Page 51 of Over and Above

Love you too.The words were right there, filling my throat, making my sinuses burn. But that wasn’t what he meant. And now was not the time for these realizations either.

Deciding I was prepped enough, I withdrew my fingers and wiped them on my discarded towel.

“Come on. I’m ready.” Not in the mood to move and also wanting to see Eric’s face, I drew my legs up and back as he moved between them. Eric took the opportunity to copiously slick his bare cock with lube.

“Jesus.” He let out a shaky groan. “I’m already on edge.”

“Good. I like you all horny and needy like this.” Andbare. I liked him bare, liked that there was nothing between us. Well, nothing other than that inconvenient little thought I’d had moments earlier, but right now, all I wanted was this. “Fuck me.”

He lined up his cock, and I exhaled, remembering to relax into the penetration. My abs quivered, my body still unsure what it thought about the stretch and burn. I liked the fullness, though, the indirect pressure especially, and I liked sharing this with him most of all. Watching his face was such a turn-on, the wonder and awe and undisguised lust.

“Oh holy cow.Magnus.” His needy groan was matched by the heat in his eyes and cheeks dusky with pleasure.

“That’s it,” I encouraged as he thrust, short strokes becoming more fluid as he found a rhythm that had us both moaning.

“It’s too good.” He paused, long, lean torso vibrating with barely contained tension.

“No such thing.” I rocked upward, encouraging him to resume thrusting.

“Trying to last.” He gritted the words out, and, lord, did I want to see this man detonate. I wanted him to fall apart.Fall into me.Let go of the last of that restraint he carried every day.

“Don’t.” I bucked my hips, a reckless desire to snap his control. “Just go. Let me worry about me.”

Eric opened his mouth like he had another protest in him, so I started jacking my own cock, hard and fast, as much to give him a show as to get me there. However, as soon as Eric sucked in a breath, approval clear in his eyes, my arousal increased. Perhaps I liked his gaze on me or the way he resumed thrusting, but I also just likedhim, full stop. And I definitely liked turning him on, hearing his moans mingling with the music filtering up from downstairs.

“I’m gonna…”

“Yeah, you are,” I urged. I stroked faster because every time I increased the pace, he moaned that much more until, finally, he squished his eyes shut and started hammering me hard. Control snap achieved, an almost palpable thing, the way the tension he’d been holding fled, body loose and limber now as he fucked me furiously. “Come on, Eric. Come.”

“Yes.” He groaned like he’d needed that permission. I could feel him, warm and urgent in my ass, no condom between us. And when his strokes started to stutter, I could feel the warmth of his come. Strange, but wonderful.

He thrust a final time, the extra slickness making his cockhead glide over my prostate in a way that turned the electric sensation into pure pleasure. I jerked myself faster, thinking about him in me, his come in me, replaying how he’d let go and fucked me like his life depended on it. I glanced up at him, his come-drunk face, small, pleased smile, soft features.

Fuck. I really do love him.The thought hit right along with my orgasm, which burst out of me, come hitting my chest and chin. The climax seemed sweeter, sharper, laced with all those mixed-up emotions. Joy. Relief. Confusion. Love. Sadness. Fear…because what the hell happened now?

And that question lingered as Eric carefully pulled out, and we fumbled through some cleanup with my towel before collapsing in a heap, his head on my chest, my arms around him. Perfection, but could it possibly last?

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Eric

The day of the baby shower should have been all about Maren, Diesel, and the coming baby, but I simply couldn’t get my mind off Magnus. He’d continued to seem a bit…off all week, stellar sex notwithstanding, and nothing about the way he rushed into the community center shortly before the start time for the Sunday afternoon party reassured me.

“I made it. Sorry.” He stamped off the snow at the door as I held the door for him. “Brunch rush was crazy today.”

“It’s all right. No apologies needed. Did you bring the appetizers?” I asked. There were too many people milling about for me to ask what I truly wanted to know, which was if we were okay. If he was okay. If this thing between us was okay. A lot of questions and not a lot of easy answers. Focusing on food was the smarter move, even if the question made Magnus frown.

“Yep. Want to help me carry them in?” Magnus gestured at the door, and I reopened it to follow him to his SUV, where he had several aluminum trays of little sandwiches, wings, and my favorite potato puff things.

“I’m sorry your morning was hard,” I said as he passed two trays into my waiting arms.

“Not hard.” His frown deepened. “Just busy, even with the new cook starting. Fryer got fixed in time for deep freeze to act up.”

“It never ends.” I stepped closer, intending what, I wasn’t sure. But then Rowan and John came bounding out of the community center.

“Need help carrying food?” John asked.

“Sure.” Magnus dutifully loaded them down, and there went our last chance to be alone before guests started to arrive. Rowan and Caleb had decorated the party space with greens and yellows and colorful baby animals. A number of the planned party games followed the baby animal theme, but I intended to stay busy behind the scenes. The mere idea of party games gave me hives, especially ones involving races to diaper stuffed animals.

---