"Water," Lex grunted next to me, his panting breath as heavy as mine.

"Yes, water... Great idea..."

I was sprawled on my stomach while he was on his back, in the middle of the absolute mess that was his bed. No parts of us were touching for the first time in hours, as we were desperately trying to cool down and get our heartbeat to return to normal. Slexathons always left me wrecked, but in the best of ways.

After being deprived of each other for three long and lonely months, it seemed we were trying to catch it all up in one go. But even at that pace, we'd need days if not weeks to completely make up for lost time.

My entire body was sore, the spot between my legs most of all. All of my muscles were achy, and my intimacy was so sensitive and raw, I could feel the pulsing of my heart in it. We were both covered in a film of sweat, as we'd been for a while now. The wetness on my skin was as much mine as his, since we'd been a tangled mess of limbs for the past thirty minutes. The slickness between my legs too, a mix of his four loads and my countless orgasms.

Shit, I won't survive this...

Especially given how severely dehydrated I was. Lex didn't move, though, and I wondered if he expected the water to deliver itself.

"Lex, go get a bottle," I ordered while giving his side a firm push, my voice muffled by the covers.

"Why me?"

"I can't walk right now."

"Fuck, I don't think I can either."

Amused by his astonished tone, I opened my eyes and adjusted my head to glimpse at his profile. "Baby, are you saying I wore you out?"

"Maybe..."

"Does it mean I get to tie you up again?"

That didn't fail to get a reaction out of him, and he mumbled a curse before forcing himself up. With a delighted smile on my lips, I observed his naked body as he crossed the room. His legs were a little wobbly, clearly weakened by all this insane activity.

Once he was gone, I pushed myself on my back and stretched lazily, my grin unshakable. I'd missed this so much. This feeling of being utterly satiated. It was when I felt the most alive. At least it used to in the past, but now, it was at an entirely new scale. At long last, my needs for love, pleasure, intimacy, and Lex were filled.

The object of my thoughts came back, holding a bottle that was already half empty in his hand, and a couple of others in the other hand. The extra water was a great idea. Smart man...

As he came closer, he didn't hold back on his need to gorge on me, and despite everything, my modesty kicked in under his intense stare. I didn't move to cover myself, though, already knowing he would lecture me on it. Wordlessly, he handed me the bottle he'd already drank from, unscrewing the cap for me. I sat up while he settled the other two on the nightstand, impatient to quench my thirst. The cold water felt like heaven on my parched throat. All the screams and moans I'd released had irritated the back of it, but it would be back to normal quite fast. At least from personal experience.

The forever active part of Lex decided we couldn't stay in this mess, so he gathered my things that were still on the bed. With my back on the headboard, I enjoyed the show, delighted to have regained the right to witness him in his birthday suit. The bag I'd partially prepared had tumbled to the floor a while back, but a few clothes and items hadn't fallen victim to our amorous embraces. With a bunch of them in hands, he hesitated on what he should do with them.

"Leave them on the floor. It's all going to the laundry anyway," I explained. There was most likely cum, sweat, or even spit on these, so a good wash couldn't hurt.

He considered it for a moment, before eventually complying, dropping them. His discomfort was obvious, and I found him adorable for it. Once there were only the covers, pillows, and me left on the bed, Lex crawled back on it to lay by my side.

Our bodies naturally sought one another, and our legs tangled while I pressed my front to his side. In the crook of his arm, with his warmth radiating through me, I was feeling safe, happy, and home. But as amazing as everything was in that moment, we still had to talk. Many things had to be said and discussed before we let them jeopardize everything. The first thing was rather obvious, so my tongue brought it up before my brain could think about it.

"I didn't know you still didn't trust me with Oli," I said, my eyes lost somewhere on a wall.

There was a long moment before he answered, and I realized I could have been more delicate with this. "I didn't know either," he eventually admitted. "I didn't have a problem with him before, but when I was there, my insecurities came back. I've put you through hell, so many times, it seems only natural you'll see I'm no good for you and actually go for someone who is."

Touched by his confessions, I tightened my hold on him. "You're what's best for me, Lex. No one else could make me as happy as you do."

"But no one else could make you as miserable either."

