Nora slides her hand up my chest and cups my cheek. “I want you.”

“I’m right here. You can have me.”

“For how long, Jack? How long will I have you this time before you push me away again?” Her eyes close, long lashes coming together. “I lost everyone. And then I lost you, but it was worse. They were gone, and you were still here and every day I woke up feeling like I wasn’t enough for you. And I worried about you all the time, thinking of you waking up alone after a nightmare, or worse, and you were waking with somebody else.” She looks into my eyes, and the pain mirrored back at me is almost enough to stop my heart. “I can’t do this again.”

She pulls out of my arms and goes onto the balcony, gripping the railing. The wind picks up, blowing her hair around her face. Thunder rumbles in the distance, and lightning flashes from the mountaintops.

I stand back, not sure what to do. My brow furrows, and it’s hard to breathe. I was so wrapped up in thinking I was toxic and Nora was better off without me I never thought about everything she’d lost.

Her parents.

Her home.

Her friends.

Mimi.

I was the last thread holding her life together. I thought letting her go would set her free to find someone better, someone who’d shine as brightly as she did.

I hurt her in the worst way possible.

Rooted to the spot, I stand there, watching her with an ache in my heart so painful it might make the damn thing stop beating. Thunder cracks overhead and a gust of wind brings misty rain down on us.

“Nora,” I start, “I’m sorry for everything. I really thought it was for the best.” I shuffle forward and put my hand on her shoulder.

She jerks back. “Shut up!” Her eyes squeeze shut and another clap of thunder sounds. “Did you think I was too stupid to make my own decisions? That I couldn’t see a bad thing from a mile away?” She spins, hands going to my shoulders. She shoves me back. “You weren’t bad, Jack! Your life was messy but so was mine. I loved you so damn much, and you…” She stops, eyes narrowed in anger. I’ve never seen this side of Nora, but I know it’s overdue.

She jabs at my chest again. I step back into the bedroom, walking backward as she comes at me.

“You took so much from me, and I want it back. So give it back. Give it back to me.”

“Nora, I—”

“Shut up, Jack.” She grabs me, but this time her arms go around me, and her lips press against mine. I pick her up by the waist and her legs fasten around me. I step forward, pinning her against the wall. “Give it back,” she pants before kissing me again, tongue pushing past my lips. Her dress is hiked up around her middle, and the passion in her kisses, in the way she drags her nails over my back, does me in.

I spin around, throwing Nora onto the bed. She grabs me and flips me over, moving on top. My hands settle on her hips, only for her to shove them off and move them above my head. Nora’s straddling me, dress bunched up exposing her black panties. She sits up straight and crosses her arms, balling the hem of her dress in each hand. Looking me right in the eye, she pulls it up and over her head.

She’s not wearing a bra, and her nipples are hard. I reach for her breasts, and Nora pushes my hands away. She moves down, undoing the button and zipper on my jeans. I lift my ass off the bed so she can pull my pants down. Then she moves back on me, feeling my erection through my boxers.

I grab her and spin us around, putting Nora between the mattress and myself. I kiss her hard, and Nora kisses me even harder, taking my bottom lip between her teeth. I sit back and take my shirt off, and Nora pulls my boxers down. I move on top of her, and the wet tip of my cock rubs against the smooth flesh of her inner thigh.

I take a fistful of her hair and pull her head to the side, kissing her neck. Nora softly moans, trailing her hands down my body. She takes hold of my cock, but instead of pumping my shaft, she parts her legs and rubs the tip against her clit.

I turn my head down, watching her pleasure herself with my cock. It’s a new sensation for me, one that feels fucking amazing. Nora spreads her legs wider and moves my hips to a better position for her. She keeps one hand against my chest, pushing me away, and the other on my cock. It’s like I’m her own personal sex toy and I’m watching something I shouldn’t be.

It’s fucking hot as hell.

Her breathing quickens, and she rubs my cock over her clit faster and faster. Careful to keep my hips exactly where she likes them, I kiss Nora, and only a moment later, she’s coming. I reach down and grab her wrist, pulling her fingers off my cock, and push it inside of her. She’s in the middle of an orgasm, and her pussy tightens around my cock the second I enter her.

I’ve never felt anything like it.

Nora cries out loudly, and I fuck her hard, pushing my cock in as far as it will go. She’s overcome by pleasure. I slow my movements and kiss her, allowing her time to recover. A few seconds is all Nora needs.

She shoves me away again, pushing me down onto the mattress and climbs on top, guiding my cock inside. My hands go to her breasts, feeling them bounce with each thrust. She rides me hard, not stopping until she comes for the second time.

