by Rye Hart
“I’m just glad you’re here now,” Michael said.
His smile was weak and uncertain, but it was there. Now that I had a chance to really look at him, I saw how tired he was. His dark blue eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. There were bags beneath them, and his cheeks looked sunken. I hated myself for leaving him to deal with everything alone.
“How was it, seeing your mother?” I asked gently.
Michael sighed and led me over to the couch. We sat down together, still clinging to each other’s hands.
“It was hard,” he said. “But also kind of nice. I don’t know. We’ve talked a few times since then, but I don’t know what our relationship is right now. It’s confusing.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” I said.
“I missed you,” Michael said.
Our eyes met, and I couldn’t stop myself from kissing him. The second his lips touched mine, I felt my entire body melt. I sighed and sank into him, letting him wrap his arms around my waist and pull me tightly against his chest.
The kiss was slow, gentle, and soft at first. He kissed me lightly, barely teasing my tongue with his. But soon, his grip on my waist tightened, and his lips grew more insistent against mine. I was breathing heavily, my cheeks flushed with desire.
Michael pulled away just long enough to look in my eyes.
“I love you,” he said. “I should have said that sooner, but I do. I love you, Julie.”
“I love you, too.”
I smiled, and Michael kissed me again. We fell backward on the couch, Michael pinning me down with his strong arms. He kissed me hard and fast, running his hands all over my body and making it impossible for me to think.
I never imagined I’d be with him again. We’d put each other through so much in such a short amount of time that I was sure we were done for good. Being back in his arms felt like a dream, something out of someone else’s life. It was all surreal, but I didn’t care. I gave in to my emotions and finally let myself fall.
CHAPTER 32
MICHAEL
Julie’s body was pressed firmly against mine as I laid her back on the couch. Our kiss had turned from gentle to lustful and needy. I couldn’t pull myself away from her. All I wanted was to feel her naked skin against mine. I’d waited too long for this moment. We were barely apart for a week and, still, it was too long. Too much happened. Too much came between us. As I kissed her, I let my hands explore her body like I’d never felt anything like her before.
She moaned against my lips and wrapped her legs around my waist. I stroked her legs, wishing her jeans would vanish and leave nothing at all between us.
“I missed this so much,” Julie moaned while I moved my lips down to her neck. I kissed every inch of her skin I could reach. She tasted amazing and, soon, my dick was trying to break free from my pants.
“You have no idea how badly I want you right now,” I growled and nibbled her skin. She moaned and wrapped her legs even tighter around me.
She pulled me into her, lifting her hips up to press against me. I moaned and bit her neck again. My lips traced a line from her neck to her earlobe, making her shiver and arch her back with need.
Her hands raked at my back, desperately trying to claw through my shirt. I knew I wouldn’t last another second on that couch. I had to have her.
“Come here.” I lifted her off the couch, her legs still wrapped around my waist.
Our lips collided as I carried her through the house to my bedroom. When we reached the room, I kicked open the door and laid her gently on the bed. Looking down at her, my heart pounded hard in my chest.
“You’re perfect,” I said.
She grinned and sat up, slowly peeling her shirt over her head. I watched her, feeling my dick ache. She let her shirt fall to the floor and then reached around to unhook her bra. Her eyes never left my face.
I looked down her body, taking in the sight of her naked breasts and stomach. When she stood up to slide her jeans off her body, I came completely undone. I couldn’t take it anymore. Without thinking, I lunged forward and practically tackled her in my haste.
She fell backward on the bed, giggling while I searched frantically for her lips. We kissed while I reached down to shove her jeans farther down her legs. She kicked them off while I slid my hand inside her panties, fingering her folds with desperation.
“Oh shit,” I groaned as I felt just how wet she was for me.
“I want you,” she whispered in my ear. Her fingers were tangled in my hair, pulling at me while she lifted her hips. She pressed herself against my fingers. “I want you so badly.”
The sound of her voice sent me reeling. I kissed her lips, tasting her tongue for a split second before I pulled myself away.
I stripped out of my clothes before Julie could even move. Finally, my naked skin could breathe. I was flushed with desire. My cock was rock-hard as I hovered over Julie. She stared up at me, her pale blue eyes swimming with emotion.
There were so many things I wanted to say to her in that moment, so much about how I felt and how sorry I was. But none of it mattered anymore. The only thing that mattered was that we were finally together.
I kissed her stomach softly, letting my tongue trace circles over her skin. She shivered and moaned, brushing my hair back and letting her fingers press into the back of my neck. As I moved lower, I could feel her legs begin to tremble with anticipation. She wanted me just as badly as I wanted her.
My tongue found her clit, and she cried out with need. Her hips jutted upward, grinding against my face while I let my body take control. I didn’t think. I just felt. Julie moaned and writhed beneath me, pulling my hair and clawing at my back.
The sounds that escaped her lips were enough to make me lose my mind. I couldn’t stop, not while she was bordering on the brink of pleasure. I wanted to hear her cry out my name, to feel her clamp those perfect thighs around my head.
“I’m so close,” she moaned and arched her back again.
