He lifted up enough to cradle my head in his hands, his eyes questioning.

"Are you protected? I have always worn a condom, and I have them…" His voice trailed off before I spoke. His eyes darted off to the nightstand and flicked back to mine.

"I have an IUD, and I haven't been intimate with anyone in a while." I couldn't admit more than that. Even though it was the truth, it felt wrong to be clinical when all I wanted was to feel his skin against mine.

"Are you sure? I want this to be everything for you, Haven. You have no idea how much this means to me…" His tone spoke volumes, mirroring my own intensity and need. Even in the midst of lovemaking, he wanted to make sure I was the one taken care of. If I could've swooned, I would've.

"Yes. Yes. Please, Dylan. Don't talk anymore. Just love me." And with my words, he entered me. He was fluid in his movements yet rigid in his stature. He hit every ridge inside my body as he thrust slow and sure, like we had done this a million times before. I knew it wasn’t normal to be this comfortable, but I couldn’t help it. Dylan was sheathed to the hilt only to pull out to the tip and press back in again, it was bliss. Pure paradise on earth. I delighted in every sensation and allowed my mind, body, and soul to just let go. I wanted to feel everything. “Oh, my god, yes. Right there, Dylan.” My words came out in panted sighs. He was inside me, above me, all around me, everywhere and yet I wanted more.

I grabbed his shoulders and craned my neck to get closer to him. I wanted every inch of me touching every inch of him.

The connection was undeniable. My very core trembled with an emotion I couldn't place. It was exactly like flying and I never wanted to land.

"You feel amazing, Haven, like you were made just for me. I don't know how I never felt this before." Dylan's sweet nothings against my throat had me spiraling on an emotional high, one only comparable to that of a fix. With a drug, came the adrenaline, the rush of feeling and emotion. It would leave me flying and craving more, seeking out that one perfect rush. One only tantamount to when that needle pierced my skin. When I was shooting up, no matter the concoction, I felt the same thing, ecstasy.

"Don't stop, please," I pleaded. Every time he filled me, another piece of my fragile heart joined with his. It was as if he was fucking me into love with him…and maybe he was.

Right then, I didn't care. I would fuck Dylan Highsmith into love every night if it made me feel like this.

This is what they meant when they said making love…

I was positively soaring.

I was completely high off Dylan. It was a feeling I didn’t want to relinquish any time soon.

"Sugar, I'm not gonna last much longer. Tell me what you want, what you need." His request sounded far away, but before I could respond, he rolled us over so I was straddled on top of him.

My hair fell wild down my back, my hands immediately found the sprinkling of fine hair on Dylan's chest. I ignored the slight imperfection of his scar, my fingers instead exploring lower as I ground my clit against his pelvic bone, creating a friction that would shoot me straight into oblivion.

Dylan reached it before I did. His movements became erratic, his breath in short pants as he met me thrust for thrust.

"Oh, oh, my God!" Warmth shot through me from every angle, both into my core and right down to the bottom of my soul. In that moment, I said words aloud that I never thought I'd get to say again…

"I love you."

I love you? Oh, shit, I’d fallen in love with him. Did he hear me?

My head collapsed against his chest, tears hot on my fevered flesh. His breathing was heavy, his body rigid from our mutual release. I felt his arms wrap around my naked back and I lifted to kiss his lips. This man, this beautiful man just showed me what love was with his entire being. I was captivated by Dylan Highsmith and completely smitten. I kissed him again, my lips salty, as were his. His sweat mixed with my tears, a perfect combination of pain and healing.

"Sugar, I have waited my whole life to feel what I feel right now." He smoothed my damp hair away from my face. "I'm falling in love with you…and I'm sorry." He took a deep breath and turned his head. "I'm so fucking sorry."

I sat up, stunned by his proclamation, not knowing how to respond. Did I just hear him correctly?

"Sorry?" My voice rose a few octaves. "Sorry for what, exactly?" My heart rate spiked, and not it a good way. Fear laced my next question. "What aren't you telling me, Dylan?" Without waiting for him to answer, I climbed off his body, his cum dripping down my legs as I made my way to the bathroom. “What an asshole! You’re what? Sorry you just fucked me into oblivion?” I growled. “Sorry you’re falling in love with me?” I scoffed. “I must be some other kind of stupid.”

Dylan was up off the bed so fast I almost didn't get the door shut. "Haven, wait!" He banged on the door. "Open the door!"

I ignored him and used the toilet. A girl had to clean up if she had no intention of sticking around. At that moment, it was the last place I wanted to be.

He's sorry? I just had some of the best sex of my life and he's sorry? How stupid can I be? I rolled my eyes knowing I’d asked myself that question a million too many times.

"I'll be out in a… what the fuck is this shit?" My voice trailed off as I took in the entire drug store on Dylan's bathroom counter.

Vials, pills, needles, even a tourniquet.