"I am. I get up every day and go to work. I have friends and a house, and I'm still functioning."

"Functioning is not living," Rachael said softly. When Elizabeth didn't respond, she sighed, "Well, when you're ready to talk about it, you know I'm here."

"The date was fine, Mom. There's nothing to talk about," Elizabeth insisted.

"That's not what I was referring to, but you already know that. Your father is going to be as thrilled as I am. We love you, and we hate seeing you so closed-off."

"I'm tired, Mom."

Rachael nodded. "Okay, I'll talk to you later. I love you, Lizzie-bell."

"Love you too, Mom." Elizabeth sat at her kitchen table for several minutes after Rachael left, thinking about what she'd said. She was right about one thing; it did feel good to go out and laugh again. She felt human in ways she hadn't for a very long time.

Her fingers drifted to her lips, and she smiled to herself. She felt a lot of things, and all of them began and ended with Colby Bricker. That man sure knew how to kiss.

4.

For weeks, Elizabeth saw Colby on a daily basis. Some days at the diner for breakfast or dinner. Other times, they sat at her dining room table talking and reminiscing about their high-school days. Each private encounter ended with another scorching hot make-out session that left her trembling with need and lying in her bed sleeplessly, imagining what it would be like to have Colby there. She wanted him, and that scared the heck out of her.

The last time she'd wanted someone it had changed the course of her life for good. A hard lesson but an important one. She was no longer a teenager with stars in her eyes and rose-colored glasses. She was a woman with responsibilities and an already-fragile heart.

So she kept their interactions to kissing, even as every cell in her body cried out for more. And then came the moment when Colby asked her for more.

"Exclusive?" she repeated, frowning across the table at him as her stomach twisted in a knot. "Colby Bricker, are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

Colby's dimple flashed, and he laughed. "Well, kind of I guess. But considering the last month, I kinda thought you already were my girlfriend. I just wanted to make sure we were both on the same page. I want this to be exclusive. I don't want anyone but you, Bethie, and just thinking about someone else touching you makes me want to spit nails."

She liked the jealous side of him, but she wasn't sure how to explain her own thoughts. She didn't want a permanent man in her life. Period.

"I'm not seeing anyone else either, but Colby..." She paused and dropped her eyes, afraid of the pain she knew her words would cause him. "I don't want a boyfriend."

Colby's entire body stiffened in his chair, and the silence grew heavy. "I see."

"It's not that I don't enjoy your company, I do. I just don't want to feel obligated to anyone."

"Obligated?" he hissed through his tightly clenched jaw. He'd turned away to stare at the wall. "You feel obligated to spend time with me?"

"No! That's not what I mean. I spend time with you because I want to, but..."

"You don't want me to lay claim."

She knew it was hurting him, but she nodded anyway. If this was how it ended between them, it was better to end it now.

He rose to his feet and walked across the room, stopped in front of the kitchen window and stared into the bright afternoon sun. They were both off for the night, and she'd hoped to encourage a more fulfilling end to their coffee date. But now it seemed she'd ruined it.

Feeling a bit shaky herself, she got up and moved closer, not really sure if she should reach out to him or just leave him be. When he spun and pinned her against the kitchen counter with his massive body framing hers, she gasped.

"So you want to be my fuck buddy?" he asked harshly, his mouth next to her temple. She swallowed hard. "You want my cock, but not my heart? Is that it?"

It wasn't just his words that set her on fire. It was his tone and the physical way he dominated her personal space. It didn't make sense, and yet, she was beginning to believe that nothing would ever make sense again. This wasn't the sweet gentleman who'd taken her on a date. Or the indulgent beau who'd patiently taunted her with kisses and cuddles. This was a horny man, who desired a woman.

Colby waited for her answer, his forearms flexed against her sides. His thick chest was barely rising and falling against her breasts. Then his head lifted, and his eyes locked her in place and demanded an answer.

