Archive of Our Own

I was only falling in love
Coming from the cold, buried under heat
Lay you on the floor, heavy like the force between us
Cut me like a rose, turn me like a beast
Hold you to the floor, heavy like the force between us
RY X - Only

***

The bell chimed, and she knew who it was before she even looked at the door. A small smile spread across her face, not a big one, because she didn't want to show him how excited she was to see him. When Hopper stepped up to the counter and took off his hat in that special way of his, she had a hard time holding back a longing look.

"Hey." He waved at her with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Hey."

It had been a week since they'd had a conversation that felt more like a desperate confession of love. But painfully, and impatiently, for both of them, they hadn't been able to be alone together since then. Let alone do anything more intimate; even sharing a fleeting kiss or two felt like too much.

"So..." Hopper said, drumming his fingers on the counter.

"So..." She mimicked him.

"I just want to make sure everything's still on for tonight."

She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Afraid I'll stand you up?"

Hopper blushed and shrugged.

"After all this back and forth, can you blame me?"

"Hop, there's nowhere else I'd rather be tonight than having dinner with you."

He grinned, his gaze becoming seductive, and leaned a little over the counter.

"Oh yeah? You're really looking forward to our little evening, huh?" He teased her.

Joyce’s eyes narrowed, and a tiny sideways smile crept across her face. She knew exactly what he was up to, and she wasn’t going to be left out.

"Absolutely. I want to pick up exactly where we left off, remember?"

Hopper stared at her as if she had spoken in Chinese, swallowed hard, and shrugged, wondering if she was alluding to the time he had sat her down at her kitchen counter, positioned himself between her legs, and kissed her with devotion after confessing how crazy he was about her.

"I'll pick you up at seven, okay?" He simply replied.

"Sounds perfect."

"Good."

"So where are we going?"

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise, but I thought I could make you dinner myself."

"You're serious?" She asked, already surprised.

"Well, I figured that taking you to Enzo's after...you know, taking Melissa..."

Joyce grimaced and looked down.

"You figured right." She interrupted, averting her eyes.

"Yeah," He murmured, just as uncomfortably. Then he lowered his voice a little, becoming suggestive. "But I want this to be special. I thought we could have a nice evening at my place. I'll cook for you, uncork a nice bottle of wine, light some candles..."

His blue eyes began to light up like two lanterns, his smile half tenderness, half desire.

"Hop?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't continue, or I'll put up the damn closed sign and drag you to the back."

Hopper smiled somewhere between nervous, amused, and excited.

"But you and I both want me to keep my job, so you better go now. See you tonight."

"You sure know how to get a man excited." He replied, a mischievous smile on his lips. "Any teasers so I don't have to wait until tonight?" He leaned a little closer to the counter and raised an eyebrow.

She bit her lower lip, leaning subtly toward him. There was nothing but restrained amusement and longing on her face. She seemed about to give him a kiss, but...

"Jim Hopper, get out of here now." She replied instead, her smile turning shy as she looked around for witnesses to the scene.

"Okay, okay..."

Before he could finish the sentence, she quickly tugged at the collar of his uniform and gave him a small kiss on the lips.

By the time Hopper closed his eyes to enjoy the fleeting encounter, she was shoving him back into place.

"Go away. Now."

"You’re confusing me, woman." He replied, walking away with a smile on his lips. "See you in a bit."

He winked at her before walking out the door, happiness written all over his face.

Joyce Byers watched him disappear and then shook her head. She brought a hand to her cheek to confirm that the burning she felt on her face was indeed from blushing so much. This man was going to drive her insane. Insanely happy.

<<<>>>

It was natural for her to get nervous. About everything. But as she painted her lips, she felt that her stomach was as heavy as a rock. She had trouble recognizing herself in the reflection the mirror gave her back. Yes, she had applied mascara, lined the top of her eye, and painted her lips burgundy. It had been a long time since she’d paid much attention to what she saw in the mirror, a really long time since she had stopped to think only about herself. And now, as she looked at herself with a shy smile on her lips, she wondered if Hopper would like the way she looked.

After spraying her neck and wrists with a perfume she kept for special occasions, and which was exactly why she never used it, she left her room. She walked into the living room, nervous to see the boys there.

A few days ago, she’d told them their mom was going out on a date, and if that wasn’t surprising enough, it was even more shocking when she told them who it was with. Something told her, though, that the surprise wasn’t so much who it was, but that it was finally happening.

In any case, none of the boys took it the wrong way, although they weren’t exactly thrilled either.

"You look... different." Jonathan said, looking at her, startled.

"Different good or different bad?" She asked with an awkward smile.

"Good, of course. You look beautiful."

"Wow. You really look beautiful. You almost don’t look like a mom." Will said with a big smile on his face.

"But I like looking like a mom." She said as she squeezed him in a hug.

"Hopper’s picking you up?"

"Yeah, he should be here any minute."

"Okay." Jonathan said, somewhat seriously.

Will went to get his crayons from the kitchen table, and she took the opportunity to approach her eldest son.

"Hey, is everything okay?" She asked, lowering her voice and glancing sideways at her youngest so he wouldn’t hear.

"Is it serious?" Jonathan asked, a little uncomfortably, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Joyce grimaced, not knowing how to answer that question, especially to her son. She could feel Jonathan’s anxiety, and her heart squeezed.

"Honey, I don't want you to worry about me. I'm a grown woman, okay?"

"It's just... I don't know. It's not that I don't trust Hopper, but I don't want to see you suffer again. Lonnie was a jerk and, well, I can't say anything bad about Bob, but you still ended up hurt."

Joyce's eyes grew sad, but a small smile crept across her face.

"Hey," She said, holding his hands. "I'm gonna confess something to you. Hopper and I have known each other for a long time, you know? We were the same age you and Nancy are now when we became friends. I know him well, he won't hurt me. He cares about me, about all of us. And you know I trust him blindly."

Jonathan nodded, a little calmer.

"So don’t worry, because I’m happy, honey."

"I know. I could tell a few days ago."

Joyce arched a brow at him.

"Well, you're smiling all the time, and you look even more relaxed. Just like right now."

Joyce realized she was grinning like an idiot. She shook her head and tried to look serious, but she was already blushing.

"No, I'm not."

Jonathan chuckled.

"Whatever. If you're happy, I'm happy."

Joyce couldn’t help herself and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.

Suddenly, the sound of a vehicle outside made them both pull away.

"You look really beautiful." Jonathan repeated just before there was a knock at the door.

She stroked his hair and went to the front door to answer it.

When she laid eyes on Hopper, she felt herself falling apart inside. He looked so handsome in his dark denim jeans, a blue shirt of the same shade, and a black jacket. His hair was slightly damp and slicked back, and his masculine cologne filled her space in the most wonderful way. His face showed nerves, but also the joy of being there. In one of his hands, he carried a bouquet of red and white tulips.

It seemed that the same thoughts were going through his head because he looked at her in awe. Joyce noticed how his eyes roamed over her, and a subtle smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

It wasn't just the way her brown eyes looked with the eyeliner, or the blush on her cheeks and the color on her lips. Or her hair, with a few highlighted curls. What almost made his heart stop was the way she was dressed. Joyce wore a black dress with a heart-shaped neckline, falling to her knees, with heels that were also black.

