My cock jerks at the way Lila blushes at me from across the table. It’s still showing signs that disprove my mistaken assumptions. Three place settings, not two. Three half-filled wine glasses, and three empty food plates with used forks, knives and cloth napkins around them.

I capture the hint of a shy smile playing across her face. It’s a shame I almost hurt her friend. It’s embarrassing to know I was such an ass, jumping to conclusions so fast without confirming the truth.

That man isn’t interested in Lila. He’s with her friend. I’m mad at myself for almost leaving because of my crazy jealousy, but thank fuck my possessiveness won out. Thank fuck I came back. Now I have no fucking regrets, especially about telling Lila and that guy that she’s mine. Those words were a long time coming, and it seems like she’s been waiting to hear them too.

“I have to admit,” she starts in a shaky whisper, “it’s not easy for what you said to sink in. I almost can’t believe what I heard.”

“It’s all true. I meant every word.”

“How long have you felt this way?”

“For a long time. Years.” I lean forward in the chair and stretch my arm across the table, facing my palm up. “I was a fool for waiting this long to tell you. I should’ve stepped up years ago, back when we were kids. And when you left town right after school ended… I swear to God, not telling you is my single biggest regret.”

“I…I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. I cared so much about you. About our friendship. And I wanted more. I just... I didn’t know if you felt the same way I did.”

Cared? Wanted? Did?

For a brief while, I start to consider the possibility that Lila’s feelings may have changed after all this time, but put that thought out of my mind the second she gives me her hand. I only have to hear her words, and see her, and feel her skin against mine to know there’s bone deep chemistry between us. Her voice wavered as she spoke, hesitant as though she was doing her best to keep from crying. I see the pulse point at her neck beating faster too, and her skin warms against my palm, as though her body is responding to me without any intention on her part.

Soon, I find myself taking in all of her, feasting with my eyes on every feature, every curve, the slight show of cleavage at the upper seam of that cute sundress she has on, and every inch of her body silhouetted underneath.

“I can’t change the past, Lila,” I tell her, getting to my feet without releasing her hand. I move to her and cup her cheek. “But if you feel what I’m feeling, you know there’s nothing else in this world that I want. Just for you to be mine. I want you. Tonight and for as long as you’ll have me.”

Lila pushes her chair back, stands, and takes a step to me, her gaze full of promise.

“I…I never thought… If I can tell you… I don’t think I can really express how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say that, Logan.”

“What happened back then, it’s all on me,” I say. “Let’s leave the past in the past where it belongs. We’re here now. That’s what matters.”

She wraps her arms around my neck and locks her wrists behind me. “I’ve cared about you for so long, but our friendship meant so much to me too. Finding the right way to tell you was so hard… I tried, I just—”

I cut her off with “I love you, Lila.”

She has said more than enough. I know what I need to know. This thing between us has been brewing since forever. It’s lust, passion, deep admiration, and love, all rolled into one. I want to fuck her as much as I need to take my time and worship her. To possess her as much as to hear her call out my name and tell me she’s mine.

The time for explanations and excuses is past. All that’s left is action. To show her with my hands, my mouth, my tongue, and other parts that have been aching to feel her and her alone.

Gliding my fingers down her neck, I lower my face to hers, loving how her body has already moved closer. When I cover her mouth with mine, time stops. Everything around us disappears. It’s just me and her. I immerse myself in the feel of her soft lips, the way her body molds to me, the heat of her lower belly grinding against my cock as though she’s been wishing for this moment as long as I have.

“Logan.”

She whispers my name against my lips with so much sweetness and need that I don’t stop my hands from roaming down her body. My rough fingers reach the hem of her sundress at the back of her legs, and I clutch the fabric inside my fist as I slide it higher, higher, higher. With my hands at her ass, I open my palms and grip her exposed flesh below the line of her panties, picking her up at the same time.

My cock continues to harden, pushing at my zipper, begging to be released, desperate to find its way home inside of Lila. When I feel her long, shapely legs wrap around my hips, with just my work pants and her lacy panties between us, it takes all of me not to rip every piece of clothing off of her body.

As my hands spread her ass cheeks and my cock grinds against her mound, I lower her onto the kitchen table, not caring about the dishes, cutlery, wine glasses and place settings I shove to the side to make room for what we’re about to do.

She runs hot, satin-soft hands down the length of my spine and back up into my hair. I graze my lips on her neck, inhaling the floral scent of her perfume mixed in with her intoxicating feminine scent. I trail past her collarbone to the pale, inviting skin at her cleavage. I peel back her sundress covering one breast and take the lace cup of her bra with it. My mouth touches her nipple lightly and Lila moans out my name as her fingertips rub my scalp in response, gripping a handful of hair.

That sound.

That sweet sound of her voice, her moan, my name filling the air.

We’re way past the point of no return. Nothing and no one can stop us now, and whatever self-control I might’ve had is long gone.

“Yes, Lila,” I growl at the sensitive flesh of her tight, pink nipple, then tilt my head up and meet her gaze. “Say my name. Tell me everything you need. Tell me how much you want this. How much you want me.”

“Yes. I do. I want you, Logan. I want this…so much.”

I find the hem of her panties at her hips and grip it tightly. With just one sharp tug, the force rips through the lace. My need flies up a few notches when the scrap of lace is freed from her body and bunched up in the palm of my hand. The thought that there’s nothing but my clothes between us causes my firm, aching cock to throb its demands at that heated spot between her thighs.

There’s the tiniest notion at the corner of my brain telling me I should find a condom. Protection. Somewhere. Anywhere. I didn’t plan for this to happen tonight. If I thought we’d be here right now, about to fulfil years and years of untapped desire, I would’ve brought some along. Hell, I would’ve stopped at the flower shop in town too, and bought her those white magnolias she always loved. To make the moment special. To give her something memorable to cherish. And protection would’ve been good too.

“Logan,” she hums as I start to form the words to ask if she’s got a stash of condoms in the house, but the way she calls me this time is different.

“Yes?” I answer more soberly.

“I need to… I have to tell you… There’s something you should know,” she says in the softest whisper. She rests both her hands on the top of my shoulder and meets my gaze. Those big blue eyes are filled with so much emotion, so much longing. And something else. I’ve seen that look before. There’s something she wants to tell me, but it’s clear she’s having the hardest time as she tries to let the words escape her thoughts.

“Go ahead. You can say anything,” I remind her, preparing myself for the heaviest of confessions. “There’s nothing you can tell me now that’ll change how I feel about you. About us. Just say it. I promise it won’t—”

“You’re going to be my first,” she blurts out.

Whoa.

Well, hell.

Lila’s a virgin.

I wasn’t expecting that, but fuck, her news is like music to my ears. I’m no monk, but I haven’t been with a woman in years. Running the ranch and taking care of my parents’ affairs when they passed devoured all my time. The women I came across over the years haven’t appealed to me enough to redirect my focus. Maybe deep down, I’ve held out some hope for Lila to come back into my life.

And she did.

All her news does is confirm my deepest instinct.

Lila was always meant to be mine.