TRIPPED

by Jacob Chance

  Hesitating, I look up at him and find myself blurting out a surprising question. “Would you like to come in?”

  His masculine lips slowly curve into an arc. “I don’t want to keep you up if you’re tired.”

  I want to kick myself for letting him think I was sleeping in the first place.

  “I’m okay now. I think that couch was a little too comfortable. Have a seat,” I say, gesturing at my bed and then panicking. I’ve never had a boy on my bed before. But there’s no other place for him to sit except for Rachel’s bed. He kicks his slides off, semi reclining on top of the comforter and looking sexier than a Greek god.

  I grab the bottle of water from my nightstand and crack the seal before taking a long sip. All my nervous energy seems to be making my throat dry. I swallow down a few gulps with a soft, relieved sigh.

  “Do you want some?” Taking it from me, he raises the bottle to his full lips. I watch in awe as the muscles in his throat flex as he swallows, and damned if I’m not parched all over again.

  “Thanks.” He hands me the empty bottle and I drop it into the trash with a snort.

  “I guess you really wanted some.”

  He smiles sheepishly. “Sorry about that. I was going to save you a little but figured you might not want the last sips.”

  “Why wouldn’t I want it?” I ask, picking up the apple I brought back from dinner.

  “That’s the backwash part,” he states matter-of-factly.

  Sinking down onto the mattress, I scoot backward until I’m leaning against the wall and look his way. “I’m not afraid of a few germs if you’re not.”

  He watches me bite into the apple and continues watching as I chew and swallow it down. I hold the fruit out to him, but instead of taking it from me, he shifts on the bed until he’s sitting next to me—so close our legs are touching. Cupping my hand, he helps guide the apple to his mouth. Biting into the red, sweet skin, he removes a large chunk.

  Entranced, I watch him chew, admiring his chiseled jawline and listening to his sharp white teeth chomp the crisp fruit. When he’s done, his tongue drags across his bottom lip, collecting the remaining juice. Without conscious effort, my tongue sweeps out over mine, mirroring his behavior.

  Pulling my gaze from his mouth, I bravely raise my eyes and meet his heated stare. Leaning toward me, his hand leaves mine and cups the back of my neck. The apple falls from my hand to the bed, plopping onto the floor without another thought. Wrapping my hand around the nape of his neck, I lean toward him.

  Oh my God, he’s going to kiss me.

  It might not be my first kiss, but it feels as though it is. A cyclone of butterflies spin wildly around my stomach waiting to be set free. His warm lips briefly touch mine.

  The butterflies release.

  Our mouths connect again, this time our tongues meeting for the first time with soft flicks and caresses. I taste the sweetness of the apple we shared.

  Fluttering abounds, taking over my entire core.

  My entire body is trembling. A dozen sensations hit me at once and I’m overwhelmed. I’ve never experienced anything like this and I don’t know what to do. Clutching on to Donovan, I surrender to our powerful kiss.

  Chapter Four

  Donovan

  I feel the moment Piper surrenders to our undeniable connection. She goes from hesitant to fully committed in a split second, her tongue boldly meeting mine, sending every bit of blood to my cock. I’ve never had a kiss affect me like this.

  Wrapping my free arm around her back, I draw her closer until she’s pressed against my chest. Her legs settle on either side of my hips as she reflexively straddles my lap. Fingers thread through the back of my hair as she grinds down on me, her hips whirling to match her tongue’s movements. A growl slips from my mouth into hers. Catching hold of her hips, I help create friction, but it’s not satisfying enough.

  Rolling her under me on the bed, I settle between her legs. Her thin yoga pants and my basketball shorts are no match for my burgeoning hard-on. Piper’s soft and warm, and all I can think about is what it would feel like to be skin to skin with her. And that leads me to think about how fucking amazing it would be to slide inside her.

  She’s probably a virgin.

  As much as I’d like to, I can’t dispel the sobering thought. Her being inexperienced is a very real possibility and I need to slow things down.

  What if she’s not a virgin? What if she wants this as much as me?

