You guys! Thank you for all the likes and kudos! I hope you like this chapter—Greenumbrella03 and Notanislander liked it! Thank you two for betaing!

Not sure why he's so wound up this morning, Ben decides to go for his normal morning run. Which is normal for anywhere he is, for at least thirty minutes to an hour. Today though, even the exertion he forces on his body doesn't help clear his mind like it usually does. As an alpha who is taking a break from his blockers, this is not good.

Especially when he hasn't had a rut in years.

He slows to a walk but continues the way back to his parent's cabin. As he passes the neighbors, he almost wishes—hell he hasn't allowed himself to dream of a different life since he was a kid. But as he starts to tuck that thought back into the neat little box he keeps his hopes and dreams in he smells it again, that vanilla and lavender—home, his alpha hums.

The smell is so strong it even makes his mating gland itch.

Which is something else that hasn't happened in years.

He walks into the cabin and it's like his head almost clears, but not quite. It's like he's in a fog or coming down with a sinus infection. Restless as hell and not sure what else to do he opens the patio doors and walks outside to the pool. It took him a couple of days to fix it, but now it's clear and balanced and he pulls his shirt off over his head when—who is in his pool?

The words are in his throat, ready to demand several things from this stranger in—but the words just fade into nothing as he takes in her long chocolate brown hair that floats around her

like some of those tragic medieval paintings. Her curves are in the right places underneath her one-piece black bathing suit. It looks like she's asleep on one of his mother's inflatable floats.

He tries to remember his words because he really wants to know how she got here at the same time as him but before he can speak, that's when it hits him: That rich and amazing smell of lavender and vanilla mixed together just right. The same from last night-Could it really be her? After all this time, is that strange omega in his mother's pool the one he's been waiting on?

He must make a noise to wake her, because as she opens her eyes and those beautiful hazel eyes of hers meet his boring brown ones. "Omega—" he whispers.

"Alpha?" Her whisper echoes through him like that bullet did last year when he was shot in the line of duty. He steps closer, his alpha demanding that he touch and taste—he reaches down to untie his running shoes so he can-but a song rings out, echoes across the trees.

She blinks, he swears with a harsh, "damn it," and reaches into this pocket for his phone.

He only answers it because he knows if he doesn't, she'll keep calling until he does. That's what being shot at on a daily basis will do to your alpha mom.

"Hey, can I call you back?" He answers.

"I'll be quick, I know you're trying to rest. Maz called and said that the young lady, well woman who opened the bakery several years ago that she works at, needed a weekend out of town so she sent her to her cabin. She was there during Thanksgiving, but you were still working so you didn't get to meet her. Her name is Rey, long brown hair, beautiful. But if you see her, don't freak and call the cops on her, ok?"

"Alright, Mom. Thanks for calling."

"Is she there?" Leia asks.

"Is your name Rey?" he asks the woman in his parents pool. When she smiles a soft, guilty smile and slowly nods, he finds himself falling just a little bit—"She's here."

"You met her?"

"You could say that. can I call you back later?" Ben asks. He doesn't even wait for her to say bye or anything when he's tucking the phone back into his pocket. He thinks he knows why, because no one has ever affected him this way, but he can't take his eyes off her.

She's no longer on the float but stands there so she can watch him. He knows that spot where she stands is only four and half feet deep but he can't stop staring where the water comes up to—about where her— but it's as if she can read his mind so she ducks until the water reaches her chin.

He clears his throat to try to get his attention back to where it needs to be—on the intruder in the pool.

"Hello. My name's Ben Solo."

He can't help but to notice the black bathing suit she wears when she straightens as he watches the water go back to the place—his face warms as he realizes that the water probably comes up to her nipples—he makes himself look back at her face. hazel-green eyes meet his…

Omega—she belongs to us!

He wills his alpha to calm down-

"and I'm Rey." she says with a smile.

The water looks like it parts itself for her as she walks towards him. For a moment, he can't make up his mind if he wants to jump in to help her climb out or run.

Mate—

He freezes, and she stops. Their eyes meet, brown to green. Nostrils flare as they both inhale a very deep breath. Her eyes roll back as his eye lids close. He gulps, she swallows and he wonders—

"Do you feel that?" she asks softly.

