I pull her face toward me. “No. You’ll never lose me. I told you that nothing could ever take me away from you.” I brush my lips against hers and taste her tears on my tongue. “Don’t cry. Not now. Be here with me, Mia.”

She kisses me gently after wiping her tears away. “Make love to me. Just like you did that first night.”

“You want me to be gentle?” I ask, snaking my arms around her waist. She nods before sliding off my lap and lying out on my back seat, legs spread. I shove my shorts and boxers down to mid-thigh before getting between her legs. “Guide me in, baby.”

She smiles and reaches around me, pulling me straight into her. I thrust my hips, slowly, letting her feel every inch of me as I brace myself on my elbows. Her eyes flutter close and she arches against me, brushing her chest against mine with a deep inhale. I can feel her heart knocking against my chest, mimicking my beat. I kiss her jaw, her nose, her cheeks. Every inch of her face is touched by my lips. She lets me worship her body like it’s the first time. My hands caress every part of her, my lips sliding along her skin. I commit her to memory. Her scent. Her taste. The way her body shudders against mine. The feel of her right now, beneath me while I drag this out, while I prolong this moment with her, this, fucking this is the reason for my existence. With every breath I take, I take one for her.

She moans loudly and grabs my face, pressing her lips against mine. “I’m so close.” I move in her at the same pace. Not speeding up. Not taking her the way she’s become accustomed to. “Oh God, Ben,” she says against my lips, raking her nails down my back. “Please.”

“I know, angel. I’ve got you.” I slide my hand between us and press my thumb against her clit. She answers with a whimpered cry and I get her there. Right there with only a few strokes.

Her eyes open and she wraps her legs around me. “I don’t want to come without you.” She barely gets her sentence out before her body tightens around me. “Ben…”

I groan loudly and feel my orgasm burning up my spine. “Holy shit.” I watch her lips part with a silent cry, eyes closing as the pleasure builds, and push her knees back, needing to get deeper. My breath is stolen from me as I go off inside her, driving into her to the point of exhaustion. Giving her every piece of me. And even though I was tender and unhurried, it rocks me with a blinding intensity. The kind I’ve only ever felt with Mia. I collapse on top of her, resting my head on her chest. Her arms wrap around me and hold me tighter. Closer. Never close enough. I can’t imagine loving her any more than I do right now, but I know I will. Because every second I’m with her, I fall harder. It’s how it’s always been between us. Even when I held myself back. I loved her when she became my best friend. And given the chance, I’d never change the way it happened. I’d never take back those weeks I suffered in silence, wanting more than she was willing to give me. I’d give her that a thousand times over if she needed it. A future with her was more than I’d ever deserve.

And I’ll cherish her like the gift she is until I draw my last breath.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One

Mia

“You know, before this whole thing started between the two of you, you technically were mine for the summer,” Tessa says as she helps me pack up my stuff in the bedroom I’ve occupied for the past two months. “I mean, I don’t see the harm in you finishing out your time here with me and then moving in with Ben after the summer’s over.”

“Because he’d be so quick to agree to that arrangement,” I state with a soft chuckle. I knew there was no way in hell he’d go along with me prolonging my move. It’s all he’s talked about for the past five days. I’m actually surprised he’s given me this long. “And you act like I won’t be right around the corner. You do realize I’m here permanently, right?”

She smiles over her shoulder as she grabs the clothes that are hanging in the closet. “That’s not the point. I love that you two are together but he’s a horrible sharer. He always has been.”

I take the clothes from her and pull them off the hangers. “Have you talked to him?”

“Who?” I give her a knowing look and she rolls her eyes. “Why would I talk to him? There’s nothing to talk about. It’s over.”

Her words are final, but I know Tessa. She’s hurting. She’ll never admit it, but she misses him. “Isn’t tonight going to be weird? Seeing him at the concert?”

She shrugs once before taking the hangers back to the closet. “There’s going to be like five thousand people there. I can avoid him in a crowd that size. Plus, I plan on getting shitfaced which is sure to help with the situation.” She closes the closet door before dropping her forehead, hitting the wood with a soft thud.

“Tessa…”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” She lifts her head and turns toward me, her eyes giving away exactly what she’s feeling. “Okay?”

I nod. “Okay.”

We finish packing up my room in silence. I know when she’s ready to talk about it, she’ll open up. And she knows that I’m here whenever that time comes.

My aunt is taking care of selling my mom’s house for me, allowing me to stay in Alabama during the process. Ben and I will be making a trip to get the rest of my things soon, but to be perfectly honest, I have everything I’ll ever need. I never imagined moving back to Ruxton, but now I can’t imagine not living here. This was always my home. Wherever he was.

After loading my stuff into my Jeep so that I can take it straight to Ben’s after the concert, Tessa and I head over to the field. Ben somehow managed to snag tickets to see Luke Bryan. Lawn seats, which allows us to park in the field overlooking the stage and sit in our vehicles while we enjoy the music. I spot Ben’s truck after weaving in and out of the crowd and park next to it, watching as he jumps out of the bed and walks over to my door.

“Hey, baby. You all packed up?” He opens my door for me and I hop out, waving to Reed who Tessa is making her way toward.

I take his hand and let him lead me to the back of his truck. “Yup. Everything’s in the Jeep. Your sister’s not too happy about it.”

He stifles a laugh as he drops the tailgate down. “Like that would stop me from moving you in with me. Here. Up you go.”

I climb up into the back of his truck, spotting the pillows and the blankets spread out for us. I turn to him with a wistful smile. “Am I getting lucky during this concert?”

He wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my bare shoulder. “I’m always prepared, angel. My girl seems to be a bit insatiable lately.”

“You’re like a dirty little boy scout,” I add, hearing Tessa’s laugh get louder behind me. I turn in Ben’s arms and spot her walking over toward us with Reed.

“Hey. I’m really glad you guys worked your shit out. You sucked as friends,” Reed says through a teasing smile.

I flip him off over Ben’s shoulder and he throws his head back with a laugh. Just as Tessa opens her mouth to speak, another truck pulls up alongside Ben’s and catches her attention. “Oh perfect. He couldn’t have gotten lost on the way here?”