top of her head, and walked to the front door. The sound of the door closing registered in her muddled thoughts, and what he said sank in. He loved her! He was gone! He tells her that then just leaves? She had to stop him before he left.
Jumping up, she ran to her front door, pulled it open, and stepped onto the front steps. Ben was standing next to his car with his hands resting on the roof. His head was down, and Anne could see the muscles of his back and arms flexing as if he was trying to control his emotions.
"Ben! You can't just tell me that you love me and leave."
He turned to look at her, and she saw that his eyes were wet with tears.
"I was planning on coming back inside. I'm not giving up on us, Anne. We have something special here, and I'm not giving it up. I don't care about the job. I only care about you." He stood facing her, preparing for her rejection, daring her to reject him.
"I don't regret loving you, either." She called out the words and watched the change on his face and in his stance. He seemed to become taller, more sure, before her eyes.
"I love you, Jane Anne Conner. I don't want you to leave because I love you. I’ve always loved you." He waited by his car looking at her, waiting for her response, his heart in his eyes. They burned with so much fire that she felt it clear down to her bones.
"I love you too, Ben."
As soon as she said the words, he ran back to the house and scooped her into his arms. They felt so right around her. She held him tight against her and rested her cheek against his shoulder. He held her close as he took several deep shaky breaths. She could feel his chest move with each inhale and exhale, and she could also feel him swallow a lump in his throat. Finally, she lifted her head and looked up at him. He kissed her softly with a tender rubbing of his lips over hers. The softness of his kiss warmed her heart, melting away the last bit of her doubts and resistance, and she kissed him back until they both were breathless. Then she smiled into his eyes. They had lost their sad look, and now burned with a renewed and determined intensity.
She quickly pulled him back into the house and closed the door. Then taking his hand, she led him to her bedroom, where he pulled her once again into his arms. The love and desire he felt for her came through when his mouth found hers again. It touched her heart and stirred her loins until she could not wait any longer to touch him. She pushed his shirt up and kissed his chest, loving the feel of his hair against her palms and lips. He told her he loved her again as he helped her take the shirt off. Every one of their movements while they undressed each other was followed by words of love. Oh, how she missed him.
Ben laid her down on the bed and began to slowly drive her wild with passion and pleasure. He worshipped her body until she could no longer take the powerful sensations that racked her body, and she rolled him over so that she could take control of their lovemaking. He helped position her over his erection and pushed himself inside of her as she came down until she was full of him. Then she began to move and rode him until she climaxed around him, her pleasure running through her and transferring to him. When she became calm again, he rolled her onto her back, never breaking their connection, and began thrusting again until she reached another climax stronger than the first while he found his own release inside of her.
After their bodies cooled off and the lethargy that comes from being satisfied set in, Anne snuggled against his side and told him again that she loved him. She could not have asked for a better response than the tender smile that lit his face. He pulled her close to his side and whispered the same words to her. They dozed for a while locked in each other’s arms, satisfied in a way they had never been before, secure in the knowledge of their shared love. Sometime later Anne woke slowly, in stages, with the