Months of Waiting, One Night of Fire"

### Chapter 8: Simmer to Spark

Six months had blurred by in a haze of midnight feedings and sunlit afternoons in their Barcelona villa, the kind of rhythm that wrapped around Arkin and Via like a well-worn blanket. Kino, their son—tiny fists and a cry that could pierce through the thickest walls—had grown into a chubby-cheeked bundle who demanded every ounce of their attention. Arkin's parents had stayed just long enough to ease the raw edges of those first weeks, chopping vegetables in the kitchen while Via napped, their presence a quiet anchor before they boarded the flight home. Now, it was just the three of them, the villa's stone walls echoing with Kino's gurgles and the soft hum of Via's laughter as she sketched building plans on her tablet one-handed, the baby cradled in her lap.

Arkin had been patient, more than patient—understanding in a way that surprised even him. The doctor had been clear: six weeks minimum, but full recovery could stretch longer, especially after the intensity of Kino's delivery. Arkin remembered that day like a scar turned tattoo, the sterile hospital room where he'd paced until his shoes wore grooves in the linoleum, his heart hammering as Via's contractions hit. He'd held her hand, whispering assurances through her gritted teeth, and when the doctor finally placed their son in his arms, slick and squalling, tears had burned tracks down his face. "Thank you, my love," he'd choked out to Via, pressing his forehead to hers. "For this. For him. For us." She'd smiled through her exhaustion, and in that moment, his love for her had rooted deeper, possessive and fierce.

But the waiting afterward? That had been its own test. No rushing into the heat they'd known before—the passionate tangles in their apartment, the rain-soaked kisses outside, the way he'd surprised her months ago and claimed her against the wall. Their passion simmered, sure, in stolen glances over Kino's crib, in the way Arkin's fingers lingered on her lower back during late-night diaper changes. He'd given her massages back when her belly swelled huge, kneading the tension from her shoulders without a hint of expectation, and he'd kept that up now, post-delivery, his hands gentle on her hips as she nursed. "You're incredible, babe," he'd murmur, and she'd lean into him, grateful for the space to heal. She needed it too—the ache of her body knitting back together, the emotional whirl of new motherhood. Sex stayed off the table, but the undercurrent buzzed, electric in the air whenever their eyes met too long.

Now, with Kino turning six months old, the calendar had flipped to a date that felt like permission. Via had gone for her check-up that morning, coming home with a clean bill and a sly smile that made Arkin's pulse kick. He'd been directing a small indie project nearby, wrapping early to scoop up their son from the villa's play area, where the nanny they'd hired part-time kept him entertained with wooden blocks. The afternoon sun slanted through the olive trees outside, casting dappled patterns on the terracotta floors as Arkin carried Kino inside, the baby's laughter bubbling up like fizzy water.

Via was in the kitchen, barefoot in a loose sundress that hugged her curves just enough to remind him of what lay beneath. Her hair, still damp from a quick shower, curled at the ends, and she turned from the counter, wiping her hands on a towel. "Hey, you two," she said, her voice warm as she reached for Kino. Arkin handed him over, watching the easy way she settled him against her hip, the dress shifting to reveal the soft swell of her breast where it pressed against the fabric.

"Doctor says I'm good as new," she added casually, but her eyes flicked to Arkin's, holding a spark that hadn't been there in months. He stepped closer, his hand brushing her waist, feeling the heat of her skin through the thin material.

"Yeah?" he replied, voice low, testing the waters. Kino cooed, oblivious, grabbing at Via's necklace. Arkin leaned in, pressing a kiss to her temple. "That's my girl."

The nanny arrived right on cue for her evening shift, a blessing Arkin had arranged weeks ago, suspecting this milestone. She took Kino with a smile, promising a walk in the garden while the couple "caught up." The door clicked shut behind them, and the villa fell into a sudden, charged quiet. Via set down her towel, turning to face Arkin fully. "Finally," she whispered, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "I've missed you."

Arkin's breath caught. He cupped her face, thumb stroking her cheek. "Missed you more, love. Every damn day." Their lips met, slow at first, a tentative brush that built like a wave gathering force. It wasn't the frantic hunger of their reunion nights—no, this was deliberate, savoring the release of restraint. His hands slid to her shoulders, slipping the straps of her dress down, exposing the freckles across her collarbone. She shivered, not from cold, but from the rush of his touch, long denied.

They moved to the living room without breaking apart, the wide windows overlooking the villa's private courtyard where bougainvillea climbed the walls in riotous pinks. Arkin tugged the dress lower, letting it pool at her feet. She stood there in just her panties, her body transformed yet familiar—breasts fuller from nursing, hips softened, a faint scar low on her belly marking Kino's entry. He drank her in, eyes dark with want. "Fuck, babe, you're beautiful," he murmured, voice rough. No poetry, just truth. She reached for his shirt, yanking it over his head, her nails grazing his chest as she explored the planes of muscle she'd mapped a hundred times.