  There’s only one way to know for sure. Dragging my mouth from hers, I stare down into her dark orbs. “Are you a virgin?”

  She closes her eyes, and when she opens them she avoids looking at me. Cupping her chin, I hold her head still. “Answer me, Piper.”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, you’re a virgin?” I ask, but I’m hoping she meant yes, I’ve had sex. She nods and I rise to my knees and scoot back from between her thighs. I sit on the edge of the mattress and scrub my hands up and down my face. Fuck me.

  Thank God a blip of common sense slammed into me, or I’d have made a huge mistake. I’m all for hooking up while I’m here. What I’m not on board with is taking Piper’s or anyone else’s virginity. I don’t need her or any other girl catching feelings for me. I’m here to improve my hockey skills, not gain an unwanted girlfriend.

  I stand and slip my slides on. “I better get back to my room.”

  Piper hugs a pillow to her chest and nods, avoiding my gaze.

  I move to the door and pause with my hand on the knob. Peering over my shoulder, I say, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Bye.” Her reply is so soft, it’s barely a whisper and more of a sigh. If her lips hadn’t moved, I’d think I imagined the word.

  Once I’m in the hallway, I lean back against the wall and groan. This is not how I wanted the night to end and definitely not how I imagined. Piper is sweet and beautiful. If I had to be saddled with a girlfriend, I could do a lot worse. But a relationship is not in my plans. I’ve got to finish my senior year and then I’ll be joining my older brother, Nolan, at Boston University. And that is how my future is going to play out.

  Pushing off the wall, I walk back to my room. Once I’m inside, I brush my teeth at the sink and fall into my bed where Piper invades my thoughts. Closing my eyes, I force myself to relax, and instead of focusing on something that can no longer happen, I visualize how I want practice to go tomorrow morning. Day two of camp needs to go even better than day one.

  With my plan to avoid Piper in place, I made sure to let Jeremy shower first this morning. After kissing her last night, I’m not sure I could handle seeing her again in only a towel. That might weaken my determination to keep my distance when it’s barely begun.

  Hockey practice is all about drills again, but this time it’s puck passing ones. While physically it’s much less intense, mentally, it takes every bit of focus I have.

  Starting with four of us around the middle circle, we do a quad passing exercise. After that, we move to a cross-ice passing exercise where Jeremy and I get to work together. Next up is the long-short drill, and practice ends with a wide figure-eight drill that ended up being my personal favorite.

  In lieu of going to the cafeteria, I return to my room and make do with a protein bar and bottle of water. After I finish inhaling my snack, I lie on my bed and do some light stretching. My hamstrings are still sore from yesterday and I don’t want the tightness to worsen.

  With forty-five minutes before I need to leave, I set my alarm and close my eyes, planning on a quick nap.

  What I didn’t anticipate is how quickly Piper infiltrates my thoughts and I’m catapulted right back into reliving our kiss. The sensation of her warm tongue stroking mine is so realistic, I could be back in that moment experiencing it in real time.

  Blood rushes to my dick, making me painfully hard. I try to redirect my thoughts, but it doesn’t work. I can’t sweep Piper from my mind, and my erection isn’t going away on its own.

  Fuck it.

/>   I yank my shirt over my head, tossing it aside. Hooking my thumbs inside the waistband of my sweatpants and my boxer briefs, I push them down my hips, stopping mid-thigh. Fingers closing around the base of my cock, I slowly move my fist up and down my length. Closing my eyes, I imagine picking up where Piper and I left off.

  Sliding my hand inside her yoga pants, my fingertips find the top edge of panties, tracing over the band of elastic before ducking inside. Trailing lower over her flat stomach, I pause, cupping my hand over her mound. Piper moans, raising her hips, desperate for more.

  Using the pad of my middle finger, I draw leisurely circles over her clit.

  “Oh God,” she whispers. “Don’t stop touching me.”

  Gliding through her slit, the tip of my finger seeks out and finds her entrance. Pressing forward, I slide and hook the digit inside her hot, tight hole. I press the heel of my hand against her bundle of nerves while my finger rubs the magic spot inside her.

