Everybody had left, and I was feeling good as I cleared away the last of the wine glasses from the table.

“That was a lovely evening, wasn’t it? I think we all needed a night like that.”

“I’m not so sure.”

My face fell. “Really? Why not?”

“Because you said something that’s been bothering me.”

Slowly, I put down the empty wine glass I was holding and tried to recall what I might have said to have upset Nate. After how far we’d come, I’d have been devastated if I’d said something at the last minute to make him doubt I was worth the fight.

“What did I say?”

Nate took a step closer to me, and when he smiled, I knew that nothing was wrong. “You said that you were going to find your own place.”

My heart skipped a beat with joy when he said that, and I clicked what he was trying to say. I smiled. “And?”

“And I don’t want you to find another place to live. I want you to stay here with Harriet and I.”

I could have burst with excitement. Tears sprung to my eyes; I couldn’t control them. I was so happy. “If it’s all right with Harriet, then yes. I’d love to live with you.”

No more holding back. No more pretending that I didn’t want something I wanted more than anything. No more fears stopping me from holding onto Nate for dear life and laying it all out as it was.

Nate swept me up in his arms and kissed me passionately. I melted into his embrace, and wrapped my arms around him, letting each kiss send my spirit soaring higher.

Taking my hand, he pulled me after him into the bedroom. I threw back my head and let a laugh escape my throat. It felt so good to hear it echo down the hall. I stifled my laughs after that to make sure I didn’t wake up Harriet.

In the bedroom, we ripped the clothes off each other and threw them to the ground. We couldn’t stop laughing. We were both elated.

When I was completely naked, Nate lifted me up, smothering me with kisses, and took me to the bed.

I lay back and grinned up at him. “Let’s start this new living arrangement off right. I’m all yours, Nate Blaze.”

Nate let out a little growl of approval and grinned as he moved over me.

I reached out for him and closed my hand around his thick, hard erection. He let out a soft, husky sound of approval, and I felt him swell larger. As I pleasured him with my hands, Nate’s mouth sought my breasts, and his hands ran over my body.

I arched my back and sighed with pleasure as his teeth gently brushed against my nipple, and his palm cupped my breast. He moved his kisses upwards; along my collarbone, on my throat. Back to my mouth.

I pressed my tongue into his mouth and felt the heat of his kiss. He pressed his lips harder against my mouth, and his tongue circled mine. I wanted him. And now I was free to have him.

I pushed Nate onto his back, and he grinned. I mounted him, running my hands down his strong pecs, and perfect six-pack. I felt myself yearning for him and guided him into me.

Pressing myself against him, I began to grind my hips against his pelvis, feeling the full length of him inside me. I felt the steady tingle of an orgasm beginning to grow, and I steadied myself with my palms pressed against Nate’s chest.

He closed his hands around my wrists gently and let his head fall back onto the pillow. He groaned softly, and I rocked my hips again.

Each thrust was pure bliss, and I came closer and closer… I began to move faster and faster against Nate. He began to press down just above my hips, at the base of my spine, to push himself deeper into me. He filled me entirely, and I moaned.

Just as I was about to come, Nate sat up, so that he was face to face with me, and wrapped his arms around me. He held me against him in a close, tight embrace; the most loved I’d ever felt in my life.

I was skin to skin with him as I orgasmed, his arms around me. After I came, he pressed his lips once more against mine, in a passionate, deep kiss. One hand was in my hair, the other pressing down against my lower back to keep me moving with him.

Moments later, Nate let out a soft cry and then rested his head against my shoulder. I kissed his forehead and stayed entwined with him as the beautiful feeling slowly dissolved.

Then, we lay in each other’s arms. As I stared at the ceiling, wrapped up in Nate, and whispered to him in the dark, my heart swelled with joy. All my wildest dreams had come true.

I was going to live with Nate. We were going to be together. It had happened. A beautiful life lay ahead of me. So much happiness was yet to come.