Forgot To Tell You Something: An Angsty, Later in Life Romance

I struggle to breathe as the tingles running through my body reach nuclear proportions. I’m behaving like a sex-starved addict, and it’s only been a couple of weeks.

“Tonight is the meteor shower,” I blurt, earning a surprised look from Owen.

“We should watch it.”

“I was actually headed to my favorite spot to do just that.”

He presses my palm to his lips, that sultry smile on full blast. “Am I special enough to join you in your favorite spot?”

I consider his question, before returning his grin. “Hmm, I suppose I can make an exception and allow a visitor. Come on.”

This is where knowing people comes in handy. I became buddies with the head of maintenance years ago, and he gave me an access key to the roof of the hospital. It was for when I needed to cool down and not making out with a handsome doctor, but my friend will have to understand.

To some, the meteor shower might seem a dull way to spend an evening, but I’m a total geek. I’ve been an avid stargazer since I was a child and my father would lie with me under the stars, telling me the myths surrounding the constellations.

“Ta-da,” I exclaim as we step onto the roof.

“This is seriously cool, Tally.”

“I got the hookup.”

His hand cups my ass, his fingers sliding along my inner thighs. “You’ve got more than that.”

I swat his hands away. “Behave.”

“No way in hell,” he volleys back, settling down against a brick column. “Come here.”

I sit next to him, but apparently, that’s not close enough for Owen. He picks me up, setting me in between his legs, his arm locked across my chest. I try to keep my breathing even, but it’s a lost cause. I’m all fireworks and fairy dust where this man is concerned.

“Do you come up here often?”

“Not enough, but I love it here.” I lean back against him, melting into his embrace. So much for willpower. “Do you have a favorite spot?”

He smiles against my ear. “I do.”

“Where is it? The mountains in North Carolina?”

“Inside you is my favorite place in the world.” Owen presses a kiss to my pulse point, which is now racing from his words.

I’m losing all grasp on reality, not that I stand a chance with Owen in my vicinity.

A bright streak catches my eye, and I raise my hand to the sky. “Did you see that?”

“No, I was watching you.” His talented hands push my hair from my neck, every graze leaving sparks in his wake.

“I’m not nearly as interesting as a meteor shower.”

“I beg to differ. You’re intoxicating, actually. I want to kiss every inch of you.” His hands slide to my thighs, those talented fingers wrapping around my legs.

As another star streaks across the sky, Owen creates his own brand of fireworks inside my body.

“Are you keeping track of your wishes?”

“Absolutely.” It’s true, although I’m not sure what to wish for anymore. Then it hits me.

A love bigger than the oceans, wider than the starlit sky, and stronger than a hurricane. One that can survive anything God or man throws its way.

“What did you wish for?” His breath is hot at my ear, firing up every nerve ending.

“I can’t tell you, or it won’t come true.” I hope it’s a good enough answer. I should know better.

Owen grazes his mouth along my neck, delivering a series of small nips. “How can I make any of your dreams come true if you don’t tell me?”

I feel the tears back up in my eyes. “That’s the funny thing about dreams.”

“What, Darlin?”

“You always wake up.”

He rests his chin on my shoulder, his grip tightening around me. “I’m going to make your waking life better than any dream. Just you wait and see. But first, I need to take you home.”

That’s an abrupt topic change. “Take me home?”

“I’m going to make love to you for the rest of the night.”

“Was that your wish?”

“You’re my wish, Darlin. Every facet of you. You’re it for me. The first shooting star? For you to forgive me. The second one? Your heart.”

We spend the next thirty minutes holding each other, basking in the comfort we always find together. I could stay here forever, but eventually someone will find us. “We better get going.”

Owen nods before helping me to my feet. “Can we stop by my office first?”

Since I’ve never been there, curiosity wins. “Sure.”

We step into the elevator, his hand still clasping mine. There’s not really anyone walking the halls at this hour, but it’s certainly not a friendly gesture. “It’s down here.”

He unlocks the door, flipping on a small table lamp. It resembles an English study, complete with a leather couch and a huge wooden desk. Compared to his office, mine looks like a closet. Come to think of it, my office is a closet.

I hear the door lock and turn to him, eyes wide. “What did you need in here?”

