Member-only story
Abandonment at Climax
Rediscovering Pleasure After the Selfish Act
The residence was quiet, with only the faint rustling of the wind against the glass breaking the stillness. The bedroom resembled a refuge filled with rumpled linens and unmet expectations. She lay there, exposed, yet not unprotected. Not anymore. The residual warmth of his body lingered on the nearby mattress, though he was absent now. True to form, he had risen as soon as he had reached his satisfaction, leaving her to contend with the void that followed.
For a brief moment, she gazed at the ceiling, attempting to grasp why that sense of incompleteness felt so recognizable. After ten months together, she still found herself attempting to convey lessons that seemed like they should be second nature to him. She didn’t believe it was too much to expect, she thought. It wasn’t that she asked for something unattainable or lavish, merely a deeper caress, a more lasting kiss, a glance that conveyed: “I remain here with you.” But he never lingered. He would dash off to the bathroom as if his climax marked a definitive conclusion, while hers was merely an overlooked hesitation.
That evening, she resolved not to dismiss it any longer. When he came back to bed, the scent of soap clinging to his skin and his hair damp from his hands, she turned to him, her gaze a blend of softness and…
