I kissed the curve of her stomach, the swell of her hip. "I’m still going to take my time this time."
I unhooked her bra and tossed it aside, then lowered my mouth to her breast. She gasped, her hands flying to my hair, holding me against her as I licked and sucked and teased.
"More," she breathed. "Please."
I moved lower. Kissed my way down her stomach. Hooked my fingers in her underwear and dragged them down her legs.
She was bare before me, spread out in the moonlight like an offering. I knelt between her thighs, looking up at her.
"Beautiful," I said. "So goddamn beautiful."
Her voice was desperate. "Stop teasing."
I lowered my mouth to her.
She cried out, her hips bucking, her hands fisting in the sheets. I held her down and took my time, learning her all over again. Every stroke of my tongue, every press of my lips, pulling sounds from her that I wanted to hear for the rest of my life.
"Oh God." She was shaking, her thighs trembling around my head. "Right there. Don't stop. Don't..."
I didn't stop. I pushed two fingers inside her, curling them just right, and felt her shatter. She came with my name on her lips, her body arching off the bed, her hands gripping my hair hard enough to hurt.
I worked her through it, gentling my touch as she came down. When she finally went limp, I kissed my way back up her body and found her mouth again.
Her eyes were glazed as I stood up before her, her breath coming in short gasps.
I reached for my nightstand, grabbing a condom and rolling it on. "I'm not done with you yet. Tonight, we get to play a little longer."
I Kissed her hip, as she welcomed me into the cradle of her legs, as I positioned myself at her entrance and pushed inside slowly, watching her face. Her eyes fluttered closed, her lips parting on a moan.
"Look at me," I said.
Her eyes opened. We stared at each other as I filled her completely, as our bodies joined in a way that felt like coming home.
"I love you." She wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me deeper. "I never stopped. Even when I thought I hated you. Even when I tried to forget. It was always you."
I started to move. Long, slow strokes that made us both groan. I wanted to make it last, and wanted to draw out every second, but she felt too good.
"Faster," she gasped. "I need..."
"I know what you need."
I gave it to her. Harder. Deeper. My hips snapping against hers, driving into her with eight years of pent-up desperation. She matched me thrust for thrust, her nails raking down my back, her moans filling the room.
"Knox." She was close again, I could feel it. The way she tightened around me, the way her breath caught.
"Come for me Daisy." I reached between us, found the spot that made her scream. "Let go. I've got you."
She shattered, clenching around me so hard I saw stars. I followed her over the edge, burying myself deep, her name a groan against her throat as I came apart.
We lay tangled together in the aftermath, sweat-slicked and breathing hard. I rolled to the side, pulling her with me, tucking her against my chest where she fit like she'd been made for me.
"Stay," I said. "Tonight. Every night. Stay."
She pressed a kiss to my chest. "I'm not going anywhere."
***
We slept. Woke. Made love again in the darkness, slow and tender this time, learning each other all over again.