YoungBloods

Chapter 20

The moment was surreal. She was no longer the girl who cried on the steps the night he left—she was a woman now. A woman he was still hopelessly in love with.

All that pain, that longing, spilled between them like lightning arcing from one soul to the other. DJ wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. His other hand slid down, slipping beneath the hem of her gown, resting between her thighs.

She gasped into his mouth when his fingers brushed her heat. She was already wet for him—her body was ready, aching. She clung to his arms, burying her face into the crook of his neck as her breathing hitched and trembled.

“Tell me to stop,” he whispered against her skin, even as he kissed her jaw, her throat, the edge of her shoulder.

“Don’t stop,” she whispered back. “Please…”

DJ eased the satin gown off her shoulders, and it cascaded to the floor in a silky whisper. He froze—just for a moment—as he took her in. Her soft curves, the delicate line of her waist, the glow of her skin in the low light. Her body was everything he ever imagined—only better. She was perfect.

He lifted her gently and laid her back on the bed, his hands trembling now as he removed the rest of his clothes. When his boxers slid down and he stood bare before her, Aurelia’s eyes widened—he was big. Her breath caught, but it wasn’t fear. It was awe. DJ kissed her again, deep and slow, then moved down her body—his mouth exploring, worshiping. Her breasts, her stomach, her hips… until he settled between her thighs and tasted her for the first time.

Aurelia’s back arched off the bed as she gasped his name, her fingers tangled in the sheets. The sensation was unlike anything she’d ever felt. Every flick of his tongue made her tremble. She moaned softly, her legs trembling on either side of him, her voice barely a whisper but full of breathless pleasure. “Devon… oh God…”

He devoured her slowly, savoring every sound she made, every quiver of her body. She tasted sweeter than he ever imagined. And he’d imagined this moment more times than he could count—lying in a cold bed in New York, wishing for the warmth of her. But this? This was more. So much more.

When he was finally done, he hovered over her. She looked up at him, eyes wide and shimmering.

“Are you sure?” he asked softly, brushing a damp curl behind her ear.

She nodded. “I’ve waited for this. For you.”

His chest tightened. “I’ll go slow.”

And he did.

He eased into her gently, inch by inch, feeling how tight she was, how she clenched around him. She gasped, her nails digging into his shoulders as her body stretched to accommodate him. DJ kissed her lips, her cheeks, her neck, whispering her name like a prayer as he fought to keep control. She was so tight, so warm—it took every ounce of restraint not to lose himself right then.

Once he was fully inside her, he paused, letting her adjust. She nodded, and he began to move—slow, deep strokes that rocked through both of them.

It was the most intense thing he’d ever felt.

He’d had s*x before. Plenty of times. But it was always just a release. A way to forget.

This… this was everything.

The way Aurelia whispered his name, the way she looked at him like he was the only man in the world—he felt undone. Like he was being rebuilt from the inside out. And he couldn’t stop. He didn’t want to stop. His pace quickened, their bodies moving in perfect rhythm. He held her hips, buried his face into her neck, his breath ragged, his voice raw.

“I love you,” she whispered, her hands on his face.

“I never stopped,” he whispered back.

When she came, it was with a cry so sweet, so full of release, that DJ couldn’t hold back. He spilled into her with a groan, collapsing against her for a moment, heart pounding.

But neither of them was done.

Aurelia’s confidence surprised even herself. She rolled on top of him, straddling his hips, her hair wild, her body glowing with sweat. DJ’s breath caught in his throat—God, she was beautiful. She sank down onto him, and his head rolled back. His fingers gripped the sheets, his hips rising to meet hers.

She rode him slowly, teasing him, watching his face twist in pleasure. Her hands were on his chest, her thighs flexing, her breath coming in short, broken gasps. He reached up and grabbed her hips, guiding her rhythm until they both exploded again, crying each other’s names like confessions.

But even then… they didn’t stop.

They made love over and over, until exhaustion stole them away.

