Page 117 of Fall Over You

I smile up at him. “Maybe it’s been there all along. It’s just been waiting for the right time.”

We move in unison, falling into each other, clutching whatever we can grab, and kissing like the world’s ending.

In a way, one world is ending. The world that held deep pain and little hope is flaming out, and it’s being replaced by something that burns brighter than any star could.

I love him. He loves me. We both love his daughter. This is it.

We’re clumsy, kissing and shedding clothes as we stumble toward the living room with the picture window and fireplace. I kept a fire going in here all through the party to add a cozy touch, and now it casts our shadows onto the wall. Tyler tears my shirt over my head and makes quick work of removing my bra. He palms my breasts, moving his fingers to flick my pierced nipples. I make quick work of his belt, button, and zipper but before I go for that part of him, I let my hand roam over his abs while my mouth explores his neck.

Tyler captures my lips again and we tear into each other, greedy sucks and hungry strokes of our tongues. Before I know it, my jeans surround my ankles and I feel like I don’t have enough time to step out of them. I shove Tyler’s jeans down and rake my nails over his ass. He hisses with a huge smile.

“Jesus, fuck, Reba.”

He steps back from me long enough to jump out of his pants and pull a dropcloth onto the floor.

“Not the plastic one?” I ask. “For the mess?”

Tyler rolls his eyes with a laugh. I wrestle out of my pants and boots and we find our way to the floor. We tussle until I’m on my back and he’s diving head first between my legs. My pointed toes barely graze the floor under his armpits and I let my arms fall over my head, surrendering to the pleasure Tyler gives. My chest curves toward the ceiling, and I catch sight of our silhouette on the freshly painted wall next to me. My nipples are visibly peaked, followed by the bowing of my stomach and Tyler’s head working between my thighs, his fingertips on top of them. Below the mountains of my knees, Tyler’s ass swells. I reach down to hold his head in one place, the place that feels ridiculously good.

“Please don’t stop.”

Tyler’s an asshole, so he does just that, pushing up on his hands and hovering over me.

“I was right there,” I moan, and he just smirks.

“I waited a long time for you. You can wait for me.”

My jaw drops and fury hits my blood. “This is not tit for tat.”

“No?” he asks before sucking my nipple between his lips. His hand drifts between my legs, teasing just around where I want him.

“Tyler, please.”

He looks like I’m torturing him by asking, gently working himself in his hand.

“Do you have a condom?”

His hand slows even more and he considers me. “I don’t.”

I sit up and take over for his hand, repositioning myself so I can take him in my mouth.

“But,” he says.

I cock my head. “But?”

“I’ve been thinking and . . . I know we’re both all clear and you’re protected.”

“Yes,” I agree.

“And even if you weren’t . . . “

“Yes?”

His eyes peer down at me hopefully. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if we had a baby.”

“Yeah?”

Tyler nods. “Probably not today. It could be down the road. Or we could go for it sooner.” He stares at me, gauging my reaction. “What do you think of that?”