He’s better off here with Pete.
“I’m going to miss you too,” I tell him as he settles down to sleep. His fur is silky soft as I run my fingers through it over and over. I glance at my laptop, sitting closed on the coffee table. There’s no point even reaching for it; no part of me is in the mood for writing today. I can’t even muster up the energy to kill off the bad guys.
Besides, there’s something else I need to do today, despite how much I don’t want to. But neither do I want to waste any of the time when Pete gets home.
With another deep, heavy sigh, I take Cooper and head over to the annexe.
By the timefamiliar headlights shine through the windows, my stuff is all packed and the annexe is as clean and tidy as I found it.
It’s like I was never here.
We eat takeaway on the sofa, watching the next episode ofSlow Horses. Another thing I’m going to miss when I go. We’re only on season one, but I’m not sure I can bring myself to watch it without him. When I say as much, Pete sighs.
“We could do a buddy watch.”
“What?”
He shrugs. “We FaceTime and we both watch the episode at the same time.”
It’ll be a poor substitute for watching it with Pete’s arm wrapped around me and a dog at my feet, but I cling to it anyway. “Yeah, we could try that.”
“Okay,” he says, like that’s settled. Like there isn’t a huge elephant in the room that neither of us wants to address.
When we go to bed, Pete pulls me to him as soon as we enter his room. I’ve got my back to his chest, his arms wrapped securely around my waist. I close my eyes and lean into his solid body, safe in the knowledge that he can easily take my weight.
He nuzzles my neck like it’s his favourite place to be. “I want you to fuck me tonight.” He kisses the words into my skin. “If that’s something you’d be into?”
“Fuck,” I manage, the images flooding my brain, stealing my ability to speak.
He huffs out a laugh. “Is that a yes?”
“Yeah.” I turn in his arms, wrapping mine around his neck. “Of course it’s a fucking yes.” I kiss him hard. Pouring everything into it so he can feel how much of ayesit is.
There’s no laughter this time as we shed our clothes, only soft kisses and eager hands as we topple onto the bed and get what we need to make this happen.
He lies on his back, brings his knees up, and spreads his legs wide, murmuring, “Like this.”
“Yeah.” I want to see him too. Want to watch him fall apart as I give him what he’s asked for.
It occurs to me, as I slowly push inside him, that maybe Pete wants this now because he thinks he might not get the chance again. I want to say he’s wrong, but I don’t know what’ll happen when I leave here and we’re no longer in each other’s space all the time.
If this is the last time we’re together like this, then I’m going to squeeze every last ounce of pleasure out of it. For both of us.
And that’s what I do.
I fuck Pete like I’m committing him to memory, drawing out his pleasure until he’s a writhing, sweaty mess underneath me. I kiss his neck, teeth grazing over the base of his throat as he presses his head back into the pillow. Stubble scrapes my lips, my tongue, as I kiss my way up to find his mouth.
His legs wrap tight around my back as I drive into him again and again, chasing the edge of an orgasm I can feel building quicker than I’m ready for. I want this to last forever, want to stay in this moment and not have to deal with what’s waiting for us on the other side, but the clutch of Pete’s body around me makes that impossible.
I hit that spot inside him and his low moan wraps around me, urging me on until neither of us can hold back any longer. It’s messy and amazing and I cling on to it for as long as I possibly can.
Afterwards, he tugs me into his arms, holding me just this side of too tight, but I need it as much as he does.
“What happens after tomorrow?” His voice is soft, as if he doesn’t want to disturb the quiet surrounding us.
“I don’t know,” I admit, because honestly? I have no fucking clue. I’ve never been in this position before.
Pete kisses the top of my head. “I’d like to keep seeing you.”