When they finally collapsed together, the sheets were soaked with sweat, their bodies tangled and slick. DJ lay on his back, one arm tucked under his head, the other wrapped tightly around her waist. Aurelia lay half on top of him, her leg tangled with his, her hand gently cradling his face, her lips brushing his damp neck.

The storm raged outside.

But in that bed, in each other’s arms, they’d found something neither of them had ever truly known:

Peace.

Aurelia stirred as the soft morning light peeked through the cracks of her bedroom curtains. For a fleeting moment, she thought the night before had been a dream — the rain, the thunder, DJ at her window, the way he kissed her like he had been starving for years. But as she stretched slightly, a tender ache throbbed deep between her thighs, and she winced softly.

Her breath caught.

It wasn’t a dream.

She opened her eyes and found herself nestled against DJ’s bare chest, his strong arm wrapped around her protectively, his deep, rhythmic breathing warm against her scalp. He was still asleep — one hand resting beneath his chest, the other draped around her waist, fingers splayed over her hip.

Her heart swelled.

DJ.

He was here. Real. Tangible. And the ache between her legs wasn’t just from what they had done — it was the ache of love long delayed finally being fulfilled. It was the ache of vulnerability, of giving herself entirely to the only man she’d ever truly wanted. She had waited — years. Through heartbreak. Through silence. Through doubt.

And it had been worth every second.

She lifted her head slightly, her eyes scanning his face in the early light. There was something impossibly peaceful about him when he slept. The sharp edge he carried so naturally — the intensity in his jaw, the watchfulness in his eyes — had softened. His brows relaxed, lips slightly parted, and that faint crease in his brow smoothed out. She reached out gently, brushing her fingertips along his jawline.

He looked like a warrior at peace.

But last night... last night he had been hers.

Completely.

She could still feel the echo of his mouth on her body, the tremble in his breath as he whispered her name like a prayer. He had touched her with reverence, kissed her like she was salvation — like he was afraid she’d disappear again. She had never felt so seen, so known. And despite the strength he carried in every muscle, every movement... he had been so gentle with her.

She couldn’t help but smile, running her fingers along the lines of his chest, tracing the definition of his muscles, the faded scars — each one with a story he hadn’t told her yet. But she would hear them. In time.

A new kind of ache stirred inside her — not pain this time, but need.

Desire.

Longing.

She shifted carefully, her skin brushing against his skin. She straddled his hips, her hand slid up to cup his face as she nestled against his neck. Her lips brushed gently against his skin — a kiss, light as a feather — and then another, just beneath his jaw.

DJ stirred beneath her, a low groan rumbling in his chest.

“Aurelia…” he murmured, still half-asleep, his hand instinctively finding her waist and pulling her closer.

Her lips curved into a soft smile as she continued to trail kisses along his neck, her hips gently rolling against his. She could feel him beneath her — warm, strong, responding to her every movement. His hand gripped her a little tighter now, sliding along her back as his body came alive under her touch.

She pressed her forehead against his and whispered, “Good morning.”

DJ’s eyes fluttered open, still heavy with sleep. But when they locked on hers, something flickered in them — something that made her breath catch all over again.

“You’re dangerous,” he whispered, voice husky and raw.

“And you’re mine,” she whispered back.

He smiled then — a real one, full of warmth and disbelief, like he still wasn’t sure this was real.

Aurelia leaned down and kissed him deeply, slow and unhurried. There was no rush now. They had nothing to prove. Just this moment. Just each other. His arms wrapped fully around her as the kiss deepened, his fingers tangling in her hair.

Their bodies pressed together, skin to skin, hearts racing in sync.

This wasn’t about lust. It wasn’t just release. It was something sacred — a reunion of souls that had waited a lifetime to find each other again.

Eventually, they lay tangled in the sheets once more, bodies spent and breathless, the morning light golden against their sweat-slicked skin. They laid tangled into each other's body's, Aurelia nestled into DJs chest with her arm wrapped around him. DJ held her close to him as if she'd disappear if he didn't, their legs tangled together under the sheets.

Neither spoke. There was no need.

Their silence was full — of love, of relief, of something that felt almost like forever.

And for once… neither of them was afraid.