"I feel it too—"

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His voice is as gentle as the summer breeze that's been kissing her skin for the past hour-for an alpha.

In her small town, there seems to be alphas everywhere you look which is just one reason why she and Rose are on so many blockers. And when all those alphas come into your bakery wanting coffee everyday—you see how temperamental they all can be.

Those alphas are blustery, loud, possessive—and they all stink.

But this one—another deep breath to make sure she's right—yes that's what she was scenting last night. The smell of the trees is all around them, but she wonders if it's him too, because it's more—sweeter—than it was last night. And he's just a couple of feet from her.

And just like last night, the scent of rain reminds her of so many memories even though this alpha looks at her like no one else has before. It's almost like he's afraid of her, but maybe he might want to lick her, amongst other things, at the same time.

And if she's honest with herself, she would like to do that stuff too.

Still she approaches him like he's a rabid animal but as his eyes get softer she wonders—"Rey? Rey what?"

"Rey Andor."

"I should know you? It feels like I should know you—" he says as he approaches the edge of the pool. She knows that she should probably make an excuse to go back to the cabin, all the way home even, she's not sure if it's that smell the keeps getting whiffs of, or those whiskey-colored eyes of his, or how broad those shoulders of his are—she just knows that she wants to get closer to him.

"I'm not sure? I spent Thanksgiving here with your parents. They said that you had to work?"

"Yeah," he runs his fingers through his hair, and she steps closer as she wishes she could touch those inky waves— "Demanding job. I'm off for a little bit and I'm getting ready to head back. What are you doing here?"

"I needed a break from the bakery—I own one with my best friend—and Maz helps us out when we need her. I guess I looked really pitiful yesterday, so she offered the cabin to me for the weekend. I wish I could stay longer which is a sign for me to hire more staff?" She's not sure why she's confessing this to him, but it feels like she could tell him everything. "I'll go so you can—"

"Or you can stay."

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"Or you can stay—" he has to tamper his alpha into not turning it into a command. He's certain that he needs her more than the next breath of oxygen he inhales— "Please?"

"Only if, you're sure?" Her smile is bewitching as she lowers herself back into the water until it covers her shoulders and her hair, oh he's dying to see—

"How long is your hair? It's so beautiful." He loves the way her cheeks turn pink at his confession.

"I need a haircut," she murmurs as she stands and turns. But when she looks over her shoulder at him—it takes everything he has not to jump into that pool with her. "It's actually almost to my waist."

How amazing would it look wrapped around our fist as we fuck her until we knot her—

He has to shake his head to calm down his alpha. Yes, he agrees, but shhh—

"I have an idea—have you had lunch yet?" He asks, that same alpha who wants to fuck her silly or at least until she begs him to bite her wants to feed her to show her how good of an alpha he can be.

"I was just going to go eat a sandwich—"

"When I went to the store yesterday, I got stuff for hamburgers—"

"I do like a good hamburger," she adds with that bewitching smile back in place.

"Then lunch it is." he chuckles and nods towards the grill. "See, we're ready for you."

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"But the next time he came into the bakery, he showed a lot more respect and from then on, anyone else I guessed he worked with, when they came in, it's as different as night and day." She pauses to sip her lemonade while Ben boils.

Who in the hell tried to put their hands on her? He just knew that it came from that gang of dump asses that works for snoke.

The same ones he'll be sending to prison.

"So, you make doughnuts for these guys? Everyday?"

She looks down at where she's playing with her napkin in her lap. He's had enough psychology courses to know that she's nervous as hell and as much she wants to talk about something else, she's not ready to fly away yet because she still has her feet propped on the wicker coffee table.

"I know I should fire them, but it's easy money and it's guaranteed. I know that no matter what, I'll be getting paid that day. In the small town I'm in, that's a blessing."

"what town is that?" he asks even though he knows he shouldn't. but he has to know—

"Weaverville." She finally looks back up at him. He knows how to read people, he's built an entire career of being able to tell what a person is thinking and not die. But the look in her eyes—he can't quite put his finger on it—is that hope?

What he wouldn't give to be able to read her mind about now.

"Your parents never told me—what does a big strong alpha like you do for a living?"

He's not sure what is more earth-shaking: her realizing what she just said about him or her words sinking in.

