Willow is lounging at the marble counter while I plate up some food from the dining hall. Another thing you won’t find at a regular college is gourmet room service. On frantic test-cramming nights in particular, having dinner delivered to your room is a gift.
“Ooo, I want the swordfish,” she says, making grabby hands.
“Of course you do,” I laugh, “because I ordered that for me.” Still, I give her the demanded swordfish and take the pesto chicken for myself.
“You realize you’re going to have to give me something.”
“I gave you the swordfish!”
“No,” Willow says patiently, “something about this mystery man. Why he took you to an insanely expensive boutique doctor and-”
“I knew it!” I say, “A fancy private physician? He wouldn’t let me pay the bill, the overbearing ass!”
“Oh, you paid in other ways.” she leers.
“That is just… gross, Willow.”
“Oh, yeah.” She looks thoughtful. “Remember that I was raised by a family of arseholes and we defuse every awkward moment with poorly-timed humor?”
I toast her with my glass of wine. “This is true.”
“Now, one advantage of being raised by a family of arseholes is that I am not required to be a virgin princess.” She eyes me keenly, “But you are, mate. So he had to be something special.”
The night before…
Waking up next to Cormac was the most luscious moment of warmth and comfort and then, shocked awareness that I wasno longer a virgin and the reason for it was currently sleeping behind me, his arm casually thrown over my waist and that huge body pressed against mine.
Also, that I was very sore.
After that first - amazing - introduction to his dick, I revisited it when he pounded into me from behind, looking out the window at the silent park across the street, and then with my ass perched precariously on the railing of his terrace. I did not know that an orgasm could feel like it was detonating every cell in my body, and that the feeling of his hard chest against mine, wet with sweat and the husky drone of his Scottish accent in my ear telling me how beautiful I was, could make me happier than I’ve ever been.
Even if it was just for one night.
I’d slipped out of bed, clumsily getting dressed and a dark little part of me enjoying the ache between my legs. I pulled his borrowed sweatshirt back on. Burying my nose in the cotton, I inhaled deeply. It smelled like him. Something I could keep.
Hesitating at his bedroom door, I looked back at him, his lashes a thick fan on his cheekbones, his full mouth slightly open in sleep.
Thank you,I mouthed, too cowardly to say goodbye.
Tati answered my text instantly which made me feel terribly guilty since it meant she and Willow had never gone to sleep, but they were there to pick me up ten minutes later.
Currently…
“Wait, you never said goodbye? You just… scarpered off?” Willow’s staring at me, torn between outrage and amusement.
“It was never not going to be awkward,” I say defensively, “what am I going to say, ‘Hey, sorry about the blood on your thousand-dollar sheets, and no, I’m not having my period?’ It didn’t seem like the moment to explain it all.”
“You ran like a frightened little fawn,” she grins.
“You really are the worst friend, you know that, right?”
“Most likely.” Putting her hand on mine, she looks at me closely. “Here’s the important bit. Was it worth it?”
“God, yes,” I say fervently. “I knew it would be, just sitting across from him in that pub, having dinner. I knew it would be worth it. I’ll never regret it.”
“Then good,” she hugs me, hard. “Good. You deserve something happy, something just for you.”
“What do you mean?”
