Crushed

by Pratt, Lulu

  Ford laughed, his dimples poking through his beard. “Your brother likes to exaggerate about my job. It’s not that big of a deal.”

  “I doubt that. What exactly do you do? Are you still a mechanic?” I asked, remembering his time in trade school as he prepared to become an airplane mechanic. He’d show up after school coated in black oil to drink beer with my brother and I’d find any reason to hang around for a glimpse of him.

  “That’s what I did in Minneapolis. Now, I supervise a team of mechanics,” he explained casually.

  “Wow, so Marshall wasn’t playing,” I said, impressed.

  “Seriously, it’s not that big of a deal,” he brushed me off with a smirk.

  He always was so modest about his accomplishments. In high school, he was one of the best quarterbacks in the region. Marshall would brag about him whenever he got the chance, but Ford would shake his head, swearing it was just because the district didn’t have much competition, which wasn’t true.

  “I think it’s worth celebrating. I know your mom has to be bragging about you every chance she gets.” I smiled, remembering how sweet his mother was the few times I’d met her. She always doted on him as I imagined my own mother would.

  “I think she’s most happy I’m back home – she couldn’t care less what I’m doing,” he laughed.

  “Well, I’m glad you’re back too,” I smiled.

  We were frozen in a gaze, his eyes darkening by the second as the black and white movie played silently in the background. My body felt too heavy to move, hoping he would lean over and kiss me. I’d been dreaming about the taste of his lips since they last pressed against mine.

  “You’re supposed to tell me what you didn’t get for your birthday,” he interrupted the moment, recalling our text conversation from earlier.

  I’d promised to tell him what I’d wanted for my birthday the next time I saw him, but now I felt too embarrassed. I wasn’t sure how he would respond, but I didn’t want to continue to dance around the obvious with him. It was clear something was burning between us, stronger every day.

  When we were apart, it simmered slightly, existing only in my mind. But once we were reunited, the fire burned heavier and hotter than before. There was no need in denying it any longer, not when it was so urgent for me.

  Ford looked at me curiously, sipping the soda as he waited patiently for my answer. Feeling like the time was perfect, I said the answer as casually as I could manage.

  “Oh, I wanted to lose my virginity,” I shrugged.

  Ford’s eyebrows raced towards his hairline as the clear soda shot from his lips. The shock was so strong, I had to laugh, feeling my approach went perfectly. Rather than react to him, I turned to face the screen, as though the film was the most interesting thing I’d ever seen.

  Chapter 22

  FORD

  STARING AT HER in disbelief, I wondered if I had heard her correctly. Was it possible? For Charlotte to still be a virgin? I searched my brain for any memory of her with a long-term boyfriend, but there was none. It wasn’t like Marshall updated me on the details of her love life, but I’d assumed she had been in serious committed relationships, and for whatever reason I thought that meant she had lost her virginity.

  Purposely ignoring me, Charlotte stared at the large screen as though she hadn’t just dropped a bomb on me. Could she be saying what I wanted to hear? That not only was she a virgin, but that she wanted to lose her virginity to me?

  The possibility aroused me enough that I had to reposition to make room for my length. God, she was so fucking sexy, and just thinking she could be all for me was too much to handle.

  “You’re not seriously going to pretend you didn’t just say that?” I asked, watching her turn to me with the sweetest smile on her face.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Are you serious?” I wondered, trying to calm myself. In a way, I didn’t want it to be the truth. It was too good to be true, more than I could handle.

  “You don’t believe me?” she asked, her cute button nose scrunching in confusion. It was as though she couldn’t consider someone doubting her.

  “Honestly, no,” I heard myself admit. I didn’t want to call her a liar, but I just couldn’t wrap my mind around her being so sexy and seductive but still a virgin.

  “Why not?” She smirked at my bafflement.

  Shaking my head, I searched for the words, hoping I didn’t offend her. “You’re just,” I paused, sighing before I continued. “You’re so beautiful, so sexy…”

  “So smart,” she added. “I’m too smart for guys my age and their silly games.”