My tongue worked faster, making her whimper and wiggle with renewed need. She was seconds away when I slid one finger inside of her.
“Oh god!” she cried out while I moved my finger in sync with my tongue. “Michael!”
When she came, it was with an earth-shattering cry that made my stomach tighten and my dick weep. My body was calling out for her, and I didn’t know how much longer I could deny myself the one thing I needed more than any other.
Julie was panting when I pulled away from her. She was dripping from her orgasm, a look of ecstasy on her face. I slid up her body, letting my lips fall lightly on her breasts. She shivered again and moaned, wrapping her arms around my body to hold me to her.
“That was amazing,” she breathed.
“I haven’t even started with you yet,” I said.
Julie’s eyes flew wide, and she grinned wickedly up at me. I kissed her hard, slamming my lips down on hers while my dick grazed her wet folds. I rocked my hips forward, pressing harder against her and making her moan with desire.
“Please,” she whispered against my lips.
That was all I needed. In one motion, I slid inside her. She gasped when I buried myself to the hilt. I groaned and closed my eyes. I stayed frozen for a few seconds, just enjoying the pleasure that was already rocking through my body.
Julie held me close, and she felt amazing, even better than she had before. For the first time in days, I felt like we were finally coming together again. Like nothing could separate us.
“I love you,” she said.
Her words fell on my ears and drove me forward. I moaned and thrust my hips forward. She gasped and held onto my sweaty body. We rocked back and forth together, letting our emotions guide us and our bodies have their way.
“I love you so much,” I told her.
I said the words over and over again, whispering in her ears and against her lips. We kissed and ran our hands over each other. We were never still. Not for a single second.
While I to
ok her faster, she wrapped her legs around my waist and pulled me deeper. I groaned and let my head fall against her neck. She was panting, digging her nails into my back. I could feel her tight pussy begin to flutter around my dick.
She was seconds away from another orgasm, but I wasn’t close to finished. I wanted to spend the entire night buried deep inside her. I never wanted this moment to end.
When she came, she whispered my name. Somehow, it was hotter than her screams of pleasure. She whispered my name while the waves of pleasure tore through her body. I felt her shake against me, and my dick begged for more.
In one motion, I flipped us over and positioned Julie on top of me. She ran her hands over my chest and stared down at me with tears in her eyes. When she leaned forward, I claimed her lips and thrust my hips upward.
She bit down on my lip and rocked her hips against mine. She rode me slowly at first, letting me enjoy the new position before her body took over control. She moved faster and harder, slamming her perfect ass down until my head rolled back and hit the pillows.
“Holy fuck,” I moaned and gripped her ass, thrusting my hips upward while she continued to ride me.
We were perfectly in sync. We’d been together before, and every time, it was amazing, but this was beyond anything I could have imagined. Julie’s body fit perfectly around mine. With her, I was home. Everything was perfect.
“Oh god,” she cried out and came again, just as I finally let myself go.
My hips pushed upward, and my muscles contracted as I held onto her for dear life. I pulled her farther down on my dick, letting the pleasure rock through us both.
Julie’s breathing was ragged, and when we finally relaxed, tears were streaming down her face.
“Are you okay?” I asked frantically.
“That was amazing.” She was breathless. “Better than amazing.”
“I love you,” I said quickly. “I love you. I love you.”
She kissed me long and hard as she rolled onto her side to lay beside me. My arms moved to wrap around her shaking body. We held each other all night, whispering “I love you” until we both fell asleep.
CHAPTER 33
JULIE
When Michael and I woke up the next morning, neither of us wanted to get out of bed. The sun was streaming through the curtains, and the chilly air made us snuggle closer under the covers. I rested my head on his chest while he ran his fingers slowly through my hair. There was still so much to talk about, but I couldn’t bring myself to ruin the moment.
“I was thinking,” Michael said. “Maybe we should go visit Joshua today.”
I nodded. “Sure. That’s a good idea.”
“Would it be too weird for you?” Michael asked.
I laughed. “No. We ended our conversation on a good note yesterday. I think he really does feel bad for everything that happened.”
“I think so, too,” Michael said. “He’s been apologizing to me nonstop since his accident. Maybe they operated on his brain and didn’t tell us.”
I laughed again, and Michael joined in. It felt amazing to just lie there in his arms. I never wanted to move, but he was right. Seeing Joshua was the right thing to do.
“Sheila might be there,” Michael said. His voice was low as if he were speaking more to himself.
“I thought you said things are okay with you guys,” I said. I traced my fingers over his chest.
“They are,” he said. “But I don’t know. It might be weird. I mean, you know her, right? You met her while you and Josh were together?”
“A couple of times.” I nodded. “Sheila’s nice.”
“She is,” Michael said.
“Are you worried she’ll have a problem with us?” I asked.
“No,” Michael said. “She already knows about you.”
“She does?” I sat up, surprised to hear that.
“Yeah,” Michael said. “She said that since Josh broke up with you, you’re fair game as far as she’s concerned.”
I laughed and nodded. “Yup. That sounds like Sheila.”
