With sure fingers, Clay unbuttoned my top and carefully removed it from my body. He continued to touch my br**sts reverently, his breathing shallow as I arched toward him. Clay bent his head to take my nipple in his mouth, his tongue dancing over the sensitive flesh. I gripped the back of his head as he moved to my other breast.

Clay's hand made its way to the waist of my drawstring pants. He slid his fingers under the elastic, making me shake inside. Gently, he pushed my pants down, moving them lovingly over my hips. His mouth traced down my body as he removed the clothing.

Starting at my ankle, Clay kissed a path up the inside of my leg, licking with his tongue as he savored me. He made tiny moans in the back of his throat as he continued his torturous ascent. Kissing the inside of my thighs, my fingers found themselves wrapped in his hair.

“Oh god, Clay!” I rasped as he moved his mouth until he was breathing against my hot core. With slow precision, he licked the length of me, suckling to the point that I forgot my own name. “You taste amazing.” He murmured against my flesh as his tongue moved inside me. I had never experienced anything like this before. The burn deep in my belly laced fire through my body. Clay's mouth never stopped as I started to buck beneath him. With a violence that surprised me, I exploded against his tongue.

As I lay on the bed, spent, Clay kissed his way back up my body until he found my lips again. I could taste myself on his mouth and it was weirdly erotic. I thought I'd be grossed out by something like that. But I found it to be a strange sort of possession. Like I had marked him as mine.

Clay's hands dipped down between my legs. He rubbed and caressed the sensitive folds until I was panting once again. He took two of his fingers and slid them inside me. He curved them until they were stroking a fire that threatened to consume me. Clay's tongue danced inside my mouth, tasting every inch as his fingers illicited another earth shattering orgasm from my already trembling body. In the aftermath, Clay rolled me over until I was on top, my legs straddling him as I felt his hardness against me.

Digging into the pocket of his pants on the floor, he pulled out a condom and handed it to me. I arched an eyebrow at him and he gave me a sultry smile. I ripped open the package with my teeth, making Clay laugh. Then slowly, with careful precision, I rolled it down on top of him. Clay moaned and laid his head back, closing his eyes as my fingers touched and caressed him.

When I was finished, Clay carefully lifted me up and I angled myself so that I could slide down on top of him. Clay pulled my mouth back down to his as I held him inside of me. Not breaking our kiss, Clay moved his hands until he held my hips and I started to move up and down, enjoying the control I had.

“I love how I feel inside you.” He whispered against my lips as I pressed into him, taking him as deep as he could go. “You're mine. Forever.” He groaned as I started to pick up the pace. I broke off our kiss so that I could throw my head back, bracing myself against his chest.

Suddenly, Clay grabbed a hold of me and flipped me on my back, pushing into me as he laid me down. I moaned loudly as I wrapped my legs around his waist in an effort to keep him buried inside me. “I love you so much.” I panted as we moved our bodies together. After weeks of madness and separation, we came together in one beautiful cacophony of need and desire.

Together, like this, I felt we could take on anything. Clay moaned as I clenched myself around him and he kissed me deeply as he went as far as he could into my body. I opened my eyes to find Clay watching me with such tender sadness that it took my breath away.

I reached up to run my fingers over his face. “What is it?” I asked breathlessly, never stopping the perfect rhythmic movements with him. Clay smiled, a truly gorgeous smile. “I just love you so much. Sometimes it hurts.” “I don't want it to hurt, Clay. Our love should make you feel wonderful.” I told him, even as I almost wanted to laugh at how cheesy I sounded.

Clay didn't say anything more as we each began to build toward a burning explosion. Clay wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my hair as I shattered around him. Finally, he surged into my body one last time as he came and we lay against each other, too tired to move. Clay pushed up on his elbow and brushed my sweat soaked hair off of my forehead. He kissed my eyelids before rubbing my nose with his. I laughed at his affectionate gesture.

He took my hand and placed it over his heart. The frantic beat strong against my palm. “This is all I need. You, me, together.” He said, still a little breathless. I picked up his hand and kissed his palm. Clay pulled out of me and rolled us both onto our sides, so that he held my back against his chest.

“Get some sleep, baby.” He said quietly in my ear, kissing the back of my neck. So we fell asleep wrapped up in each other, unwilling to think any more of the reality we would find ourselves thrown back into when we woke.

Chapter Twenty-Two

I awoke the next morning to the sound of my cell phone beeping. I had a moment of disorientation as I tried to figure out where I was. Then it all came back to me. I rolled over to find Clay sound asleep beside me, his hand reaching out as if he had been searching for me in his sleep.

I got out of bed and looked down, realizing I was naked. I went into the bathroom and changed into a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I debated whether I should rinse my mouth out with shampoo but decided against it. Instead, I swished some water and spit it out. I still had demon breath, but it would have to do until we bought some toothpaste.

My cell phone beeped again. I looked at Clay; he hadn't stirred. He looked so young as he slept. The tension on his face melted in relaxation. I smiled at how good he looked laying there in the bed. I found my phone on the bedside table and turned it on.