“Would you like to come in?” she asked, feeling both awkward and shy.
“I would.”
He stepped inside, then shut and locked the front door. She glanced at his hands and saw he wasn’t holding anything, so assumed he’d put condoms in his pocket rather than show up carrying a little bag, which made sense, but still this was so oddly medicinal and now she wasn’t sure and—
He moved close, cupped her face and kissed her. Kiss-kissed with lips and tongue and heat and passion. She responded instantly, straining toward him as she wrapped her arms around him. They pressed everywhere, the heat generated far more than just from body temperature. Need grew as did wanting and all her doubts faded away.
He drew back a few inches and whispered, “Bedroom.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Forty-five minutes and two orgasms later, Ryleigh lay on her back, struggling to catch her breath. She couldn’t believe what had happened. Twice! She glanced at Alex and found him watching her, a faint smile pulling at his lips.
“What?” she asked.
“You’re so beautiful.”
“I look exactly the same as I did before. That’s the sexual satisfaction talking.”
“You’re still beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
She heard a faint meow from the other side of the closed door, so got up and let in the cat. Lucy followed her to the bed where she jumped up and walked between them. When she was at shoulder level, she sank onto the sheets and began to purr.
“Someone wants to be a part of things,” he said as he stroked the cat.
“She does.”
She stretched out, facing him. He reached over Lucy and touched Ryleigh’s face.
“Thank you for that. You feeling okay?”
She grinned. “I’m a little sore, but otherwise in excellent shape.”
Instead of chuckling, he frowned. “Did I hurt you?”
“No. Let me replace the wordsorewith ‘well used.’ It’s been a while since I’ve done it twice like that.” Or maybe never.
His smile returned. “Yeah, the first time was pretty fast. It had been a while and I tried to hold back but, well, you know.”
“I do know and you more than made up for it the second time. The Johnston family name will feel no shame tonight.”
“Good to know.” He continued to watch her. “I want you to feel safe and comfortable.”
“I feel both.”
“I’d like to keep doing this. What do you want?”
More sex with Alex? Yes, please. She’d thought there might be weirdness, but she felt completely comfortable with him. They were good friends and she trusted him. Of course they could maintain that while enjoying sex.
“I want that, too,” she told him. “There’ll be logistics. I’d rather not blast our change in status all over town.”
“You don’t want to put something ontoPort Palmas Talks?”
“Not really.”
“Good. So as you said, logistics. Noah can’t know. He wouldn’t understand.”