I’m doing everything I can to keep from coming. She’s so fucking hot. Nora falls forward, breasts in my face. I flip her over, knowing she needs a moment to rest, but cave in my attempts to fuck her slow.

I circle my hips, moaning as I come closer and closer to coming. Nora picks her head off the pillow and bites the skin on my shoulder. There’s nothing I can do to stop from coming now. My balls tighten, and I bury my cock deep inside Nora. My mouth falls open as the orgasm hits me. I have every intention of pulling out, but as the cum shoots from me, I lose control over my body.

A moan escapes my lips, and the orgasm rolls through every part of me. My head falls against her, and I pull out, a little too late. My dick pulses against her thigh and the last of my cum wets her flesh.

Thunder booms and the rain falls in sheets. The balcony doors sway in the wind, and Nora and I cling to each other, breathless. I roll to the side, pulling Nora to me. She’s panting, and her heart is racing.

I don’t think I could form a coherent sentence right now if I tried. Instead, I move Nora’s hair off her face, gently kiss her lips, and hold her as tight as I possibly can.

Misty rain blows in through the open doors. I should get up to close them, but I can’t for the life of me move away from Nora. She grabs the blankets twisted at the foot of the bed and pulls it over us.

I run my fingers up and down her side. Thunder rattles the house, and Charlie comes running. He dives next to Nora, burying his head against her back. She reaches over and pets him, then covers him with the blanket.

My eyes fall shut and I pray this moment never ends. The love of my life. My dog. Me. All together. Everything is perfect, and it terrifies me.

“This is nice.” Nora’s voice is soft and dreamy like she’s drifting to sleep. “No one is going to walk in on us.”

“It’s really nice.”

The wind blows hard, slamming the doors shut. Nora jumps, clinging to me on instinct. I turn, wrapping my body around hers. With the doors closed, the storm outside is quieted.

“We can’t go back.” My voice shatters the silence around us. “But we can start over.”

A beat passes and Nora doesn’t respond. She flattens her hand across my chest, right over my heart.

“I want to. I really do.”

“Then we should.”

She pushes herself up on the mattress. Lightning flashes outside, illuminating her face for a brief moment.

“I know you feel it too,” I tell her. “I can see it in your eyes. You never were a good liar, Nora.”

She meets my eyes. “I’m not lying. Just don’t make me say it.”

“I won’t. But I will tell you every day until you’re ready. I love you.”

She smiles. “I know.”

“Did we just have a Han and Leia moment?”

“I think so, your Worshipfulness.”

There is absolutely no way I am letting this woman go.

* * *

“Nora?” I whisper, not sure if she’s asleep or not. We’ve been lying in bed together, listening to the storm, for what I guess was twenty minutes. “I think your phone is ringing.”

It’s too dark to see her face, but judging by the slow way she rolls over, she was asleep. “Oh. I should get it. It’s probably Stephanie or Doug. What time is it?”

“I’m not sure.” I pull the blanket back and get out of bed. “I’ll get your phone for you.”

“Thanks. I need to use your scary bathroom.”

“Don’t scream.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I turn on my bedside light and take one more look at Nora before leaving the room. Charlie follows, rushing ahead to wait by his food bowl.

“Hungry, buddy?” I pick up the bowl and take it to the counter. Along with kibble, I give him chunks of raw meat and supplements. His joints are getting bad with age. “Here ya go.” I set the bowl down and pat his head. “Things feel right, don’t they?”

Charlie’s too busy eating to respond…not that he would since he’s a dog. But the one-sided conversations help me think, and I’m fully aware how crazy that makes me sound. I turn on the overhead light in the living room, finding Nora’s purse in the foyer. I grab it by the straps and go back upstairs. Nora is wearing my T-shirt and is standing by the balcony doors. She has opened one a bit and is looking out.

The floorboards creak all over the place in this house, making it damn near impossible to sneak up on anyone. Nora turns, smiling when she sees me.

“Do you always walk around naked?”

“Yeah. I still get the occasional ghost-hunter up here, so I thought I’d give them a show when they peek inside the windows.”

Nora laughs and shuts the door. “I miss sitting on the Kellers’ porch during storms. I have nowhere to sit and watch them at the apartment, not that it storms very often, anyway.”

“We can sit on the porch if you’d like. I’ll even put on pants.”

“I guess I should too.”

I smirk. “You look much better without them.”