She thinks we're big and strong. What about handsome?

As her cheeks turn the most adorable shade of red—he doesn't even have to scent her to know that she's embarrassed. He quietly inhales—does she want him as much as he wants her?

Our omega wants us!

"It's boring. Would you like to go swim some more?" He offers and hopes that she'll take him up on that offer.

"Alright, I can hear when you don't want to tell me anymore about your job, so I won't ask." She pushes herself up to her feet. "Yes, let's work on our tans—" her nostrils flare and he could swear that he hears her omega purr as she scents him.

Oh no—

"Are you—"

"Damn it wasn't supposed to start yet," he swears.

"You're going into rut?" she whispers.

"I'm afraid so. My doc said that I needed a break while I was waiting on this new job and I had to wait for the blockers to get out of my system."

"That makes sense." She backs up until the backs of her knees hits the other outside chair. "I should be going—if you need anything else besides sex—"

"Rey—" for some reason her leaving is bringing on his rut sooner. It's summertime hot out here, but it's like someone turned the heat up ten more degrees. "Can I call you—after this?"

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She's not sure why she pauses. Maybe it's the slight cramping and her own slick—while she doesn't feel a full-blown heat coming—it is what some would call a mini one or a break through heat. From talking to her doctor and Rose, this happens when you're on blockers, you meet someone who you might be compatible with, or someone you love.

But when his nostrils flare—she knows that she waited too long—

Or did she?

This big alpha closes the distance between them. Whiskey-colored eyes stare into hers. Long inky waves drapes across his forehead and she wants to touch him—but she knows that if she does she won't be able to stop.

Unable to look away, their breaths mingle as they exhale then inhale together.

"I don't think I can leave—" she whispers.

"I'll just follow—" he replies.

Their soft laughter fills the space between them. "What should we do?" She murmurs as they slowly get closer. They still don't touch, they know that if they start, they won't be able to stop.

"I don't want you to go—" he confesses.

"I don't want to go either."

"I've never asked anyone this before—will you help me through my rut?"

"I think so? No biting on my glands and I won't bite yours. I like you and you smell amazing, but I don't even know your whole name."

"It's Benjamin Chewbacca Organa-Solo," he chuckles. "What's yours?"

"Are you named after Chewy?" she murmurs. When he nods, she smiles. "I love that. I'm Rey Erso Andor." She can tell he wants to ask but instead she says, "Kiss me?"

"Kiss you," he murmurs. "You want me to kiss you?" Still not touching her, he steps closer where his shirt can brush the front of her bathing suit and the knot of the towel around her waist, brushes the front of his running shorts.

That's not doing anything to hide his hardness.

But when he raises his hands, and they land on her biceps. Goosebumps erupt from where he touches her, and washes over her like a wave. Her breath catches when the tip of his nose touches hers and oh-so-gently, with eyes wide open his whisper is as light as the breeze that surrounds them both. "Can I have you?"

"Please—" she breathes as she smiles as his lips touch hers. Where his touch is electrifying, his kiss is everything. His hands squeeze gently but firmly as if he's putting pieces of her back that she didn't know was missing. When his head tilts and their mouths open as if two thirsty travelers in the desert at the oasis finally drinking water after being lost and they taste of one another—her hands, her arms wrap around his waist so she can pull against her as his find their way around her shoulders, anchoring one another.

Their tongues tangle and dance as they taste each other for the first time. Yes, he made lunch on the old grill by the pool and there was a hint of what she needed—but this as his scent of the trees and the refreshing smell of a summer rain around them is almost too much.

Her hands fist in his t-shirt as she hangs on. As his essence fills her senses and for the first time she understands—she wants to drown in what he is.

She's not sure who pulls away, but they separate at the same time.

"I need you—"

"I want you—"

He starts to walk backwards and since his arms are still locked around her and she's not making an effort to pull away, she follows.

As soon as they are in the house, his exhale is loud as she blinks up at him. she never thought she had a type, but looking up into his whiskey eyes, she quickly decides that she loves that color.

"My room's upstairs."

Room—his room—nest. "I'm a bad omega—" she whines. "I never—nest we need a nest."

He looks confused and says, "Come on. everything you need is upstairs."

