Page 21 of The Sweetest Mistake

“But you expected it to happen someday, right?”

Brushing her hair off her shoulder, he said, “I hoped so.”

She was surprised too, not just at herself, but at his tenderness. Even though their sex had been—hurried—he’d been thoughtful and considerate, seemingly as interested in giving pleasure as in receiving it.

“I enjoyed it,” she said quietly, afraid to give him too many accolades. She was still determined to maintain control of the situation.

He chuckled. “I kind of gathered that.”

“What about you?” she asked, turning on her side to face him. She couldn’t help but be curious, considering that he’d probably had a lot more sexual experiences than her.

“It was even better than I imagined.”

His admission made her heart squeeze along with another part of her, but it was her heart she was worried about. “You probably say that to all the girls.”

Shaking his head, he said, “You’re wrong.”

Since they were venturing into dangerous territory, she decided to change the subject. “Turn your arm this way a little more. I want to see your tattoo.”

“It’s a compass,” he said, twisting his arm so she could see.

Julia ran her fingertips over the ink, tracing the pattern thoughtfully. “What does it mean?”

He laughed. “It doesn’t have any deep meaning. I just liked the design.”

“When did you get it?”

“A few years ago.”

“Hmm. Does it have anything to do with you being adventurous?”

“Maybe. It’s kind of like a reminder that there’s a great big world out there and you can travel in any direction you want to go.”

And now here they were, bringing each other pleasure amidst the uncertainty swirling around them. His body was familiar to her now, but no less exciting. She knew exactly what he liked, and vice versa. And after the slow buildup, when Connor finally slid inside her, she felt her worries disappear.

She let go of the need for control, of her fears about their future, of her worries about his ex-girlfriend reappearing in his life. She simply let herself feel. Running her hands down his broad back, she gripped his buttocks tightly as he thrust into her, and she clenched her sex around him.

Her lips were swollen from when he’d sucked them into his mouth, her skin sensitive where his day-old stubble had rasped against her. His fingers dug into her hips as he picked up the pace, chasing his release as she bucked up beneath him.

And the whole time, he hadn’t taken his eyes off her, hadn’t allowed his eyes to close. It was like he needed to see her respond to him, needed the affirmation that she still wanted him. And she did. She’d never stopped.

Leaning over her, he paused for a moment and gazed at her, looking like he had something to say. But her body was already too far gone to wait.

“Connor…I need…”

“Tell me.”

She wanted to say, “I need you,” but instead, she said, “I need to come.”

Knowing the best way to get her there, he flipped them over so she was on top. In this position, she controlled the tempo, and it didn’t take long before she shattered against him, his climax following right on her heels.

Afterward, she lay tucked into his side, her hand splayed across his chest, his hand stroking her hair. This, she knew. This, she understood. Their physical connection. They’d had it from the beginning, and in that regard, nothing had changed. Although everything had, and she feared their physical connection wasn’t going to be enough to propel them forward. But maybe it was a step in the right direction. If nothing else, it had instilled her with a sense of calm that she hadn’t felt for the last several days.

“You never answered my question,” Connor said, turning onto his side to face her. “Will you come over this weekend when I tell my family?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to do it alone?”

“Positive. I’d like you to be there.”