Page 117 of From Air

I manage to get him to lift his head.

Hungry eyes.

Wet lips.

He slides off his pants and briefs, keeping his gaze on me the whole time, while I creep on my knees toward him.

“What do you need, baby?” He nibbles at my neck, his hands on my ass, then my breasts, and in my hair like he wants to touch me everywhere at once.

I take his erection in my hand. “I need youinsideme.”

The second my back contacts the mattress, he grabs my thighs and thrusts into me.

“Oh god!” I grip his ass, taking a second to acclimate. “Don’t rush it,” I say just before he sucks on my bottom lip.

With a strained laugh, he releases it. “I’ll see what I can do.”

I grin, and he kisses me.

Everything about us feels right. We fit. The Capricorn and the Virgo. Does he feel it? Did he feel this—whatever invisible thingthisis—from the day we met? I did.

Does he know I’ve never felt so loved? Yet, he’s never said those words directly to me. He thinks he’s broken, but he’s not. He’s molded, sculpted, and perfectly created just for me.

He’s mine.

“Jaymes ...” He runs out of breath, hand on my ass, guiding me so that we fit as close as possible while pumping into me at a quickening pace.

I curl my fingers into the thick muscles along his backside as my lips part in a silent cry.

His face tenses, neck stretched, body ridged: a beautiful masterpiece—the finest specimen.

He lowers his body to lie flush to mine, and we breathe together. I know I’ll run out of oxygen soon from his weight. But for now, I’m content stroking his hair while his fingers ghost along my hip and leg.

It’s the ultimate walk of shame.

We enter the house’s back door to find Will and Maren waiting for us in the living room. Will’s watching football, and Maren’s scrolling on her phone.

Fitz doesn’t skip a beat. He acts like he just got home from work, heading straight to the coffee machine and tossing in a K-cup. I, on the other hand, shoot Will and Maren a cringey smile while making a beeline upstairs for the bathroom to clean up.

Afterhandlingthings in the cleanup department, I make what feels like a second walk of shame back down the stairs.

Maren spies me first and smiles. “How was it?”

Fitz, parked at the counter with his back to Maren, coughs on his coffee.

I shrug a shoulder. “It was fine.”

Will snorts while I pass Fitz to get a glass of water.

“What’s everyone wearing to the party tonight?” I ask.

“Will and I are going as Jack Skellington and Sally,” Maren says enthusiastically.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas?”I laugh. “Very cool.” I inspect Fitz.

“Don’t look at him,” Will says. “He never dresses up.Ever.”

I can’t help the sour expression on my face. “You invited me to a Halloween party, but you’re not dressing up?”

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