Hopper had forgotten how to breathe.

"Hi." She broke the silence.

"You look stunning." It was the first thing that came out of his mouth, almost blurting it out without realizing it.

Joyce chuckled softly and stepped aside to let him in.

"Thank you." She blushed.

Hopper reacted and walked into the house. He glanced at the boys and automatically tried to wipe the silly grin off his face.

"Hey." He greeted them with an awkward, shy smile.

"Hi." The boys replied in unison, studying him up and down.

The three of them stared at each other expectantly, waiting for someone to break the deafening silence. Hopper swallowed hard and decided to act like an adult, clutching the bouquet in his hands.

"You kids had dinner yet?"

"Um, we're about to order a pizza."

"Good." He replied, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Are these for me?" She decided to come to his rescue.

"Yes, of course."

"They're really beautiful." She smiled at him. "Let me put them in some water, Hop."

Joyce took the flowers from his hands and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving him alone with two pairs of eyes still watching him intently. Maybe she wasn't trying to rescue him.

"Where are you taking mom?" Will asked. At least his gaze wasn't as sharp as the older one's. Hopper always thought he looked a lot like his mother.

"Well, I actually cooked dinner for her." He confessed, feeling unsure. Maybe he should have just named some random place.

"You two going to your cabin?" Jonathan narrowed his eyes.

Hopper swallowed. Damn it. Why was he so nervous? They were just kids.

"Well, I thought I'd do something special for your mom. I wanted to surprise her."

"It is a surprise. I bet she’d like it." Will tried to smile.

Hopper sighed.

"I hope so."

"Okay." Joyce appeared in the living room. "We can go now if you want."

"Sure." He smiled in relief. Of course, he wanted to.

"Boys, money for pizza is on the kitchen table. Don't stay up too late, okay?"

Joyce walked over to them and planted kisses on their heads.

"What time will you be back?" Jonathan asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"When you two are asleep." Joyce raised an eyebrow. "I'll be fine, don't worry about me." She added, lowering her voice and smiling tenderly at him.

They both nodded. Will had a small smile on his face, and Jonathan... well, Jonathan tried to smile. Joyce looked at him intently, unable to hide the twinkle in her eyes, trying to convey the reassurance that she was happy.

And apparently, it worked, because then her eldest finally nodded.

Hopper waited to let her out first, then took her hand to walk down the stairs. Her sons watched as he opened the door of his truck for her. He was a big man, but he looked nervous.

Jonathan couldn't help but smile. His mother would be fine.

<<<>>>

"Well..." Joyce said as the truck started and pulled away from her house.

"Well..." Hopper mimicked her, finally feeling more relieved now that they were on neutral territory.

"What?" Joyce laughed. "Why the face?"

"It's just... I felt like I was seventeen, asking your parents for permission to take you out."

"You can't blame him. He doesn't want to see me suffer again." She replied, her smile fading.

"Hey," He said, taking her hand across her lap. "You know I'd cut off a hand before I'd hurt you in any way."

She stared at him as he shifted his gaze between hers and the road. The warmth in his eyes made her feel things she wasn’t used to anymore, it felt as if all the good feelings she once had were amplified, and what she used to think was love was nothing compared to this.

Joyce smiled and intertwined her fingers with his.

“By the way, where’s El?”

“She’s at Max’s house. She may hate me for limiting her time with the Wheeler kid, but she can’t complain, she still gets to have sleepovers with her friend.”

“Well, something tells me you gave her permission out of self-interest.” She said, trying to hold back a smile.

“Okay, you have a point. But both she and I are happy with the decision.” He raised an eyebrow and licked his lips. "I couldn't be very explicit with you a moment ago." He hesitated before continuing. "Joyce, you look so damn beautiful."

She blushed and averted her gaze to the road.

"I couldn't say much either, but Hop..." The smile on her face wouldn’t let her continue.

"What?" Hopper asked with a sideways grin.

"Nothing, Hop. You look really handsome."

"Really?"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but that outfit you're wearing..."

Hopper smiled incredulously and pressed the gas pedal a little more.

"Hopper!" She scolded him.

"Joyce, if that's how you feel, you have no idea how I'm feeling." He assured her as he let go of her hand to rest it on her knee.

"Okay, but I want to get to your place in one piece. So please make sure we get there safe and sound."

"You'd be surprised what I can do while driving." He murmured, his fingers subtly lifting the fabric of her dress so he could touch the skin of her knee.

She shook her head but couldn't help smiling as she felt the warmth of his large hand.

In less than ten minutes, Hopper was parked in front of his cabin. He got out of his truck and walked around to open the passenger door for her.

"Hi." He smiled as she stepped out. His eyes moved up and down her body, then back to her face.

"Hi." She blushed.

"You have no idea how much I've missed having a moment to ourselves." He murmured, his voice low as he moved closer to her face.

They hadn’t even closed the door of the truck before he kissed her. One hand held her jaw, the other slid to her lower back and pulled her toward him.

The kiss began softly, tenderly, just like the first time he kissed her a week ago. But just like then, it quickly escalated into something more urgent when his tongue found hers.

Joyce wrapped both arms around his neck and felt his hands moving up and down her back with a mixture of tenderness and desperation. She chuckled between kisses at his arousal.

"What?" He asked, pulling back slightly to look into her eyes, a matching smile tugging at his lips.

"Nothing." She sighed, her eyes sparkling. "At this rate, we won’t even have dinner."

He laughed and leaned back a little more, though he didn’t let go.

"You can’t blame me, Joyce. I'm living my dream here."

"Oh yeah?"

"I spend all day thinking about you, about when I'm finally gonna get my hands on you.” He growled hoarsely, his hands gripping her waist.

"Hopper!" She laughed, tapping him gently on the shoulder. "I thought you just wanted to make me a nice dinner." She played innocent as they swayed gently.

"In my defense, I want everything, Joyce.” He replied, pulling her forward to finally close the door of the truck. "I want the dinner, I want the date, and I want you with me tonight."

Hopper took her hand and led her to the cabin. He opened the door for her, and as soon as she stepped inside, the aroma of home-cooked food wafted toward her.

Everything looked neat, clean, and warm. Her heart melted. He’d put so much effort into this.

"What's that smell?" She smiled.

"That..." He said, walking into the kitchen and opening the fridge. "...It's the result of practicing this recipe several times. I have everything ready, just need to put it in the oven."

He pulled out a baking dish with what appeared to be a hearty, appetizing lasagna.

"You made this?"

"Ask El. She got sick of all my failed attempts, but I have to say I’ve finally mastered the recipe." He explained proudly as he placed the dish in the oven and turned it on.

"You’ve been practicing?" She beamed tenderly.

"You have no idea how complicated this is, Joyce. How many steps you have to go through. I’m used to grabbing a frozen meal and throwing it in the microwave. These were ingredients I’ve never even touched before."

"Hop." She laughed and walked over to him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "I can't wait to taste it."

"Yeah?" Hopper wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "I can't wait to taste you..."

"Hopper..."

He kissed her again, holding her so tightly that her feet lifted off the ground.

