“You ‘bout ready?” I call from the doorway as Justin shakes out a blanket onto the grass just beneath a large orange tree.

“Yep, all set,” he says, smoothing the edges of the blanket out with his foot before jogging back to the house.

“Here take these,” I say, handing him two paper plates with sandwiches and potato chips piled high. “I’ll get the drinks.”

“Mine better be alcohol,” he grumbles and I giggle, grabbing two beers from the fridge and trotting out the sliding glass door.

He’s just settling onto the blanket as I make my way over, leaning back on locked arms and heaving a sigh, turning his face to the evening sun and I think he’s finally gotten over the roast disaster. I grin at him, setting the drinks down next to our plates and settling next to him, fanning my skirt out around my legs. He turns on his hip, reaching a hand out to brush the hair off my shoulder, cupping my face and I smile at him, nuzzling against his palm softly. He tugs my face forward his lips brushing mine softly and that familiar tingle spreads down to my center. He grins at me, pulling back and reaching for his sandwich.

“Did you have fun at the museum?” he asks, before taking a bite and my eyes widen.

“Ugh yes it was awesome!” I exclaim, reaching for my own sandwich. “Did you know they have the most extensive collection of Greek and Roman art on the west coast?”

“Can’t say that I did,” he grins and it widens when I babble on about the sculptures and pottery, explaining that really, the Met needs to put more money into our Greek department and try and acquire some of those pieces or at least get them for research.

“… I mean some of those things date back to 600 B.C.!” I conclude and Justin’s eyebrows raise, nodding in feigned astonishment. I blush. “Sorry…”

“No!” Justin says, reaching out to touch my arm. “No I like when you ramble about that stuff.” He grins. “It takes me back.”

“God, to what? Me trying to pound the information into your brain,” I chuckle, reaching to scratch at my hand and find an ant, crawling along my finger. I flick it away annoyed, but then again what’s a picnic without ants?

“Oh I think I was the one doing the pounding,” Justin responds and grins widely when I gasp, slapping him on his shoulder. “What?” he exclaims, sitting up and crossing his legs, wiping a hand down his arm. “Ugh ant.”

“You are such a pervert,” I tease, reaching to pinch at his ribs and he grins, propelling himself forward until he’s on his hands and knees, face inches from mine.

“You like me this way,” he growls, his nose nuzzling against mine and my breath catches in my throat at the lust in his voice.

He presses his mouth to mine and my hand moves to the back of his head as he kisses me again and again, his tongue slipping into my mouth and tasting me thoroughly. He crawls over me and I let myself fall back, his hand cradling my head as his mouth devours mine. Screw dinner. I want him right now. He settles between my legs and I moan at the pressure, wanting to feel him, all of him. I’ve waited all day for this.

His lips trail down my neck, licking and sucking slowly but suddenly he stops, pulling back to wipe his fingers against my collarbone. I look at him confused and he shakes his head at me, dipping down again to nibble at my shoulder.

“Ant,” he murmurs against my skin and I giggle, my arms wrapping around his shoulders, hips pressing up harder into him.

He hums, rocking against me slowly and I can feel the tingle in my legs, my body humming with pleasure. His mouth slides along my shoulder, tongue dotting wetly against me, my skin crawling with anticipation. Or maybe that isn’t anticipation, the soft tickle against my legs and shoulders. I push at Justin’s shoulder and he growls, pulling back to look at my face.

“What?” he asks slightly breathless and I shift slightly, my legs itchy, skin crawling.

“I dunno. Something…”

My voice trails as I look down and let out a shrill scream, long lines of black ants, crawling over my legs…and my arms…and Justin’s arms. He jumps back, swatting furiously at himself as I do the same, but it’s not helping. I can still feel them crawling all over me. Tears sting my eyes and my breathing is labored, panic seizing me. I have to get them off me. They have to get off me!

“Come on,” Justin says, grabbing my wrist and tugging me to my feet and I can still feel them marching up my legs, on my shoulders and my chest, everywhere. “Its okay, come on.”

