Page 100 of Last Light

I’m moving my hips to his rhythm. Holding on to his thigh with one hand and his bicep with the other. “No. I’m good. Just like this.”

“Think you can come?”

“Don’t know.” I take a shaky breath, my throat aching again. “But I like this. Just keep doing this.”

“’Kay.” He pumps his hips. Leans forward to rub his jaw against my cheek. His bristles are scratchy. Comforting. “Y’okay?”

“Yeah. Just keep doing this.” My hand has moved on his thigh, and my fingers are now nudging at the bottom of the crease in his ass. The location is accidental. It feels intimate. Natural. I don’t move my hand.

It goes on a long time, and it feels like I need all of it. Like the moment Travis comes, everything good will be over.

Even though I know the feeling is irrational, I do nothing to push him into urgency.

He’s patient.

He’s always given me what I need.

He gives me what I need right now.

My body is feeling good, but it’s not building toward climax. Eventually, however, I feel the tension in Travis’s body start to change. He’s getting hotter. His rhythm isn’t quite so steady.

I need to give him what he needs too.

I dig my fingers into his ass. He grunts and jerks his hips. “Oh, fuck, darlin’.”

“You come now.” I squeeze him with my legs and my inner muscles, making him grunt again. “I want you to come.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m ready. I want you to come.”

His heavy breathing intensifies into loud huffs as his hips pump. After a minute, he pants, “Layne. Fuck. Layne.”

His body tightens until I think it might crack. He pushes into me hard.

At the very last moment, he gasps and levers his hips to pull out of me. He comes in forceful spurts on my hip.

He barely pulled out in time. He usually does it sooner.

I pull him down on top of me afterward. I hold him tight as his body relaxes.

Mine relaxes too, although the ache in my throat remains.

He gets up to clean us up, and eventually I find the energy to go to the bathroom.

I check on the dog. He’s sprawled out on his side on the little rug in the living room, snoring loudly.

Then I go back to bed and climb over Travis to get to my side.

He pulls me against him, and I fall asleep in the embrace of his arm.

I’m still there when I wake up the next morning.

***

WE’RE QUIET—LIKE WEused to be in the mornings—as we get dressed, eat breakfast, and pack up the Jeep. We take as much of the food and supplies as we can fit in the cargo compartment and fill up all our bottles with water from the well.

The dog eats his bowl of food, goes out to do his business, and then follows us as we pack, his tongue hanging out as he watches the proceedings, and his tail occasionally gives a hesitant wag as if he’s hoping to be excited but not sure he’s allowed.

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