"I'm sorry." He smiled as they pulled apart. "If you'd told me a week ago that we'd be doing this, I'd have thought it was crazy, you know? Having you here, in my arms." He murmured, bringing her face close to his to nuzzle her with his nose. "To just kiss you whenever I want." He added, trailing kisses down her cheeks until he reached her jaw and down her neck.

"I know. I get the same feeling every time I touch you." She confessed, blushing slightly. She moved her hands to his chest and felt his warmth beneath them. "Everything still feels so new, and there's so much to discover..."

The tone of her voice was both tender and suggestive. Hopper could see her eyes sparkle and felt his heart race. Seeing the longing in her beautiful brown eyes was like sunlight on his face in the middle of winter. He loved her, and every second at her side made him feel like the happiest man in the world.

"I’d take you to my bedroom right now. But first, I'm gonna treat you right. You'll have a nice dinner, a glass of wine, and even dessert."

"Even dessert?" She was taken aback.

"Even dessert."

They both smiled.

"This is starting to smell too good." She said, looking at the oven.

"I can't wait for you to try it. I'm feeling pretty confident."

"Let me set the table."

"None of that. Just sit down." He replied enthusiastically, leading her to her seat.

"I'll have to make it up to you in a big way. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to take some kind of cooking class, because I guess I'm just not up to your level."

Hopper let out an incredulous laugh as he took off his jacket and hung it on a hook by the door. The dark blue of his shirt looked so good on him that she couldn’t help but swallow hard. Then he went back into the kitchen, grabbed plates and cutlery, and set them on the table.

"Joyce, ask me to cook anything else and I wouldn't know what to do. This will be my only specialty for the moment.” He confessed, reaching for the glasses. "So you’ll get tired of eating lasagna."

"So, are you planning on cooking for me that often?" She asked with a half-smile and a raised eyebrow. The image of him in the kitchen, repeatedly and just for her, made her feel the arousal that had been awakened minutes before.

"Umm, I plan on keeping up with these dates, Joyce." He said, as if it were a given. He picked up the corkscrew and the bottle of wine. "If you want, I can cook for you, or we can go out to dinner, or to the movies too. I have no idea what movies are playing, but you just decide and I’ll take you. Whatever you want."

Her lips curved into a beautiful smile.

"And what about the things that you want? I want to do the things you want too, Hop."

Hopper uncorked the bottle with such ease and a clean plop! that even that turned her on a little, not to mention the look on his face as he confessed all the things he wanted to do with her.

"Joyce, I want... from holding your hand to..." He paused for a moment to think, his eyes drifting through the images in his mind. A small smile broke out on his face. "...to growing old with you. I know we still have a lot to talk about, and all this is pretty new, but... that’s what I want to do with you. Grow old."

Her eyes watered. Her face was on the verge of a waterfall of emotions: happiness, love, disbelief. Finally, after a moment of silence, when he was about to ask if he’d said something wrong, she got up from her seat, took the bottle of wine out of his hands, and placed it safely on the table. She cupped his face in her hands and pulled him in for a kiss. Hard. With passion. With love.

He smiled against her lips, his hands gripping her waist and pulling her to him, and then they just held each other. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her feet on tiptoe. He stroked her back gently, holding her close.

"That means yes, I guess." He murmured over her hair.

"Of course it does."

"Good."

"I don't want to spoil dinner, but I'm really longing for the end of the evening." She muttered softly.

She avoided his eyes, her face blushing a little. At first, he didn’t understand, until it dawned on him. Hopper swallowed.

"I think dinner is ready. Have a seat."

She sat down, and he took the steaming lasagna out of the oven. Cheese and tomato sauce were still bubbling as he placed the baking dish in the middle of the small table, flooding the entire cabin with an exquisite aroma.

"Oh my God, Hopper, that looks great!" She exclaimed, truly amazed. He smiled proudly. In less than five minutes, he’d served two generously filled plates and poured the glasses with wine.

"To us." He said, raising his glass.

"To us." She repeated, gently clinking his.

When Joyce took the first bite, her eyes went wide. Then a smile of disbelief crossed her face.

"No way. This is delicious. I don't think I've ever had lasagna this good."

"You're serious?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. "You can be honest with me, don't worry about hurting my feelings."

"Don’t be modest. This is really good." She replied, taking another bite. "I could eat this every day."

"Well, I have to thank El, she was my guinea pig."

"Then you should stock the fridge with Eggos."

"I think I should."

"The wine’s pretty good, too."

"I did some research, and they say Chee-anti is the best choice for pasta."

"It's Chianti." She corrected him.

"Chianti, right." He repeated, chuckling, as he poured them another glass.

Joyce poked at the last bites on her plate before giving up.

"You want another portion?"

"No, I'm stuffed. Your portions are kind of big."

"Well, I hope you have room for dessert.” He said as he stood up and took the plates to the sink.

"There's always room for dessert."

"And that... is the right answer." He smiled as he took a small plastic tray out of the fridge.

"I hope you like tiramisu."

"Who doesn't like tiramisu?" She asked, admiring the dessert he had placed on the table in front of her. "You made that too?"

"As much as I’d like to say yes and surprise you even more, I'm afraid I didn't. I bought it at Enzo's, so I guess you could say we ate something from there on our first date."

"Hopper, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm quite surprised by the whole dinner spread you made. And next time, we should have a date at Enzo's for real." 

He just smiled and served the dessert. When they both savored the first bite, they moaned in unison.

"God, this is the best tiramisu I've ever had." She mumbled, mouth full, followed by another moan.

"Best lasagna, best tiramisu... maybe the best date you've ever been on?"

"I guess everything seems to be pointing that way."

"I hope it's also the best..." Hopper fell silent and cleared his throat, then smiled. "Nothing, forget it."

"What?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't listen to me, I'm more of a man of action than words."

He gave a small shake of his head and raised his eyebrows, fighting back a grin.

"What does that mean?" She looked into his eyes as she slowly took another bite.

"It means we'll talk about it later."

"Okay." She said, not quite sure, but with a small smile on her lips as she finished the contents of her glass.

"I can open another bottle if you want."

"No, I don't want the wine to speak for me. Everything was delicious, Hop. Really."

"I was really worried about things going well." He confessed, searching her eyes.

"Hey..." She murmured, her heart melting. She grabbed his hand across the table, and they both held on tight. "What you did was really beautiful. No one has ever been so thoughtful with me before."

"You deserve this and so much more." He murmured, his voice deep and his eyes serious.

"Hop, you don't have to do these things, at least not all the time." She laughed. "I just want you by my side. That's enough."

She let go of his hand to stand up and walked over to him. Immediately, Hopper wrapped his arms around her hips and looked up, lost in her beautiful, big brown eyes.

"I have a lovely view from here." He whispered, holding her tight.

She leaned in, and their lips met in a soft kiss.

Before she could say anything, he rose from his seat without letting go of her, staring at her with that look that always made her fall apart. He kissed her again, more leisurely, bringing his hands to her face.

"I love that now I can kiss you whenever I want." He murmured, just inches from her lips, a smile on his.

"Oh yeah? So you're also gonna kiss me in front of my kids?" She teased.

He pulled back slightly to study her face.

"Well... I would, but that means we have to go in there and tell them this is serious."

"Pretty sure they already have a hunch." She said, stepping back from him. "But yeah, we should make it official with everyone, I guess."