But I can’t move, too busy swatting feebly at the little black bodies crawling over my skin, too panicked to think straight. Justin growls, hooking his arm behind my knees and pulling me to his chest before taking off running towards the house. He darts through the kitchen and across the Great room, sprinting down a hallway and into a bathroom I didn’t even know existed. He’s setting me down, my legs trembling underneath me and he grabs the hem of my dress, tugging it roughly over my head and I’m completely naked except for the bugs that are still dotting my skin. I swat at them furiously as Justin reaches to turn on the shower, stripping himself quickly before lifting me into the tub and stepping in behind me.

“Come on Sky its okay,” he breathes as he forces me under the shower head, his large hands skimming from my shoulders to my wrists, down over my breasts and across my stomach, over my ass and down my legs, wiping away every trace of the bugs.

I nod, curling my arms up to my chest, clasping my hands together as I try to stop shaking, my heart finally dislodging itself from my throat. I move out of the way so he can step under the spray, rinsing his body thoroughly, his eyes closed, spitting out the water that seeps into his mouth. His eyes open, meeting mine and I try and smile at him though I’m still trembling, my heart still racing.

He reaches for me, tugging me against his chest and I unclasp my arms to wrap them under his, clutching at his back as I press my cheek into his shoulder. His hand rubs soothingly up and down my back, his lips pressing to my hair as I finally start to calm down a little, my eyes closing and I heave a sigh. His hands come between us to cup my face, pressing his lips to my forehead and I grip his wrists, eyes closing as he kisses down my face his lips finally claiming mine.

“I wanted so bad for this to be perfect,” he sighs, his breath rushing against my lips and I smile softly at him, wiping the water from his face.

“It has been,” I say quietly and he snorts.

“Skylar, this vacation has been far from perfect.”

I smile at him. “Okay true, but it’s certainly been interesting,” I laugh and he chuckles, nodding his head in concession.

I press my mouth to his and he sighs, arms tightening around me, pressing our naked bodies together and the want for him comes back full force. I’m ready to do this. I need it right now. And he must too because he hooks his arms under my knees, lifting me and pressing me back into the shower wall. I gasp, feeling him hardening against my lower belly, panting as I smooth the water from his face, his eyes searching mine. He smiles at me slowly, somewhat shyly, lips brushing mine and I’m twenty-three years old again and it’s so wrong but he just feels so fucking good. He kisses me slowly, purposefully, one hand reaching between us to guide himself to my entrance.

“Justin?”

He growls deeply in frustration, his head falling to my shoulder and I can’t help the whine that tugs from my throat, my fingers clutching at the back of his head weakly. So close. I gasp as his fist slams into the tile wall, his body shaking with frustration and my nails scratch at his scalp soothingly, shushing him softly.

The voice calls his name again, but it’s closer this time and I think I recognize it now. But no it can’t be… there is no way. God is not cruel enough to have her walk in on us in the shower twice.

“Seriously?” he asks me, his voice unbelieving as he pulls his head back to look at me, his eyes large. “Am I being fucking punished for something?”

“Justin, honey, are you in there?”

I give him a sympathetic look and he sighs, hanging his head. We just can’t seem to win today.

“Yeah, Mom can you come back later I’m busy,” he says, his voice weak as if he doesn’t really believe she’ll do as he asks.

“Well, I just came by to see how things were going. I know you were nervous about Sky coming here…” his mother says, her soft southern drawl coming from directly behind the door now.

He squeezes his eyes shut and I grin at him. So I wasn’t the only one with reservations about this vacation? He lets my legs slide from around his waist and I frown at him, running my hands over his shoulders, his muscles tense beneath my palms. I paw at his chest and he gives a slight shake of his head and I can tell it’s taking all his willpower not to blow up.

“Where is Skylar?” Lynn asks and Justin growls again, ripping the curtain back.

He snatches a towel from the rack, wrapping it quickly around his waist, heading to the door. I step further back into the shower with a gasp as he swings the door open.

“Oh hi honey,” Lynn says jovially. “Where’s Sky?”

“She’s here,” Justin says and I cringe, the twenty-three year old in me still deathly afraid Lynn will rip me apart with her bare hands for defiling her son.

“Oh, where? I didn’t see her in the house,” Lynn asks and I peek my head out from behind the curtain, holding it against me to cover my nakedness.

