I pushed Chad’s bedroom door wide open. My mind was unwavering, my jaw set. But when my eyes took in the bedroom, my plan crumbled.

Chad wasn’t in bed. He was at his closet, in the middle of putting in a flannel shirt over a tank top and jeans.

I stepped fully in the room, pushed the door closed. He looked up at the source of the noise. The corners of his lips kicked up in a grin.

I returned the smile, “You change your mind about something?” I wanted him to shake his head, to say that he hadn’t given up on me. To say that he was merely dressing to scoop me up and go to some hidden, shadowy place.

But no. He replied, “Kind of.”

I tried to quell my growing anxiety as I asked, “What changed?”

“My…motivation,” he answered slowly. He reached in the closet again, pulled out a brown leather belt.

Oh, God. He was giving up on me? Just as I had decided to give him what he wanted--what we both needed? I had to hear it, hear it from his lips.

“What about your motivation, Chad?”

He looked up at me; his eyes not soft and pitying, but blazing and determined. “I figure that to get what I want, I’m going to have to use force,”

“What do you want?”

Chad smiled, “You. Obviously.”

“You won’t need the belt for force, then,” I replied quickly. What else could I say? He had just confessed lusting after me.

Chad had just about to string the belt through the first belt loop. But he stopped, looked up with one brow raised.

“You won’t need force at all,” I added softly. I began to approach him, a soft smile on my lips. Along the way, I grasped the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. It was on the ground just as I was standing close enough to kiss him.

“Good.” he replied. “’Cause I don’t think I can wait any longer,”

My skin tingled, my blood thrummed and I felt like I’d been waiting forever. I tilted my face up to his, lips parted. Expectant.

He only teased me, gave me the slightest brush of mouth against mouth. I was done being teased. I wanted it all. I stepped in closer, gripped his mountainous shoulder and parted my lips.

His flavor came from the earth; unseasoned, male and pure. The scent teased me, the fragrance a mix of musk, rainwater and…Chad. His was an aroma as primitive as the earth, as essential as the sun. It made me satisfied, made me fulfilled at the same time.

The explosions of lighting were gone, so were the growls of thunder. There was no pouring rain, nor heavy gray storm clouds. All that existed was Chad and the bed. We were only a few feet away from it.

Chad’s lips moved to my neck and I arched my head like the back of a panther on the prowl. My hands were in his hair, moans escaping my lips. It was all I could do not to raise a racket as Chad moved south, taking off my jeans in the process.

I felt so dehydrated. I needed Chad in every way I could.

We were on the floor, Chad on top of me. His shirt was floating towards the ground. I made short work of his pants. Then a cry came from deep in my throat as Chad picked me up, my legs around his hips and my arms likewise around his neck. A few staggers towards the bed and we were crashing down on the covers.

Chad’s boxers were off. So were mine.

We both surrendered as darkness took over us.