Page 72 of Second Time Around
When the tremors subsided, neither of them moved. Still connected, she leaned her head against his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart while they caught their breath.
He held her close even after he’d softened inside her. After a while, she peered up at him and saw that his eyes were closed, and she took a moment to soak him in. Other than a few creases at the corners of his eyes, he looked much the same, but even more handsome somehow.
“You’re staring at me,” he said with his eyes still closed.
She giggled. “How’d you know?”
“I could feel it.” He popped his eyes open and smiled.
“I can’t hide anything from you.”
He gave her a squeeze. “What were you thinking just now?”
“I was just making sure you were still alive.”
He laughed. “Did you think making love would kill me?”
Making love. Is that what we did? Is that why it felt different than with other guys? Suddenlyfeeling vulnerable, she rolled off him.
“Don’t you need to clean up or something?”
He shifted to his side and cupped her cheek. “Hey. What just happened? Where’d you go?”
She tried to avert her gaze, but no matter where she looked, she saw him and all his wonderful naked parts.
He tipped her chin up. “You’re not having regrets, are you?”
She slowly shook her head.
“What is it, then?”
“I don’t know. This just feels…strange. We haven’t seen each other in years, and now…I’m not sure what to make of it.”
“Just because we were apart doesn’t mean I forgot about you or didn’t want you. I’ve always wanted you.”
Angry at herself for overanalyzing the situation, she sat upright and clutched the sheet to her breasts. “I should probably go.”
He sat up and eyed her like she was crazy, which was an accurate assessment at that moment. She started to get up, but he clamped his hand around her wrist to prevent her from leaving.
“Don’t run away from me, Jen. Just because we made love—”
“Stop calling it that!”
“What would you call it?”
“We had sex. Call it what it was.”
He frowned. “That’s not all it was, and you know it. You’re just being stubborn again.”
She tried to move away, but even one-handed, he was too strong for her.
“Didn’t you enjoy what just happened?” he asked.
“Obviously.”
“Okay, so why does it have to be a problem?”
Brow furrowed, she said, “Because it’s us, Beck. That’s why.”
