“That’s not what I meant,” she says.

“Oh?”

“No. What I meant was, are you saying you’re in danger of coming, even though you haven’t moved yet?”

“Yes.”

“But that never happened before.”

“I know. But we were never apart for an entire year before, were we?”

“No, I guess not.”

She looks a little sad and I lean down and kiss her, just briefly. “Don’t worry. I’m getting my head around it.”

“You’re sure?”

I pull out of her and nod my head. “Yeah,” I say, as I push back in again. “I’m positive.”

I don’t give myself time to think, and as Everly lets out a guttural groan, I grab her ankles, holding them wide apart and lifting her ass off of the bed, giving her my entire length as slowly as I dare.

I repeat the motion several times, watching her eyes flutter closed every time she feels me deep inside her, although after maybe five minutes, she looks up at me, frowning.

“Are you still struggling?” she asks.

“No. I’m getting used to it now.”

“Then why are you going so slowly? You didn’t used to.”

“I know, but you hadn’t had a baby back then.”

She chuckles, shaking her head. “Thanks for being so considerate, but you really don’t need to worry.”

“I don’t?”

“No. I’m not made of glass, and I need to feel you, Seth. I need it to be like it used to be.”

“Sure?”

She nods her head and I move faster, then harder… and then harder still, sweat forming on my back and chest.

“That’s it. Just like that.” She locks her eyes with mine. “Don’t stop, Seth. That’s so good.”

I up the pace, hammering into her, then place her legs on my shoulders and, without breaking my rhythm, I lean over, bending her backward, and going even deeper inside her.

“Take me,” I whisper. “Take all of me.”

She nods her head, her breathing becoming ragged and her eyes roll back as she climbs and then falls into her next orgasm, her body shuddering and shaking, her legs tensing against my neck as she grabs handfuls of bedding, my name a whispered echo, repeated over and over, on every breath.

When she finally opens her eyes again, she smiles up at me.

“You held on,” she says, surprised.

“Just.”

I’m moving a little more slowly – not for her benefit, but for mine – to give myself a chance, and I lower her legs to the mattress before rolling us over, so I’m on my back and she’s straddling me. Because I need to keep control of things, I grab her ass, rocking her back and forth, until she’s breathless, her hands on my chest, her head rolling back.

“You’re so deep,” she murmurs.