AN: I missed Sally's birthday and I'm sad. To my beta extraordinaire: I love you. Not only are you a sweet and wonderful friend, but the woman I trust the most with my words. She's given so much of her time and her patience to me; I am forever grateful. Happy Birthday, my dear sweet friend! "Make this one paragraph!"
Bella
I'm all packed and ready to leave when a black town car pulls up in front of the house. I hug Rose and Em as the driver comes and loads my luggage into the trunk, and then opens the back door for me. I expect to see Edward inside, but I'm disappointed when I find myself alone.
When the driver settles into his seat, he informs me that Mr. Cullen is at the airfield, checking on last minute details. It isn't long before we're pulling up to a security gate at a private airfield, and I can see Edward descending the steps of a private jet.
When the car pulls up, he walks over to open the door for me, offering his hand and pulling me directly to him for a kiss. "I'm sorry I couldn't ride with you this morning."
"That's okay; I'm going to be stuck with you in the air for almost twenty hours." I kiss him again as the driver unloads my luggage, and one of the pilots loads it into the cargo hold. "I want the small one with me, if that's okay."
Edward walks over and grabs it, motioning for me to board the plane. I follow him up the small set of stairs and try not to be shocked at how nice the interior is. He shows me around the crew cabin, the general sitting area, and the private suite. He drops my small suitcase in there and leads me back to the sitting area. I choose a seat near a table, assuming he has work to do. I brought my laptop to work on my resume and look for jobs.
"We'll stop in New York to refuel and restock before the extended leg of the flight. Is there anything specific you'd like for the flight?" Edward asks me, a small tablet in his hand.
"I don't think so?" I shrug, trying to feel comfortable in my surroundings.
"Don't you like a little something sweet before bed?" he asks me with a knowing smile, and I laugh.
"I do. I can't believe you remembered that. Can we get some Milano cookies?" I ask, smiling widely.
He grins, leaning across the table to kiss me. "I'll make sure of it. You have your passport easily accessible, right?"
I pick up my laptop bag to check if it's still where I packed it. "Yup. Still there."
In no time, we're at a cruising altitude and being served coffee and pastries. Edward apologizes because he does in fact have work to do. He offers to set me up in the private sitting area with a movie, but I brought my e-reader, and I tell him I'm happy to sit here with him if he'll have me.
A couple hours into the flight, I start to get antsy. I excuse myself to the lavatory, and then wander around the cabin, taking everything in. I talk to the two flight attendants who are with us, and they explain about how they'll be working in shifts and that they'll be put up in a hotel with a stipend in Milan. I'm not really surprised, more in awe at how generous Edward is. We're laughing about something when Edward finds the three of us in the galley together. They straighten up when they see him, but he smiles gently.
"Is everything okay? Were we being too loud?" I ask him softly.
He shakes his head. "No, I was just starting to miss you. Did you get to look at everything?"
I say goodbye to the attendants and walk back to the lounge with Edward. "Everything except the bedroom. Do you still have work to do?"
"I think the rest of it can wait. Why didn't you look in the bedroom? There's an en suite in there too," he tells me, closing his own laptop and focusing his attention on me.
"That's nice. I was afraid I might fall asleep if I stepped in there. One thing you should know about me—I'm a sleeper. Cars, planes, trains, buses … I can and will fall asleep." I laugh as he studies me. "I'm serious. Rose and I went to Disney World once, and I fell asleep on 'It's a Small World'."
Edward laughs. "I believe you. I was just thinking that if I had my way, neither one of us would get any sleep in there."
I feel my face flush. "Stop. What if someone hears you?"
"They all signed NDAs." He shrugs, and I stare at him.
"You didn't ask me to sign one. Did you make the other girls?" I rise out of my chair and move into the seat next to him, curling my legs under me.
"Do you want the truth?"
"Always."
"I did ask them to sign NDAs, to protect myself and them. I haven't asked you because … You're already being so careful; I don't know if it's necessary." He wraps his arm around me, pulling me closer to him on the plush chairs. "Does that worry you? Would you rather we draw one up?"
"I honestly don't know, Edward. I have to default to you here. Do you think we should?" I gaze up at him, searching his eyes, his open expression.
"I've only known you for two weeks, but I trust you more than I ever did those other women. I don't know what you're doing to me, Bella, but I don't think we need the paperwork." He lifts my chin, pulling me closer to him, pressing his lips against mine.
