“I hope you don’t think we’re done,” I said breathlessly as I moved my hands to the waistband of his jeans.

“You don’t need to return the favor.”

I shook my head and unzipped his pants, grabbing his rock hardness in my hands. “I want you inside of me.”

He sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Are you sure? Because once we start I won’t stop and if after your surgery and all that you’re still sore—”

I cut him off by leaning in and biting his bottom lip. “I want you in me, Jonathan Walden.” I yanked his pants and boxers down until they were at his feet and he kicked them off.

“I love this take charge girl.” He grinned, but then his face fell when he reached into his pocket.

“What’s wrong?” I propped up on my elbows. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No...um...I didn’t exactly think we’d be doing this so I didn’t bring any protection.”

I smiled slowly and reached over to my purse on the nightstand. I fished around for the condoms that I’d grabbed at Student Health Services the day I planned on getting birth control.

“What the hell? Where did you get all of those?” His eyes widened.

“Better safe than sorry. And I plan on being safe. A lot.”

The grin returned to his lips as I ripped open the foil packet and rolled it on him like my life depended on it.

“I love you, Melanie.” He spread my legs, putting his hands on my waist as he slowly inched inside of me. I gasped, feeling his fullness with each ridge sending a new wave of pleasure and pain through me. He stilled inside of me, as if relishing the moment. Then he thrusted deeper inside of me, rocking his hips against mine like he did on the dance floor. But this was even more mind blowing, every part of my body tingling with pleasure from his touch.

With each movement, I felt like an invisible wall was being taken down. I was finally able to let go. I didn’t think about cancer or measuring up. He rubbed his thumb in circles on my clit while he continued rocking inside of me. I came around him over and over, finally letting go. I was glad Valerie wasn’t home because it was hard to keep quiet with the way my body responded to his.

“Baby, you’re gonna make me come if you keep going like that,” he said breathlessly.

I grabbed onto his hair, tugging it forcefully. “I wanna make you let go. Let me drive.”

I put my hands on his shoulders and inched him backward until he was in a sitting position with me on top, facing him. I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist and pushed him deeper inside of me.

His eyes widened and he moaned into my lips. “Oh, fuck, baby.”

We moved in unison, slowly and then faster. His fingers gripped onto my ass. “Let go for me, John.”

With that I felt him shudder inside of me, a low groan escaping his lips before he laid his head on my chest, his movements coming to a complete stop.

“That was amazing. You’re amazing,” he said between breaths.

“You are, John.” I kissed his temple. “But as much as I’d love to stay here, naked with you, we should probably get our clothes on so my sister doesn’t come home and find us like this.”

I climbed off of him, feeling almost as good getting out as he did coming in. I slowly sat up, still feeling the aftershocks of pleasure, but knew I had to get some clothes on. Once we were both dressed and he discarded the condom in the trash, I lead him out into the living room.

John plopped down on the couch and I sat next to him, resting my head on his shoulder as he slid his arm around my waist and pulled me closer. John kissed my forehead and then leaned back to look into my eyes.

“As great as that was, I just wanted you to know that I do love you. So much. I’ve gone too long without being in love and when I finally let go, and let myself love you, it’s been the most amazing thing in the world,” he said with his eyes never leaving mine.

I was about to give into a kiss when my phone vibrated on the table. I glanced over, expecting it to be Valerie asking when she could come home, but it was a different number. Dr. Rodriguez’ number.

“Hold that thought, baby.” I put my hand up and reached over, picking up the phone and sliding it up to my ear. “Hello, this is Melanie.”

John eyed me skeptically so I mouthed ‘doctor.’ He nodded in response, taking my free hand in his again.

“Hi Melanie, this is Dr. Rodriguez. I know this is a holiday, so I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“No, no it’s fine.”

“Okay, good. I just knew you were waiting on these results and they came in early, so I thought I’d give you a Christmas gift. The tests came back and there aren’t any remaining cancer cells on your cervix.”

“What? No cancer? I’m cured?”

