Page 78 of Heart of Stone
“Are you going to come?”
“Yes.” The word was barely audible.
A moment later, it happened.
Reid’s deep groans of pleasure and my cries of ecstasy filled the air around us as our orgasms tore through our bodies. I could only hold on and try to breathe through it.
When it left us, Reid collapsed on top of me for just a beat before rolling to his back, taking me with him.
We stayed like that for a bit, simply trying to regain control of our breathing. And in the midst of it, my mind drifted. All I kept telling myself was that I was the luckiest woman to have met Reid, to have him show this interest in me. What he’d donefor me, what he’d shown me I deserved to have, meant the world to me. So, it was no surprise I had to work to blink back the tears before they fell.
“Let me get rid of this condom and get you something to clean up with,” he urged me with a light squeeze on my ass.
“Okay.”
Lazily, and with a bit of help from him, I rolled off Reid, so he could get out of bed. Then he tossed the condom and got me something to clean up with.
Reid joined me in the bed again, scooting close and draping his arm over my side. I nuzzled his chest, inhaling his scent as something warm washed over me.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice gentle.
I tipped my head back to look up at him and smiled. “I’m the best I’ve been in a very long time, Reid.”
His features softened, his eyes shining. “Good.”
“Thank you.”
“I can’t imagine what you think you need to thank me for after what we just had,” he retorted.
My fingertips drifted lightly over his chest. “You didn’t push me for this. You allowed what we had building between us to move at a pace I was comfortable with, and you never made me feel bad for it, even when I know you had nights that probably left you feeling wildly unsatisfied.”
“Natalia, I don’t?—”
“I know you don’t see this the way that I do,” I assured him. “But that doesn’t mean you didn’t give me precisely what I just said you did. It’s easy to assume I’d be able to jump right in, particularly when I’ll dive right into conversation with anyone. But that’s not how this worked for me. I’m glad you gave me the opportunity to see the real guy, the one beneath that grumpy exterior.”
He held me close, his fingers drifting lightly across my skin. “And I’m thankful you were gracious enough to give me more chances than I deserved to get my head screwed on straight about you.”
I kissed his chest. “I think it might be one of my better decisions.”
Reid laughed. “I’m not sure I ever thought I’d hear that after the way I came into this place two months ago.”
Turning my attention to his face, I said, “We’ve both come a long way in that time, don’t you think?”
He smiled at me. “I do. And what we had tonight might be my favorite part of it.”
“I probably could have guessed that, especially with all those fantasies you mentioned having.”
“True. But that’s not why I said it.”
“What do you mean?”
Reid’s fingers drove into my hair, and he lightly scratched my scalp. “The physical aspect of this was phenomenal. God, you’re amazing. You feel absolutely beautiful. But I loved this tonight, because I know it wasn’t easy for you to get here. I’m so relieved to know that you trust me enough to take this step.”
I smiled. “I feel like I keep saying this every time we do something together, but this is now the best day I’ve ever had.”
He laughed again. “I can’t say I disagree, but I won’t promise not to try to top it again.”
“If it gets better than this, I might have to chain you to my bed.”
