Page 78 of Hometown Heart

"We can stop—"

"I don't want to stop."

The certainty in his voice eliminated any remaining hesitation. I kissed him again, more insistently this time, one hand sliding beneath his sweater to find warm skin. He responded in kind, fingers working at the buttons of my flannel shirt with surprising dexterity.

We stayed there on the couch for what could have been minutes or hours, learning each other with increasingly urgent touches. Each new discovery—the sensitive spot at the base of his throat, the way his breath caught when I traced his collarbone—was an exciting journey to discovery around his body.

Eventually, by mutual, unspoken agreement, we made our way to the ladder leading to the loft. Silas climbed first, his movements slightly clumsy with desire. I followed, pausing at the top to see him sitting on the edge of the bed, hair mussed from my hands, eyes dark in the dim light filtering up from the main room.

"Last chance to reconsider," I said, voice rough with wanting.

Silas reached for me, pulling me down beside him on the bed. "I've reconsidered enough for one lifetime, don't you think?"

His words collapsed the final barrier between us. We fell together onto the flannel-covered bed, hands and mouths urgent now, guided by instinct and growing familiarity. Clothes were discarded with little ceremony, each new expanse of skin greeted with reverent touches.

In the half-light, I traced the contours of his body—the solid breadth of his shoulders, the softness at his waist, the strong lines of his thighs. He explored me with equal attention, his touch confident yet questioning.

When he finally moved above me, his weight a perfect anchor, I pulled him down for another kiss. "I've wanted us to be like this together from the beginning."

He smiled, the expression changing his entire face, softening the usual guardedness. "Liar. You were too busy worrying about Cody's hockey tryouts to notice me."

"I noticed. Trust me."

We moved together with increasing urgency. Silas's usual reserve dissolved completely, replaced by an openness I'd only glimpsed in fragments before.

My hands roamed over the broad expanse of Silas's shoulders, tracing the defined muscles that tensed and relaxed with each movement. I marveled at his muscular waist and the power in his thighs as they pressed against mine. His own exploration was equally thorough, his touch both confident and inquisitive, leaving trails of fire across my skin.

When he positioned himself above me, the weight of his body grounding me, I pulled him into a fierce kiss.

Our movements became more urgent, driven by primal needs. I gripped his hips, pulling him closer, feeling the hard length of him against me.

I pulled a condom packet from my jeans and sheathed his cock. He groaned, his forehead resting against my cheek as he rocked into me, the friction sending waves of pleasure coursing through my body.

Clothes were hastily discarded, our bodies eager to eliminate any barriers between us. The cool air of the cabin did little to dampen the heat that radiated from our skin as we came together, limbs entwined, mouths fused in a desperate dance.

Silas's hands were everywhere, mapping out my body with a touch that was both reverent and possessive. I mirrored his actions, my own hands exploring the dips and curves of his form, committing each gasp and shiver to memory. His body was a landscape of desire, and I was determined to leave no part unexplored.

His eyes never left mine as he positioned himself at my entrance. My body trembled in anticipation.

The first thrust was slow, deliberate, a promise of what was to come. I gasped at the sensation, my body stretching to accommodate him, the slight burn quickly giving way to pleasure. He paused, giving me a moment to adjust, his eyes searching mine for any sign of discomfort. I answered with a roll of my hips, drawing him deeper, a silent plea for more.

Our lovemaking was a give-and-take of pleasure that left us both breathless. Silas moved with a rhythm that was both powerful and graceful, each thrust hitting that perfect spot deep within me. I met each one, my body arching off the bed, my fingers digging into his back muscles.

The world outside the cabin ceased to exist, leaving only the two of us lost in the rhythm of our desire. The sound of our ragged breaths and the slap of skin against skin filled the air, a primal melody that drove us both closer to the edge.

My orgasm built a coil of tension in the pit of my stomach that grew tighter with each thrust. Silas's name fell from my lips, a plea for release that I knew he could answer.

His own movements became more erratic, his breath coming in short gasps as he chased his own climax. He swelled even tighter within me, his body tensing as he neared the edge.

"Come with me," he growled, his hand wrapping around my length, stroking in time with his thrusts. The added sensation was my undoing, the coil of tension snapping as waves of pleasure crashed over me.

I cried out, my body convulsing as I came, the warmth of my release spilling onto my stomach. Silas followed soon after, his body going rigid as he thrust deep one last time, a groan of pure ecstasy tearing from his throat.

We collapsed together, our bodies slick with sweat, our breaths coming in ragged gasps. Silas's weight was comforting,anchoring me to him and the moment. His heart pounded against my chest, a mirror of my own as we both came down from the high of our shared climax.

Later—much later—we lay tangled in the flannel sheets, a fine sheen of sweat cooling on our skin despite the winter chill outside. Silas rested his head on my chest, his breathing slowly returning to normal, one hand splayed across my ribs as if verifying my continued presence.

"You're thinking too loudly," I murmured, stroking a hand down his spine.

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