Chapter 25
Miles
“Fuck it.”
Is this seriously happening. I’ve been aching for another taste of her since that first time. She tastes like beer—sharp, bitter—but underneath she’s still sweet. Sweet in a way that clings to your tongue and ruins you for anyone else.
My hand fists her hair, tugging just enough to tilt her head back as our mouths crash together, wild and messy.
She kisses me like she’s starving, like she’s been waiting for someone to devour her and be devoured by. Her fingers grip my shoulders like she’s anchoring herself to me, and God, I’ll let her.
Then she wraps her legs around my waist, and I nearly lose it.
I grip her thighs—those soft, curve-hugged thighs that make my hands look like they were made for holding her. Her body’s all-natural, untouched by filters or trends, and to me, she looks like breathtaking.
And this body of hers isn’t just beautiful. It’s powerful. It carried Riley. It created life. It changed, stretched, healed. There’s something sacred about that.
“You’re killing me, Vivian,” I breathe out, pressing my forehead against hers. I’m already hard, already aching.
Her chest rises and falls against mine, her breath ragged. “And you’re killing me in ways I didn’t think I’d feel again,” she whispers.
I freeze. Those words hit somewhere deep.
“What do you want, Viv?” I ask, my voice low and reverent.
Her eyes flicker, searching mine like she’s about to fall off a cliff-and trusting I’ll catch her.
“I want to feel again,” she says, voice trembling with honesty.
My heart stutters. I don’t move yet. I need her to be sure.
“Think about this,” I say gently, cupping her face. “Because if this happens…I don’t want you waking up tomorrow regretting any of it.”
She holds my gaze for a beat—long enough to steal the breath from my lungs.
“I want you,” she says simply. No hesitation. No fear.
I lift her effortlessly from the water, her arms clinging to my neck like she already knows she belongs there. We’re all wet skin and tangled limbs as I lay her down gently on the blanket, hovering over her.
She pulls me closer, her mouth already seeking mine, our kiss deepening as the air around us thickens with promise.
I break away just enough to breathe. “If this is happening,” I murmur, “we do it your way. Your pace. Your rules.”
She nods, brushing her fingers through my wet hair.
“Touch me,” she says, her voice rough with want.
I wait, teasing her; she needs to tell me exactly what she wants.
“Touch you where, Viv? Tell me.” I put my hand in between us so she can guide it.
She takes my hand and places it on her chest, right over her heart, guiding me with soft confidence.
“Start here,” she says, voice husky, eyes locked on mine.
My fingers curl instinctively, gently cupping her, feeling the heat of her skin beneath my palm. The thrum of her heartbeat pounds into my hand-fast, unsteady, desperate. I’m completely undone.
“And then here,” she murmurs, lowering my hand to the soft space between her thighs.
She’s warm, so warm. My hand moves slowly, instinctively, memorizing the shape of her, the way her body arches ever so slightly into my touch.
She kisses me again, deeper this time. Hungrier. Her fingers tangle in my hair, nails dragging softly down my back as her body presses tighter to mine. Every small whimper she lets out does something to me.
“I want more, Miles,” she breathes, voice barely above a whisper-but it feels like a plea I was born to answer.
So, I do—gently, fully. I move her bikini to the side and feel her clit, her warm pussy as I glide one finger in, keeping my thumb on her clit as I rub it at the same time.
“Oh my—” she lets out, moaning in my mouth.
My hands know her now. And more than that, I see her. Not just the want in her body, but the trust in her eyes.
And for me, that’s everything.
“You like that?” I ask, my voice low against her ear, already knowing the answer just by the way her fingers tighten around my wrist, urging me to keep going.
“Yes,” she breathes out, the word tumbling from her lips like a secret she couldn’t hold back.
I press a kiss to her neck, feeling her shiver as her hands dive into my hair, tugging me closer.
“Are you going to come for me?” I whisper, my voice a hush of heat against her skin.
I curve my fingers inside of her.
Her body trembles.
“Miles…” she gasps. “Don’t stop.”
I don’t. I couldn’t if I tried. Every inch of her is wound tight, coming apart beneath my hands, and I want to feel every second of it.
She’s close. So close.
Her head falls back, mouth parted, back arching beautifully as her breathing turns shallow.
“Look at me,” I say, my voice rough, steady. “I want to see you while you come on my fingers, Vivian.”
Her eyes flutter open, locking onto mine just as she breaks.
She whimpers, moans as I lower my mouth to hers, feeling her breathe on my lips.
God, she’s stunning like this. Raw. Real. Unraveled in my hands.
“Atta girl,” I say, soft and reverent, watching her body tremble.
She watches me, flushed and glowing, a breathless smile escaping her as I slowly pull my fingers out of her.
She sits up slightly, those honey-brown eyes finding mine again before she leans in to kiss me, slow and tender.
“That felt…amazing,” she murmurs against my lips, her smile small but so full of truth it makes something shift in my chest.
And just like that, I know—this is more than just touch. It’s healing. It’s her letting me in.
I gently tuck a damp strand of her hair behind her ear, my thumb grazing her cheek as I do. She hesitates, her eyes flickering like she’s battling some internal monologue.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, keeping my voice low, careful not to rush her.
She shakes her head, barely. “I don’t know,” she says, letting out a quiet laugh that’s more nervous than amused. “It’s been so long…I guess I don’t really know how this goes anymore. Like…am I supposed to give you something now or—” She presses her palm to her forehead. “God, I sound stupid.”
I reach for her hand and gently pull it away from her face. “Hey,” I say softly, leaning in and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I don’t expect anything, Viv. This wasn’t about that. I just wanted to make you feel good. Your pace, remember.”
Her eyes meet mine again, wide and unsure but softening.
For a moment, she just watches me. Like she’s trying to figure out if I mean it.
And then she smiles.
Small. Real. A little shy, but completely her.
And damn, if it doesn’t wreck me in the best possible way.
Her lips brushing against mine in a slow, lingering kiss.
I rest my forehead against hers. “What do you say we get in the lake one more time before heading back?”
She nods, a faint smile still curving her lips.
I stand and offer her my hand. She takes it, and I gently pull her up. Her skin is warm in the fading sunlight, and when she stands in front of me, I take a second just to look at her. She tucks her hair behind her ear, shy under the attention, but I don’t stop.
Her bikini clings to her curves, water droplets still glistening on her skin, the stretch marks on her hips soft and silver like constellations etched by time. She’s real. Grounded. Beautiful in a way no camera could ever do justice.
“You’re staring,” she murmurs, a hint of amusement in her voice.
“I know,” I reply. “Can’t help it.”
She blushes again, shaking her head with a quiet laugh, and then we’re walking hand in hand toward the water.
The lake is calm now, golden light dancing across its surface. We wade in, the coolness wrapping around our legs until we’re fully submerged again, our bodies drifting closer together beneath the stillness.