Roland let out a slightly strangled little sound as her nails dug into his skin, his sharp eyes on her, a little unfocused with arousal. Fuck, but that was hot. He didn't stop thrusting, although he slowed a little as she peaked, as much for the sake of his muscles as for anything to do with her. Stopping hardly seemed like an option just then. He might have the self-control, if he tried, but he wasn't about to strain himself over it, and his body had its own ideas. His breath was starting to hitch, his skin slicked with sweat as he pressed her up against the wall with all his weight, covering her mouth with his.

It was a couple of minutes before he came, letting out a low, guttural sound into the kiss, his whole body shuddering up against her. His hand had found its way back up into her hair, where it clenched spastically for a moment, then relaxed.

When he pulled away, gasping, he was smiling. For perhaps the first time she'd seen, there was no darkness behind it. It would return soon enough, but for now, it had been washed away. "Better?"