Page 23 of The Way Home (Pathfinders Lake Romance #5)

Riley righted his glasses, placed a hand on my cheek, and leaned forward to kiss me. It was achingly sweet, a contrast to the sloppy, uncontrolled ones from earlier. The light, playful kiss after what we’d just done was… everything . My heart soared in my chest.

With a happy sigh, Riley repositioned himself closer, his head on my chest. When his hand landed on my stomach, smearing through the trails he’d left behind, he lifted it and huffed out a laugh. “Oh, God. We’re a mess.”

“A perfect mess, though,” I said with a smile on my face.

“I don’t even want to know what my ass looks like after that pounding.”

My smile faltered, and I lifted my head off the kitchen floor to look down at him. “Did I hurt you?”

A hand smoothed over my chest. “No, Jem. God, that was… wickedly hot. I might be feeling it later, but I haven’t been fucked like that… actually I’m not sure I ever have.”

“You felt so good, I couldn’t stop myself. I kept thinking, I couldn’t believe it was you.” I was still thinking it, even now laying here on the cold floor together.

“I felt the same way. I’m not normally one to be so spontaneous, but I knew if I waited, I might have found a reason not to go through with it. Thank God for coconut oil, though,” Riley said with a chuckle.

“Right,” I smirked. I was never more glad I’d picked some up before coming to the cabin than I was now.

I liked to use it when I cooked, and it sure came in handy.

If I wasn’t so worried about leaving Riley alone to second-guess the whole situation, I could have gone to my room where I had plenty of lube and… condoms.

“Oh shit! Fuck, fuck, fuck.” I slapped a hand to my head. I couldn’t believe I did that.

Riley sat up and stared down at me with a concerned look. “What?”

I pushed myself up and slid a glance to him, hoping this wouldn’t break the trust he’d shown in me. “I messed up.”

“How so?”

“I just wasn’t thinking. I forgot to use a condom. I’m so sorry, Riley.” My head fell, and my soaring heart fell with it.

I didn’t know what to expect or how he would react, certainly didn’t think he would straddle my lap and cradle my face in his hands. “It’s… not ideal, but it’s okay. I wasn’t thinking either, Jem. It’s on both of us. We’ll figure this out.”

I hugged him tight and rested my cheek against his body. “I’m sorry. Putting you at risk is the last thing I would ever want to do. If it helps, I’ve always used condoms for anything penetrative, and I test regularly. But I can test again if it would give you peace of mind.”

Riley rubbed my back reassuringly. “I’ve been in a bit of a dry spell, but I did test after my last partner in the hopes of dating again, and I was negative. At this point, what’s done is done.”

“I suppose so.” I couldn’t change what happened, but I still felt guilty for the lapse in judgment. I was always careful. But it was Riley, and I couldn’t think of anything else.

Riley surprised me by flicking his tongue over my ear and catching my lobe gently in his teeth. I shuddered at the sensation. My ears had always been sensitive, and it drove me wild to have them played with.

He blew a soft puff in my ear, making my dick take notice, and whispered, “I liked it. I’ve dreamt of you filling me up just like that. Especially after you carried me through the woods. It was so fucking hot, Jem.”

My lips curved upward. This was the adult version of Riley. The side of him I didn’t know yet and was getting to discover. Unexpected but very welcome. “Keep talking like that, and I’m going to see just how full we can get you.”

Riley bit his lip, and his cheeks pinked. He rolled his hips, sliding over my hardening cock. With how hard I came, I would have thought it would be out of commission for a bit, but not with Riley sitting in my lap and saying such delicious things in my ear.

I reached up and took his glasses off, folding them and setting them on a chair.

Riley’s green eyes darkened with lust, and he pushed my shoulders until I laid back on the floor.

He slid his hands up my chest, sending ripples of electricity through me.

Riley leaned down and ran his tongue along my bottom lip.

I opened my mouth, and he dipped it inside, sweeping over my tongue.

We kissed slow and deep, savoring every second of it.

“I want you, Riley. I don’t think I’ll ever stop wanting you.”

“I want you, too. Again. Now. I don’t think I can wait.” I loved hearing this desperate side of him. We had so much lost time to make up for, and now that we were here, I didn’t think I could wait, either.

