Page 40 of One Lovely Lie

“It’s in the past, isn’t it?” I say, stopping him in his tracks by kissing him quickly. “Right?”

“Yeah. It’s just us from now on.” He smiles against my lips and melts. He gestures around to the clearing we’re standing in and shrugs. “What do you think?”

“I think it’s great,” I say, wiping my sweaty hands on my thighs. “Um, want to put the blanket down?”

I hate how fucking awkward I’m being. He spreads the blanket out with care, pulling a lighter out of his back pocket and taking the candles from my hands. He’s the one that suggested bringing them, something about wanting this to be romantic, but it makes me feel like there’s a heavy weight added to it all.

This isn’t just going to be some quick fuck for him. Nothing dirty and fast and raw. It’s going to be somethingreal.

This gives me the confidence to lower myself on the blanket, laying on my side facing him as he mimics my position.

“I’m going to take my time with you,” he whispers, trailing his finger up and down my arm, causing goosebumps to form on my skin despite the sweater I’m wearing. “I got my test results back and I’m negative, but we can still use a condom if you want.”

I shake my head. “No, just you. I want to be able to feel all of it.”

There’s something that sparks and shines in his dark eyes, something akin to the kind of adoration which I never thought possible from him. He kisses my forehead sweetly and nods. “Okay, let me just get—”

“What the fuck?” I laugh, looking at the jumbo-sized bottle of lube that’s somehow magically appeared out of thin air. “Where were you hiding that thing?”

“I just wanted to make sure you were as comfortable as possible,” he chuckles alongside me, gingerly setting the lube down in between our bodies.

I snort, eyeing the almost offensive bottle. “I think that mission is going to be accomplished.”

“Very funny,” he snarks will a roll of his eyes. “How do you want to do this?”

The nerves are back and I feel my teeth begin to chatter. “Um, it’s too cold to take all our clothes off, isn’t it?”

“I could keep you warm.”

“I don’t want my dick to fall off.”

“We keep our clothes on then?”

“I guess?”

Christ, who plans out sex like this? It isn’t like it is in movies or books. There isn’t always some romantic declaration or heat of the moment that engulfs you until all you can do is rip off each other’s clothes and hump to your heart’s wildest content.

I wonder if he and Thaxton ever discussed the mechanics of their sexual encounters.

I feel the warm pressure of his hands on my cheeks. “Whatever you’re thinking, get it out of your head. This is perfect. I’m going to kiss you now and touch you a bit and then we’ll start. Okay?”

“O-Okay,” I stutter, nodding eagerly because starting sounds like a good idea.

He begins by pressing simple kisses to any patch of open skin he finds—my collarbone, my lips, my nose, my hands—all the while driving me crazy with the slow drags of his tongue he leaves in his wake.

His hands migrate under my shirt, tracing the barely-there muscles I have and working their way up to my stiff nipples. He’s teasing me, prepping me in a different way, getting me all hot and bothered until I’m squirming impatiently.

He rolls over so he’s on top of me. His hips grind into mine heavily, dragging along my clothed cock until I feel the dampness in my underwear. “You feel so good underneath me. Like you belong right here.”

This makes me smile because maybe I do. Maybe this is where fate always meant to lead us. Maybe all the longing and the pain and the embarrassment was preparing us for this day and this moment.

He has his hand down my underwear now and I suddenly feel too hot. Knocking his hands out of the way, I fumble with my belt, practically snapping it open as I shove down my pants and boxers in one go.

“I thought you said you didn’t want your dick to fall off,” he jokes, poking my stomach and snickering when I whine.

Two can play at that game. “Well, if you wantyourdick in my ass, I’d consider getting your pants off too.”

He’s all too quick to comply, scrambling to get as undressed as I am. When he preps me, it’s with a shit ton of lube and a shit ton of patience.

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