Page 116 of The Very First Night

Every lap of his tongue against my sensitive skin sends sparks flying. My body tenses as he expertly works me toward climax, and I grip the bedsheets for support.

He surprises me with a sudden thrust of two fingers inside me just as he sucks on my clit with an intensity that drives me wild. Colors explode behind my closed eyelids as I reach the peak of pleasure, completely lost in this moment with him. Despite my efforts to remain quiet, I scream as my orgasm rocks me.

Tanner’s lips trail down my inner thigh, pleasure rippling through my body at each touch. My chest rises and falls rapidly as I try to catch my breath.

The moment he stands and begins to move away from the bed, my eyes snap up to meet his.

“Where are you going?”

He pauses halfway through unbuttoning the cuff of his dress shirt, poised to peel it off his skin. “I thought we could take a shower together.” He gives me a soft smile before taking off his shirt to reveal a plain white undershirt. “But I can give you some time if you need it.”

I glance at the clock and see that it’s almost midnight. “No, I want to. Let’s do it.”

He steps toward the bathroom and every muscle and curve of his body is illuminated by the bathroom light streaming from behind him. He leans against the doorframe, casually crossing his arms over his chest.

My heart skips a beat at the sight of him. As I take in all of his naked glory, I can’t help but smile back at him, feeling overwhelmed with desire and love for him. Tanner nods toward the bathroom before disappearing inside, an unspoken invitation.

Without hesitation, I rush into the bathroom, feeling a little ridiculous standing there in nothing but my lingerie and three-inch heels. My feet are throbbing from hours of dancing, and the buzz from earlier has faded away. All I want is to kick off these torturous shoes.

Tanner turns to me and wordlessly lifts me onto the counter, his strong hands working to unbuckle the strap around my ankle.

Letting out a contented sigh, I say, “Thanks.”

He remains silent, but his actions speak louder than words. He leans over and carefully places my high heels on the floor, one by one. His warm lips trail down my neck as he expertly unclasps my strapless bra. My body responds to his touch, aching for more, yet this moment feels far more intimate than just sex.

Sweat beads on my palms as I bite my lip, fighting the urge to blurt out the burning question that has consumed me for weeks. But it escapes before I can stop it: “What’s going to happen?”

His brows pinch together. “What do you mean?”

My voice shakes as I try to speak. “After grad.”

My mind flashes back to two years ago, when Tanner was just a friend, nothing more. Now, as we approach graduation, he’s become my best friend and the love of my life. It’s overwhelming how much our relationship has changed. I can feel tears welling up in my eyes as I think about what will happen after we both have our degrees in hand. Will we stay together or drift apart? The uncertainty is terrifying, and I can’t stop the thoughts from racing through my mind.

“I meant what I said earlier, Kat. I fully intend to spend the rest of my life with you. The good and the bad, all of it.”

“But I know what graduation means. Do you have a job lined up? What if it takes you somewhere other than Ohio? What if you end up on the other side of the country? I’m not made for long distance and I would seriously freak ou?—”

“Kat,” he says, his voice calm and reassuring.

“Hm?”

“I start at Smith and Paterson at the end of July.”

His words carry meaning, real meaning, but my brain takes a minute to catch up. “But the Smith and Paterson Group is in Columbus.” He chuckles and it registers. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.” He laughs as he presses a gentle kiss to my lips. “Wherever you go, I go. You already told me that you plan to stay with your mom, at least for now. So I started looking at jobs near Columbus.”

I bite my inner cheek. “Is that what you want, though? What if in a couple of years you resent me for holding you down in Ohio?”

“I always wanted to stay near my parents. I’m not going to say I was dead set on Columbus, but I always planned to stay in Ohio. This is what I want—you are what I want, okay?”

“Okay.” My voice cracks, tears pricking at my eyes.

Tanner leans in and gently presses his lips to the stray tear that escapes down my cheek, sending a warm shiver through my body. He gently cradles my face, our eyes lock, and his words flood my senses. “I love you more than anything, and I would do anything to keep you in my life.”

I giggle. “Would you eat a bug for me?”

Tanner grins and nods. “I would eat a bug for you.”

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