Forty-two
Austin
Danica agrees to allow me to escort her home, but the moment we walk into Anna’s loft, my restraint crumbles. With a few strides, I close the gap between us and pull her fiercely against me. My hands tangle in her hair as I claim her mouth, the hunger for her taste consuming me. Her lips are soft, responding to mine with equal fervor, and it’s like I’m drawing life from them. I’ve missed this—missed her—so much. And despite her reluctance to give in initially, she’s meeting me stroke for stroke now, so I have to believe she feels this pull as well.
“Danica,” I breathe against her mouth, my voice rough. The fear of never holding her again dissipates in the warmth of her body pressed to mine. It feels more than good. It feels right. I tighten my arms around her petite frame, desperate to make up for every second we’ve been separated.
She lets out a soft moan, and my hands begin to wander. Down her back they slide, over the curve of her waist until they find purchase on her ass. With a firm grip, I lift her into my arms, eliciting a gasp that I swallow in another searing kiss. Her skirt hitches up around her thighs as she wraps both arms and legs around me. I can feel the heat of her through the thin fabric, driving me wild.
“God, Austin,” she whispers, her breath hot against my skin as I carry her across the room.
“Danica,” is all I manage to reply, my thoughts becoming less coherent with every step. Her name is a plea, a prayer, a promise all in one. As I reach the couch, the urgency in my chest is a tangible force. This is not just about desire. It’s about reclaiming a part of myself that only exists when we’re together. And as I lay her down, San Francisco sprawling out beyond the windows, I know there’s nowhere I’d rather be.
“I’ve missed you.” She sighs against my lips.
“Absolutely,” I murmur, barely able to catch my breath as her fingers dance over my chest, deftly undoing each button. Her touch is both fire and remedy, searing yet soothing the ache of weeks spent apart.
My hands descend along the curve of her back in search of the hidden zipper to her dress. There’s a moment of sweet victory when I find it, tugging gently until the fabric obliges, cascading down to pool around her waist. Exposed beneath is the promise of everything I’ve been craving.
I move back, eyes still locked on hers as I rid myself of my shirt, letting it fall forgotten. Her gaze traces over my bare chest, and I feel her eyes like fingertips. Before me, she is radiant, the flush of desire painting her creamy skin in shades of want. I drink in the sight of her, the fullness of her breasts barely contained behind sheer material, her nipples pressing against the fabric, as if reaching out for my touch. My mouth waters with the need to taste her, to reclaim what’s been denied for far too long.
“Danica,” I breathe, finding my voice again, “you’re exquisite.” The word feels small, inadequate for the goddess before me, but it’s all I have as I pull her close once more, desperate to dissolve any distance that remains between us.
I fumble with my buckle before I finally wrench the belt free. It clatters to the floor. With more haste than grace, I shove down my pants, liberating myself. They crumple at my feet, and with just a bit more maneuvering Danica’s dress joins them.
Her eyes linger on mine, darkened by desire as she bites her lower lip, a silent siren call that stirs something primal within me. My body responds, hard and wanting. The air between us crackles with anticipation.
Then she moves, fluid like a melody, hooking her leg around my hips. She traps me against her, the delicate lace of her panties a tantalizing barrier that rubs against my cock. It’s bliss, pure and intoxicating. This is where I’ve longed to be, where I belong.
“Danica,” I groan, the sound torn from deep within me. I grip the soft flesh of her waist as if to anchor myself in this moment that feels like a dream. But it’s no dream. It’s Danica, real and here in my arms.
We’re locked in this dance of want and need, the world narrowed to the space where our bodies strain toward one another, seeking a connection that promises to consume us both.
“Right here,” I whisper fiercely. “This is where I need to be—with you.”
Panic knots in my stomach. “Fuck,” I say, the word coming out as a choked gasp. I don’t have a condom.
Danica’s lips graze my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “That’s my plan,” she murmurs.
I catch her gaze. “I don’t have a condom.”
“Have you been with anyone else since we’ve been apart?” Her question is direct, her eyes steady on mine.
“Nobody,” I swear. “Just you, always you.”
She nods, her fingers tracing patterns over my chest. “I got the birth control shot.”
“Danica, I wanted to talk about this—about us and birth control—the night of the party.” My words are a confession, a release of the pent-up fears from that chaotic evening. “But then everything went sideways.”
“Let’s not think about that right now.”
I nod. “Tell me what you want.” My need to please her, to give her control, rises above all else.
Without speaking, Danica pushes me gently until I’m sinking into the couch. She stands, slips off her panties, and straddles me. The sight of her, so confident, so sure, ignites a fire within me.
Slowly—agonizingly so—she lowers herself over me. Each inch she takes in is a blissful eternity stretching between us. This sensation, raw and unguarded, is like coming home after being lost at sea.
“God, it feels…” Words fail me. Nothing can describe the sheer rightness of being inside her without any barrier.
“Perfect,” she finishes for me, her hips settling fully against mine. “The way we’re supposed to be.”
I wrap my arms around her, holding her close. Her heart beats against my chest, and I know I want to stay like this forever. Danica’s blue eyes, deep and fathomless pools that have haunted my every waking moment, lock onto mine. I lean in, unable to resist, and claim her mouth with a fierce tenderness. My tongue traces her lips before diving in, savoring the sweet, familiar taste. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“Show me,” she whispers, her breath hitching as our bodies meld together in perfect synchrony.
It’s been an eternity since I last felt this close to someone, my longest dry spell since I was sixteen. The memory of those awkward, yearning teenage years seems so distant now, eclipsed by the intensity of this moment. Here with Danica, happiness swells within me, a potent force that demands to be acknowledged. I’m truly happy, and it’s all because of her.