  Groaning, my grip tightens on my cock and my strokes pick up speed. Squeezing my eyes shut, I fall back into my fantasy.

  Lost in pleasure, Piper moans and rocks against my hand. Her beauty and the way she responds to my touch have me breathless.

  Drawing my hand back, I slip two fingers inside her. I hear how drenched she is as I pump them faster.

  Watching the girl beneath me, I drive her toward the release she needs. The same one I’m so desperate to give her.

  Replacing the heel of my hand, that’s been grinding her clit, with my thumb, I sweep back and forth over her swollen flesh until her orgasm hits. Her mouth falls open on a gasp and she trembles from head to toe—so fucking sexy.

  My orgasm slams into me, the power of it taking me by surprise. A quavering moan falls from my lips as my release paints my stomach.

  After wiping myself clean with my discarded shirt, I drop it to the floor. Closing my eyes, I cover my face with my forearm. I’m an idiot for what I just did. I’m supposed to be forgetting about Piper, not jerking off to thoughts of her.

  I hit the gym, going extra hard. Maybe if I’m exhausted, I won’t notice Piper. Wishful thinking. I think this morning proved keeping my distance will be more difficult than I anticipated. But I don’t have a choice. Hockey is the key to the future I want. I can’t risk my plans because I’m becoming enamored with a girl I’ll never see again after this camp.

  I’ve always excelled at keeping my priorities in order. I’m not saying I don’t mess around with girls; that would be far from the truth. I just never let them into my life, my head, or my heart. And Piper is already proving different by renting space in my head.

  Jeremy walks over to where I’m setting up to deadlift. “What’s up with you?”

  I shake my head. “Nothing. Just getting at my workout.”

  He frowns. “Dude, cut the shit. I’m not blind. What happened with you and Piper last night?”

  “I walked her back to her room.”

  “She looked upset this morning when I saw her and Rachel in the cafeteria,” he says.

  I adjust my wrist wraps. “Did you ask her what was wrong?”

  “No. But I am asking you.”

  Flicking my gaze to him, I notice a concerned expression on his face. Shit. He’s only being a good friend and I’m being an asshole.

  “When I walked Piper back to her room she invited me in. We ended up kissing and fooling around some. I asked her if she was a virgin and she said yes.” My shoulders jump up and down. “After that, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.”

  Jeremy looks confused. “What’s the problem with her being a virgin?”

  “I don’t want a girlfriend. I thought we’d mess around this week and walk away. If she’s inexperienced, that changes the situation.”

  He crosses his arms over his chest. “So you’re trying to do the noble thing.”

  One of my brows rises skeptically. “I don’t think the word noble and I belong in the same sentence. It was more about self-preservation than being noble.”

  “Whatever the reason, it’s good that you stopped. Especially if you don’t want someone caring about you. Piper is definitely a nice girl. She’s the girlfriend type. She doesn’t need her heart broken.”

  “You don’t need to tell me this, Jeremy. I agree, which is why I’m keeping my distance.”

  Chapter Five

  Piper

  It’s painfully obvious Donovan has been avoiding me. He didn’t come to the cafeteria with Jeremy during their morning break or for dinner. Does he think I’m going to throw myself at him or do something equally embarrassing?

  He must have a pretty high opinion of himself. He might be good looking and a great kisser, but apparently, he’s also a self-important dickhead.

  Last night, he made it clear he didn’t like that I’m a virgin. Oh well. It’s not like I’m going to do anything to change that status just to please him. I’m sure someday I’ll meet a guy who appreciates my virginity. When I do, I’ll know he’s the right one for me.

  Growing up with my mom has shaped me into who I am. I’ve listened to her never-ending lectures on waiting for the right time. She loves to tell me how guys can’t be counted on and they’re only after one thing. And when you give them what they want, they’ll cast you aside like a piece of discarded trash. I’ve always assumed her talks were motivated by her own experiences and some leftover bitterness from the man who fathered me and didn’t stick around.

