“Mm. Could you now?” He withdrew and she waited for more, but he didn’t move, poised at the entrance, his grip unchanging.
She waited, but she wasn’t strong enough to outwait him, to prove she was somehow stronger. She just…didn’t care. She didn’t have to be strong or play a game, she could just want. She could ask or beg. And he would give. “Dan…”
“Oh, honey, I cannot begin to explain how much I love to hear you say my name like that.”
She wanted to argue with that, even though there was nothing to argue. She didn’t know what the need to deny his words was, but luckily he pushed inside her, that deep, slow stroke of everything she needed, and the protest and the desire to argue died away. Far, far away.
The orgasm built, higher, teetering on the edge, and for the briefest of seconds she thought she wasn’t going to be able to topple under it. That the sharp edge of needing more would just stay there until it dulled. But instead of tensing up, letting that worry center itself, she pushed it away. Because this was Dan. He’d found a way to unlock her, to make her into something else, and she wanted him to keep doing that. She focused on his fingers digging into her, the ragged sound and feel of his breath, the wave of pleasure when he plunged deep, until it was waving over her, shaking through her. Release. Sharp and sweet and everything.
He withdrew, taking her hips and flipping her onto her back before pushing her farther onto the bed. Then he was inside her again, over her, the last jolts of pleasure making her sigh.
“Mel, I need…” He kissed her neck, her jaw, her mouth. “I need…”
She tangled her fingers in his hair. Even knowing it was a mistake to look at him, to meet gazes, she did it anyway. “Me.”
He didn’t pause, didn’t look away, didn’t stop pushing into her. “You,” he said earnestly.
She should take it back, dial it down, make it stop. She was losing herself, who she was and what she wanted. Something about him burned it away until she didn’t know what was left, but his mouth covered hers as he chased his way to finishing, and she was so tired of doing what she should, she held on and gave everything she had.
*
Dan woke up alone, and he wasn’t sure what feeling worked through him when he realized all traces of Mel were gone.
It was bigger than disappointment, deeper than wishing she would have stayed, and it scared the shit out of him.
She’d probably gone home to change and get ready for work. This was not something to feel…anything over. Not if he expected…
Well, that was a bit of a problem, wasn’t it? He didn’t know what he expected. He didn’t know what the hell they were doing.
Usually, what he was doing with a woman was pretty clear. It was either only sex, or it was a few dates and sex in the off-season; but hockey had been the calendar of his life, and there had been no waking up hoping to find someone there, because the lines were clear.
There was not a clear line between him and Mel, and he was reluctant to make one. Because if he had to make a line for them, he’d have to make a line for everything. Hockey. This ranch.
If he made lines, he’d falter when he reached them. If he set no lines, only worked toward building something every day…maybe eventually…he could reach something without screwing it all up.
You are so full of shit.
Well, whatever worked. He forced himself out of bed, scratching his fingers through his hair, remembering how Mel had tangled her hands there.
Fuck.
“You’re up, I see.”
He startled at the female voice, at Mel standing in the doorway of his bedroom. She was completely dressed, and it didn’t look like the clothes she had on yesterday, even though he knew they were. No wrinkles, no damp spots. Just ready-to-work Mel.
The relief he felt at the fact that she hadn’t gone was…yeah, fuck.
“Um, yeah. I’m up.”
“I fed and watered Mystery, and I made you some toast. I was a bit tired of eggs.”
“You didn’t have to—”
“I…I have to take today off,” she said, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. He couldn’t read her expression. Part sheepish, part…he didn’t know.
Because you don’t know jack shit about people.
“The whole day.”
“Well, don’t look so concerned,” he replied, ignoring all the things going on in his head. His chest. He forced a smile. “You should have days off. I never meant for you not to have days off.”
“You’re paying me an awful lot for days off.”
“You’re giving me an awful lot.” He cringed. “Not—”
“No, I know.” She managed a small smile, pushing a few wayward strands of hair off her forehead.
Shit. This was awkward, and he didn’t even know why. What had been different about last night? It was just more of that…forgetting thing they were doing.
Minus the part where they’d said they needed each other. Wasn’t that more than…escape?