Page 86 of Flirting with Forever

“Definitely,” she answered immediately, making him smile.

“I’d say we should go to your house for the air-conditioning—” his hand absently scooped and tumbled her hair “—but I don’t usually like to leave Ruth alone at night, and I already did last night.”

At his words, her entire body tightened against his, her face buried just above his armpit, her legs clamped around him, her fingers digging into his hips.

“Are you okay?” He looked down at her in alarm, having no idea what the heck had just happened.

She nodded against him, and when she looked up, her eyes were wide and her lip was between her teeth. “I’m okay,” she answered, sounding strained. “Ask me later. I can’t talk about it now.”

But that look on her face was just about all the answer he needed. He was pretty sure, almost positive, that talking about not wanting to leave Ruth alone had just kicked her over the edge and into love with him. He searched her gaze and saw that she was overwhelmed, giddy, terrified. He leaned forward and gently kissed her, hoping to soothe her. He knew the feeling.

“Ask me later too, okay?” he said softly, and this time it was her eyes searching his, trying to figure out if he was saying what she thought he was.

She blushed and buried her face, and John gave her one last cuddle before he sat up on the edge of the bed. He cleared his throat. “I think we should take a freezing-cold shower together so that we don’t get heatstroke before we even go outside,” he suggested over his shoulder.

She gasped and then her hands were gentle on his back. “Oh, my God. John. I scratched you to hell back here.” Her fingers gently traced the lines that her nails had apparently scored into him. He flexed his back, feeling around.

“I like it,” he told her honestly. “It feels good. It’ll make me think of you all day.”

She hooked her chin over his shoulder and straddled him from behind, her legs along his legs, her wetness smashed against him. “That’s how I feel about you between my legs. I’ll feel it all day.”

He groaned and looked at the clock. “Shit. Work. You can’t say stuff like that to me when we’re gonna be late for work.”

“We’ll take a quick shower,” she promised, her hand snaking around to his front and gripping him again, this time pumping him with much more intention than her playful touch from before.

He stopped protesting and instead reveled in the feel of her delicate but firm grip. He looked down at his lap and grunted at the erotic sight of her gorgeous hand gripping him so tightly. She slid around to his lap, slipping off her underwear and swiping a condom from the floor on her way. She sheathed him with it as she straddled him. He sat on the edge of the bed and she sat on him, lifting up and taking him in in one long, wet slide.

This time wasn’t any prettier than the last time, he figured, but he couldn’t find it in him to care. She rode him hard, artlessly, and it was hands down the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. He leaned back on his palms and just watched, letting her get herself off on his body any way that she wanted. When she shuddered hard, calling his name and clamping down on him rhythmically, he banded an arm around her waist, securing her, and drove himself upward in several short, intense strokes before he was coming hard, sharply, woozily. Perfection.

They sagged to the side, and he took a long moment to gain his breath back before he was lifting her, carrying her to his shower.

“You love carrying me,” she muttered into his shoulder.

“I do,” he agreed. “It makes me feel...”

“Like a man?”

“Not quite. It makes me feel human. I can’t explain it. Connected to you. Protective. Like I’m the one thing in between you and the rest of the world. I love it.”

He set her down carefully in the shower and her smile nearly knocked his metaphorical socks off. He’d told her she was radiant and, boy howdy, he hadn’t been lying. The woman was incandescent.

A second later, though, before he could twist on the shower, she stiffened, clapping a hand over his mouth even though he hadn’t been talking.

“Shh!” she hissed. “Do you hear that?”

John cocked an ear and heard the familiar, benign tones of his neighbors talking. “My neighbors?”

“I forgot how thin your walls are.” She had both hands pressed to her flaming pink cheeks. “Oh, God.John.”

He couldn’t help but grin. “Are you reflecting on the number of times you just screamed my name?”

“I can’t believe this. I haven’t even met them yet!”

“Mary, it’s New York. Hearing your neighbors have sex is a citywide experience. Practically a rite of passage. Besides, they’re not exactly celibate. I’m sure they don’t begrudge me returning the favor.”

“But I wasloud.”

He laughed, charmed and so freaking in love with her. “I know. It was the best. I hope you’re like that every time. Lets me know I’m doing well.”

---