“Hi Lynn,” I say smiling awkwardly and Justin is standing there, his head hanging back as if he can’t really believe this is happening to him and I know it’s taking everything in him to keep his patience.

“Oh…” his mother says, her voice surprised and a little strained. “Well, hey. You and I need to sit down and catch up.”

My fingers tighten around the shower curtain as she smiles at me and that’s not just any smile. That is the pleasant smile of a woman who is determined to find out just what exactly is going on between her son and I. Her smile says “you will tell me everything or I will drag it out of you.” I swallow hard.

“Mom…please,” Justin says heaving a sigh and closing the door a little.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Lynn says, wringing her hands and chuckling awkwardly. I give her a tight smile, clutching the shower curtain tightly.

“I know.” Justin closes the door a little more.

“I just wanted to make sure things were going okay.”

“They’re not,” he says, closing the door a little more.

“Why?” Lynn asks her voice high with concern.

“MOTHER! WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?!” he exclaims, finally breaking and Lynn and I both jump at his outburst.

“I’m sorry honey I’m going,” Lynn says sighing and reaching to pat the side of his face affectionately. He sighs. “Bye Skylar.”

“Bye,” I reply weakly as Justin shuts the door and stands there, chest heaving, the anger and frustration emanating off him. “Jus-”

“Don’t,” he says, cutting me off, his voice low. “Just…” he sighs, “just don’t.”

“Baby-”

“No!” he exclaims as he turns to face me, his voice echoing harshly in the small room and I silence instantly, ducking my head slightly. “I worked really hard. I planned…” his voice is quiet and he almost seems to be talking to himself. I’ve never seen him like this before, barely controlled and seemingly at his wits end. “I planned… I…I made lists! Look!” he bends down to grab his jeans and pulls out a wad of papers, his untidy scrawl barely visible.

“You made lists?” I ask carefully, unable to mask the smile in my voice. He is too freaking cute sometimes.

“YES!” he exclaims, his eyes widening. “LISTS!” he throws them in the air and I jump as they flutter to the floor around him like confetti. “I worked hard and I planned and I made fucking lists.” He grumbles and his voice takes on that barely controlled edge again. “I wanted everything to be perfect but I burned dinner… and… the studio,” he growls, “and that goddamn ticket and the fucking ants! I mean WHAT?” he’s yelling now, his face turning red and all I can do is listen to him fall to pieces. He sighs, his hands flailing as he whines, “I get we’re kinda weird. You know…you were my teacher and I’m…I’m younger than you and this is kinda crazy,” he laughs, a maniacal edge to it and I just stare at him wide eyed. “Us together is crazy. After all these years, it’s fucking nuts but goddammit…” he sighs, his shoulders slumping, hanging his head, his voice weak as he finally loses steam. “I just wanted it to be perfect.”

I just watch him for a moment, marveling at him and how much he cares. He’s always cared so much, more than me for the most part and now, now I’m able to really appreciate him. I’m able to look at him and see the man he is and the man he wants to be for me. And I want him to see that I love him for that. I want him to see that I appreciate it and cherish it and it’s so fucking important to me now. I know it wasn’t really before, or I wouldn’t let it be before, but it is now. It always has been, really. I’ve loved him always. I’ll never stop.

His chest is still heaving slightly, his ears red now, embarrassed by his outburst. He’s scowling at the floor, his bottom lip protruding slightly and I haven’t seen him make that face since that summer so many years ago. I find I’ve missed it, even though I’m glad he’s grown into a more masculine maturity, I really believe I missed his pout. I do the only thing I can at this realization. I giggle softly.

“And now you’re laughing at me,” he sighs turning away from me and I try to stop.

“No! Justin,” I exclaim, laughter still bubbling in my voice, “It’s…it’s adorable.”

“I don’t want to be adorable!” he whines and stomps his foot. He actually stomps his foot. I bite my lip hard, doing everything I can to bite back my laughter but it’s not enough.

“Well, you are,” I say smiling softly at him. “Come here.”

“No,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest. “No this whole thing is just fucking doomed. We need to give up.”

He throws his hands in the air and opens the door, slipping out of the bathroom. I gasp in alarm, reaching down and turning off the shower, grabbing for a towel and stumbling quickly after him. Doomed? How can he say we’re doomed?