He backed her toward the oversized sofa, the one they'd chosen for its deep cushions and the way it faced the sunset. She sank onto it, pulling him down with her, their bodies aligning in a tangle of limbs. Arkin's mouth found her neck, sucking lightly at the pulse point that made her gasp. "Arkin," she breathed, her hands fumbling with his belt. He helped, kicking off his jeans, his cock springing free, hard and insistent against her thigh. It had been six months, but his body remembered hers like muscle memory.

Via's fingers wrapped around him, stroking slow and firm, drawing a groan from deep in his chest. "Shit, that feels good," he said, hips bucking into her grip. He kissed her harder, tongue sliding against hers, tasting the sweetness of her lip balm. His hand dipped between her legs, fingers brushing the damp fabric of her panties. She was already wet, the heat of her seeping through, and he pressed harder, rubbing circles over her clit through the cotton. She moaned into his mouth, arching up, her free hand clutching his shoulder.

"Off," he commanded softly, and she lifted her hips, letting him peel the panties away. He tossed them aside, settling between her thighs, his breath hot against her skin. "Gonna take my time with you, love." He kissed down her body—sternum, the curve of her breast, latching onto a nipple with a gentle suck that made her whimper. Milk beaded there, a remnant of nursing, and he lapped it up without hesitation, the taste salty-sweet on his tongue. Via's fingers threaded through his hair, pulling him closer. "Don't stop," she panted.

Arkin didn't. He worked lower, nipping at her hip bone, then spreading her legs wider. Her pussy glistened, folds pink and swollen, begging for attention. He blew a cool breath over her, watching her twitch, then dove in. His tongue flattened against her, licking from entrance to clit in one long stroke. She tasted like salt and desire, and he groaned against her, the vibration making her hips jerk. "Fuck, Arkin—yes." He sucked her clit between his lips, flicking it with the tip of his tongue while two fingers slid inside her, curling to hit that spot that made her walls clench.

Via's breaths came in sharp bursts, her body coiling tight as he pumped his fingers, slow at first, then faster, matching the rhythm of his mouth. He added a third finger, stretching her, feeling how slick and ready she was after all this time. "So tight," he muttered, pulling back just enough to watch her face contort in pleasure. "Come for me, babe. Let me taste it." She shattered with a cry, thighs clamping around his head, her pussy pulsing around his fingers as she rode the wave. He didn't stop, lapping her through it until she pushed at his shoulders, oversensitive and laughing breathlessly.

"Too much," she gasped, tugging him up. He kissed her again, letting her taste herself on his lips, his cock throbbing against her belly. She reached down, guiding him to her entrance, rubbing the head along her slit. "Inside me. Now."

Arkin positioned himself, teasing her clit one last time before pushing in. Slow, inch by inch, feeling her stretch around him. "God, you're perfect," he growled, bottoming out with a shared moan. She was hot and wet, gripping him like a vice, and he paused there, buried deep, forehead pressed to hers. "Love you so much." Then he moved, thrusting steady and deep, the sofa creaking under them.

Via met him thrust for thrust, nails digging into his back, legs wrapping around his waist. "Harder," she demanded, and he obliged, snapping his hips faster, the slap of skin on skin filling the room. Sweat slicked their bodies, her breasts bouncing with each drive, and he captured one in his mouth again, sucking as he fucked her. The angle hit her just right, and she clenched around him, chasing another peak. "Arkin—fuck, I'm close."

He reached between them, thumb circling her clit, and that did it. She came again, harder this time, walls fluttering as she cried out his name. The squeeze pulled him over the edge, and he buried himself deep, spilling inside her with a guttural "Via," hot pulses filling her up. They rode it out together, breaths mingling, bodies locked.

They lay there after, tangled and spent, his cock softening inside her as cum leaked out in a warm trickle. Arkin kissed her temple, rolling to the side but keeping her close. "That was... fuck, I needed that."

Via chuckled, tracing patterns on his chest. "Me too. But don't think we're done. Kino's down for a bit—round two?"

He grinned, possessive hand splaying over her ass. "Lead the way, love."

The evening stretched into night, but it was the prelude to something more. Later, as Kino slept soundly under the nanny's watch, they slipped into the outdoor shower in the courtyard, water cascading over them like a private rain. Arkin soaped her back, hands roaming freely now, dipping between her cheeks to tease her ass with soapy fingers. She leaned into the tiled wall, moaning as he circled her tight hole, pressing just the tip of a finger inside while his other hand worked her pussy from behind.

"Ever thought about this?" he whispered, nipping her ear. "Me taking you here?"

Via pushed back against him, water streaming down her face. "Show me."

He did, slicking himself with shower gel, easing in slow. She was tight, resisting at first, but relaxed under his patient thrusts, the fullness making her gasp. "Fuck, yes—deeper." He gripped her hips, fucking her ass with steady strokes, his free hand rubbing her clit until she squirted against the tiles, a gush that mixed with the water. He followed, pulling out to come on her back, stripes of white against her wet skin.

They rinsed off, laughing as they toweled