Unable to resist the need to touch her, I brushed my thumb along her collarbone. “Why do you have to look so beautiful right now?”

She sighed. “I don’t feel beautiful.”

“What can I do to make you feel better?”

“Just keep lying down with me. Let’s talk for a little while.”

Kissing her neck, I spoke into her skin, “I can do that.”

She looked up at me. “Am I being too needy? I know this is just supposed to be sex.”

“I like talking to you. A lot. I like doing a lot of things with you, as you know, but just talking is cool, too.”

“How was work this week?” she asked.

“I’ll be happy to be done with this contract. It’s been stressful, but it’s been worth it just to spend this time in Boston with you.”

“I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

It pained me to hear her say that. “You think you’ll ever move back to Illinois?”

“I don’t know. I really love it here. And I couldn’t imagine leaving the people I work with right now, especially Milo.”

“That’s true. That would be tough.”

“My parents want me to move back. I miss them, but it’s been liberating being away and living on my own. Of course, I’d never intended to be alone. I only came out here in the first place because of Rory’s job.”

“Whereabouts does he live exactly? I never asked.”

“He’s about thirty minutes from us in Reading. That’s north of the city. When we broke up, he moved closer to his work up there. Before that, we lived together in Boston in a different apartment near Fenway Park. After the breakup, my father came out and bought the condo I live in now as an investment property.”

“Your dad owns your place?”

“Yes. So, I’m paying the mortgage between my rent and then whatever I get from the Airbnb people.”

“Wow. I had no clue.”

“Do you think I’m a spoiled brat because Daddy owns it?”

“You work harder than anyone I know, so no, of course I don’t. You’ve never taken advantage of your parents’ money.”

Amber never flaunted her wealth growing up. She started working the first chance she got and never spent money like crazy.

I’ll never forget the first time I went to Amber’s house back in Illinois. It was after Lainey died. She was always over at our place, so I’d never had a reason to go to hers. I remember at the time being unable to believe that she actually lived in what seemed like a mansion to me because she’d never given us any indication that she came from money.

“Well, I insisted on paying the entire mortgage. Renting out the room really helps with that. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to afford it.”

“Do you rent to only women?”

“There have been a couple of men.”

That hadn’t even occurred to me until now. I couldn’t stand the idea of her living with strange men. Just the thought made my blood pressure rise. Fuck. This was going to worry me after I left.

“How do you vet people?”

“Background checks.”

“You still don’t really know that they’re safe.”

“Nothing in life is a hundred percent.”

“I’m not gonna lie. That freaks me out a little.”

“Then stay. You won’t have to worry about it.”

The smile she flashed was so freaking adorable.

“I wish I could, Amber. Believe me.”

Her eyes seemed to be asking me why I couldn’t. I desperately wanted to tell her, but I wasn’t ready for the emotional toll that would take on me. Instead of thinking about it, I opted to bury my mouth in her neck.

I spoke into her skin, “I want you so fucking badly.”

She let out a shaky breath. “I’d give anything to feel you inside of me right now.”

Pulling back in surprise, I said, “You want to have sex? Then, what the fuck are we waiting for?”

“I didn’t think you’d…want to. Because I have my period.”

“Are you kidding me? I feel like I’m gonna burst, Amber. I was only holding back because I thought you didn’t want to.”

“No. I’m even more aroused on my period. I just thought it would gross you out.”

“No fucking way could you ever gross me out.” I sighed into her mouth as I kissed her. My dick moved to full mast, so excited to finally get some relief. “God, we really need to communicate better.” I got up. “Let me grab a towel to put under you.”

She was crazy if she thought there were any circumstances under which I wouldn’t want her. Maybe if it were someone else, I would have had to think twice about this scenario. But with Amber, I just didn’t care; I wanted her any way I could have her.

I’d never put on a condom so fast in my life. My knees barely hit the mattress before she pulled me down on top of her body.

My cock was throbbing as I entered her. Amber wrapped her legs around my back. It felt like the deepest I’d ever been inside of her. From that angle, it was really hard not to prematurely blow my load.