She’d lied. Hugh couldn’t believe it at first when she admitted she made up the rumors about sleeping with some random guy. She had waited for him, always for him. Her words ignited some primal instinct buried in his being, and when he’d turned around to find her half naked in his living room, waiting for him, all bets were off.

Her skin was softer than he remembered, and so warm and inviting. He moved them through the room, his lips never leaving hers, and made it to the couch. She giggled, and the sound brought back memories of so many happy times together. She clung to him, smiling as they kissed and pressed their bodies together so his arousal grew hard and fast against her lower belly. She gasped and glanced down between them, hunger as sharp as his burning in her blue eyes. She ground her hips into his, and he grunted with the want he’d been forced to restrain.

The couch bumped his legs and he sat down. She straddled his lap, and he ran his hands up her back, tracing each individual vertebra and relishing the sensation of her tongue gliding across his. She sucked on it hard, and his hips lifted to rub his swollen cock between her legs, pushing against the few layers of fabric preventing him from filling her. All his wet dreams featuring Blair and he tangled in each other’s arms as she cried out his name were finally coming true. He held her hips, pushing harder, and she moaned, her eyelids fluttering as her nails raked down his arms. She lifted his t-shirt and they worked to get it over his head. She kissed his neck and sucked on his earlobe, and his heart thudded harder in his chest, threatening to break through. As she kissed him and nuzzled his neck, his hands roamed higher, seeking the two mounds of creamy flesh he wanted to hold again.

With no bra, he found them quickly and held them, palming them as she squirmed in his lap. He teased and tugged her nipples, but it wasn’t enough. With Blair, it would never be enough.

Lifting her sweater, he dragged the soft fabric over her head, cursing as she laughed when it took a few extra seconds to get over her curls. When she was bared before him, his jaw dropped and he stared in awe at her radiant beauty.

“Hugh?” Her skin flushed as his starving gaze observed every inch he wanted to spend all night devouring.

“Beautiful,” he whispered and she smiled. “You are always so beautiful.”

As their lips met in another fiery kiss, the heat from the candles unable to compare with the raging inferno building inside him, he cupped her ass in his hands and his lips trailed lower. He followed her neck to her shoulder then lower still until he caught one pert nipple in his lips. Her head fell back with a groan as his fingers caressed the undersides, tickling her as he sucked on that sensitive skin. She gasped, and her pleasure brushed over him. Every gasp of breath and every moan was because he pulled it from her.

He moved to her other breast, ravishing her and rubbing his cheeks against her. His stubble would tickle, and she laughed between moments of sucking in ragged breaths. Her fingers dove through his hair, and she leaned back even further, giving him access to all of her. Almost all.

Grinning wickedly, he picked her up and set her on the couch beside him then sank to his knees in front of her. His fingers looped in the sides of her panties, and inch by inch, he removed them. She bit her bottom lip as her hands gripped the couch cushions. Their eyes locked as the lace came free and he tossed it aside. She blinked furiously and glanced away from him, but he brought her right back. There was no need to be embarrassed around him. He wanted to see and feel all her body, to taste all of her.

He started at her ankles, lifting her right one to kiss and massage her calf with his hands. His fingers dug into the muscle, and she moaned quietly, afraid to give in so easily to what she clearly wanted. His cock strained in his jeans to aching point, but if this was her first time, he wouldn’t rush his movements, no matter how badly he wanted to bury himself within her depths.

A lifetime spent dreaming of his future with his woman only to think he’d lost her left him starving for a love he could only obtain from her. When he neared her thighs, he parted her legs, running his palms up her inner thighs and picking up her legs to rest on his shoulders.

“Are you sure this isn’t weird?” she whispered, panic creeping into her voice.

He smirked, kissing her thigh, nipping and immediately soothing each one. “Nothing we do together could ever be weird. We’re already weird, remember?”

“I know, but this is kind of—oh, shit!” She gasped as her head fell back to the couch. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her toes curl as he dragged his tongue along her sex a second time. “Never mind, I take it back.”

“I can stop if you want,” he mused, laughing as he said it.

“Hmm…no, nope I’m good,” she rambled. “So, so good.”

“And I’m only getting started.”

He spied the hairs on her arms stand on end before he buried his face in her cleft, going down on her at a leisurely pace. His tongue circled her bead gingerly, and when Blair’s thighs quivered, he did it again and again. Each time, he longed to hear that deep-throated moan slip from her lips, parted on the edge of ecstasy. His fingers joined his mouth in his fun. They slipped inside her, slowly at first, stretching her with each short thrust in and out again. He twisted them as they moved in ever deeper, and she squirmed, whispering his name and begging for more. When her hips moved, trying to ride his mouth and his hand, he groaned at the blatant lust she displayed and searched for the one spot guaranteed to make her cry out in pleasure. He sucked her clit as his fingers moved. He found her g-spot and rubbed it hard with every thrust of his hand.

