I disengaged from his lips until he opened his eyes to meet mine. They sparkled in front of me, the only light in the night sky—the only light I’d ever need.

That’s when I gave them to him, those same words that I had whispered so very long ago.

“Owen? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever. Come here, baby. I need you.”

He immediately understood, accepting them with a quick kiss as raw emotion took us over. And just like before, he slid on top of me as I welcomed him into my embrace.

We were pressed so close as if our bodies would collide at any moment to form one single entity. And based on his rigid length and my dripping centre, we couldn’t wait any longer.

I tilted my hips and dug my nails into his shoulders, silently begging him to enter. To take me as his.

Owen stalled at my entrance, his critical gaze roaming my features, analysing for any resistance or regret. He wouldn’t find any.

Shifting my pelvis, I accepted the head of his cock inside me, the intrusion tight and oh, so welcome.

We both sighed as Owen ever so slowly pushed deep and true, my inner walls contracting and stretching to accommodate his size.

Once he had entered to the very hilt, he paused, relinquishing his weight until I was crushed beneath.

I whimpered with need, unable to resist any part of him. I proceeded to scatter kisses over his face, throat and jawline—wherever I could reach.

We continued the same dance as before. “I’ve missed you, Owen.”

“You never have to, babe, I’m yours. Will always be yours,” he barely choked out. Owen said each word exactly, telling me he remembered the same scene just as I had.

He continued his slow torture, pushing in and out of me as he accepted my rain of kisses.

“I love you, Alexis. So fucking much it hurts.” I could hear the desperation in his voice, the honesty in his tone. He genuinely loved me.

I smiled up at him, tears gathering in my eyes to mirror his. “As I love you.”

Then, he rewarded me with that private signature smile… Created only for me.

OWEN

Alexis was glued to my side, her head on my chest as I ran my fingers through the strands of her hair, the ritualistic movement so familiar yet so refreshingly new.

We had just made love.

At Mercy Lake.

The same place that had taken so many of our firsts. Alexis was right; everything was perfect.

The way she played back our last act of intimacy so many years before made me go crazy as so many emotions ran through me that I thought I’d explode.

And when she accepted me into her body once more—fuck—I knew I’d never do anything to jeopardise that connection again.