"The only thing…" She shied away, and I gripped her head in both my palms gently and forced her to look at me. "The only thing that matters to me is your father's blessing." My gaze was locked on her eyes as she blinked out more tears. "I'll tell the whole town I love you. I'll tell them the baby is mine. I'll fight for you so hard, you'll never even feel the sting of gossip. You can work for me and for your father and build something amazing here. Just don't leave me."

Carrie sobbed and clung to me, and her whole body shuddered with the emotion. She was loud too, loud enough that I knew Walt and Helen had to hear her, but they didn't come out. I cradled her as her cries grew quieter, and then I picked her up and moved toward the stairs, carrying her up to her room where I laid her on her bed.

"Ryan, it's just too much…" She was still protesting, but I shut the door, and this time, I left the light on as I toed my shoes off and shed my jacket.

"It's never too much, Carrie. You don't give up love like this. You can work anywhere. You can make money doing anything you put your mind to, but when you have love like this and you give it up, you risk never finding it again. I'm too old to give it up…" I climbed into bed next to her, and she curled into me, then lifted her chin up so our eyes met.

"I'm scared," she whimpered, and I kissed her lips too.

"I am too, but we have each other."

When I kissed her harder, she didn't resist me. My hands pulled her against my body firmly and I devoured her lips. Eachwhimper and moan as I removed a piece of her clothing spurred me on. My hands traced the outline of her body, careful to map each curve to my memory.

"I love you too, Ryan," she cried softly when I allowed her to breathe, but it only made me dive back in for more kissing. She arched her body against mine when I bared her breasts and tore off my shirt. Then I worked her leggings down, and my slacks, until we were both naked and shivering. She wrestled the covers up over us, and our passionate groping and kissing continued, but I was rock hard.

Gently but firmly, I parted her thighs and slid two fingers inside her. She moaned a most wanton moan in my ear, and her hips rose to meet mine as I fingered her, preparing her for my dick. When she was wet enough, I slid a third inside.

"Ryan." Her whimper made tingles shoot across my skin. I wanted to hear her moan my name every day for the rest of my life. It was a desire so deep I couldn’t quench it.

"Shh," I said against her neck as I found her clit with my thumb. "Just let go."

Her eyes widened, but her head fell back against the pillow as I continued to pleasure her. She was so wet, so ready for me. I had to taste her and drink up all the arousal she provided. I wanted to make her feel so amazing tonight, better than I’d ever made her feel, so I slowly backed beneath the blanket, trailing kisses downward toward her core.

"Ryan…" Her hands were in my hair, her legs trembling as I teased her labia with my tongue. She tasted divine, sweet like the nectar she was. I devoured her until she was gripping the sheets and begging me for more. "Ryan, please."

My fingers matched the rhythm of my tongue’s dance across her swollen nub, and she grunted my name as she came, her thighs clamping down on me. "Oh, God.”

I continued thrusting my fingers and flicking her clit with my tongue as she writhed and her pussy convulsed around my digits. Then she pulled my hair hard, though she hadn’t fully finished her orgasm yet. I waited a few more seconds, teasing the soft, hooded nub, and she whimpered.

“I need you in me.” I was putty in her hands when she begged like that.

I crawled back up over her body leaving a trail of her moisture and hot kisses in my wake. She guided my hard cock to her entrance and looked me in the eye as I pushed inside her wetness. The warmth gripped my girth like a hot blanket, and I couldn’t help but groan as I pushed deeper until I was all the way inside her. We fit together so perfectly, and when she wrapped her legs around my hips, it made it easier to hit her back wall.

"God, Carrie," I whispered in her ear as I began to move inside her. "You feel so good."

"Ryan!" she whimpered again, and I covered her mouth with mine.

"Shh," I said, kissing her passionately, moving in and out of her tight channel. She felt so damn good, and when she clamped down on my dick, I knew she was close again.

"Ryan," she moaned against my lips as I pumped faster and harder into her, desperate for both our release.

"I've got you," I reassured her, but my own control was slipping fast. My hands found her breasts and kneaded them. I felt myballs drawing up, and she clawed my ass, encouraging me to go deeper as her pussy again spasmed and twitched around me, milking me. I leaned down to claim her lips as I began to move inside her, slow at first, then faster once her hands slid up my back. Her loud pleasure moans were too loud, but both of us were lost in the moment now.

"I love you, Carrie," I breathed, and oh, God, it felt so good to say it and mean it.

"I love you too, Ryan."

That was all the encouragement I needed. I plunged myself inside her as deep as I could, and she clamped down on me as I came. We both moaned, our orgasms mingling together in one long, drawn-out groan that felt like forever. My thrusts slowed, our kisses continued, and her body relaxed beneath mine.

"Whoa," she breathed, and I agreed with her sentiment. I pulled out and rolled to the side and kissed her temple. She lay there panting heavily and said nothing, and the moment was too sweet for me to ruin.

I held her for a few long minutes, unaware that she'd fallen asleep until light snoring echoed around the room. I smiled at the sweetness of it as I rose up on one elbow and watched her sleeping face for a few seconds. She was so beautiful and peaceful, I didn't want to disturb her. So, knowing the risk, I reached up and switched the light off and curled back around her.

Morning would come with its own set of problems. I'd leave those to the future. Carrie and I were together, and while we hadn't solidified any plans, I had a good feeling about it. I knewI could convince her to stay here, and if not, I'd follow her to the ends of the earth.

31

CARRIE