Once he’d carried her into her bedroom, he let her slide down the front of him, slowly, achingly, torturously. She could feel him, his erection straining against his jeans, and she grinned to herself. She’d never cop to it out loud, of course, but she had to admit that at least this one time, losing her balance had worked out quite nicely. If she’d known what Declan’s reaction was going to be, she might’ve managed to “accidentally” fall over onto his groin before now.

Well, better late than never.

She leaned in towards him and he mirrored her movements, obviously expecting a kiss. In a cheeky mood, though, Iris intentionally avoided his lips and instead landed her kiss on the side of his neck, just below his jawline. Declan chuckled and then immediately tilted his head to the side, opening his neck up further to her affections. He was obviously happy to receive kisses, no matter where they landed.

As she worked along his jawline with her lips and tongue, her hands worked equally hard to release the buttons of his shirt. One by one, the dastardly enclosures keeping him encased in his shirt popped free. She continued her kissing exploration as she tugged his shirt out of his Wranglers, and then worked her way over to the small dip at the base of his throat formed by his collarbone, as she pulled the sleeves of his shirt down his thick arms.

“You like your girls spoiled,” she breathed, finally pulling her lips far enough away from his warm skin to speak. “Well, I like my boys equally as spoiled.”

Declan chuckled at her words as she resumed her downward progression of kisses. Her lips surrounded one of his flat nipples and she drew the sensitive flesh lightly into her mouth, letting her tongue play over the hardened bump, much like he loved to do to her. She heard him suck in a sharp breath and mentally patted herself on the back. It may’ve been years, but she still remembered how sensitive his nipples were.

“I think…I…could stand…to be spoiled…a little…” he managed to say, his breath short and ragged.

She moved downward, kissing along his bare chest. She slipped her fingers behind his belt, using the broad leather strap for support as she lowered herself uncertainly to her knees. She held tight to him for a moment, making sure she could support herself in the position she hadn’t been in since her accident.

When she managed to stay upright without feeling even a little tipsy, she felt pride spread through her veins. She really was getting better.

She continued to lay kisses on his skin, moving along the line of denim formed by his jeans, as her hands made quick work of his belt and then the fly.

Just as the top button slipped out, releasing the tension of the fabric, she felt his hand come to rest on top of her head. For just a moment, her body tensed at the touch, but she quickly realized that he wasn’t directing or forcing her, but instead was simply excited. Her shoulders relaxed and she felt a thrill run through her at the idea that despite all that was wrong with her body, he still wanted her.

Her lips explored lower, following the new v-shaped line of his open fly as she dug her fingers into his muscular ass. She groaned appreciatively against his skin; she didn’t know what he did to stay in such good shape, but whatever it was, she was in heaven.

As she shoved his pants and underwear down to the floor, she noticed a distinct tan line that followed the waist of his jeans. She paused her kissing of his skin for a moment to appreciate the contrast between the golden brown of his tanned chest, and his white hips. Thoughts of him standing bare-chested in the middle of a field on a warm summer day flooded her mind, and body. She giggled mischievously at the sexy thought. There was a sight she wouldn’t grow tired of…

“What are you laughing at?” Declan asked, amusement apparent in his voice.

“I’m just thinking about you standing bare-chested in an open field,” Iris responded, wrapping her hand around his rigid shaft as she spoke.

“It’s a bit cold for that right now, but next summer you’re welcome to come out to the field anytime,” he responded, while running his fingers through her hair and his voice taking on an equally mischievous tone. “Show up at the right time and I may not be the only one in the field without a shirt on.”

She grinned at the naughty thought before she returned her attention to stroking him, while her mind automatically listed out all the things she found wonderfully endearing about this man, including the fact that he could laugh with her even during the most intimate of moments. She lifted his length upward and ran her tongue up the underside of him, feeling her own excitement grow in time with his.

Declan groaned and his dick hardened even further in her mouth, chasing away any feelings of trepidation she’d had. It’d been years since she’d done anything like this and she was wary of screwing things up, but based on how often he flexed his fingers around the back of her head in encouragement, she was pretty sure she was doing it right.

She was caught up in her own mental reverie when Declan surprised her. He pulled out of her mouth and, reaching down, placed his hands under her arms and helped her to a standing position. She looked at him, confused. She knew he’d been enjoying what she’d been doing, so why…

“I’ve thought about this, a lot,” he said in a husky voice before kissing her. The kiss was rough and full of desire, as he buried his hands deep into her hair. When they finally came up for air, he whispered, “There’s a way I’ve wanted to take you for a very long time. I thought about it when we were teenagers and now…I can’t get the thought out of my mind.”

Iris was both curious as well as worried. The reality was, she might not be capable of some of the more…acrobatic positions a couple could use in bed.

But Declan didn’t wait for her response, or for her to worry her way out of it. Placing his hands on her hips, he swung her around so she was facing toward the bed. Her legs began to shake with excitement, which just increased the worry she was feeling. If she couldn’t even stand properly, she probably couldn’t do…whatever it was he had in mind.

Before she could say anything, though, Declan’s strong arms wrapped around her, and his large body pressed up against her back, silently begging for her to lean into him. She held herself stiff for a moment, the worry almost causing her to panic, but with a whoosh, she made herself relax and trust him completely. He held still, not moving an inch, until she leaned into him, letting her choose when it was time to move forward.

When she did, she felt his breath quicken, and then he whispered, “Thank you.”

Thank you for trusting me.

She nodded once, not relying on her voice to speak. She could’ve said the same thing – thank you for wanting me, even though I am broken. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your love.

But she said nothing at all, just letting her body speak for her.

With impressive quickness, Declan worked the hooks, buttons, and buckles of her clothing until their naked bodies pressed together. His soft lips pressed kisses on the back of her neck as he ran his hands up and down the front of her body, his fingers bumping slowly and provocatively over her hardening nipples. The entire time he explored her, he kept his arms wrapped around her body, holding her up, and never once did she question his support.

She knew she could rely on him fully, and that was the most freeing feeling of all.

After a long and…thorough inspection of every nook and cranny of her body, Declan placed a hand on her upper back, encouraging her to bend over at the waist. She felt a flash of doubt but quickly squashed it, reminding herself that she’d promised to rely on him completely.

With a deep breath, she placed her hands on the mattress and spread her feet apart slightly, relying on the bed to help her keep her balance.

Declan held her hips firmly, and then she felt his tip, seeking her out. She spread her feet just a little bit more, the need for him to be inside her overwhelming. Declan found her center and with a slow, fluid push, he entered her.

Once he was fully inside, he moved his hands, reaching his burly forearm completely around her tiny waist, holding her to him, as he began to ease in and out of her. The granite surety of him erased any residual worry she had about falling.

Finally, she let herself completely succumb to the incredible physical sensations, as well as the pure relief that came from relinquishing her personal worries.

For just a little while, she was just Iris, and he was just Declan, and together, they were just happy. Blissfully, completely, wonderfully happy.