“Fuck, Clare!”
She grinned up at him as he filled her, clutching her perfectly peach-shaped ass cheeks hard enough to leave marks. When he collapsed over her she poked at his ribs until he rolled off her and settled by her side.
“That was…quick.”
She wasn’t giggling or grinning, her voice was heavy with lust as she picked his hand up and draped it over her breast.
Circling her dusty rose nipple with his index finger, he kissed her shoulder before licking his lips. He tasted of her, her cum, her sweat, her perfume. “Sorry. I couldn’t contain myself. It has just been too long since I’ve been inside you and…” He dropped his forehead to her shoulder with an awkward laugh, his face burning.
“No need to apologize, Eli. It was hot as fuck.”
His head snapped up. Searching her face for signs of humor, he found none. “Really?”
She nodded. “A guy being unable to control himself during make-up sex? Hell yeah, it’s fucking hot.” Her hand curled around his dick and pumped, making a bead of cum trickle down the head and his toes to curl as he grunted. “But I want you again. So I’m gonna need you to get hard for me.”
As she pumped his cock, he cupped her face and kissed her, deep and slow, but with every ounce of love he held for her in his heart. Rolling back over on top of her, he sighed against her mouth before pulling back to look at her.
He pushed her sweaty hair back from her face and dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. “I love you, Clare. I’ve loved you since the day you kicked my shin in grade school. I loved you every single time I stepped out onto the ice, and I’ve loved you every goddamn day since.”
“I love you, too.” Tears trickled down her temples as she nibbled on her lip. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I know crying during sexy time isn’t exactly…well…sexy.” She closed her eyes and more tears fell.
“If you’re doing it right, the feels hit like a ton of bricks. I get it.” He shushed her as he dotted kisses on her salty damp cheeks, then captured her lips with his once again. “I promise I’m never leaving you again.”
Her arms tightened around his shoulders, bracing him against her with such force as she nodded. “You better not.” She sniffed, and it cracked his heart in two. He’d been such a fucking idiot and hurt her so badly for so long.
But he’d change their narrative.
He’d make things better for her.
He’d be the man she needed him to be, the dependable guy who was always by her side, pushing her to do the big and scary things when she couldn’t see the greatness in herself.
He kissed her with promise as he stroked her cheek. She was it for him. She’d always been it for him. Now he just needed to convince her that he meant it.
***
Six Months Later
“Help.” Elliott crammed his phone between his ear and shoulder and took in the shelves of brightly colored boxes in front of him. Why the fuck was there so much choice? Couldn’t they have a section of the store with a big fucking sign that said “Sent by your women to pick up period stuff? HERE IT IS.”
Like a deer in headlights he was rooted to the spot. With so much choice how did women even choose? It’s not like they could start at one end of the shelf and work their way through, testing each type along the way.
Hell no. At that price… He whistled. How the hell did women even afford to menstruate every month for the majority of their lives?
“You know if dudes had periods this shit would be free, right?”
“Uh huh.” Clare’s breathless voice came through the line. “They’d also come with free painkillers, a steak, and a coupon for an all body massage.”
She wasn’t wrong.
“Are you wrestling a bear?” He could almost hear her eye roll response.
“I’m moving the couch.”
“The couch I told you to wait for me to be home to move?”
“I am a…” Huff. “Strong.” Huff. “Independent.” Huff. Huff. “Woman, goddammit.” She punctuated the sentence with a heave and a frustrated growl. “I can do hard things by my big girl self.”
A noise that sounded like her thumping the couch echoed down the line.