She laughed lightly. “We like to call it remission, but yes. Basically. I’d still like to see you in my office next week to go over follow ups, but I thought you’d like the news early.”

The tears flowed freely from my eyes. Not like the tears from the first phone call, but bright happy tears that I couldn’t hold back. “Thank you so much, Dr. Rodriguez.”

“You’re welcome, Melanie. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you, too.”

I hung up the phone and then looked at John. There were tears in his eyes as well. “Is it true, Red? No more cancer?”

I nodded and then leapt into his waiting arms as he embraced me in a huge hug. “That’s fucking awesome.”

“It is, isn’t it?” I sniffled into his chest.

He pulled back, wiping the tears from under my eyes. “This is turning out to be a better Christmas than I thought.”

“And none of it would have been possible without you.”

He slowly shook his head. “I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. It was all you.”

“But I wouldn’t have wanted to do any of it without you, John. I love you.”

“I love you too, Melanie. And I always will.”

Epilogue

One Year later


There were many moments I had with Melanie. So many perfect days to celebrate. There was the Halloween party where we first met. Thanksgiving break when I first fell in love with her. But the best was probably Christmas Eve. The day I actually got the balls to tell her that I loved her and we got the call that she was in remission from cancer.

Melanie was taking a long time to get ready as usual. We were supposed to spend Christmas Eve at her mom’s, but I told her I had a detour planned before we went there. I didn’t tell her where we were going because I knew she loved surprises. She told me that she didn’t, but every time I would surprise her with something I loved to watch the way her eyes lit up. Just like they did last Christmas when I showed up at her house. And not to mention it was pretty close to her O face, which was pretty fucking hot.

She was holed up in the bathroom, which left me surfing through channels. Her mom wasn’t too happy that I moved in with her, but there was no stopping it. There was no fucking way I was moving back into the Alpha Mu house and if I was spending all of my time there anyway, there was no reason not to.

Melanie finally emerged from the bathroom, smelling amazing from her cucumber melon body wash and her hair falling in loose curls around her shoulders. I wanted to peel the sweater off of her right there and take in every inch of her amazing body. But I couldn’t. We had plans that there was no way in hell I was breaking.

“Where are we going?”

I grinned and stood up. “Come on, Red, why would I tell you that?”

She rolled her eyes. “Are we doing this again?”

I took a few steps to her. The apartment was small enough that it didn’t take too long to get to her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her against me. I could feel myself getting hard just from her touch. There had been plenty of other girls, but there wasn’t one like Melanie. She was always so focused and I loved getting her flustered. “Always, Red. Always.”

“John, if you don’t let go of me, we may never leave this apartment.” She wrapped her arms around my neck, leaning in on her tiptoes. “Unless that’s the plan?”

“As much as I’d love to spend the night here, making you come over and over again, I have other plans for us.” I stepped back and took her hands in mine. As hard as it was to ignore my dick, I had to. I wasn’t fucking these plans up. “Now come on.”

I drove the familiar stretch of highway that I did over a year ago. The night I realized how much I really did love her. Sure, I knew there was something the night she showed up for Whiskey Wednesday. When I first kissed her I knew that I was a goner for those soft lips and big green eyes. I thought maybe I just wanted to nail the uptight girl with a thing for Harry Potter. Then she got the call from her doctor and I watched the put together girl crumble. I got to see her vulnerable side and it was amazing. But I was too stupid to realize how great she was. It wasn’t until I took her ice skating that I realized how much I loved her vulnerability and watching her out of her element made her all the more sexy.

“This place? Again?” She stared at the old ice skating rink.

“What if someday you want to take up figure skating?”

She smirked. “Yes, so you can re-enact that fantasy you have about me wearing spandex while you wear your hockey uniform.”

“Hmmm. That would be nice, but the ice may be too cold for that. We could try the locker room though, if you’re up for it.”

She scrunched her nose in the adorable way that brought out her dimples. “No thanks.”

“Well then we’d better get our asses inside before I bend you over right here in the car.”