Page 58 of Troy Story
“And I went back to her.” Remorse washed over him. “I still wish you’d told me.”
“I couldn’t because you were in so deep with her. If I kept quiet, I figured we could still be friends. I didn’t want to ruin our friendship.”
The fact that she’d kept such a big secret, all because she didn’t want to lose him, made him love her even more. “Thank you for never giving up on us.”
“You’re not mad?”
“No. But let’s not keep any more secrets. Is there anything else you need to tell me?”
She gave him a coy smile. “Nothing else, except I’d like to finish what we started. If you’re up for it. Otherwise, we can wait. I know I dropped a big bombshell, but…”
But they were together now, and Boston was in the past. If they didn’t act on this chance, they wouldn’t get another one until the dig ended. And hereallywanted her. “We shouldn’t waste this night. Not when Em and TJ went to the trouble of setting up Operation Aphrodite.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Let’s keep going.” She trailed her hands down his stomach and tugged on the waistband of his boxers. “But these need to go.”
He pulled them off and tossed them aside, then reached over to his nightstand to retrieve a condom. Before putting it on, he met her eyes. “You sure about this?”
She smiled up at him, her expression radiant. “Yes. But I want you on top. In total control.”
“There you go, ceding control to me again. I like this side of you.”
“Don’t get too used to it, Dr. Carlson. Except maybe in bed.”
Her sassy tone made her even more irresistible. After putting on the condom, he rolled her onto her back, parted her legs, and pushed himself deep inside her. The sensation of being enveloped by her was so much better than he could have imagined. “How’s this?”
“It’s good. So good.” Her hazel eyes brimmed with warmth as she tightened her grip on his shoulders. “Don’t hold anything back. You can take it as hard and fast as you want.”
“If I’ve waited this long, I’m not about to rush.”
At first, he took his time, pausing between thrusts to suck on her nipples, eliciting cries of pleasure from her. But when she dug her nails into his back and urged him on with more of those breathless pleas, he couldn’t hold out any longer. He picked up the pace until the bed was creaking beneath them. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but the fan cooled them with its gentle breeze.
He didn’t want to forget any of it. The feel of Dusty beneath him, the scent of her skin, her delightful little moans, and the connection he felt when he looked into her eyes. As her cries grew louder, he held back until she’d climaxed again before finally letting go, coming in a rush of ecstasy. He let out a loud groan, relieved that no one but Dusty could hear him.
When he finally stilled, his breathing was ragged, his heart pounding. At first, he didn’t speak, not wanting to break the moment. When she murmured his name, ever so gently, he placed a tender kiss on her forehead. “Dusty…that was incredible.”
She gave a contented sigh. “The best. And you know what’s even better? We still have three hours left. And we’re going to rememberallof it tomorrow.”
* * *
When Stuart woke,the room was dim, the morning light filtering through the blinds. Dusty was curled up beside him, her head nestled against his chest. His heart swelled with affection, remembering everything she’d shared with him. He still found it hard to believe that she’d kept such a painful secret for two years and that she’d waited for him, even when he’d been foolish enough to reconcile with Shelby.
From now on, he wasn’t going to let anyone ruin things between them.
Dusty blinked slowly and opened her eyes. “Is it morning already?”
“Barely.” He reached over to the nightstand and grabbed his watch. “Not quite six, but we can sleep in. It’s our day off.”
She placed a soft kiss on his bare shoulder, then sat up beside him. “If it’s six, there’s still time for me to sneak back into my bed.”
He laughed. “I’m pretty sure Em and Clarissa noticed it was empty when they came in last night.” He wasn’t sure what time they’d returned from their bar crawl since he and Dusty had drifted off after making love a second time.
“I know, but I don’t want to do the walk of shame back into my room.” She stretched, then regarded him with an affectionate smile. “Thanks for last night. It was amazing.”
“My pleasure.” He wanted her to stay and cuddle, but he needed to respect her boundaries. Overnight, things between them had changed. Now that they’d crossed the line from friends to lovers, there was no going back.
She hopped out of bed, scooped up her clothes, and put them on quickly. Blowing him a kiss, she tiptoed across the room, eased the door open, and shut it quietly behind her.
Then he was left alone with just his thoughts. While he was grateful they’d gotten to spend the night together, instead of feeling satisfied, he wanted more. Not just a summer romance but an actual relationship once they returned to Boston.
