Chapter Nine #3
When I come back to myself, he's wrapped around me, his naked chest pressed to mine, one bare leg tangled through mine, holding me tightly. "I'm right here," he croons, his lips against my shoulder. "I'm right here."
Only then do I realize that I'm crying, my whole body shaking. I don't even know why. I feel better than I ever have in my life, but tears still leak from the corners of my eyes.
He dries them, his hands shaking. "Are you okay, sweetness?"
"Perfect," I whisper because it's true. I've never been more perfect, never felt more whole than I do in this moment, like I've finally reclaimed every piece of myself I lost in that courtyard six years ago. "I'm perfect, Briggs."
"Yeah, you are," he whispers, his lips coming down on mine in a sweet kiss. "If it's too much, we can stop right here, Tia. You don't owe me anything."
"No," I whisper, "that's not it. I'm just…happy, Briggs." More tears well in my eyes. "I'm just really fucking happy."
His expression softens with understanding, his lips brushing mine again. "I told you this would be perfect for you, Tia. I meant that. This is the night you'll remember for the rest of your life, not anything else. Okay?"
I nod, because I'm pretty sure he's right about that. This is what I'm going to remember forever—this feeling, him on top of me, the way he touches me, the way he looks at me. It'll be him I remember.
I run my fingers down his back, making him groan. His erection nudges me, hard and insistent. I reach for him, but he quickly grabs my hand, pressing a quick kiss to my fingers before pressing it to the bed.
"If you touch me, this will be over before it even begins," he says, laughing a little. "I can still taste you on my lips. I can still hear you shattering for me."
"Shatter me again," I whisper, hooking my leg over his.
He groans, the sound pained. His forehead rests against mine, his body shaking. "I may be terrible at this."
"Doubtful." I don't think he's ever been terrible at anything in his life. This won't be any exception because it's him. It's me and him, and that thought alone already has my body close to overheating again.
He kisses me like he has all night, his fingers linking with mine. His cock slides through my folds, but he doesn't press inside, not yet. Instead, he just kisses me, again and again. Until I think I might explode if he isn't inside me soon.
"Please," I whimper.
He moves then, notching himself at my entrance.
I writhe beneath him as he slowly pushes forward, still kissing me, our bodies so tangled up, it's hard to tell where I end and he begins. We're just a mass of want and need.
I stretch around him, calling out his name, gasping it.
"Jesus, Tia," he rasps in response, shuddering above me. "Jesus, beautiful. You're so perfect. So fucking perfect." He pushes deeper, stretching me to capacity, and still, there's more of him.
I take every inch, sobbing his name, my nails scoring the backs of his hands. He feels so fucking good inside me, like he was made to fit there. When he bottoms out, he goes completely still, his breath rasping in his throat, his face nuzzled against my throat.
"You're going to be my whole world," he whispers.
I sob his name, emotion choking me because I know he means it. I hear it in his voice—the truth steeped in awe, reverence, and a current of promise that whispers of forever.
"I'm not going to last," he says a moment later, almost regretfully, like he's apologizing. "Not when you feel this good."
"I don't need you to last, Briggs. I just need you to fuck me."
"No." He releases one of my hands, hooking his fingers beneath my chin. His denim eyes lock with mine. "I'm not fucking you, Tia. That isn't what this is…okay?"
"I…" I swallow, my heart pounding like a drum. There's a momentary surge of panic, but it doesn't stand, not with that fierce look in his eyes. It can't. "I know," I whisper. They're the bravest words I've ever said. They're also the truest.
This isn't sex. It isn't a game, either. We were never that.
His eyes fall partially closed…and then he begins to move.
He may be worried about lasting, but I don't think that's going to be a problem, not when he moves the way he does, drawing almost all the way out before thrusting back inside, harder and deeper every time. I feel him everywhere, sending shockwaves of pleasure throughout my body.
He's too big to be gentle, too desperate to go slow…
and it's exactly what I need. He drives into me again and again, the fingers of one hand still laced with mine, the other trailing down my body.
His eyes never leave mine, not even when he slips his hand between my legs, working my clit in a way that's magic.
"Briggs," I sob, unable to say anything else. I want to tell him how good it feels and how perfect he is, but all that comes out of my mouth is his name. I say it over and over, like a mantra, chanting it into the room.
"Love the way you say my name when you want to come," he grunts, a bead of sweat sliding down his forehead.
"It's so fucking sweet, Tia. Like you're asking for permission to be as perfect as you are.
" He leans forward, brushing his lips with mine.
"But you don't need that, do you? You just need me. "
I finally manage to say a different word. "Yes. Yes!"
He groans, fucking me harder. "I need you to get there, beautiful.
I can't hold it much longer. You feel too fucking good wrapped around my cock like this.
Can you come for me?" His thumb rolls across my clit again.
"I need to see it, sweetness. I need to fill it all over my cock. You going to let me have it?"
"Yes!" I sob, my back arching. "C-close."
"Then give it to me," he says, fucking me harder, faster. "Let me taste heaven one more time tonight."
He hits the perfect spot inside, and I lose it. I lose everything—myself, reality, my breath. I splinter into pieces, wailing his name into the room so loud my voice cracks.
"Yes! Fuck, yes. Just like that, Tia!" he roars, driving into me again and then again before his body locks up on top of mine, every muscle rigid and tense. He spills into me with a moan I know I'll hear in my dreams for years to come, like he's pouring his soul into me.
I crack my eyes open, just to watch the way his body shudders, his head thrown back. My name leaves his lips again before he collapses forward, landing partially on top of me, breathing hard.
I wrap my arms around him and hold on tight, tears stinging the backs of my eyes again. This man… God, where did he come from?
"Tia," he breathes softly. "Jesus, Tia. Are you okay, beautiful?"
Not even remotely close. My whole world just shifted out of orbit… and I'm not going to do a single thing to try to get it back on track. Not one single thing.