The entire time we were in the hotel room, Lindsay had been looking at me like she didn’t know me, like we’d never met before. And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, it killed me. I wanted to think that I could walk away from her, that I could leave her behind and move on with my life if she decided she didn’t want anything to do with me, but I didn’t know if it would be that easy. In the short time we’d known one another, she had become more important to me than I was willing to admit.

But when she finally said what I’d been preparing to never hear from her, the world opened up to me again. The fear and anger and relief of the day washed over me anew and I threw her back on the bed.

I want you.

“Say it again,” I said, my breath hot and heavy against her neck. Her robe was easy to pull back. Just a flick of my wrist and she was bare beneath me, the smooth lines of her chest and gentle flare of her hips mine to explore.

Lindsay stretched up and kissed along my jawline. When her lips were at my ear, she repeated, “I want you.”

Chills ran down my spine, and I stretched my back, pressing my hips into hers, grinding her into the bed. It felt wrong to be together this way after the day we’d had, but then again, it also felt right. It felt necessary. Hours ago, I wasn’t sure I’d ever see Lindsay again, and now she was naked and perfect beneath me, and I just wanted to enjoy it.

She ran her hands over me like she was discovering me for the first time, and in a way, I suppose she was. Her fingertips trailed along my hip bones and down into my jeans. She wrapped her hand around my hard length and directed me to her opening. I resisted, wanting to draw the experience out for her.

“Now,” she moaned, curling her free hand around to my lower back and pressing me down onto her. “Please.”

Those two words were all the convincing I needed. I pushed inside of her slowly, not stopping until I was buried in her, wrapped entirely in the warmth of her body. She wrapped her long legs around my back, holding me to her, and it was all I could do to not come right there. She was perfect.

“I want you,” Lindsay said again. But this time, the words were hungry, animal.

I dug my fingers into the flesh of her hips, lifting her to me as I pounded into her. Each time our bodies connected, it was a wonder we didn’t shatter. Sweat broke out across my forehead. Lindsay’s skin was slippery beneath my fingers, but she clawed at my back and bit my shoulder with each thrust, needing more. Finally, I pressed into her and her back arched, her hips grinding against mine in a new way. She held herself against me for a second, and then I felt her fall apart. Her insides clenched, and her legs quivered. I ran my fingers along her stomach as the muscles twitched and flexed. Lindsay groaned, stifling the sound on my shoulder, but it didn’t matter. I was moaning loud enough for both of us. Her orgasm had been enough to bring on my own, and we both rode the wave, pressing ourselves together until we were sated and lazy.

Lindsay curled herself against me, and I rested my cheek on her shoulder. Naked and happy, we fell asleep, saving our worries for the morning.