which is essentially where we landed after I finished riding her hard like I promised and I’d had another massive orgasm, filling my wife for the second time tonight. She’s still up one orgasm on me—which is fine. I like spoiling her with my mouth.
I reluctantly pull out, ease my weight off her, and roll to my back. Not giving Ella any choice, I snake my arm under her and haul her to me. She’s practically dead weight, and I think I broke her good.
Moving her so she’s half on me, half on the mattress, I press her head onto my shoulder and twist to kiss the top of her head. “You okay?”
I feel her nod, her hand coming across my stomach to hold tight. Her voice is all raspy and fatigued. “That was incredible. I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”
“I know what you mean,” I murmur, running my fingertips along the smooth skin of her hip.
“Remember that time in the hotel in Toronto? We were banging the headboard a little hard against the wall, and the framed picture fell off?” She lets out a tiny giggle at the memory.
“Fuck yeah, I remember.” I smile fondly. The picture hit me on the shoulder, making a small gash before tumbling to the floor. I was deep in the throes of mindlessly fucking my wife from behind, and I barely noticed it. Ella was certainly oblivious. Only after we were done, limply sprawled across the mattress, did we realize I was bleeding like a stuck pig from the gash. Ella insisted it needed stitches, but I always carried butterfly bandages in my shave kit, so we made do with that.
The point being… we’ve always gotten lost in each other. The whole world could probably be burning down around us while we were having sex, and we wouldn’t even notice.
We lay silently for a few moments before I give her a tiny squeeze. “I’m going to get some water. Want one?”
“Yeah, that would be great,” she murmurs, then lets me slide out from underneath her.
It’s a quick trip to the kitchen and back with two ice-cold bottles of water, but when I return, Ella’s sitting against the headboard with the sheets pulled all the way over her breasts, her arms pinned down at the side to hold them there.
It’s a definite sign that post-sex cuddling is done, and I can’t say I’m surprised. While Ella is never shy about her body, I figure the move is calculated to make a statement.
And I’m okay with that. To put us on even footing, I set the bottles on the bedside table and bend over to grab my boxer briefs from the floor. After I pull them on, I sit on the side of the bed, angling toward her to hand her some water.
She uncaps it, takes a few long slugs, and then glances over. “You can’t stay the night.”
“Wasn’t going to ask to,” I say, challenge in my voice. “I was hoping to fuck you again before I left, though.”
Ella’s lips curl up, and the tension in her shoulders eases off. She gives me a sheepish look. “It’s just… I told you I want to take all of this slowly, and while what we just did was amazing and I want to do it again and again, I don’t want any mixed signals either.”
I nod in understanding. “We’re still separated. This is your house, and I have mine. Sleeping over would imply we’re moving too fast in a direction you’re not sure about.”
She winces but nods. “Am I being a bitch?”
I reach out, then take her hand. “You’re being cautious because you’ve been hurt. I get it, and I respect it. Doesn’t mean I like it, but I don’t have to. You put up with so much about me you didn’t like, so I figure you’re due. But just as long as you continue to let me see you—and I’m not just talking about sex—but that you continue to give me a shot at proving to you that I’m changing. For you. To be the type of man you want and need.”
Her expression softens, eyes filling with gratitude. “Thank you for understanding. And for making it easy on me with no guilt.”
“Won’t do that to you, Ella,” I assure her. “I want this to work more than I want anything else in my life. So I’ll do whatever you want me to.”
“I can’t afford to fall back into something that’s not going to