The Same Side (University Park #2)

by CM Doporto

  I shook the nagging sound out of my head and said, “I know. But trust me, I don’t have any other choice.”

  “I get it.” He gave me a meek smile. “So, what movie do you want to watch?” He held up a selection of Sci-Fi movies. “I’m sorry, I don’t have any chic-flicks on hand.”

  Smiling, I pointed to Man of Steel.

  “Superman it is.” He winked and then loaded the disc into the player.

  I lowered to the middle of the couch, unsure of where to sit. Stupid little thoughts taunted my mind and I fought to ignore them. With my knees pressed firmly together, I guzzled the beer like I hadn’t drank in days.

  “Pizza?” He flipped the cover back and the smell of fresh dough and pepperoni filled the air.

  “Sure.” I grabbed a piece and took bite. I wanted to chow down because I hadn’t eaten anything since that morning, but I didn’t want to have a huge carb belly in case things got a little heated later.

  “Have you thought about anything you’d like to do?”

  Have sex with you.

  “Um, well… I’m not sure.”

  He took another bite of his pizza and swallowed. “What haven’t you done?”

  “Nothing.” I took a small bite and chewed carefully. I’d read that eating slowly filled your stomach and I prayed it worked.

  “Oh, come on. It can’t be that bad.”

  “Trust me, it is.” I covered my mouth, trying not to show him my food. “My parents didn’t let us do much.”

  “That sucks.” He grabbed another piece and shoved it in his mouth. “Name some things you’ve never done.”

  “Let’s see…” I pressed a finger to my lip and my eyes traveled to the ceiling, “I’ve never been in a helicopter.”

  Raven hiked a shoulder. “Neither have I. Maybe that’s something we can do together.”

  “Possibly.”

  “You don’t want to?”

  “I’m kind of scared of heights, to be honest.”

  “Oh, okay. We don’t have to do that. I’m sure there’s a crap load of other stuff we can do together.”

  I smiled, liking his suggestion. “I’ve never been to the beach. Luke has, though. He went with one of our cousins.”

  “Shut up.” He gave me a weird look. “You’ve never been to the coast?” Getting up, he headed to the kitchen.

  “Nope. Never. My mom has a phobia of the water. Her sister, my aunt Charlotte, almost drowned when they were little so she didn’t allow us to go swimming.”

  “Damn.” He returned with two beers. “Do you know how to swim?”

  “Thanks,” I said as I took the cold longneck from his hand. “I do. My dad convinced my mom that we all had to take swimming lessons to be on the safe side. She agreed and he took us.” I took a quick drink. The liquid slid down my throat effortlessly and I began to relax.

  “This spring break, we’re going to change that.” He winked at me. “We’ll go down to South Padre Island and party our asses off.”

  Wiping my mouth, I tried to conceal the huge smile spreading across my face, but I couldn’t hide my excitement. “You promise?”

  “Hell yeah, baby. We’re going.”

  I said a silent prayer, hoping I’d get to see that come true. We chatted through most of the movie, connecting further with every word we spoke. Raven was one of those people that you couldn’t help but like.

  After we finished eating, we both took off our shoes and relaxed against the overstuffed couch. The movie was more than halfway over, but since I had already seen it a few times with my dad, I didn’t mind that I hadn’t been paying much attention to it. I knew the best part was yet to come — Henry Cavill shirtless. The wind whistled outside and the windows rattled. A draft crept over me and I shuddered.

  “Cold?”

  “A little.” I snuggled next to him, eager for him to hold me. Without warning, he got up and I frowned. What did I have to do to get a guy to hold me? I stopped the vicious thoughts when he picked up the flannel blanket folded over the edge of chair. Sitting down next to me, he draped it over us and then slipped his arm around me. His warm breath spilled over me and my body instantly warmed. He slipped the bottle from my hand and sat it on the table. “I think you’ve had enough. I don’t want you drunk.” He flashed me an enticing grin that sent my body into overdrive. A fire ignited in my belly and I knew it wasn’t from the alcohol.

