Page 135 of Rum & Coke

I nodded. “I need this. I needyou.”

“You have me, sweets.”

“I know,” I agreed. “But I need all of you. I need to remember your touch and not his.”

He stared at me for a beat. “I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”

“Then make love to me. Make it so that you’re the last man to touch me everywhere.”

Without further hesitation, Vinny lifted me and flipped us so I was on my back looking up at him. His mouth descended on mine, his tongue urgent as it parted my lips. “I’m going to taste you everywhere.”

I moaned in response. His mouth returned to my lips, tasting, devouring, claiming. He continued down to the valley between my breasts, stopping to suck each one into his mouth again. His lips felt right, perfect against my skin as he sucked each nipple into his mouth, making each one pucker. With each swipe of his tongue, I tried to focus on Vinny and not the past. Of course it was different, and honestly, not hard to focus on the man currently loving on my body.

Vinny’s hand reached between my legs, and I gasped as he touched my clit with his finger. I arched my back off the bed. While it had been months since I felt his fingers between my legs, my body reacted as though it knew it was him. My arousal flowed and coating his hand, and while he rubbed the nub of nerves, he continued his trail with his tongue. He licked his way to my stomach, dipping into my belly button and going further south until his lips met my center.

At the first swipe of his tongue against my pussy, he noted, “Sweet like fucking candy.”

I didn’t respond as I enjoyed the feel of him working and tasting me. He flicked my clit, nipped it with his teeth and brought me closer and closer to coming with each second. He spread me open wider, and while he used his fingers to work my core, he continued to use his mouth too.

“I’ve fucking missed this,” he stated against my heat.

“Me, too,” I panted.

My body started to tighten as I was on the verge of shattering. Vinny pumped his fingers faster, hooking them just right to make my back arch off the bed again as his tongue worked my bud. I clenched his head with my thighs as my orgasm raced through me, and I moaned with pleasure.

Vinny rose off his belly, licked his lips and crawled back up my body. Our eyes were locked as he bent his head down, capturing my mouth with his. My tongue darted out to taste myself on his lips and tongue. I moaned again, running my hands over the light hair on his chest and down his rippling washboard abs to grab his cock. I pumped him a few times with my hand, and he pulled out of my grasp and eased himself between my thighs. He pressed the tip of his shaft against my entrance while looking into my eyes.

“You okay?” Inch by inch he slid inside.

I nodded. “Yes. This is what I need.”

He kissed my lips again. “Me, too, sweets.”

He increased his speed, working me deep, and I knew at that moment it was Vinny, not Duane, who was making love to me. I wasn’t sure if I’d actually ever meet Duane Wood in bed because he was on a break—hopefully for good—and Scarlett was no longer in existence. I never wanted to be Scarlett again. She died the moment I stepped out of that wedding dress.

Our bodies had a light coating of sweat as our hips rocked in sync. I moaned, and he groaned, and the pleasure grew so intense that I knew another orgasm was coming.

“I’m close,” I panted.

“Me, too,” he groaned.

Vinny rested his weight on his left forearm, continuing to pump into me as he reached between my legs and rubbed my clit. He claimed my mouth again, and while he massaged my nub harder and faster, grinding his hips into me as fast as he could, I moaned his name as I came beneath him. He groaned, and came a few moments after.

“I love you,” he said into my ear as we stayed connected.

I smiled. “I love you too. Always have and always will.”

He leaned up and stared into my eyes. “Forever?”

I nodded. “Forever.”

Four Months Later …

A lot had happenedin the last four months.

Gabe and Autumn got married three weeks ago, Tessa was about to pop, and Seth and Cat moved to Las Vegas and were planning a wedding. Colton started making even greater strides in his progress. He began to verbalize here and there, which was huge. It meant he was hopefully going to be able to one day verbally communicate with us. We also threw him a birthday party and everyone came, including some kids from school. Neither the Giants nor the Dodgers won the World Series, but it didn’t keep Tessa and me from having our continued rivalry. Even in the off-season.

Tessa and Colton still lived with me, and honestly, I was okay with that. I didn’t want them to leave. My nights without Tessa in my arms and bed were the worst nights of my life. I never wanted to feel that emptiness again.