Page 95 of Let’s Be Real

Nothing.

I was alive as I thrust into her. My brain sparking, my nerves alight. My heart growing lush from its former husk. Feelings rushed to the surface, and though I wasn’t quite sure what to do with all of them, I reveled in their existence.

I took my time with her—no sense of urgency to get to the end. I held her as close as I could, slipping my fingers beneath the ropes, binding myself to her.

“Missed you, sweet girl.” I rubbed my lips against her cheek.

“Missed you too.”

I pushed all the way in, planting myself there. “Not just this. You.”

“I know, I know, I know.” She arched her back, her ass colliding into me. “But this too.”

“Yeah. Definitely this.”

It went on for as long as I could make it last. I never wanted it to end. But the swell of pleasure in my gut became too big to contain, and I let it loose. Grinding against her, struggling to get deep enough—to feel her all over me. She took me in, moaning and shuddering at the storm of my release, giving me one more of her own, weak and dwindling as it was.

Then we were lying together, tangled and catching our breath, and more than anything else, I wanted her arms around me.

“Can I untie you now?” I tugged on the knot.

Her eyes flickered to mine. “As long as you don’t let me go.”

“Not a chance.” Like Madam Cara had said, once I got the first knot undone, the rest came easy. I curled the rope around my fist as I freed Samantha inch by inch. Her hands came last, wiggling loose. Tossing the rope behind me, I took her hands in mine, rubbing the life back into them.

Her forehead fell on my chest, her breath hot as it exploded from her. “Nate,” she mewed.

“I know, Sam.” I rubbed her arms, her sides, her back, tracing the lines the rope had left behind. “You did so well. I don’t think anyone has ever looked more beautiful in red rope.”

“That can’t be true.”

“Prove me wrong.”

I felt her smile against my chest. “I’d rather not.”

“You can’t.” I smiled, pulling her into my arms. “Think you might be able to hug me back?”

“I know I can.”

Her arms came up, circling my neck. She hugged me harder than I’d expected, but with the exact ferocity needed to settle the last wonky part of me back into place.

“That’s right,” I breathed.

“It is,” she agreed sleepily. “Exactly right.”

Chapter Thirty-three

Samantha

Ade: Told you so.

Me: Don’t be smug. It’s unbecoming.

Ade: If I can’t be smug about this, what can I be smug about?

Me: Unbecoming.

Ade: I’m just saying, what would you do without me?