All I can think is how adamant he was about this being transactional, and then he says something like this.
He pulls aways from me. "Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"
Shaking my head, I lean against his chest. "No, of course not." You're just giving me mixed signals, buddy. "I think I'm just starting to get a little tired."
He reclines both of our seats, pulling me closer to him so I'm almost on top of him. "Let's get some rest then. We still have a couple of hours before New York."
I try to clear my mind and relax. It was just a sweet sentiment from him, nothing more. He is a sweet man, and I should be grateful for that. I snuggle against him, syncing my breathing with his as I drift off.
The layover in NYC is around an hour. Edward and I stop off inside the private lounge to freshen up and have a cup of coffee while we wait for the jet to be refueled. Once we're back on board, we watch a movie to kill some time before we're served lunch. Edward goes back to working, and I continue my book before I drift off in my reclined seat next to him.
"Bella? Baby?" I wake up to Edward gently shaking me. "I don't want you to sleep too long. You'll need to sleep overnight if you want to try to beat the jet lag."
I stretch a little and smile sheepishly. "I told you."
He laughs, poking a finger in my ribs making me jump. "Do you like cards? We could play something?"
"Sure. What are you thinking?" I move to the seat across from him as he gets up. He returns with a small basket, with one of the attendants following him. She sets down a tray with an urn of coffee, cups, cream, and sugar.
"We have a couple of regular decks, Uno, and Phase 10." He pulls them out as he tells me, and I pick up the Phase 10 deck.
"I'm gonna kick your ass." I grin at him, and he laughs.
"Bring it on, baby."
We kill several hours until dinnertime, with me in the lead, reaching all ten phases and having a lower score than Edward. He pouts a little but laughs when I tell him he can't be the best at everything.
"We'll see about that." He smiles wickedly as we're served dinner. We talk all through the meal, and even though I learn something new about him constantly, I feel like I've known Edward forever.
He asks to see my resume and gives me some pointers on how to sharpen it more, and I take him seriously. I appreciate that he would be honest about how it looks to someone like him. We talk about what I'm looking for in a job, and when he lingers over that longer than I'd like, I remind him that Emmett pulled strings for me to get a job and I hated it. I beg him not to do anything similar, and he agrees. But he tells me that if anything should come along, he'll put my name forward.
Rolling my eyes, I shove a Milano cookie into his mouth. "Whatever makes you happy."
He chews thoroughly before kissing me. "You make me happy. I'm going to take a quick shower before bed. Do you want to take one tonight or in the morning?"
I think about it for a minute. "What time are we supposed to arrive?"
"Sometime after ten in the morning. We're heading straight to the hotel, so if you want to rest a little or shower there, you can. I thought we could go out to lunch and do some shopping. We have a couple days to acclimate to the time difference."
I nod. "Okay, then go shower, and I'll get changed for bed and take my meds. Um, are we, I mean, were you planning on us sleeping together?"
Edward had been rising out of his chair when I asked the question but drops back down to look at me. "The bed is a full, so it's smaller than yours. If you aren't comfortable just sharing the space to sleep in, there is a pull out that I can set up for myself."
"I don't want you to do that." I shake my head sharply. "I was just trying to figure out what you might be expecting."
He cups my face in his hands, gently forcing me to look at him. "Nothing; I expect nothing from you, from us."
I nod, pressing my lips to his, letting him know that I understand. "Okay, I'll get ready for bed then."
Edward kisses me again before getting up and walking to the private suite. I give him a few minutes, not knowing how private the en suite is before getting up to change into my pajamas. There's a mirror and sink outside the shower where I can brush my teeth and wash my face, and as I'm finishing up, Edward opens the door separating us, and I get my first glimpse of his body, wrapped at the waist in a fluffy white towel, water droplets running down his bare chest.
"I'm sorry; what was that?" Edward asks me with a smirk on his face, and I shake my head.
"I didn't say anything," I stutter out.
He steps behind me so we're both facing the mirror and skims his nose along the column of my neck. "Oh, you most certainly did."
"Really? What did I say?" I lock eyes with him in the reflection as he whispers in my ear.
"You said 'fuck me'." My knees buckle just enough that Edward catches me in his arms. "Isabella, are we going to have a problem tonight?"
Shaking my head, I turn in his arms. "No; no problem. You should get dressed so we can get some rest."
