Nate let his jeans fall to the floor.

Cara’s body glistened, her chest still heaving.

He should wait, hold back, check with her again. There was a whole list of reasons why he shouldn’t be putting a condom on right fucking now, but they weren’t stopping him.

“Nate?” She practically panted his name.

“I’m right here, shortcake.” He leaned over her, stroking her hair off her brow.

She lifted up, mouth first.

No one could mistake that meaning. But he’d just...

Fuck it.

He kissed her, eating up her moans. Her lips moved against his, hungry nips. She wasn’t done, and neither was he.

Somehow he managed to climb back up on the bed, his mouth never once leaving hers.

He should go slower. Give her a moment to come down, but damn.

“Nate.” She whimpered his name against his lips.

Her legs wrapped around him, holding him prisoner in the best way possible.

He should hold back, savor the picture of the gray satin against her skin, the way her hair was spread out over his pillow, how she looked at him. Before he was ready, she’d be gone, and these moments were all he’d have left until he could convince her to come back to him. But the need was too great. Her taste was still on his tongue, and she was calling his name.

Nate grasped his cock with one hand and guided himself to her pussy. She was soaking wet, ready, and still, he took a moment to make sure. To touch her again.

Her heels dug into his back, urging him on in a way that was so unlike typical Cara. She’d become a slave to sensation, what he was making her feel. It was a small victory. She hadn’t run from him, she’d dove in, and man, did he love her for this.

“Easy, shortcake. Look at me?”

Her lashes fluttered and she stared up at him, the longing in her eyes answering his.

“That’s it,” he whispered.

He flexed his hips, her arousal making the penetration easy. Her mouth opened on a long, low moan.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

His vision blurred a bit. She was so damn wet, her body fitting around his perfectly. As though they were made for each other. Like this was always meant to be.

Mushy thoughts like that were going to make his dick to limp.

Another little thrust—and there—he was all the way in.

He levered down, kissing her mouth while her pussy tightened around him. Her body was still so sensitive from orgasm. This wasn’t going to be the slow lovemaking he’d envisioned. He needed her. Like this. Now.

Nate reached up, grasping her hands in his, twining their fingers together. He kissed her mouth, and knew he was a lucky son of a bitch.

Cara loved him.

He loved her.

She wasn’t running from him, from what he wanted and she felt. There was hope. If he could just brand every one of her cells, make her remember him, this, when she left.

He pushed up to his elbows, and rolled his hips. She gasped, chanting his name again.

Nate was going to make her scream.

He forced her legs open wider and pulled out. She whimpered, digging her heels in. He held out a moment longer, then thrust. She stared up at him, her pupils dilated, eyes sightless with pleasure.

That’s it.

He pumped in and out, her heels driving him on, her lips chanting his name. Never in his life had he imagined this moment would become reality. That Cara would lose her inhibitions and want him as much as he wanted her. He wasn’t alone in his desire. The way her body reacted to his was proof of that.

One of her hands came free from the satin. She wrapped her arm around his waist, her nails digging into his skin. He drove into her, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

He felt her body go tense, the slight arch of her spine, the bite of her nails and the whoosh of breath into her lungs. And then—she called his name. Loud. Heels driving into his ass, her hips pumping, pussy tightening.

Her orgasm caught him completely unaware. He thrust, his motions automatic, driven by need. This—between them—it wasn’t just an orgasm. It went deeper than ejaculating or lust. It was as if part of him reached out and touched her soul, finding a part of himself—that was her.

Nate buried his face into her hair, squeezing his eyes shut.

Sex with Cara changed things. Him. There was no way they could go back. He couldn’t just be friends with her, and he couldn’t be without her. What if she didn’t feel the same? What if...she left and never looked back?

She hugged him to her, the one free hand curled over his shoulder, their bodies entwined.

He never wanted to move.

He wanted to live in this moment, forever.

“Nate?”

“Hm?”

“I can’t breathe.”

“Sorry.”

He shifted, easing their bodies apart, and rolled to his side. He used the satin cloth to keep her prisoner for another few moments, tugging her into his arms. She buried her face against his shoulder and held on tight.

“Cara?” He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.

“Hm?”

“Look at me?”

