Page 73 of The One I Left Behind

I grab the back of his head and pull him down to me. Our tongues tangle, and our bodies rock together. He rises on his elbows, staring at me, and tears prick my eyes from the elated glow in his soft brown irises. No one ever made me feel so safe, so cared for, so connected.

I wrap my legs around his waist, and he pumps harder. I lose myself in his crazed, lustful look, and my fingers claw at his back, another orgasm on the brink.

“Harder,” I say, desperate to get back to the ecstasy only he can give me.

His hips move faster, and our bodies slide together from the sweat between us. The sound of my wetness echoes through the tree-filled area, overtaking the sound of the running river.

My lower body rises off the blankets, meeting his thrusts, and I come so hard, it’s like a meteor shower behind my closed eyelids.

Ben stills and jerks inside me a couple of times before collapsing on me, his warm breath tracing my neck. He kisses my neck and lifts his head, one hand smoothing the hair stuck to my forehead. “I forgot how fucking hot you are when you come.”

I pull him back down to me, kissing him and hoping he feels every bit inside of me that he’s touched. It’s game over for us. There’s no turning back now. I’m on the road to happily ever after—or heartbreak.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Ben

Gillian is not in bed when I wake up, so I get up and dress just in case. Clayton was supposed to spend the night at Drew’s, but after the last time, I can’t be too careful.

I open her bedroom door, and the smell of bacon makes my stomach growl.

Gillian’s in front of the stove in a cute matching silk shorts and tank pajama set. “Have a good sleep?”

“Why are you up so early? I had hopes of waking you.” I bear hug her from behind and kiss the nape of her neck. I’m never going to get enough of her. I’m ready to wake up to her every morning.

“After you have kids, you just become an early riser. Maybe once he’s in college, I’ll find the luxury of sleeping in again.” She threads her fingers through my hair, holding my face to her neck. I kiss her again, and she releases me.

This is probably a good time to bring up something I’ve been wondering about. “Question about that…”

I hold my hand out for the tongs, and she willingly gives them to me, but goes to the fridge and pulls out eggs.

“Question about what?”

“Do you want more kids? I mean…” She’s enough for me, but I wouldn’t mind little Gillians and Bens running around.

She cracks a few eggs into a bowl and throws away the shells, not answering me at first. I’m guessing the answer is no, but Gillian is a thinker. Rarely does she talk about something serious without making sure she’s thought it through.

“Is that a no?” I finally ask.

She shakes her head and scrambles the eggs. “No, but my pregnancy with Clayton wasn’t easy.” She pours the eggs into another pan. “I made peace a long time ago with Clayton being an only child, but?—”

I put down the tongs and slide my finger into the waistband of her shorts, pulling her toward me. “It’s okay. It’s not a game-changer for me.”

She looks up at me with a sweet smile. “I was going to say… but now I realize there’s an opportunity, and I’ve always wanted to have your children.” I grin, and she rolls her eyes. “Don’t look so arrogant.”

“I’m just saying I wouldn’t mind impregnating you.”

“Oh my god, could you make it sound more medical?”

I pull her even closer, and her head tilts back. I hover inches from her face. “How about, I want nothing more than to fuck you every minute of every day so I can fill you with my seed?”

She screws up her face. “Yeah. Not doing it for me.”

“Okay, I’ve got it.… I want you to see your belly swollen with our child.”

She shrugs, but her smile grows.

“I want to suffer through midnight feedings and diaper explosions with you.”

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