Intimate

by Noelle Adams

  She kept up the same motion, riding him steadily for a few more delicious, agonizing minutes. Caleb was so wrapped up in it that it took a minute to notice that her face was twisting as she moved.

  He hoped it was from pleasure—longed for her to come all around him. “How is it? Is it good?”

  Her body was tightening around his cock. “Yeah. It’s good.”

  He could tell now it wasn’t pleasure but discomfort contorting her face. “You have to tell me, Marissa. What’s wrong? How are you feeling?”

  “I feel…strange. I don’t know. It was good at first, but now…I don’t know.” Her body shook slightly with emotion, and then her muscles were suddenly clamping down around him ruthlessly.

  Caleb released a violent burst of sound and slammed his hands down to fist in the bedding. “Fuck. Baby, you have to unclench.”

  She took a few ragged breaths but was then able to relax around him again.

  He felt limp with relief, free of the excruciating pressure. “Okay, talk to me. Are you getting scared? What’s making you panic?”

  She wasn’t moving much now, just sort of swaying back and forth unconsciously. “I don’t think I’m really scared. I just feel…stressed.” She returned her hands to his chest and started riding him again, just as slowly, in just the same way. “And kind of lonely and stupid up here.”

  He suddenly understood.

  As ridiculous as it sounded, he’d never loved her more than he did at this moment—in all of her vulnerability and imperfection and humanness.

  She needed him as deeply, as desperately, as completely as he needed her.

  “Lean down,” he murmured. “Lean down to me, baby.”

  She bent forward until her chest was against his, and he wrapped her in his arms. After a moment, her lips sought his hungrily, and she kissed him with urgent passion.

  As their kiss deepened, Caleb’s arousal took on new urgency. He was rocking his hips up into her, although she was holding perfectly still, her weight pressing down into his body. He tore his mouth away at last. “Hold on. I’m going to flip us over.”

  She giggled as he levered them over. He’d slipped out from the maneuver, but he adjusted until he could sink into her again, hissing at the feel of her hot flesh surrounding him once more.

  He tried to support some of his weight on his forearms, but even so he must have been kind of heavy on her.

  She didn’t seem to mind at all. She pulled him down into another kiss.

  He moaned as he pulled out and thrust back into her smoothly, her muscles clinging and warm.

  Before he thrust again, he said, “Tell me if you start not to like this.”

  “I will,” she promised, her arms twined around him. “So far, I like it a lot.”

  Warmth washed over him at her words, and he let himself drive into her in a strong, steady rhythm. He held himself back as much as he could, so he wouldn’t hurt, overwhelm, or frighten her with his rising passion.

  Marissa made breathless little sounds in time to his motion, and her fingers were almost painful on the bare skin of his shoulders. Her breasts bounced with the force of his thrusts, and he could feel her hard nipples chafing against his chest.

  “How is it?” he gritted out, reining in his fierce instincts, needing to know it was good for her too.

  “It’s good, Caleb. I like it. It’s so good.”

  He grunted in relief. “You can come?”

  She shook her head against the pillow, her hair sticking to her damp cheeks. “No, I don’t think so. Maybe I could, but it would take too long.”

  “I can last,” he mumbled, although he wasn’t sure he was speaking the truth. “I want you to come. Let me try.”

  Marissa shook her head again and gazed at him, nothing but love in her eyes. “No. It’s okay. It feels so good just like this, and it makes me feel like…like I’ve really healed.”

  Caleb just couldn’t think clearly enough to understand that. His release was forcing its way through his rigid control.

  Apparently realizing his confusion, she explained, “It’s not about the orgasm. It’s just about you and me. You’ve waited long enough, Caleb. You don’t have to wait anymore. Let go.”

  Part of him still wanted to see her come hard all around him, but he’d been holding himself back for too long. For weeks now. And here, now, at final long last, he was able to take what he needed.

  So he took it.