“She said she really likes you,” Michael said.
“We got along well,” I said with a shrug. “Joshua didn’t bring me around her very often. Then again, Joshua didn’t bring me around very many people.”
“He’s a dipshit,” Michael said firmly. “We all know that. But it seems like this accident has put things in perspective for him.”
I smiled and laid my head back down on his chest. We spent the rest of the morning just lounging around. We lay in bed, kissing and touching until we couldn’t take the tension anymore. We ate breakfast, took a shower, and then decided it was time to head up to the hospital.
Michael held my hand on the drive to Dallas. He’d been touching me lightly all morning. Brushing my hair off my face, wrapping his arm around my waist, tracing his fingers over my lower back. It felt like he didn’t want me to stray too far away, like he was afraid I might suddenly disappear.
We made it to the hospital just after lunch. Joshua was sitting up in bed, with Sheila perched on the edge of his mattress.
“Hey!” Sheila said when we walked in. “I didn’t expect you to be here today.”
“We thought it would be nice to stop by,” Michael said, looking at me pointedly.
“Julie.” Shelia smiled and held out her arms for a hug. “It’s good to see you again.”
I hugged her and then looked at Joshua. He was watching us closely, looking from my face to Michael’s and then back again.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“Great,” he said. “It’s good to see you, Jules.”
He smiled, and I knew we would all be okay. Michael hurried over to hug his brother while I stood back. Sheila and I caught up a little bit. I told her about my move to Ennis and my new job. She talked about her new boyfriend and how great he was. We all made plans to get together as soon as Joshua was released from the hospital.
It was strange in a way, to be with both Joshua and Michael, but it also felt right. Like this was the way it was always meant to be.
“I told you it would work out,” Joshua said quietly when I sat down beside him. “He loves you, you know.”
“I know.” I looked at Michael and grinned. He was standing to the side, talking with Sheila. They both looked nervous, but I could tell they were getting closer.
“Are you happy?” Joshua asked.
I looked at him. He was staring at me with a slight frown on his face. I’d never seen him look at me that way before. Not once during our entire relationship had he ever looked so concerned about my well-being.
“I’m happier than I’ve ever been,” I said, unable to hide my smile. “I really am.”
Joshua nodded and smiled. He looked at Michael and then back at me as if he couldn’t imagine anything better.
“What happened to you during that accident?” I laughed. “You’re like a totally new person.”
“I feel like it,” Joshua said. He shrugged. “I guess I’m just done being an ass, you know? Near-death gives you a little perspective. There are more important things. Life’s too short.”
We talked for a while longer until Michael decided it was time to go. We all hugged goodbye and promised to see each other soon. Sheila hugged me twice before Michael and I slipped out into the hallway. We held hands as we made our way to the parking lot. Even now, Michael still didn’t want to let me get too far away.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I told him as we drove back to Ennis. “I know you’re afraid of that.”
“What makes you say that?” Michael asked innocently.
I shrugged. “I can tell.”
“I just don’t want to lose you again,” Michael said.
He was staring intently through the windshield, his forehead furrowed, and his eyes narrowed against the bright sun.
“You won’t lose me.”
***
Michael and I spent the next few days holed up in his house. We exchanged Christmas
presents, not caring that it was no longer Christmas. As we waited for New Year’s Eve, we pretended like the world had stopped. We ordered food and stayed in our pajamas, sipping hot chocolate and making love whenever the mood hit us.
When I opened the crystal Christmas tree Michael bought me, my eyes filled with tears of happiness. I remembered that night in the town square. It wasn’t long ago and, yet, it felt like a different life. Things were so simple back then, so easy. Now, we’d been through hell and back together and, somehow, we were stronger than ever.
“It’s perfect,” I whispered. “Where did you find this?”
“Annabelle’s,” Michael said. “It reminded me of the tree lighting in town.”
“Me too.” I smiled. “That’s what I was just thinking.”
Michael grinned as I set the crystal tree on the coffee table to admire it. It was gorgeous. When it caught the sunlight, it shone brighter than anything in the room. Light reflected off its surface and filled the living room in a shimmering glow. I’d never seen anything more beautiful.
“Thank you,” I said. I leaned over to kiss him and, soon, he was carrying me to bed.
We spent the rest of the day buried beneath the covers, exploring each other’s bodies and laughing until we couldn’t breathe.
That night, we stayed up late talking. We made plans for our future and talked about our pasts. We shared secrets that neither of us had ever told a soul. It was like we existed in our own little bubble that nothing and no one could penetrate.
“Where do you want to go?” Michael asked me.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“If you could go anywhere, see anything, what would it be?” he asked.
“The Eiffel Tower,” I said without thinking. “That’s easy. I’ve always dreamed of going to Paris.”
“You’ve never been?” Michael sounded surprised.
“I’ve never been outside the States,” I said with a shrug. “Paris has always been on my bucket list.”
“I can see us there,” Michael said. He smiled softly and closed his eyes. “Making out in front of the Eiffel Tower. Yeah, I can definitely see that.”
