The door swings open then slams shut.

Hunter tosses his keys on the dining table.

He kicks off his shoes and socks.

Moves directly to me.

His steps are bouncy.

Packed with enthusiasm.

It's all over his gorgeous blue eyes.

He moves into the kitchen. Brings his hands to my hips.

"It's official." His fingers curl into the fabric of my dress.

"You're at Inked Hearts?"

He nods.

My chest warms. It's perfect. It's everything.

But this…

What the hell is this?

I stare into his baby blues. Find nothing but affection.

I'm not sure what it means.

But it has to be good.

I need it to be good. "Should we celebrate?"

"Yeah." His eyes flutter closer.

Mine follow.

He leans in. Brushes his lips to mine.

It's soft.

Then it's harder.

I suck on his bottom lip.

Scrape my teeth against it.

His fingers dig into my skin.

He groans against my mouth.

It's heaven.

It really is.

When I pull back, I'm breathless. Dizzy. Unable to articulate anything running through my head. "Hunter, I…"

"Yeah?"

"Are we… what are we?"

"I want to be with you, Em."

"Like boyfriend girlfriend?"

He nods.

My shoulders relax. "Really?"

"Fuck yeah." He wraps his arms around my waist. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"But… Brendon… and—"

"We'll figure it out."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

I stare back into his eyes. So I can feel that certainty.

There isn't a single hint of doubt in his deep blue eyes.

This…

We…

Holy shit…

I dig my fingers into his hair. "Say it again."

"I want to be with you."

I rise to my tiptoes.

Press my lips to his.

Any reservations in my brain fall away.

I part my lips to make way for his tongue.

Arch my body into his.

Tug at his hair to pull him closer.

God, he tastes good.

And this—

This is everything.

I need to be with him. To tear his clothes off. Touch him.

Fuck him.

But that—

Can I really handle that?

He pulls back. Presses his forehead to mine.

His voice gets low. Growly. "I need to make you come."

My sex clenches.

"If you need to talk first—"

I shake my head. No talking. No thinking. No inhibitions.

I need him erasing the past.

Okay, maybe that's too much to ask for.

As long as that's not the last time someone touched me.

As long as he replaces that—

I can do this.

I have to do this.

I take a step backward. Hook my fingers into his belt loop. "Bed."

He wraps his arms around me and lifts me to his chest.

My fingers dig into his cotton t-shirt as I hold on tightly.

This is a hell of a ride.

But it's only beginning.

The rest…

Fuck, I really hope I can handle this.

He sets me down outside my room.

I turn the handle, press the door open. "After you."

He steps inside.

I follow. Close the door. Press my back against it.

This is already a lot.

The last time I had a guy in my room…

I can't even remember.

He brings his hand to my hips. "You're nervous."

"A little."

"I'll go slow."

I shake my head. "No. I… I want to." My eyes go to the bedside table. "Do you have condoms?"

He shakes his head. "I got tested before I left rehab."

"Me too. I mean, I did, last month. I'm safe. But I'm not on birth control."

He nods, taking in the information. "Sit on the bed."

"What?"

"I need you coming on my face, Em."

"But—"

"We can stop there."

"I can't."

His lips curl into a half-smile. It's equal parts affection and desire. "I'll pick something up tomorrow."

"But tomorrow—"

"Then after this." He tugs at my t-shirt. "We can negotiate all you want after you come on my face."

My sex clenches.

The demanding tone to his voice sets me on fire.

He wants this so badly.

Wants my bliss so badly.

It's hot as hell.

My knees knock together.

I fall onto the bed.

I'm not sure I can handle penetration.

But this—

I can do this.

He sits next to me. Pulls me into his lap.

I kiss him hard.

Slip my hand under his t-shirt.

Soft skin. Hard muscles.

And that's Hunter.

It's different than touching other guys. Better.

I want everything all at once.

But I want to go slow too.

I want to take my time exploring every inch of him.

Maybe…

Maybe enough time has passed. Maybe I'm ready. Maybe I really can forget my inhibitions.

I dig my fingers into his skin as I kiss him back.

His tongue slides around mine.

His hands go to my hips.

He pulls my body against his, so I'm grinding against him.

His cock brushes my sex.

There's all this fabric in the way, but it still feels so fucking good.

I want that.

I want him.

I push his t-shirt up his stomach.

He breaks our kiss to pull it over his head.

Fuck, he looks good in nothing but his jeans.

All tall and broad and inked.

But I don't have time to gawk.

He's already tugging at my dress.

I help him do away with the garment.

Then the beige bra.

The black panties.

It doesn't hit me until I'm naked.

This is really happening.

I'm really naked.

But, God, the way he's staring makes my sex ache.

I need him.

I'm scared, yeah, but I really, really need him.

He slips off the bed. His hands go to my hips. In one swift gesture, he pulls me to the edge of the bed.

Hunter lowers himself onto his knees.

He's right between my legs.

