Finally unable to deprive ourselves of oxygen any longer, we broke apart, chests heaving, and sucked in air. Suddenly feeling extremely warm, I raised my arms. He grinned as he slowly raised my hoodie-sweater over my abdomen, head, and arms and tossed it on the floor.
I leaned forward to capture his lips again, but before I could, Steve asked, “What happened?"
“Huh?” I replied, confused.
“Your arm. What happened?” he repeated.
I followed his gaze to the crook of my right elbow and the rash that was faded, but still there. “Oh. That’s where they put the IV in when they removed my wisdom teeth. They used the wrong medical tape and it broke me out.”
“And it’s still there?” he asked, surprised.
“Yeah. I’m allergic to a lot of adhesives so some reactions are worse than others, depending on the brand. Like one time, I forgot and had a Band-Aid on for twenty-four hours, and the rash didn’t go away for a month.”
“Oh, wow.”
“Yeah.”
“So, any other allergies?
Codeine… severely. And, um…” I hesitated, biting my lower lip lightly.
“And…” He prodded, gently.
I took a deep breath, and answered, “And latex.”
To my surprise, and his credit, Steve didn’t react. I’m sure the wheels were turning in his head, but there was no sharp intake of breath or wide eyes. I would have expected at least one, if not both, to occur, given what we had been doing just moments earlier. Instead we just sat there looking at each other.
After another few seconds, he leaned forward and kissed me. Then his kisses went to my neck while his hands went back up my shirt. I craned my neck to give him better access and couldn’t stop the moan that escaped at the sensations his lips, short beard, and hands were creating. It felt as though my body was on fire. As his mouth moved to my collarbone and my shoulder, his right hand came out from underneath my shirt to move the spaghetti strap while the other one continued to move up my back and came around to cup my breast through my bra, and I let out an even louder moan.
Needing to taste his mouth again, I leaned forward and grabbed his face away from my shoulder and kissed him passionately. As our tongues danced and fought to taste as much of the other as possible, my hands went to his hips and slowly under his sweater. He let out a moan from deep in his throat and my lips turned up in satisfaction around the kiss. It was only fair that he felt the same way I did. As I continued to kiss him, I grabbed the ends of his sweater and pushed it up his abdomen and broke our kiss to get it over his head and off his arms, then threw it on the floor next to mine.
With his sweater off, I continued my assault with both my lips and hands. Putting my hands back under his t-shirt, I decided to pleasure his neck instead of his lips. As I kissed down his neck to his shoulder, he resumed kissing along my collarbone and shoulder. I gently bit down, to stop a groan from escaping, as I made my way back up his neck when his hands started rubbing my back and breast again. I immediately sucked on the bite, trying to sooth the pain with my tongue, eliciting another moan from his throat, as I made my way to his jawline. Before I could get there, however, Steve removed both hands from under my shirt and I gasped at the loss of contact. Taking advantage of my opened and unoccupied mouth, he stopped kissing my shoulder and looked at me then, without warning, devoured my lips.
Pulling me tighter against him, Steve slid down until his head was against the arm of the couch and I was lying on top of him. Adjusting to the new angle, I scooted back and slipped my hands back under his shirt causing a low moan to escape from deep in his chest. Curious whether it was my hands or my lower body or both that caused his reaction, I stopped my hands and scooted back even further and just waited for his reaction. When he moaned softly, I smiled and noted it. His moan was a little louder when I resumed touching him under his shirt and my grin got wider. I bit my bottom lip as I leaned down to his ear.
“Does that feel good?” I whispered, before sucking on his earlobe.
Steve just nodded and whimpered. He immediately bit his lip to stop anything else from escaping and the corners of my lips twitched.
“How about this?” I asked, then moved my hips and hands at the same time.
Steve’s hips bucked up and his eyes slammed shut as a loud and uncontrollable moan escaped his lips and all I could do was smirk in satisfaction. The fact that I could affect him that much made my pulse race and my whole body tingle. I was so distracted by the new sensations in my body that I was thrown off guard when he growled and flipped us until I was looking up into the darkest blue eyes I’d ever seen.
We just laid there for several seconds staring at each other, seeing the exact same desire in the other’s eyes, but, at the same time, not sure what to do next. Without breaking eye contact, I wrapped my leg around his and began rubbing it with my foot. That seemed to bring Steve out of his trance and I saw a mischievous glint in his eyes before he leaned down and kissed me.
As he made his way from my mouth to my jaw then to my ear, I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms loosely around his neck.
“Payback time, baby,” he whispered, and I couldn’t stop the shiver his breath caused on my ear.
Smirking at the hitch in my breath, he slowly sucked on my earlobe before making his way to my neck. As he made his way down my neck and across my collarbone to my shoulder, I had to bite my lip to keep a moan from escaping. Reaching my shoulder, he stopped and then kissed his way back to the hollow of my neck. Instead of making his way back up to my mouth, like I thought he would, he continued downward.
