"Is that the last of it?"

Barron watched with a heavy heart as his woman, his fucking heartbeat, placed the last of her bags down on the living room floor. It joined her other small carry-on case that he had been staring a hole into for the past thirty minutes.

It was a stark reminder that Eden's life was no longer in New Haven. Soon she and her two bags would leave on a plane and fuck knows when he'd be able to see or touch her again.

They hadn't discussed or made firm plans because casual.

Yesterday had felt like a fever dream. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever felt so happy, weightless, and free; just bathing in Eden's presence. Whenever the last time he had felt this good was - somehow he knew that it had involved Eden. Everything good and pure in his life had always involved Eden Jamison.

Barron rubbed his chest absently as he watched Eden rifle through her handbag, chatting away animatedly to her Mom. He felt like he was having an out-of-body experience. Like he was watching a scene play out but unable to discern what they were actually saying or participate in

any way.

Yesterday, after they had left the fair, they went straight back to his parent's house. Words weren't spoken, but they knew that they weren't quite ready to leave each other's company just yet.

Exhausted from a long day on their feet, they lounged by his pool talking about their day and reminiscing about past fair days that they had spent together. They alternated between lying on the sun loungers and sitting at the edge of the pool, their bare feet swishing in the cold water to cool off.

He could've stayed there all night with her, just talking about anything and everything. Staring at the way she waved her hands around as she chatted. Admiring the way the sinking sun turned the sky orange, illuminating the natural highlights in her hair. Her sun-kissed skin had glowed with a fine sheen of sweat from the heat of the day. Her body spray, which always smelled like a tropical vacation mixed with her natural scent, tickled his nose. There were many times that he caught himself leaning in closer for a sniff, like a drug addict needing a hit. It took all of him not to reach out and lick her, to test his theory that she tasted as delicious as she smelled.

Their bubble burst when his parents had come home, weary from helping out with the festivities. His Mom had perked up when she spied the two of them sitting shoulder to shoulder by the pool and promptly offered to make a light dinner for them all. He felt like a petulant child reluctant to share his toys. He wanted Eden all to himself but knew that his Mom was feeling sad at the thought of Eden leaving the following day.

His mood was further darkened by his Mom's line of questioning while they ate on the patio.

"So, what plans do you two have?"

Eden glanced at him uncertainly. "Like, when I'm back in New York?"

His Mom waved her hand in the air. Her attempt at appearing breezy when Barron knew she was digging for info.

"Or whenever. Are you coming back after Milan? Is Barron visiting you? That sorta thing." His Mom busied herself by scooping more pasta salad onto her plate, pretending like she was only asking about the weather.

Truth is, he was grateful that she asked because he had no fucking idea where they stood after she left. Casual was such a nondescript word.

The dress code is casual.

Wanna meet up for casual drinks?

Let's take a casual stroll down Main Street.

We're just casually fucking.

"I have some work stuff to take care of after Milan. I'm back in New Haven for Thanksgiving."

"Oh!" His Mom blinked as she tried not to look dismayed. All pretense of looking busy was dropped as she realized that when they had told them that they were casually dating each other and weren't back together - they actually meant it.

As cut up as he was about their "up in the air" situation, he chimed in at her defense. Eden deserved to be a little wary of their relationship. He meant it when he promised her no strings in exchange for exploring their new status. He wanted her to be as comfortable as possible.

"Ma, I told you, we're playing it by ear. We're gonna FaceTime, text, and call each other," he assured her. And he planned on abusing the hell outta his phone to do so.

He had some other ideas as well to keep him at the forefront of her mind while they were separated. Let her know that he was putting the work in to win her trust - and her love - back.

When they had said good night to each other it took everything in him not to pull her into his arms and resume the hot as fuck kiss they had shared on the Ferris wheel. The feel of her soft lips under his, her unique scent mixing on his tongue, Jesus her hand on his thigh; the way it tightened every time he stroked his tongue against hers.

But he didn't want to push his luck. Baby steps, easy does it. He had to look at the big picture; the end goal.