  But after Donovan’s reaction, I’m seeing how valuable my mom’s advice could be. I guess I should be thankful he put an end to anything between us before we really began. My heart never had a chance to get involved.

  However, right now, I need some space from everyone else, Rachel included. I’m embarrassed about the situation, even though I have no reason to be. I don’t want to see him any more than he wants to see me. With this in mind, I head to dinner early and grab mine to go. Bringing my sandwich, chips, and water outside, I wander along the school grounds. There’s a bench in front of a small pond where I take a seat. With my back to the school, I slowly eat my dinner, enjoying the peacefulness. I don’t have to worry about bumping into Donovan or trying to keep my gaze off of him.

  A soft, cool breeze kicks up, tumbling dried leaves across the ground like little gymnasts. Late April in New Hampshire can still be cool, but it’s comfortable with sweatpants and a hoodie on. I’d like to see what this campus looks like in the warmer months when everything is green and blooming. I bet it’s beautiful.

  Pushing the final bite of my sandwich into my mouth, I place the wrapper in the empty chip bag on the bench beside me. I finish the rest of my water and tug my cell phone from my pocket. I pull up my mom’s number; might as well call while I have some privacy.

  She answers immediately. “Hey, honey.” She sounds excited to hear from me, and I’m glad I called.

  “Hi, Mom.” I brush bread crumbs from my pants.

  “How’s everything?”

  “Good.”

  “Uh-oh.” Worry laces her tone.

  “I said things are good.”

  “You did, but you sound sad, honey.”

  “I’m having a great time, Mom.” I add some positive inflection to my voice. “But it’s a lot of work.” Maybe she’ll accept that as the reason. I don’t want her to worry about me while I’m here. She should be taking this alone time to do things she wouldn’t while I’m home.

  “Are you making a good impression?” she asks.

  Rising, I walk to the edge of the pond. I can see my reflection in the murky water. “Of course. That’s the whole reason I’m here. Are you going to do anything fun this week?” My mom doesn’t answer right away.

  “Maybe.”

  “Mom, I can tell you’re bullshitting me.”

  “Piper, watch your language, please.”

  “You’re not going to distract me by reprimanding me, Mother.”

  “Fine. I haven’t made any plans to do anything yet,” she admits.

 
; “Call Auntie Jess and go out for drinks,” I tell her. I adore my mom’s best friend; she’s so cool. There have even been a few times I may have wished my mom could be more like her.

  “I will, but first, tell me more about camp.”

  “It’s been a lot of physical stuff, as we knew it would be. I’m skating great. I’m surprised I’m holding my own as well as I am. I expected to be at the bottom of the bunch. I think I’m one of the top ten.”

  “Which means you’re probably one of the top three,” Mom says.

  “I don’t know about that. There are some really skilled players here.”

  “Keep up the great work. You’re already through day two and you only have four more full days remaining.”

  “I’m going to get off the phone now. I’ll call you tomorrow night if I can.”

  “What do you mean if you can?” She pretends to be annoyed.

  “Hey, I’ve been texting you, at least. I even sent you a picture from the gym yesterday,” I remind her.

  “Thank you. I loved the peek into your day.”

  “Next time we talk, I want to hear how you made plans, Mother,” I reply sternly, as if I’m her parent and not the other way around. She knows I’m joking, but it could give her the kick in the butt she needs.

  “Fine.” She sighs. “Make sure you’re not walking around campus alone.”

  Too late for that.

  “Mom, don’t start micromanaging me and ruin our conversation.” I keep my tone light, but I’m not joking. She likes to control me and every part of my life. I’m surprised this call has lasted as long as it has. I expected to cut it short, but she’s been good until now.

  “Someday, years from now, you’ll have a daughter to take care of and you’ll understand why I worry so much.” It’s so predictable how she had to stress the words “years from now.” I know she regrets getting pregnant while in college and that she had to drop out. She’s made it painfully clear my entire life. I should walk around wearing a shirt that says I was an accident.