Chapter 20 #3
“Boone,” she whispers, breathless, bracing her hands on my chest. “Oh, God—”
Her walls grip me tight, and I grit my teeth, fighting the urge to thrust up hard.
She sets the pace, rocking her hips slowly at first, testing the rhythm.
Watching her move like this—on top of me, her hair falling around her face, her lips parted in little gasps—it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
“You’re blooming,” I murmur, unable to stop the words. My hands slide up her torso, cupping her breasts again, pinching her nipples lightly until she cries out. “Fucking hell, Sadie. You look fantastic riding me.”
She shivers at the praise, her hips moving faster now, her moans slipping louder. She’s always so guarded, so careful with her emotions, but right here, right now, she’s letting herself go. Letting me see her like this.
I rub her clit with my thumb, and she jerks, gasping. “Too much?” I ask quickly.
She shakes her head, hair flying. “No—don’t stop.”
Her hips stutter as the pleasure builds, her hands clawing lightly at my chest. I guide her pace, steadying her, letting her grind just right. Every time she circles her hips, my cock drags against her sweetest spot, and she moans louder, her voice cracking.
“That’s it,” I groan, my eyes glued to her flushed face. “Chase it, baby. Take it.”
She cries out, trembling, her whole body tightening as her orgasm slams into her. Her walls clamp down around me, milking me, and the sound she makes—part moan, part sob—burns into my memory.
I hold her hips, slowing her down as she rides out every wave. When she collapses forward against my chest, panting, I kiss the top of her head, stroking her hair.
“Are you satisfied?” I whisper against her temple.
She laughs breathlessly, the sound shaky but real. “I… I think so.”
Her words make me smile like a fool. I squeeze her ass gently, pressing her tighter against me. “Good. Because I can fuck you again when we wake up.”
Her laugh bubbles up, soft and surprised, and it’s the last sound I hear before her weight settles into me. Her laughter—light, unguarded—is what I take with me as I drift back to sleep, still buried deep inside her, still holding her like she’s the most precious thing I’ve ever had.
The washing machine beeps, that little obnoxious alarm that means the dryer’s cycle is finished. I grin to myself, rubbing a hand over my face as I pad barefoot across the kitchen linoleum toward the laundry nook.
Her clothes are warm and soft when I pull them out—folding them feels almost too intimate, but I do it anyway. I tuck the folded stack on the counter.
It feels right, having her things here.
The sink catches my eye. There are still a few remaining dishes that we never got to before…
The memory makes me smile as I roll my sleeves and get to work. Soap, hot water, the rhythmic scrape of sponge against porcelain. Domestic. Ordinary.
But my chest feels full doing it because it’s for her, for us, for this unexpected life that cracked open last night when she kissed me.
Once the last glass is drying on the rack, I decide on breakfast. Nothing too fancy—scrambled eggs, bacon, some toast. I grab a skillet, letting the bacon sizzle, the salty smell filling the apartment.
Eggs whisked with cream, poured into a pan that hisses when they hit the heat. I hum under my breath, the kind of morning rhythm I fall into when I’ve been up since dawn and I don’t mind it.
That’s when I hear her. Bare feet padding across the floor, the creak of my hallway floorboard.
“Boone?” Her voice is rough from sleep, husky, like velvet rubbed raw.
I glance up—and holy fuck.
She’s in my shirt. The black one I tossed over a chair last night. It hangs off one shoulder, skimming the tops of her thighs. Her hair is a mess, strands curling and falling into her face, her cheeks still flushed from sleep.
And damn, if that isn’t the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen, then I’ve been living blind all these years.
She smirks when she sees my expression, then stretches. “I thought you promised me more sex when I woke up.”
The spatula nearly slips out of my hand. I laugh, shaking my head, crossing the space to kiss her before I can think better of it. Her lips taste like sleep, like last night, like Sadie.
“Sit down, greedy girl,” I murmur against her mouth, nipping her lower lip before pulling back. “Eat first. Then we’ll discuss negotiations.”
She rolls her eyes but does as I say, sliding onto one of the stools at my counter. “You did all this while I was sleeping? I feel bad.”
“You shouldn’t,” I say simply, plating up the eggs and bacon, sliding them in front of her. “You’re my guest. And…” I lean down, brushing a kiss against the side of her neck, unable to resist. “I liked doing it.”
Her breath hitches, but she hides it behind a sip of water. I grin, knowing I caught her off guard.
I settle on the stool beside her, pulling her onto my lap before she can protest. She squeaks, but then settles against me, warm and soft, her thighs brushing mine.
I fork up some eggs, offering her the first bite. She blushes, but she takes it.
“This is nice,” she admits softly. “Really nice.”
“Yeah.” My voice is low, because I’m thinking the same thing. More than nice. Fucking perfect.
We eat like that, her stealing bites off my plate, me sneaking kisses along her jaw between mouthfuls. Every now and then, I catch her studying me.
When the plates are scraped clean and pushed aside, I hold her tighter. “Last night,” I start, cautious.
She stiffens.
“Hey,” I murmur, rubbing slow circles on her hip until she relaxes. “I just… I want to make sure you’re okay. With everything. With me.”
Her eyes flick up to mine, searching, wary. Then she exhales. “I don’t mind, Boone. I mean—I’d like to do it again. I didn’t think I would, not after…” She trails off, shaking her head. “But I did. I do.”
Relief punches through me so hard I close my eyes. I kiss her—quick, grateful, lingering. “Same,” I whisper against her mouth.
We stay like that for a moment, quiet, breathing the same air. Then she sighs and pulls back. “I should probably go home. Get clothes. My supplies.”
“I’ll drop you off.” No hesitation.
She smiles, soft and shy. “Thanks.”
“I want to see you again soon,” I add, holding her gaze. Not a question. Not a hope. A truth.
Her cheeks flush, but she nods. “Okay.”
That single word feels like the sun rising all over again.
The ease of it settles between us. Like we’ve shifted into something new, something steadier. She leans her head on my shoulder, and I think I could sit here all day with her like this.
Still, I can’t resist pushing my luck. I tilt her chin up, smirking. “I’m definitely down for another round. Preferably in the shower.”
She giggles, the sound bright and unexpected. “That’s how people get injured, you know.”
“Good thing I’m a paramedic then,” I shoot back, grinning as I kiss her nose.
Her laughter fills the kitchen, and for the first time in years, I feel like the walls of this place aren’t too quiet, too empty.
Like they finally fit.