"Can I come over tomorrow morning before you leave?" He wanted to spend as much time with her as possible... hell, he would've offered to drive her to New York himself if he didn't think it would scare her off.

So here he was. Watching the love of his life casually pack up her belongings. She might as well put his heart in her handbag while she was at it.

After one last check that she had her purse, Eden zipped up her small carry-on and sighed tiredly as she stood. With nothing else left to do she rubbed her hands up and down the side of her thighs as she gave him an awkward smile.

This is it.

"So..." Eden started as rubbed at a spot on her arm. Her eyes bounced around the room as if she was looking for something else to pack in her bag. "Uh, I should -"

Susan cleared her throat, interrupting her daughter. She had obviously picked up on the heavy tension in the room. Susan pulled her handbag over her shoulder and grabbed her car keys as they watched.

"We don't have to go right away, hon. There's still time to catch your flight. I'll give you two privacy to say goodbye." She rubbed her hand up and down Eden's back in encouragement before giving him a smile full of pity.

She patted his chest as she strolled past. "Take your time, sweetie," she murmured before opening and closing the door behind her.

The silence was deafening as they regarded each other in the wake of Susan's hasty retreat. The air felt thick and weighted between them. He had so much that he wanted to say but at the same time, he didn't want to overwhelm her with the enormity of his feelings. Instead, he pasted on a smile as he gestured to her bags.

"You packed light considering how long you were here for."

Eden gave a muted smile as she fingered the handle of her suitcase. "I'm a seasoned traveler," she softly explained. "If there's one thing I know how to do, it's pack light.

"Right." Her words made him remember that after New York Fashion Week she was headed straight to Milan.

He watched as Eden crossed to their couch to sit, patting the seat beside her. "Come sit for a moment?"

"Of course," he eagerly joined her, turning his body and stretching his arm along the headrest behind her. His hand was close to a few strands of hair and Barron itched to tangle his fingers in them.

Eden glanced shyly at him as she pushed her hair behind one ear. "So, I just wanted to let you know about the next few weeks. Fashion Week is crazy. I don't have a schedule as such, I won't have one til pretty much the day of."

Barron nodded slowly. "I understand, E. Like I said, I'm not going anywhere. You message me whenever you have a free moment."

She looked relieved. As if she expected him to be annoyed at her hectic schedule.

"I hope you didn't feel any pressure from my Mom last night. I don't think she's quite grasped the concept of our situation."

Eden gave a soft laugh. "No, she was fine. I just didn't want her thinking that we weren't-" she paused, moving her head slightly side to side as she grappled with the right words. "-seriously dating," she finished.

His heart leaped at her use of the word 'serious.'

"And are we? Serious?" He swallowed the lump in his throat as he waited for her response.

A light pink stained her cheeks as she flicked her gaze down to examine her fingernails. "Well, I'm serious about trying with you," she told him softly, causing his heart to deflate a little.

"That's why I wanted to let you know that although my days will be long and busy if you don't hear from me it's not because I'm not interested." She glanced up at him, her blue eyes were sincere.

"Your Mom actually got me thinking when we told her that we were playing it by ear. I'm not having fun with you for the hell of it. I genuinely want to try again, to see if our feelings are real and if we can go the distance this time."

"Baby," he grasped her warm hands in his. "My feelings are one hundred percent real. I don't need to date you to know that. But I understand that you need time. Fuck what anyone else has to say about it." He squeezed her hand in earnest. "It's just you and me, sweetheart. Okay?"

Eden returned his squeeze. "Okay," she murmured.

Appeased, he nodded. "Good."

He went to pull his hand back but her grip tightened, stopping him. He looked at her questionably as she stared down at her hand in his. A hum sounded from her as she lazily rubbed her fingers against the back of his hand. A shiver of excited tingles trickled down his neck. Even though it was a simple touch, his cock began to swell behind his briefs and his breathing grew a little shallow.

"You know what I always wondered?" She slowly asked as she continued tracing the back of his hand with her thumb.

Barron swallowed back the saliva that had pooled in his mouth as his heartbeat quickened at her soft touch. How could just a simple caress cause such a visceral response from him?

