It’s odd that my ten-year-old-self and the twenty-four-year-old version had ended up in the same place. August was rapidly approaching, and I didn’t want Xander to leave any more than I had when I was a kid.

Most days I put it out of my mind. There was a ton to do, and we worked really well together. We settled into a routine of spending the morning taking pictures for my book. Xander had been right—most of the townspeople were very willing to be photographed. It didn’t hurt that Xander was the one taking the pictures. He was a hometown hero to many around here. Even the ones who didn’t know much about his photography skills still admired him for his football ability.

In the afternoon, we’d work on his house. We still got a lot done, but the painting, the cleaning, the repairs were often interrupted by more adult activities. True to my word, I didn’t underwear under my jeans shorts or skirts when I worked with him. And whenever we were painting, Xander would insist that I take off my top so as not to get paint on it. And I’d make him do the same. And that usually led to both of us covered in paint and horny as hell. Then we’d take a quick shower together to clean up and sneak in a few orgasms.

While we frequently used our hands and mouths to please each other, we hadn’t had actual sex yet. I wanted to—and I was pretty sure Xander did, too—but in the back of my mind was the fact that he’d be leaving soon. I think that was his hesitation as well.

At least until the last week of July.

I was in the living room, dusting the tops of the paintings. The entire lower level was finished, but we still had some work to do in the upstairs bedrooms before Xander could put the house on the market.

He came up behind me and wrapped his hands around my waist. “Let’s go out on Friday. Somewhere nice.”

“Like where?” He pressed me back against his long, hard body and I closed my eyes.

“How about the Fairview Inn? I heard that the restaurant there has the best Italian in town.”

“It does,” I confirmed, placing my arms on top of his as he held me.

He kissed the side of my neck. “And then afterwards… we could get a room upstairs. And celebrate that the book’s almost done.”

I nodded, but I felt a tear slipping down my face. This wasn’t about the book though it was true that the first draft was nearly complete. We just needed to decide on which pictures to use for a few of the final chapters.

No, it wasn’t about the book, it was about saying goodbye. All the signs were there. The house was almost finished. Trish, the realtor, had been round a few times, making notes. Probably preparing for when it was time to show it. And each day, Xander got more calls and texts. About his next assignment. About what he was going to do after he left Fairview.

After he left me.

But if our time together was nearing an end, then he was right, we should do something to mark the occasion. I wanted a lifetime with him, but in lieu of that, I’d take a night. A whole night together in a hotel room with him.

I told my parents that I’d be visiting an old friend from high school who lived an hour away. My dad bought it, but my mom saw how restless I was all week. Or maybe she noticed how much time I spent on my hair and nails. On Thursday, at breakfast, she handed me some money. “Buy yourself a new dress,” was all she said. I hugged her before heading out to shop.

And then Friday evening arrived. The Fairview Inn was nicer than the rather generic name suggested. The restaurant overlooked the White River, and Xander made sure we got a table by the window. He wore a black suit with a blue tie that complimented the color of his eyes. I wore a black, sleeveless dress that came almost to my ankles. Wearing it made me feel grown-up. Sophisticated. And sad.

Of course, with Xander around, no one could be sad for too long. He had wine waiting for us upstairs after our dinner was over. The room was beautiful. A hotel this size didn’t have a penthouse suite, but our room was on the top floor and it had a small living area in addition to the bedroom.

“Gorgeous,” I said, facing the window.

“Yes, you are,” Xander said, coming up behind me. “Oh wait, were you talking about the view?”

“Yes,” I said, then I grinned at him. “I was looking at the reflection of you in the window.”

He kissed me on the tip of my nose. “So we agree that we both look amazing in these fancy clothes?”

“Yes.”

“Then can we take them off now?”

“Definitely yes.”

But instead of doing so, Xander wrapped his arm around me and danced me slowly around the room, humming under his breath as we went. I rested my head on his shoulder as he held me close. He felt so good. Being in his arms made me feel protected and turned on. Not sure how I could feel both those things at once, but I did.

Gradually, Xander led us to the king-size bed, still swaying back and forth to the soft singing he was doing under his breath.

He stopped singing as we stood next to the bed. Xander swept my hair away from my neck and kissed me gently on my throat. “Are you ready for this?” His soft growl tickled my ear.

In answer, I reached behind me and unzipped my dress. The zipper opened, but the dress stayed on, held up by the straps that fastened behind my neck. Staring into his eyes, I lifted my hair and undid the clasp at my neck. My dress slid down my body in one, fluid motion, pooling at my feet—leaving me wearing only my black high-heeled sandals.

Xander’s grin made my little surprise all the more worthwhile. He stepped back, his eyes sweeping up and down my body. “You are so fucking beautiful. Lay down on the bed.”

I did, and then it was my turn to watch as he undressed. His eyes never left mine as he peeled off his jacket. Unbuttoned his shirt. Pulled his belt off. Stepped out of his pants. By the time he started tugging down his boxers, it was like he was moving in slow motion. I was dying to see his huge cock spring free.

“Quit squirming,” he teased as he finally stepped out of his underwear. “You’ll get what you want soon enough—unless I decide to make you wait for it.”