“Justin-”

“No! No, no no,” he says stubbornly, raising a hand to me as he crosses the Great room and starts up the stairs. “No.”

He’s shaking his head, his feet stomping the stairs as he makes his ascent and I realize this isn’t about us, this is about what we’ve been trying to do all damn day. I purse my lips as I follow him up the steps, taking two at a time, determined. He is not quitting on me now. We are gonna do this. I don’t care if I have to hold him down. We’re doing this.

I approach his bedroom and he’s in his closet, towel balled up on the floor, pawing through his underwear drawer, his back to me. My breath catches in my throat as I take in the tan expanse of his back, his broad shoulders, tiny waist and even smaller ass. My pussy throbs. I need him now.

“Justin-”

“No,” he responds, shaking out a pair of briefs and prepares to step into them.

“Justin, you’re being ridiculous,” I huff and he stops, turning to face me and it’s everything I can do to bite back a moan at the sight of him naked in front of me, my very own Greek god.

“Am I Skylar? Am I really?” he asks, throwing his underwear to the floor and striding out towards me, standing in the middle of his bedroom, buck ass naked. “I just wanted to be with you,” he says pitifully, his shoulders slumping and his wall comes down, finally letting me really see him. “Me and you, that’s what I wanted.”

I step to him, reaching to touch his face. “We are together.”

“I wanted for us to be together,” he says earnestly as if he hadn’t even heard me, his blue eyes wide and searching mine, “because we never could before…”

And in that moment, I see him, seventeen years old and holding onto me as tightly as he could, holding onto us, wishing he could change things. Wishing he was older, wishing I was just another girl in his class instead of his teacher. I feel his desperation and frustration, his furious desire to make it right. To fix us so nothing will ever break us again, to make us fit seamlessly together and for everything to be perfect so we’ll never have to be apart. My heart aches at the realization that he’s still so desperately afraid of losing me.

“Justin,” I say softly, my hands cupping his face and he won’t look at me, his eyes trained resolutely on the floor. “Justin…look at me.”

His blue eyes flick to mine and he swallows hard. I smile softly at him, stroking his cheek and his eyes close, pressing his face into my hand and my stomach trembles when he looks at me again, love so fierce, so deep staring back at me.

“We’re together,” I say, nodding at him and he still looks uncertain.

“I can’t lose you again,” he breathes, his voice raw with emotion and my heart aches with his sincerity.

“I’m not going anywhere. I need you. God I need you,” I breathe, my entire body tensing with the words. “It’s you, Jus,” I breathe, my thumb stroking his cheekbone. “It’s always been you. It was you then and it’s you now and it will never, ever stop being you. I love you. I’m never going to quit.”

His arms wrap around me tightly, crushing our bodies together and my arms wrap around his waist, palms pressing flat against the roundest part of his back, my towel falling to our feet. His hand moves to the back of my head, pressing my face to his shoulder, holding me tight and I can’t help the goose bumps that break out over my skin, feeling him pressed against me so close, my entire body begging for him still. Even after all these years I still can’t get enough of him.

I press my lips to his shoulder and then to his collarbone, following it with my tongue until it dips into the base of his throat, my lips dragging up, feeling his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows hard. My lips suck at that sweet spot just below his ear and he shivers hard, his large hands closing around my biceps and pulling me away from him. I whine softly, nails scratching at his back and he looks down at me uncertainly.

“Sky, maybe this is a bad idea,” he says and my eyebrows race to my hairline.

“Justin,” I say chuckling. “I’m naked and willing. Since when have you said no to that?”

“Well, never,” Justin says, his face conflicted and he sighs. “I can’t get hard again without getting off, Sky. I can’t. I don’t have it in me.”

I laugh my forehead falling to his shoulder and he chuckles a little himself, one large hand running over my hair affectionately.

“You’ll get off, baby,” I say softly, my nails scratching softly down his back and he shivers, my lips pecking along his chest. He grips my arms again.

“But…but we’ve been trying all damn day,” he sighs, hissing as my tongue finds one of his nipples.

I moan. “God I know,” I pant, my fingers lining with his ribs before smoothing down to his hips.

“I…I really can’t take it…” he breathes and swallows hard as my hand closes around him, feeling him lengthen against my palm.