There was a truth to his words, so I didn't deny them. He was right, he'd put me through hell in the past, willingly or unwillingly. But he'd also opened Heaven's gates for me, much, much more often than that. And I had the absolute conviction that with time, there wouldn't be anymore pain and heartache – only happiness and bliss. We had that much potential in us. All we needed was to hang on until we reached this flawless and divine stage.

Tilting my head, I looked up at him, only to find his gaze littered with guilt. My hand reached up to cup his jaw, gently grazing his thick beard with the pad of my thumb.

"Baby, you once told me you'd trust my judgment because I'm the smartest woman you know. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. It's you or no one else. Otherwise, I would spend the rest of my life comparing other men to you, only to find them terribly inferior."

"I know the feeling," he answered, bringing me closer and laying a gentle kiss on my lips. When he pulled away, there was something warm and intense in his gaze. I settled back with my temple against his chest, wriggling to be as close to him as I could.

"Please, don't ever think I'd pick Oli over you. It's completely wrong, and a little offensive, to say the truth. The time when I thought Oli and I would be a good fit is long gone."

"Are you sure he knows that?"

"What do you mean?"

"He took some major risks to help you. It doesn't sound like someone who's moved on."

"He wasn't doing it for me. Well, not only for me. He wanted to help you out."

"I'm not that good of a boss."

His interjection made me chuckle softly. "It actually had nothing to do with you being his boss. When you did the StarCare heist, you helped his family out of a lifetime of debts. He's been a big fan for years, and he wanted to help you in return."

Lex remained wordless for a moment, and without even looking up at him, I knew his brows were frowned, with that little crease between them. With the silence, I could hear his heartbeat with acute precision, and the familiar sound of it relaxed me as it always did.

"I didn't know that," Lex finally answered.

"Now you do. Also, he's known you were Nammota for over two years. Honestly, I think Oli would have helped me out regardless because we're friends, but certainly not to the extent he did."

"Hmm... I guess him helping me out just to get with you would be counterproductive."

This one made me fully laugh, and I pushed myself up on my elbow to stare into his mesmerizing eyes. "I promise, baby. Oli has no intention of getting with me, and I don't either. You can stop worrying about him." I paused, hiding the small smile that wanted to bloom on my face. "When it comes to Idris Elba, though, you shou—"

Before I could even finish my sentence, Lex flipped us around and had me caged between his muscular arms. Bewitched, I stared at his gorgeous face, a pink warmth spreading on my cheeks.

"What was that?" he asked, a little cocky. When I didn't answer, mesmerized, a smirk bent the corner of his mouth. "That's what I thought..."

There was no time for my mind to come up with something witty to say since he bent and kissed me. In the touch of his lips, he passed on all the passion, all the love he held for me. And after I'd wrapped my arms around his broad torso, I displayed the same enthusiasm. I didn't think I was ready for yet another round, but while my femininity was raw and overused, my desire for him wasn't satiated, demanding more.

Things took an unexpected turn when my stomach let out a ridiculously loud gurgling sound. Lex's grin came in the way of our kiss, and soon enough, he was pulling away, looking down at me with amusement. "It's good to see some things haven't changed. Sex still makes you hungry."

"As if you weren't starving too."

"I guess I'd rather eat you out more. But let's take care of your cravings before."

As he released me, returning to his position on his back, I mumbled I craved him too, but my body was conflicted. "Ah, shit," he mumbled. "My phone is somewhere in the living room."

"It's okay. Mine's here somewhere."

I stretched toward the spot Lex had thrown it on earlier, which meant I was lying across his body, my stomach plastered against his lower one. Once I'd found my phone in the ruckus, I remained there. His hand had moved to cup my behind, and I very much liked it there.

Since it was the middle of the afternoon, most of the places we favored were closed, which wouldn't make our search for food easy. After a quick scroll through the restaurants on UberEATS, I turned to him. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Something full of fat, carbs, and calories."

"Damn, are you secretly asking me to order at McDonalds? Did you miss it?"

"Maybe I am, yes."

"Okay, you're a terrible liar," I laughed. "But don't tempt me on this, because you know I'll do it."

"Whatever it takes to replump this," he agreed, gently squeezing the flesh he was holding.

Stunned, I said nothing for a couple of seconds before an incredulous laugh poured out of me. "Are you really trying to make me have a fat ass again?"

"It wasn't fat. It was perfect."