But he didn’t, fortunately. Because he wanted it too much, too. He climbed onto the bed, hovering over me, his palms on either side of my shoulders. He was almost in a push up position, parallel to me but not touching me.

When I reached for him, he shook his head. “Put your hands behind your head.”

Squirming in anticipation, I did so. Xander scooted down a little so that his head was above my chest. Then he lowered himself down, doing a half-push up. When his face was inches above my chest, he dipped his head, reached his tongue out, and captured my nipple between his teeth.

For some reason, it was hot as hell that even though his body was practically on top of mine, the only point of contact was my nipple in his mouth. His tongue flicked back and forth, teasing the tip as I tried my best not to writhe around on the bed. I certainly didn’t want to wiggle too much when my nipple was anywhere near his teeth.

He moved to the other side and did the same thing. I wanted to grab him and press him against me, but I was good. I did what he said and kept my hands behind my head.

Releasing my nipple, he kissed his way down my body. Again, it was just his lips touching me, driving me crazy with lust. I wanted more of him touching me, not less. I wanted to feel his weight on me as he drove himself inside me.

Finally, he relented. “Spread your legs.”

I did and he kneeled between them, his fingers running up and down the inside of my thighs. He winked at me and grinned. Then he lowered his head and I trembled, waiting for his warm breath on my slit. Waiting for his sexy stubble to tickle my thighs. But when he was inches away from where I wanted him to be, he paused. “You call that spreading your legs?”

In response, I spread them farther apart, giving him plenty of room to put his head between them. He licked his lips and looked up at me. “Now that’s… still not good enough.”

What? I was practically doing a split. He really got off on making me wait sometimes. And watching me squirm in anticipation.

Finally, he relented. “How about I help you out?” Seizing me by the ankles, he lifted my legs off the bed and held them open in a wide vee. The position felt vulnerable and exciting and erotic all at the same time. I was completely exposed to him. I was at his mercy. But that’s exactly where I wanted to be.

Still holding my ankles, he lowered his face and nuzzled his nose against my slit. He gave my warm folds a kiss and the slipped his tongue inside, circling my opening. Usually, he put his fingers inside when he went down on me, but I had a feeling that tonight, the only thing going in me there would be his rock hard cock.

I couldn’t wait.

Xander worked his way back up to my clit, circling it, flicking it, and sucking it into his mouth. My breath sped up as I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation. My hands were still clasped behind my head—it was all I could do to keep from burying them in his hair.

I moaned as his tongue flicked faster. My body started to shake. I’d wanted him all night, and now, he was finally in bed with me. Touching me. Tasting me.

With one last lap of my clit, Xander looked up at me. “Do you want to come, naughty girl?”

“Oh yes. Please.”

“Like this? Your legs spread wide, my head buried between your legs?” He blew cool air on my slit and I squirmed.

“Yes. I mean no! I want to come with your cock deep inside me. Please… please Xander, I want that so badly.”

He wanted that too, but still, he smirked up at me. He loved getting me so worked up that I begged. Just to prove he could, he toyed with me a bit longer, rubbing his jaw along the tops of my thigh, tickling me with his stubble. But then he sat up and I licked my lips when I saw how hard his cock was. He lifted my hips and adjusted our positions, then he took hold of my ankles again with his cock poised at my entrance.

“Please…” I begged.

And then he pushed into me, parting me, claiming his territory deep inside me. I cried out, grateful that I didn’t have to keep quiet here.

Xander looked me in the eye as he pushed in and out, long slow strokes that made my whole body quiver with pleasure. Just watching the powerful muscles of his abs, pecs, and arms was almost enough to make me come right then and there. But when I started to get close, he grinned down at me, shaking his head. Then he delivered a series of quick, shallow thrusts that changed up his rhythm entirely, keeping my impending orgasm at bay.

Finally, he pushed all the way in me again, and his thrusts gradually built up speed. “Tug on your nipples for me.”

Gladly. Running my hands down my neck, I caught my nipples, pinching them while Xander’s eyes lit up with pleasure. “That’s it… pinch them hard for me.”

Moaning, I did so.

“Stroke your clit,” he ordered, then watched as I ran my fingers lightly down my body. Just as I touched my clit, he sped up, pushing into me harder, spreading my legs wider, his blue eyes going hazy with lust. “Rub your clit but don’t come until I say,” he ordered. “We’re going to come together.”

I wanted that more than anything, but it was hard to hold off. It felt so amazing. So raw and primal. That, above anything else, was the quintessential Xander experience. Overwhelming sensation that made you want to be overwhelmed.

Pounding into me, Xander growled my name. “Are you close?”

“Yes,” I gasped. “Please… please, I need to come. Please!”

“Come now!” he shouted and my body immediately started writhing as wave after wave of pleasure hit me. He pushed deep inside me and held himself there as his own orgasm hit. He let go of my legs and I immediately wrapped them around his waist, holding him tightly against me as we both cried out with pleasure. I squeezed myself around him, milking him for every last drop.

And when he at last collapsed across my chest, I held him to me, stroking his hair, murmuring his name while he kissed my neck, my face, and every part of me he could reach.

We were together, we were one, and I never wanted it to end.

And just for one night—I was going to pretend it never would.