For a brief moment, she considered telling him to go fuck himself, but at the last possible second she blurted out, "Yes. If you're okay with this just being two friends having consensual sex with no strings attached, my answer is yes."

Her heart skipped a beat when he flashed her a toothy grin that exposed the deep dimple in his cheek. What she wouldn't give to press her lips to that groove right now.

"Absolutely. Don't sweat it. If it's what you want, we'll just ease into this as friends." He pressed his body even closer, giving her no room to escape if she felt the need. But she had no urge to flee as he lowered his mouth towards hers. Every fiber of her being craved him. Like magnetic opposites, they were drawn together, unable to fight against their fate.

When they were close enough to exchange oxygen, Colby paused and waited. Her stomach twisted, and her eyebrows rose as she absorbed the momentary hesitation. Had he changed his mind? Self-doubt crept in, followed quickly by anger and embarrassment. What the hell?

Colby cocked his eyebrow, his lush lips curved in amusement. She wondered briefly if he could read her mind, but if he could, he would already be kissing her. It hit her an instant later that he was waiting for her to come to him. She'd thrown down a challenge, and he was reciprocating.

Ignoring the voice in her head that was telling her to leave him hanging, she rose up on her toes just enough to meet him in the middle. Their lips locked together like two matching puzzle pieces. He didn't hurry her, but his movements weren't gentle either. The rough way he plied her mouth, pushing his way past her lips and into her depths, cranked up the fire in her blood.

When his hand came up and grasped the back of her head, tangling in her loose hair, she whimpered with need. She wasn't especially experienced with great sex, but somehow she knew it was going to be explosive with Colby. Every time he touched her, she felt her body respond.

She lifted her hands, pressed them against his massive chest, as her palms stroked over the meaty muscles, and her fingertips branded each ridge and curve into her brain for future fantasies. The man was built like a brick wall, each piece carefully placed to create an intricate pattern that was not only visually appealing, but would withstand any form of pressure.

Panting hard, she tipped her head back, breaking their kiss to stare into his eyes. Her own desire was reflected back as expected, but what she hadn't planned on was the affection lingering there.

"What's a matter, Bethie?" he murmured, kissing his way across her jaw and down to her collarbone. She shivered in his arms as his tongue darted out to taste her throbbing pulse. "Cold feet?"

"No strings," she gasped, leaning back to give him more room. With one arm he was able to easily support her body weight, allowing her to lie limply in his embrace and let him lead. The fingers he'd wrapped in her hair moved too, and when they reached their destination and cupped her heavy breast through the fabric of her blouse, a hard tremor racked her body.

"I prefer ropes," he teased, and nudged the collar of her shirt over so he could kiss his way down her breastbone as far as possible. When he reached the top button of her blouse, his eyes flicked up to hers briefly. She was about to reach for her shirt to remove it when he surprised her by taking her button in his mouth and giving it a hard yank.

Her mouth dropped open in shock. That button had been securely sewn to the shirt. She knew because she'd done it herself a few weeks back after it had fallen off. By the time she regrouped and glanced at what Colby was doing, he already had two more buttons yanked off her shirt.

She had no intention of protesting. It was hot as hell knowing he wanted her so much he was willing to tear her clothes off. She'd always craved that kind of desire. Her head fell back on her shoulders as he had his way, pulling her shirt open so he could press kisses on her bare collarbone and chest. He growled just before his hot mouth surrounded her lace-covered nipple.

"Oh, God, Colby!"

He didn't pause, but his hands cupped her lower back so she couldn't withdraw. His grip was firm, and wrapped in his embrace, she felt small and protected. Roughly, he scraped his whiskers across the sensitive skin of her upper breast, and she shuddered. Her entire body was a boiling mass of desire. She wanted him. She wanted everything he could give her and more.

