Virginia
Despite my insistence that I’m not tired, I fall asleep snuggled up against Rafe’s side. At some point in the middle of the night, I’m jostled awake as he turns me over so I’m tummy down on the bed, spreads my legs, and fucks me again.
That time, when I roll over into his arms afterward, he is just rolling back over after discarding a condom. He settles his arms around me and tugs me close, then pretty immediately asks, “You wouldn’t happen to be on some kind of birth control, would you?”
I nod my head. “I sure am.”
“Oh, thank fuck. No offense,” he adds.
I smile. “None taken. I’m clean, too. Assuming you are as well, you don’t have to use condoms with me.”
“I normally use condoms regardless. I’m not sure what the hell happened to my head last time; I didn’t even ask first.”
“You know I always take care of your needs,” I offer lightly. “Instinctively, you probably knew I’d make sure you couldn’t knock me up.”
“Yeah, you are pretty reliable, aren’t you?” he remarks fondly, tightening his arm around me.
I close my eyes, worn out, and nod my head. “Mm hmm.”
“I like that, too.”
I smile sleepily. “I bet you do.”
“Do you prefer one way or the other? I’m generally more comfortable using condoms, but I suppose I can forego them if you prefer it that way.”
“I do. I loved the way it felt with you inside me, skin to skin. I believe I adequately conveyed my appreciation of your dick last time.”
Chuckling warmly, he says, “Yes, very adequately.”
“I still lowkey think we should make sure Sin isn’t holding Laurel against her will. I know they make a pretty convincing show of being a happy family, but, I mean… does he also have a magical dick? Do lots of men have these, and I just haven’t had enough sex to know? Have I only had unskilled sex partners with unimpressive penises? I don’t understand.”
“Well, Laurel never fucked me again once she met Sin,” he explains. “Maybe she forgot.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s not something you can forget.”
“Sexual incompatibility wasn’t our problem,” he adds. “Sin’s personality was more suited to hers. She didn’t like to go out, she was more of a homebody, and so is he. Obviously they both wanted kids. She hated the fact that other women regularly paid attention to me, and Sin is the epitome of a one-woman man. No measure of great orgasms can fill the chasm of that kind of incompatibility.”
I slide him a look. “I know you’re not going to pretend that female attention was completely one-sided. Remember Marlena the moron?”
He shrugs. “Like you said before, we just didn’t fit.”
“I know you didn’t, but… the sex.”
“Sex isn’t that good with someone you don’t like. The fact that you and I genuinely like one another probably made the sex that much better. By the end of our attempt at dating, I made Laurel start to dislike me. She’s over it now, but only because I let go. I couldn’t meet Laurel’s emotional needs, and half-assing it only made things worse. I wouldn’t have made her happy, no matter how good the sex might have been.”
Well, he makes me happy. I won’t say that and risk freaking him out, but I’m ridiculously happy. Happier than I’ve ever been. It may be illegal in some states to be this happy.
“Well, this is definitely going down in the record books as my favorite Christmas Eve to date. I wasn’t completely sure I was making the right decision by not going home for Christmas, but now I’m convinced.”
I remain snuggled close, but Rafe props himself up on one arm so he can watch me. “Do you normally go home for Christmas?”
I nod my head. “Yep. I usually spend Christmas with my mom. I told her I couldn’t afford to make the trip this year, but really, I just didn’t feel like arguing with her for two days.”
“Do you and your mom fight a lot?”
“No, not a lot. Right now we’re just having an obnoxious disagreement about the life choices I’m making—or, not making, as the case may be.”
“What kinds of life decisions?”