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We kiss, slow and messy. She shifts her body so she can wrap her legs around my waist, then she presses her heels into my ass until I nearly collapse on top of her.

I grunt. “Fuck, baby. I’m going to come.”

“Do it,” she pleads.

I kiss her again and slide my hand between us, gliding over her soft stomach until I reach her clit. I circle the swollen bundle of nerves and move my hips in short strokes, our bodies pressed so close that’s all I can manage.

“Fuck,” she moans. “I—

I nip at her lips and growl. “Come for me, baby.”

“Together.”

“I’m right there with you.”

I piston my hips upward and pinch her clit. She falls apart under me, hands and legs clinging to me as she shatters. I breathe out a curse as my head drops to her neck and her pussy clenches my shaft, pulling me over the edge with her. I suck on her pulse as my cum releases inside her, my body buzzing in satisfaction.

God, I want this every day if my body can keep up with her. I want to hold her, kiss her, screw her goddamn brains out, and thoroughly love her like she deserves. Maybe even watch her body grow with my child, if that’s something she wants. It’s something I never really thought about until now, but with her…the idea of it makes more of my cum release inside her.

When I eventually finish, I exhale a contented grunt then softly kiss her on the lips, rolling us so we’re on our sides. I keep our bodies connected and limbs tangled.

“These maids are going to hate us, too,” Finley says, eyes dropping between us to where we’ll soon be making a mess.

My chest swells with a caveman type of pride. “I’ll leave them a good tip. Let the motel buy new bedding if they have to.”

Her eyes meet mine, lip twitching in amusement as I tug a strand of her hair between my fingers. We stare at each other for a long moment, our breaths synced and bodies sweaty. The last two times we’ve had sex, it was hard, dirty, but this was—a hell of a lot different. It felt like…more. And by the soft look in Finley’s gaze, I think she realizes that, too.

“Finley, I—”

“Ryker—”

We both speak at the same time. I trail my finger over her cheekbone and open my mouth to talk again, but she beats me to it.

“You go first,” she says.

I want to tell her she should go first, but she glares at me. It’s the kind of glare that makes me want to take her over my knee. Too quickly, an image of her in my classroom, round ass bent over a desk and red with my handprints, flashes behind my eyes. While that image had been a fantasy of mine that snuck its way into my brain one too many times, I’d always shut it down before it got too vivid. But now…

“Ryker,” she shifts, reminding me I’m still inside her. “What are you thinking about?”

“You.” I groan at her movement and hold her still. I’m not ready to leave her warmth yet, but I don’t think I can go again so soon. Downsides of no longer being in my twenties. Plus, I do want to talk with her. Really talk, something we’ve not had the luxury of time to do, especially after the successful rocket launch earlier.

We’d all spent part of the evening chasing another storm that was a bust. We also had to track down the sensor from the rocket. After we’d picked it up nearly twenty-five miles away from where we launched, we stopped at a burger place for food and beer before we found this motel for the night so Hawk could start downloading sensor data and we could get some rest.

As soon as we arrived, I booked the rooms, handing two keys to the guys and letting them sort it out. Ezra snagged the single while Hawk and Joey took the double room, which didn’t surprise me given their connection. I even caught Ezra winking at Hawk, hinting he knew about them, too. It hit me once again how self-absorbed I’ve been, missing what has been happening around me—something I’m determined to change.

I stroke Finley’s hair. Her eyes are closed, and her breathing has returned to normal. It was nice that nobody questioned we would share a room. Joey did, however, make a comment about how considerate I was for at least requesting our room be at the other end of the motel so none of them would hear anything. I’d playfully glared at him, but he’d only laughed and patted me on the back like he was proud of me.

Eventually, I know I will have to talk with Hawk and Ezra about my relationship with Finley and what that means for my future. But that will come after Finley and I speak. Now seems like as good a time as any, because I have ideas about what to do, ones I hope she agrees with.

“I’m going to quit my teaching job,” I blurt out.

Finley stiffens in my arms, her brow furrowing with a frown. It’s an understandable reaction—not just because it was sudden but because I knew she wouldn’t like hearing it. Finley is too kindhearted to even ask me to quit my job. I also know she wants to learn from me, and quitting would seem to mess up that plan.

“Ryker.” She places her warm hand on my chest, right over my tornado tattoo. “You can’t do that.”

“Like hell I can’t.” The words come out quick and harsh before I can contain them, but I need her to know how serious I am about this. How serious I am about being with her.

Finley tries to pull away, but I tug her back. “Please be serious,” she says. “You can’t quit.”