Joyce picked up the plates from the table and took them to the sink.

"You're serious about this? Can we just take that step and let everyone know?" He asked in surprise as he helped her with the rest.

"Yeah, why drag things out? Something tells me it won't be a surprise to the rest of the town. You don't think so?"

"Joyce, if you want, I'll take you downtown right now and we’ll walk around like two teenagers."

She laughed.

"I like that idea too." She agreed, turning on the faucet to let the water run over the dirty dishes.

"Joyce, don't even think about it. Leave it."

"Hop, please. It’ll take me a minute, and it's the least I can do after everything you've done." She said, starting to soap things up.

"You're so damn stubborn." He muttered under his breath and picked up a dishrag.

"Do you know who came into the store yesterday?" She asked after a moment of silence as she handed him the clean dishes to dry. She gave him a sideways glance, not quite sure whether to keep talking or not, but eventually, she added, "Your friend Melissa, the nurse?"

Hopper stopped what he was doing and fell silent, allowing her to continue.

"Don't make that face." She smiled a little nervously. "She seems nice... and she's pretty."

"Yes, she is." He commented as he went back to what he was doing. "But she's not you."

"You don't have to sweet-talk me, Hopper." She rolled her eyes. "I just said we met and she seems nice, that’s all." She finished with a shrug.

"Joyce, after everything we've talked about and everything we're doing here… you're still jealous?" He asked, a huge grin on his face and his eyes narrowing.

She scoffed at him.

"I'm not jealous." She replied, her voice rising slightly.

She finished rinsing the last glass and turned off the faucet, then reluctantly took the dishrag from his hands and dried her own.

"Hey, look at me." He muttered, pinning her gently against the counter. "I told you, nothing happened with her… just dinner and a few meetings to help with the move and the house. I couldn’t go on pretending it meant something."

"I know, I know. It's just that when she came by yesterday, I thought back to when I saw the two of you in the hospital parking lot and... just forget it." She shook her head as he took the dishrag from her again and set it aside. Gently, he brought a hand to her waist.

"You mean the same day I went straight to your place after that to confess I was crazy about you? That day?"

She rolled her eyes, then nodded nonchalantly.

"That same day, yeah."

"That day, if I remember correctly, we were in your kitchen, just like now, but kissing?"

"Mmm, I don’t remember that part." She mumbled, pretending to think, her lips puckered.

"No? I think I can help you remember." He whispered.

Hopper grabbed her by the back of the neck and kissed her hard. He wasn’t playing around. He had longed for this moment for days, ever since their last encounter, when he had kissed her for the first time. And then after that… nothing. It had been torture.

It was a tough time. Like a man dying of thirst in the middle of the desert being given water, food, shelter, only to have it all taken away again, leaving him alone. That’s what it felt like, after touching heaven with his own hands.

The fact that he hadn’t had a moment alone with her since only made the anticipation build to impossible heights. Everything he felt for her had intensified.

But finally… it was just the two of them.

His tongue found hers and he deepened the kiss, making her moan softly. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her onto the counter. Something fell in the process with the quick movement, but neither of them bothered to check what it was.

"Hopper!" She chuckled. "What are you doing?"

"I want to pick up exactly where we left off at your place, remember? Your exact words this morning." He murmured close to her face.

He grabbed the hem of her dress, pulling it up over her thighs so he could spread her knees a little and position himself between them. His heavy hands paused to caress the smooth skin of her legs, and unable to wait any longer, he kissed her again, with deep intensity. He could feel her thighs pressing against his hips, her hands clutching the fabric of his shirt at his chest.

"Joyce." He whispered between kisses. "You have no idea how much I want you."

His words made her stomach tighten. Her hands cupped his face, and she kissed him back with the same intensity and desire. Hopper wrapped an arm around her waist, and with his other hand, grabbed her knee from beneath, pulling her closer to the edge of the counter, pressing her tightly against him. Joyce couldn't help but sigh.

"Hop..."

Hopper grinned, trailing his lips down her neck.

"I love the way you say my name when you're turned on." Carefully, he gathered her hair in his fist, tugging it gently to the side to expose her throat. "I've always wanted to do that." He growled, pressing wet kisses along her skin, his beard and mustache scratching her softly.

She felt shivers run through her body, and at the same time, the heat inside her grew. Her eyes were closed, savoring the sensation of his kisses, but her hands fumbled for the buttons of his shirt. When she found the first button, she unbuttoned them one by one, slowly making her way down to his jeans. Hopper paused, looking down between them as he watched her hands move confidently, tugging his shirt free from the waistband of his pants.

He grinned, and she met his eyes. Joyce slid her fingers inside his shirt, caressing his warm skin, the hair on his chest tickling her palms. She didn’t know where to touch first, her hands wandered over his stomach, his chest, up to his neck and back down again, all under his attentive gaze.

When her delicate fingers slipped behind his back, scratching lightly with her nails wherever she could reach, he found her lips again with urgency.

It had been a long time since she’d felt this turned on, so desired, so wanted. His need for her only intoxicated her senses, sending her heart racing and making her breath come in uneven gasps.

As she felt his hands slip down the straps of her dress, she opened her eyes to meet his. Still seated on the counter, she had to look up to see his face. His gaze was dark, full of desire, his blue eyes almost black with dilated pupils. 

Neither of them broke eye contact as his hands slid behind her back and slowly pulled down the zipper of her dress. With all the cool in the world, and taking his time to help her ease her arms out of the garment, Hopper pulled her dress down to her waist, revealing her black bra and the soft glow of her chest, luminous even in the dim kitchen light. 

Her breasts rose and fell with her quickened breathing, waiting for his next move.

He just smiled, like his shovel had finally struck the treasure chest he’d been digging for all this time.

“You’re even more beautiful than I ever imagined.” He murmured, his voice husky. He leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her shoulder.

“So you’ve been fantasizing about me, Hopper?” She murmured, her voice soft and mellow.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he leaned in again and placed another kiss just below her shoulder.

"I've been fantasizing about you for the past few years, Joyce.” He confessed, looking into her eyes as he leaned in again, this time planting a kiss on her collarbone.

She smiled, unable to hide how pleased she was by his answer. The thought of driving this man crazy gave her ego a boost like never before.

"And what kind of fantasies did you have about me?" She asked, her hands slipping his shirt off and letting it fall to the floor.

Hopper raised an eyebrow. She was playing with fire. This was the first time he was seeing this side of Joyce, the suggestive, seductive side that held him in the palm of her hand, and he loved it. He felt her hands continue to roam his torso, gently caressing his chest. He licked his lips before responding.

"I've had fantasies... I've had dreams. And in all of them, I never left a part of you without kissing." He whispered. His large hands over her torso, just below her breasts, pressing his thumbs upward to lift her bosom even higher. "And I plan to fulfill several of them tonight."

He leaned in again, his hot breath caressing her skin as he drew small kisses along the curve of her breasts and over her bra.

"Hop." She sighed, her heart pounding so fast she wasn’t sure how she would keep up the pace for the rest of the night.

"Hmmm." He murmured without moving.

"Maybe... maybe we should go somewhere else. To your... room?" She whispered, trying to piece the words together as she felt him sink his nose between her breasts.