  Marissa wanted him. Wanted him inside her. Wanted everything he could give her. And there was no way that Caleb could not give it to her.

  With a muffled roar of power and pleasure, he reared up higher on his arms, pulling in his knees to get more leverage to thrust. He intensified the force and speed of his motion, feeling primal dominance overwhelm him as he watched her body move with his force. “Okay?” he managed to ask, between the wordless grunts he was making.

  “So good.” Her voice was warm and breathless. “It’s good. I love it. I love you. Caleb, you can finally let go.”

  He tossed his head as he felt his climax tightening in his balls.

  He pulled up to his knees, grabbed her hips, and pushed into her a few final times, his cock swelling with almost unbearable pressure. Her muscles were tightening around him, and he was inside her completely.

  All the way inside her at last.

  He came.

  Let go of what he'd held back for so long.

  When he finally came down, Marissa had gathered him in. Was holding him tightly in her arms, even though he must be pushing her into the mattress.

  He was hot and sweaty and completely exhausted, but he’d never felt so satisfied in his life.

  “Marissa,” he panted, pressing clumsy kisses against her face. “Marissa, I love you.”

  “I know you do. I love you too. And this was really good.”

  Sighing, he managed to roll them over until they were both on their sides, so that all of his weight wouldn’t be on top of her. Her thighs and arms still surrounded him. “I think it was a little better for me than for you.”

  “Don’t even start with that.”

  “Okay.” He couldn’t help but smile. “I won’t.”

  “It was incredible.”

  “Yeah.”

  They lay together for a while, still holding onto each other. Caleb felt warm and relaxed, and he thought for a few minutes Marissa actually dozed off.

  Then he felt her shifting against him. He drew back slightly so he could see her face.

  “Hi,” she said.

  “Hi.”

  “We did pretty good, right?”

  “We did great.”

  “We’ll have to keep practicing, so we can do ever better.”

  “I’ve always believed in dedicated practice, so just say the word and I’m there.”

  She laughed, her body shuddering against his deliciously in a way that made his body take a particular kind of interest.

  “Lucky me,” she said. “Getting to practice sex with such a sex god.”

  Despite the irony in her voice, Caleb felt rather flattered by the words. “Oh, I thought I was just a godling. Have I finally graduated to a full god?”

  “I guess you have.” She laughed again and slid her hands down to his butt.

  His body approved of both things.

  She blinked. “What?”

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “Well, one part of you is certainly saying something.”

  “You confused it by groping my ass. Made it think it might be getting more action. Don’t worry. I’ll set it straight.”

  “Well,” she began slowly and squirmed her hips against him.

  Understanding that as an invitation, Caleb rolled them over until she was on her back again. Feeling another thrill of excitement, he straightened his arms and then leaned over and tucked his head until he could catch one of her nipples with his teeth. “I thought you might be sore.”

  “Not too bad,” she told him, her fingers relaxing
and tightening around the cheeks of his ass. “I wouldn’t mind another go. Just for practice, of course.”

  “Of course.” He twirled her nipple with his tongue until she gasped and arched in response. “Just so you know, I’m going to make you come this time. Just for practice.”

  “I have no objections to that ambition. If you need to practice, then practice must be done.”

  He huffed in amusement and slowly slid into her again. Eased back and made his first thrust.

  He took it slow this time, rocking into her with a controlled, leisurely rhythm, trying to please her as much as he could. He adjusted so he could hold her in an embrace. So he could kiss her.

  His tongue mimicked the rhythm and motion of his hips, and she melted into him, responding with just as much passion. Her body was moving with him more this time, rocking like a wave beneath him, and he followed her rhythm.

  It felt like she was moving him, moving the bed, moving the world.

  He tried to use as many of his learned techniques as he could to bring her pleasure, but she was clutching him down on top of her, making skillful moves rather difficult.

  She didn’t seem to mind. Her fingers were working over his back and his ass, and she was making pretty, breathless sounds in her throat.

