Page 108 of Protected from Torment

I thought I might draw this out longer, really take my time with it. But already, she’s close. And one thing I like even better than bringing her to the edge is watching her fly right off of it.

“Tyler.” Mel’s fingers clutch the sheets, her knuckles turning white from the effort. “Oh. That feels…”

“Good?” I ask. “Great?”

“Incredible,” she breathes. “Flabbergastingly incredible.”

“Flabbergastingly? Is that even a word?”

Her lips twitch. “It is. I used it in a crossword puzzle the other day.”

My brows arch. “Ah, I see. Well.” I move back a foot or so on the bed, then lift Mel’s legs over my shoulders. “Flabbergastingly incredible is a lot to live up to. I guess I’d better get to work.”

“You’re already doing flabbergastingly incredible,” Mel says. “The thing you do with your fingers, and⁠—”

Her words end on a gasp as I bring my mouth to her center.

And using my mouth and fingers, I do my best to deliver.

To the sound of Mel’s moans, I lap at her, tasting the heady sweetness of her excitement.

I plunge my fingers in and out, faster and faster. Finding her exposed bud, I pull it into my mouth and flick it with my tongue.

When her legs begin to shake, I palm her ass with my hand to hold her steady.

I can tell she’s about to come when her stomach muscles start quivering.

Then her inner walls lock tight around me.

“Tyler,” she moans, and the husky note to her voice makes me even more desperate for her. I have a fleeting thought of yanking off my shorts and taking her right now; of sinking into Mel’s slick heat until I fill her completely.

Almost as if she read my mind, Mel begs, “I need more. Please.”

I lift my head to look at her. And for a second, all I can do is stare.

“Shit, baby,” I breathe. “You’re so damn beautiful.”

Even though I’ve told her the same thing likely hundreds of times by now, she blushes, anyway. “Ty⁠—”

“You are.” I hold her gaze, making sure she sees the truth in my words. “You’re flabbergastingly beautiful, Mel. And I still can’t quite believe my luck in finding you.”

“Our luck,” she replies with a smile. “Because I found you, too.”

“You’re right,” I agree. “We’re both lucky.” And I couldn’t mean it more.

What are the odds that I’d find love on a washed-out road in the middle of the Adirondack Mountains? During a torrential storm, no less?

What are the odds that I’d feel an instant connection with her, after believing my chance for a happy ending was gone?

And from there, a perfect storm of coincidences that brought us from there to here.

Six months later, with Mel living with me.

With Mel carrying our baby.

And so in love, sometimes I can’t believe it’s real.

Emotion comes up on me hard and fast, making my heart swell and my throat go thick.