"What's that?" He sounded strangled.

"How you work in an office most days yet you have these," she flipped his hand over, palm side up. With her forefinger, she traced the raised grooves that were slightly lighter than the color of his palm.

"Uhhh..." What was happening? He hoped like hell that this was going where he thought it was. His cock was already way ahead of him.

She ran her thumb slowly up and down the ball of his palm, pausing to circle each grove.

Licking his dry lips he finally found his voice. "To save money, Dad and I did some of the construction on The Good Home. I... uh... I-"

He lost his train of thought as Eden started to trace circles around the center of his palm, trailing up his inner wrist towards the crease of his inner elbow, before smoothing back down to stroke at his calloused palms again.

Goosebumps prickled along his arms, hairs stood on end, and the back of his neck tingled which each stroke of her delicate fingers.

His mouth had dried out and he was pretty sure he looked like a drowning fish with his mouth gaping open. And as for his cock - shit, he felt like it could punch through his shorts with how hard it was.

"Uhhh..." Shit, what was he trying to say before?

"Barron?" Eden's voice was silky smooth and coy. She continued to trace the lines and groves on his palm; up and down, around and around. Her gaze was concentrated on her task.

"Y-yeah?"

Finally, she glanced up at him beneath her long lashes. Her mouth curved in a coquettish smile. "How long do I have to keep stroking you before you kiss me?"

Before she had even finished her last word, Barron had already moved forward to cup her cheek. He swallowed her giggle which ended in a low moan as his mouth eagerly covered hers.

Tongues tangled together as their lips moved in a unison of passionate urgency. Every emotion he wished he could convey to her, he poured into their kiss.

He buried his hands in her hair, cupping the back of her head before pulling lightly causing her head to tilt back. Her mouth broke from his in a gasp as he trailed hot, wet kisses down the side of her face before burying his lips against her neck.

He felt her shiver in pleasure and a low moan sounded out as his mouth sucked lightly at a spot just below her ear. A spot he knew drove her crazy every time he had pleasured it. His cock jumped at the thrill of knowing he could still illicit such a guttural response from her.

"Barron..." she panted as her fingers curled against his T-shirt, bunching it and pulling at the material.

He traced his mouth back up her neck until he licked at the delicate shell of her ear. He twisted a few strands of hair around his fingers and pulled her head to the side in order to gain better access to the smooth contours of her neck.

"Tell me," he demanded as he pressed open-mouthed kisses along her jawline. "Tell me what you need."

She moved her hands beneath the hem of his shirt until her fingers made contact with his bare skin. "Fuuuuccck," he moaned against her cheek as she stroked his hard stomach. A bit of pre-come leaked from his slit at her touch.

He cupped the back of her neck and brought his mouth down firmly against hers. Her mouth opened again beneath his, accepting his kiss as it grew desperate. It wasn't a gentle kiss. It was rough, hard, and wet. Saliva was swapped, tongues were sucked, lips were bit, and teeth clashed.

He felt Eden pull at his shirt. Realizing what she needed, he moved forward; crowding her. He paused to give her a chance to stop. But instead of stilling him, she continued to move back on the couch.

"Yes," she moaned against his mouth before sucking at his bottom lip, grazing it lightly with her teeth.

He slowly moved over her, following her movements as she retreated back onto her elbow. His arms landed at her sides, blockading her in. With one elbow holding her weight, Eden used her other hand to cup the back of his neck.

Their kiss gentled somewhat as they adjusted to the new position. That is until he felt her legs spread around him, welcoming his body between hers. She lay fully back, pulling him further down on top of her. He collapsed but made sure to tense his arms to avoid crushing her.

Eden had on a pair of light cotton shorts. He could feel the searing heat of her pussy and the scent of her arousal. He was also pretty certain she could feel his hard cock digging into her crotch.

A moan was drawn from him as her hips swiveled slightly, encouraging his own movement. He ground down against her cloth-covered mound earning a groan of pleasure from both of them.

