Free Emergency Ex by Mardi Ballou

on their last time together, Brenda pressed tight against him. “I’d say there’s nothing between us but a millimeter or so of air. And we can fix that.”
    After a moment’s hesitation, he once again focused on pleasuring her. Caught up in the onslaught of sensation, Brenda soon gave up any attempt to hold back. Surrendering her control for a moment or two would not undermine her determination to say goodbye.
     
    He’d messed up royally. Despite Brenda being in his bed, he couldn’t be blind to the fact that something was really off. Not the sex, of course. What they had was so good that nothing short of a major natural disaster—and maybe not even that—could diminish it. But he sensed a deep sadness in her—and, no matter what she said, a distance between them.
    He’d screwed up by not following through on his promises. Probably wouldn’t be the last time either. Her still being here meant they could fix what was broken between them, right? She couldn’t really mean it. He had to believe that.
    But what if he never had another chance to make things up to her again—or even to mess up? Despite the heat between them, a chill raced up his spine. He had to find a way to show her how much he needed her in his life, even if he didn’t deserve her. He’d make love to her as if there would be no tomorrow, make this a true night to remember. “What do you really want tonight, love?” he whispered. “What are your fantasies? Let’s make each of them come true, one by one.”
    She laughed and a surge of relief washed over him. If she could laugh at anything he said, maybe he wasn’t in so much trouble after all. Except the last bit of her laugh ended in a sob. Ah, crap, he’d made her cry.
     
    Brenda steeled herself not to weep, at least not yet. She wanted the full pleasure of their lovemaking this last time, no tears during. She’d have abundant time for tears after. Years and years for tears. Stroking the side of his face, she willed her fingers to memorize the contours she so adored. Her Keith. Her guy, the one her heart beat for. She’d never again touch his face the way she could right now.
    She took a deep shuddery breath and waited until she could trust her voice not to wobble before she answered. “Keith, my fantasy is for you to take charge and make my dreams come true without my having to say a single word. You know how you always say you don’t want to have to use words? Tonight I want to be wordless.”
    He gazed at her quizzically. “Huh, something new. I guess I never realized how much I count on your words. I’ll try it this new way. But if I don’t get it, if I’m not doing what you want, let me know. Nudge me. Hell, you can bite me. Something.”
    He met the challenge in great form. Whatever he did felt exactly right, better than she could have asked for. No sense feeding his ego any more on that score. He nuzzled her, waking up her nerve endings and lulling her internal warning voices into sleep.
    If anything, he knew his way around her too well.
    “I want to kiss you all over,” he whispered.
    He turned her and, lips hot, kissed the nape of her neck. Goose bumps shot across her shoulder blades. She quivered at each touch.
    When he’d kissed his way down to the small of her back, he turned her and buried his face in her belly. Though she always carried the awareness of a few excess pounds, all self-consciousness dissipated once he began to kiss her there.
    A big smile lit his face as he glanced up, eyes dark with arousal. “Like that, baby?”
    “God, yes. You know I do, Keith. More.”
    With a growl he returned to tongue a favorite spot. And then, with exquisite attentiveness, he worked his way down to her mound, and Brenda exhaled hard. “Keith,” she breathed.
    She trembled in delighted anticipation as he responded to his name by first teasing her with his fingers and then tasting her. She squirmed in ecstasy as he paid tribute with his lips, his tongue, and, ever so lightly