He laughed softly before standing up straight. He brought a hand to her nape and kissed her eagerly, almost growling. Surprised, she moaned in pleasure. He was going to be the end of her.

"One of my fantasies involves having you like this… at my mercy." He confessed, raising an eyebrow, his hand slowly creeping up her thigh until it slipped under her dress. She gasped.

"You cook... you cook on this... counter."

"Right now, Joyce... I couldn't care less." He said, his fingers touching her center over her panties, as if it wasn’t the first time he’d touched her in this intimate way. His fingers began to caress her sex, moving up and down the fabric.

She gasped and closed her eyes, her back arching under his touch, their faces close together.

"God, you're beautiful." He said, unable to contain himself, feeling her center hot, his eyes fixed on the rise and fall of her breasts with her ragged breathing.

As she buried her fingers into his shoulders for support, he continued to stroke her intimacy, his thumb occasionally searching for her clit above the fabric. He leaned in to cover her face with kisses, corner of her lips, her cheekbones, her jaw… all while continuing his caresses. He could feel more heat emanating from his own body, all because of what she was unleashing inside him. He smiled to himself and pulled back slightly, stopping his movements only to curl his fingers into her panties.

"Oh my God." She sighed, as she saw where this was headed. Hopper began to pull them down, and she raised herself slightly with her hands to help him. When he slid her panties all the way off her legs, he studied them for a few seconds with a dark grin and then tucked them into his jeans pocket.

He reached for her center again, this time feeling the warmth and wetness of her skin with his fingertips. He smiled again, a knowing smile. She moaned softly as his fingers continued to stroke through her folds. He kissed her once more, his other hand cupping the back of her neck for control. He twisted his wrist, his palm on her lower abdomen, his thumb finding her clit, applying gentle pressure and tracing a slow circle, so slow that Joyce felt she couldn't breathe from the intensity of his touch, his mouth, his tongue, his fingers. She moaned again, breaking the kiss but without pulling her face away, their foreheads pressed together.

Hopper could feel her getting wetter and wetter, just as he sensed his own erection growing in his jeans to a point that was beginning to be uncomfortable. Unable to hold back any longer, he twisted his wrist again, pointed his index finger at her entrance, and slowly slid it inside her. She exhaled sharply, her body tensing, her knees opening a little wider, her fingers sinking into the bare skin of his shoulders.

"Hop," She sighed, biting her lower lip. "I can't... believe we're... doing this."

"It was about time." He murmured, his eyes fixed on hers. He began to pump his finger slowly but deeply, his thumb pressing against her clit. He pulled her closer to kiss her again, his lips claiming hers urgently, his tongue ravaging hers. She moaned, partly from his searing kiss and partly from the skill of his fingers.

"God." She let out, trying to catch her breath between his kisses, her voice airy. Hopper pulled his finger out only to slide two in, and she moaned a little louder this time. He didn’t keep up the slow pace but began to go a bit faster, his fingers curling. Joyce pulled her lips away to breathe through her mouth, trembling more and more. "My God, Hopper." 

"Does it feel good?" He murmured in her ear, his voice deep and seductive enough to make her feel the vibrations.

"Hmmm."

"Good."

She was close, that much she could feel. She closed her eyes, letting herself go, knowing that soon she would experience the long-awaited explosion she hadn't felt in a long time. Damn, she hadn’t felt anything like this in ages. This level of ecstasy was unlike anything she had ever known. Everything with him was different.

Joyce smiled, but suddenly he stopped and pulled his fingers out of her. She opened her heavy eyes and looked at him, only to find a smug grin on his face. He calmly raised his hand and brought his fingers to his mouth to suck on them. She swallowed. Before she could ask him anything, he dropped to his knees on the floor and looked up at her, hunger and desire burning in his dark gaze.

He pulled the dress back up over her hips and kissed the inside of both thighs, his face at the perfect height for her center. Gently, he took her legs and lifted them over his shoulders, crawling his right arm up her thigh, his fingers searching for her clit again.

"Now, every time I cook here, I'll smile and remember how I went down on you."

His words made her core twitch. He shot her a wicked look and buried his face between her legs, his tongue running along her folds.

"Hopper!" She exclaimed, her whole body tensing. Her hand clutched the edge of the counter to keep from losing her balance, her legs coming alive, struggling to open a little wider or just close at all. She felt him shift position, sliding his other arm underneath her to continue sliding his fingers back inside her. It seemed that not only her body was on fire, but the atmosphere around her was getting hotter. When he started pumping his fingers at a slightly faster pace, she could no longer hold back and moaned freely. But when his lips began to suck on her clit, it was the point of no return. "Shit, Hop! ... Oh my God."

She could hear him grunting and laughing at the same time, the vibration of his voice echoing inside her. With what little balance she had left, she rolled her hips on the edge of the counter, sure she would slip and fall at any moment. But she didn't care, he kept pumping his fingers, sucking harder and harder. Her small hand grabbed the back of his head, holding him in place, though it wasn't necessary since he wouldn't move an inch from her center. His moustache and beard irritated her skin all over with the harsh friction, she could already feel the burn, but next to the pleasure he was giving her, all that took a back seat. Joyce felt the tension building in her core again, bringing her inevitably to her climax.

A minute later, she opened her eyes and came hard. Her body trembled with waves of pleasure, her breathing struggling to steady. Their eyes met, and they both smiled. He withdrew his fingers and repeated the motion of sucking on them. She stared down at him, still kneeling on the floor, as he took his time kissing her thighs again, and she couldn't help but think that this enormous man was at her feet, literally and figuratively. Her chest swelled with desire and love, reviving her ego as well.

"Was it good?" He asked, rising from the floor with a grimace of discomfort and some effort.

She chuckled because they were obviously not young anymore, and their bodies let them know it. But even in her youth, she hadn't experienced such an intense encounter, and they weren't even naked yet, let alone playing their best cards.

"It was more than perfect." She replied, biting her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, tasting herself on his tongue.

"Good, because this is just the start." He murmured between kisses.

Then he grabbed her thighs and lifted her up. He carried her through the living room without breaking their kiss, except when he bumped a foot against the couch, causing him to curse under his breath. They both laughed briefly. He didn't even bother to push the curtain aside to enter his room; the fabric ruffled Joyce's hair as they passed underneath.

When they were close to the bed, he set her down on the floor. He brought his hands to her waist, determined to finally remove her dress, the top still bunched under her bra. But before he could do anything, she pushed him away, and he fell onto the bed, bouncing up and down with a half-smile on his face and a raised eyebrow. She shot him a look of determination, her hands pulling the dress down to remove it completely. He gawked, but before he could even form a sentence, she ended whatever little sanity he had left by removing her bra and standing completely naked in front of him.

"Damn it, Joyce." He choked back.

He reached out to touch her, but she pushed him in the chest again and made him lie down on the bed. He was startled but raised his head to look at her closely. She removed her shoes and smiled tenderly before kneeling in front of him, and he struggled to swallow. Her hands unbuttoned his pants, pulling them down, but Hopper had to lift his hips a little for her to succeed. She nodded and removed his shoes, socks, and finally his pants completely. Hopper felt his heart race, it wasn’t in his mind that Joyce Byers would give him a blowjob. Instead, he'd planned to push her to the limit, drive her crazy, and give her the best night they’d both had in a long time. But there they were, the woman of his life pulling down his underwear and holding his member in her delicate hand.

