Page 80 of Every Time We Touch

“More,” I breathe.

She eases in just a fraction. Stops. Lets me feel the stretch of it.

“Fuck,” I exhale.

She rocks forward another inch.

My hands find her hips, to stay connected to something while my body adjusts to what she’s doing.

“Look at me,” she says softly.

I do. Her eyes have something in them beyond desire. Something that makes my chest ache.

She eases in slowly and I exhale a shuddering breath as my body opens for her. Her forehead drops to mine. She begins to move and I feel everything at once—the fullness of her, the slow drag and push of her rhythm, the intimacy of her forehead against mine while she fucks me. I wrap my legs around her and she goes deeper.

She finds her pace and each stroke pulls me further from myself and closer to something I can only reach with her. My nails dig into her back. Her breath is ragged against my cheek.

“Don’t stop.” My voice doesn’t sound like mine when I say it.

Jen shifts her angle, just slightly, and my whole body arches toward her.

“Oh, fuck. There.” The words tear out of me. “Jen. There⁠—”

She holds that angle and keeps moving.

The orgasm hits all at once, deep where she’s buried inside me, then surges outward until there’s nothing left of me that isn’t her. I repeat her name, like it’s the only word I remember, and then I’m gone—shaking and clutching and completely, utterly hers.

She fucks me through every last wave, slowing only when my grip on her loosens, when my breathing starts to find its way back to something resembling normal.

Then she stills. She stays inside me while her lips find my temple, my cheek, the corner of my mouth.

Only then, does she ease out gently and I wince at the loss of her. She disposes of the toy and returns to me immediately, pulling me into her arms, her skin warm against mine.

I press my face into her neck and stay there.

Soon, we’ll have to get up, get dressed, and walk into a room full of her family. I’ll have to be charming and composed and in control of my nerves, which Jen has just made a lot easier for me. There’s something about being undone like this that puts everything back in its proper place.

With Jen’s hand moving gently through my hair and her heartbeat settling beneath my cheek, whatever comes next is something I’m ready for.

Chapter 41

Jen

Walking into my mother’s house with Clancy by my side is surreal. Because Clancy couldn’t keep her hands off me, we’re a little late. Everyone, except for Lauren and her family, is already there. For my own sake, I try not to watch them like a hawk while they greet Clancy—while they figure out how to welcome her into our family in her new iteration.

Juan monopolizes Clancy and I take the opportunity to have a quick chat with my mother. Nora’s perched on a stool by the island as usual, contributing zero labor.

“Is Lauren coming?” I ask.

“Of course, she is,” Mom says so matter-of-factly, you’d think that Lauren has no reason whatsoever not to turn up.

“She knows we’re here?” I shuffle my weight around. The ball in the pit of my stomach isn’t as gigantic as at the previous brunch, when my dad was here, but still.

Mom just nods as she cracks some eggs into a bowl.

“Take a breath,” Nora says. “It’s going to be okay.” Every time I try to get in touch with Lauren, I think of what Nora said to me last week. That we’re a tight bunch and everything will be okay.

“How was the wrap party?” I’m suddenly keen to change the subject. I’ll simply have to deal with Lauren when she shows up.