“That’s it baby, come for me again,” I whispered against her cheek. Please, god, let her come again. I was about to explode. Grabbing one of her calves, I pushed her leg back and ground down into her in steady, deep strokes.

“Yes, yes, Rigby,” she moaned. “You feel so fucking good. Your cock feels perfect… Don’t stop.”

I imagined sticking my dick in an ice fishing hole just to keep myself from coming as her words consumed me. I scraped my teeth over her nipple, and she came, her nails scraping along my back in long lines. The sting made the pleasure tingling at the base of my spine and pulling up my balls even better, as I came in hot spurts. I slammed inside her messily until I was spent, flopping down on top of her, pressing her into my mattress.

“Holy hell, Fireball. That was… I mean, I’ve never… Fuck,” I panted, rolling to the side so she didn’t get crushed beneath my weight. Pulling her tightly into my arms as she caught her breath, I didn’t want to let her go. Ever.

I wanted to make love to her in every position I could until I knew her inside and out. Until she was singing my praises so damn loud that every person in this house—hell, in this block—could hear her.

Feelings fluttered around in my chest that I couldn’t give names to just yet, but I knew what they were. It would scare the shit out of her if she knew just how attached I was to her already.

She stroked my hair back from my face, pulling me down for a kiss. “You’re amazing, Rigby Engman,” she purred, burrowing against my chest. “Now rest up, because after a short nap, I’m going to need to do that all over again.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I laughed, kissing her so hard, there was no doubt that I was claiming her forever.

We might need time, but I knew my endgame. I just needed everyone to get there with me.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

RIVER

Devan and I took our beers out onto the back deck, the baby monitor in my hand. The night was nice, but it was starting to cool down earlier these days and it was already dark. At least it was clear. Dev grabbed the matches, lighting the fire pit that we kept prestacked in the summer.

We were silent for a while, but it was the comfortable silence of two people who’d known each other for so long, it was hard to remember a happy time that didn’t involve the other.

I could remember plenty of unhappy times, though. Eating cereal out of boxes for dinner, my arms too skinny, my belly always hungry. My parents passed out or glazed over on the floor. Bruises on my arms, stains on my clothes.