His lip quirked at the side. “Yeah?”

She nodded. “I feel like you need a hug. I know I could use one.”

He was out of his chair before she even finished, pulling her up and into his arms. She went willingly, her arms coming around his chest as his wrapped around her neck, holding her tight. Closing his eyes, he nuzzled his nose into her hair as he breathed in her scent, unable to fathom how he had gone so long without her in his arms. Her face nuzzled into his chest as her arms squeezed him tight. Man, it felt so good.

So perfect.

They held each other, neither moving, only breathing as the sounds of the wilderness sang outside the cabin. But he wasn’t really listening. He only heard the sound of her heartbeat, pounding against his stomach as her arms dug into his sides. He didn’t want to move. He didn’t even want to breathe. He wanted to stay just like that for the rest of his life. But then she whispered, “Markus?”

Pulling his head back only slightly from her shoulder, his voice was rough. “Yeah?”

“Kiss me.”

Her head moved up, but before she could even fully look at him, his mouth was finding hers, connecting in sweet perfection. His fingers threaded through her hair as she held his hips, their mouths moving with ease and familiarity. They had a lot of practice with kissing, and apparently, neither of them had forgotten those lessons. They fit together seamlessly, her lips hard to his soft. The way her tongue slid along his lips, wanting him because she knew how that drove him crazy. Pressing his body into hers, needing her to be closer, he slid his hand down, pushing his hand into her ass so she could feel how hard he was for her.

How badly he wanted her.

When she pulled back, he kissed her top lip and then her nose as she gasped for breath against his jaw. His eyes drifted shut, loving the feel of her but needing to control this desire inside of him. He couldn’t expect anything to happen. They were figuring things out; he needed to slow his body down. Problem was, the guy in his pants didn’t listen very well. Because when she moved against him, he hissed out a breath, opening his eyes—only to find that she was pulling her dress up and over her body.

“Holy shit,” he gasped as he drank in her full breasts protected by a sheer black bra, her thick peaks dark under the fabric. Her belly was flat and he missed the little chub she had there before, but he forgot all about that when his eyes drank in the matching sheer panties she wore. “Jesus, Mekena. I’m trying to control myself here.”

Her lips curved as her eyes drifted shut in a seductive look before she pushed her hair off her shoulders, whispering, “Don’t.”

“Don’t?”

“Don’t,” she repeated, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him down to her, his mouth a breath away from hers. “Take me to bed.”

“To bed,” he repeated, unable to comprehended what the actual fuck was happening.

“Yes, to bed,” she giggled, her eyes full of so much heat and want. For him. Breathing hard, he searched her eyes with his. Was this a pity fuck? Or was it a good-bye fuck? Why was he thinking so much? Take her!

But he couldn’t.

“Are you sure, Mekena? Like, really sure? I mean, we just started talking for real like an hour ago, and I don’t want this to be over tomorrow.”

Moving her thumb along his jaw, she shook her head. “I’ve wanted you since the moment I met you, Markus Reeves, and I have no intention of this being over tomorrow. But right now, I want you to take me to bed because, yes, I know we have a lot to hash out and figure out, but I’m tired of waiting. I want this.”

“Really?” he squawked out, and then he closed his eyes in embarrassment. He fully expected this all to be a dream when he reopened them, but it wasn’t. Mekena was looking up at him, her eyes dark as she nodded.

“Do you want me, Markus?”

“Fuck yes,” he cried out, and she smiled.

“Then take me.”

Apparently, it took a few times for that to sink in, but when it finally did, there was no stopping him. Reaching for her, he lifted her up, her legs coming around his waist as their mouths met. Carrying her into her room, he paused because he wasn’t sure she had condoms in her room. Since he didn’t want to stop once they got started, he turned, kissing her as he navigated the way to his room, watching out for the couch and then Mr. Right as he went toward the kitchen. Making it to his room, he walked until the bed hit his legs before slowly laying her down, covering her body with his.

“That took forever,” she teased, and he grinned against her lips as his hands ran up her ribs to her breasts, cupping them. His whole body went taut, his mouth dry as he molded and nibbled on the two globes that were hiding behind the sheer fabric.

“You don’t know what forever even is. I’ve spent the last two years thinking about you every night when I went to bed,” he whispered against her breasts as his hand shook. He used to dream about touching her like this. When they were dating, things got hot and heavy, but he never got to see her like this. So wanton as her body arched into his or actually seeing her nipples or feeling the heat so directly from between her legs. It was driving him mad, and he knew once he got inside her, he was going to embarrass himself completely. But in a way, he didn’t care.

He had all night.

“Every night?” she breathed, her voice rough and sexy as her hands pulled at the bottom of his shirt.

Raising his arms, he nodded. “I was incomplete without you.”

After he threw his shirt to the side, she cupped his face, bringing it to hers as their mouths met. Pushing the cups of her bra up, he captured her bare breasts in his hands, moaning against her lips as he pressed himself into her. Pulling his mouth from hers, he trailed kisses down her neck, swirling his tongue along her peaks before kissing across her belly, and bringing her panties down her thighs before sitting up to bring them all the way off and onto the floor. Drinking in the sight in front of him, he almost thought this wasn’t real.

“I’m dreaming,” he whispered, and her face reddened.

“I hope not.”

“And to think, you thought I didn’t want this?” he asked, bringing her leg up and kissing down it, swirling his tongue along the inside of her knee. “You thought I didn’t stay up at night, whacking off to the mere thought of you?”

Giggling, she smacked his arm. “Markus!”