I woke to an empty bed and soreness in muscles that until recently I hadn’t known existed. Stretching on the soft sheets, I rolled to where Van had slept. With my head on his pillow, I inhaled, smelling his cologne. Beyond the windows, the sun shone, reflecting off the snow. Closing my eyes, I recalled last night.

The dining room table had been an incredible experience. With me perched on the edge, my knees bent, and my feet on the table at my sides, I had a ringside view of our bodies coming together.

I’d gone from never having sex to being fascinated by the sight of Van’s large cock moving in and out of me. He was both thick and long, thicker than Skylar. I wasn’t completely inexperienced; I’d seen an erect penis before. While Skylar and I never had intercourse, we’d done petting and oral.

This was different. Seeing the stretched skin and veins all covered in our come and glistening under the dining room chandelier as Van moved in and out of me was satisfying and unbelievable at the same time. It would seem that the physics of what was happening was impossible; he was too big or I was too small, and yet we fit perfectly.

Maybe the visual was why some people liked porn. It was one of the many things I’d never done—watched porn. But in my mind, what we’d done was different. I hadn’t watched two strangers or two actors. I was there, seeing our connection, hearing the noises we made, feeling his girth as he filled me, smelling his skin against mine, and tasting his kisses.

I couldn’t have prized myself away.

Even remembering the scene had my tired muscles clenching at nothing.

The clock on the bedside said it was after nine. That meant that Van was at his office and there could be two women I didn’t know downstairs. If they knew I was here, they probably thought I was hiding.

The truth was that I had slept a blissful sleep in Van’s arms.

Unlike in the cabin, this time the air beyond the bed wasn’t frigid.

In the bathroom, I unbuttoned his shirt. As I did, standing before the large mirror over the vanity, I saw red and pink splotches were visible on my neck and breasts. While I’d felt the coarseness of Van’s whiskers and enjoyed how they teased my sensitive skin, I hadn’t realized that they’d left their marks. I looked closer. My eyes opened wide, followed by my gaping mouth.

I had a hickey.

Oh my God, I hadn’t had a hickey since...I couldn’t remember.

Has Skylar ever given me a hickey?

I couldn’t recall. Gently, I palpated the skin as my smile bloomed. Being that the small bruise was on my breast, it would be easy to hide.