"I won't last long if you keep doing that, Eden." That was all I needed to say to make her stop and push my shorts down my legs until I could kick them over the side of the bed.
With our eyes locked, she guided me into her. I'd never felt anything like it. As I pushed all the way in, I realized why it was so amazing. I stilled, fully seated in her, praying she wouldn't make me stop.
"I'm not wearing a condom, Eden. And I don't have any."
She blinked a few times and then said, "It's fine. Keep going."
"Are you on anything?"
She nodded and shifted beneath me, enticing me to move. I didn't make her do it twice. I slowly withdrew and then rolled into her again. Over and over until my thrusts were short and deep. I didn't want to come too soon, needing to wait until she was with me, so I shifted our bodies so I was on my back, pulling her on top of me without losing our connection. With her hands planted on my chest, her fingers splayed across my bare skin, she began to ride me. Her head tilted back and her eyes closed. Her walls tightened and I knew she was close, but I wanted to fall over that cliff with her.
I sat up, drawing her chest into mine. Gripping her hips, I guided her movements, matching them in time with my thrusts. Pulling moan after melodic moan from her and swallowing as I tasted her tongue.
"I can't hold on much longer," I said against her lips, feeling my balls tighten. "I need you to come, Eden." The last thing I wanted was to have to pull out before she found pleasure.
"I'm almost there. Come with me, Dane."
"I need you to go first." My words were wrapped in desperate pants, unable to catch my breath.
She opened her eyes and met my gaze. Without missing a beat, she cupped my face and told me the sweetest words known to man. "Come in me."
I held onto her tighter and slammed her into me, feeling her core grip me. It only took another second before she was panting in my ear, whimpering. Riding out her orgasm and squeezing every drop of come from me. Reaching the peak in tandem was more than ecstasy. It was no longer my pleasure. It was ours. Achieved together, at the same time. As if we weren't two separate entities, but one unit.
Whole.
I fell back and took her with me. We rolled onto our sides, facing each other. Her gaze flitted over my body and stopped on my side. I knew immediately what she saw, but I didn't say anything. I watched intently as she studied it, first with her eyes, then the very tips of her fingers, making sure to not touch the ink itself, but rather the outer edges. It was the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Perfect, red apples hung from the top, with a dove perched on one of the branches.
"What's it mean?" she asked as she met my stare.
"You. Us. Everything I've ever wanted."
"What's that? What do you want?" Her words were quiet as if anticipating my answer.
"A life. A family. With you."
"That's what the apples represent? Family?" she asked, and I nodded. "What about the dove? What does that mean?"
"Hope."
Tears filled her eyes a split second before her lips met mine.
We spent the next fifteen minutes basking in the glow and holding on to one another. But when her stomach growled, I knew it was time to get up. "Come on. Let's get you fed." I found my shorts on the floor and stepped into them. Then I grabbed a shirt from my drawer and tossed it at Eden to wear. I'd only done it to keep her from getting completely dressed, but once I saw her in my T-shirt, I decided I never wanted to see her in anything else again.
"Go ahead and see what I have in the kitchen. I'll be right there."
She gave me an odd look but did as I said. I waited until she was out of the room before I went to my nightstand and grabbed what I was searching for. When I made my way into the kitchen, I found Eden standing in front of the open fridge, the light outlining her curves. I tugged her away and lifted her to set her on the counter. She squealed and then giggled, but my chest was too tight to join in on her giddiness.
"I never asked you properly. So I'm going to do that now. I'd get down on one knee, but these floors are really hard. Please don't hold that against me." I was so nervous, but as soon as she held her palm against her chest and smiled, I knew it would be all right.
I took her hand and placed the ring at the tip if her left fourth finger. But before I could slip it on, she gasped and yanked her hand away. "You have a ring?" She was stunned, which made sense, but what confused me was the worry in her tone.
"Yeah … but if you'd rather pick out your own, we can go tomorrow. I'm sorry, I didn't even think about you wanting to choose your own ring. I was too excited-"