The sweet friction of our bodies pressed so intimately together almost pushed me over the edge. I fought for control as Aubrey rocked her hips against my touch, seeking relief from the ache that was clearly building inside her.
“Please.” Her voice was breathless and desperate. “Canyon, please. I need you.”
Every instinct I had screamed at me to take her right here and lose myself completely in her. But a stubborn voice deep inside forced me to pause, the lingering awareness that this was too soon and far too important to rush. And there was too much hanging over us right now.
“It’s too soon, sunshine,” I murmured roughly against her neck, my tone betraying the restraint it cost me.
She blinked, and I saw a flash of insecurity in her beautiful blue eyes. “Listen to me, Aubrey, I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone, and it’s killing me not to have you moaning my name while I slide deep inside you.” I cupped her face with my free hand. “But when I take you, it’s not gonna be a quick fuck against the hood of a car. You deserve more than that.”
Her expression eased at my words, but she was still aching and unfulfilled. Not a chance in hell would I leave her that way.
“But right now, I’m gonna make sure you get exactly what you need.”
My fingers moved inside her, working her slowly, until her body shuddered violently beneath my touch. Her breath came in gasping bursts, her nails digging into my shoulders as I took her right to the edge, never letting up the perfect rhythm that pushed her higher. I felt her body tense, her hips rocking desperately against my hand as I sent her crashing over that edge, her climax exploding through her in waves of pleasure that left her trembling and breathless.
“Canyon!”
I almost came in my pants when she cried out my name in the throes of her orgasm.
Then I kissed her softly as she floated slowly back to reality, her eyes glazed and heavy while her body trembled as the aftershocks slowly subsided. She stared up at me, beautifully flushed and glowing, and it took every bit of self-control I had left not to carry her straight home and finish what we’d started.
Instead, I carefully straightened her clothing, smoothing her dress back down over her thighs before gently lifting her from the hood of the SUV. She leaned into me, her legs slightly unsteady, and I scooped her into my arms without hesitation, savoring the way she cuddled trustingly against me. Afteropening the passenger door, I gently placed her into the seat, buckling her seat belt before moving around to the driver’s side.
The entire drive to her home, my body was still painfully hard, and I was furious at myself for taking things as far as I had. I knew that any chance of pulling back and putting distance between us was now long gone. I’d crossed a line I’d never intended to go over, and there was no turning back.
But whatever complications waited down the road, or the fallout that would eventually come from Tripp and the secrets still sitting between us, I knew one thing with absolute certainty.
Walking away was no longer an option.
7
AUBREY
Isat in my Curriculum & Methods lecture, my notebook open and pen ready, doing my best to focus on the professor's words. This class was required for my major, and I usually took detailed notes, but today my attention kept drifting. My phone rested on my lap, screen facing up, and it had been buzzing all morning with texts from Canyon.
Even simple check-ins felt intense coming from him.
Canyon
Thinking about you, sunshine.
I’d always been the girl who stayed on top of assignments and never let anything distract her from her goals, but I was struggling to keep my eyes on the lecture slides because his texts were almost as addictive as his kisses. Which I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about since last night.
“Aubrey?”
Professor Lang’s voice cut through my thoughts. I blinked and sat up straighter, heat rushing to my cheeks. “Yes. Sorry, could you repeat the question?”
A soft giggle came from the girl sitting next to me. When I glanced over, she gave me a knowing look, her eyebrows raised like she could see right through me. I offered her an embarrassed smile before turning back to the front of the room to answer.
I really needed to get it together. Canyon’s texts were throwing me completely off balance. I knew I should put my phone away, but I’d never had someone pursue me like this before, and I was surprised by how much I craved it.
The rest of the day passed in a distracted haze of more lectures that I didn’t fully catch. By the time six o’clock rolled around, I was more excited than nervous as I finished getting ready.
When I heard the rumble of a motorcycle pulling into the parking lot, anticipation coursed through my veins. I put on a pair of sneakers instead of the sandals I’d planned to pair with my jeans and got to the door just as he knocked on it.
“Hey—”
My greeting was swallowed by the press of his mouth against my lips. When I gasped, his tongue slid inside to tangle with mine. He didn’t lift his head again until his kiss left me breathless.