When he reached the top of my breasts, he stopped again and looked up at me. I just smiled and tried to stay calm, but inside I was anything but. My heart was pounding so hard and fast that I thought it was going to burst out of my chest. My pulse was racing so fast I thought I might pass out. It was the most amazing feeling and I didn’t think I could make it stop even if I wanted to.
Seeing me smile, Steve continued without a second thought. Feeling myself start to lose control as he kissed the top of my breasts, I bit down on my lip so hard to keep from moaning that I started to taste blood and closed my eyes. I couldn’t, however, stop the loud moan that escaped when he placed several wet, opened mouth kisses down my cleavage and blew on each spot. I could feel him grin against my skin before making his way down my shirt covered abdomen.
When he reached the hem of my shirt and my belt buckle, he brought both of his hands to my hips and I put both of mine in his hair. With his right hand he slowly lifted my shirt while he rubbed my bare skin with the left. As he kissed and rubbed his way back up my bare abdomen, I tugged his hair so I wouldn’t scream.
Steve had just made it back up to my neck, when there was a knock on the door. As though nothing had happened, he continued to kiss me. There was another knock, as he reached my ear and jawline.
“Shouldn’t you get that?” I asked, breathless, not really wanting him to stop.
“No, and whoever it is will go away,” he replied, before capturing my mouth in a fierce and passionate kiss, and I wrapped my arms back tightly around him.
A few minutes later, however, the knocking continued. Steve sighed and groaned into my mouth, in frustration, before reluctantly pulling away.
“They’re not gonna go away ‘til you open the door, you know that, right?” I said, trying to catch my breath.
“Yeah, I know,” he mumbled into my shoulder, trying to catch his breath as well.
When his breathing had returned to normal, he grunted and gave me another quick kiss before getting off the couch.
“I’m comin’, I’m comin’,” he grumbled, slightly, and frustratingly, when the knocking continued; and I couldn’t help but laugh.
When he looked back at me I snickered then patted my head, noticing his disheveled hair. After pressing his hair back down and straightening his shirt, he looked back at me. When I gave him the thumbs up, he just laughed
and reached for the door.
“Yeah,” he opened it, with just a hint of frustration.
“Oh, hey. Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you have any electrical tape? I had some, but I don’t know where Katie put it,” the guy on the other side of the door explained.
“Yeah, sure,” Steve replied, opening the door. “Come on in.”
“Thanks,” the guy said, stepping into the apartment.
Hearing the conversation, I quickly sat up against the arm of the couch and fixed my hair as best I could then pulled the afghan onto my lap and over my shoulders, just as Steve’s neighbor came into the apartment.
“Oh, hi,” he said, surprised, when he saw me on the couch, and immediately looked guilty for bothering us.
“Hi,” I greeted him, warmly.
“Casey, this is Beth. Elle, this is Casey,” Steve introduced us, after closing the door. “He and his family moved in across the hall on Monday.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Let me go get the tape, and I’ll be right back,” he continued, turning to Casey, before heading down the hall.
Casey reminded me a little of James Blake, the mixed American tennis player, but he was just a little thinner, had hair, and his beard was almost nonexistent.
When Steve disappeared, Casey and I just looked at each other before I finally said something.
“So, you just moved in this week?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you originally from here?”
“I am, but my wife isn’t. She’s from St. Louis.”
“Oh, really? I love St. Louis. It’s one of my favorite cities.”
“Mine too,” he agreed.
“Sorry for taking so long,” Steve said, coming back in the living room.
“Oh, that’s okay. And I’m sorry for interrupting you,” Casey apologized, taking the tape from him.
Steve and I looked at each other and just grinned.
“It’s okay,” Steve told him.
“Thanks again,” Casey said, heading toward the door.
“Oh, no problem. Anytime. Say ‘Hi’ to Ryan and Katie for me.”
“Will do.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Casey replied, before going out the door.
After closing the door, Steve leaned his head against it and sighed before heading back over to the couch, and I moved my feet expectantly. Before sitting back down, he took a drink of his Pepsi then looked at me and I shook my head. Once he was comfortable, I put my feet on his lap.
“Casey seems nice,” I observed, wiggling my toes.
“He is,” Steve agreed, as he began to rub my feet.
“I wonder where they moved from? He said that he’s from here, but his wife’s from St. Louis. Have you met her?”
“No, but I’ve met their two and a half-year-old daughter.”
“Really? And?”
“She’s very cute, but looks like a handful.” He laughed, and I laughed, too.
We sat in a comfortable silence until he got to my toes. As he rubbed my toes, my feet jerked back instinctually. Grabbing my feet tighter before they could leave his grasp, Steve’s lips quirked up slightly and he just continued as if nothing had happened. They grew into a full grin when he rubbed my toes again and my feet jerked back even harder, slipping out of his hands, and I began to squirm.
“Are you ticklish?” he teased, grabbing my feet again.
I glared at him, but it was only halfhearted. Suddenly, the clock on the wall chimed and I jumped. Steve chuckled softly and looked at the clock.
