“It won’t,” Ophelia said with conviction. She turned in her seat, watching through the back windshield as they got onto the highway and left the city behind. The buildings thinned, and the blanket of night grew thicker, no longer interspersed with hundreds of lights.
Suddenly, she began to laugh, tears welling in her eyes. When she looked over at Sam, she was beaming ear to ear.
“We did it,” she breathed. “We really did it.”
He caught her when she lunged at him, tackling him against the far door as she peppered kisses all over his face. He began to laugh with her, amazed by her second wind and pleased with the attention. Eventually, she ran out of steam and curled up on his lap, her cheek pressed against his shoulder as she dozed.
They drove all through the night. The car finally stopped close to dawn at the end of a long, winding gravel drive in front of an aging farmhouse. Ophelia roused, blinking hard to clear her vision.
“We’re here,” he murmured.
She leaned forward and thanked Laura in soft tones, hugging her over the back of the seat. “Do you want to come in?”
Laura met his gaze in the mirror. “Mm, not this time. You two lovebirds can have it all to yourself.” She grabbed Ophelia’s wrist as she pulled away. “If you need anything, if you realize this isn’t working or if he scares you…”
Ophelia patted her hand. “It’ll be okay—but thank you. For everything.”
He helped her out of the car and grabbed the bag. “Just a minute,” he said, bracing her against the porch railing as he returned to the car.
Warily, Laura rolled down her window.
He leaned down to meet her gaze. “I will not forget this. You owed us nothing, but you risked your job to help us. If the time comes that you have need of my skills, call me. I will come.”
She blinked, wide-eyed. “O-okay.” When he straightened, she called out to him. “Hey!”
He ducked down again.
“Be good to her.”
“Always.” And for once, he was not lying.
The car rolled away, crunching gravel beneath the tires.
When he turned around, Ophelia was gone. The front door was open, the house beyond faintly illuminated by a distant light. He went inside, locking the door behind him, and followed the sound of running water.
Ophelia was sitting in a claw-footed tub as the spray of the shower rained over her. He stripped down and joined her, tenderly washing her as she seemed to slip in and out of consciousness.
“Really wanted a shower,” she mumbled.
He snorted. She flinched a bit when he reached between her thighs to rinse away his dried cum.
“Sorry,” he murmured.
She huffed a laugh and shrugged.
“Worth it, then?”
She hummed in answer, smiling. “But that was the last time in front of a crowd, if you don’t mind.”
“I mind a little, but I’ll let you have it.”
She laughed in earnest then, prying one eye open to peer at him. “Don’t tell me it’s not enough to be a sex god unless everyone knows it, too.”
“Oh, everyone knows that anyway. It’s showing you off that I enjoyed so much.”
She flushed, kicking halfheartedly at his leg. He turned off the water and carried her out of the shower, wrapping her in a towel that looked brand new.
“Have you been here already?” he asked.
