No?

Granted, I hadn’t meant to propose marriage—it just kind of popped out—but still, ‘no’ seems harsh. Here I am offering her my heart in my hand and she’s all but kicking it to the curb. Which doesn’t make any sense. I know Ella. She’s tactful and kind. Not cruel. She’s the type of person who would soften a rejection with a kind explanation and a hug. Not a shouted no.

Needing clarity and not trusting my voice, I reach for her, tipping her chin up so I can look into her pretty eyes. In their depths I see desire, longing, and something else, something that looks alarmingly like fear swirling together, before she brings her emotions under control and her eyes become clear blue pools.

Anxiety bites into my gut. Am I right? Was that fear? And if it was, what’s she afraid of? Not me. No one who was afraid could have responded like that to my touch. So, what is it?

I sit down beside her. “I know you have feelings for me,” I say in a low voice. “Your body gives you away each time I touch you.”

She reaches over and places a hand on the side of my jaw. “Jason,” she says, the word hesitant. “I want to, God knows I want you more than anything…almost anything, in the world. But it’s not possible.”

“Why?” I grind out between gritted teeth. “I love you, and I know you love me, even if you’re not willing to admit it.”

A deep line appears between Ella’s brows, indicating that she’s taking her time, weighing each possible word and choosing the ones that will get her point across the fastest.

No. I won’t let her.

Frustration, mixed with fear and a little anger, brews inside of me. I’ve worked so hard to make sure that when I finally found Ella, I’d have something to offer her, and now that I’ve finally found her, finally gotten my chance to build the future I’ve always dreamed about, she wants to walk away from me and pretend that I don’t matter.

I’ll be damned if that’s how this scene is going to play out.

I don’t want a pretty speech that’s designed to make things easier on both of us. I want the truth, and the only way I’m going to get it is if she speaks from the heart. One way or another, I just need to figure out a way to get her to step away from her logical nature and tap into the emotions I know lay just beneath.

I’m positive that once she does, she’ll fall into my arms and swear that I’m her one true love.

I reach out and with one finger, I trace the elegant line of her throat. She draws in a sharp breath. How can anyone who isn’t head-over-heels in love with me react so strongly to a simple touch?

“You don’t have to promise me forever.”

Her eyes widen. I’ve shaken her. Good. Clearly, she expected me to push, to provide her with a list of demands as to why she should stay, and not provide an alternate option.

“I’m perfectly happy taking things day by day. Getting to know you before we commit to one another.”

The sunlight streaming through the window above our head does interesting things to her skin. Makes her appear almost luminous. It’s as if I’m being held captive by some magnetic force that’s drawing me closer and closer to Ella until my lips brush hers in a kiss that’s softer than a whisper.

“One day,” I place a light kiss on the tip of her nose. Her eyes flutter closed, allowing me to kiss each eyelid. “Surely you can spare a single day.”

Ella doesn’t say the words I want…need to hear. Instead, she wraps her arms around my neck, her fingers tangling in my hair as she draws me close. She nips my lower lip before sliding her tongue across it. She might not be willing to provide me with the words I want, but her body tells me everything I need to know, even if her mind still refuses to accept the truth.

I open wider, welcoming her sweet intrusion, accepting that her body’s response is enough, at least for now. Sooner or later her mind will catch up and we can settle down to the serious business of building a life together.

Ella twists and arches her back, pressing her breasts against my chest. My hands slide up her hips, pushing the hem of my shirt aside as they settle on her waist.

I lose myself in the mindless pleasure created by the heat of her mouth and the ancient rhythm of her tongue. Mine matches hers stroke for stroke.

My hands move higher, gliding over her soft stomach and over her ribs until they cup both of her breasts, my thumbs stroking over her nipples, thrilling at how the slightest touch turns them into impossibly hard peaks. She gasps into my mouth and thrusts herself more firmly into my hand, demanding more.

“That’s my girl,” I whisper as I gently bear her backwards, laying her flat on the narrow bench. There’s just enough room on either side of her head for me to rest on my elbows as I stare down into her passion-glazed eyes.

She nips my lower lip, catching it between her teeth in a love bite that goes straight to my groin. “More,” she demands, her voice thick with need.

Chuckling, I skim my hands back down the sides of her body, thrilling in the way she writhes and twists beneath my slightest touch. She’s the most responsive woman I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. Her reactions make me feel like some sort of sex god.

Ella slips a hot hand past the waistband of my athletic shorts, and my eyesight dims. Sweat beads on my forehead as I fight the instant reaction my body has, to control the orgasm I’m rapidly heading towards. That’s something both of us are going to enjoy, even if making sure she’s with me every step of the way kills me. Which is starting to feel like a very real possibility.