He chuckles darkly before releasing me to go get dressed. I turn back around and focus on moisturizing my face as Edward is naked only a few feet from me. I hear him climb into the bed, and when I turn around, I find him in an undershirt and boxer briefs with the covers turned down, waiting for me.
I flip off the light above the sink and join him in bed. We talk for a little while before we both start yawning. Edward sinks down into the mattress, pulling me with him. "Is this okay?" I nod against him, burrowing into his embrace. When I wake up, I know I'll be in for the adventure of a lifetime.
Our suite at the Four Seasons is opulent, and that's putting it mildly. There are fresh flowers in the common room along with both bedrooms. I take the smaller of the two rooms, knowing full well I may only spend one night by myself. I hear a pop from the common room and walk back out to see Edward pouring two glasses of champagne. He hands one over to me and raises his own.
"To us and to our first trip together." I tap my own glass to his before taking a sip. "I have some calls to make if you want to take a shower and rest. We won't leave for lunch for another hour or so."
He's not dismissing me but enabling me to take all of this on my own, on my own terms. I walk back to my bedroom and make quick work of unpacking and storing my bags. I pick out an outfit before stripping and climbing into a hot shower. Washing away the travel and the weariness I'm beginning to feel, I start to get more excited about what lies ahead.
Edward told me that we'll be going to some fashion shows, and while I know next to nothing, I can't wait to see what's in store. He's insisted on picking out some dresses today, and I'm curious to see what his style is for me. By the time I'm out of the shower, dried off, and wrapped in a robe, I'm ready for the next part of our adventure.
I find Edward sitting at the desk in the living room, talking on the phone in rapid fire Italian. He spots me lingering and waves me over, his eyes hungry. He pulls me onto his lap, reaching up to pull the clip out of my hair, running his fingers through my slightly damp tresses. I listen as his voice becomes short and abrupt before he hangs up.
"Is everything okay?" I ask, worried I distracted him too much.
He nods, his fingers still in my hair. "You know, we could just order room service, and I could have some dresses delivered for you to choose from." Edward's hand trails down to my neck, rubbing at the small amount of tension I'm carrying there.
"As nice as that sounds, I need to get out and walk around. Otherwise, I'm going to take a very long nap, and then I'll be of no use to you later on." I wink at him overenthusiastically, making him laugh. God, what I wouldn't do to be able to hear that sound every single day.
"Okay, fair enough. We'll go out and be in public for hours." He pouts dramatically and moves to stand.
I jump off of his lap and run to my room. "I can be ready in ten minutes!"
After a leisurely lunch with just the right amount of pasta and maybe too much wine, Edward guides me to his favorite shopping district. It's not as busy as I anticipated it to be with fashion week in just a few days, but Edward tells me that's because everyone is waiting for the fall collections to be available.
"Then what are we doing?" I ask, confused.
"Getting a few classic pieces. I told you that you needed a few cocktail dresses and an evening gown. This is where we're going to get them." He steers me into a shop without a designer name on the sign, and I'm more than a little confused.
But when he's greeted by a man in a bespoke suit by name and quick hug, I feel at ease. There are mannequins sporadically around the showroom floor with stunning pieces draped on them. I suddenly feel underdressed and like I'm not good enough to be here. Before I can wallow too much, Edward pulls me forward, a big grin on his face.
"Lascia che ti presenti, Isabella," Edward says as the man reaches for my hand, placing a delicate kiss on my knuckles. "Bella, this is Marcus. He'll be helping us today."
His English is heavily accented but clear as a bell to me. "It's my pleasure to meet you. Mr. Edward has given me some thoughts, and I've brought some pieces together. Why don't we sit and you can look at them, and then let me know your thoughts."
Marcus leads over to the viewing area with a small sofa in front of a dias. We're presented with cups of espresso from his assistant, and before I know it, models are walking out in some of the most exquisite dresses I've ever seen.
They range from mini-dresses to full-length gowns. I even see a pantsuit that I fall in love with. But there are a lot of ruffles and bows; embellishments that I would never normally choose. Once we've seen all the dresses, Marcus leaves us to discuss, and as Edward turns to look at me, he knows I'm less than thrilled.
"We can change everything you don't like," he says immediately.
Grimacing, I nod my head. "I'm not a bows and ruffles kind of girl, even if it is en vogue."
"What did you like?" he asks me, and I sigh.