  “Marissa.” His lips finally moved from her mouth to trail kisses down to the throbbing pulse in her throat. “Marissa.”

  “God, Caleb, I love you so much.”

  The compulsion of his erection was driving him almost completely, but he managed to raise his head so he could look her once more in the eyes. “I love you too, baby. I’ve always loved you. I’ll always love you.”

  Spoke the final truth before the heat and hunger took over. “Forever.”

  She almost sobbed, a couple of tears streaming from the corners of her eyes to slide in glittering trails down into her hair. “Me too. Forever.”

  His heart pounded in time to the throbbing of his arousal so he picked up his rhythm again.

  She was so hot. And so tight. And so everything he ever wanted.

  He pumped into her faster and suddenly couldn’t bear to be parted from her in any way. So he closed the distance between them again and claimed her mouth in a breathless kiss.

  Even against his mouth, Marissa made helpless sounds of increasing pleasure. Her body was grinding against his, building the sensation for both of them, deepening the intensity of their motion until their kiss finally broke.

  He let out a rough groan of frustration as he felt his balls start to draw in. Marissa’s face blurred beneath him, and there was a buzzing in his ears. “Marissa, come, baby, come.”

  “Yeah. Yeah, coming. Soon.”

  It had better be soon. Caleb’s motion was hard and urgent now. He was so excruciatingly close. “Love you, baby,” he rasped, trying to clear his vision so he could watch her face. “Love you. Come.”

  “Love,” she gasped, but she couldn’t finish her response. Her back arched up violently, and she let out a wordless cry of release as her body quaked beneath him, her orgasm coming hard and overwhelming.

  Overwhelming for both of them. He felt her muscles clamp down around him, but he didn’t make it past the second hard contraction.

  His cry of relief matched Marissa’s, as all the need and love and fear and joy and pleasure drew up into one shattering wave.

  He collapsed on her unthinkingly afterwards, utterly spent and limp with consummation and tenderness. She pulled him closer, held him with both her arms and her legs. Whispered words that he couldn’t really decipher, but he understood them anyway.

  Understood they all were love.

  They lay together in breathless connection, and Caleb knew—unequivocally—that their union was final. There was no going back. No escape route. No boundaries. Not for him. Not for her.

  And he couldn’t imagine ever wanting that again.

  Finally, Marissa said, “Uh, sweetie, that was incredible, but I’m starting to feel a little bit squished.” Despite her dry words, both of her hands were stroking over his back lovingly.

  He rolled them both to their sides again, but didn’t let her out of his arms. “Sorry. I seem to be worn out.”

  “Poor thing. You did make a little exertion just now. Twice.”

  It took a few minutes for them to catch their breath, but then she squeezed him in a sudden hug.

  “What was that for?” he asked into her hair, trying to find the energy to raise his head.

  “Just because I’m so happy right now.”

  Looking at her face, he had to believe her.

  “And it’s not just because I love you and feel so good right now,” she went on. "It’s because I wanted this for you as much as me. I want you to be happy, Caleb. Even happier than me.”

  “I am happy.” He kissed her, trying to show her how deeply he felt for her, but then he felt her shaking against him in a familiar way.

  “Are you laughing?” he asked. “I seem to recall you laughing the first time we kissed too.”

  “I wasn’t laughing. I promise. I was…”

  “You were what?”

  “I was just feeling giddy.”

  “Giddy?”

  “Yes. Giddy. There. I admitted it. I feel giddy.”

  Looking at her beaming face, he had to make a few private admissions of his own.

  He would never admit it to anyone, and he would deny it outright with straight face and steady gaze, if ever questioned about this moment.

  But the cold, hard truth was this.

  Caleb was feeling a little giddy himself.

  Epilogue

  Marissa woke up with her face in Caleb’s armpit.