But what a way to go!

She locks her ankles around my hips, rubbing herself against my hardness while her hand continues to stroke, measure, and explore. Groaning at the sheer pleasure, I nuzzle the collar of the shirt she wears aside and bite her shoulder.

My hand slides down her body to her core and I plunge two fingers into her sopping pussy. She screams and bucks beneath me, causing both of us to tumble off the weight bench.

I twist, taking the brunt of the crash. Ella doesn’t even notice the sudden change in location. She presses down on my fingers and rotates her hips.

“More,” she demands, her own pending orgasm thickening her voice. Her hand finds my cock and wraps firmly around it, the sudden pressure causing my own hips to buck and stars to dance before my eyes. “More, now.”

I respond by pumping my fingers in and out of her pussy, thrilling in how each movement elicits a fresh gasp from her and how she bears down on me. The way her body trembles on mine tells me that I’m not the only one fighting a climax.

Keeping her hand wrapped firmly around my cock, Ella leans forward. Her breasts press against my chest as her mouth clamps down on mine. She alternates almost lazy tongue strokes with sharp little bites that send shock waves of pleasure directly from my lips to my already over-stimulated dick.

Groaning, I use my free hand to rid myself of my shorts before rolling over, pinning Ella beneath me.

“Ella, look at me,” I demand. It takes a moment, but eventually her pretty eyes open. Her pupils are dilated with lust. I love knowing the effect I’m having on her. I reward her with a hot kiss that has her groaning my name.

I slide my hand free of her delightful pussy and cup her face between my hands. “I want to watch your eyes while I fuck you. Understand?”

She nods and lifts her head for another quick kiss.

I slide my fingers from her sweet center and catch her clit between them, giving it a light twist that has her screaming my name while my cock nudges her entrance.

She doesn’t wait for me to come to her. The moment she feels the head of my cock, she lifts her hips, thrusting upwards and taking my entire length in one smooth stroke that steals my breath.

Her gaze remains locked with mine.

Her slick, hot heat surrounding me is my undoing. I can’t hold back anymore. I pound into her and she meets me thrust for thrust. A moment later, I feel the first wave of her orgasm roll through her, and her body bears down, clenching around my length, demanding more.

I am right there with her. My balls tighten and I drive into her one last time. The climax that rocks through me is one of the most powerful I’ve ever experienced. My own shout mingles with Ella’s as we’re both pulled under a tidal wave of pleasure.

It’s more than my body can handle. My knees and elbows tremble before giving way completely and I collapse on top of her. I use the last remaining strength I have to nuzzle her sweat-dampened hair to one side and place a light kiss on the pulse point throbbing against the side of her neck.

We lay together in complete silence, too shaken by the power of our releases to do anything more strenuous than enjoy the aftermath of our lovemaking.

I adjust my grip on her, moving my hand so it lays on the gentle curve of her left breast, where I can feel her heart. It beats in perfect time with mine. How can we be so in sync physically, but so far apart emotionally?

And what can I do to make Ella see what I see, that we’re meant to be together forever? That it’s written in the stars. Ordained my fate. Completely, irreversibly inevitable.

“Ella.” The blood still pounding in my ears makes it sound like my voice is coming from some distant realm. “Stay with me. Just for tonight.”

My heart, and my body, want her to agree, but my head knows that she probably won’t.

She rolls her head to one side so she can see me. We’re so close I could count each eyelash if I so desired.

“I’ll stay,” she says in a voice so soft I think I imagine her words.

I blink. Hope slowly unfurls in my chest. “You will? Really?” The question has to be asked, even though I’m worried that when she responds, she’ll change her mind.

“Yeah.” She wiggles out from underneath me, her movements contradicting her words. “I just need to make a phone call to let…my roommate know I won’t be back tonight so she doesn’t worry.”

Happiness warms my heart and I grin at her. “Great.” I’ve convinced her to be my overnight guest, something she had no intention of agreeing to when she walked into the weight room, so it’s reasonable to assume that with a whole night at my disposal, a block of time during which I’ll woo her like she’s never been wooed before, I’ll be able to convince her to stay forever.

Right?

Her agreement rejuvenates my body enough to scramble to slightly watery legs. I scoop up my shorts and tug them on. “You make your phone call and I’ll find a bottle or two of champagne. Let’s reconvene in my bedroom in, let’s say,” I glance at my watch, “five minutes.”

Ella stands on tiptoe and lightly kisses me. She pulls back before it has time to become interesting. Pity.

She smiles at me. “It’s a deal.”