She takes his hand, and he leads her.

As much as her heat is starting to overtake her, it's still just a soft one so she's still coherent. She's been in this house before and it's just as beautiful now as it was then at Leia's Thanksgiving.

Stairs lead up to the second floor with several open doors. She didn't come up the last time she was here, but this floor matches the craftsman style of the downstairs. Ben doesn't stop for a tour but takes her right into the second door.

It's a corner bedroom and of course it has so many windows. A window to overlook the lake that she didn't know the development had. Another window just to see the north slope of the mountains. And another she guesses just to have another window.

The view of her mountains draws her to the window that faces them. She has to smile a secret smile when she feels his hands on her hips and his nose in her hair. A deep breath as he inhales—"Let me go shower? I know I smell like the pool. And maybe ten minutes after that?" She turns in his arms which puts them, well not quite eye to eye but she can spend years looking up into his eyes—

Shit where did that come from?

Her omega must be waking up for her soft heat. As much as she wants him to slam her up against the wall and fuck her—this is the first heat she'll spend with an alpha- She needs to hurry if she's going to build a nest for them. "Question? Extra blankets—"

"You're going to build a nest? For us?" She can hear his alpha in his voice as it almost purrs for her. Not sure where it comes from, her hand snakes up to those inky waves. Her fingers dive in and his eyes roll back.

His purr just becomes louder the more she touches him.

"Alpha? Why don't you go start the shower? You can take one with me? I'll be there in a minute?"

"Don't be too long—extra blankets and pillows are in the third bedroom I think?" A quick kiss and he walks through the extra doorway while she walks back out into the hallway. She turns to the left and the door swings open easily.

Instead of a bedroom, it's more of a storage room with shelves of anything you could need. The orphan who never had enough until Mom and Dad, wants to grab everything. Cans of food, bottles of water, backpacks. Even sheets to go along with the blankets and pillows.

"Hurry," she whispers to herself as she grabs several blankets off the shelf. Along with two pillows.

When she walks back into his room, the underlying scent of him wraps around her. She's never been around a alpha when he's in rut—but she's glad that her omega is awake to help.

Not sure where to build the nest, she puts the softness she found on the bed then starts to strip out of her still damp suit. She takes it with her to the bathroom.

She's not at all surprised when she enters the room. The shower looks huge, big enough for them. The vanity looks like something antique with a long granite counter.

That's where she leaves her suit.

Feeling braver than she normally would, it must be her omega, she pulls back the curtain. Those stupid whiskey eyes see her and his smile—yep, it's going to take everything she has to walk away from him when this is over.

"Hello Stardust." That low rumble that slips past his lips travels through her, waking parts of her up that she never knew existed.

He holds out a soapy hand and she's helpless not to take it. The silence that fills the space is almost reverent, like they are in a holy place instead of getting ready to spend a heat with one another.

She starts to help him wash her hair, but he stops her with a click of his tongue. That same one that was just in her mouth minutes ago.

His fingers are tangled in her waves, and she can't help but to ask, "You have to be a hairdresser—"

His snort of laughter makes her giggle. "Why do you say that?" He asks.

"Because that feels amazing—" he gathers the length of her hair and she's not sure what he's doing, but—he's then rinsing after he hands her a dry washcloth. "Thank you," she says as she covers her eyes. He takes as much time applying the conditioner as he did washing.

A new smell fills the humid shower. She opens her eyes to see Ben soaping a washcloth. She holds out her hand for the soapy fabric, but he slowly shakes his head. He does hold out his hand and she fits hers in his. Slowly he washes her. Even when she tries again to take the washcloth—he smiles that slow lazy smile and still massages her.

By the time he's done, she feels like a puddle of need and desire. How much more intense would this be if she wasn't taking blockers?

He starts to get out of the shower first, but she stops him as she reaches for a towel before he does. When she unfolds it and starts to dry him off, his eyes grow dark as they take her in. His scent changes and even though she can't remember the last time she produced slick, she can feel hers.

But then his nostrils flare as he grabs her hips. He lowers his head to claim her lips—and she rises up on her tiptoes to meet him. A rumble deep comes from him as his arms circle her. Her feet leave the bathroom tile as he carries her to his bed.

Both of them naked as the day they were born.

