All at once, the tension eases in me, and I feel her shoulders loosen as she sinks into the kiss. It’s punishing and angry. Drugging. She pulls her shirt over her head, and I tug mine off just as quickly.

“Are you sure about this?” I ask, my lips already back on hers with savage intensity.

She nods against my mouth. “Shut up.”

I laugh as we fumble to the bed, like we never missed a step. My lips reclaim hers, demanding more. I want to take my time with her. We’ve done everything but this, and I want to do it right, but at the same time, I’ve been waiting too long to hold her again. To have her again.

I kiss a path down her soft stomach, but she sits up before I reach my target.

“I need to taste you,” I beg, searing a path with my hand down her stomach and onto her thigh.

She pushes me onto my back with a devilish gleam in her eyes. “Me first.” Her lips come down on my bare chest, and the world careens on its axis. I lie back as her tongue draws a line down my body to my pants.

We work together to pull them off, and then her mouth is on me, pure and explosive. My eyes roll back in my head as her fingers burn into my thighs.

I lurch forward, pinning her down and finally getting my mouth on her. She cries out, hands on my head, and the fire in my veins spreads to my heart.

When I have her nearly there, she rolls us over and slips back down to take me in her mouth again, as hungry for me as I am for her. We’re back and forth, warring over who can have theirtongue on the other for longer, fighting for control, refusing to relent.

Her tongue swirls around me, and my body trembles with pleasure. “You like that?” She pulls away just long enough to ask before doing it again.

I’m going to lose my mind over this girl. There’s never been anyone so perfect for anyone else.

“I likeyou,” I mutter, holding her head in place as I pump into her mouth once, then twice. Her eyes lock with mine, wide and trusting, and liquid fire hits me all at once. I freeze, holding her completely still until I’ve regained control. I won’t lose this war.

She giggles as I slip back between her legs, running my tongue against her. The laughter dies away soon enough, and then she’s moaning, grasping my hair, and calling my name. I feel her tighten around my fingers and smile with pride. It’s been so long since I heard that, and right now, it might as well be a fucking lullaby.

As she comes down, I crawl up the length of her body, painting her with kisses. I settle myself between her legs and lean across her toward my nightstand, pulling a condom out of the drawer.

I tear it open, watching her watch me, her eyes suddenly less confident. “Are we okay?”

She swallows, nodding, and rests her hand on her chest, still catching her breath. “Yeah. Of course.”

“We don’t have to…”

“No.” She takes my hand, lacing her fingers through mine. “No, I want to.”

My heart squeezes as I pull her hand to my lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. I hope, with that simple kiss, I’m telling her everything I want to.

I love you.

You’re it for me.

I’m going to fix this.

I slide the condom on and position the tip at her entrance. My hands shake as I guide myself inside. This is different and new for us. We’ve never…

Heaven.

Pure, white-hot, brilliant, exploding stars and a million suns, heaven.

Jesus.

Fuck.

I grip on to her hips, looking down at the world’s most perfect view. “You good?”

“I’m perfect.” She smiles up at me with a dreamy expression.