I won’t let her slip through my fingers again—ever. We’ve had our share of quick, heated encounters, but tonight isn’t about that frenzied pace. Tonight calls for something deeper, more enduring. With deliberate care, I shift, rolling us until she’s beneath me, a delicate vision wrapped in the strength of my arms.
The loss of intimate contact has her moaning, a sound so raw and needy. “Please,” she begs, a plea that resonates with every fiber of my being.
“Shh, I’ve got you,” I assure her as I draw my hips back, feeling the torturous slide of my cock slipping from her warmth. I’m determined to stoke these flames slowly, to make every second count. “Tonight, we take our time,” I murmur, watching her reaction, reveling in the anticipation that builds between us. “We have all night, Danica. All night to rediscover each other.”
My hips trace a slow, deliberate circle, grazing her swollen clit with the head of my cock. Danica’s legs tighten around me, her thighs pressing into my sides as her body rocks in silent plea for deeper connection.
“Are you ready?” I whisper against the soft skin of her neck, trailing a path of shivering kisses. The faint hint of strawberries from her hair fills my senses, grounding me in this moment—this perfect, fragile moment.
“Yes, please,” she gasps. “Stop teasing and fuck me.”
Her blunt words break the last of my restraint. With a firmness born of both desire and the need to show her how much she means to me, I guide her to lift her knees. So trusting and eager, she tilts her hips up, offering herself completely, and I can’t hold back any longer.
I sink into her, inch by glorious inch, until I’m again fully sheathed in her inviting warmth. A deep groan rumbles from her throat, echoing through the quiet room. I freeze for a heartbeat, savoring the sensation of her tightness enveloping me.
Slowly, I begin to move, each stroke long and deep, a testament to the time we’ve lost and the connection we’re rebuilding. I lose myself in the rhythm, in the exquisite friction, in the undeniable truth that there’s no place I’d rather be than here, joined with Danica in the most intimate of dances.
I breathe her name like a prayer, hoping she understands that with every movement, every touch, I’m not just seeking pleasure. I’m searching for a way to convey all the things that have gone unsaid, all the fears and desires that bind us together. In this space, in this moment, everything else can wait.
Danica arches beneath me, her breaths hitching in rapid succession. Her hands rise above her head, surrendering to the intensity of our union. I lean down, my mouth seeking the softness of her breast. My lips close around her nipple, teasing it with a bite, drawing a sharp gasp from her. The taste of her skin, mingled with the faintest hint of her sweat, is intoxicating.
“Harder,” she breathes, barely audible over the pounding of my heart in my ears.
I comply, sucking harder, letting my teeth graze her sensitive flesh, pulling as I increase my pace. Her body writhes beneath me. As I bite down again, just hard enough to send waves of pleasure-pain coursing through her, she teeters on the edge, the brink of that all-consuming climax.
My hand travels down to cup the round flesh of her ass, gripping firmly. I tilt her hips, angling her just so. And then I feel it, the way my cockhead grazes that perfect spot inside her, her magic button. She cries out, a high, keening sound that shatters the silence of the room.
“Fuck, Austin!” Her voice cracks on my name, and it’s like music, like victory.
The dam breaks. Her inner walls convulse around me, clenching in powerful spasms. I’m entranced by the sight of her beneath me—her hair fanned out, blue eyes glazed with ecstasy, her entire being focused solely on the pleasure rippling through her.
After that, I can’t hold back. With a guttural groan, I let myself fall into the abyss along with her. My orgasm rips through me, an explosive force that feels like it’s been building for an eternity. I fill her, each pulse of my release met by the fervent clutching of her heat, milking every last drop from me.
“Danica,” I pant, collapsing against her, our slick bodies melding together. In the aftermath, we’re both spent, breathless, and yet undeniably whole.
I lay back against the couch, the fabric warm from our entwined bodies. My chest heaves with the aftershocks of pleasure, and I pull Danica close. “We’ve got a lot of time to make up for,” I murmur.
She snuggles into the crook of my arm. “Three months of daily orgasms seems about fair,” she quips.
“Give me a second,” I say, already feeling the stirrings of renewed desire. “I’ll be ready for round two before you know it.”
Danica rests her head on my chest. “Thank you for letting me buy at Mel’s tonight.”
“I know things seem tough at EnergiFusion, but no matter what, I’ll be fine.”
“It’s not about your money situation.” She is quiet a moment. “I told you my father was never faithful—”
“I promise, that isn’t me,” I interject.
“It’s not that. I used to hate my mother for allowing him to come back to her. He’d buy her flowers and jewelry, and she’d give in. But I know she loved him, yet I think it was the money and prestige that kept her going back. She didn’t feel she had any other options to care for me and my sister. It’s complicated, but I never want to be dependent on anyone.”
I’m quiet a moment, absorbing that. We both have so much to untangle with our families. “Whatever you want,” I assure her. “But I’m not going to sacrifice our safety so you can pay for things. I’ve learned that the money is a blessing and a curse.”
Danica props herself up on my chest.
“It’s a blessing because I can do ridiculous things like buy a house and a loft in the same city,” I continue. “But it’s a curse because I’m on the radar. People hate me because they think we’ve made a faulty battery, but we didn’t. Or they hate me because my hair is brown. Or I went to Georgia Tech. Or they like you. I can’t control those things, but my money protects us from all of it. And that protection is paramount.”
Danica shifts, and after a moment, she nods. “I understand. I don’t have all this figured out, but I understand what you’re saying.” With that, she lifts her mouth to mine, and we kiss. It’s a kiss that seals everything we’ve missed, everything we are, and everything we could be.
And in this moment, life is perfect.