Putting the Heart Before the Horse

She reached down to stroke his cock, and that wiped the smile off his face. “God, your hand feels so good.” He thrust into her grasp, a little helplessly.

“I want you inside me,” she whispered.

“There are condoms in that bag on the nightstand.”

She pulled out a condom and rolled it onto him, and then she leaned back and welcomed him into the cradle of her legs. He pushed slowly into her, her wetness smoothing the way. When he came to rest fully inside her, she tensed around him, loving the feeling of fullness. Loving the way they were joined together, body and soul.

He thrust into her over and over, and she wrapped her legs around his hips, holding him to her.

“Can you come again?”

“I—I don’t know,” she said; even the thought felt shocking and erotic.

He balanced his weight on one arm and reached for her hand to pull it down. “Try,” he said.

She rubbed herself gently, the sensation different but still good. Josh started thrusting again, and they both groaned at the movement. Her second orgasm was tighter, more focused, and after that, it was almost too much to have Josh moving inside her.

“Come on,” she whispered. “Your turn.”

He pushed all of the way inside her and dropped his head to her shoulder, and after a moment, she felt him pulsing as he came.

She turned on her side and nestled into the pillows while he disposed of the condom. The bed dipped as he slid back into it and moved close to her, their foreheads almost touching. She tried to remember the last time she’d felt this content and comfortable with a man and came up blank.

“I love hotel sheets,” she murmured sleepily. “They always smell clean and feel so crisp on your skin.”

“Lot of experience with hotel sheets, huh?”

“All that travel,” she said. “And the hotel sheets always smell the same, no matter where you are.”

“On the ranch, we dry most of the laundry outside. They smell like clean air and sunshine.”

“That sounds nice,” she said, halfway asleep.

He yawned. “You’ll come visit, right?”

“Sure.” She’d make a trip out there to get to know him better, meet his family, take a look at what she might be getting herself into. A long-distance relationship could be a bit of a challenge, but she thought they’d be able to manage it for a while.

“I want you to meet everyone, and I’ll show you around the place. I know the perfect spot for a summer wedding.”

Her eyes flew open as his words registered like a bucket of cold water dashed over her. “Wait, what?”

“Flowers blooming in the meadow, beautiful blue skies—”

“Uh, Josh?” She poked him until he opened his eyes. “Are you talking about our wedding?”

“Well, yeah. I know I haven’t asked you yet, and it’s moving a little fast—”

“A little fast?” she heard herself screech. “We haven’t even known each other twelve hours!” She pushed herself into a sitting position, and he sat up to face her.

“I don’t understand,” Josh said. “I thou

ght you were ready to get married. That’s why you signed up with Single and Serious.”

“Not right away!” she protested. “After we’ve actually spent time together and gone on dates and fought over, I don’t know, leaving the toilet seat up.” Suddenly, her carefully made plans and schedules were falling apart.

“Why do we have to do that if we already know we belong together? I know you’re not a shifter, but—you’re my mate. I knew it as soon as I saw you.”

“Mate?” There was that word again.