Page 102 of Chasing the Dream

“Why is there always a but? I hate buts. Except yours. I like your butt,” he teased and then gave it a squeeze.

“You have to agree that we’ll keep this to ourselves for a little while longer. I need time to think it over, and I won’t be able to do that with Maria shouting in one ear and you in the other.”

“What if I just whisper instead?” He put his lips to her ear and whispered, “Stay with me, Morgan. Stay with me.”

Then, in a surprise move, he rolled onto his back and took her with him. Their revelations had reignited their passion, but their coupling was different this time. Before, the emphasis had been on the present, but now, with the possibility of a future, their intimacy climbed to another level.

After kissing her senseless, he rolled her off him so he could retrieve a condom from his nightstand. Soon he was buried deep, their bodies moving in sync as they celebrated the newness of them.

He planted his hands on either side of her head and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and then her mouth. Her hands burrowed in the hair at the nape of his neck, and her legs wrapped tightly around his powerful thighs.

He broke the kiss and gazed down at her, his hips drawing seductive circles against hers.

“Don’t leave. Stay with me,” he pleaded.

Right then, she would have promised him almost anything, but she couldn’t form the words.

His thrusts became more intense, and soon words weren’t necessary. They expressed their feelings through their bodies, giving and taking, and making promises that went beyond tonight and tomorrow.

Afterward, they held each other and were quiet until his phone buzzed on the nightstand.

“Maria,” they said at the same time.

He reached over, picked up the phone, and read her text aloud.

You can bring Morgan home now. I owe you one!

“Ha! She thinks I was doing her a favor when really it was the other way around.”

“I wish I didn’t have to leave,” Morgan admitted, snuggling close to his side. She could easily envision falling asleep in his arms, not just tonight, but every night.

He gave her a squeeze. “My offer still stands. You can move in with me anytime.”

She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and then reluctantly climbed out of his bed. They redressed, and then she went into the bathroom to try and repair the damage to her hair and makeup.

When she reemerged, he was waiting for in the hall. “You look…”

“Like I just spent the last two hours in your bed?”

“I was going to say beautiful, but yeah, that too.”

She warmed at the compliment and took his hand that he’d held out.

“C’mon. I better take you home.”

Every time he had to stop for a red light, he leaned over and kissed her. There was even one time when the light turned yellow and, instead of barreling through it like he usually did, he stopped.

“You did that on purpose,” she accused when he leaned in for another kiss.

“I’m saying goodbye now since I won’t be able to once we get to Maria’s.”

“Is this your way of convincing me we need to tell her.”

“It’s my excuse for kissing you as much as possible.”

A few minutes later, she stood on Maria’s front porch, smoothed down the front of her skirt, and took a couple of deep calming breaths. When she entered the living room, she found her friend sitting on the couch in her pajamas, with rumpled hair and a big smile on her face.

“I’d ask you how it went with Matt, but based on your expression, I’d say it went well.” Morgan kicked off her heels and joined Maria on the couch.