Page 43 of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

“Kannon,” I gasped again, my fingers digging into his skin as he thrust deep within me once more. He sucked in a harsh breath, his eyes flickering closed for a moment before snapping back open. The muscles in his arm bunched as he held himself above me, the sight of him only adding to the fire that he’d stoked within me.

I moved beneath him, guided by instinct and the sheer force of the desire that was coursing through me. My hips moved to meet each of his thrusts. His face twisted like he was in excruciating pain. I understood the feeling. I felt it as well.

His pace quickened, and suddenly he was moving faster, harder. The fierce pace was breathtaking, leaving me gasping and clawing at his back, my fingers digging into the hard muscles there. Each thrust was stronger than the last.

“You’re amazing, Merritt,” he growled.

My body shattered into a million pieces. I was certain this was what a star felt like when it exploded into a supernova. My body convulsed around him, every nerve ending on fire.

He followed me over the edge, his powerful body tensing above mine as he climaxed. His face contorted in pleasure, but his eyes never left mine. And then he collapsed on top of me. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, breathing heavily, as I cradled him close.

19

KANNON

Lying there, breathless and tangled in Merritt’s arms left me feeling a little off. Discombobulated. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. This wasn’t how I thought the night would end. Hell, this wasn’t how I thought we would ever end up.

Yet here we were.

She was on her back, one arm thrown over her face, trying to catch her breath. I didn’t need to see her expression to know she was smiling. I felt the same damn way—like the ground beneath us had shifted in the best possible way. Like finally crossing the finish line after busting ass for twenty years.

I lifted myself off her slightly to find a more comfortable spot. I didn’t want to squish her. A small, satisfied smile played at her lips.

Neither of us said anything. I wasn’t sure what I could say. It had happened. Now what? Did we have a conversation about what it meant? I didn’t know what it meant, and I wasn’t sure I really wanted to think about it. This was something that took a minute to process.

I rolled away from her and found my boxers. I pulled them on and quietly padded down the hall to the bathroom. I took my time cleaning up, splashing cold water on my face and staring at my reflection for a beat longer than normal.

Kannon, you idiot. You really just went there, didn’t you?

But there wasn’t a shred of regret. Just disbelief that it had finally happened. After so many years of wanting, I had kind of accepted it would never happen for me and Merritt. She was the one that got away. I had learned to live with that and moved on.

Mostly.

I left the bathroom and walked to the kitchen. I grabbed a couple bottles of water from the fridge. I opened mine and took a long drink, then walked back to the living room where she was still lying naked on the floor.

“Thirsty?” I asked.

“Yes.” She sat up, her hair a mess and her cheeks flushed in a way that made her look even more beautiful.

“Here,” I said, handing it over.

“Thanks,” she said, her voice still a little hoarse. She drank deeply, draining half the bottle in one go.

“I should get dressed,” she said, seeming to finally notice her nudity.

“I’ll get you a blanket,” I offered.

“Actually, this floor is hard. Can we have this conversation in my room? Not that I’m expecting anything, but I’m guessing we should talk, and I would rather do it with my ass on a soft surface.”

I laughed and reached out my hand to pull her to her feet. We walked to her room, the air mattress in the center. She sat down and wrapped a blanket around her. I liked that she wasn’t kicking me out, but I wasn’t interested in the weird conversation.

“If my sixteen-year-old self knew this was in my future, he would have lost his mind,” I said and sat down beside her.

“If my sixteen-year-old self knew, she’d be squealing and acting like a damn fool.”

I loved seeing her like this—unguarded, real, without the walls she always kept up. It was just the way we used to be.

She finished drinking her water and lay down on the mattress, pulling the blanket over her. I stretched out beside her again, folding my hands behind my head. The silence between us wasn’t awkward. It never had been. We’d always been good at filling it, and tonight was no different.