The calm doesn’t last long though as River reaches over and grabs me by the ankles then kneels on the floor at the edge of the bed, sliding my n*ked body towards him. He lifts my knees, resting them on his shoulders, and I hook my ankles around his neck. I’m very aware of him, I can feel his warm breath between my thighs as he lowers his head and kisses my entrance. His thumbs gently pry my lips apart then his tongue penetrates my already slick opening and I say, “River, I don’t think I can again!”

“Shhh, relax,” he whispers as he continues to suck and tease every inch of my sex. I feel myself getting wetter, it’s like he’s kissing me from the inside out, and I don’t want him to ever stop. I smile to myself. Maybe I can do this again? He slips one finger and then another deep inside me and slides his tongue up and over me. As he brushes over my g-spot, I know I definitely can do this again. I am doing this again!

I can hear the rain pounding harder outside the window, and it’s a perfect indication of the building pleasure my body is experiencing right now. My eyes close and my head turns to the side as my lips part, and my breathing becomes shallow and quick. When I feel myself getting close, he suddenly removes his fingers, glides his tongue down deep inside me while he places both hands on my thighs. He’s effectively holding me in place and it is incredibly erotic, something I’ve never really experienced before. I love it. Tightening my leg muscles as I feel my cl**ax building, I want to raise my h*ps and thighs off the bed, but I can’t. This only feeds the intensity of what I’m feeling.

“You’re so close beautiful girl, just let go.”

“Oh God, River, please . . . I’m . . . I’m . . .” I cry out and come harder than before. An endless wave of primal bliss overtakes me. It’s like I’m being catapulted through a beautiful stormy sea, and I don’t want to reach the shore. River’s tongue doesn’t stop as he wrings every ounce of pleasure from my body, yet again.

I open my eyes as the aftershocks of my release fade away and focus directly on his gorgeous face.

His sexy green eyes are staring back at me. “You. Are. So. Amazing.” He says each word followed by a kiss as he makes his way up the front of my body, finally landing his lips on mine.

Running my hands through his soft, disheveled hair, I pull him even closer, dragging my lips to his ear. “Make love to me River,” I softly whisper as I suck on his ear lobe. I can’t quite believe that after two incredible mind-blowing orgasms, I not only have the energy, but also such a strong desire to have him deep inside of me. I’m already slightly quivering at the thought of it.

“I plan to,” he says, and I know he means it.

As he stands beside the bed, removing his jeans and boxers, I take a moment to sit up and glance out the window behind him. It’s getting darker outside, not just from the late time of day but also from the storm clouds that have clearly settled in. The rain is still coming down in buckets and I can vaguely make out the Hollywood sign in the distance, but looking at it still makes me smile. The dark, stormy weather outside is such a contrast to the bright, peaceful, loving atmosphere inside these bedroom walls.

Turning to look at River, I look at his naked, gorgeous body, every inch of it from head to toe. He stares at me with a devilish grin as he wipes his mouth on his arm, and for some reason I find this incredibly erotic. I can’t help but shutter with anticipation of what lies ahead.

He climbs back onto the bed, and I reach for him, longing to be entwined with him. With my arms around his neck, he gently guides me up the bed, urging me closer to the new headboard until I’m sitting with my knees folded under me, my back against the smooth cold black leather.

Reaching over my head, I grip the top of the headboard, as he kneels in front of me. Scanning him, I can see he’s so ready, his tip already glistening. I can’t wait another second. I need him inside me now.

I’m trembling slightly as he parts my legs. With one swift but gentle motion, he smoothly pushes himself inside me, filling me deeply with his length. My hands are still holding tight to the headboard as I hear him let out a deep groan. “Dahlia, you feel so incredible.”

Unable to respond with words, I let go of the headboard and put my arms around his body, pulling him even closer. Pressing my open mouth to his, I feel the velvety softness of his tongue stroking mine, the rhythm matching his thrusts below. Pressing my body against the leather headboard, he continues to move. He quickly takes me and rolls us so that I’m on top. His head is resting on the soft, fluffy pillows that adorn the bed and I watch his face. His eyes close and so do mine as I push harder and faster. He steadies my hips, holding me right where he wants me to be.

I feel the familiar sensation building in my core. River’s motions are pushing me towards yet another release, and I can’t hold on much longer.

“Open those beautiful hazel-eyes, sexy girl. I want to be looking into them as we come together,” he says before he can say no more.

That’s all it takes this time. I force my heavy eyelids open, focusing as best I can on his eyes as I find my release. He pushes me over the edge, shattering me into a thousand glorious pieces, taking me to a whole other universe.

“Oh, River,” I moan loudly, panting hard as I slowly drift back down. His movements slow as I catch my breath.

“I love you,” he groans, and with only a few more strokes, he shudders as he finds his own release. It’s such a beautiful thing, and I know I will never forget this moment.

I want to say the words back because I am in love with him and all the little things he does, but the words just won’t come out. Instead, I kiss him with all the love I have for him pouring out of me.

Chapter Twenty-One

BETWEEN THE RAINDROPS

The rain doesn’t bother us

When it’s just the two of us

Walking together hand in hand

Living like there's only you and me

We walk together between the raindrops.

