Page 173 of The Perfect Love

“After you told me what happened, I reached out to one of my few friends from my old team. A guy I trust completely. I asked him to check into it. See if anyone had heard anything abouta report or even rumors that one of them might’ve done it. He never found anything. I’m sorry. I wish… I could’ve given you that justice. That peace.”

Of course he tried to retroactively fix it. Only Trevor.

He still looks so unsure, and I can’t help but lean in and kiss him. A simple kiss to reassure him.

“Thank you. I wish he could be held accountable. Actually face justice. But if I’ve learned anything, that’s likely never going to happen, and while that’s not okay,I’mokay, and I’ve learned sometimes moving on without closure is necessary.”

He holds me tight to him as he slides down in bed and pulls the covers over us.

“There’s that grace again. I’m angry about what happened to you tonight, but I’m grateful you’re okay.” He kisses me. “I love you. I don’t want to lose you.” Another kiss. Slower this time. Raw.

That fear is always there for him. Always ripping him apart. Losing someone else he loves terrifies him.

“I’m here.” I kiss his cheek. “I’m safe.” Then his nose. “I love you.” His lips. “I need you.”

Our lips meet again, but this time it’s sloppy, desperate. We need each other to take away the hurt. We need to feel the depth of our love. Because it’s real, so real and raw and utterly beautiful.

“What do you want?”

“Everything,” I mutter against his lips.

Then we’re peeling off clothes, hands roaming over warm skin.

He rolls onto his back and moves to pull me on top of him.

“No. Can you… I want you to take care of me.”

A few simple words, but with them, I hand over the last remaining threads of my trust.

“Lay on your side,” he whispers, then reaches over me to grab a condom.

He runs his fingers up my center, and I whimper at the touch. Then he gently lifts my leg and moves closer, until we’re tangled together.

I gasp as he pushes inside me, my head dropping back in ecstasy.

I wrap my arms around his neck, one hand curling in his hair and the other digging into his back, and then slowly, we move. We find our rhythm. Slow and steady, our faces just inches apart. No teasing tonight, just us, focused solely on each other and the love between us.

It’s different. So different from when I climb on top and take control.

This is an exchange. Two bodies, two souls coming together as one. Finally, there’s nothing held back. We’re complete now. Twined together.

I get lost in our love as we move together, both of us desperate for release but holding out as long as we can. It feels too good to stop, but I don’t want it to be over.

It’s not until my body is trembling, every thrust almost sending me into bliss that Trevor looks into my eyes and whispers, “Come with me. I want to feel you pulse around me while I come.”

“Yes,” I cry.

His hot mouth slants over mine as we move faster. Everything else slips away as we explode, our sweaty bodies heaving together as we ride our highs.

When we’re finished, neither of us finds words. We just hold each other tightly as we lazily kiss, lost in bliss.

It’s somewhere near two in the morning, and Trevor and I are lying in bed, naked, his fingers running through my hair as we talk.

We almost fell asleep kissing, then we got some food since we worked up an appetite, came back to bed and worked up some more appetite—this time with Trevor on top.

Now we’re both too wound up—in the best way—to sleep. I’ll never complain about lying in his arms though.

“What do you want from your future?” he asks, lazily drawing circles on my stomach with his finger.

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