I don’t get the opportunity to say more as his lips crash against mine and he hoists me into his arms. I could fight the kiss, but who the hell am I kidding?

I moan into his mouth, his hands tightening around my ass as I wrap my legs around his waist. He knocks the hat off my head as my fingers dig into his shoulders. I can’t get close enough. Even if I rip every shred of clothing from his body, we’re still too far apart.

It’s fairly apparent, as Owen paws off my shirt, that he feels the same way. He deposits me on the large table, wasting no time in pulling off my sneakers and jeans.

“Owen, we can’t—”

“Bullshit,” Owen hisses, ripping my underwear from my body and burying his face between my legs. He bites my thigh with enough force that I jerk my eyes open, meeting his gaze. “Do not stop me, Tally. If you do, I’ll tie your sweet ass up. Understood?”

I love when Owen takes control.

A sound, somewhere between a moan and purr, escapes my mouth as his tongue teases me open. I’ve never known a man so talented at touching me, or relentless in his pursuit.

My hands grip his scalp as his tongue lashes my clit, his hands holding my legs open. There’s a roughness in his touch, as if he’s warning me not to leave him again.

It’s the most beautiful form of punishment.

“Tell me who this body belongs to, Tally. Say my name,” Owen demands, his fingers digging into my soft flesh.

“Owen,” I murmur as my hips arch up toward his talented tongue.

“Louder.” He takes my clit between his teeth, torturing it with gentle nips.

I’m writhing on the table, holding his head in place as he brings my body to boiling point. “Fuck, Owen.”

His thumb teases me open, pushing inside me. It’s too much. The array of feelings is dizzying, and my body explodes, bucking against him while I scream his name.

I’m a quivering mess, my body still convulsing, as Owen fetches a damp towel from the private bathroom. He cleans me up, depositing kisses along my lower abdomen and thighs.

“I’ll replace the underwear.”

“So worth it,” I mumble, barely able to form a coherent sentence. With a grunt, I push myself to a sitting position, my legs dangling off the edge of the table. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Love me.” Owen sinks to the ground, peppering my calves with kisses. “I’ll gladly stay on my knees until you forgive me.”

I skate a finger down his nose and across his lips. “You can’t solve things with sex. Even our mind-blowing sex.”

“I’ll make you a million promises, but you have to be willing to believe them.”

“What promises do you plan to make?”

“To love you. Not just on good days, but on the really tough days. On those days when you question why you’re with me, or how we were ever a good idea. I promise to always put you first—before any job, career, friend, or family. It will always be you before anything else. I promise—”

I press my fingers against his lips, sinking onto the carpet next to him. “Those are really big promises.”

“It’s a really big love, Tally. I told you, I’ve never felt this way before. I won’t give up on you. On us.”

He’s right. It’s the biggest damn love I’ve ever known.

I move my lips over his, tracing the outline of his full mouth, and earning Owen’s grunt of approval. “Shall I take you home and have my way with you?”

“I’ve been praying for that all night.”

Owen doesn’t leave in the middle of the night. I wake up tangled in his arms, his lips pressing against my hair.

“Good morning,” I murmur against his chest as he stretches beneath me.

“It is when I wake up next to you.”

It’s uncanny. Last night, he ravished every inch of me. This morning, he’s a teddy bear, snuggling against my curves.

He’s my perfect. There’s no other explanation.

“You want coffee?”

Owen nods, running his fingers through my hair. “What are you doing today?”

“I’m assisting Beth at the shelter for a couple of hours. There’s a new resident, and she’s having some issues adjusting. I thought I could help.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t want to spend your day off at a shelter. Although it’s a terribly sweet offer.”

“You can make it up to me.” There’s Owen’s infamous smile, his Cheshire cat, my dick is hard, grin.

I love that grin.

“Race you to the shower,” I giggle, jumping from the bed and making it four steps before his arms grab me, tossing me over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold. “Hey, no fair. You’re so much taller.”

He smacks my ass before dumping me onto the bed, his form descending over me. “Too bad you didn’t establish any rules.”

“You’d only break them anyway,” I murmur as his mouth begins its southerly descent.

“Which is why you need to forget your rules. Make some new ones with me.”

He makes a damn good point. But for now, I have more pressing topics on my mind.