Best of 2017

She cleared her throat. “I will apologize every day if you’ll let me. Just don’t walk away.”

I wiped at the tears streaming down her face. “I’ll never give up on us again.”

The one thing that was clear was what I wanted, what I’d always wanted. I wanted her back. The only woman I’d ever truly loved. Being without her for even this short time made me realize that. The question was if I could trust her. Did I truly believe her about the book? I wondered if I deluded myself into thinking she wouldn’t use me now that we were in love. That things had changed since she first arrived. Her intentions were different. Was she really in love like she claimed?

I couldn’t stop believing that we had this love at first sight: crazy love. A kind of love that no matter the insecurities or the anger, never lessened. There had been a time when it would have been impossible for me to admit to myself, much less say out loud, how much I was in love. But I could clearly see that I’d fallen hard—she was all I wanted.

It hurt. It hurt badly to have Quinn lie to me. But I had to forgive in order to move on, and it did appear as if she felt truly sorry. I knew this was love. I felt it in every fiber of my being. I loved her. I always would. And I was sure that she loved me, too. But even as I thought it, doubts assailed me. This is what we needed to work out. This is what I needed to work out.

As we walked into the loft, I glanced around, grateful I hadn’t left the place a mess. Immediately, nerves formed a tight knot in my stomach, my heartbeat slamming against my rib cage. I tossed my keys on the granite counter and immediately went to grab a bottle of red wine.

“Can I pour you a glass of wine?” I asked as I popped the cork.

“Yes, please.”

At the sound of her voice, inches from my ear, I spun around to see Quinn leaning against the counter with a smile. With a thud, I dropped the bottle on the counter, grabbing her, hauling her close and covering her mouth with my own, running my hands all over Quinn’s body.

With a soft moan and a light giggle, she broke away from the kiss, a frown creasing her forehead. “This is for real, right? My heart can’t take it if you compare me to a groupie again,” Quinn said, her voice cracking slightly.

I shook my head, continuing to run my hands over her back. “I shouldn’t have said those things, or acted that way. I was mean and wrong. I was hurt, but that doesn’t excuse me lashing out at you.” I stopped, shaking my head, closing my eyes briefly. “I know I hurt you, too.”

“I thought I lost you,” she said, looking away briefly.

“I don’t want our love to be delicate like you said. We’re strong enough to get through anything. Even if I did a horrible job of showing you that.” My heartbeat harsh in my chest, I looked into Quinn’s eyes. “Do you forgive me?” I asked, my eyes searching hers.

I saw regret cloud her eyes before she turned away. I felt everything in my body freeze as I gazed at the woman I loved, attempting to read the emotions in her eyes, trying to determine their meaning.

With tears releasing from her eyes, Quinn placed a hand on my arm. “Axel, please don’t apologize—” She broke off, swallowing hard. “I’ll never doubt your love for me… for us. I’ll always trust in you… as long as you can trust in me.” She stopped, wiping at her tears. “I love you. I always will.”

Any other words were forgotten as I brought our mouths together.

Quinn laughed around the kisses as I led her to the room and kicked the door to the bedroom open, bundled her in my arms, and with long strides, placed Quinn down onto the bed.

“I want you,” I said. With a groan, I rapidly began to undress her, only to be rewarded with Quinn doing the same to me.

“God, I want you, too,” she said, her voice breathless, as she frantically pulled at my pants.

I felt my body burn in eager anticipation as I stared down at the vision of Quinn splayed out in front of me. I ran a finger down the line of her throat, down the midline of her body, before stopping at the juncture of her thighs.

Locking my eyes on hers, I stroked a finger deep inside her, her walls clamping tight against my invasion. With a groan, I withdrew, my finger covered with Quinn’s sexual desire.

I loved how good it was between us. She was always so responsive to my touch. I closed my eyes briefly, my desire growing thicker.

“I’ve missed this,” I said with a groan, fighting the urge to spread Quinn’s legs and press my cock deep inside her willing warmth.

But I wanted to take my time. Separating her pussy lips, I watched in heated fascination as she lost control. With every drag and pull of my finger, Quinn’s walls clenched and released in rhythmic pulses, her cream easing down and covering my hand. All control was lost.

“I’ve got to taste you,” I said, spreading her legs farther apart.

I tasted.

I devoured.

She was mine again.

QUINN

THE FIRST STROKE of Axel’s tongue against me had me rearing my body up and off the mattress, a cry tumbling from my lips. I moaned softly, my hands coming out to brace myself on the bed as Axel flicked his tongue over and around my clit, toying with me before surrounding my pleasure point completely within the warm cavern of his mouth.

On and on it went, alternating between stabbing flicks of his tongue and long sweeping kisses, driving my passion to a whole new level. When Axel drew his tongue completely out and nibbled gently, an orgasm washed over me—gentle at first but then intense as it grew. His fingers slid into me, going deep, causing stars to flash behind my tightly closed lids as I came, crying out as the tremors rocked my entire body. Entirely wrung out, my body collapsed onto the mattress, my muscles weak

“I’m not done with you yet,” Axel promised, his voice dark, as he began to sink into me. But before pressing inside me fully, he paused, his breath coming out coarsely. “Tell me you love me, Quinn. That you’ve never stopped.”

I moaned, grinding my body against his, my face flushed with hunger. “I—I love you, Axel,” I cried when he inched farther inside me.

He pressed his hand between us, finding my clit and working it as he delivered small, shallow thrusts. “Tell me you want me,” he demanded.

“I want you!”

At my admission, Axel slid all the way in. Grasping my ass, he lifted me and began to thrust. His fingers dug into my hips as he held onto me, alternating the thrusts between long and deep, and shallow and quick, angling my body along his for our mutual pleasure.

I wrapped my legs around Axel’s waist, digging my heels into his back. “Faster,” I panted as his fingers scored deep into the globes of my bottom, his head thrown back, eyes shut.

Soon our mutual groans echoed in the room, bouncing off the walls as his strokes became softer, easier, eventually subsiding.

Sweat poured off our bodies. I opened my eyes and released a sigh, the afterglow of perfect lovemaking seeming to wash away any hurt of the past.

I felt Axel’s hand feather across my breasts, and I smiled. “That was really nice,” I said, hissing slightly when Axel’s thumb ran over my overly sensitive nipple.

Axel laughed, a thoroughly perfect sound.

“I have something to ask you,” he said, as he grabbed a piece of my hair and played with it between his fingers. “Did you really mean it when you said you were planning on staying in LA?”

“Yes. I can’t imagine my life without you. I decided—”

My words were cut off when Axel surprised me by covering my mouth with his. I succumbed instantly to the touch. Slowly, he drew away from me.

He placed his hands on either side of my face. “I can’t imagine my life without you, either.”

***

QUINN

THE APARTMENT WAS SHROUDED in darkness when I finally awoke from the best sleep I had had in days. Eyes still adjusting to the lack of light, I peered at the digital alarm clock on Axel’s nightstand and was surprised to discover that it was almost three o’clock in the morning. The eve