Arching her back, she let her shirt slide off her arms and onto the floor. Then she flicked open her bra and let it fall too. Colby's mouth zeroed in on her hard nipple once again, and when skin met skin, she cried out, tangled her hands in his dark hair, and clutched him to her chest. Every cell in her body burned. Every inch of her skin sizzled. When he finally lifted his head to look at her, his eyes glittered, and his lips were puffy. "You have the sexiest breasts, Bethie. Kiss me."

Her mouth reached for his without question, and they molded from two into one, tongues tangling, hands stroking and touching everywhere they could reach. She pushed his t-shirt up, seeking the muscles underneath, and like a cat, she massaged her fingernails against them, testing their thickness. Damn, he was built. She imagined his weight leveraged over her, and her pussy wept into her panties.

"Colby, your shirt," she panted, tugging at the offending material. He lifted his arms, crossing them and gripping the hem of the garment. Within a breath, they were both topless and pressed together. Their scorching hot bodies writhed with the new sensation.

Teeth grazed the tendon in her neck, and she tilted her head. Her eyes closed as he sucked gently. Hopefully, he didn't leave a hickey. It would be very hard to explain to the girls at work.

She yelped in surprise when his hands cupped her ass cheeks and lifted her high. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his hips, holding on as he moved.

"Bedroom?" he mumbled against her chest, and goosebumps rose on her skin from the heat of his breath.

"Door on the left." She was amazed she was able to speak at all with her crotch riding the ridge of his cock. Every step he took rubbed them together and pushed her closer to an orgasm.

He paused in the doorway and tilted her so she could hit the light switch. The familiar whir of her ceiling fan filled the air as the light came on, and he grinned. "I knew your blood ran hot, Bethie."

With a giggle, she rolled her eyes. "I can't sleep without the sound. It's like white noise."

"I prefer sex noise, myself," he teased, lowering her along the front of his body. Standing in flat shoes with her breasts pressed to his lower rib cage, the top of her head only reached to his chin. The hard cock behind his zipper was equally as large as he was, and she grew a little nervous.

"Colby, I haven't done this in a really long time..."

He froze for a second, and then his large hands gently wrapped around her jaw, and lifted her face so she was forced to meet his gaze. His dark brown eyes were smiling as he kissed the tip of her nose and each eyelid before brushing his lips across hers. "We'll take it at whatever speed you're comfortable with, baby. Tell me what you like."

Emotion clogged her throat, and she shook her head, shrugging. "I don't know what I like. I've never really...explored."

A grin of satisfaction spread across his face, and he kissed her hard. "Perfect. You're too fucking perfect."

After that, there was no more speaking. His hands slid down her sides to the zipper on her slacks, and she could only focus on the there and then. She tried not to feel self-conscious as her pants slid over her hips and hit the floor. Colby wouldn't be here if he wasn't into her, whatever her shape. When he hissed out a breath and dropped to his knees in front of her, she realized had nothing to worry about.

He pressed an open-mouthed kiss to her belly button and skimmed his palms up and down the outer curve of her hips. "Perfect. Have I told you that yet? You've got the perfect pin-up body. All curves and legs, and fuck, those tits."

Sucking one nipple into his mouth, he nipped it and released it again with a loud pop when she squealed. Gently, he nudged her thighs further apart and pressed his face to the front of her pale yellow panties. They were cotton bikinis, nothing special, but the way he looked at them they could have been made of diamonds and gemstones.

One thick finger toyed with the edge, teasing until she clutched his head, just to stay standing. "Colby, please."

The pleasure Colby felt at that moment was something he'd never forget in a million years. If she'd handed him the keys to heaven's gates, he wouldn't have been happier. She wanted him. Maybe it was just for the moment, but it was something.

He grabbed her knees, and pressed against the backs so her legs buckled and she fell backward onto the bed with a loud cry. While she was still stunned, he divested her of her cute panties and focused on the gates of heaven he craved so badly.

Her pussy was covered with copper-colored curls that matched the hair on her head. She kept it neatly trimmed into a runway that led to the most beautiful pink-pearl pussy he'd ever laid eyes on. At the top, her clit poked its head out as if it reached for him, and just below, her passage clenched on air as it beckoned him inside. He was going to be lucky if he kept from shooting his load in his jeans while she rode his face.