  “Yeah, drunk is not good.” I pressed my lips together and took a deep breath. “At least, not tonight.”

  His lips neared mine and I eagerly pressed a kiss to his soft mouth. Raven had the fullest lips I’d ever seen. Then again, he was only the second guy I’d ever kissed. Regardless, I loved his mouth and couldn’t wait to savor it.

  He kissed me gingerly at first and I followed his lead. Our tongues swept back and forth, twisting and turning in a slow ballad. He tasted like warm beer and dough, but I didn’t care. His mouth was like an addiction mine refused to part with. Desire swept over me and I lost all self-constraint. I thrust my tongue deeper into his mouth and he responded favorably, pressing his chest against mine. I prayed he didn’t feel the heaving of my breasts against him, but based on the hardness of my nipples, I was willing to bet he did.

  My breathing quickened, but I managed to keep calm. He lowered me to the couch and the blanket slipped to the floor. I pivoted my body, aligning my hips with his. With our lips still joined to one another, he rocked his pelvis against me and I moaned into his mouth. Instinctively, my leg curled up and rubbed against him in slow, long movements. The friction of my jeans against him sent tiny shocks all over my lower body. His hand dropped to my thigh and he squeezed it tightly.

  “You are so sexy,” he whispered as his hand covered my breast.

  A gasp escaped my throat and he caught it, filling my mouth with his tongue. I kissed him deep and hard, showing him just how much I wanted him. Tonight, I wanted him to take me to the other side. The side I’d been waiting to experience. The side that had been waiting for him to show my body what it wanted… what it needed.

  Another whimper escaped my mouth when he suckled on the nape of my neck. Chills dotted my skin and I pressed into him more. It was like my body had an internal magnet that it was dying to connect to. My insides tingled like tiny electrically charged particles seeking the opposite end that only Raven could fit.

  “Not as sexy as you.” My hand trembled against his hard pecks and I tried to pace my actions. “You’re like a Calvin Kline model supercharged on steroids.”

  “Whatever.” A low laugh filtered through his lips. “I’m not like Superman.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’re ripped like him, if not more.” I winked, stoking his ego. Honestly, I was dying to find out. It had to know.

  “I promise you, I’m not.” His lips pressed to mine repeatedly and I held on to each of them, not wanting him to stop.

  “I don’t believe you.” My fingers twiddled with a button on his shirt, eager to unfasten all of them.

  His head lifted and an enthralling smile settled over his lips. “Do you want me to show you?”

  Hell yeah!

  I nodded and bit my lower lip in anticipation. With one arm pressed against the couch, he slowly began to unbutton his shirt. His body hovered over mine and my body sank further into the couch. The wait was eating me alive. I had seen Collin without his shirt a few times, but I never had the pleasure of touching his bare chest. The tips of my fingers pulsated and it took everything in me to not reach out and rip his shirt off.

  Damn, this is taking too long!

  I grabbed a handful of his shirt and helped him pull his arms from the sleeves. “Desperate are we?” He laughed, but I didn’t care.

  To my disappointment, he wore a white T-shirt underneath. Even in a tight tee, he looked too damn hot. But I wanted to see his bare skin. Run my hands all over him. My palms landed on his chest and I inched his shirt upward. Rising to his knees, he said, “Easy now.” His waggled his brows at me and I about came unglu
ed. My body pulsed with an uncontrollable need that I was quickly falling victim to.

  He curved his fingers around the hem of the shirt and raised it slowly over his chest, purposely teasing me. I liked it and wanted more of it. His huge biceps flexed and his stomach stretched as he peeled his shirt over his head. He rolled his shoulders and puffed out his chest. Ripples upon ripples covered his upper torso. He was perfection, as if Donatello had personally sculpted him. I couldn’t even imagine what his lower body looked like.

  The entire event happened in slow motion and I cursed myself for not filming it with my phone so I could watch it over and over again. My eyes surveyed the rugged terrain.

  He was divine.

  No, heavenly.

  Godlike.

  “Do you like what you see?” A sexy, seductive smile teased me and I nodded. No words could describe the breathtaking sight.

