Two miserable days have passed, and Eden is still acting like I kicked her puppy. The apartment is too quiet and empty with Tori gone, and Eden’s spending most of her time in her bedroom.

I’ve talked to Tori on the phone, but we’ve agreed not to see each other just yet, to give Eden time. The problem is, I see no signs that my daughter’s attitude is changing, that she’s even considering another point of view.

It’s evening, and we’re sharing a tense dinner. Eden’s picking sullenly at her food, and I’m having trouble forcing mine down even though Carole’s cooking is delicious. “How are your classes going?” I ask, in a feeble attempt to make conversation.

Eden jerks up one shoulder. She doesn’t reply, doesn’t look at me. I’ve had enough. Setting my glass down with a snap, I say, “Eden. You’re being childish.”

“I have a right to my feelings!” she cries.

“And so do I.”

“You went behind my back–”

“I fell in love, Eden. Tori and I are both adults – and so, for that matter, are you. You’re old enough to understand that this happens, that people fall in love, and sometimes it’s with someone that others don’t approve of. The world can’t always arrange itself to your liking.”

Her eyes fill with tears. “Eden,” I say softly. “You’ve been my whole world since the day I found out you were on the way. I’ve worked hard to give you a good life, and I don’t regret a moment of it. I love you; you’ll always be important to me. But I deserve to be happy too.”

I take my plate to the kitchen, then get my coat from the closet. “Are you going to get Tori?” Eden asks. Her voice is thick with unshed tears, but she’s stopped crying.

“Yes.”

She nods, but doesn’t say anything else. I kiss the top of her head and let myself out.

Minutes later, I’m knocking on the door of Tori’s room. She opens it and her face lights up. “Ash!”

I pull her to me and kiss her, right there in the doorway where anyone can see us. It lasts a long time. “Eden?” she says breathlessly when I finally break off.

“Is going to have to deal with it.” I push her gently back, into the room, and latch the door after it shuts behind us.

“Then she hasn’t–”

“We had a talk. She’ll come around.” I pull her close again. “I love you, Tori.”

“Ash.” She stands on tiptoe to kiss me. “I love you too.”

“You’ve brought me more happiness than I thought was possible. I don’t want to spend another day without you by my side.” We kiss again. “I want to give you everything.”

Her arms wind around my neck. I pick her up, hands under her ass, so she can wrap herself around me. “I wanted you from the moment I met you,” she tells me. “I never thought it could happen, and now you’re my everything.”

The kiss starts gentle, but quickly turns heated. Our clothes come off in a frenzy, and then we’re naked on the bed, our bodies entwined. Tori runs her hands all over my chest, my abs, as if memorizing me. It feels like a lifetime since we’ve been able to touch each other.

I palm her breast, closing my mouth over it, and she arches against me. The need to reclaim her, every inch of her, takes over. From the tips of her fingers to the tips of her toes, I worship her delicate skin, the seeming fragility that masks so much strength.

“Tori.” I kiss my way up her body to the point where her legs meet. “You’re mine.”

“All yours,” she agrees. “And you’re mine.” I part her thighs and lick her open. “Ash!”

Her moans and gasps fill the room as I devour her, finally closing my mouth over her swollen nub. She grabs handfuls of my hair, holding me to her as I suck, and suck, my fingers plunging into her slick wet channel.

I curl my fingers inside her, applying pressure to her clit with my teeth, and she cries out as she comes, her body thrashing through the orgasm. It’s not enough, not for me. There’s a hunger in me to give her all the pleasure she can stand.

And then to give her more.

I send her over the edge again, and then again. “You’re glorious,” I tell her. “I could eat you all night long.”

She squirms against me. “Baby, thank you, but I need you inside me. Please.”

Laying a last gentle kiss on her pussy, I work my way up until I’m poised over her. She reaches for me, at home with my body now, and guides me to her opening. Her eyes roll back as I push slowly inside her.

“Ash. I missed you. So much.”

“I missed you too.” Trying to keep the pace easy for now, I start to move, stroking slowly in and out of her. I don’t want this to end too soon.

But the urgency builds, and builds, and it’s too much for both of us. I speed up until I’m drilling into her, her nails scoring my back, her legs bent at my sides. The healthy slap of flesh against flesh fills the room, the scent of our union an intoxicating perfume.

“Tori,” I groan. I can feel my climax building at the base of my spine. “I’m close now. Come with me.”

I’m ready to reach down and find her clit, or ask her to bring herself, but her head snaps back and she comes, hard, gripping me like a vise. I follow her into oblivion, pouring myself into her.

When I’m aware of my surroundings again, we’re on our sides, cuddled close together. “Hi there,” I say.

She gives me her beautiful smile. “Hi.”

“Let’s get cleaned up.” I give her a kiss. “And then I’m taking you home.”