Explaining why I didn’t want him to come with me to Laguna Beach was one of the most painful conversations I’ve ever had with someone I love. Sadly, most of the people I have loved throughout my lifetime are no longer here living with me in this world; they have all died and gone to Heaven.

Funny, I can say I love you to him in my thoughts but I’m unable to verbalize my feelings. I don’t understand why. Is it because I’ve lost almost everyone I’ve ever loved? Or is it because I’ve only ever been in love with one other person and those words belonged to him, were only ever said to him? Saying those words out loud to someone other than Ben scares me. To me, those spoken words convey so much more than just a simple I love you. I feel so much more than that for River. I feel like I have met someone I’m meant to be connected with. We are like two pieces of a puzzle that fit together perfectly, and that scares me.

Neither of us had eaten or even felt hungry all day, and then suddenly we were both famished, so we ordered in. Once we had finished eating an obscene amount of Chinese take-out, I decided to approach the conversation cautiously. Sitting cross-legged on his bed, I leaned forward and pressed my palms into his thighs. “River I want to talk to you about something.”

His legs were crossed, his back was against the headboard, and his arms were folded behind his head. Uncrossing his arms, he rolled sideways to face me. Resting his elbow on a pillow, he supported his head with his hand and responded with nothing but certainty. “You know you can.”

Looking into his powerful green eyes, I said, “Promise you won’t get mad?”

“You don’t even have to ask that, but I promise,” he said, taking his free hand and crossing his chest. I find it so adorable when he does that.

“I want to explain something to you,” I told him, caution clear in my voice.

He nodded and ran his free hand down my bare thigh. “Okay.”

Clenching his fist with both of my hands, I held his fingers in place as I explained that my house still had remnants of Ben everywhere. That I hadn’t really removed anything that belonged to him, only what I’d started to pack up before leaving for Las Vegas. I further explained my sad life over the last two years and how I’d just recently decided it was time to move. That I’d actually just put the house on the market.

He listened intently, acknowledging my words, but never interrupting until I said, “I just don’t want it to be weird for you, or me, if you come there and see pieces of my life with . . .”

Not letting me finish, he slightly lifted himself off the bed and pulled me down to him. Resting my head on a pillow, he caressed my cheek. Leaning in he kissed my nose, then slid his lips to my ear. “I understand, and I want to take you home.”

I left it at that and let him kiss me, stroke me, hold me, and love me for the rest of the night. But now, as we’re pulling up to my 1940’s Craftsmen style bungalow, I’m suddenly not sure this is a good idea. Looking at the purple wildflowers, which have taken over the yard, and the low-pitched gabled roof desperately in need of repair, I start to feel a little uneasy.

Turning the car off, he shifts to look at me and grins. “I never pictured you living in a yellow house with a white picket fence.”

“When you want to live close to the beach, you take what comes available on the market,” I smugly answer, feeling less nervous already after his smart-ass comment.

The rain is pouring down so hard, the visibility is close to zero. There are flood warnings and I wonder if the old roof on my house is leaking again. River pulls on his beanie as he opens the door. “Stay there, I’ll come around and get you.”

I love when he wears that hat; it always reminds me of the first time we met. He grabs my bags out of the trunk and comes around to my door. Of course neither of us has an umbrella, so as I attempt to use my purse for cover, he removes his leather jacket and tents it over my head. We both run quickly up the stone pathway to the covered front porch.

Wiping the drops from my face, I glance at the large arched front door. It is slightly ajar. Terror shoots through me as thoughts of a masked man engross my mind.

Pushing me back with his arm, he asks, “Were you expecting anyone to be here?”

My heart starts pounding out of my chest. “No,” is all I can manage.

He moves toward the door and I yell, “No! Don’t!” My whole body is trembling, and fear surges through me. My jaw is tightly clenched and I’m feeling slightly sweaty. Ignoring my plea, he continues toward the door kicking it completely open with his boot.

“You don’t have an alarm?”

“Alarm?” I ask with a quivering voice. Then realizing that wasn’t an answer I say, “No. No alarm.”

His sharp voice pierces through the open door, “Hello?”

He starts to move inside, and I grab his wrist. “Are you insane? We can’t go in there! Let’s go back to the car and call the police.”

Gently pulling his wrist free, he says, “Dahlia, I don’t think anyone’s still here. Let me just check it out. See if we even need to call the cops. You stay here.”

“No. You’re not going in there alone and leaving me out here,” I whisper in case someone is in there. I’m scared shitless and not sure why we’re even going in, but I follow him.

As we enter the house, my senses are on full alert. River takes small, cautious, steps as we enter the foyer and I hesitantly trail behind. Looking down I see Ben’s keychain on the tile floor next to the old key-shaped holder we bought when we first moved in.

Peeking over his shoulder I see the family room is a complete and utter mess. What had been packed in boxes is now strewn all over. The sofa cushions are torn and stuffing covers the hardwood floors, the TV hangs by cords from the wall, various electronics are smashed on the ground, ashes from the fireplace seem to dust everything, and glass lays shattered into a thousand tiny pieces on top of the hearth.