"And now it's not?" I teased. I knew what he meant, and I didn't mind it. His appreciation of that part of my body had always been very gratifying, and he'd even managed to make me like it despite a decade of loathing it beforehand. Also, Lex didn't like changes, which was something I loved about him.

Thinking he was in a precarious situation, he pondered heavily on his next words. "It's still perfect, since it's attached to you, but I will admit I liked it a little better before. Also, it—"

He stopped in the middle of his sentence, and the uncertainty in his eyes made me wonder what he'd been about to say. "It what?" I asked, my tone encouraging.

"I don't like seeing how much weight you lost. It reminds me of how miserable you've been, and I'd give everything I have if it meant I could have spared you from all of it."

His palm was mindlessly caressing the round mound, and somehow, I sympathized with what he meant. Although I loved his beard very much, it didn't feel like my Lex – the one I used to know. This Lex had spent three months in jail, and it had taken a chunk of his soul away. The facial hair only served as a constant reminder of that.

Strangely enough, the idea of regaining the weight I'd lost didn't distress me. On the contrary. And it wasn't even for him. No, I'd been perfectly happy with the way I was before. My insecurities had developed from the wrong assumption that I needed to match Lex's physical perfection, spurting from the false idea that he had standards I had to reach. But as he'd told me several times, I was his ultimate fantasy. My body before had been utterly perfect to him, and once I'd worked on my issues, I myself had been pleased with it. Going back to the way I used to be before this whole mess wasn't such a bad idea. Be it body or mind. We'd been happy before, and we'd be happy again.

"Don't start complaining when we're eating burgers three times a week," I warned, scrolling to find the closest McDonalds.

I moved to get closer to him, so he could see the screen, but he managed to keep his hand on my ass the whole time. He truly was a man of many talents. We picked what we wanted, and Lex made me add several things, which I couldn't help but notice were my favorites. He really, really wanted my behind to make a comeback.

Once the massive meal was ordered, which would arrive twenty minutes from then, we cuddled and talked, our naked and exhausted bodies refusing to let even an inch separate us.

He told me about his time in Sheridan, and I realized he'd held back before, hoping he could spare me from the ache of knowing it all. His wealth had made him the target of several threats, and somehow, the warden had barely taken any measures to protect him. So he'd found a group of imposing and dangerous men, and ensured their protection by offering them a very generous salary. His lawyers had arranged it, and it had been transferred to the inmates' loved ones outside. From then on, Lex had been mostly safe from harm, with a few guys looking after him.

He told me about a few unlikely friends he'd made, including a man named Santiago, with whom he'd shared a cell for a few weeks. Apparently, Lex had asked him for a few Spanish lessons, arguing it would pass time and he'd wanted to learn it for a while, for me. Incredibly touched and also a little amused, I asked him to tell me some sentences he knew, and hearing it brought tears to my eyes. While he remembered with acute precisions the words, the accent had to be worked on, so I corrected him a few times.

Santiago must have been a romantic at heart, because most of what Lex told me was love-themed. In our small cocoon of happiness, our limbs intertwined over the messy covers of his bed, we lost ourselves into each other, forgetting the outside world. When he reached the end of what he knew, I taught him more, repeating what I'd told him earlier in the heat of passion, explaining what the tender words meant.

This was the heaven I sought. Moments like these were the reason why my love for him was worth all the complications we'd endured until now. Stripped naked, our bodies as much as our souls, we were the happiest beings that had ever been. This was bliss in its purest form, a concentration of delight and love. And at this intensity, it was something I would only ever know with him. Lex would forever be my everything.

When the food arrived, neither of us wanted to let go, refusing to let this flawless moment end. But out of respect for the concierge at the door, and because my stomach decided to express its desire for food again, Lex finally found the will to let go. He untangled his body from mine, and after a kiss that was as brief as it was intense, he left the room, grabbing his discarded boxers on the floor as he did.

A weekend of this would never be enough. Saturday wasn't even over, but I already dreaded the idea of having to leave on Monday morning. We needed a week of this, months... I wanted to never leave this room again, to bask in our intimacy, to see no one else but him for days to come. I wanted to drown in him, to be submerged by him.

The day had taken an unexpected turn, and I couldn't be more elated with it. Had Lex not stopped me, I'd be at my family's home by now, probably crying my heart out in my mother's arms.

To think that all this had started because I'd caught him jerking off in the shower...