Blair sat up straight, her moan turning into a sharp cry as her body shook uncontrollably. She smiled in satisfaction and disbelief. Her body sagged on the couch, and he caressed her sex with his palm, smirking at the aftershocks of ecstasy he wrung from her body.

She removed her legs from his shoulders and scooted to the edge of the couch. Thankfully, the coffee table wasn’t right behind him. She pushed him back, falling to the floor to straddle him as she kissed him fiercely. Her fingers fumbled with his jeans and in seconds, they were undone. She tore them from his body, taking his boxers with them. His cock bobbed before her eyes and she swallowed hard. He knew she was wet enough, but she was still tight. He was about to tell her they could take it slow, but she crawled back up his body and her hands gripped his shaft and gave it a good squeeze.

“Shit,” he gasped and shivered as she moved her hands along his length, running her thumb over the crown. Pre-cum glistened, and he lifted his head to watch as she licked it off him like a freaking lollipop.

His hips bucked beneath her as his instinct to possess this woman overrode everything. Taking hold of her arms, he moved her up his body so she cradled his arousal in the warmth of her sex dripping wet from her orgasm.

“I dreamt of this,” she whispered as they kissed, her lips and her body his only connection to the real world. “Dreamt of you taking me.”

He groaned, grasping her hips, and rubbed himself between her swollen lips. “How did the dream end?”

“I always woke up too soon,” she said, frowning.

“This time you won’t,” he promised and positioned himself just right.

He needed to go slow, but his muscles strained with the effort as she lowered her body onto his shaft. He spread her sex, and inch by agonizing inch, she accepted him. She drew back and, breathing deeply, did it again, taking him in deeper this time. He watched her face closely, waiting for a grimace of pain so he could stop himself, but she moved too fast for him to stop and he was buried to the hilt within her. Her inner muscles flexed and she cringed for a few seconds as she adjusted to his size filling her.

“Blair?” he growled, the thrill at finally being inside this woman overriding any sense he had left.

She didn’t answer except to move her hips, riding him tentatively at first. Her breasts bounced, and he had to hold them, tug her nipples, and knead the mounds of flesh swelled with her desire. When it became clear the pain had passed and she was ready for a faster rhythm, Hugh grabbed her body and rolled them carefully over on the rug, never slipping out of her intimate embrace.

“Impressive,” she breathed.

He grinned, thrusting with intent as she spread her legs wider for him. Everything she did made him want her more, and he nuzzled her neck, kissing her shoulder, her breasts, and anything he could reach while their bodies moved faster, remembering what it truly felt like to be friends, to be in love, and find one’s soulmate. This was perfect. This moment—their panting breaths, their pounding hearts, all of it. As she clenched him, he snuck his hand between their bodies and rubbed her clit vigorously, thrusting harder and faster. Her back arched and she cried out, his name tumbling from her lips as she thrashed with the force of the orgasm. Hugh’s growl turned into a cry yelled to the rooftop as he buried himself one final time in the woman he loved.

The woman he had loved all this time.

As he pumped the last of himself within her, he rolled to the side, his limbs weak and libido sated, for the moment. He rested his hand over his eyes as the candlelight flickered around them.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Blair rolled to her side and curled up on his chest. “I am amazing,” she said, laughing warmly. “Better than amazing. And starving. You said there was lasagna?”

“Really? Food? That’s all you can think about right now?”

“That and how glad I am I came over tonight.” She propped herself up and kissed him long and slow. “I missed you. I didn’t realize how much until now. I want you back in my life.”

“For good?” He sat up with her, not daring to believe what he was hearing.

“As much as I hate to go along with what our parents think, yeah, for good. But,” she said and held up her finger, “there are conditions. We have to want this for us, not for them. And under no circumstances are they to dictate how we live our married lives. Deal?”

She held up her right pinky and he gave her a lopsided grin, one he knew would make her melt. He wrapped his pinky around hers and kissed them. “Deal, though I’m sure we have more to work out. It’s been a few years.”

“I never said it would be easy. I’m far from perfect, but I’m willing to try. Aren’t you?”

“What are you doing the rest of spring break?” he asked, helping her to her feet as he climbed to his. They walked naked into his kitchen. He missed the cabinet, too busy watching her breasts bounce with her steps, and smoked himself in the face.

“Besides watching you make a fool of yourself while you drool?” she teased. “Nothing.”

“Why don’t you stay here? It would give us time to work this out and make sure we’re not merely wishful thinkers.”