“Justin we’re all alone now,” I breathe against his neck, nibbling at the crook of his shoulder. “No more interruptions.”

“Yeah but with our luck the roof will cave in or something,” he pants and we both simultaneously look up at the arced ceiling, the exposed wood beams hanging ominously in the open air.

I shake my head. This is ridiculous.

“I don’t care,” I say simply, releasing him to wrap my arms around his neck, crushing my mouth to his.

I whimper against his lips at the feeling of him pressed against my lower belly and he moans, tugging me tighter against him, his hands smoothing down my back to grip my ass in his hands. My tongue slides wetly against his, hands delving into his hair as I ravage his mouth and he just stands there and takes it, letting me devour him.

All day, all damn day I’ve dreamed of this and the waiting has made me impatient, hands sliding down his chest and then back up, gripping his shoulders so I can maneuver him over to the bed. He lets out a small yelp of surprise when the backs of his legs hit the mattress, tumbling backwards onto the sheets and I climb over him instantly, crawling with him as he scoots so his head falls back against the pillows. He reaches out to me but I catch his wrists, gripping and pinning them next to his head and he struggles a little before smirking up at me.

“You gonna hold me down Sky?” he asks, licking his lips, his eyes dark. “You gonna have your way with me?”

A flash of heat travels through me and I can’t respond, only press my mouth to his again, tongue sliding against his. His hips lift slightly as he moans against my lips, his dick brushing my thigh and I nearly choke from want. I need him now. I find him, feeling him slide against my wetness and his eyes roll back in his head, nails digging into his palms as he aligns with my entrance. I throw my head back, crying out as I allow my body to slide slowly onto his, taking him in inch by inch, savoring every second.

My body trembles over him and it’s all I can do to just breathe, the pleasure so intense, the closeness almost unbearable. He’s the only one it’s ever been this way with. He’s the only one. His wrists turn in my hands and he’s gripping my palms, fingers threading through mine and I open my eyes to find him gazing up at me glassily, his eyes deep and blue and he knows. He always knows.

My fingers tighten around his, my hips lifting just slightly before sliding back down and my eyes slide shut, head hanging back as pleasure ripples through me, shivering at the soft moan that wafts from his lips. I do it again and again until it becomes subconscious, the only thing on my mind being the way he’s making me feel, his body sliding in and out of mine.

He’s still staring up at me, his eyes glassy, his jaw slightly slack as his breath comes in ragged pants. His hands squeeze mine before untangling his fingers and reaching for my waist, his hands sliding up my sides and then smoothing around, meeting at my back. He skims them back around to my stomach, his palms gliding up to cup my breasts, molding them slowly. My head falls back and I moan, nails scraping down his arms before smoothing back up, gripping his shoulders for support. His every touch is fire, every brush of his fingers is like someone takes a match to my skin and I burn with the intensity of the pleasure he gives me, the sensation tingling over my skin and directly to my pussy as it takes him in over and over again.

His hands cup my neck before wiping down over the breadth of my shoulders, slipping down my arms, fingertips brushing the delicate skin of my inner elbow, skittering down to wrap around my wrists and squeezing before one hand reaches for my hip. His fingers dig into my flesh, urging me faster while his other hand reaches to touch my face, his calloused fingertips brushing my cheek before he cups my jaw, letting his thumb smudge against my bottom lip.

“Oh god,” I breathe softly, panting as the pleasure rolls in soft waves but the current running through my veins is strong and violent and I can feel it starting to build. “Oh god…Jus…”

He lets go of my jaw, his hand smoothing down my neck, his breath hitching with each twitch of my hips, whimpering softly as his palm flattens against my chest, smoothing down the valley between my breasts to grasp at my hip, both his hands holding me firmly, moving me over him. His head tips back, his tanned skin stretching tight over the long column of his neck as he moans.

“Sky,” he gasps, his head falling to the side, gritting his teeth, his stomach muscles contracting and expanding beneath his velvety skin, a thin sheen of sweat covering his body. “Skylar please.”