  It wasn’t the worst place in the world to find oneself, since he‘d taken a shower before bed the previous night and hadn‘t exerted himself since, but the position made her cheeks uncomfortably hot, damp, and sticky.

  It momentarily felt like she was suffocating.

  Upon awaking, she jerked her head to the side, gasping harshly, and then she flopped her body over to give herself some space and fresh air. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was only six-thirty in the morning—far too early to rise on a weekend.

  Caleb appeared to still be asleep, since his eyes were closed, his body relaxed, and his breathing deep and even. So Marissa yanked some of the covers away from him and pulled them up to her neck.

  Her face was still hot, but the room was cool, and she was only wearing a little satin nightgown, which she’d bought a few days ago to impress Caleb, since the rest of her sleeping attire consisted of simple cotton and flannel.

  The strappy, black lingerie had been a big success when she‘d first unveiled it on Wednesday.

  It hadn’t been so successful last night.

  They’d gone to the end-of-season party for the symphony orchestra and had gotten in late. Caleb had resigned his position, so everyone was saying goodbye. He didn’t have another job lined up yet, but he was looking around and considering options. He made more than enough to live on with private performances and weddings, so there wasn’t any real urgency.

  Marissa always spent the night with him on the weekends, so she’d changed into her new lingerie. But then they’d had a ridiculous argument about Caleb’s annoying habit of not twisting the cap of the toothpaste on all the way.

  Despite her sexy nightgown, they’d both been huffy when they went to sleep.

  She turned on her side so she could watch him sleep this morning. Whenever Caleb was awake, he was fiercely alive—passionate, brilliant, and vibrant—so she liked to occasionally see him so completely at peace.

  She was the only one who really got to see him this way. It made her shudder with possessive tenderness.

  She shifted, settling in more comfortably so she could keep watching him but also relax her neck. When she jerked the bedcovers one more time to get a little cozier, however, he gave a short grunt and pried his eyes open just slightly.

  His expression was decidedly grumpy
when he jerked the covers back to where they had been.

  Marissa scowled at him—more for fun than out of any real animosity. “You have all the covers, and I’m freezing,” she complained, tugging some more on the sheet.

  Caleb tugged back. “I do not have them all. You just want to roll up in them. I have about two inches to spare over here.”

  “Not true. I have about two inches. And there’s nothing wrong with rolling up in them. Stop being such a cover-hog.” She was exaggerating just a bit, but she knew that Caleb must be exaggerating as well, since it was a normal-sized sheet so someone had more than two inches to spare.

  She fought him for the covers, doing her best not to giggle at his grouchy expression and his stubborn resistance.

  Finally, he gave up and muttered, “If you weren’t all the way on the other side of the bed, we wouldn’t be having this juvenile dispute.”

  “I was stuck in your armpit when I woke up, and I needed some space, so I rolled back over to my side.”

  He raised his eyebrows quizzically. “You were stuck in my armpit?”

  “Yes.” Marissa scooted over until she was closer to him, which made their fight over the covers irrelevant. She wasn’t sure why, but she was finding their silly argument strangely exhilarating and was waiting for the right moment to launch an assault on Caleb’s mostly naked body—to make up for their lack of sex last night.

  “No wonder my arm is stiff.” He stretched the arm that had been wrapped around her as they slept. “With you lying on top of it all night.”

  She’d thought they’d been having a good-natured tiff, but she started to get worried when his expression didn’t soften, as it usually did when they were alone together. Maybe he was still annoyed from last night.

  “I’m sorry. I know guys don't like all the cuddling. I’ll try to stay on my side if you want.”

  Caleb rolled his eyes. “Did I say that?” He reached out and pulled her over until she was pressed up against his chest. “I just said my arm was stiff. I wasn’t making a universal statement about our sleeping arrangements. Why are you so sensitive this morning?”

  “I’m not being sensitive. You looked crabby, and I know you like your space.”

  Her words lingered in the air strangely, echoing back to all the times during the last ten years when he’d told her she was in his space.