He could see the subtle expression of surprise on her face, admiring his erection as she stroked him. He wanted to smile because he thought she was cute.

"You don't have to." He murmured, feeling himself grow rock hard under her touch. She looked at him for a few seconds without saying a word before bringing the tip to her lips and giving him a small kiss. He blushed and clenched his jaw, the image alone was too much for him.

Joyce took him into her mouth, her tongue making slow circles. Slowly, she pushed him further in, sucking gently and making him see stars, her hand stroking where her lips couldn't reach. He propped himself up on his elbows to get a better view of her over his considerable stomach, their eyes locked.

"Fuck, Joyce." He said through clenched teeth, his chest heaving.

She accelerated her rhythm slightly, and every now and then she managed to get him deeper into her mouth. He thought he was about to come right there, and the nervousness of it all began to take over. Her little moans didn’t help either.

"I think... I think we should stop." He spluttered, a little alarmed. He sat up completely, and she let go of him, her eyes confused. Hopper stroked her hair and smiled. "I don't want the night to end so quickly. C’mere." He said, taking her by the arms and laying her down on the bed beside him. "We'll have time for that later."

"I feel like I'm at a disadvantage here." She complained as he lay on top of her.

“And I’m sorry to tell you, but you’re still at a disadvantage.” He murmured. She narrowed her eyes, but her face was glowing beautifully.

He rested nearly his entire weight on top of her, seeking her lips one last time before trailing down her torso, his lips finding her breasts. Joyce began to writhe, stimulated by his wet kisses on her hot skin. He cupped both breasts in his hands, massaging and pinching her already hard nipples. His mouth closed around one, his tongue circling the little nub of nerves. Joyce’s breathing grew ragged, her hands stroking his hair as he devoured her again.

“You're perfect.” He muttered, his voice heavy with desire. “So damn perfect.”

"And you're... handsome, Hop." She sighed, her voice softer, her gasps louder. Her nails caressing his scalp.

He smiled at her, his heart melting at her words. Sure, the weight gain he'd had in the past year was something that made him feel uncomfortable, he wasn't immune to that. But to see her beautiful eyes lovingly watching him and the words she dedicated to him were a balm for his insecurities. With a smile on his lips, he brought one breast back to his mouth while his free hand massaged the other. Joyce gasped and shivered. The friction of his belly against her center and the weight of his body on her stimulated her deliciously. She felt herself getting wetter and wetter, her core tightening and aching for him.

"Jim...I want you." She sobbed.

Hopper ran his tongue over her nipple one last time, his pupils dilating like a shark before attacking its prey as he looked down at her. He licked his way up to her mouth and kissed her hard and desperate. His cock pressed heavily against her clit.

“I love you like you have no idea.” He whispered as he pulled away slightly.

She lost herself in the intensity of his gaze, her chest rising and falling. She brought a hand up to cradle his face, and he closed his eyes at her touch.

“Turn around.” She merely whispered softly.

He was taken aback for a few seconds… that wasn’t the answer he was expecting, but he obeyed her command without question. When he was on his back, she sat up and straddled him with all the delicacy in the world. Hopper instinctively placed his hands on her hips and swallowed hard.

“I love you too.” She whispered in her sweet voice.

She leaned forward to kiss his lips gently, then settled back into position, lifting her hips a little to reach for his cock. She stroked him a few times, guiding him to her entrance, and slowly sat down until he was buried inside her. She closed her eyes to take in the sensations. She heard him utter a combination of moans and gasps, his body tensing, his big hands moving down to her thighs to give her space and allow her to be in charge. He was big, and they both knew it. She could feel him stretching her deliciously, her walls adjusting to his size. She took a deep breath. Everything felt so right, so perfectly right. Joyce let out a muffled moan and opened her eyes. Their eyes met, and it was as if the world stopped spinning, just the two of them and this bed.

Without breaking eye contact, she rolled her hips slowly just once, experimentally. She felt her center tighten, pleasure making its way through. She gasped, a small, fleeting smile flashing across her face. She began to roll her hips in a slow rhythm, noticing how he gasped with every move she made, his hands falling back to her hips. Watching him lose control beneath her ignited even more sparks inside her. She closed her eyes again, rocking her hips gently so she could lose herself in the feeling of having him inside her for the first time, giving her brain time to register that this was real and happening, that it wasn’t a fantasy of her mind.

“Joyce.” He gasped, and she could feel his body tremble beneath her. His hands came up to cup her breasts, squeezing them devotedly as she rocked on top of him. “Shit, you feel... you feel so good.” He added.

She wanted to say something back but just let out a muffled moan. She needed more. She put her hands on his chest and began to move her hips up and down on him. He quickly dug his fingers into her flesh, helping the movement of her hips, panting and, from time to time, grunting. She wanted to laugh. This wasn’t just sex. This moment was the culmination of a life full of unattainable love: eyes that hid feelings, fleeting touches that sought warmth, encounters and phone calls that brightened days, and a friendship that was destined to be more but couldn’t be. Finally, the universe gave them that opportunity back.

He lifted his knees, just a little, and spread them apart, giving her a little support, which she took, and put both hands on his thighs, leaning back subtly, her back arched. She began to move faster, her hips rolling over his, her sobs growing louder.

“Fuck, Joyce.” He growled, his jaw clenching, his hands gripping her waist, watching in delight as her beautiful breasts bounced with her.

“Oh my God.” She closed her eyes. “Hop...”

“That’s it, Joyce.” He gasped, bringing a hand to her center, rubbing her clit in circles.

She cried out sharply, her body consumed by flames, everything around her disappearing. There was only him and nothing else… him beneath her, staring up at her with devotion, his eyes locked on her, his jaw clenched, the muscles in his arms and torso tensing as if he were holding himself back. His lips seemed to be cursing softly, so softly that she couldn’t hear his voice.

She shifted position, lying on top of him and slowing her movements a little.

His hands pulled her hair back from her face so he could find her lips and kiss her hard. His hips began to thrust upward, his other hand holding her tightly against him, and she moaned into his mouth. His rhythm was slow as he devoured her lips, losing himself in the sensation of being inside her, beneath her, connected to her in every way. He felt like the luckiest man in the world. His chest swelled with pure joy.

Joyce began to move her hips again, trying to match his rhythm. She bit down on his lower lip one last time and sat up again, beginning to bounce faster and faster without warning, making him gasp. It was addictive… having him beneath her, seeing his face contort with the pleasure she was giving him. Seeing his dark, hungry gaze, his jaw clenched, his lips half open in a crooked smile and an expression of disbelief that this was really happening. It was too much, her heart was pounding, and the pleasure was overwhelming. She was finding it hard to control her moans; everything about him was stimulating her in the most exquisite way. And he noticed.

"Don't...hold back." He murmured, bringing both hands to her ass. "I want to hear you."

Joyce closed her eyes, her hips rolling faster as her moans grew louder. She slipped one hand down to rub her clit in fast, circular motions. She was a sight to behold. Something inside him snapped.

"Fuck." He grunted, unable to contain himself at the sight above him.

He abruptly sat up, pulling her into an embrace and kissing her desperately, both of them matching the increasingly rapid pace of their thrusts, neither of them wanting it to end.

