Chapter 21

As he kissed his way down my neck, I could feel his heart pounding against mine, matching the rhythm of my own. We were finally reuniting after years apart. The desire that had once burned between us had only grown stronger during our time apart.

His body fit perfectly with mine. Blasts of pleasurable shock waves burst through me as he continued to thrust into me. His hands gripped my hips, pulling me closer, deeper. I met his every stroke with equal fervor, desperate to feel him completely within me.

The built-up heat between us exploded into a wild, primal dance. Our bodies moved in perfect sync, lost in the raw passion that consumed us. I cried out his name, my voice echoing in the room as our bodies swayed together in a rhythm all our own.

I clung to him, my nails digging into his shoulders as the bed rocked beneath us. I managed to open my eyes. I had imagined this moment so many times. I needed to make sure it was really him and it was really happening. He looked down at me, his eyes filled with a burning desire, matching the same raw emotion that I had been yearning for. He whispered my name, a soft breath that sent shivers down my spine.

Our bodies continued to move in harmony, the rhythm we had once shared coming back to life. I wrapped my legs around his waist, our bodies becoming one. The pleasure built inside me, the clenching of my walls around him growing stronger with each thrust.

Sweat dripped down our bodies, mingling with the sweat that coated our skin. The room filled with the sound of our ragged breathing, the sheets twisted between our bodies. We had kept this bottled up for years. With every thrust, our coupled breaths grew heavier, mirroring the growing intensity of our passion. The world around us fell silent as we focused solely on each other.

I arched my back, my body craving more contact. His hands and lips explored every inch of me. My mind was lost in the sweet torment of our reunion.

"Oh shit," he grunted. "I can't stop."

"Don't stop," I begged, feeling my own climax coming on strong.

His words sent a wave of urgency through me, and I knew it was now or never. I met his every thrust with increasing intensity, the fire within me growing hotter and hotter.

The rhythm between us became faster, more frenzied. My body trembled, ready to burst. I cried out his name again, the sound raw and unrestrained.

"Yes," he growled, matching my intensity.

The moment we had been chasing was within reach. I could feel it building, the excitement and anticipation of our reunion becoming too much to bear. And then it hit. White bursts of light erupted behind my eyelids. A primal cry of ecstasy escaped my throat, mingling with his roar.

We lost ourselves in the intense pleasure. Every touch, every moan, every gasp, and every grunt all served to fuel our passion. The blanket beneath us became tangled in our entwined limbs. He collapsed beside me. Our bodies shuddered with aftershocks as our climaxes crashed through us, wave after wave.

I couldn't speak. There was nothing to say that our bodies hadn't just communicated. I gave myself the luxury of just being in the beautiful moment, floating in bliss. I laid my head on Graham's chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath me. It felt comfortable and familiar. It was crazy to think we could fall right back into the way things used to be after such a long time.

"I should probably get going," I murmured reluctantly, breaking the comfortable silence between us. "Sloane will be wondering where I am. I'll call a cab."

Graham nodded and his arms tightened around me. Then we forced ourselves out of bed. As we dressed, there was a playful energy between us. Our kisses lingered longer than necessary, as if we were trying to savor every last moment together. He made me feel young again.

"I'll ride with you," Graham suggested. "I would drive you home, but it's late and what we just did has made me too relaxed."

"You don't have to," I said, smiling. "I can get home on my own."

"I want to," he insisted.

"Then I would be happy to have you along for the ride."

In the back of the cab, he held my hand with a serene expression on his face. My thoughts were all over the place. Seeing Graham stand up for me, defend me against Anita's spiteful words, had changed something inside me. He wasn't the same scared boy I once knew. He had grown into a confident and capable man.

"Graham, whatever this is, I'd like to keep it between us," I told him. "Not because I don't want to be with you, but I want to see how this goes before we go public. I have a daughter, and this is going to be new for her. I'd rather not get her involved until we find our footing."

"I understand. No rush. I can move at your pace." Graham smiled, squeezing my hand again. "I know you don't come alone. And when you're ready, I'd like to meet her."

Panic flared within me at the thought of Graham meeting Sloane. I knew that once he saw her, he would realize the truth. He wasn't an idiot. He could do math. He would know she was his daughter. I'm not ready for that revelation, not yet.

"I'll let you know when I'm ready," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the turmoil swirling inside me.

The cab pulled to a stop outside my building. I looked at him, seeing my future in his eyes. Could I trust him with my heart again?

"I'll walk you to your door," he said.

"No, you don't have to do that."

He grinned. "You don't want your daughter to see me."

