Free A Matter of Forever by Heather Lyons

I’ve told him. But I’m not quite ready to give him exactly what he wants. I take my sweet time exploring his body with my mouth and hands, reveling in how hard and fast his heart beats beneath my touch and how heavy his breaths become. When I fear I might combust, I slowly, slowly unzip his shorts and fold the sides back.
    Well now. How fortuitous. He’s gone commando today.
    I take him in my hands; he gasps. I love this sound of his. I love knowing that he makes it because of me. I challenge myself then—no giving in until I get a good, solid three of these delicious gasps.
    I let go momentarily so I can sink down against him. I get a gorgeous moan, but it’s not the same. So I kiss him, hard and deep, leaning up slightly so I can run my nails down his length. Bingo.
    He whispers my name again; I cut him off by reclaiming his mouth with mine just long enough for his eyes to drift close. I want him to see the stars he always brings to me. So, I trail kisses down his neck, to his collarbone, my hands spreading out across his chest.
    Suddenly, we’re flipped, with me on my back and him over me. I yank his head down to me and there are no more games, no more teasing. My tongue strokes his and we are going for the gold in kissing. His shorts come off and then he’s right where I need him, moving inside of me. Hip to hip, thrust to thrust, our bodies dancing in perfect harmony to the music filling the air around us. Gods, I love this man.
    We explode together, right on cue. Even though we didn’t merge, my mind splinters into a thousand, happy shards of bliss.
    I’m panting hard, searching for my breath, when Jonah says in wonder, “I can feel you.”
    I laugh tiredly. Contentedly. “I can feel you, too.” He’s still in me, as a matter of fact.
    He gently cups my face, brushing his lips against me. “No. I can feel you.” A hand comes to lazily trace my breast before resting over my heart. “Your emotions, love. Right after you came.”
    It’s my turn to gasp. “Yeah?”
    His head ducks briefly to brush a kiss across a nipple. And then, there’s the dimple, making me want to swoon all over again. “Yeah.”
    Thank the gods. I jump into his head; he enters mine. Long minutes later, we explode again, this time so strongly I’m nothing more than a quivering puddle of ecstasy afterward. Sweaty and tired, I tangle my body in his so we can drift off to sleep together.
    My happiness knows no end.

 
    Despite everything, I float in a haze of bliss over the next few days. Cameron says I’m nesting, which I thought was something only birds and pregnant ladies did, but apparently so do new homeowners. I spend hours picking and choosing new furniture to decorate with, colors for walls, art to sigh over. Friends and loved ones come over to visit; impromptu mini parties are thrown to celebrate. Caleb comes to visit, and though he has no idea what to say about somebody else’s voice being in my head, even if just momentarily, I love seeing my old friend. But here’s another nice thing about being a homeowner—you get to christen your new home over and over again, in every single room.
    I go out to lunch and shopping with Callie, ignoring the Guard that follow us around. Cora and I go to the movies, Lizzie and I to the park to attempt rollerblading. While I’m constantly monitored, I feel so free, just so damn happy. I don’t even mind that Sophie and I have yet another run-in at the grocery store, or that she makes lewd comments about what Jonah and Kellan’s bedrooms look like. I just brush her off and go back into my happiness bubble.
    There are even some moments with Kellan that don’t hurt lately. When Jonah gets called into meetings, sometimes his brother and I will hit up our favorite hot dog stand and eat way too many. We laugh, and it feels so good. Just so wonderful, like ... like everything is turning out exactly how it should.
    Which is why when things go bad it stings all the more.
     
    Many of the