She peered up at him, her cheeks rosy, lips swollen. Yes, there was a touch of shyness there, but...also that sparkle of happiness.

He unwound the satin from her wrist, stroking the skin with his fingers. She didn’t wince or glance away.

“Was that...okay?” he asked.

“There’s a lot the word that can refer to. I’m going to assume everything and say yes. Less talking that way.” She scooted closer, curling her arm around his waist and her head against his shoulder.

“Okay.” Her statement didn’t ease the tension in his stomach.

What was the next step? Where did they go from here?

He roused her from bed long enough for to use the bathroom before he did. Unlike last night, she didn’t avoid eye contact, she looked at him, she didn’t try to cover herself in that silly onesie.

They were growing more familiar with each other in a new, deeper way.

What did that mean?

He had less than twenty-four hours to figure that out and he didn’t know where to start.

Nate slid their pizza in the oven and collected his thoughts.

What he wanted was simple. Cara. Any way he could get her. For now. Soon enough, he’d want more of her, and that meant...one of them would have to move. He didn’t want to go back to Omaha. His work was here, but her life was there. Even if she said she didn’t have much of one, it was where she had roots. Family. Stuff that was hard to leave behind.

The only reason Nate didn’t go home more often was because Dad had remarried. Nate’s step-mom was a great woman, with three daughters that kept their house full and lives busy. There wasn’t a place for him there anymore, except with Cara.

“Hey, shortcake.” He pushed off the kitchen counter at the sight of her in his T-shirt and nothing else. It was a damn fine sight. “Hungry?”

“Starving.”

He wished he’d have trusted his gut and snagged two pizzas. If she was relaxed enough to be starving, he wanted to feed her as much as possible. Take care of her. Love her.

They met at the sectional. He pulled her into his arms and kissed the tip of her nose, because that act never failed to make her smile.

He couldn’t bring himself to ask the hard questions, not when she was hungry and smiling.

They ate, polishing off the whole pizza and at least a dozen cookies between them, before he guided her back to the bedroom. He wanted to hold her for as long as possible.

Lying in bed, Cara curled up next to him, he couldn’t shake the gnawing sense of dread.

Relationships were hard at the best of times. But a long distance one? How would that work?

“Nate?” Cara sighed and shifted.

“Hm?”

“What are...we going to do?”

“I don’t know, Cara-bear.”

“I wish I were staying longer.”

His sentiments, exactly.

He hugged her tighter and kissed the top of her head before leaning back to look down at her. He needed to see her face.

“You could, you know?” Nate wanted to kick himself. That was too vague.

“I don’t have that much vacation time. It’s a sucky job.”

“So, quit?”

“I can’t quit. I need a job so I can...maybe come back and see you?”

“Cara?” He smoothed her hand out over his heart. He had to put it all out there, because this thing with her mattered. “You hate your job. You hate living with your parents. So...why go back? Why should you go back to that?”

“I don’t know...”

“Do you like that pillow?”

She blinked at him, then glanced at the fluffy white pillow under her head. He’d bought them before her visit, because the ones he’d had were years old and...he hadn’t wanted anyone else to touch them.

“Yeah, it’s nice,” she said.

“Then it’s yours.” He flicked his fingers at the nightstand on the other side of the bed. “That one’s empty. My clothes don’t even fill up half the closet. If you want a place, you’ve got it. If you want to move here, give this a try, then welcome home.”

Cara stared at him, and he stared right back.

Yes, this was crazy and a bit rash, but if it meant having her in his life, he’d make it work. Figure things out.

“I love you, Cara-bear.”

“A-are you serious, Nate?”

“I thought we covered that already.”

“No, I mean, about me living here?”

“Yeah. I am. We’ve both wanted to be together for so long, why not start now? We’ve got a lot of time to make up for.”

“I don’t have any money. My credit is crap. I—”

“Shortcake?” He kissed her lips, her nose, her forehead. “Doesn’t matter. I got this.”

She buried her face against his chest and hugged him.

“What do you say?” he whispered.

“I love you, Nate. I want to be with you, too.”

In a million years, he’d never imagine this reality. Holding Cara. Loving her. This adorkable girl that he couldn’t shake, and all she needed to do was say yes...

“Is that a yes?” he asked.

“Yes, Nate. Yes.”