Linden, May 15th
His mouth was ravenous, consuming him in a blazing fire. The hands running over his body were calloused, but he loved the slight scratch catching on his skin as they found their way under his shirt.
“Ohh,” he moaned, finding it the only noise he was capable of making aside from breathless gasps pleading for "more!"
“Can you take me?” His lover’s voice was husky, rough, just like his hands on him. The raw desire simmering in those few words had his knees go weak. His breath tickled his neck as he whispered in his ear—
Footsteps clomp down the hallway. I hurriedly slam the book closed and slide it into my backpack. My heart is racing, coloring my cheeks pink, more so from the rush of being caught reading than fromwhatI just read. The captivating romance ofKeeping Noahis a far cry from the jitters I feel. Especially when Colin steps back into his bedroom.
He looks entirely at ease, giving me a warm smile that shows off the dimples next to his full lips. His curly, sandy-brown hair is effortlessly stylish, as it frames his face, much like his clotheshug his body. Everything complements one another: light beige pants, dark green dress shirt. In comparison, I'm a mismatched amalgamation of dishwater-blond strands long enough to reach my chin and a white T-shirt that’s too big on me, yet I still don’t feel sufficiently hidden beneath the cotton.
“Here you go, Linden.”
“Thank you!” I smile up at Colin before I take the glass of water he’s holding out.
I met the man I came to know ascolin_callinfor our first date at a restaurant earlier tonight and quickly realized that flirting was much easier when it happened on my phone screen. In person, I tripped over my words or started jokes with the punchline. I also went beet-red at even the slightest innuendo.
Especially since I hadn’t counted on going back home with him. It was supposed to be just dinner to get to know each other offline. Now that I’m sitting on his bed, I’m overwhelmed, like I was teleported into Colin’s apartment, although I took every step here myself.
Colin seems to feel nothing but eager anticipation. He wags his brows at me, impervious to the aura of uncertainty I’m exuding like a thick fog.
“I could have made my signature cocktail too”—he grins suggestively—“but I’m sure you want to be sober for our time together.”
My answering laugh is shaky, and I quickly drown it in a sip of water.
Colin doesn’t sit down, only slides one knee onto the mattress next to me.
After another sip, I put my glass down on the windowsill behind me. I barely manage to turn back around before Colin kneels over me.
His arms frame my head, propped up on either side of his headboard. Seconds later, his nose touches mine.
I blink, but he blurs before my eyes until he’s merely a heavy shape that presses me down.
Our lips touch.
I blink some more. The pressure of Colin’s mouth on mine isn’t bad. But it’s just that: pressure. Soft, kind of wet. It feels…weird.
Shouldn't there be some kind of instinct kicking in? Some kind of…urge that turns off my brain and makes all this easy? Makes my hands move and allows me to open my mouth for him without worrying about tasting the seafood pasta he had at the restaurant?
The prospect is bad enough that I clamp my lips together.
By the time I manage to move one hand to his thigh, Colin is already pushing my shirt up over my navel.
“Oh yes.” His lips trail along my jawline until he’s whispering right next to my ear. One of his hands disappears from my chest to grab mine and pulls it to his groin. The denim is rough against my fingertips as they feel along his hard—
“Look what you’re doing to me,” he rasps, then traces my ear with his tongue. His breath slides over the wet trail he leaves behind on my skin.
Goosebumps erupt on my arms. My entire body shudders. I pull my hand away, hurriedly rubbing over my ear to make the tingling disappear.
When I look up, Colin is holding up both hands, his brows raised high. “Wow, okay, sensitive?”
“I…I’m sorry.” I breathe in shakily. Half wishing he’d just lean back down and half hoping a hole would open up and swallow me.
I have no idea if I liked that.
“Want me to do that again?” Colin lowers his voice to a purr, very obviously trying to get the mood back.
But all it does is make me shiver again. I need to be honest if I want to work things out. And I do!