"I have something to tell you, Alpha—Ben." He pauses and meets her eyes with his brow raised. "I've never been in heat before, so I don't know how to build a nest. Can you help me?"

"I have a confession too—the only nests I've ever been in are the ones I try to put together."

"You've never been through a heat with an omega?" She asks.

"And you've never been through a rut with an alpha?" He asks.

Alpha will love us and never let us go after this even if we can't build a decent nest.

She shakes her head against what her omega says and instead asks, "Bed or floor?"

"What do you think?" He rumbles beside her.

"Bed?" she asks.

While he says, "floor."

"Alright, floor it is." she agrees.

He doesn't say a word but walks over to the closet. He opens the door and even though it's still daylight outside, she can't see in until he turns on the light. He disappears but she stays. He comes back to her carrying a rolled-up mattress.

A grin as he unties the string, and he lets it unroll. It's about the size of a queen-sized mattress with a cover on it that looks comfortable, but she also knows that it's the latest in moisture wicking beds for alphas and omegas.

"You were going to spend your rut alone?"

She doesn't miss how he flushes pink as his grin turns nervous. "Not anymore." He turns his attention back to her, and there's that flutter in her stomach again.

"Nest?" She turns towards him even though her omega wants him to chase—"I got blankets and pillows." She steps closer to him and while she doesn't touch him directly, she does almost touch him with her nose, on his chest and inhales.

A whimper in the back of her throat as the scent of forest and fresh rain fills the room.

"Nest, let's make our nest together?" His whisper fills the quiet room. She looks up into those whiskey-colored eyes of his—and she knows—even though her heat is starting that he is going to be a major part of her life.

And she finds herself strangely alright with that.

They don't say a word as they arrange the blankets and then the pillows. Even though she's never done this before, doing it now feels—like coming home. She finds herself wishing that she wasn't taking the full-strength blockers that she does. At least then she could experience this like he is.

But when she finds herself thinking, or maybe her omega, next time—she hopes that there is a next time with this alpha.

"It's perfect, Omega," he purrs in her ear, startling her. "Shhh—" his hands come up to her shoulders then run down her arms to her elbows. "I've got you."

Not sure what else to do, she turns in his arms. Their arms surround each other as their scents mingle, his need fills the room. Not sure what else to do, she says, "Can we lay down? In the nest?" He squeezes her arms in approval. "You go first," she's not sure where this voice—oh. It's her omega. "To make sure it's alright and all."

She watches as he steps over the pillows at the bottom of the mattress and sinks down onto his knees. Her heart feels like it's in her throat as she watches him look around him. Then he smiles that smile that she's already falling for—"It's perfect. I've never seen a more perfect nest."

Silently, she steps into the nest too. It's so soft on her feet, that she sinks down into the fluff like her toes do. At home, above the bakery, now that she thinks about it, she does have a nest of her own there. Too many pillows and lots of soft throws and quilts that she uses even in the summer time, she finds herself as she admits, "My nest at home is nice, I hope you get to see it sometime?"

"I'd like that omega. How about a nap before my rut starts?"

"alright," she agrees even though she doesn't feel that sleepy—

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"Omega—" someone purrs in her ear, her breath is sharp as she wakes. The first thing she notices is how dim in the room it is. Then how naked she is and the pair of arms around her. "You're awake," Ben breathes behind her.

She also can't help but to feel him rubbing his hardness against her backside.

Alpha feels so good—can we keep him?

She hums out loud while she says to her omega, maybe—

"You're going into heat."

"I am?" she asks.

"I can smell the change in your scent. It's sweeter than it was before," he mutters into her hair.

Through the years she's scented plenty of alphas the couple of days before their rut. Then they would disappear for a week or two and others would cover their jobs. A deep inhale and she can smell his scent spiking.

Her omega would be silent each time.

But now, with this one, everything is different. Another breath, she takes hers as he does and this time, she can taste her vanilla mixing with his crisp smell of his forest with his rain and her lavender making it smell like her favorite spring day.

He barely licks the scent gland on her neck when those pesky goosepimples erupt all over. He chuckles and a quiver of need makes her shake and leaves her wanting—alpha.

