“You have a lot of secrets—”
“Hey, I’m not keeping secrets about how I feel. I’m in this. It’s not a game.” My hand drops onto hers and squeezes, holding tight. “You’re trying to hold back because you’re scared, but that’s a waste of time. Your fear isn’t big enough to keep you away from me. I’d stake everything I own on that.”
As she watches me, Avery licks her lips and nods. “You’re right.” She exhales, and it’s almost a sigh. “I’m really bad at enforcing the boundaries I try to set. I think it’s because I don’t actually want them. They’re a sensible precaution…but what I really want is for us both to be all in.”
Fuck, yes.“Same.”
Beneath mine, her hand turns over, and our hands clasp each other.
“After my presentation tomorrow, I’ll go to Student Health.” Her head tilts, her bright eyes studying my face. “Maybe on New Year’s Eve…?”
Fuck, yes.“Yeah, perfect. Let’s go somewhere special. I’ll take you anywhere you want. Name the place.”
“A hotel in Aspen would be fine, if we’re still there from Christmas. Or at your house, if we’re back. It won’t matter where we are. That never does when I’m with you.”
Same.
The chemistry between us is a rare, perfect thing. Like a fifty-year-old bottle of Reibiliúnach that I wouldn’t part with at any price.
“I know.” I raise her hand to kiss it, brushing my lips over her soft skin. “That’s the way it’s always been for me, too. When you’re in the room, the rest of the world falls away.”
* * *
AVERY
Lyingnaked on the bed with my calves over Shane’s shoulders as he goes down on me is a revelation in just how skilled his mouth is. I come three times over the course of an hour and finally have to stop him before I pass out.
My legs quiver so hard I’m not certain I could kneel or even crawl into a position to reciprocate. When I admit this, he chuckles.
“Lie back and relax,” he murmurs after he crawls up the bed and reclines against a stack of pillows next to me. His cock is so hard it looks angry and painful, but he’s calm as he fists it and strokes.
“Don’t you need me to help with that?” I ask curiously, rolling onto my side to watch him. His body is so gorgeous. His abs alone could star in an action movie.
He smirks. “It’s not my rookie season, beautiful.”
“Should I leave you alone to concentrate?”
“So I can fantasize about your naked body instead of actually looking at it? No.”
That makes me smile.
He draws in a deep breath, making his chest expand and his muscles stretch. His hand pauses. “I thought you were tired, so I was giving you a pass. But if you’re not tired after all, then yeah, put that pretty mouth to good use.”
His practical hard-edged approach to sex is so foreign…and, I suppose, masculine. The way I think about sex with him is laced with so many delicate little feelings.
“Would that feel better? Or just different?” I ask, trying to match his blazing candor.
“What? A blow job? Versus using my hand?” His tone is incredulous.
“Is that a crazy question?” I try not to sound defensive. “I read something online that made me wonder. You’re the only person I’ve ever talked to about sex. Couldn’t really ask before…”
He exhales and licks his lips. His hand releases his cock, and when he speaks, his voice is low but earnest. “Anything that involves you feels better. Much better.” He rests his hand against his ribs, like he’s in no rush. “What else do you want to know? Ask me anything.”
“I wouldn’t be able to masturbate with you watching.” My voice catches on the word masturbate, but I press on. “It seems like you could?”
“Yeah.”
When I don’t say anything more, he studies my face closely.