  I paused, staring at her in awe. She was right – she was smart, and much more mature than I gave her credit for. Watching her bright blue eyes glisten, I was blown away by her. She was my golden present, right under my nose, the prize I didn’t deserve.

  I’d felt a deep attachment since the first night I saw her at her house, presenting one of her cakes in a T-shirt and shorts. She had changed so much in my time away, and my feelings for her were undeniable. I’d tried my best to fight the urge that felt so natural, and now she was clearly admitting she wanted me.

  Gone was the fuzzy gray area we’d been existing in, enjoying the blurred lines. Charlotte had spoken her truth, claiming what she wanted, and now it was up to me to do the same.

  Again, I was torn, knowing I needed to pump the brakes if I planned to continue to straddle the line between us. There was an unspoken boundary I wasn’t supposed to cross. Her brother was my best friend. He would never want us together, but the pull between Charlotte and me was undeniable, and I feared I wouldn’t be able to stop myself even if I wanted to.

  Of course, I didn’t want to stop myself, which only complicated things. I wanted Charlotte more than I’d ever wanted anything. She was the puzzle piece I hadn’t realized was missing. I needed her more than I ever knew, and now having her in front of me, I could no longer delay the inevitable.

  I stood from the chair and took her by the wrist, gently pulling Charlotte to her feet. Shocked by my abrupt move, she dropped the bucket on her lap and then the floor, sending popcorn flying everywhere. I didn’t care. I led her out of the empty theater. I needed her that second.

  We’d just made it to the narrow hallway leading to the exit when she found her words. “Ford! What are you doing?”

  The sound of my name on her tongue was all I could take. Turning quickly, I cupped the nape of her neck in my hand, bringing her lips to mine.

  She moaned instantly, and I hardened to the maximum. My cock pressed hard against the zipper of my crotch as my tongue danced with hers. She was sweeter than ever, her innocence now mine for taking.

  She moaned loudly when I backed away. Her eyes begged for more, and I could never deny her, so I hungrily devoured her again.

  Our bodies pressed tightly against one another until her back hit the wall, and I lifted her for better positioning. Now between her legs, my cock was throbbing, ready to thrust deep into her wet tightness. I needed her, beyond desire.

  Pulling away again, my lips went to her neck, licking and kissing as she moaned in my ear, turning me on further. I craved her so strongly, I wanted to take her right there in the hallway, certain no one would barge in.

  But Charlotte deserved much more than that. She was special. More special than I had ever realized, and so I backed away, staring in silence as we both panted. Her chest rose and fell slowly as her nipples threatened to cut the fabric, standing tall at attention.

  “What now?” she asked through labored breaths.

  “You wanted to lose your virginity for your birthday?” I asked for clarity.

  “Yes, you still don’t believe me?”

  “Of course I believe you,” I said. And I did, now that she’d made it clear that she wasn’t joking.

  “Then what’s the hold up?” she asked, reaching her hand up to touch my chest. My heart was beating so fast, still in disbelief this was all happening. My adrenaline was
pumping overtime, my animalistic nature taking over.

  “Who did you want to lose your virginity to?” I asked. It was something that had played in the back of my mind. Was it just to lose it for the sake of losing it? Or did it have something to do with me specifically?

  I couldn’t imagine spending the night with her and then going on about our lives like nothing happened. There was something very real between us, deeper than the physical, though the physical was now breaking me down slowly.

  “The same person I’ve wanted to lose it to since I was fifteen.”

  Her words left me speechless. She’d been waiting for me, through all the nonsense I’d been going through. She was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for me, the prize I didn’t deserve. My body and mind were in sync for the first time in a long time. I knew what I wanted, and I knew what I had to do.

  Taking her wrist again, I led her through the theater lobby with an urgency that caught the attendant off guard. “Everything okay?” he asked as we stormed through the theater.

