Page 112 of I’m Already Gone

I kneel behind her and lean in, pressing a soft kiss to the delicate curve of her neck. A shiver traces its way down her spine, raising goosebumps on her skin. “Let me show you how beautiful you still are to me, Lily.” Another kiss, lingering on the pulse point. “Let me remind you how much I love you.” Another kiss.

She slants her head to the side, her eyes, those incredible pools of starlight, finding mine. “Show me.”

I scoop her into my arms and lay her back amidst the soft nest I created, then hover above her, leaning in to brush a featherlight kiss against the tip of her nose. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she breathes.

I kiss the line of her jaw, letting my stubble prickle her skin. “Right here? In this truck?”

“Yes,” she whispers. “Recreate that night, Ethan.”

I pull back just enough to see her, to let the gravity of her words sink in. That night... we didn’t make love; we devoured each other like animals, bodies tangled and slick under the stars. There was nothing gentle about it.

“I’ll be softer this time,” I promise, the words catching in my throat. The thought of hurting her, even accidentally... I wouldn’t be able to bear it.

A slow smile spreads across her face. “Okay,” she whispers, the single word a balm to my raw nerves.

“At any point you feel pain, you tell me, okay? I can’t… I can’t handle hurting you, Lily.”

She reaches up, cupping my face, her touch a tender reassurance. “You are not going to hurt me, Ethan. I promise.”

My mouth meets hers with a hungry groan. My tongue nudges her mouth, a silent plea, and when her lips part, a sigh escapes her; our tongues meet in a slow, intimate dance.

Breaking apart, both of us breathless, our chests heaving, I shed my clothes with urgency, tossing them onto the truck bed. I grab a thick blanket and drape it over us. My hands find the hem of her top, pulling it up and over her head, then her shorts, leaving her in cotton panties. I cover her body with mine, sharing my warmth, and kiss the hell out of her mouth, a desperate, consuming kiss that tastes like longing and fear and a love that has defied all odds.

Her fingers trace patterns up and down my back, each stroke a spark that ignites a deeper fire within me. I bury my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the sweet, familiar scent of lavender and a scent that is pure Lily, trying to slow the frantic beat of my heart.

“What’s wrong?” she murmurs, her fingers still stroking.

“I’m so scared,” I confess, the words a broken whisper.

“What? Why?” She shifts, her eyes wide with concern.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Lily.”

Her gaze is fierce, unwavering. “You are not going to hurt me, Ethan. I want this. I want you.”

“God, I love you so much,” I breathe, closing my eyes, letting the depth of that love wash over me.

“And I love you.”

My eyes flutter open, meeting hers. The love reflected there is a mirror of my own, offering a strength I desperately need.

To make love to my Lily. My Sunshine. The sun that, even now, orbits around my broken world, giving it light and warmth.

I hook my pinkies at the top of her underwear, sliding them down her legs, leaving her bare and vulnerable before me. Then her bra is tossed aside like an afterthought.

My gaze roams over her, drinking her in. I wet my lips with my tongue. “I’ve missed you so much, Sunshine.”

She squirms beneath me, and I position myself between her legs.

“I’m going to go slow, okay?” I remind her, my voice thick with barely contained hunger to feel her again.

She nibbles on her lower lip, her eyes sparkling, and nods.

A low groan escapes me as I carefully guide myself inside her. She is so wet, so ready, a heat that envelops me, welcoming me back home.

“Ethan,” she groans, a hint of playful annoyance in her voice. “It’s okay. I won’t break.”