Page 111 of Glitched Play

“Tell me if it hurts. We don’t have to…”

She smiles against my mouth. “I’ve been dreaming of being with you.”

Now I’m the one smiling into the kiss.

As our bodies instinctively know what the other needs, the lovemaking becomes profoundly different than anything I imagined possible. Waves of pleasure build slowly, deliberately, our rhythms syncing in a dance of care and deepening intimacy. I lose myself in the softness of her embrace, in the shared breaths and whispered names, feeling emotions surge that I’ve never experienced with another person.

When her center clamps around mine, she shakes as she orgasms. And I fall right along with her as a rough growl escapes my chest. This isn’t mere release—it’s trust and vulnerability transformed into something sacred.

My weight falls on her skin lightly sheened with sweat. I don’t know what I’m supposed to say and I think too hard, I might not say anything, so I say exactly what I’m thinking instead of testing the waters.

“You’re amazing. Every part of you. Your brain. Your sense of humor. And especially your body.” My is head tucked into the pocket between her neck and shoulder, and I place a peck on her shoulder.

Maci pushes me up just a little and wipes the hair sticking to my forehead from my face. She peers into my eyes and I let her.

“You seem to know me better than I know myself.” Her smile is so wide, and it makes me feel like jelly. “Now I think we need to level up.”

I raise a brow. “You do?”

“I can’t wait to feel what you have planned for level two,” she says, letting out an unrestrained laugh.

“Can we hit the pause button?” I ask as I collapse onto her body. Honestly, I’ve never come so hard in all of my life.

She whispers in my ear, “I’m scared to stop or you’ll say, ‘Game over.’”

I lift to my elbows. “I’m not getting off. We just started playing.”

Maci is the first woman I’ve cared for like this, the only one invited into both my room and my heart, and every sensation etches itself permanently into my being—beautiful, intense, and utterly new. In this moment, with her, I am whole.

twenty-three

. . .

Maci

Encrypted Voice Chat Rune

The best games aren’t about winning. They’re about making connections with the people you’re playing with.

The alarm goes off after what feels like five minutes.

I groan and bury my face against the warm chest beneath my cheek.

"No."

The word comes out muffled.

One strong arm tightens around me instead of letting me escape. His fingers lazily trace circles along my back while I pretend not to notice how incredibly unfair it is that he smells this good after approximately two hours of sleep.

"We have work," I mumble.

"We do."

"So... why aren't we moving?"

"We're conducting research."

I laugh into his skin. "Research?"