I leave Ethan’s shop feeling high on life, and that’s a completely refreshing feeling, considering how I felt when I woke up this morning. Knowing we’re taking the next step in our relationship and officially moving in together has added a little pep in my step and lessened the broken heart I’ve been living with for so long.

Once I get back home, I start my normal weekend duties of cleaning and laundry. It keeps me busy until Ethan gets off work and we can head out for dinner and drinks. Ever since leaving his shop, I realize that the sadness that would normally plague me has lifted and hasn’t continued to weigh me down today.

“Hey, babe,” Ethan calls out, as he walks in the door.

“Hey, I’m folding laundry in the bedroom,” I reply.

He walks up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him, and brings his lips to my neck.

“How was your afternoon?” he asks, lips still grazing my neck.

“Good. Got the bathroom and kitchen all cleaned and working on the laundry. Once I’m done folding this load, all laundry will be done.”

“I think I’ll keep you around,” he teases.

“You better,” I say good-naturedly, as I turn in his arms and kiss him on the lips.

Ethan deepens the kiss, swiping his way past my lips. I open to him immediately, and the tingles that run down my body from his sensual kiss wash over me, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, settling in my core. I went from feeling nothing to being turned on in a few seconds, all from his kiss and touch.

I lean in closer, wanting to feel his rigid body pressed as close to my own as possible, and he lifts me, my legs wrapping around his hips. That brings his hardening cock in line with my now aching pussy, where I so desperately need contact and friction.

Ethan slows the kiss, nipping at my lips before pulling back completely, until he’s looking at me with hooded eyes.

“Tell me what you need, Cam,” he whispers.

“You. I just need you.”

As soon as the words leave my lips, he drops his hands from my waist, squeezing my ass. With just one step, he now stands at the edge of the bed, but realizes he can’t lay me down on it without messing up the piles of folded clothes.

“Fuck,” he groans, looking at me.

“Set me down, and we can move it,” I tell him. We quickly move the clothes out of our way, along with the clothes covering our bodies. His now fully erect cock stands proud between us, already glistening at the tip where the first drop of precum has leaked out. I drop to my knees and swipe my tongue across the tip, before wrapping my lips fully around it.

“Fuuuuck…” he groans again. “Your mouth on my cock is heaven.”

I continue to suck as much of his length in and out, adding in my hand to help stroke what I can’t fit inside my mouth. I cup his balls in my other hand, rolling them around as he moans in pleasure. I pull back when I feel him start to shake beneath my touch. He takes that opportunity to reach down and pull me up from my knees.

“I need inside of you, right now,” he says, before kissing me hard again. We tumble onto the bed, and I laugh out loud at our frenzy to get on the bed and him inside of me. He reaches for the bedside drawer looking for a condom, but I stop him.

“We can go without if you’d like.”

He freezes and looks at me, searching my eyes for any doubt that may linger.

“You sure?” he questions.

“Yes, Ethan. I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t mean it. It’s been over a month now since I got my IUD placed, so we’re protected. So, if you want to ditch the condoms, we can.”

He doesn’t answer with words, he responds with the actions of his body. Ethan captures my lips with his own as he maneuvers our bodies until he’s lined up at my entrance. He briefly breaks the kiss, laces our hands together, and pulls my arms above my head. With our eyes locked on each other’s, he pushes inside, filling me completely. The feeling of him skin to skin, with no barrier between us, is so powerful.

Ethan drops his lips to mine again but stops when they’re a breath’s space apart. “I love you, Cam,” he whispers against my lips. Hearing those words from him are so amazing and I can feel his love washing over me.

“I love you so much, Ethan,” I say, between the tears that are rolling down my face and into my hairline and the breaths that are coming in gasps.

“Shhh, shhh,” he whispers against my ear. “Everything’s going to be okay, baby.” He slowly pumps his hips against mine. “I love you so much, baby.”

I can’t talk at the moment; the emotions that are running through my body right now have stolen my ability to get words out. I’m completely overwhelmed that I’ve been lucky enough to find this all-consuming love for a second time in my life, when so many people yearn to find it once.

Ethan’s thrusts quicken as he brings us both to orgasm. I fall first, and pull him over the edge right behind me. He lets go of my hands, and I immediately wrap my arms around his neck, holding him close as he drops his head to my shoulder, placing open-mouthed kisses along the column of my neck, down to my collarbone.

It only takes a few moments for the hold my emotions had on me to lift, and I test out my voice again.

“I…” It comes out weak and raspy, so I clear my throat. “I love you, and just so you know, those were tears of happiness and love, not anything else.”

Ethan lifts his head up, so he can look at me; the smile that covers his face is comforting to see. Knowing I put that look of love on him stiches another part of my broken heart back together again. It also makes me break out into a smile of my own.

“Now that we’ve made love, how about some dinner?” Ethan asks, placing a kiss on the tip of my nose.

I laugh at his ability to easily move us along. He’s not one to ever miss a chance to eat, and it is a bit past dinnertime.

“Think we have time for a quick shower first?” I ask, placing a kiss along his scruffy chin.

“Shower and quick don’t belong in the same sentence if we’re both going to be in there at the same time. Haven’t you learned that yet, woman?” he teases me, smacking my ass as I take a step away from the bed, toward the bathroom.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I call back to him over my shoulder. “Before we can go out, I at least need a shower, and if we want to have time to eat before the show tonight, we need to be quick.”

“You take a quick shower, and I’ll just get cleaned up and ready to go.”

I stand under the hot water streaming down me. Knowing we need to hurry, I quickly do my business, then get out and dressed. A quick brush and blow dry later, and my hair is ready. I swipe on a coat of mascara and lip gloss, and I’m ready to head out the door.

I walk out to the living room, putting in my hoop earrings as I go, where I find Ethan sitting on the couch, waiting for me. It only took me about thirty minutes to shower and get ready—pretty fast for a woman, if you ask me.

“You look beautiful, Cam,” Ethan says, as he stands and pulls me into a hug. The smell of his cologne fills my lungs and I feel my knees go a little weak.

“Thank you. Are you ready to go?”

“Yep, let’s go,” he says, linking our fingers together as I grab my lightweight jacket from the coatrack by the door as we head out. The temps have been getting a little cooler at night, now that it’s fall.

Our evening out is everything I could have asked for. We enjoyed a great dinner and drinks, followed by an amazing night at the comedy club. The food, drink, love, and laughter were just what I needed to soothe my soul and heart this weekend.

I also realized I just needed Ethan. His presence in my life has changed me for the better. With him by my side, I feel like I can move on, and want and desire the things I once felt like I would never have again after Ben died.