Page 76 of Stick Play

I slide my hand down and find her wet, and warm and oh so ready for me. Inching one finger inside her, I move it in and out, just to make sure she’s totally ready, and when she moans for more, I roll over her, spread her legs with my body and we both groan as I slide into her.

Her fingers snake around my body and she palms my back, holding me tighter to her, and as I push in and out of her, I know I want so much more.

“I missed you,” I say.

“Same.”

I snort out a laugh. “You just missed this?” I push deeply, hitting parts that pull a deep moan from her.

When her moan falls off, she counters with, “Didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I did, babe.” I go up on one elbow and cup her cheek, my gaze moving over the curves of her face. “But there’s so much more I missed, too.”

She goes quiet for a moment, and panic grips my chest. Have I said too much, am I pushing this too far?

“Same, Ash,” she whispers quietly and brings my mouth to hers for a searing kiss that burns through my body and wraps around my heart. Our bodies, so accustomed to one another, move in sync, meeting and welcoming each thrust in that easy way of long-time lovers. Nothing about this is fast and frenzied, despite our desperate need for one another, but there’s something so moving, so profound in the way we’re making love. Dammit, I should go away more often, although I don’t want to be away from this woman—this small family.

Her muscles clench around me and I too let go, pleasure washing over us both as my eyes drift shut. I stay inside her for a long time, and her hand trails down my back. As soon as they stop moving and her breathing slows, I pull out, turn her back to me and pull her tight against me as sleep nearly overcomes her.

Feeling very much in love and very overprotective, I say, “We should stay at my place.”

“Why?” she asks quietly.

“I don’t like the idea of someone watching you.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Is it so bad that I want to take care of you?”

“I’m just used?—”

“I know what you’re used to and I want to change that for you, Gina.”

A beat of silence and then, “I’d like that, Ash.”

The next thing I know, voices from the kitchen reach my ears and I turn to see Gina still asleep beside me. Shit. I meant to get up in the middle of the night and go to the sofa. I grab my bag, hurry into my clothes, and make a fast but quiet trip to the bathroom. Once I have myself pulled together, I walk into the kitchen, like I just arrived.

I catch the gleam in Dad’s eye when he sees me. Yeah, there’s no fooling him.

“Ash, when did you get here?” Zoe jumps from her chair and hurries to me. I squat down and she throws her arms around me. Clearly, she missed me too.

“That doesn’t matter. I’m here now.” I don’t miss Dad’s small chuckle. Jesus, I’m never going to hear the end of this. “What are you doing up so early?”

She rubs her stomach. “I was hungry.”

“You didn’t want to wake your mom?”

“No, Grandpa makes better pancakes. More lumps.”

I laugh at that as Dad stands a little bit straighter and I’m fucking relieved she didn’t come running into her mother’s room.

“I heard her in the bathroom so I got up with her,” Dad tells me. “I thought Gina might like to get a little bit more sleep.”

I meet his eyes, and mouth the words, “Thank you.”

He hums to himself, obviously completely fucking happy with his matchmaking skills, even though our friends with benefits relationship started long before he got himself involved.

“Great game last night, son.”

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