“I’d like that,” she agreed and stared sheepishly at the countertop. “You know, anything you heard me say about you afterwards…I didn’t mean it. I was pissed and shouldn’t have shot my mouth off.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that. I hoped you hadn’t sunk so low as to think I would turn into my dad.”

“God no. I told myself you were playing your cards close to the chest until you could make your grand escape and get away from this life.”

His shoulders slumped. “I wish I was, but I’m stuck.”

“For now,” she said as she wrapped her arms comfortingly around his waist. “I’ll get you unstuck. I’m good at that.”

He patted her arms and closed his eyes as she warmed him with her body and her words. In all his dreams, never once did he see this moment coming true, yet there they were, in his kitchen, with Blair holding him like old times.

No, not like old times. This was better. This was a promise of forever, and this time it would stick.

* * *

Justin eyed the attractive redhead from across the bar. She’d winked at him a few times now, and he was ready to send a drink her way—with his number and an invite to spend the night with him, of course—when a familiar voice throwing curses distracted him. Swiveling around on his barstool, he spotted Bethany, her makeup smeared and a bottle of beer clutched between her hands as she plopped down in a corner booth.

You are not supposed to be here, he thought as he gave up on the redhead and sauntered over to Bethany’s table.

“Bethany? What are you doing here?”

“You asshole. Go away,” she snarled, chugging half her beer. She wiped her mouth with her hand. “You lying bastard. He didn’t want me there. He wanted that bitch.”

“What are you talking about?” He knew Blair would show up, but he’d put too much faith in Bethany’s ability to keep her away from his friend. “He told me himself he wanted to have you over, rekindle that magical night you had.”

Bethany huffed. “Right. That’s why he chased me away the second she showed up. Why he told me he never told you to tell me to go over there!”

He sat down on the opposite side and sipped his beer. When Hugh and Blair’d had their falling out, he’d stepped up to take care of his friend and keep him sane. He was there for him every time he ranted about Blair and how she’d betrayed him. That woman was nothing but trouble, desperate to dig her claws back into Hugh. He was blinded by her words and the promise that he could have his best friend back, but no woman was that understanding. Justin scowled at the far wall, picturing that head of blonde curls and those pert, peach lips.

Blair was not good enough for Hugh, not anymore, but she could be good enough for him.

Ever since Hugh told him exactly who Blair was and he found her one day on campus, no other woman compared. She was fierce—he saw it in her eyes—and free. When she laughed, his heart leapt. Her smile lit up her eyes and her very being. Justin glanced at Bethany who was lost in the misery of realizing she wouldn’t get Hugh back, not easily.

Justin would have to plant himself in a better position to break them apart before they got too serious. He would stop her from breaking Hugh’s heart for good and land her for himself in the process.

“Don’t worry,” he told Bethany, patting her hand. “He’ll see the truth soon enough.”

“How? She’s his best friend, and they’re probably…they’re probably doing what I wanted to do,” she squealed and Justin cringed, mouthing an apology at the other bar patrons. “He’s fucking her when he should be fucking me.”

“Calm down. We’ll remedy the situation. I won’t let her hurt him again.”

She sniffed loudly, and Justin fought the urge to gag at the disgusting sound. “What do you plan on doing?”

“Showing him that she’s not to be trusted. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Promise?” she pleaded, her eyes shimmering with more unshed tears he didn’t want to be around to see fall. “I can be exactly what he needs. I can prove it to him.”

“You’ll have to prove it to his mother, too.”

“Bridget Gordie? The mayor?”

“Yeah, the mayor.” He rolled his eyes. “She wants an arranged marriage between Hugh and Blair. If you want to win his hand, you have to win hers first.”

Bethany emptied her beer and nodded firmly. She wiped her face and whispered to herself, words Justin was thankful he couldn’t hear. “I’ll do that. How do I do that?”

“Find out what she’s interested in. She wants her son to be with a woman who will better her chances at winning governor. Make yourself attractive in the public eye, do the whole perfect, humble country girl act,” he said, making it up as he went, but she ate up every word. “Introduce yourself to her and make sure you hint at how important Hugh is in your life and what you could do for him if you were given the chance to be his wife.”

“You don’t think I’ll sound desperate?”

“Don’t sound desperate and you’ll be fine.” He stood after he finished his beer. “I’ll let you know about whatever event the mayor has coming up next and ensure you have a ticket.”

“Thank you, Justin!” She hopped to her feet and planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

“Yeah, don’t mention it.” He rubbed at the slime and lipstick left on his cheek as she dropped a ten on the table and rushed out the door. “It isn’t over yet, Blair. Not even close.”