Page 84 of Last Fall

Seven days ago I went to a hockey game and met Jack and Belle. We ate dinner and wentdancing.

One week ago I took him to my bed and here I was doing it again, only this time I wasn’t driven by frantic instinct. Tonight I knew exactly what I was doing. Two years of knowing each other had fueled seven intense days of intimacy of every kindexceptone.

We shared meals and laughed together. I learned his body and he learned mine. Tonight Iwantedmore.

“I like your friends,” he said, throwing the lock onthedoor.

“They likeyou,too.”

“So Ipassed?”

“Thetest?”

Henodded.

“Yes. I received multiple thumbs-up, whispered approvals, and even one very dirtyillustration.”

His eyes lit up. “Can Iseeit?”

“Maybe. I have a questionfirst.”

He swaggered across the room to where I stood by the bed. “What’s yourquestion,Zoe?”

I swallowed down the butterflies that took flight when he looked at me like that. “Do I passyourtest?”

His brow furrowed and then understanding dawned. His eyes took on that hungry look I loved. “Well there’s only one way tofindout.”

I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him. It was strange how familiar it was to be close to him now. How natural it felt to melt against him and breathe inhismusk.

Except after his morning run. That musk was a littletoomuch.

“You definitely get an A in kissing,” he murmured againstmylips.

“Noshadows?”

“No,” he growled. “But I’ll take back your good grades if you mention itagain.”

Dulynoted.

He ran his nose along mine and I became keenly aware that the only sound was the heavy panting of our breath. I could feel him everywhere, even the places we weren’t touching. There was so much heat and electricity it filled the air and closed the gap between ourbodies.

His hands moved down my arms and up again, stopping at my collarbone. “Tell me what you’re thinking.” He pressed his forehead against mine, eyesscrewedshut.

I didn’t hesitate in my reply because there was no more thinking when it came to Erik. No shadow confusing me. “I’ve always wanted to know whathappensnext.”

Instead of his hands moving down he cupped my face. “It’s going to beamazing.”

“Yes.” I kissed him. “Keepgoing.”

I was so comfortable with him now. It was nothing like last week. I knew now that there was no comparison. Erik was hands-down the best man I’d ever met in real life, or even my fictional one. Better if for no other reason than the fact that he wasoh-so-real.

His touch was simply the touch of a man wanting a woman. His kiss was—well let’s be real. His kisses were the very definition of mind-altering.

This was me enjoying the life I’d always wanted with a man who was just as happy to belivingit.

Period.

End. Of.Story.