Page 62 of Changing Tides

He eagerly moves his mouth from my own, kissing down my body until I feel his hot breath between my thighs. He’s gentle at first, tentative in the way he kisses my most delicate area. I pull his hair and then he is hungrier, gently sucking until I cry out his name. With his free hand, he reaches inside me, stroking and licking simultaneously until I am completely undone, trembling on his strong hand with my release. The world goes black as a jolt of pleasure radiates throughout my body, leaving my legs shaking.

With my undoing, he moves his body up to face me and kisses my mouth. I taste myself on his tongue and I crave more. I cup the back of his neck, deepening the kiss and biting his lower lip. Reaching down, I rub him over my entrance and his eyes roll back.

“Sophie,” he whispers. “Are you sure?” I nod and grip him tighter, a devilish grin on my face. “Are you on the pill?” he asks.

I bite my lip and look down at his impressive body, trying not to let his question kill the mood. “I don’t think pregnancy is something we’ll have to worry about…and I’ve only been with one person in the last thirteen years. I’m good if you are.” I pull him close and kiss him softly. “I’ve been waiting for this.”

And with that, he’s inside me, filling me to my core. His movements are slow and tender at first, while he kisses my neck and my breasts, gently sucking. I make a noise that comes out as a half moan, half sigh. Liam is beautiful as he moves over me, never taking his eyes off me, to be sure I’m enjoying it as much as he is. More than that though, there are emotions between us that heighten every sensation. Liam sees through me and when we connect it feels as if we were always this way.

As he’s closer to his own release, his thrusts become urgent. He holds one of my legs to go deeper and we both yell out in pleasure. Our eyes lock, every ounce of emotion we’ve held back bubbling to the surface as we find our release together, collapsing in each other’s arms.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time,” he whispers in my ear, lightly kissing the lobe.

“Me too.” I snuggle into his big spoon and sigh. “It was…everything.”

“Want to do it again?” he jokes, nipping at my neck.

I laugh. “Eventually.”

We stay like that until Lucy wakes up from her nap.

34

LIAM

Bringing Sophie into my childhood bedroom was not to try and get her to sleep with me. I felt like she couldn’t possibly grasp the gravity of my story unless she could get a glimpse into who I used to be. Now, as we’re lying here wrapped in each other’s arms, I know it was a fundamental step toward moving forward together.

Lucy is talking to herself in her crib, and I sigh into Sophie’s neck, not wanting to tear myself away from her. There is still no power, but I can no longer hear the pelting rain so maybe it is letting up. I give Sophie a tight squeeze from behind and sit up to throw on some clothes. I turn around to look at her lying there naked on my bed and she’s smiling up at me. “What?” I ask, feeling shy. I reach for her hand, unwilling to stop touching her.

“I’m just admiring.” She traces her fingers up my forearm.

I growl and lean down to kiss her again. “I gotta get Lulu. Take your time and meet me downstairs.” I leave the room feeling lighter than I have in years. Being with Sophie has awakened something inside me that I didn’t know was there. I can’t exactly say what but maybe it’s…hope?

* * *

The hours pass slowlywhen you have no power. Sophie and I play as many games as we can with Lucy to pass the time, but now it’s getting dark. “I should find some flashlights,” I tell her. “I know where I have one for sure.” I guess I wasn’t as prepared for this storm as I thought.

“Do you have any candles? I think Ellie left some for me. I could run over and get them,” Sophie offers.

I purse my lips and think for a minute. “You’re going to think this is nuts but I’m pretty sure there are a bunch of candles in one of Leah’s boxes.” I grimace. “If you feel like rooting through them.”

Sophie shrugs. “If you don’t mind, I’ll have a look.” She pulls her phone out of her pocket and turns on the flashlight.

“I’ll make us some dinner,” I shout, walking to the pantry to grab the pancake mix. Then I pick up Lucy and put her in the highchair. I am trying not to open the refrigerator and let out the cold, but I reach in and grab yogurt for Lucy, milk, eggs, and butter. Everything still feels pretty cold. “How do you feel about breakfast for dinner?” I call to Sophie. She doesn’t answer me immediately, so I walk to the front room. She’s sitting on the floor with a wooden box of Leah’s, engrossed in what she has found.

“Did you find any candles?” I ask, raising my eyebrows.

Sophie is caught off guard. “Oh…yeah. Sorry. I got distracted. Breakfast sounds good.” She puts the wooden box back in the larger box she found it in, grabs the candles, and stands up. “I’ll help you.” She walks past me and into the kitchen.

I walk over to the box she was sitting by and peer in. I recognize the wooden box as Leah’s treasure box. When we used to go to Sunset Beach, she would put all the treasures she found in there, special shells, Cape May diamonds, that sort of thing. I feel a twinge inside my chest that Sophie was looking at it. Maybe now is as good a time as any to start going through them. Sophie could be my support. She’s already seen me cry more than any grown man would like. I will ask her after dinner.

When I get back in the kitchen, Sophie is whisking the pancake batter and humming happily. She already has the pan heating up on the stove. My heart swells watching her, and I’m frozen in the doorway.

“Do you mind if we put chocolate chips in them?” she asks hopefully. “If you don’t have any, I think Ellie does. They were my favorite when I was a kid,” she beams.

I walk over to the pantry and open it, reaching to the top shelf where I keep the bag. I turn back to her grinning and shaking the bag in my hand. “Mine too.”

* * *

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