I need to see him—echoes through her head as she wiggles around so she's facing him. Those whiskey eyes of him watch her and she wonders does he see me, his omega that he's been looking for all this time?

There's something in the way that he stares at her, almost like he can't believe she's real—but that's ok, she feels the same about him. She bravely does what she wanted to do from the first moment, just hours ago—but first she cups his cheek and even as he turns his head into her touch, she moves not away, but up those chiseled cheeks to those inky waves.

As her fingers sink into his hair, she has to smile at the way his eyes roll back, and his lids flutter shut. But what warms her all over, and it's not just her heat kicking in, is the way he growls into her touch.

"Does my alpha like that?" Her omega asks. His eyes fly open and there in his depths is something—

"He does, omega." Even before she has a chance to say—his lips are on hers.

She's hardly a virgin, lost it long ago it feels in the backseat of a forgotten beta boy. There's really been no one since, growing a business is busy after all.

But the way Ben, this alpha unknown to her hours ago holds her—like she's someone precious to him.

A gasp from her as their tongues meet. She moans as a deeper essence of him fills her senses. A delicate dance begins between them as hands begin to roam. He cups her breast as his lips stop moving. She groans in protest, but only so he can ask, "I need you. Can I knot you?"

"I've never been—so please—"

As soon as her permission is out in the open, she's on her back, a smirk, and he sinks into her depths. As he fills her, the air in her lungs escapes with a moan. When his hips are flush with hers, their eyes meet, hazel-green to his golden amber—something clicks as it falls into place.

Mate—we need him—

Her next breath is shaky as she watches him. But she knows—his mouth opens as if he's going to confess but she stops him with a touch, a mere finger on his lips protects their fragile nest.

Instead of words, he moves, and she rises up to meet him. Darkness and light, it would seem. An unspoken agreement passes between them as he bites just below her gland. It's her turn for her eyes to roll back as her pleasure begins at her core and washes over her.

She feels him swelling inside her as he begins to come with her.

Their foreheads gently bump as they catch their breath. "I've never—"

"That was—" they say at the same time. easy smiles as they stare into each other eyes. She quietly kisses the tip of his aquiline nose. When his cheeks turn a bright pink, she can't help but to tighten her arms that are still around him. "Amazing," she finishes. "How long will it take your knot to go—"

"I'm not sure? I've never knotted anyone before."

"How—" she starts to ask as he starts to raise up onto his knees. "—don't. Please—I like the way you feel."

His lopsided smile tells her that she's seeing a glimpse of the real Ben Solo. The same one that Leia told her all about during Thanksgiving. The same one who's pictures are all over the house.

The same one she wanted to meet but he didn't make it.

"Just promise to tell me if I get too heavy," he murmurs as he leans back over her. For some reason, her omega likes his show of dominance as she wiggles her bottom against him. His knot tugs and sends new waves of need through her.

"You like that?" she can hear the even lower baritone of his alpha coming through as he eases down on top of her.

"I do, Alpha," she mewls as she wiggles against him again.

"Omega—" he says as a warning as he grabs her and rolls them over so now she's on top.

"Alpha—" she's breathless as her heat kicks in. She's not at all sure what she's doing, but she knows that she needs him to fill her again.

Another orgasm and she collapses on top of him. But then her Alpha, her big, strong, handsome Alpha, wraps his arms around her and begins to thrust, fucking up into her. Another wave crests as they both come again…

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She doesn't remember much from the past several days. He fed her like a good alpha would. She called someone and they called back. She thinks that she still has a bakery to go back to. Laying here in alp—Ben's arms. She's not sure she cares anymore.

She could stay here forever.

They both look like they've been in several fights from the bite marks they've left- when it was just them letting his alpha be the Alpha and her omega be the Omega.

She now has a new favorite place—that's anywhere where Ben is—and new favorite smells. As much as she thinks he felt it too, he hasn't said anything about tomorrow when they go back to reality or even after that. Even as she wills herself not to cry, what does she do?

"Rey? Sweetheart?" He tilts her head up so their eyes can meet. It's as if he can read her mind, her heart because he becomes watery eyed too. That's when she begins to understand, he hasn't made those promises because he can't.

They kiss one another's tears away, kiss the bruises, kiss each other's lips and as he slowly fucks her her they make unspoken promises with their kisses.