“Yes. Yes, whatever you want, darling.”

Riley gave me one last kiss before pushing himself up. He reached behind him and grabbed my cock, holding it in place as he lowered himself onto it. He hissed as he slid down, and I gripped his hips, breathing hard as he slowly seated himself fully.

“Oh, fuck, you feel so good, Ri.” I tried to thrust upward, but he slapped my chest lightly and gave me a devious grin.

“Not this time. I’m in control now. And you’re going to sit there and take it.”

I nodded wordlessly, in complete and total awe of him.

This was definitely a new side of him, and I was so here for it.

He may have topped me physically when we were younger, but he had never taken control like this.

My fingers dug into his hips holding on while he lifted himself and sat back down, making me moan loudly.

Riley put his hands on my chest to brace himself as he began to move. Seeing him like this, riding me, pinning me to the kitchen floor—it was hot as hell, and I wasn’t going to last long with the stunning view of him that I had.

He kept a relentless pace, his cock bouncing with each movement. The sight and feel of him were going to be my undoing. “Fuck… fuck… I’m so close, Ri. Holy shit.”

“Touch me. Please. I need your hand on me.”

I reached down and stroked his cock, eliciting a lovely, loud moan. His movement stopped for a moment as he arched into my grip. I slid my hand down, squeezing as I went, loving the way he threw his head back and pumped into it. Soon, he began moving again, and I matched his rhythm with my own.

Riley’s cock hardened and soon spurts shot all over my hand, adding to the now-dried streaks on my belly. “Ngh! Shit! Shit! Shit!” He panted, and his hole pulsed around me.

I tightened my grip on his hips, holding him in place as I thrust into him with my release. “Fuuuuck.”

Riley collapsed forward, falling against my chest. My arms went around him and held him as we both recovered. Riley brushed his lips along my throat, and I thought I could feel his smile against my skin.

“Wow,” he said softly.

“Hey, that’s my line,” I teased.

“I don’t have words right now, so I had to steal yours.” Riley nuzzled his nose against me. “I think I’m done, though. My legs are jelly.”

“Mmm. It was a solid workout. Five stars. Would recommend.”

“Mmhmm,” he hummed.

“Ri?” I asked as I rubbed his back.

“Yeah?” His voice sounded worn. Understandable, considering all the huffing and panting he’d been doing.

“I think we should move.”

“I don’t wanna.”

A smile stretched on my face. This was the Riley I remembered. He used to get all snuggly and sleepy in his post-sex haze. “Come on, let’s get cleaned up, and we can go rest for a bit.”

Riley sighed heavily, making my smile stretch even wider.

This was my favorite part, too. Taking care of him after.

I tapped his leg, and he rolled off my lap.

Rising to stand, I reached down and pulled him up.

I was half-tempted to carry him, but I was feeling pretty spent myself.

Instead, I held his hand and led him to his room.

Getting him settled into the bed, I gave him a soft kiss. “I’ll be right back, and we’ll get you cleaned up.”

In the bathroom, I had to admire the complete and total mess that was my chest. I almost didn’t want to wash it away, feeling triumphant at the evidence of making Riley come twice, but I would regret it later if I left it.

I got a wash cloth and ran it under some warm water, cleaning myself off at the sink, before returning with the cloth to Riley’s room.

His eyes were closed, and he wore an adorably sexy smile.

Riley barely flinched when I cleaned his front, and he let out a sleepy moan as I rolled him over to clean his back side.

I took the wash cloth to the bathroom and when I came back, Riley was sprawled out diagonally across the bed.

He was laying on his stomach, with his beautiful ass on display and one leg bent up.

He was already breathing heavily enough to know he was sleeping, but it seemed his body wanted to leave the message that he was open and ready for more.

Not right now, it would have to wait. But damn, he looked beautiful on display like that.

Without enough room to lay beside him, I crawled between his legs and settled in with my chest on his back and my cheek on his shoulder, laying on top of him.

We’d laid like this many times when we were young, needing as little space as possible between us.

I felt him exhale deeply and relax fully with my body covering his.

This… this was home, right here.