“Oh, wow.”
“What?” I asked, not bothering to look at the clock.
“It’s almost midnight.
“Huh?” I said, before turning and looking at the clock.
I started to move my feet so I could get up, but Steve grabbed them and I looked at him.
“What are you doing?” he asked, still holding my feet so I couldn’t move.
“Getting up to get my shoes and sweater on so I can go home.”
“Stay,” he said, and my eyes grew wide so he continued before I completely freaked out. “It’s really late and you shouldn’t be driving.”
I glared at him again and he hurried to continue.
“What I meant was it’s not safe to drive at this time of night, especially on a Friday,” he explained, hoping that I would understand he was concerned.
My eyes and expression softened and he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Okay. Where do you keep your extra blankets?”
“In the hall closet. Why?”
“Because I needed to know where they are so I’ll know when I’m ready to go to bed. You didn’t expect me to sleep on the couch without any blankets, did you?”
“No.”
“Good, I’m glad because I get cold at night without a blanket.”
“No, I didn’t mean ‘no’ to the blankets. I meant ‘no’ to the couch.”
“Where do you expect me to sleep? The hard floor?” I asked, laughing a little.
“No, of course not.”
“Then where?”
“My bed.”
I looked at him suspiciously and arched an eyebrow.
“Don’t worry, I’m sleeping on the couch.”
I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out if he was telling the truth.
“Really. I promise,” he assured me, seeing my skepticism.
Seeing nothing but truth in his eyes, I gave in.
“Okay.”
“Good.”
“Are you going to be okay on the couch?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you sure, cause—”
“Absolutely,” he replied, then grabbed my legs and pulled me down until my bottom was against the outside of his leg and my head was against the arm of the couch.
“Okay,” I giggled, then close my eyes and just relaxed as he began massaging my feet again.
I was so lost in thought that I jumped when I felt Steve put his hand on my thigh.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he apologized, sitting up. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s okay,” I replied, not taking my eyes off the road, but smiling. “How long have you been awake?”
“Not long. I’m actually a little surprised you didn’t notice.”
“Well, I was lost in thought.”
“Oh. What were you thinking about? It had to be something good.”
“The day at the zoo,” I told him, looking at him out of the corner of my eye.
“That was a good day,” he said, squeezing my thigh.
“No, it was a great day,” I corrected him.
He smiled one of the greatest smiles I’d ever seen before turning and looking out the window. “Where are we?”
“We’re in Champaign.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
“Wow. I can’t believe I slept that long.” He grabbed his Coke and took a drink.
“I can’t believe it either.” I laughed softly.
“Sorry about that.”
“Why?”
“Because I meant to talk to you all the way to keep you awake.”
“That’s okay. I did just fine. Plus, the three things of coffee I’ve had this morning helped.”
Steve laughed and rubbed his hand along my thigh.
“Home sweet home,” I sighed, pulling into my parking spot and shutting off the truck.
Steve just laughed and got out. Unloading the truck, he put all my bags on the back of my chair and grabbed my suitcase and we went in. After I unlocked my dorm room, he put my suitcase against the wall and my bags on my wooden daybed then went back out to get his bag and I went to the bathroom because of the coffee. When he came back, he set his bag against the wall and put my suitcase on the bed and helped me unpack.
An hour later, we finally finished unpacking everyt
hing and I got out of my chair and flopped back on the bed exaggeratedly.
“Comfortable?” Steve asked, leaning down to kiss me.
“Not quite.” I grabbed his shirt and pulled him down on top of me.
He moaned into my mouth as he fell and I smirked around our kiss.
“Better?” he asked when he pulled back.
“Much,” I answered, putting my arms around his back, and kissing him again.
Steve maneuvered me until I was completely on the bed and I put my leg around his. I let out a soft moan when he let go of my lips and started kissing my jaw and neck while his hands went under my shirt and began caressing my abdomen. Needing to feel his bare skin under my fingers, my hands slowly went up his back and raised his shirt just enough to feel my fingers. He moaned at the contact, and I just smiled and slid my fingers further up his back. I continued to rub up and down his back as he moved my shirt and kissed his way to my shoulder.
Suddenly he stopped and looked at me. Giving me a sexy, but charming, smile, Steve sat up on his knees and pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it in my chair. Seeing his chest and six-pack for the first time, I reached to see what it felt like underneath my fingers. As I traced the outline of his abs, he closed his eyes for a brief second before leaning back down.
As my hands made their way from his abdomen to his back again, I rolled us over until he was flat on his back and I was straddling him. I looked into his eyes with a sexy grin, and he swallowed nervously. I leaned back down and started sucking on his earlobe and smirked to myself when a small moan escaped. Heading south, I kissed and sucked his neck at a nice slow pace that I knew drove him crazy. As I continued my little torture session, Steve decided to give a little torture of his own and put his hands under my shirt. When I let out a moan at the sensation, he chuckled and the vibrations from deep in his chest went all the way from my head to my toes.
Something New & Unexpected Page 10
