We stumble toward the bed. Noah unzips my jeans and slides them down my hips along with my underwear. I step out of them, suddenly naked before him, and he takes a moment to look at me with an intensity that makes my skin flush.
"Your turn," I say, reaching for his belt.
He helps me, and when his jeans and boxers hit the floor, I take in the full sight of him. His thighs are thick with muscle, dusted with dark hair. He's already hard, his cock thick and flushed. The sight sends a fresh wave of heat through me.
We fall onto the bed together and his weight presses me into the mattress. Noah's mouth finds my neck, and I feel the slightscratch of stubble against my skin. His scent surrounds me: clean, soapy, something woodsy like cedar.
His hand trails down my stomach, between my thighs, and when his fingers find me wet and ready, he makes a low sound in his throat. He strokes me slowly, his fingers circling my clit with just the right amount of pressure. The sensation makes every touch more intense.
"Noah, please," I gasp.
"Tell me what you need."
"I need you inside me."
He reaches for his jeans on the floor, pulling out his wallet and retrieving a condom. I watch the muscles in his arms flex as he tears it open and rolls it on. Then he's settling between my thighs, and I feel the weight of him, the heat of his body covering mine.
"Look at me," he says.
I meet his eyes. He pushes inside slowly, and the stretch is intense. I gasp, my hands gripping his shoulders, feeling the hard muscle there.
"Okay?" His voice is strained.
"Yes. Don't stop."
He sinks in deeper until he's fully seated inside me. For a moment he holds still, his forehead pressed against mine, both of us breathing hard.
Then he begins to move. The friction is exquisite. I wrap my legs around his waist, feeling the flex of his ass under my heels, pulling him deeper. Each thrust hits that perfect spot inside me,and I can feel every ridge of muscle in his abdomen as our bodies move together.
His face is buried in my neck, his breath coming in hot bursts against my skin. I dig my nails into his back, feeling the muscles shift under my hands. His skin is slick with sweat now, sliding against mine.
The pleasure builds with each stroke. Noah's breathing grows ragged, his movements more urgent. One of his hands slides between us, his thumb finding my clit and rubbing in tight circles. The roughness of his fingertip makes me cry out.
The combination pushes me over the edge. My orgasm crashes through me in waves, my body clenching around him, and I cry out his name.
Noah follows moments later, his hips stuttering, his whole body going rigid. He groans, the sound raw and unguarded. Then he collapses beside me, his chest heaving, both of us slick with sweat and breathing hard.
For a long moment, we just lie there. Noah's fingers trace lazy patterns on my shoulder. His skin is cooling, but still warm where we're pressed together.
He pulls me closer, and I rest my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. The hair on his chest is soft against my cheek. For the first time since my mother's phone call, I feel like I can breathe.
I needed this.
We fall asleep wrapped around each other. When I wake in the early morning light, Noah is already dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I have to go," he says softly. "Early meeting."
"It's okay." I pull the sheet up to cover myself. "Thank you for last night."
He leans down and kisses me gently. "I hope your new job goes well, Mia."
"I hope things get easier for you, Noah."
He smiles, sad and sweet, then leaves.
I shower and pack my things mechanically. Last night feels like a dream. A brief escape from reality before I have to face everything waiting for me in Riverside.
The drive into town takes twelve minutes. Every landmark is familiar and foreign at the same time. The old movie theater is now a coffee shop. But the elementary school looks exactly the same. So does the fire station where my father worked for thirty years.
