She considered my request quizzically before lifting one leg, trusting me completely. When her other leg reached my shoulder, I turned my lips to brush her ankle and she gasped.

I adjusted my grip on her backside and from this angle I was able plunge even deeper. The feel of being this nestled inside her was so intoxicating, my eyes practically rolled in the back of my head.

Her eyes closed on a moan, and her head fell back against the pillows.

“No,” was my soft one-word command. But she understood immediately and snapped her eyes open. My heart thrashed agonizingly against my chest that this girl got me so completely. Got that I needed her gaze on me. That I needed her to experience this right along with me.

My fingers slid down her arm and I reached for her hand, interlaced our fingers securely together.

I began pumping harder and faster as her feet braced against my shoulders. When her fingers reached out to touch the expanse connecting us, my balls tightened and I knew I was close. As I thrust in and out, she looked down to watch where our bodies met, before gazing back up at me.

“Nate,” she said, her lips trembling. “I’m gonna come.”

I nodded. “Keep your eyes on me, baby.”

I drove harder and she whimpered loudly before letting loose, her hand gripping my thigh securely. I followed right behind, panting and cursing openly.

I slowed to gentle thrusts as my orgasm swelled over me in surge after surge. Everything became a blur in the background—except her sweet face and those eyes, which had remained fixed on me.

I collapsed atop her and then rolled, bringing her with me. Ours legs remained entwined and our hands gripped firm, and we breathed into each other’s necks.

So intense. So deep. So profound.

Neither one of us spoke or moved for quite some time, and I just wanted to remain that way, buried deep inside of her for always.

Finally, after several still and hushed minutes, she said, “Nate. Why did you . . . change your mind?”

I wasn’t offended by the question, I’d been wondering the same thing myself. Why I hadn’t spanked her or tied her up.

“I think . . .” I whispered into her hair. “Just knowing it was possible . . . was enough for me.”

I didn’t meet her eyes when I said it. I didn’t even know if she got what I meant. Part of me wished I could take it back, that maybe I had said too much, shown my cards too soon.

But then I felt her fingers grasp my chin and she lifted it, forcing me to look at her. When her eyes met mine, she closed the space between us, placing a gentle yet sensual kiss on my lips. Our hands were still interconnected and she gave my palm a steady squeeze.

I tugged her toward me so that her head lay on my chest and then I felt her relax against me.

Too much had gone down between us tonight that I couldn’t wrap my brain around. I needed to get the hell out of here before I did something else to screw up this friends-turned-lovers situation even further. Like bring all of my messy feelings for her into the mix.

Chapter Thirty

Jessie

Nate was gone by the time I woke up in the morning, just as I expected him to be. We fell asleep in each other’s arms. I didn’t remember him pulling out of me and leaving my bed, let alone shutting the door behind him. No surprise there, my body was spent.

But no doubt about it, Nate didn’t fuck me last night—he made love to me.

I didn’t think he even understood that and there was a chance he never would, but I was pretty certain I’d be wrecked for a good long while.

To make matters worse, he had to go and leave a sweet note.

Blue,

Didn’t want to wake you, pretty girl. You looked so peaceful.

Square

Last night was so intense that just thinking about it made my entire body tingle.

I couldn’t dwell on it, though. Nate was Nate and I had stuff to do. That was when I bolted up in bed and remembered my car. Shit. It had a flat and my truck was sitting at the bowling alley. I needed to call a tow company to pick it up or maybe I could drive it somewhere like Nate had done in Bridgeway.

I considered asking Nate for advice before I changed my mind. We’d just had sex, he left in the middle of the night, and now I’d be texting him like some whiney chick who needed something more from him? No thanks.

I looked for my clothes, which were strewn across the room. I felt a momentary pang about exactly how they got that way, but pushed through it. As I yanked on my underwear and a T-shirt, I thought of who was on the schedule today that could give me a lift to my car and then to work. I could ask Dex, but that would send him mixed signals. I knew Emmy wasn’t on until later and was busy at the animal shelter this morning. I’d be giving her an earful today for sure. Finally, I settled on Bennett.

I pulled out my phone and scrolled for his name.

I might need a lift to work. Any tire advice?

Bennett: I’m confused. What do you mean? Where are you?

Well that was strange—didn’t Bennett remember what had happened last night?

Me: Am I in the Twilight Zone? I’m at home, just woke up, and need to be at work. But don’t have a car, remember?

Bennett: You just woke up? Look outside.

I stood up, irritated by his confusing text. I walked to the door and rose up on my tiptoes to look out my window to the driveway. My car was parked in my regular spot in the turnaround. I swung open the screen and upon closer inspection, it looked like I had a brand-new tire. What the what?

I didn’t have any pants on, so I returned to my couch to text Bennett again.