“You know them well then?”
“Hell, yeah, I’ve known them my entire army career. He’s an inspiration to me. Steph’s his rock; she’s an amazing army wife.” He smiles, lost in memories with them. “They’ve always been a big support to me. They were upset with what happened when I got home in the summer. It was James who arranged the extra time off, so I had space to decide what I wanted to do next.”
I nod. Not trusting my lips not to say something that I’ll regret. A heaviness falls on the happiness I’ve learned to live with. Deep down, it feels like the beginning of the end.
Our meal is delicious. Our conversation flows like it always does. Lance and I gel; it’s a relationship I’ve never experienced before with a man. One where I don’t need to consider his feelings first before speaking. Where our experience is equally important, he wants to make me happy as I do him.
But I can’t get Stephanie’s words out of my head.
Women our age should not be sleeping with young men his age.
As terrifying as it is, I know what has to happen.
No matter how I feel when I’m with him, the simple truth is we shouldn’t be together. He has decades ahead to create a family, but I need to be planning for retirement. My twenty-year plan and his are poles apart, the way they should be.
I need to let Lance McDonald go.
Chapter sixteen
Katie
The warm cocoon of Lance surrounds me as I wake. It’s utter bliss. His strong arms cage me, his chest pressed to my back. His cock is already waking up, a hard line nestled between my butt cheeks.
Is therenosatisfying this man?
My mind flicks back to last night. After deciding this relationship has to end, I needed him. All of him. We barely made it into the room before I was stripping him, hands roaming taut muscle, mouth on every inch I could reach.
I’d told him to lie on the bed, and he’d obeyed without question. Last night, I was in control. Me on top, his hands bruising my hips as he held my gaze and let me take what I needed. With every thrust, I felt closer to him… and further away. The clock is ticking on us now.
Why can’t I be twenty years younger?
Even ten years would make this feel less doomed. My heart aches at the thought of living without him. His lips brush my shoulder, dragging me back to now.
“You’re the most incredible woman,” he whispers. “I just adore you.”
My heart sinks.I adore you toosits on the tip of my tongue, but I bite it back. It’s not fair to pull us even deeper when I’ve already set the expiration date.
He rolls his hips, grinding gently. My body betrays me, heat pooling between my legs. He shifts, moving over me, bracing his hands by my head, and smiles slowly.
This man could not be any sexier if he tried.
With one deep thrust, he’s inside me. He moves slowly at first, steady, deliberate, his eyes locked on mine. I squeeze my eyes shut, overwhelmed.
“Katie,” he murmurs, kissing my forehead, “look at me. Watch me make you come.”
My eyelids drag open. His gaze is hungry, intent. His pace quickens, each stroke pushing me higher.
“I want you to scream for me,” he growls.
Pleasure buzzes up my legs, across my body. Cream floods my sex as I fall apart around him, my climax tearing through me. The sight of me coming tips him over; he shudders, burying himself deep as he follows.
We collapse into that dreamy, quiet aftermath, breathing in sync, talking lazily about the day ahead. The 365th day of the year. Our last day of the decade.
A knock rattles the door.
I frown. He grins. “Breakfast,” he says, rolling off the bed and wrapping a towel around his waist. “I figured we might have better things to do than line up at the buffet.”
He opens the door. The young woman standing there visibly reels at the half-naked god in front of her, mouth dropping open before she remembers to smile. Shy. Scarlet. Smitten.