"I liked some of the colors, and I loved that pantsuit," I tell him honestly.
"Okay, the pantsuit for sure. Let's get Marcus in here to discuss." Edward beckons the designer over. "Tell him the truth."
Clearing my throat, I smile. "I loved the pantsuit, Marcus. But everything else wasn't really my taste. I like cleaner lines, simpler designs."
Marcus nods as he listens. "You are beautiful enough without all the embellishments, if I may say so." He claps his hands twice and another slew of models walk out, and what I see is much more to my taste.
An off-the-shoulder floor-length gown in burgundy with delicate beading from the bust that sprays down the bodice and scatters onto the skirt. A mini, sleeveless cocktail dress with a high neck that absolutely defines the term "Little Black Dress". I can't take my eyes off any of these dresses, and Marcus smiles knowingly.
Edward whispers in my ear, "All of them? And the pantsuit?" All I can do is nod and let Marcus' assistant lead me to the back to take my measurements so the alterations can be made and the pieces can be delivered to the hotel by tomorrow.
Once I'm done and redressed, I meet Edward and Marcus out on the showroom floor. Marcus kisses my knuckles once again and tells me to come back anytime. Thanking him profusely, I promise that I will before letting Edward lead me out of the shop.
"Did you just swindle me in there?" I ask him as we're walking back toward the hotel.
"Did I do what now?" He looks over at me in surprise.
"I'm not one for bows or ruffles, and I think you knew that. Did you play me to see if I would speak up for myself or just sit back and take it since you were paying for everything?" I stop in the middle of the sidewalk, looking up at him.
"Maybe I wanted to see what your reaction would be." He shrugs, and I don't know if I should be pissed or not.
"Did I pass your test?" Apparently, I'm going for pissed.
"It wasn't a test, Bella. I swear. I'm proud as hell that you spoke up for yourself. My first baby, Jane, had a problem with that at first. She would always just default to whatever I picked or wanted. I don't want that. You have a voice, and I want you to use it." He smiles, ducking his head to catch my eye as I stare at the ground.
"Can we not play these games anymore?" I meet his gaze, and he nods.
"I'm sorry. Are you uncomfortable with any of the choices you made? We can change anything if you aren't happy." He's overcompensating now.
"That's not the point, Edward. I need you to trust me to be honest with you, and I expect the same. I would never have walked out of there or anywhere with something I didn't like." I step toward him, jabbing my finger in his chest. "But I'm also not going to choose to be with you if you keep acting like this. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am." He smirks a little, and I dig my fingertip into his chest harder until he holds up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I understand. I'm sorry."
"Good. Fine." I let him lead the way back to the hotel, and when we get into the room, I hide out in my bedroom, stewing. This was not how I planned our first day going.
I send Rose and my dad texts, letting them know that we arrived safely, even though I know they're already up and starting their days. I check my email and Instagram. I watch Italian television. I take a short nap and wake up when my phone buzzes next to me. I've missed texts from Rose and my dad. I respond to them both, and I see that I have a new message request on Instagram.
Crowley's, the bar that Rose and I have been frequenting, is reaching out to ask if I'm interested in running their social media. They don't have a huge budget for it, but they want to have me come down and talk to the owner. I'm so excited that I forget that I was ever mad at Edward and run out to tell him my good news.
When I reach the living room, I find him sitting on the couch with several mini bottles of Jameson on the coffee table in front of him, all empty. "Oh, Edward. What are you doing?"
He looks up at me in surprise, as if he didn't see me run into the room. "I figured I'd get drunk so you had another excuse to say no to me later."
Rolling my eyes, I crawl onto the couch next to him. "Feeling a little sorry for ourselves, aren't we?" I run my hands through his disheveled hair, and he sighs.
"I just feel like I can't win with you. I'm trying, but just when I feel like we're making progress, I fuck it up." His head drops to the back of the couch and lolls toward me to take me in. "You look happy and pissed."
"Let's start with one emotion at a time. I'm happy because a bar I really like wants to talk to me about running their social media accounts!" I explain the message and Crowley's bar. Edward sits up as I talk about it.
"Bella, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you!" He reaches for my wrist, pressing a kiss to it.
I melt a little at his excitement, but I remember that I am also a little pissed that he's acting this way. "Thank you, but I am pissed at you. You're acting like a child. We're fine, Edward. We're just figuring each other out, and there's bound to be bumps along the way. Are you going to wallow in self-pity any time we have an argument?"