"Oh my God, Jim." She sobbed without stopping her movements as he buried his face in her breasts again, grunting as he took one into his mouth. She could only clutch his biceps. "Jim..." She moaned, feeling herself getting close.

“What? It… feels… fuckin’ good, right?” He groaned, his mouth reaching for her throat, his hands holding her body to help her move up and down on him. “Say my name… I love the way… you say it.”

“Shit.” She said, pushing him off a bit roughly, leaving him lying back on the bed with a smile on his face. Something about the way he talked made her even more aroused. She started to move faster. His smile faded, and his jaw tightened beneath her. “Jim...”

“Fuck, Joyce.” He groaned through clenched teeth. His big hands on her hips. “Don’t stop, please… don’t stop.”

“God, Hop.” She cried out, closing her eyes and driving her hips hard a few last times, feeling her heart in her throat, so close to her climax. He moved his hand and rubbed her clit in quick, hard circles. 

“You’re perfect… so fuckin’ perfect.” He gasped, admiring her in awe. His own orgasm about to burst as well.

His words were a fucking trigger. She kept moving her hips as she felt him accelerate his thrusts from below, his big hand gripping her flesh,  her walls tightening, her breathing ragged. That exciting build-up in her core grew more and more until finally she felt the climax explode, so hard and deliciously devastating. She exhaled, closed her eyes, and let herself go. Joyce got lost in the wonderful feeling, not only of the engulfing pleasure but also of sharing it with him. The spasms of her walls squeezed his cock, causing him to deliver the final thrusts, coming deep inside her with an almost animalistic grunt. His hands gripped her hips tightly as he felt himself emptying, the wetness of her center increasing at the same time. Amazed, he watched her arch her back to ride the last wave of pleasure, only to fall on top of him, surrendered.

Hopper exhaled and pulled her into his chest with open arms. He could still feel her trembling, her head on his shoulder and her chest heaving. They were silent for a moment, breathing in ragged gasps. His hands ran up and down her back, then moved to her face, gently brushing her hair away from her sleepy eyes. He kissed her forehead and temple, breathing in her scent, now mingled with his, filling his lungs with that essence.

"That was... that was amazing." He murmured, his voice husky.

"Hmmm." She only smiled, her eyes still closed.

"That means you agree?"

"Hmmm."

Hopper brought his hands to her stomach to tickle her, making her to squirm and finally open her eyes. Carefully, she climbed off of him and lay down beside him, their eyes finally meeting.

"That was wonderful." She replied, her voice soft and sweet.

Hopper leaned down to kiss her once, then again, taking full advantage of the fact that Joyce Byers was in his bed. He got out to grab a damp cloth and help her clean up, the chilly air making itself known now that their bodies had cooled a bit.

"Let me cover us." He murmured, pulling a blanket over them and slipping an arm under her to draw her closer.

"I'm exhausted." Was all she murmured, curling up on his chest with her eyes closed. "I'm not up for this level of physical demand anymore."

"It didn’t look like it." He laughed, feeling her smile against his skin. "I have to admit, you caught me off guard. You took control of the situation with... energy."

"And did that... like you?" She asked cautiously, eyes opening as she stared at the nearest wall.

Hopper chuckled and held her a little tighter.

"Don't get me wrong, having you on top of me with that enthusiasm was the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time, Joyce. And I'd like it to happen often. I just never imagined you'd take the reins like that on our first night together."

Joyce finally looked at him.

"Well, to be fair, I never expected you to give me an orgasm on your kitchen counter either. And yet here we are, surprising each other."

"Well, I'd like us to keep surprising each other, you know? Remember I told you I have a lot of fantasies?" He murmured, his voice deepening.

"Right. And me straddling you was one of them?" She said, a playful smile on her face.

"You have no idea how many scenarios crossed my mind, Joyce. You on top of me is actually one of the more innocent ones."

"Oh God, Hop, you have to tell me some of them."

"Do you have time? I could go all night."

"All night? Are you still talking about your fantasies, or is this something else?" She said suggestively, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Joyce." He smiled and shook his head. "You're about to find out... well, in a few minutes."

She finally laughed, the twinkle in her eyes sparkling.

"I can't remember being this happy." She muttered out of nowhere, catching him off guard.

He couldn’t help but turn serious, his gaze locked on hers.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry it took me so long." She confessed.

"Hey, don't say that." He frowned. "Joyce, I'm just grateful you set your sights on me. It doesn't matter how long it took."

"I know, it's just... sometimes I can't help but think things could've been different, and we could've saved ourselves so much pain. My feelings aren't new, you know that, right? You were always in my thoughts, even when we were apart for all those years. And ever since we reunited after Will, I was just... relieved. Relieved that we were finally close again."

He stroked her hair as he listened intently.

"When my boy disappeared, I don’t know what I would've done without you. You stayed by my side no matter what, you were always there. I finally felt like I had someone I could really trust, someone I could lean on. But I had to be careful, Hop. I didn’t want to see you any other way because I was scared of losing you. I’m sorry if I ever hurt you because of my fears."

"Joyce." He sighed and kissed her hair gently. "Listen carefully to what I’m gonna say. None of what happened is your fault. You and I just weren’t ready to take this step back then. There was too much at stake... too much to lose."

She stared at the pattern on the sheets between them, lost in the meaning of his words. He held her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"But we shouldn’t dwell on the time we lost, just the opposite." He said seriously. "We should make it up."

Hopper looked into her eyes and smiled, then brought his face to hers, pressing their foreheads together. He felt her smile and couldn’t help himself when he said:

"I’m the happiest man in the world, Joyce. It’s time for us to be truly happy… you and me, and our kids."

"I’m never letting you go again." She whispered.

"Good. Because I’m not going anywhere."

She pulled back a little to look at him, her smile turning mischievous.

"So... how exactly do you plan to go all night and make up for lost time?"

His sweet smile darkened in a split second, his eyes suddenly sharp and intense.

"When do you have to be home?" He asked, his tone had changed, deeper now.

"I just want to get there before the kids wake up." She murmured, feeling the air shift around them.

"Well, then we’ve got plenty of time."

Joyce turned to check the time on his bedside table, it wasn’t even midnight yet.

Before she could turn back to face him, she felt his hands roaming over her body and his mouth on her shoulder, leaving kisses across her skin.

"Something you need to know…" He murmured in her ear, making her skin flush. "I like to take control too."

"Yeah?" She breathed, swallowing hard as she felt his hands caress her stomach, then come up to cup her breasts tightly, making her sigh. "Can you go again?"

"Oh, Joyce, I'm halfway there." He chuckled softly, grinding his pelvis against her ass, making his half erection obvious.

"Good to know." She said, turning her face toward him.

Their lips met, his tongue seeking hers. His hand slid down from her breast, moving to her center, stroking her folds and paying particular attention to her clit. Her little moans began to rise, quickly dying on his lips, taking her breath away.

Her hand crept behind her to find and hold his cock, her thumb circling the tip, making him fully hard in seconds.

Hopper left her lips and exhaled, his eyes closed, lost in the sensation of her delicate fingers.

