Chapter 78
Ethan
I blink away the stars spotting my vision.
My heart is beating almost painfully. And I relish it.
Relish in the feeling of being alive.
Because that’s what this woman is.
She’s life.
I bury my nose in the side of Tilda’s neck and roll my hips one last time.
The wetness of our simultaneous releases makes me groan.
Fucking. Perfect.
Tilda is still shuddering in my arms, her pussy fluttering around my sensitive flesh.
I know I’m crushing her. Just like last time. But I can’t move yet.
Her hold on me loosens, but she doesn’t drop her arms away.
Tilda slides her soft hands down my back. Then she drags her fingertips up my bare sides.
A shiver dances up my spine.
“Sorry.” Tilda starts to pull her hands away.
I grunt against her neck and shimmy my shoulders.
I feel her huff against my neck. “Again?”
I nod.
She does it again, lightly trailing her fingers over my skin.
Tracing muscles. Teasing ribs. It’s delicious torture.
I relax. Not realizing I’ve gone deadweight on her until her next exhale comes out as a wheeze.
“Shit.” It takes more effort than I’d like to admit to lift my top half off her. I look down into her pretty brown eyes. “Can you breathe now?”
She smiles as she nods. But in the waning light, I can see a tear track on her cheek.
My brows furrow.
I shift my weight back to one elbow and lift my other hand, using my thumb to wipe the mark away.
Her smile is soft. “I’m okay.”
I watch her, needing to believe her. “You’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” Her smile is wider this time. “That was… a little overwhelming.”
I think about the way my vision started to fail me. “I know what you mean.”
She snickers, making her muscles clench around me.
I grunt.
“Sorry.” Tilda widens her eyes, but I hear the humor in her tone.
I smirk. “You’re not sorry.”
She grins as she shakes her head. “No. But I don’t know how you do laundry out here, and I’m trying not to make a mess on this blanket.”
I take notice of the blanket spread beneath her. “Ah, right. But just so you know, wool is easy to clean.”
She makes a face.
“I didn’t mean… I’ve never brought a woman here before.” I know we don’t owe each other anything in regard to who we’ve been with before we met. But I still feel like she should know. Even if it’s an awkward thing to say while my dick is still inside her.
Tilda presses her lips together like she’s trying not to laugh.
I narrow my eyes. “What?”
“Nothing.” She smiles as she says it. “But I sorta figured you hadn’t crashed a plane in the woods and hiked to this cabin with another woman before.”
“It was a controlled emergency landing. The crashing into a tree happened after.”
“Uh-huh.” She runs her nails up my sides, and I jolt.
Her laugh is so light and pretty I can’t stop my smile.
I don’t even try.
Leaning down, I press a kiss to the tip of Tilda’s nose, then I lift myself off her, slipping free from her delectable heat and climbing off the bed.
She presses her legs together, keeping her knees up.
I stare down at her.
She’s still wearing her dress and my flannel, but they’re spread open around her like a robe, leaving her wonderful nakedness on display.
I smirk. “I can’t believe you’ve been hiding pierced nipples from me.”
She lifts a brow. “Like you’re one to speak.”
I shrug.
My piercing was a drunken night out decision. I’d convinced myself it would be good for my sex life. So I got it.
Then I found out I had to wait months before I could do anything with it.
I had regrets.
But those regrets are gone.
Pretty sure if Tilda asked me to get more, I’d do it.
I almost laugh at myself.
Pretty sure she could just tell me to do it, and I would.
Tilda shifts, and my attention snags on the bright red marks on her ankles.
My mouth pulls into a frown. “You better not have hurt your feet more.”
Tilda wiggles her toes. “I’m fine, Ethan.”
“The bar for your health is higher than fine, Matilda.” She looks surprised by my statement, and that, in itself, annoys me. “Just… stay put.”