Page 30 of Twenty Years Later

Oops, had I said that out loud?

I didn't even have time to think about it because overwhelming desire for this man pounded through every cell of my body, demanding release, demanding all of him. Reaching back, I felt for his boxers but he was already reading my mind and taking them off, so I shimmied out of my undies as well.

And then his body met mine again, this time bare skin on skin, his hardness pressing into me from behind.Oh, God.My whole body started to tremble as we rubbed against each other in a moment of fiery passion.

"Jayda," he said, his voice rumbling through my back. "You are so..."

He didn't finish his sentence as I reached for him and guided him into me, pleasure ricocheting from my center all the way to my fingers and toes. We both groaned as he pushed into me slowly, inch by inch, stretching me, filling me. And when our bodies were fully connected, we both paused a long moment, the only sound our heavy breathing.

"...hot," he finally said, his voice low and strained.

I needed to hold on to something to keep me from floating off into the stars, and I found his other hand under the pillow. We clasped our fingers together in a tight grip, grabbing onto each other.

With his free hand, he grasped my hips, hard, and we both began to move, the feel of him thrusting in and out of me almost too much to handle. I bit into the pillow, the sweet and pure pleasure pulsing through my veins, setting my whole body ablaze.

Alex buried his head in my neck, his breath coming out in gasps against my shoulder, his muscles tense and rigid. Our pace increased as the fire burned bright between us, our bodies sliding against each other.

"Alex..." I whispered, feeling close to release.

He reached down to touch me, stroking me into oblivion, as our hips moved together in a wild frenzy, pushing me over the edge into white-hot ecstasy as we both shattered apart and tasted heaven together. His groan in my ear matched mine while I smothered the sound in my pillow. His arm squeezed me tighter to him as we rode out every last bit of pleasure, overheated and breathless.

"God, woman," Alex mumbled.

I laughed into the plump pillow, elated at the passion we'd shared together.

This time, for some reason, I didn't feel that same awful guilt like before. Well, maybe some. Definitely some. But not the gut-wrenching, bring-tears-to-my-eyes kind. Maybe because I had accepted the fact that this weekend spent with Alex was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I would just go back to my regular life soon enough.

With Alex still inside me, his body nestled up tightly to mine, I let my eyes close.

Chapter Ten

Jayda

The second and last day of the writers' conference flew by in a whirlwind of busyness. Again, my night with Alex replayed in my head the whole time like some kind of erotic movie.

And whenever I stood up or sat down, my soreness reminded me of the multiple times we'd had sex during the night plus the hot, steamy quickie in the shower early in the morning before I had to leave.

On the airplane that evening, I squirmed in my seat, trying to get settled in. At least Kaileen and I had splurged for first class where the seats were wider and more plush. Finally, feeling somewhat comfortable, I took a deep breath and realized I was kind of depressed. Not just kind of.Verydepressed.

My old life suddenly seemed bland—endless days of loneliness stretching ahead. Writing alone. Parenting alone. Sleeping alone.

Oh, no, I had never thought of this. After experiencing the heaven of Alex's arms, how could I go back to my very boring existence? And it wasn't just the sex. It was everything—his eyes, his kindness, his teasing. It was having another grown-up to talk to late at night. But not just anyone. It wasAlex.

Returning from the bathroom, Kaileen sat down next to me and checked her phone.

In the stillness before we started taxiing, another feeling abruptly made itself known deep down in my belly—weird yet familiar little twinges and cramps, a pulling and stretching sensation.

My heart stopped, and all the sudden, I couldn't breathe as I remembered the last time I'd had that feeling.

When I'd been pregnant with Audrey.

My whole body started to shake, and I began to twist my wedding band.

Kaileen glanced at my hands. "What's wrong? You only do that when you're freaking out about something."

"Huh?" I asked, totally lost in my panic.

She pointed at my fingers still frantically turning my ring. "That."

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