Page 43 of Starting Our Chance

Not that I wanted to.

Far from it—but I was scared that when we crossed this line, what we had as friends would be good and broken. My prayer was that something better would spring up in its place.

Duke’s fingers had lowered and were now exploring between my thighs, inching higher and higher as his eyes bored holes into mine, watching my reaction. We had done this before, and although I knew how deft his fingers could be, I wanted something else inside me. I was craving that connection with him, desperate to have him fill me. Squirming slightly, I positioned myself so that he had no choice but to stroke that rigid cock against my feminine folds.

“Oh, fuck . . ..” He pressed his fingers into my hips as if resisting the urge to slam into me. Although I appreciated him wanting to ease into this, I was impatient. I bucked against his hold and brought him directly against my entrance, then locked my gaze on his. I didn’t want to miss his expression when we finally joined.

I was prepared for the raging lust on his face, but it was a shock to watch possession shadow his features as he pushed inside me. He began to explore our connection, stroking and shifting inside me. I leaned into his embrace and enjoyed our connection.

His rhythm picked up and my body was soon writhing against his touch. My insides were aching from the size of him, filling me, using me.

Through the flood of pleasure, I managed to say, “Duke, wait.” He froze at my words. Shaking my head back and forth, I squeezed my insides to keep him inside me. “I have to tell you something.”

“What?” His sharp eyes were watching me.

“I need you to know that—” I bit my bottom lip, fighting the words that were threatening to spill out, but wanting so badly for them to be the right thing to say.

“I want this.” I gestured between us. “This is so unlike anything I have ever experienced before. And I . . ..” My voice dropped to a whisper as I added, “I know it’s because I love you, Duke.”

“Say that again.”

“I love you.” I tried to lower my gaze, but he captured my chin and held our faces level. I boldly looked into his eyes and continued, “I think I’ve always loved you, although I would never have realized that was the correct term for my feelings until recently. You were the friend who had it tough like I did, and we were always there for one another—we still are! Only, it’s so much more now.”

“Lore, I love you, too,” he rasped, “I have been too scared to say it before now. Hell, I’m still scared—I’m scared you’ll run.”

Those last words were a mere whisper. I understood his reasons for concern were justified given my past behavior. “Being back set my priorities in line. I’m home—here with you. I can’t believe I ever ran away. But now . . . I’m here to stay.” As I spoke, I squeezed my inner muscles and was rewarded with a hiss.

Duke pressed a searing kiss to my lips before he pulled his cock back and shoved so deeply into me that he had to swallow my cry of pleasure. Whimpering, because there was nothing gentle about the way he retreated then drove himself home again, I clung to his shoulders.

“Fuck, you’re so tight, Gorgeous.” He paused to retreat and this time I met his slam, water sloshing between us. “Oh—” Duke let out a strangled sound.

“What?”

“You’re squeezing,” he groaned. “So fucking tight.”

I was gripping him with every part of my body and knew I was close. This was what it felt like: I was making love. This sensation, this emotion—it went so far beyond a mere fuck. This craving every part of him that had me wild and ragged.

“Duke.” His name was a prayer. I was on the edge, ready to come for him.

Duke panted into my mouth, “Lore, I love you.”

That did it. I fell over the edge, bringing him with me. As bolts of pleasure ricocheted through me, Duke pumped his own orgasm into me, riding the waves of my pleasure.

“I wish we hadn’t taken so long to come to this conclusion,” I murmured into his ear, when I could finally trust myself to speak again.

“Me, too, Gorgeous. Me, too.”

---