Page 92 of Years in the Making

“Really?” Florence calls back, the lights hanging around the fire pit illuminating the huge smile on her face.

“If you want,” he assures her.

“Awesome, thanks.” She waves, and Teddy tugs me towards the bunkie.

The second the door closes, I’m on him. “The last three hours have been torture,” I breathe out as his lips connect with the space between my neck and shoulder.

“Three hours is nothing, Nellie. My balls have been blue since you kicked me out of your car seven months ago.”

“I’m sor—” I start to say before remembering our rule as I begin working my hands under his shirt so I can slide it off. “I promise never to do that again.”

“Never say never.” He turns me around and I stick my hands out just in time before I crash into the wall. “We’re going to see just how sturdy this little bunkie is,” he says as he grinds himself against my ass. “Your ass in these shorts, LG, criminal.” His hand slips down the front, and he groans as his fingers dip into my underwear. “I love that this is because of me.” His other hand grasps my hair and pulls my head back right so his mouth can devour mine.

Right before it feels like I’ll run out of air, I turn and push him towards the bed. He lands heavily when the backs of his knees make contact with the mattress, and I pounce. I’d told him that maybe it was me that he needed to be protected from without really thinking. Now as my teeth graze his jaw and I begin moving my hips, I think it was because part of me knew if we got to this point, I’d be fucking feral.

“You keep moving like that”—Teddy closes his eyes, fighting for control as his hands land on my waist—“and this is going to be over real fast.” His words aren’t matching his actions as he holds me firmly against him.

I slow my hips just enough that his eyes open in time to see me pull my shirt up and over my head. I watch his lips part and his tongue sneak out to wet them. Next goes my bra, and that’s the moment Teddy reclaims the upper hand.

Flipping us faster than I ever thought possible, he kisses me almost viciously before he starts an agonizingly slow path down my body. I hate that he acquired any of these skills without me, but I also feel the need to send out thank-you letters because I’m the one who is now benefiting from hisextracurriculars.

He wastes no time removing the rest of my clothing and then stands and looks down at me, fully taking in every inch of skin on display. Teddy-less Nellie never liked to be looked at naked. I’ve always been a lights-off lady, but Teddy’s eyes can have all the time they want. And he takes his time looking as he slowly undoes his shorts. I am captivated by the way he watches me. It’s how I’ve seen artsy people study paintings or how music people savor the perfect harmony. I watch as his gaze gets to my thighs and then the look of panic suddenly crosses his face.

His head snaps up, and I feel the mood shift instantly. “I didn’t bring condoms,” he says, almost to himself. “Did you?”

I push up on my elbows and feel my heart sink, “No, I wasn’t exactly expecting to end up here.”

“Me either.”

“I don’t know why, but that makes me happy,” I say. “Not the no protection part, the no expectation part.” I look around the small room as if a box of Trojans will spontaneously appear on the nightstand and then decide to suggest something I’ve never even contemplated before. “I haven’t had sex since I was last tested and it came back negative for everything.” I twirl my hand in the air. “And I have an IUD because it helps with the whole bleeding too much thing, so that’s roughly ninety-nine…” I trail off, because he knows the stats.

Teddy looks at me skeptically. “Same, except for the IUD. I don’t have one of those. Are you sure, though? I don’t want to pressure you. I, we can wait. We’ve waited this long.”

“So you keep saying,” I say, sitting up and wrapping my arms around his waist, resting my chin at his hip and peering up. “I don’t want to wait another week, day, or fucking hour. I trust you. I trust that you wouldn’t have let me put my mouth on you earlier today if there was even an ounce of doubt.”

Teddy still looks hesitant, so I decide to try one more tacticto prove I’m okay with it, and if it doesn’t work I’ll give up and accept a night of aggressive spooning. Sliding back on the bed, maintaining eye contact the entire time I lay back and slowly slide my hand down my body. I watch his chest begin to rise and fall faster as he watches my fingers begin to work.

I hear his shorts hit the floor at the same time his hands grab my ankles and he pulls me to the end of the bed, wrapping my legs around his hips.

His fingers circle my wrist and he pulls my hand away from my body. “That’s my job now, pretty girl,” he growls out.

“Then you better do it.” I rock my hips against him and we moan in unison.

He lets my hand fall so he can grip my waist, holding half my body off the bed. “Tell me,” he demands, his eyes almost black in the low light.

“Make me regret kicking you out of my car,” I challenge. I already regret it, but now he can show me what I’ve been missing all these months.

That’s all I needed to say as he slides all the way home. My back involuntarily arches to the point only my head is left on the bed as his movements push me back even as his grip keeps me firmly in place.

The bed is protesting with every movement, and I try to ignore the sense of dread I feel at the thought of it breaking. Midge had warned us after all.

Teddy seems to sense what I’m feeling because he bends at the knees and pulls my body to him. Moving to the wall he leans me back into it, using it as leverage. My eyes close as my head tips back against the wood paneling, and I feel his hand leave my waist before it settles at my throat.

My eyes fly open to see his lasered in on mine. I’ll never know why, but I nod the tiniest bit and lean into his touch. A breathy “yes” leaves my lips, and his fingerstighten ever so slightly. He’s not even messing with my air supply, but knowing the power he wields in this position does something to every pleasure center in my body.

“You regret it yet, LG?” he asks, squeezing a little more so he can pull my body back against his.

“Almost,” I manage to get out as his mouth claims mine again.

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