Page 72 of Lucky Strike

“You want to spoon me in bed?” she asked, sounding incredulous.

“Yeah, for a whole month now. There’s this feisty, stubborn woman who doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything, so this is probably the safest position for me. If something leaps through the door, you can protect me, or, if you get mad at me, you’re at least faced in the wrong direction. Ripping out my throat might still be possible but at least it gives me a fighting chance. Yes, this feels very secure, like I can finally get a decent night’s sleep.”

Her body relaxed into his. “What else do you want?”

“I would like to take this same feisty, stubborn woman out sometimes.”

That was met with silence. It was as though he’d pushed his heart to the outside of his chest, but Luna hadn’t taken it yet and the dejected organ was shriveling in the cold. His inability to figure her out was becoming a sticking point of frustration. Sam pulled away, sitting on the edge of the bed and leaning his elbows against his knees.

Luna turned around. “You’re not leaving, are you?”

“You know what I want? Really want? I want a girlfriend. Something real. Not a fling or a thing with benefits. I want you. So, yes, I want to take you out and sleep next to you at night. I want to know that I’m not going to be alone here, that you’re going to claim me.”

Before he could act, a pair of warm arms slipped around his chest as Luna pressed against his back, her mouth at his ear. “Some guy asked me out the other day, and I told him I had a boyfriend.” She kissed his neck.

Sam closed his eyes, all his muscles relaxing. “You have a boyfriend?”

“Mm-hmm. Could we go on your motorcycle and get milkshakes when you take me out?”

He bit his lip to keep a giant grin from spreading across his face. “Well, the weather is going to get bad soon, so maybe the bike isn’t a good idea, but, yes, if you want to be a cheap date and get a milkshake, that’s fine with me.”

She released a contented sigh, pressing more kisses to his back. “What else do you want?”

He couldn’t remember ever feeling so free and full of joy before. He put his hands over her arms, keeping her pressed to his back. “I want to make you feel as warm and safe inside as I feel when I’m with you. I want to make you laugh so hard you throw your head back. I want to give you all my hoodies so you’re never cold. And I want to make sure that when you’re out exploring, you never end up stranded anywhere. You can call me if you need to.”

“Those are a lot of wants and they aren’t even remotely selfish. You lied to me, and you’re actually a nice guy after all. This is a horrible thing to find out now.”

That opinion could not stand. Sam whipped around, tackling her to the mattress, a burst of giggles escaping as he nipped her skin with his teeth. “Ross is right. You’re the worst kind of brat. Take it back.”

She laughed until breathless. His heart stretched from being absolutely full of her. Cracks of lightning were breaking apart what remained of his pessimism, replacing it with something else.

“What do you want, Luna?”

She turned serious again. “I want…to let my guard down, to let myself feel something with abandon but, mostly, I want to be in a relationship where I don’t feel I’m constantly letting someone down because I can’t stop myself from being who I am.”

He raked his fingers through her hair and gently kissed her.

“I like you,” she whispered.

Sam, finally, had all the time in the world: a whole night. He kissed her, pressing himself into her. His hand slipped beneath the tank top to stroke her breasts. When she gasped, his whole body responded to it. Having her became all that mattered.

With clumsy fingers he drew her pajama shorts and underwear down. Sam dragged slow kisses along the inside of her thigh, before using his tongue to feast on her, sucking and licking until she was a whimpering, trembling mess. He smiled, loving nothing better than reducing her to that state.

Sam pulled himself over her again, kissing across her collarbone. Luna’s nails dug into him. He wanted to tattoo the crescent-shaped marks all over his body, to feel her over every inch of his skin. She breathed out his name and arched against him. His brain was already a hazy mess and getting worse. “I need to get a—”

“No,” she responded.

“No?”

“I’m on birth control. It’s okay.”

His brain stuttered for a moment. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. Sam took a second to enjoy the sweet taste of her mouth before sliding his boxers down. He was sure he saw starbursts when he pushed into her, forcing a breath through his nose. It was the feel and heat of her at a hundred percent.

“Fuck, Luna,” he said, pressing his face into her neck. He wasn’t going to be able to control it because, this time, he knew she was his.

*

---