“Everything happened so fast yesterday.  I was a mess, and I’m never a mess.  You were gone, Carly at work was bragging to me about how she’s banging you and running off to New York with you,” Nate blanches, but I keep going before he can speak. “And then Luke called, freaking out because Nat’s water broke.  I just left and went to the hospital, forgetting everything else.”  I take a deep breath and wipe the tears still flowing down my cheeks away with my fingers.

“When Natalie finally agreed to take the meds, I checked my phone and saw that you’d been trying to reach me, and I called you right away.  I swear, I didn’t mean to hurt you at all, but I was annoyed that you were annoyed with me, and I had so much going through my head.  I said the wrong thing, and I apologize again.”

“Jules, I’m sure I could have handled things better too, I just…” he swallows and looks down, carefully choosing his words.  “I just hate the fact that I have this primal need inside of me to protect you. I’ve never felt this about anyone before, and you just don’t need me.  I’m so proud of you for being the independent, confident, intelligent woman you are, but you don’t need me, and I want to take care of you, more than you will ever know.”

He releases my shoulders and runs his hands down my arms to link his fingers in mine. He’s so wrong.  I do need him.

I take a deep breath, stealing myself for the words I’m about to say.  I grip his fingers with mine, and realize we’re still standing by the doorway.  I don’t want to break this moment by suggesting we sit, so I look into his eyes again and bare my soul.

“You’re so wrong,” I whisper.  He frowns and looks apprehensive again.  “You once said to me that if I’d been paying attention for the past year I would have seen that I’m the only woman you’re interested in.”  I swallow and look down at his chest.

“Look at me,” he whispers and I comply, seeing hope in his gorgeous gray eyes.

“Well, if you’d been paying attention, Nate, you would have seen that I’ve been in love with you since long before we first made love in this apartment.”  His eyes widen in wonder and my stomach settles as calm washes over me, and I know that this is right.  “I do need you.  I hated you being away yesterday.  I wanted to come home to you last night and tell you all about the baby and the delivery.  I need your strength.  Yes, I’m a badass, but there are times that I need someone to hold me up too, and I didn’t know until I found you that that doesn’t make me weak, it means that I’ve found my partner.”

“Julianne,” his voice is rough with emotion and he leans his forehead on mine, wraps his arms around me and holds me close.  “Say it again.”

“Which part?” I ask with a laugh.

“The good part,” he whispers.

“I need you.”

“The other good part.”

I run my fingers down his smooth cheek and brush my lips over his, breathing him in.

“I love you.”

“Oh, baby, I love you too.”  Nate scoops me into his arms and carries me to his bedroom, turning on the sidelight, and lowers me gently to my feet.  He pulls my hair out of the tie holding it off my face and runs his fingers through it.

“I love how soft your hair is.”  He unzips my simple, black shift dress, letting it fall down my arms and onto the floor.  My bra and panties follow it and he steps back, enjoying the view.

“Like what you see?” I ask and smile.

“God, you’re so fucking hot.”

Oh.  When he says it like that, my panties go all wet, and I just want to lick him.

“I want you naked, Nate.”  I walk to him and pull his t-shirt up over his head.  He raises his arms and backs out of the shirt, making it easier for me.  I unfasten his jeans and slide them, along with his boxer-briefs, down his legs and off his feet as he steps out of them.

Nate lifts me and lays me on the bed.  He kisses my stomach, my breasts and collar bones as he crawls up my body and nestles his large, thick cock against my folds.  I run my hands down his back to his ass and smile up into his molten gray eyes.

He kisses me, softly, tenderly, brushing my lips in that expert way of his. I lift my legs and wrap them around his hips.  As I do, I feel his apa brush against my clit and I gasp.

Nate smiles against my lips.  “Like that?” he asks.

“God, yes.”

“If you don’t, I’ll take it out.”  My wide eyes find his and I cup his face in my hands.

“You don’t have to do that for me.”

“I’d do anything for you.”

And here come a few more tears.  God, when will they stop?

“Julianne, I’ll do anything to make you happy.” He brushes the hair at my temples off my face and gazes at me with such love it takes my breath away.

“You do make me happy.  Keep the apa.  I like it.”  I grin and tilt my hips rubbing him against me and moan again.  “I more than like it.”

Nate laughs and starts to rock his hips just a little faster, sliding the tiny metal ball against my clit with each stroke.

“God, don’t stop doing that.”  I push my hands into his black hair and hold his face to mine, kissing him passionately as those little metal balls do amazing things to me. “Oh, honey, shit…”

“Yes, baby, let go.”  He rocks once, twice more and bites gently on my lower lip and I fall over the edge.  He reaches down between us and guides himself inside me, slowly stretching me, and my already sensitive muscles clench around him tightly.

“Fuck, don’t do that.  I’ll come too fast.”

“I can’t help it, you feel so damn good.”

He cups my breast in his hand and massages the nipple as he moves in and out of me at the slow, easy pace, watching my face, smiling softly down at me.  “You are amazing.  I love watching your beautiful face when I’m inside you.”

God I love it when he talks like this.

“Faster, babe,” I whisper, but his grin widens and he keeps the same gentle pace.

“No, this is going to have to be slow and steady, baby.”  His mouth finds mine once again, and his tongue teases me, his mouth slowly moves across my own, his whole body loving mine, oh so slowly.

“I missed you so much,” I whisper against his lips.