  He placed my hands on his chest. My fingers trembled over the hardness but I didn’t let that stop me from exploring every hill and valley. Immediately, my eyes took notice of the large tattoo that covered his right shoulder. Intricately woven branches covered the top of his arm and I followed them with the edge of my finger until it landed on a large black bird.

  “A raven?” I studied the design that looked like it had been shattered into a thousand tiny birds.

  He shrugged. “Yeah, you like it?”

  “I do.” It was a work of art and I wanted to snap a picture of it. Resisting the urge to grab my phone, I committed every detail of it, along with his body, to memory. I could never tire of looking at him.

  “Do you have any tattoos?”

  “All over my body,” I deadpanned. “Big and small.”

  “I don’t believe you.” His eyes surveyed me from head to toe, causing a tornado to rip through me. I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle of this storm he brewed inside of me. “Show me.”

  My fingers stop mid exploration and I froze. “What?”

  “You heard me.” With two fingers, he motioned for me to remove my sweater. “It’s your turn. Take it off.”

  “Um, I don’t have any tattoos. I was just messing with you.” I tried to move from underneath him, but his legs straddled over mine, leaving little wiggle room.

  He ogled me. “I know you don’t, but I still want you to take off your shirt.”

  I suddenly felt a little breathless. “Oh… okay.” Everything began to spin and I paced my breaths, telling myself it was okay to get undressed for him. I hated that I was so damn nervous. What if he didn’t like what he saw? What if he thought my boobs were too small or if my body didn’t do it for him? I knew if we were going to have sex, I had to get somewhat naked. Then, I remembered he saw me last night in my bra and panties. That he said I was beautiful.

  “Um, alright.” I gripped the edge of my sweater and pulled it over my head. He helped me slide it down my arms and then tossed it to the floor. He flashed me a quick smile before a look of disappointment settled onto his face.

  “This too.” His palm swept over my stomach, pinching the tight tank top and then releasing it. His hands splayed over my waist and he slowly inched up my cami, making my stomach clench with anticipation.

  I winked at him. “Who’s the impatient one now?”

  “A guy can only wait so long.” His stare turned hungry and I prayed my body would satisfy his cravings.

  “And I’ve made you wait too long?” I teased, gathering the material around my breasts. I squeezed my arms together, giving him a full view of my cleavage.

  If only my boobs looked that good without a push up bra.

  “Too long.” His eyes sparked with delight and he wet his lips, which told me he was at least somewhat happy with what I had to offer. “But Lexi, you’ve been worth every minute of it.”

  My checks flushed with heat and I lifted slightly, removing my tank and letting it fall to the floor. I rested against the couch, keeping one arm tucked behind my head.

  “Beautiful.” Raven’s eyes traveled from my eyes to my chest and then to my stomach, widening along the way. “Your body is so beautiful.” His eyes returned to mine.

  I shook my head. “It’s nothing like yours.” I slapped my stomach, showing him my little jiggle. “I’m all flabby and you’re like rock hard.”

  He traced swirls along my mid-section with the tip of his index finger and my stomach quivered. “That’s how women are supposed to be. Soft and silky.” His hand glided up my stomach and over my left breast, where he gave a slight squeeze. “And believe me, I like it.”

  He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to the hollow of my neck before continuing to pepper soft pecks all over my chest. I drove my fingers through his short hair, pulling him closer to me as he worked his way toward my breasts. His hand slipped behind me and in one quick pinch, he unfastened my bra. Placing both of his hands on my shoulders, he eased the straps down and slipped it off. Internally, I cringed, only relaxing when he said, “You’ve been hiding those from me this whole time?”

  I titled my head to the side, not knowing how to respond. Dare I tell him my mom had brainwashed me to never let guys see them? He’d laugh at me. “Sorry.” I wrapped my arms around my stomach, covering my breasts slightly. A guy had never seen me without a bra. This was so nerve wracking and scary.