"No, but that's kind of the whole point of this kind of relationship." He leans forward on his knees. "We know what to expect from the other one, so there shouldn't be any arguments between us."
I laugh, right in his stupid, handsome face. "Edward, regardless of the type of relationship, every couple fights. It would be unnatural if we didn't. Did you and Jane ever fight? Or Lauren?"
"Jane and I never fought, but she never spoke up about anything either. She always defaulted to me and my desires." He scoffs. "Lauren and I fought like cats and dogs. It seemed like I couldn't do anything to keep her happy, no matter how hard I tried. I once took two weeks off work to take her away because she said I hadn't spent enough time with her. By the end of the first week, she told me she was tired of spending time with me."
Jesus. "Okay, can we start over then? You want me to be honest, and I want the same. I know what your schedules like, and I anticipate that you won't always be available, but you'll try. You know that I'll let you know when I miss you and when I need some time alone. There won't be anyone else for either of us while we're together because, I hate to tell you this, I like you." I stare at him, gently cupping his cheeks in my hands.
"Okay, but it's just—"
I cut him off. "I know what it is. And I'm fine." I press a kiss to his lips, and he melts against me.
"I'm sorry. I feel like I'm saying that a lot." He rubs a hand over his face when I pull away.
"We're probably both going to say it to each other a lot." I kiss the tip of his nose. "Why don't you go take a shower, and then we can order some dinner."
He nods and gets up from the couch, turning to look at me one more time. "Thank you."
After dinner, Edward and I pick up our card game from the plane after I change and throw my robe back on. "We could make it more interesting," I offer as I shuffle the cards.
"How's that?" he asks, and he finds a notepad and pen to keep score.
"If you don't finish a phase, you have to take off a piece of clothing." I grin wickedly at him, and he gulps as he sits down.
"Are you suggesting strip Phase 10?" When I nod, he laughs. "After today, we don't need to put any pressure on ourselves, Bella."
"I'm not. I want to make this more interesting and see where it leads. I'll give you two minutes to put on more clothes." I tap my phone to check the time. Edward is only wearing pajama bottoms, and I assume, underwear. He jumps up and runs to his room.
I laugh as he comes back with an undershirt, his pajama top, his robe, and slippers. "No stocking cap?"
He sticks his tongue out at me as he takes a seat across from me. "I have plenty on. What about you?"
"Oh, there's enough under this robe, don't you worry." I place the deck in front of him to cut before I deal to each of us.
I win the first two phases, and he loses his slippers. I get distracted by his bare feet and lose the third phase. Edward watches as I pull my garter belt down and toss it at him.
"What exactly are you wearing under there?" he asks huskily, and I blow him a kiss.
"Win some more rounds and you can put it all together like a jigsaw puzzle." I wink, making him laugh. I easily make Phase 4 before he even has a chance to organize his cards, and he ditches his robe.
Phase 5 is a run of seven, and we have to shuffle the deck twice before Edward finally wins. I pull off both of my knee-high stockings and drop them to the floor. Edward is red in the face, and I think he might be sweating a little bit.
While I'm working on a run of seven again, Edward makes his run of eight, and I decide to ditch my robe to give him a good view of what I'm hiding beneath it. When I unknot the belt and stand to drop it, his jaw drops, and any worries I had about being in this tiny, strappy lingerie goes out the window.
"You're magnificent," he tells me from the other side of the table. His hands are gripping the edge with white knuckles. He's definitely sweating now.
He deals the cards, and in quick succession, he loses his pajama top, his undershirt, and his pants. I'm dealing us into what will be my Phase 10, and if I win, his boxers will be mine. Edward beats me for a split second; I panic about what to take off next. I'm only in my bra and panties. Either way, I'll be completely exposed to him.
I can see him warring with himself, and he starts to speak, but I make the decision and shimmy out of my underwear, dangling them from my toes as I cross my legs. "Clever girl." He smirks and shuffles the cards once more. We're evenly matched in phases and clothes. Whoever wins this … well, wins.
I can see how hard Edward is, and I can feel how wet I already am; we haven't even touched each other yet. I certainly didn't anticipate this to turn into such intense foreplay but, damn. I rub my thighs together as he picks up a card from the deck and immediately discards. He fidgets in his chair, and I see the tip of his penis slip through the flap in his boxer briefs. Licking my lips, I remember how much I loved having him in my mouth. My core drenches at the thought, and I clench around the mere thought of him inside of me.