He started to work a little faster at her center, noticing how her wetness grew with the motion of his fingers, his other hand under her body playing with her nipple, squeezing it a little hard between his thumb and middle finger, making Joyce hiss. Hopper grinned and nibbled at the skin of her neck, as he applied more pressure on her clit.

She exhaled sharply, the hand stroking his cock instinctively grabbing his wrist so she could feel like she was holding on to something as he drove her mad. A choked moan escaped her throat.

"Don't hold back, I love listening to you." He whispered in her ear.

"Jesus, you like to talk." She sighed, feeling even more aroused.

Hopper smiled and released her clit to take himself in hand. He positioned himself snugly behind her, guiding his cock to her entrance and sliding inside until he was buried to the hilt. They both sighed heavily, eyes closed, and, unable to stand it, he hid his face in the crook of her neck again.

"Shit, Joyce, you feel so good..."

"Hop please..." She breathed back in ragged gasps. "I've never felt like this..." She sobbed. Her moan died in her throat as if she couldn't breathe.

Hopper began to move his hips, neither slow nor fast. It was the perfect rhythm to make them both feel like they were back in paradise. His hand grabbed her hip to keep her in place, his mouth searching for her earlobe between ragged breaths.

She raised her arm and reached for his head, stroking his hair with one hand while the other reached for the hand kneading her breast. She could feel the energy and heat rising.

"My God, Hop..."

"What d'you need?" He groaned in her ear. "Tell me what you need."

"I need more... I need you."

Hopper grunted before slipping his hand between her legs and lifting her thigh slightly to gain more access. He raised his knee as well, planting his foot in the mattress for perfect support, and began thrusting into her faster and harder. He immediately felt Joyce's moans increase in volume and intensity, her body tensing, her back arching, and her hips grinding back to give him more access to her.

"That's it..." He hissed, releasing her thigh and grabbing her face, forcing her to look back at him as he thrust into her. "Let me hear you." He whispered.

"Jim." She moaned, losing herself in his dark, hypnotic gaze. His eyes, which had looked at her so tenderly, were now dark and wild. "Oh my God, Jim... please."

He growled again and leaned over her, not stopping the rocking of his hips. His hand released her face and roamed over her free breast, taking it in his mouth, sucking hard, causing her to sob.

"Please... Hopper." She whispered. The hand beneath her moved up and gently grabbed her throat, enough to hold but not hurt her. "Please..."

"Goddamn it, I love it when you beg, Joyce." He groaned, meeting her eyes fleetingly. She could only nod and sigh again as he continued licking her nipple.

Hopper noted how the skin on her chest was flushed from the friction of his mustache and beard, and he couldn’t help but smile as his eyes wandered over the rest of her body, marked by him everywhere. It was a selfish thought, maybe, but it stemmed from the happiness of knowing she was now his, and he was hers. So, he nibbled at the skin of her breast with even more pleasure. He only hoped she wouldn’t slap him when the thrill of the moment passed and she noticed.

"Fuck... you feel so good." She blurted out, bringing him back to the present and arousing him even more.

He released her breast from his mouth and sought her lips, kissing her hard. His hand moved down to her center, rubbing her clit with increasing pressure and speed to match the pace of his hips, driving her absolutely crazy. The hand gripping her throat applied more pressure, and he could have sworn her walls clenched tighter in response. Joyce reached for his thigh, digging her nails into his skin as he moved behind her, making him let out a choked moan. Her other hand clenched into a fist on the sheets, feeling her heartbeat in her throat, marveling at how he engulfed her in every way, both physically and metaphorically… he was everywhere. His body, his hands, his mouth; everything about him made her feel alive, more alive than ever.

She smiled between desperate kisses.

"Hop... I'm gonna come." She sobbed, her eyes squeezed shut as she felt his lips move to her jaw.

With one last effort, Hopper thrust even harder, making Joyce scream. He closed his eyes, pressed his forehead to her cheek, and grunted desperately as he felt himself approaching another climax. No more than a few seconds later, they both came, releasing waves of pleasure that flooded every pore of their bodies. Their moans, the heat, the sweat, their breaths, everything heightened before slowly settling back into calm.

After a moment, he pulled out of her, causing her to moan one last time. He hugged her tightly from behind, leaving kisses everywhere he could: her cheeks, her throat, her shoulder.

She sighed and turned her face to meet his lips for a kiss.

"That was..." She paused for a moment, her energy completely drained. "I have no words."

"We're not wasting any more time. You're gonna get tired of me."

She just nodded. She wanted to smile, but her body was too exhausted. Damn, she was out of practice.

"And what if you get tired of me?" She teased.

"That's impossible, Joyce. It took me 25 years to get to this moment. I plan to be buried next to you."

She laughed, her eyes sparkling at the sight of his face. Her hand cupped his cheek, and she kissed him tenderly.

"Good, because I plan to do the same."

Hopper hugged her, his body pressed tightly against hers.

"We should get some sleep, and then I'll take you home."

"Yeah, but we should shower first." She murmured, her eyes already closed.

"Mmm... are you saying you want us to shower together?"

"Jesus, we just finished the second round and you're already talking about a third?"

"First of all, I was just talking about showering. And second... um... yeah, that's one of my fantasies too." He smiled, and he could feel her smile as well. "So don't think I'm gonna waste this opportunity." He added, his voice drowsy.

Joyce felt a pull low in her abdomen and cursed herself for it.

"You're insatiable." She said, pretending to be offended, though a smile played on her lips.

After a beat of silence, he cleared his throat.

"So?"

"So what?" She frowned.

"Was this the best date of your life or not?"

She smiled, reaching for his hands over her chest, their fingers intertwining.

"It was the best date I’ve ever had, Hop."

"And what else?"

"Hmmm." She thought for a second. "And I had a great time." She continued, not quite sure if that was what he really wanted to hear.

"Uh-huh. And what else?"

Joyce chuckled, a little amused, and turned to look at him. Hopper was staring at her with mischief in his eyes. She raised an eyebrow.

"I told you that by the end of the night, we’d evaluate whether the dinner and dessert were not just the best you’ve ever had, but... you know." He added, with an air of mystery.

Suddenly, it dawned on her. Oh ...

"You want to know if this was the best sex I’ve ever had?"

Hopper grinned and rolled his eyes, as if the answer were obvious. His expression was amused, and she couldn’t help but feel her heart melt at his childish behavior.

"Well, I remember warning you that I’m more of a man of action than words."

"Yes, it was the best sex I’ve ever had." She confessed, looking into his eyes and seeing a beautiful glow in them. "But don’t flatter yourself, because now you’ve got to keep it up."

Hopper smiled arrogantly.

"Joyce, you know you don’t have to worry about that. I think I made that pretty clear." He murmured, hugging her tighter and planting a soft kiss on her jaw.

She just sighed and closed her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. He did have a point there.

"We’ve got a few hours to rest." He mumbled, settling back into the pillow and closing his eyes.

"Hop?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

Hopper opened his eyes, and a small smile spread across his face. He sighed, relieved that this was his new reality.

"I love you." He replied, a twinkle in his eye.

It was curious how she had always been present in his life, so close he could reach out and touch her, and yet always just out of reach. He smiled. Finally, every piece had fallen into place. Now she was in his arms, right where she had always belonged.

It takes time to get there, but in the end... the reward comes.

Fin