He flipped her onto her back, the laughter of that move filling the room.
Maybe she’d imagined their first time would be slow and unforgettable, drawn out with aching touches and breathless longing. But the heat, the urgency, the laughter between kisses? It was better. So much better.
He landed on top of her, his knees pushing her thighs apart more, probing for entrance that she gladly granted.
He slammed into her, her back arched, his mouth crushed hers and their tongues were matching the speed of their hips mashing together. Lifting and lowering, grinding for more.
Her ankles crossed behind his back, his hand in her hair holding her head steady as he pounded into her.
Her bed had never seen or felt action this fierce before but was holding up like a champ even with all the squeaking.
The pressure in her was building, the quest to reach the end in sight.
“Please get me there,” she said. “I’m so close.”
His hand slid under her hips, pulled her up from the mattress so that she was lifted in the air as he continued to make their bodies one.
She was barely holding on until that peak was there, in her vision, and calling her name.
It was Arik, he was coming with her, the two of them throbbing and letting the other know they had them.
Her body landed with a loudthunkon her bed, him on top of her, knocking the breath from her lungs.
She burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
“That’s not how I thought our first time would be, and I’m so glad I was wrong!”
23
WORLDS WERE THE SAME
With an enormous sigh, Arik opened the door to his hotel room the next day. It was late morning on Saturday. Natalie had things to do and he’d meet up with her later, then spend the night.
“How did you find out where I was?”
His mother moved right past him into the suite, the powerful scent of Dior chasing her to keep up.
“Your father mentioned it,” Erin Brown said. “I saw him at the courthouse.”
“And the police weren’t called to intervene?”
“Don’t be childish. Now you’re sounding just like him. Though he’s gotten worse with thegirlhe’s spending time with.”
“What are you doing here then?”
“I wanted to spend a holiday with my child. Is that so horrible?”
“It is without notice,” he said. “I had my fill of family gatherings.”
Which made little sense considering how willing he was to spend tomorrow with Natalie’s family.
“It’s only me and Rylie. We arrived last night and are leaving on Monday.”
He sighed. “You’re staying here? At The Retreat?”
“I am. I booked lunch for the three of us.”
