Page 87 of Surviving Slater

His movements quickened and I held on, feeling the initial start of my orgasm before I realized I hadn't felt the need to hide. I had been with him every step of our union, and that left me reeling as I felt the first crash of my climax. I was still gasping when he tensed above me and came.

Still trying to understand what happened, he lay above me, trying to catch his breath.

"You okay?" he asked, searching my face for answers.

I nodded.

He moved off me and then walked to the bathroom to get rid of the condom. He returned and slipped back into bed with me.

"Talk to me," he said, caressing my cheek.

I looked at him and smiled. "I'm okay."

There was no quick way to fix what had happened to me but, in that moment, I felt a glimmer of hope that I would be able to overcome it.

Then my mood was ruined when I remembered Cathy. I pulled the sheets to cover up my nakedness.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled as I tried to move off the bed with a blanket to hide me.

"What's wrong?" he asked sharply, stopping my exit with a hand wrapped around my wrist.

"I'm sorry I let this happen," I mumbled, unable to look at him directly because it was only a reminder of what I didn't have. I was mortified I had forgotten.

"Stop," he said, pulling me back down onto the bed, but I continued to struggle against him.

He lay above me, putting the slight weight of his body on me to stop me from struggling.

"Talk to me," he said. "Don't shut me out."

I pressed my lips together, not liking the horrible ache I felt in the middle of my chest.

"Cathy," I whispered. It was enough for understanding to filter into his features.

"There is no Cathy," he stated. "There is no one else."

And with that admission, his hold on me slackened and he moved off to sit beside me. I turned onto my side, not sure of what to say.

"You can't blame me for thinking you were still involved with her." He shrugged as he leaned against the headboard, refusing to look at me.

"No. It's what I wanted you to think."

I frowned as I sat up beside him, trying to figure out what he meant by that.

"Why?" I asked.

My phone started to ring. I moved off the bed, still clutching the sheet, and fished my phone out of my bag. I had been worried it was my mom looking for me but it was Taylor.

"Hi," she greeted me when I answered. "I just wanted to find out how you're doing."

"I'm okay," I said. Saying I was fine didn't sound right.

"How was it?" she asked.

"It was sad and emotional," I answered as I faced Slater, who was still sitting on the bed.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"With Slater."