Page 29 of Freefall

It only takes one look at her wide hazel eyes for me to regret every single word I just spoke.

She’s going to run.

My brain works double-time trying to come up with ways to take back the words, but before I can say anything else, her eyes narrow into thin slits. “Then do it.”

That’s all it takes. Three words from her and everything I had worried about, every single doubt, disappears into thin air.

Not wasting another second, I spin her around, her gasp ringing out in the enclosed space as I tug her shirt up and over her head. Of course, she’s not wearing a fucking bra, which makes me want to punish her even more, considering the bullshit photoshoot she was planning. She sucks in a breath when I grip her hips from behind, popping open the button on her jeans and sliding the zipper down.

I lean in, inhaling the scent of lavender and something sweet I can’t put my finger on, as I move her hair aside and whisper in her ear. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” No hesitation. Not even a pause.

“Good.” I shove her jeans and underwear down to her ankles in one go, and she steps out of them. Before I can stop her, she turns around, pressing her lips to mine, kissing me stupid before jumping up and wrapping her legs around my waist. We’ve made out a bunch at this point, and I’ve felt her up a few times, but this feels different. More urgent. Reckless. I walk us to the bed, dropping her down on the mattress before shedding my own clothes.

“Nathan,” she pants, her breath coming in short gasps. “I want you.”

This was supposed to be a punishment. I told her I wanted to show her what happened to bad girls. I’m not even sure where that came from. I’ve never said those words in my life, but I can’t think about that right now because all I want is to be inside her. My cock is throbbing, standing at fucking attention, so I give myself a slow stroke to take the edge off. The movement of my hand catches her attention, and her eyes go wide again.

“Holy shit.”

I look down. “What?”

“I didn’t…I mean, I’ve never…that’s really fucking big, Nate.”

I can’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “What’s the matter, Dani? Don’t think you can handle it?”

She studies me for a second before determination blankets her face. “I can handle it.”

Nudging her legs apart with my knee, I brace my hands on either side of her head. The same position we were just in when I had her pinned against the wall.

Same but different.

“Good, because I need to be inside you. Right fucking now.”

I trail a finger down her belly until I reach the apex of her thighs, gathering the wetness and bringing it up to her clit where I rub slow circles.

“Shit,” she sighs.

“I need to make sure you’re ready, Dani.”

“I’m ready,” she assures me. “Although I’m not sure I’ll ever truly be ready for that mons—” Her words catch in her throat as I notch myself at her opening. “Wait!”

I freeze. This is it. She doesn’t want this. I’m such an idiot.

“Condom,” she rushes out, still breathless, still panting, and I’m momentarily stunned. I have never, not once, had sex without a condom. Not my first time, not in high school, not in college, not ever. Yet it didn’t even occur to me until now.

“The side drawer,” she whispers, her voice carrying a slightly frantic lilt.

And there it is. The blinding rage. The knowledge that there were others before me. She’s been with other men. That’s normal. She’s a sophomore in college. I’ve been with other women. How could I expect that she’s never slept with anyone else?

Slowly opening the drawer as if a tarantula is about to jump out and bite me, I see that there are exactly five condoms with Blackwell’s health center logo on them. Normally, the fact that there are five instead of an even number would send me into a panic, but knowing I’m going to take one and there will be four left calms me. It also helps that it looks like she grabbed a handful at the clinic, meaning maybe only one or two have been used. Or maybe none…

“What’s taking so long?” she whines.

Walking back over to the bed, I rip open the wrapper, spit out the torn-off top, and roll the condom slowly down my length.

“You know,” I say as I bring my cock back to her opening, teasing her with the tip. “you seem pretty desperate, Dani.”