He forced himself to pull back, his eyelids heavy with lust as he surveyed her; spread out in front of him like a willing sacrifice.

Her eyes were at half mast and her hair was in tangled disarray around her. Lush lips were red and swollen, wet from their greedy kiss. A flush had worked itself around her neck, disappearing down the vee of her T-shirt, spreading around her heaving breasts.

He felt her hands grip the shirt on his lower back, pressing hard causing his lower half to grind down against her. He went to move back, to give her room but was stopped by her fingers which dug into his back again.

One undulated movement of her hips. Then two. Then three. Before it dawned on him what she wanted. His eyes flicked to her, wanting to be sure. As much as he wanted to sink his aching cock into her, he sensed that she wasn't quite easy for that.

But from the swivel of her hips, the mouth-watering scent of her pussy, and her telltale flushed 'I'm horny' face; she definitely needed some release.

And he was more than willing to help her out with that.

"You sure, baby?" He panted, even though Barron Jr was telling him to shut the fuck up and take whatever Eden was offering. "Tell me what you want."

She observed him carefully, her eyes still heavy, as she again ground herself against his hard cock. "Just like this," she breathed as she slowly dry-humped him.

He didn't need to be told twice. He aimed his hips down and rubbed his cock against her warm pussy until he...right there.

Eden groaned as she felt the hard length of his cock line up perfectly with her slit. She arched her back and threw back her head, exposing the smooth curve of her neck.

Barron grunted as he thrust his groin against hers in a short, stabbing rhythm. Her long legs had fallen apart and he could feel them climbing up his back, welcoming his driving cock.

Sweat had pooled on his brow, his breaths were coming out in short pants and the pulse at the base of Eden's delicate throat was calling for his lips to suction.

But Barron had a front-row seat to watch his woman fall apart - something he hadn't witnessed since they were seventeen. So as much as he wanted to bury himself in her warmth and go fucking ham on her, he held himself back.

He wanted to see her breath hitch as the blush on her chest grew darker. He wanted to see her eyes roll to the back of her head and her mouth open in a silent scream as her hands gripped at his arms for purchase.

And by the way she was responding now, he figured that would happen right about...

"Ooooohhh, yes!"

Barron stilled for a split second at her verbal bellow as she fell apart in a physically explosive climax. Her body bowed and she bit her lip against the moans that were spilling from her mouth.

"Holy fucking shit." He felt the rush of dampness between them and without thinking he reached down to cup her mound. His balls pulsed at the heat and wetness he felt coming off her. Acting on instinct, he pressed his heel against her clit and rubbed it in a circular motion.

"Yes, fucking right there!" She cried out.

"Fuck, baby, you're so wet," he groaned. She clutched at his arm, using it as leverage to direct his hand where she needed it.

"That's it, baby. Take what you need."

He watched in rapt awe as Eden shattered around him. Her guttural groans eventually turning into soft mewls, her body contortion sinking back down slowly to the couch cushion.

Watching Eden come, making her come, was one of his favorite things to do. All her tale tell signs were there. The only difference was, instead of silent screams and quiet shudders, Eden had developed into this groaning, writhing sex kitten who wasn't afraid to take what she needed - both physically and verbally.

A wave of jealousy flowed through him as he pictured her with different lovers over the years. Even though they were still compatible now sexually - if the wetness on her cotton shorts and his hard-as-steel cock was anything to go by - she had obviously evolved in her sexual experience.

Eden had seven years to learn new tricks. Instead of them growing and learning together, other men had taken his place in her bed and with them, she had finessed her role as a sexual partner.

And it's all your fucking fault.

"Barron?" Eden's hesitant voice called out to him. Her face was still flushed, her hair was a tangled mess and her clothes were still in disarray. She had come down off her high and was now regarding him in a questioning manner. He realized that he has been staring down at her with a clenched jaw as he wallowed on his morbid thoughts.

"Sorry, baby," he managed to croak. His arms were starting to give way so he pulled back slightly. "I was just thinking how hot you looked." That wasn't a lie. The vision and sound of her coming apart would be stored in his spank bank while she was in New York.