Page 22 of Play Action Pass

He set a smooth pace, surging forward and then retracting until only the head of his cock poised at the entrance. They stared into each other’s eyes, and somehow that made this different. That they weren’t just fucking. Their connection ran deeper, and for a moment she wondered how she would be once the summer was over and they went their separate ways.

Shaking off the melancholy thought, she pushed it far away. This was not the time to be wondering about the future. This was their time together.

His speed increased, until he was thrusting with abandonment, and still, they stared at one another. It was magical. Pleasure sluiced through every cell in her body. Emmie matched his wildness, hurtling toward completion. Beyond reason, beyond anything but pure bliss.

Emmie cried out his name as she reached it—that platform of ecstasy which flung her out into the universe—soaring high among absolute sensation. A second later Coleson joined her, groaning out his own pleasure before slumping over her back. Both sweaty and panting heavily. It was sublime. Perfect exhilaration.

“Holy fuck, woman,” he muttered. “That was absolutelyamazing.”

Her whole body shook in the aftermath of their lovemaking.

“Ditto,” she managed to say.

Coleson reached down to hold onto the condom as he pulled out of her. He rose and headed into the bathroom, where the faucet ran a moment later. He wasn’t self-conscious at all as he walked back to bed, and she couldn’t help but ogle him, already wanting round two.

He laid down and she propped her head up with her palm, unable to keep from smiling. Coleson ran a finger down the bridge of her nose.

“What’s going through that devious little smile?” he asked.

“Not devious. Just … happy. I’ve not felt that in a long time.”

“I’m glad. You deserve happiness, Emmie. Come here.”

He wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head on his chest, right over his heartbeat. The rhythm lulled her into a sense of enchantment.

She closed her eyes and slept.

Chapter Twelve

Emmie panted, pausing on the sharp incline to catch her breath. Coleson steadily walked further ahead, apparently not realizing she was having a stroke. Or a coronary. Maybe she had asthma. Or lung cancer. Whichever is due from lack of oxygen…

“You all right?”

She jerked her gaze up and met his amused blue eyes. Instead of using precious air to reply, she held a thumbs-up. Many curse words coursed through her mind, all railed at Jacoby, who probably looked down from his ghostly cloud to snicker at her predicament.

“Need help?”

Emmie shook her head. “I can do this all day.”

“Sure, Captain America.”

Without even thinking about it, she flipped him off. All he did was laugh harder. Eyes narrowed, she marched up the incline, intending to punch the smirk off his face, but he caught her easily and dipped her. Like in an old movie, he kissed her soundly. Which made her breathless for a whole different reason.

Before someone came along and was traumatized by their makeout session, they ended the kiss and he pulled her upright once more.

“I think you’re one of the bravest people I know,” he whispered, nuzzling her neck. “First you face your heartbreak, and now you’re tackling your fear of exercise.”

“I’m not afraid of exercise, you goofball,” she muttered, pushing him away. “I just prefer a more academic lifestyle.”

“Good save,” he said as he took her hand. “I’ll help you up this hill.”

She wanted to say something sassy, but once more the oxygen was too precious to waste on talking. An eternity later, ormaybe just ten minutes, they reached the top. They overlooked the base of the falls, and a fine mist settled on them from the powerful tumble of the water. Nestled in a canyon, the majestic whitewater fall spilled at about one hundred forty feet. The sun hit it at the right angle to produce a rainbow.

Spring Meadow Falls.

A white, frothy cascade plunged against the large boulders at the bottom and mellowed out into a calm pool. Jacoby had gushed on how exquisite this place was, and he was right. It was humbling to be in the presence of such breathtaking beauty. Like at the lighthouse, she felt his spirit wrap around her, and she closed her eyes to savor the invisible connection. One more piece of her fractured heart mended, and she took a deep breath. Exhaling slowly, Emmie opened her eyes.

The day seemed brighter.

---