The kiss was silent, like its own unspoken secret. Gentle, like the sway of a dance. Elijah's lips parted her own, and kissed her back with the slightest tremble that caused her own body to quiver and a whimper to escape her mouth.

The whimper pulled Elijah out of his trance, and her body was pressed against flat against the bed as he crawled above her, his green eyes bearing deep into her soul. "Tell me this is okay," he demanded before pressing his forehead against hers. "Tell me I can have you."

Madeline had imagined this moment, dreamed about this moment, for nearly two weeks. How it would feel to have him want her like this. "I've been yours the second you stepped back into my life."

It was the only confirmation he needed to kiss her with a sort of desire she'd never felt from another person; a desire she'd never felt within herself. His mouth parted hers lips and his tongue trailed across the opening, before entering to devour her. He kissed her with desperation, and a love unwavering. He tried muffling her whimpers, but there was no point. Madeline was in a complete bliss that couldn't be contained.

The way his mouth felt as it moved against hers. The way his tongue dominated her. The way his hand felt dragging across her side. The way his erection felt pressed against her. Never in a million years could she imagine something so pure, so perfectly seductive, and so absolutely right. The North Star on his chest was a reminder that she'd always been with him, until the time finally came when they could have each other back, just like this.

Madeline tugged at his pajama bottoms, which he freed himself from without a second thought, kicking them down the remainder of the way, as his green eyes studied her. "We don't have to-"

"I know," she told him. Elijah wouldn't pressure her to move so quickly, but they'd been dancing around this with small, intimate moments they'd brushed off as being innocent. She needed this part of him to belong to her. More than that, she needed to give this part of herself to hiim. "But I want to. I mean, if you don't-"

"I do," Elijah cut her off. "But this isn't just about wanting you Maddie. I fucking need you. I need you in every way imaginable."

The need for one another was two-sided. Inevitable. Written in the stars.

Madeline dragged her hand across his face, watching as he placed a kiss on her thumb. "I'm already yours. I always have been."

He placed another kiss on her finger, then one on her palm. When his eyes looked down at the red on her wrist, he fought the darkness and pressed his lips there too. "Undress for me, dream catcher. I want to see you."

After letting out a hard swallow, Madeline closed her eyes and pulled her tank top over her head, feeling the cool air nip at her bare skin, and dropped the fabric to the ground. She expected his hands. Instead, his weight lifted off the bed, and she opened her eyes to see him turning the lock on her bedroom door. Then, he went over to his jeans from earlier, pulled out his wallet from the back pocket, and opened it until he had a condom in hand.

They were going to do this. She was going to have Elijah in the way she'd been dreaming about for over a week. Not only did she have him back in her life, but she was about to have all of him. And all of him was absolute perfection. There he stood, completely naked in her childhood bedroom, the street lamps from outside her window illuminating his masculine form.

Madeline's tongue darted out to lick her lips as her gaze fell in a place she couldn't help but stare at. Even as he moved to draw closer to her, crawling on top of the bed to rid her of her own bottoms, her eyes could look at only one thing. The man must have been sculpted by the gods. As much as she looked forward to having Elijah completely, she was also slightly dreading what this would do to her.

As he laid his body down against her, Madeline felt his erection slide between her folds, and let out a gasp she couldn't contain.

"Shit, I can already tell I'm not going to last long," Elijah admitted. "Which sucks, since this is my only condom."

Madeline forced out a casual laugh. "My grandparents care package is in the corner. Maybe we'll get lucky, and there'll be a box in there."

His green eyes narrowed on her. "I'm sorry, you're going to have to repeat that."

He'd always known the polite version of her grandparents, who tried their best to be properly behaved around company. At least until they got a couple of drinks in them. He'd seen that version of them more than once. That's when they were full of absolute nonsense and inappropriate comments. Sometimes that nonsense came out randomly, or when they were surrounded by people they were familiar enough with. Those two were made for one another. Just like she was made for Elijah, and he for her.

At least, that's how she hoped he felt about this. Madeline didn't dare ask that question yet. She needed this part of him at least once. She could only hope that having him this way wouldn't cause her to lose him that other way.

"They're trying to make sure I stay safe," Madeline finally explained. 

Elijah placed a soft kiss against her lips as he slid across her again. "Well, if we aren't that lucky, know I plan of doing a much more thorough job on Sunday, once we're alone."

"Looking forward to it."

Madeline watched, completely mesmerized, as he tore the condom wrapper open with his teeth, slipped it out of the package, then rolled it over his erection.

"There are so many fucking things I want to do to you right now." There was something so dark about his voice. Something commanding. Even through the quiet of his voice, she could feel the energy of the words.

"I just need you inside me, Elijah."

That was all he needed to hear. With those words, Elijah thrust into her in her one, fluid movement, filling her body to the brim, causing her eyes to pinch shut while her hand flew to her mouth to muffle her gasp at the sharp pain.

"Christ, Maddie, how are you this fucking tight? Are you-"

Unable to speak, Madeline nodded her head. She wasn't anymore, as of five seconds ago. But had she admitted as much to Elijah beforehand, he would have wanted to wait. He'd want to take her out on a date or two, create this romantic atmosphere. But in reality, she just needed him.

Maybe that was why she'd never been able to bring herself to have sex. Maybe that was why no man ever felt quite right. Her heart was hinting to her that there was only one man who was meant to have that piece of her. 

Elijah removed the hand from her mouth, keeping still inside her, and placed the softest kiss against her lips. "If I'd known-"

"You would have wanted to wait," Madeline finished for him. "But after we kissed, I realized I've already been waiting a lifetime for you. I couldn't wait anymore."

Another kiss before his lips curved upward in a smile. "I would have taken my time going in," Elijah corrected. "I never would have turned you down, Madeline."

It almost didn't register. "You used my whole name."

Elijah's smile deepened, causing lines on either side of his face to form. "Maddie was my best friend. I think it's safe to say we just evolved."

Madeline laughed through the tears forming in her eyes, hoping like hell he didn't notice them. If he saw how much pain that caused, it would all be over before it truly began. 

After he nudged her mouth open, Elijah licked her tongue with his own in one swipe, then sat upward once again. Only this time, she felt his thumb press against her nub, rubbing her slowly as he slid out of her just a little, then moved back in. Even when his thumb picked up pace, his hips kept the same calm movement, careful not to cause her more pain than was only now just beginning to subside. 

Finally, Madeline's body began to relax, losing its rigid form. Her hands moved to his arms, one sliding down to the wrist where his thumb was against her, feeling him add just a little more pressure. Pleasure was taking over the pain, and Madeline let out a soft groan. 

"Better?" Elijah asked. 

Madeline bit her lip and nodded her response. 

His hips picked up just the slightest amount of speed, still taking his time with her, but adding strength in each movement. And as he did that, his thumb pressed down just a little harder, moving from a circular movement to a more contained one. 

Madeline's fingers squeezed at his arms as she felt her body build up, and the sensation began to surface. "Elijah."

His body draped above her once more, keeping his one hand firmly in place, and his mouth licked and nibbled at the skin of her neck, moved up to her ear, then down to her shoulder. His whole hand pressed against her wetness, rubbing wildly against the nub. Seeming to feel her climax approaching, Elijah covered her mouth with hers just before she cried out, muffling the sound. 

As she came down, Elijah's hips swayed into her, keeping his mouth on hers until he reached his own climax moments later.