Without giving her time to protest, he buried his face between her thighs, passionately kissing her pussy. He took the time to taste her everywhere, sucking and licking every inch of skin until she was writhing on the bed almost in agony from her need to come.

He knew how big his cock was, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt her, so he eased a finger into her tight tunnel, testing her. Instantly, her body clamped down on his invading digit, and she shrieked with pleasure as an orgasm rocked through her. With his finger doing the work, he lifted his head so he could watch as she came.

Cheeks flushed pink, the sunburst continued to spread down her chest to her nipples. Her eyes were closed, head was thrown back, hair askew on the bed, but it was her mouth that really grabbed his attention. It was open in a tight O that looked like a cross between pleasure and pain. His dick thumped his zipper as he imagined those lush lips wrapped around it.

Without another word, he got to his feet and pulled a condom out of his billfold, tossing it onto the bed next to her. His jeans landed in a pile at the foot of the bed, followed quickly by his jockey shorts, and as Elizabeth came out of her climax coma, he stroked his hand over his thick erection.

Her eyes widened, and seeing her lick her lips, made his balls draw tight. "Do you want me to..." She gestured to his cock, and her tongue darted out in invitation.

"Oh, Bethie, baby, I want that for sure, but not now. I need to be inside you now." Kneeling on the edge of the bed between her spread thighs, he rolled the condom over his cock and stroked it once again because she seemed to enjoy watching.

With movements slower and gentler than even he thought himself capable of, he ran the head of his dick up and down her dripping slit, gathering the moisture. Her body still clenched and unclenched on open air, so he filled her with his finger once more, this time focused on preparation instead of pleasure.

After a moment, he slid a second finger inside and carefully scissored them to stretch her unused muscles. When she tensed, he bent and sucked her nipple into his mouth to distract her. Before long, his two fingers moved smoothly in and out of her, and he lined his cock up with her opening and pressed forward.

Elizabeth's eyes rolled up into her head as the tip of his cock entered her, and her mouth opened in that sexy O again, as she gasped for air. Holding onto his control by the barest of threads, he froze after just a couple of inches inside her and let her muscles accommodate him.

When she relaxed, he released his grip on his cock and braced both hands near her shoulders. His hips continued the forward motion that brought him deeper into her recesses. The further he sank, the better her reaction. Her head tossed, and her hands came up under his arms to clutch at his lower back. Nails scratched into his skin, as she tried to pull him deeper.

He didn't change his speed, even with her clawing at him. He wanted her to remember this moment always, because he knew he'd never forget it. Possessing Elizabeth was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. It was raw and real. When his balls reached the moisture between her thighs, and his cock head hit her cervix, he let some of his weight down onto her and made the smallest of thrusts with his hips.

"Oh, my God!" she gasped, her head lifting and then slamming back down on the mattress. He made the move again, and she cried out, "Yes! More, please Colby!"

The words were music to his ears. She was there. On the same precipice where he was. They were together as they rode the waves of pleasure. Keeping his movements small and precise, he ground his pelvic bone at a downward angle so that it rubbed her clit, pushing her harder. He liked a good fast fuck usually, but this first time with Elizabeth was special, and he wanted her to experience the best orgasm of her life.

She squirmed beneath him, her heels pressed into the back of his thighs, and her hands gripped his back, then his forearms, and then his biceps, as if she was so lost in passion she couldn't figure out where she was.

It was perfect.

When her body began to tense and clench down on him, he lifted up and gave her a series of hard thrusts in the direction of her G-spot.

Her screams combined with his own orgasmic cry and echoed off the walls permanently branded into his brain. It was the best moment of his life, and he planned on doing it again and again until she realized she couldn't be without him, because right there at that moment, he knew he could never be without her again.

5.

Several days later...