I growl, hooking my ankles around his legs and lean back just slightly, my fingers lining with his ribs as I push myself from him and tug myself back down, crying out as he nudges that spot inside me only he can hit, shivering as the pleasure bubbles so close to the surface. I gasp as the first shocks hit me, my body sucking at him trying to take him deeper and he whines, his back arching, hips pressing up into mine. My entire body trembles, fingers scratching weakly at his sides, hips working furiously and I’m so close. Its right there and all I need is…

Justin growls, his hands flying from my hips to the mattress and I gasp as he propels himself forward, his legs widening as he sits up. I slip up his thighs and slide directly into his lap, my clit bumping his hip bone and that’s all it takes. I scream, my voice echoing off the walls, his name tearing from my throat as my nails tear down his back, clutching onto him as my body convulses over and over again, pleasure hot as lava scalding through my veins.

He gasps, fingers digging hard into my spine, whimpering softly into my hair. He gasps again, clutching me tighter, one hand flying up to hold the back of my head, pressing my face against his shoulder as he comes violently, his back going ridged under my palms, my name tumbling from his lips in breathless whispers.

We’re both trembling hard, holding on to each other for dear life as we struggle to breathe and to think. His grip on me lessens just slightly, allowing himself to pull back to rest his forehead against mine, his breath panting against my lips. I crush my mouth to his, ignoring the burn in my lungs. I need him more than I need air.

He finally rips his mouth away, panting hard, his nose nuzzling against mine before allowing his body to fall back and I tumble forward onto his chest before letting my body slide off him, the sheets cool against my heated skin. His arm curls around my shoulder, his opposite hand grabbing for my hip and tugging me flush against his side, sighing contentedly when my cheek rests over his heart.

The room is darkening now, night tugging the daylight from the room and I’m content just to lay with him, to have him hold me against him and never move. Tomorrow is the Fourth of July and I think his friends are supposed to come over to grill out, have a pool party, something festive but I don’t really care. This is all I want right here. Him with me, his fingers combing through my hair, his heart thudding against my cheek.

And then I see it again, on his bedside table, sitting innocuously next to his alarm clock. I press my palm to his chest, grunting as I push off him to reach for the hair clip and I settle back against him, opening and closing the claw, careful of the chip in the back. I look up at him, finding his eyes wide and his cheeks pinken as he avoids my gaze.

“Um…I can explain that,” he stutters softly and I grin, resting my chin on his chest and looking up at him. “It’s…it’s…”

“Mine,” I say simply, clasping and unclasping it and his blush deepens.

“You left it in my bathroom,” he says softly, reaching to take it from me, holding it gingerly. “I had taken it out and clasped it on the shower rod that one time we…”

“I remember,” I say, smiling giddily at the memory and he grins at me.

“I kept meaning to give it back to you,” he says, opening and closing the claw gently, slowly, as if he’s afraid it will break. “I kept forgetting and then…then…” He stops, heaving a sigh like he always does when it comes to this part. “then it was all I had.”

My arm smoothes across his stomach, clutching his waist and hugging him tight, pressing my cheek hard against his chest. I still hate that it came to that. I hate that I had to leave him. I hate that I hurt him. He sighs, pressing his lips to the top of my head, nuzzling his nose in my hair. I like to think that I’ve changed since then. That if it happened now I wouldn’t just give up. I would fight harder and push farther. I would be better. I like to think that while I’m still weak when it comes to him, I’m strong when it comes to us. I’ll never let him go again.

“I can’t believe you kept it all these years,” I say, my fingers tracing over the backs of his hands as he holds the clip gently.

He chuckles. “It’s a little worse for the ware but it’s still good,” he says, reaching back to twist my hair up off my neck and he secures it to the back of my head. “See!”

I grin at him, my mouth pressing to his and I love him. I couldn’t stop if I tried. I have tried…and here I am ten years later in his bed, right where I belong.

We jump slightly as a loud boom echoes through the room and our heads lift to see light flickering in through the open doors to the balcony. It happens again. And again, red and blue light splashing across the walls in short bursts. Justin grins.

“You know…I’ve always seen fireworks when I kissed you but this is kinda ridiculous,” he chuckles.

I laugh, pressing my mouth to his again, still seeing the colors behind my eyes, his kiss leaving me breathless. He rolls me underneath him and I grin. I think it’s about time we ignited some fireworks of our own.