  His fingers laced around my arms and he lowered them, exposing me fully. “Don’t ever be afraid to show me what God has given you.” He placed my hands around his neck and lowered against me. Flesh to flesh, his skin seared mine, and my eyes fluttered to a close. We kissed until our lips were raw and our mouths were dry. I couldn’t get enough of him.

  His taste.

  His touch.

  His body.

  It was what I had been missing all these years. Raven filled every void, every hole, and every missing piece. I just hoped I did the same for him.

  When his hand dropped to the button on my jeans, I froze. Was I really ready to do this?

  Hell yeah!

  He stalled and then looked at me. “Don’t be nervous, baby.” His lips brushed against mine and I inhaled his tantalizing scent. “If I do anything that doesn’t feel good or hurts you, just tell me and I’ll stop.”

  I nodded, unable to swallow the huge lump in my throat.

  I can’t believe this is finally happening!

  “Okay. But I have no idea what to do.” I wanted to strip his jeans from his body and explore him further, but I reminded myself to keep calm and not get ahead of myself. I didn’t want Raven to think I was another one of his sex-crazed hoes, even though I silently wanted to be.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll show you what to do.” His tongue slid into my mouth and I received it willingly. Our tongues fused together in a free spirit that no force could break apart. He was shaping and fastening me quickly, and even though I knew I needed to follow his steps, I couldn’t stop myself from coming on to him. Errantly, my body refused to obey my mind and I knew he had me in his trap for good. One thing was certain; I wasn’t playing in the peewee leagues anymore. I had made it to the pros.

  “Are you ready for me show you what it feels like to feel like you’re on top of the world?”

  “I already am.” I pawed at his chest, feeling the tiger in me come alive.

  Raven chuckled low in his throat. “Baby, this is nothing.”

  Holy shit!

  Was Raven referring to what he had told me last night? Even though I had been drunk, I knew what I wanted. I wanted to wrap myself completely around his body. I was ready for him to take me. And this time, I wasn’t drunk.

  I bit down on my lip, leaned forward, and whispered in his ear. “If you’re asking me what I think you are, then the answer is yes. I’m ready to go all the way.”

  “Are you sure?” He stilled, his body hovering inches above mine. “Because I can wait.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t think I can wait any longer.”

  “Good, because neither can I.”

  Σ

  Chapter
12

  I felt so beautiful next to Raven. Chills poured over me as he traced his finger on my bare back, altering my body to a new and undiscovered sense I had never experienced before. Having sex with Raven was beyond incredible. Magical in every way possible. I never imagined that losing my virginity would feel that good. He definitely knew how to satisfy every need, every desire, in every way possible, and I knew I’d never be the same again.

  I liked it.

  I wanted more of it.

  But the clock flashed ten minutes after midnight and I had to get home. In the faint distance, I heard my phone vibrating and I knew it was my mom.

  “Raven?” I raked my nails through his hair, rubbing his head in short strokes.

  “Yeah?” He kept his fingers pressed to my skin, continuing to skim unknown patterns on me.

  “What are you drawing on my back?”

  “Plays,” he replied with an impish grin on his face.

  “What kind of plays?”

  “Winning ones.” His head lifted slightly. “And they have you in them.”

  Excitement bubbled in me. “I’m glad I can be a part of them.”

  “Me, too.”

  Silence filled the air as he continued imprinting his mark on me. No doubt, I was totally in The Raven’s trap. But I couldn’t help but wonder what that looked like. Raven and me together. I cleared my throat a few times, trying not to spoil the mood. “It’s after midnight and I know my mom is probably freaking out. I really need to go.”

  The moonlight filtered in through the window, casting a glow across his bare body. Raven was so damn sexy. I had to blink a few times because I really couldn’t believe I was next to him. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay naked with him in bed forever. His fingers slowed as his eyes met mine. Sadness filled them and a level of pain struck the center of my chest. “Do you really have to go?”

  Did he want me to stay the night with him? “Well, I—”

  “I can’t believe I’m about to say this.” He latched onto a lock of my hair and wrapped it around his finger in slow turns. “I was hoping you might want to stay with me tonight.” He inclined his head and anticipation filled his eyes. “That is, if you want to.”