Except maybe she wasn’t, because she’d expected him to crawl up the bed and slide home where she wanted him, but he surprised her by lowering his head and rocketing her to the stratosphere—again.Her limbs buzzed and she floated on a wave of endorphins as he slowly moved into position, and then slid inside her body, revving her up all over again.
Something about the way he gazed down at her, the way it felt to be joined with him so intimately, the way they’d grown together and learned each other over the last month—the fact that they’d been through hell and survived—made her throat tighten and her eyes sting.
Ford stopped moving, his brow pinched.“What’s wrong?”
She laughed and squeezed his rock-hard glute, urging him to keep going.“Nothing.I just love you, and it’s…”
His eyebrows rose, but he didn’t budge, dammit, except to place a soft kiss at the corner of her mouth furthest from her bruise.“It’s what?”
“Overwhelming, to be honest.”
He frowned slightly, his muscles tense.
“Not in a bad way.”Nat bopped him playfully on the chest, then toyed with his nipple until his expression softened.“I just, you know, don’t do this.”
“What?Have sex?”
A tiny laugh huffed out of her.It was like they’d switched roles.Her suddenly serious, and him keeping the mood light.Like he knew she needed that.She fell a little harder.“Honestly, that too.”
That seemed to surprise him, and he straightened his arm, making his triceps and pecs ripple deliciously as he stared down at her with a perplexed expression.
“You thought I was sleeping my way around LA before this?”
“No, but… I mean, you’re a beautiful, interesting woman.I wouldn’t expect you to be…without occasional companionship, at least.”
She laughed, also glowing a little inside at his compliment.“Without occasional companionship?Who talks like that?”
His cheeks turned pink.“Well I’m not exactly in a position to be articulate.”He gave a little hip thrust and delight sparked in her veins.
“Mmm.I like your position just fine.”She gripped his buttocks and urged him deeper.“Can we have this conversation later?”Or never.
“Good idea.”He nipped at her ear and pulled back for another thrust, obliterating her senses.
He drove them both higher, everything in her spiraling as he cradled her hip in one large hand and held himself above her with the other.A fine sheen of sweat broke out across his back and his brow, and his eyes seemed to darken before he pressed his cheek to hers and whispered.“I love you, Natalie.”
His muscles turned rigid beneath her palm, and the sound of him groaning into her ear—the feel of him inside her, surrounding her, holding her securely and reverently as he came—broke the tension and she shattered, crying out.
Neither of them moved for a full minute, both panting.Peace and contentment and joy flooded her veins, and she basked in the afterglow.
When Ford finally lifted his head, he frowned and wiped her cheek with his thumb.“Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”Jesus, was she crying again?What was wrong with her?He pulled away, and out, but slid down beside her, his head propped on one hand while he twined his other with hers.
“I’ve never felt better in my life.”
He gave her a dubious look.
“So,you’rejust ‘meh’ right now?”
He rolled his eyes so hard she was impressed that he didn’t fall off the bed.Then he spoiled his attempt at barely leashed impatience by smiling.“Obviously better than ‘meh.’”
“Betterbe.”She carefully raised the arm on her injured side and combed the damp hair off his forehead.“Any tears I may have shed were purely from joy.We’ve been through a lot the last month and it’s hard to process how much has changed, but it’s all good.”A shiver ran through her as he pressed a kiss to her palm.“I’m not used to it.”
“I understand.”He stopped her hand and took it in his own.“I wish you hadn’t been hurt, but I’m so fucking glad you called me.”
“Me too.”Sofucking glad.
“I don’t need details,” he said, “and I’m not judging, but were you really not, uh…dating before?”
She sighed.“Everyone assumed I was, and I never set them straight because I didn’t want to talk about it.”But she was willing to share with him.If things got too emotionally scary, she’d just jump his bones again, problem solved.Also, she felt safe with him.Safer than she’d ever felt with anyone.