"Bella? It's your turn." He's smiling at me, but his eyes are dark, hooded with desire.
"Right." I reach for a card, and when I realize I have a set of five and a set of three, I lay them down and discard. Edward throws his cards down on the table before sinking to his knees in front of me. He paws at my thighs, caressing my soft skin softly. His eyes beg the question that he can't manage with words.
I uncross my legs, spreading them wide for him. His fingertips skim along my inner thighs as his teeth nip gently at my skin. Every touch is like a shot of electricity, and I jump whenever his teeth make contact with my skin. He inhales deeply before lightly licking at my clit. His tongue is long and strong, and I cry out at the first taste.
Edward chuckles into my most sensitive area. "Calm down, baby. I'm just getting started." As he dives back in, I'm lost to the sensation of having him explore every nook and cranny, licking and sucking me until I'm writhing under his mouth and moaning in pleasure. "I want you to come, Bella. I want to taste you just like you did for me."
I come undone at the memory of him coming in my mouth and him focusing solely on sucking my clit as he pumps two fingers in and out of me.
"Fuck, Edward!" I all but scream, gripping his hair, but he refuses to move until I come down. He continues lapping at my center as I come down. I'm a panting, sweaty mess, but Edward just pops up between my legs, grinning.
"You did so well for me, baby." He reaches up to brush my wild hair out of my eyes. "Are you okay?"
Nodding dumbly, I lean down to kiss him deeply. When I pull away, I lock my hands around his neck. "If you don't take me to bed right now, I'll be forced to ride your dick on the carpet."
He picks me up without any hesitation but asks which room. I point to his room before he strides inside, tossing me on the bed. His room is as nice as mine but much larger. He has a king size bed and small sitting area.
Edward is staring at me like I'm prey, and he's a lion stalking me. I don't wait any longer, so I reach behind my back and unclasp my bra. Once my breasts are free, he groans and drops his briefs. "Before I come over there," he says firmly, his hands clenched at his sides, "I need to know that you want this; that you want me."
"We're starting over, remember." I sit up on my knees and crook my finger toward him. "I want you."
He lunges at me, making me laugh before he captures my lips with his. He's strong but gentle. I feel like I'm perfectly safe and protected in his arms, but when he rolls on the condom and turns me over my stomach and slaps my ass, I see just how domineering and in charge he wants to be. He rubs at my cheek to soothe the sting before sliding into me.
He's bigger than I've ever had, but I was prepared for this. I tell him to give me a moment, and he kisses down my spine, caressing my back softly. I slowly start to move back and forth as I adjust to his size, and soon, he's thrusting fiercely in and out of me. I'm already close to coming again, and when I reach down to rub my clit, he swats my hand away, rubbing it himself.
I come hard, screaming into the pillow, panting his name as Edward wraps a hand into my hair, pulling my back flush with his chest. "I'm not done with you yet." He flips me over, pins my knees to my chest and pounds into me relentlessly.
It would be too much, but he's focused on me, his eyes locked with mine, searching for me to say I'm done or to beg him to stop. But I don't want him to; I never want him to stop. I'm needy for him, and we're not done. I crave him, and we're still together.
"Are you okay?" he asks as he pulls out of me, taking huge gulps of air.
I nod and ask him the same thing.
"I'm good. I'm just getting older." He laughs at my skeptical look.
I push him back onto the mattress and climb on top of him. "Maybe I should take care of my daddy for a little bit." I settle on his cock just as he registers what I called him.
He releases a feral growl, bucking his hips up into me. I scratch my nails down his chest before erupting into another orgasm and trying to keep myself upright. He sits up, hands on my waist, guiding me up and down until I hear his shallow breathing, and I feel him tighten beneath me. He explodes with a loud groan and sighs my name over and over.
When we both catch our breath enough, I crawl off him and lay with my head on his chest. His heart is thundering in his chest, and I place my hand gently over it. He covers my hand with his and places a kiss on the top of my head.
"I'd like to clean up but I don't think I can move." He chuckles, and I murmur my agreement. After a few minutes, he sits up and tells me he's going to jump in the shower. I wonder if I should go back to my room or stay here. "Join me?"
So I do—in the shower and in his bed all night.