“It’s been open for a long time,” I say. “I just don’t think I knew how to express it, but after today, it was as if it just came out of me. I love you, Ryot. Thank you for loving me. For being patient with me. For making me feel like I matter. I’ve been made to feel like I add zero importance to this world, but you . . . you make me feel worthy of the air in my lungs.”

“Baby,” he says softly. “You are so fucking worthy, and don’t ever second-guess that.”

And then his mouth is on mine again.

His hands are running up my shirt and pulling down the cups of my bra, where he plays with my nipples.

I undo his pants.

He removes my shirt and lowers his mouth to my breasts. And that’s where he stays for a while, lapping at my nipples with the flat of his tongue, pinching them with the tips of his fingers, and sucking on them with his swollen lips. He doesn’t stop until I’m writhing under him, begging for him to give me release. That’s when he releases me and pulls my pants off as well as my thong. I remove my bra, and while I do that, he strips down to nothing.

I crawl back on the bed, spread my legs, and say, “I want you inside me . . . bare.”

He pauses. “Bare? Babe, you don’t have to.”

“I want to. I’m on birth control. I want nothing more than to feel all of you with nothing between us.”

He rolls his teeth over his bottom lip as he crawls closer and then brings his mouth to mine. While our tongues tangle, he positions the head of his cock at my entrance, and then with one more kiss, he pushes into me, inch by delicious inch. It’s torturous but so, so good because I’m feeling every bit of him.

“Fuck, so warm, so tight.” His eyes squeeze shut. “Babe, I won’t last.”

“Well then, you better make love to me.”

And he does.

Sweet, slow, tender.

The way he kisses me. Holds me close. Never lets me lose contact.

It’s the best sex of my life.

The best night of my life.

Nothing will ever . . . ever top this.

* * *

RYOT

“Where are you taking me?” Banner asks, looking out the window. “This whole meetup has been evasive and uncomfortable. I would appreciate a little heads-up. Some backstory. Anything. Anything other than you just sitting there in silence. I mean . . . where the hell are we? We’re in a back alleyway. That’s weird, man. Are you going to kill me? Are you part of a mob? Do you owe a bookie money? Dude, don’t be Pete Rose. Don’t bet on the game.”

I put the car in park and get out of the car. When Banner doesn’t move, I say, “Get your ass out here.”

“Out where? In the brick alleyway? Do you really think that’s a safe place to be? I’ve been working out, but, dude, these muscles are all for show. I don’t know how to use them.”