Nora wiggles her eyebrows and raises her arms, showing off her exposed bare ass. Then she comes back to the bed, sticking her feet under the covers. I hand her her purse and sit next to her.

“I have a missed call from home. I’m sure they’re wondering where I am.” She calls the Kellers back and brings the phone to her ear. “Hey Doug.” She pauses. “Yeah, I’m safe from the storm. I’m at Jack’s.” Another pause. I put my hand on her thigh and slide it down. “Uh, I don’t know. I think I’ll stay the night here if that’s okay.” Nora looks at me and cringes, knowing she basically told Doug she’s staying here to have sex with her ex. “Yeah, I know. I still feel like I should ask. Okay. Love you too, bye.”

“Awkward?”

“Just a little. I’ve never brought up staying the night with a guy before.”

“You lived away for four years. I’m sure they assumed, even if you didn’t.”

“That’s what Doug basically said. I’ve been living on my own and can make my own decisions.”

“You can, and there’s one more you still need to make.”

Nora looks down, and her hair falls in her face. She tosses her phone back into her purse and shakes her head. “I don’t know.” She pushes her hair back, turning to me. “I like this. I like you. But that doesn’t mean we should.”

“I don’t know how it doesn’t.”

The sadness is back in her eyes, changing her appearance from the badass girl I know to a lover, scorned. She’s both, and it’s mine and only my fault she’s the latter.

“I don’t know if I can be in a relationship with you again.” She says each word carefully. “I think I’ll always be waiting for the other shoe to drop, for times to get tough and you to shut me out.”

“I won’t.”

“I want to believe you. I really do.”

“I will prove it,” I promise. Lightning flashes followed a second later by a crackling of thunder. Downstairs, Charlie freaks out, jumping away from his bowl so fast he knocks into it. His nails scratch on the tile and he runs up the stairs.

“You don’t like thunder, do you?” Nora asks, lifting up the blanket for him to hide under. He won’t stay covered up for long; he gets too hot. “I feel bad wanting to sit on the porch now.”

“If I turn on the TV and give him something to chew, he’ll be fine. He startles easier now than he did before. I think his hearing is going.”

“Poor baby.” Nora strokes his head. “How old is he?”

“Seven. His birthday was April third.”

“Did you have a party?”

I give her a look. “No, but I did buy him a cake.”

“You are so cute.”

“I’m glad you think so.” I get up and go to my dresser, finding PJ pants for Nora and myself. “My mom isn’t so thrilled. She thinks I’m going to be one of those people who only have dogs and no children.”

I put on my pants and toss the second pair to Nora.

“Do you want kids?” she asks.

“I do. I always thought I’d end up married with a kid or two. What about you?”

“Yes. I imagined graduating, getting married, and popping out a baby a year or so after starting my dream job, of course.”

I straighten up, debating if I should tell her I wanted to propose after her first year of college. We should be the ones planning our wedding right now.

“Someday,” she adds with a shrug, looking back at the windows. “The air has cooled down a lot out there.”

“It has.” I grab a blanket from the closet. We go downstairs, and Nora looks at the various drawings I have strewn about my office while I fill one of Charlie’s rubber chew toys with peanut butter.

Once outside, I pull the two rocking chairs next to each other. We sit, covered up with the blanket. Nora takes my hand. We don’t talk, but so much is said between us.

Instead of phasing out like I expected, the storm intensifies. Wind blows the rain under the cover of the porch, and we retreat inside, going into the living room.

“How would you decorate this room?” I ask, sitting on the couch next to Charlie. He abandoned his chewy and is anxiously watching the rain roll down the large windows. Nora considers for a moment and then smiles. She says she’s not into design like her grandma, but I know part of her rubbed off on Nora. And more importantly, Nora feels close to her grandma when she channels that part of her.

“This is a big room and needs different sections for seating. I’d go with more of a structured look to the furniture and decor because I think too much rustic-cabin gives off a heavy vibe.” She moves in front of the windows. “I’d put two chairs here with a small table in between, a large, rectangular coffee table lined up with the TV over the fireplace—though to be honest, I’m not a big fan of TVs over fireplaces.”

“Where else would they go?”

“You’d have to get a smaller one and put it on the shelf next to it.”

“A smaller TV? Really?”

“Yeah. But if we’re going for function over fashion, the TV can stay. I’ll get to style the bookshelves that way.” She smiles. “And either one large sectional there, or two couches.”

A loud boom of thunder echoes overhead, shaking the house. Almost immediately after, the power goes off. Darkness falls, and the only thing to be heard is the pouring rain.