Free Aftermath (Dividing Line #6) by Heather Atkinson Page B

mark too.
    “Up against the wall,” she told him when he tried to lead her to the bed.
    “You sure?” he said, thinking this a little odd.
    “Yes,” she said, opening his trousers. “I have to have you. Now.” If she thought about what she was doing she was afraid she’d back out. Nick and Alex were permanently in the back of her mind.
    Riley found her directness exciting and did as she asked, holding her weight in one hand while tugging her panties down with the other. “What about protection?”
    “I’m on the Pill. Fuck me Riley. Now. Oh my God,” she cried when he entered her, thrusting into her with all the passion that had been building up inside him for so long.
    “Are you okay?” he said, looking into her eyes with concern.
    Beth’s mouth hung open, her eyes screwed tight shut, the breath snatched from her throat. This man felt too good. She forced her lungs to inflate and found she could speak. “Yes. More, please. Jesus Christ,” she replied, clinging onto him as he drove into her again.
    “I’ll take it slow.”
    “No don’t. Faster and harder.”
    He obliged and for the first time since they’d died thoughts of Nick and Alex were driven entirely out of her head by this outstanding man. Finally she felt free. Almost joyfully she pulled off her bra and cast it aside, giving him access to her breasts, running her fingers through his hair as he took a nipple in his mouth, intensifying the pressure building inside her. Everyone said how much he looked like Ryan but to her he was completely different, which was fortunate otherwise having sex with him would have been really weird. His breathing grew ragged and she could feel the sweat on his chest rubbing off on her skin. He was hard and frantic but tender too, stroking her hair back off her face and showering her with kisses.
    Beth just relaxed and let the pleasure envelop her, her cries growing louder as the orgasm claimed her entirely.
    In response he gave one final hard thrust and groaned into her neck, Beth tightening around him, revelling in the intimacy, in her hot flesh against his. It was so good to feel the heat of another human being again.
    She rested her head on his shoulder, panting, enjoying the feel of his arms around her. Her weight seemed to be nothing to him. He was still inside her, filling her up. Wanting to feel him again she moved her hips, making him moan.
    “You feel so good Beth.”
    She smiled, she liked it when he said her name.
    Suddenly she was back in that warehouse looking at Nick knelt on the floor, Alex’s gun pressed to his head. I love you he’d called a second before he’d died . The memory of the roar the gun had made as the bullet ploughed through his brain made her physically jump.
    “Are you okay?” said Riley.
    “Yes…I…please put me down.”
    He slid out of her and gently let her down. “What’s wrong?”
    Beth swallowed down her tears. Nick had died because he’d loved her and she was already in the arms of another man. His memory deserved better. “I need to get back to the reception.”
    Understanding filled his eyes. “There’s a ghost in the room with us, isn’t there?”
    “More than one I think.”
    He shook his head. “No. I’ve managed to put Zoe in the past. I will always love her but that part of my life is over, I’ve accepted that. If I hadn’t I wouldn’t have been able to do this with you.” He realised his mistake when pain filled her eyes. “I’m sorry, I just meant…”
    “It’s okay. I really should get back downstairs,” she said, pulling her bra back on. “Bridesmaids duties.”
    “Beth, don’t go like this. I really like you.”
    “I like you too Riley but…”
    He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “But…”
    “But I…I don’t know. I thought I was ready.” She stepped into the dress and pulled it up around her, smoothing down her hair with her fingers. When she couldn’t reach the zip she started to get agitated. “Shit.”
    “Let