Page 79 of The Fall Before Flight

Though his words veer dangerously close to my heart, I answer by locking my ankles behind his back. “Show me, Leo.”

He releases my wrists, hauling me against him with his arms locked tightly around me. Head lowered to my shoulder, his rhythm changes. Harder, deeper. Halfway to oblivion, I don’t even attempt to dampen my cries. No doubt I’ll be hearing from the neighbors tomorrow, but right now I don’t give a flying fuck.

“Oh, God, Leo, yes, right there, there!”

A cataclysmic event tingles in my fingers and toes, surges up my arms and legs, trembles in my chest, and finally coalesces where we join. I scream in bliss. Teeth clamp on my neck so hard I see stars, and the pleasure sharpens. Explodes.

He says my name and finds his own release. When he relaxes and kisses me softly, I start crying.

Sobbing, actually.

Leo rolls onto his side and holds me against his chest. He murmurs words I can’t hear, but I feel his heat, and the soothing touch of his hand making ceaseless journeys up and down my spine.

I finally assemble enough sanity to say, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he says softly. “Do you feel sad or anxious right now?”

I shake my head, hiccupping. “I feel like your monster cock annihilated me.”

The hand on my back freezes. “My what?” Leaning back to see my face, Leo regards me with wide eyes and an open mouth. “Did you say monster cock?”

I bite my lip and nod. “Sure did.”

He laughs—a deep belly laugh I’ve never heard before—then kisses the tears from my cheeks. “Tell me you’re okay.”

“Fine. Totally fine. Better than fine. I can’t see straight, though. Hey, what happened to your glasses?”

Still chuckling, he says, “I got LASIK last month.”

“Ah, that explains it.” Yawning, I curl contently into his heat. In my last moments of consciousness, I say, “Wake me up in twenty. I want more.”

A soft kiss presses to my forehead. “Sleep, Amelia.”

I do.

When I wake up, the sun shines through my filmy curtains, glowing brightly on my empty bed. I hold back panic long enough to sit up and see my phone plugged in on the nightstand. Definitely not where I left it last night.

Sure enough, the first notification is for three new text messages from Leo, all sent between five thirty and six thirty this morning.

Had every intention of waking you in twenty but fell asleep. Woke up at four with a giant cat sitting on my chest. Might have shaved a few years off my life. Warning next time?

So you know, I wasn’t trying to sneak out. You must sleep like the dead because I knocked into at least five pieces of furniture trying to find my clothes, keys, etc.

What are you doing tonight?

I read the messages over and over, a stupid grin on my face, then text him back. His instantaneous response tells me he was waiting for it. Maybe worried I might not reply.

Silly man.

Working until nine. After…?

Good morning :) Forgot to mention I found an interesting note on your front door from your neighbors. Turns out you have thin walls. Want to come to my place tonight?

Yes.

Yes, I do.

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