“Let me feel you, baby.”
She nodded and did. And it was the best damn gift he’d ever gotten. The first tremble of her arms and squeeze of her sweet core was all it took for him to follow her down. His own orgasm hit, and he twitched and pulsed as she milked him, and they carried each other through to the other side.
He’d never come at the same time as a woman before. And yet, part of him felt like he shouldn’t be surprised because everything with Natalie was different than with any other woman.
They stayed wrapped around each other for several moments. When her legs unlocked, he realized he must be crushing her and hoisted himself up onto his arms. But the loss of her skin against his was so chilling he almost fell right back on her.
She adjusted and he let her get all the way up. “Be right back,” he said, and went to the bathroom to take care of the condom.
When he returned, Natalie was sitting in his bed, combing her fingers through her hair, her pretty red bra back in place and her skirt smoothed down over her flawless legs. God, she was beautiful.
“Well,” she said with a sigh and patted the bed, “I don’t think the van keys are here.”
He smiled. He was still in his gym shorts and though his cock should be going back to normal, he couldn’t help but stay a little hard for the sexy, sassy woman currently looking so perfect in his sheets.
“You can have the van. I’ll get you the keys by tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” she said with a smile. When she moved to get out of his bed, panic washed over him. Like he didn’t want her to leave, not the moment and not him. Like he might never see her again…
A flash of the last time he’d seen his mother hit him hard and fast. Once she left, there was no getting her back.
He shook his head. Where the hell had that come from?
He didn’t know, but the heat of fear spread across his chest, and he held up his hand to stop her.
“Wait. You have to help me,” he said.
She settled back in his bed, still sitting up and facing him. “What do you need?”
“I need…” I need you. To stay. To just wait until this awful sense of abandonment leaves. He sure as shit wasn’t saying that. But he could say part of the truth, which was that he wanted her to stay. “Just sit there. Listen.”
“Okay,” she said slowly.
He came to the foot of the bed, and then it hit him—the excuse he’d been looking for.
“I have to practice my best man speech.”
“Oh!” she said, as if that made sense. “Well, I’m happy to be your audience. You know what they say if you’re nervous. Picture the audience in their underwear.” She glanced down the front of herself and held out her hands. “So I guess I’m kind of perfect.”
You have no idea.
“Yep,” East agreed and moved his palms together as if warming them, slowly pacing and trying to think of what the hell he would say in his speech. “So, I guess I’ll just start…”
She nodded, attentive, her back straightening.
“Ah, welcome everyone. Matt and Bridget just got married.” He paced some more. “Love is nice and when you fall in love…you get married…” He chanced a glance at Natalie, who wore an expression like she was witnessing a slow-moving car crash.
“That bad?” he asked.
“Well…I think it’s a great start,” she said encouragingly. It was funny—he was used to the sassy Natalie, but this side of her was new to him. And he liked it. “Maybe instead of stating facts, trying speaking from the heart a bit more.”
He gave her a knowing look. “You’ve met me, right? What the hell am I supposed to say about this shit?”
She laughed. “I do know you. And I think you’re a softy, remember?”
He waved his hand again, showing her his calloused palm but she just psshed at him.
“Tap into something you can relate to,” she suggested. “You don’t have to be sappy and talk about things you don’t want to, or about the act of marriage or anything. But try to pair what you can to the situation. How you feel and how it ties to the occasion.”
He nodded. That was good advice. It was enough to stop his pacing. He stared at her fresh face and kind eyes and said the first thing that came to mind.
“I’m a search and rescue medic, so I know all about risk. No one makes the active choice to risk anything. Why would you want to give up something you enjoy? But when the right something—someone—comes along, enjoyable isn’t worth the risk of losing the amazing. So I don’t think love is about risk. It’s choosing to trade in basic for incredible. It’s about upgrading. Even if it means losing what you once thought was worth it. That is, if you’re not too scared to take the leap.”
East had no idea if what he’d just said was gibberish, or even made sense, but he watched Natalie’s delicate throat as she swallowed hard. She took a deep breath, then another.
“That’s great,” she said, and had to clear her throat. “Of course, then mention Matt and Bridget.”
“Right,” East agreed and glanced at the floor. “Mention them, then salute.”