Page 99 of Nowhere Good

If she felt like this on his fingers—he wasn’t ready for how she’d feel on something much bigger.

When she tugged at the neck of his shirt, he pulled away. She peered down at him, asking a silent question. He hoped he read it right, because he couldn’t wait anymore. He stood and began unbuckling his belt, asking, “Is this okay?” as he did.

Claire lifted up and tugged at the buttons of his shirt, helping him peel it off as he undid his pants. “Please, I need it,” was all she said, her voice desperate and soft, her hands roaming the exposed muscles of his abdomen, trailing toward the V of his hips.

“I need it too,” he managed. But as he unzipped, his last functioning brain cell came back to life, just enough to slap him with a dose of reality. “Wait. I don’t have any protection.”

She nudged his chest with her toes. “Well, I am on the pill… it’s okay with me if it’s okay with you…”

He grinned in relief. “Fine by me.” And then his pants—his boxers—were not a problem anymore. She lay back for him, opened herself to him, and it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. The bed happened to be the perfect height. And her ankles belonged over his shoulders.

He’d be a fool not to give her exactly what she wanted.

TWENTY-NINE

Claire’s head floated into the clouds, and her body turned to putty in Seth’s hands as she lay on the bed in front of him. Everything—his warmth, his scent, his size—intoxicated her and left her feeling weak in the best way, till her legs were shaking and every nerve ending was on fire.

Was this what it was like to actually be desired? Because he couldn’t keep his eyes, his hands, his lips off her. And he refused to let himself finish till she did, even when it was killing him—when he had to slow down and close his eyes, gently kissing her ankle to distract himself, his breaths ragged and slow, like the sight of her could destroy him.

Luckily for him, it didn’t take much to get her there; just knowing she had that effect on him was enough to send her over the edge. She barely had to touch herself till she was making noises (and saying words) she’d be embarrassed about if any part of her was sensible. He quieted her with another electric kiss, all tongue, before she could feel him start to go rigid as he groaned into her mouth. He pulled away and tried to ask, “Where can I…?”

She bit her smile at the pained expression on his face. Seeing him like this made her feel devious. She shut him up with a kiss and tightened her legs around him—not sensible, like she said—but she wanted all of him. It caught him off guard, but gave her exactly what she wanted.

And as they melted together, he kissed her softer. She never wanted him to stop.

“Fuck,” he breathed out, eyes clouded with lust. “I’ve never done it like that… like… you know.”

“What?” she prompted, amused. “Finished inside?”

“Yeah, not without protection. I think I almost passed out.”

It was a new experience for her too, in a different way. She’d never wanted it—needed it—like that.

He winced as he pulled himself from her, and she missed him inside her already. She was gonna have a hard time concentrating on anything else for a while with that living rent-free in her head. Probably wasn’t much longer than five minutes they were going at it, and it was easily the best sex she’d ever had.

Seth briefly left the bed to grab her a towel, which was probably (tragically) the most gentlemanly thing anyone had ever done for her, then fell back-first on the bed beside her, his face flushed and satisfied as he regained his breath. “You have no idea how hot you are.”

Suddenly embarrassed, Claire laughed and hid her mouth with her hand. He rolled toward her with that gorgeous, dimpled smile of his. She could hardly believe this man just did her like that.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, laughing too.

“It’s just, we barely even talked about anything. We just… did it.”

“Talking’s overrated sometimes. C’mere.”

He pulled her into his chest, and she rested against his heart, listening to its soft thrum. He ran his fingers along the shape of her ear and pinched softly at the lobe, then brushed her stud earring, as if to memorize it.

Claire stayed in that bliss for several long moments. He was right—they didn’t need to talk. Not yet.

After a few minutes, something familiar and fruity tickled her nostrils, and she leaned up to see an unlit candle on the nightstand on the left side of his bed. Not any candle—her candle. She looked at Seth, who was staring at her with a mix of curiosity and admiration.

“You bought one of my candles,” she stated, mouth agape.

He ran his fingers through her hair. “At the fair. I had to have it. You always make lots of those?”

“Mm-hmm.” She smiled fondly and relaxed back onto his chest, pressing her cheek to his bare skin. “I always sorta dreamed of having my own arts and crafts type shop in the city.”

“Oh yeah? Which city?”