My whole body was alive with sensation, every inch of my skin tingling. Darkness fell slowly as we moved together, driven by deep love and primitive lust, rutting like wild things amongst the trees and dirt. I felt like I could no longer breathe without moaning his name.
I'd lost all sense of time when he slid one hand up my back and gripped my hair, tugging just the way I liked. "Touch yourself, baby," he whispered. "Come for me."
He didn't have to ask twice.
I was spiraling out of control in moments, my fingers flying, and his hand clamped over my mouth just in time to catch my scream. The beach might be deserted, but there were still houses within shouting distance. As my whole body jerked and shuddered, somehow, just as I hit my peak, I heard him panting and cursing as he tried in vain to hold himself back. But my clenching core was insistent, milking his pleasure from him. Hearing him tumble unwillingly into his own climax only made mine stronger, and we both writhed together as we slowly tumbled down the other side.
Moments later, still breathing hard, he pulled away from me and I whimpered at the loss of feeling.
"Shhh." He sat down, gathering me up in his arms and pulling me into his lap. "Shhh, I'm right here." He chuckled softly, his lips against my temple. "One of these days I'll learn to control myself with you, sunshine. Your wicked little body doesn't want that, but I'm gonna win. One of these days."
"Can't exactly help it," I murmured. "You make me feel so good. Besides." I opened my eyes, smiling up at him. "I like it when you get all flustered."
"Yeah. I noticed." He frowned slightly. "Hey, did I ever punish you for that little phone sex stunt?"
My heart throbbed at the memory. "Of course. You don't remember?"
"Not that one. The first time." He raised his eyebrows. "When I was at work, you little hussy."
I laughed. I'd actually forgotten about that ridiculousness. "I didn't mean to. You're the one who called me, remember?"
"Yeah, because you texted me first. Just laying there in bed, wearing that dress. Are you telling me that's not what you wanted?"
"Not at first," I protested. "But your voice is just so sexy..."
"Stop it," he growled. "That's not going to work. You started off joking about what you were wearing. You knew exactly what that would do to me."
"Yeah, well, do you have any idea what a state I was in when I visited your office?" I countered. "You deserved a little quid pro quo."
"Quid pro..." He rolled me towards him slightly to give me a little smack on the bottom. "Are you fucking kidding me, woman? The state you were in? I'm surprised I didn't do any serious damage to myself after you left. I might have a repetitive motion injury from all the times you left me high and dry."
"That was almost always your idea," I reminded him, laughing, my head snuggled safely against his chest. "If your phone hadn't gone off that day in your office bathroom...I was about to drop to my knees right there and mark you with my lipstick where it really counted."
He groaned, hugging me tighter. "Stop that, sunshine. I really do need some time to recover, tonight."
"I'm glad it happened the way it did, though." I sighed into his partially-unbuttoned shirt. "I'd be afraid to change anything."
"Me too." His lips brushed my forehead. "I fucking love you, Mrs. Chase. More than sand castles and Ben & Jerry's. More than anything in the whole damn world. I wish I'd never let you go, but at least I found you again."
Tears glistened in my eyes again, and this time, I let them fall. "I love you too," I whispered. "I didn't even realize how much I've been missing you, all these years."
"Me neither." He laughed softly. "Isn't that crazy? I know I'm just projecting the way I feel about you now, but I could swear I was in love with you then. Somehow. Even if I didn't know what it meant."
"I know." I wanted to believe it was real, even if it couldn't possibly be.
"Promise me one thing." He stroked the tangled hair back from my face. "Don't ever leave me again. Okay? Or I'll have to put a collar on you with a bell."
"That doesn't sound so bad," I purred.
I felt his chuckle reverberating through his chest. "You're impossible," he whispered. "I love impossible."
"I know," I whispered back.
The stars were coming out, one by one, and then suddenly, all at once. As I watched them appear, cradled in his arms, I truly realized for the first time something I'd known all along, without really knowing.
The stars were always there. Bright and beautiful, their vibrancy only hidden in the daylight. But they were never gone. Not really. They were just waiting.
I'd waited such a long time. Now, it was my turn to shine like a diamond.