He wasn’t going to last. Pathetic, and yet this wasn’t about stamina as his thighs slapped her skin. This was about reaffirming, about deciding to go all in and never allow what was in the rearview mirror to dictate their decisions anymore. The spurts of release came in blinding surges, ripping through him, their limbs tangled and sweat-slickened as he fought to control his breathing. The stars felt as if they’d finally fallen into alignment after being out of sync for so long. The jets wrang from him. She looked up as a moan drew from her throat, her pouty bottom lip pinched in her teeth and a lazy smile sparkling in her eyes, and he collapsed, his torso enveloping hers, his palms working their way beneath her head to cup it and soften the stone upon which she was splayed.

After a few moments, mastering their breathing, he turned his lips into her cheek and dusted kisses to her mouth. She smiled up at him as he pulled back, this slice of heaven too good to be true. If the future was anything like this, it was going to be bright.

“Safe to say we still got it,” he murmured, a guttural, harsh sound, a grin unvanquishable on his lips as she toyed with his rogue curl on his forehead and feathered her fingers over his skin. “God, Sky…I never got over you.”

“Or I you, Travis. I can’t believe this. It’s too good to be true.” So relaxed. So perfect. So blessedly not withdrawn.

Naw, it’s too right to be wrong.

She whined playfully as he finally pushed up, finally slipped free of her body, and reached down to roll the spent condom off…

His heart thudded to a halt as his fingers touched his wet skin. His jaw clenched. Shit… Shit! He yanked upright and looked down. All happy thoughts about what had just been consummated in this desert utopia drained away like water through a pipe.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, pushing up on her elbows at his furrows of concern. “Trav?” She looking down at his waist—

A ghostly sheen coated her face, draining the pretty flush from her cheeks. Her sudden look of horror felt like ice down his spine. “Oh my God. No…”