He's so, so close.

God, I want that.

I lean back. Press my eyelids together. Take a deep breath.

Slow inhale.

Steady exhale.

It's been a long, long time.

There are ugly memories in the back of my head.

But I can do this.

Fuck, I want to do this.

I gasp as his lips close around my nipple.

He sucks on my tender skin softly. Then harder. Then hard enough it hurts in the best possible way.

I dig my hands into his hair.

Wrap my legs around his waist.

It's more his chest, with him kneeling between my legs, but I don't care.

As long as I feel more of him.

Get him closer.

I stare into his eyes.

Watch those baby blues fill with the perfect mix of bliss and need.

He's there.

He's lost in this.

I can be there too.

I'm capable of feeling good.

My thoughts scatter as he drags his lips to my other nipple.

He tortures me with soft flicks of his tongue, circles, zigzags.

He fills me with this perfect mix of bliss and need.

I'm aching, desperate, empty.

Finally, he brings his hand to my sex.

It starts as the brush of the back of his hand.

Then his palm.

His first two fingers.

His thumb.

My fingers curl into the crimson bedspread.

I lie back.

Close my eyes.

This is a lot.

There's too much going through my head.

I need it gone.

I need to be here, in this moment, with him.

"Please." Erase the past. Fix this broken part of me. Make this better. I can't ask for any of that. So I go for the next best thing. "Make me come."

He presses his lips to my hip bone as he rubs me with his thumb.

Softly.

Then harder.

Then—

Fuck.

A groan spills from my lips.

He's good at this.

He's really fucking good at this.

"Hunter." I reach for him. Get his shoulder.

I can't add everything I want to say.

But this is a start.

It's a really great fucking start.

He sucks on my skin as he rubs me with his thumb.

He tortures me with soft, slow circles.

My thoughts flit away.

My breath gets heavy.

My groans fill the room.

Those ugly memories drift to the corner of my mind. They're not gone, exactly, but they're not here either.

I'm here.

In this moment.

Feeling his thumb against my clit.

Well, most of me is.

There's just that one part—

"Please." I can't ask for everything I need. I can't add anything. So I say it again. "Make me come."

"Yeah, baby?"

The pet name sets me on fire. My nod is heavy. Needy.

Not just for release.

For everything.

I reach for him again.

Get his chin. His cheek. His head.

I knot my hand in his hair.

He looks up at me, those deep blue eyes filled with pure lust.

Then he brings his mouth to me.

He licks me up and down.

Slowly.

Softly.

Again and again.

Pleasure floods my pelvis.

I wind tighter and tighter.

I'm already so close.

It's already so intense.

I…

We…

Fuck.

I sling one leg over his shoulder.

Then the other.

He tortures me with long, slow flicks of his tongue.

He winds me tighter and tighter.

Bit by bit, my thoughts fade away.

I melt into the bed.

He brings his mouth to my clit.

Plays with different strokes and speeds until he—

"Fuck." I tug at his hair. Hold him closer. "Hunter—"

"Say my name again, baby."

My nipples pang. God, I love this pet name.

I love this.

It's everything it's supposed to be.

I'm almost completely here.

I'm so fucking close.

"Hunter." His name rolls off my lips. It sounds good there. Right. Like my favorite lyrics.

His fingers dig into my thighs.

He holds me in place as he works me.

Every flick of his tongue winds me tighter.

Brings me closer.

He keeps that same, steady pace.

He's impossibly patient.

It's sweet, sweet torture.

I savor it until I can't take it anymore.

Until my body takes over.

My hips buck of their own accord.

He holds me in place.

To steady me.

To remind me he's in control.

It's hot as hell.

But it brings me back to that night.

I…

Too many things mix in my head.

I open my eyes. Stare down at him. Focus on everything present in the room.

The crimson bedspread.

The silver sharpie scribbles on my desk.

The light pouring through the window.

His sandy hair.

His strong hands.

His soft tongue.

Fuck, he's so good at this.

His grip on my thighs softens.

I relax into the bed.

Bring my hand to his hair.

Guide him into place.

He moves with me.

He's listening to me.

I'm safe.

I trust him.

I…

Fuck.

"Hunter."

He groans into my skin.

It pushes those thoughts back to the corner of my mind.

I try to push them further.

But it doesn't work.

Deep breath.

Slow exhale.

I just… we just…

I'm almost there.

I focus on the feeling of his soft, wet tongue.

The tension in my sex.

The pang in my nipples.

He winds me tighter and tighter.

Almost.

Almost.

There.

With the next flick of his tongue, I come.

I unravel.

Pleasure spills through my pelvis. My torso. My limbs and toes.

My sex pulses.

My breath hitches.

My groans run together.

Hunter pulls back. Presses his lips to my thigh.

Then my stomach.

He climbs up the bed, lies next to me, pulls me into his arms.

And, for the first time in forever, I really do believe everything is going to be okay.