I wrinkled my nose. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. But it's two in the morning. Is she going to be up waiting for you?"

"She better not be."

He chuckled and took my hand, leading me inside. "Exactly. I won't go in, but what kind of man would I be if I just dropped you off like a FedEx package?"

Speaking of packages, once inside the elevator, he pressed his body to mine and kissed me again. His desire for me was evident.

The ride was too short. He left me wanting more. The doors slid open into my foyer. We stepped out, staying close to the elevator.

"It's been a wonderful evening," Graham murmured against my lips. "I hope we can do it again. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I nodded in agreement, feeling just a little breathless. "Yeah, tomorrow," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

He kissed me again. Neither of us wanted to leave the other.

"I should go in," I said with a great deal of reluctance.

"Goodnight, Dora," he whispered.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "Goodnight," I murmured, my voice barely audible over the sound of my racing heart.

I waited until he was in the elevator and on his way down before I opened the door. I was expecting to tiptoe inside and avoid waking Holly and Sloane. Instead, I could hear quiet whispering and laughter.

Holly and Sloane were on the couch. The only light in the room came from the television. They were sharing a bag of popcorn and laughing at something on the screen.

I walked around and stood in front of them with my hands on my hips and a scowl on my face.

"Hey, you're back!" Holly exclaimed in surprise.

"Mom, you're early!" Sloane said with a guilty look.

"You should be in bed, young lady," I said to Sloane, though there was a hint of amusement in my voice. I turned my scowl to Holly. "And you are supposed to be the adult. The one in charge."

"I made the popcorn and chose the movie." She shrugged. "Everything is well in hand."

I rolled my eyes. "Not what I meant."

"How was it?" Sloane asked, turning down the volume with the remote.

"The benefit was great," I said with a smile, hoping to deflect any further questions. "Made some new friends, and everything went smoothly. I saw some people I haven't seen in a long time."

Sloane, ever the observant teenager, wasn't convinced. "It must have gone really late."

"It did." I nodded. "How was your date?"

"Fun," Sloane said.

"Tomorrow, you're going to tell me all about it. But for now, you need to get to bed. I am not dealing with a grumpy teenager tomorrow."

"Fine. I'll go to bed so you can tell Aunt Holly how your night really went." Sloane gave me a hug. "I do hope you had a good time and got to dance with a handsome man."

A warm feeling filled me but I kept it to myself. Sloane would just roll her eyes at me. "Yeah, yeah, off to bed," I said.

Once she was out of the room, Holly looked at me, waiting for me to fill her in. I didn't trust Sloane not to eavesdrop, so I stalled. "I need your help getting out of this dress," I told her and headed for my bedroom.

I couldn't help but wonder how much Sloane suspected. I shouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed to be dating. Even if it wasn't technically dating. I had sex with my boss, who happened to be my ex-boyfriend and the father of my only child.

"Spill," Holly said once we were in my bedroom with the door closed. "You were out very, very late, you little wildcat."

"Indeed, I was," I admitted, meeting her eyes in the mirror as she unzipped my dress.

"Were you with Graham?"

I could feel my cheeks burning. "Yes."

A grin slowly spread across Holly's face. "Oh really? Were you on your feet or on your backs?"

I started with the story of the benefit, of Graham sticking up for me and me being able to see him in a new way. "Then we went back to his place." I shrugged innocently.

Holly gasped dramatically. "Did you?"

"We did," I said, waggling my brows.

"Wow. And? What does this mean?"

"It means he's matured and he's a better man—a good man."

"Are you going to see him again?" she asked. "Outside of work that is?"

"I think so. I don't know. We didn't really get into too many details."

"And what about Sloane?" she asked quietly. "When are you going to tell him he has a daughter?"

I grimaced. "I'm not sure. I'm not quite ready to blow up everyone's lives just yet."

"I've told you before, this is a ticking time bomb. They are going to find out sooner or later. If you believe he's a good guy, why not tell him?"

"I just want to enjoy the moment," I said, sighing.

Holly gave me a sympathetic look in the mirror. "I understand. Just remember, it's not just about you and Graham. Sloane deserves to know her father."

"Yeah," I murmured, letting my gaze drop to the dress puddled around my feet. "It was just so nice to be back in his arms. I've missed him."

She smiled. "I know you care about him, and I want you to be happy. I'm just worried this might blow up in your face. I think there is still a chance you can salvage a relationship with him, if you tell him the truth. Both of them, really. But probably tell him first."

"I will. I just need some time to figure out how to do it." I rubbed my tired eyes. "How do you spring that on someone after so many years?"

"Don't take too much time," she warned.