  I couldn’t be bothered with answering him, but Charlotte yelled to him, “Perfect. Everything is perfect.”

  My mind was already undressing Charlotte with my tongue, exploring her body with my mouth as I introduced her to things she had no idea about. The thought was more than I could take, the distance between the theater and my house feeling like eternity.

  Bursting through the theater doors, I power-walked down the street, passing all the boutiques we’d previously strolled past. No longer wasting the opportunity to spend more time with her, I was rushing to be alone with her and hold her in my arms.

  Charlotte didn’t say a word either, and when I looked over my shoulder for a glimpse of her, I was certain we were on the same page. Her bright eyes had darkened with lust, her lips swollen from our intense embrace.

  I wanted to pull her to the side of the street for another taste, but there wasn’t a second to spare. I was dying to get her home. When we finally made it to the car, I was eager to get her alone, but she leaned across the console, pressing her lips to mine once again.

  The passion between us exploded even more, and this time it was me groaning against her tongue as my body tensed with the strong desire to explode prematurely. I’d never been fast to climax, but here I was clenching my abs to stop from releasing in my pants. Charlotte was close to unmanning me without even trying.

  When she finally pulled away, a drunk smile covered her face. “I just needed another taste before the long drive,” she offered as explanation.

  I just stared at her in awe, unable to even speak. God, the things I was going to do to her. I closed my eyes for strength before adjusting the car out of park and pulling into traffic faster than necessary. Reaching across the console, I blindly searched for her hands, feeling a sense of calmness when our fingers interlocked.

  She was my fire and my calm. My passion and my relaxation. She could take me to levels I didn’t know existed before bringing me back with ease. Charlotte was my dream in living form, and I planned to spend all night showing her how special she was to me.

  Chapter 23

  CHARLOTTE

  THE RIDE WAS completely silent besides the low hum of Ford’s engine whenever he sped up to pass a car. We’d been on the highway for what felt like hours and a blink of the eye at once. Time was flying by but standing still as my mind tried to process all that had happened.

  Glancing over, I could see that Ford’s jaw was tense, and I wondered if he could possibly be upset. He hadn’t said a word to me since abruptly ending our kiss at the movie theater. Even when I kissed him again in the car, he only paused for a moment before taking off.

  While I could rationalize why he would be mad at me, nothing about what was happening was reasonable. It didn’t make sense for Ford to be racing home, or even for me to be going with him. I’d never seen where Ford lived, though I’d had daydreams about waking up with him more than once.

  I wished he would notice me when I was younger, doing any and everything to gain his attention. Nothing seemed to work then, and I guess that was better. I was too young, and he too determined. Ford wasn’t like the guys my age, who did what everyone else was doing.

  When his classmates decided to go away to universities to play sports, Ford chose a different path, finding a career he was truly interested in. Marshall always bragged about how committed Ford was to fulfilling his goals. When he wanted something, nothing could stand in his way.

  The thought of my brother left me with a pang of guilt in my chest. I couldn’t imagine what he would think if he knew what was happening. Ford was his best friend, but I had been crushing on him for as long as I could remember.

  When Ford neared the exit for our house, fear spiked in my chest, afraid he was taking me home. I had been so bold with him, unlike myself. I wondered if he could sense how differently I was behaving, possibly taking me to my brother to end this.

  But then I remembered our kiss, and the way our bodies felt against one another. Our fingers were no longer intertwined, so I reached across the center console. Ford’s hand rested on his thigh and I went to lay mine on top. But then he switched lanes unexpectedly and I found my hand atop the bulge in his pants.

  I could hear the sharp breath escape him as he accelerated once again. Squeezing my hand, he focused on the road, driving ten miles above the speed limit. We were going away from the city, and in a way that was symbolic for me.

  I’d grown up in Cincinnati, but my childish ways were behind me. This was my road to womanhood, and I was traveling with the man of my dreams. Just the two of us, with a deep passion swirling between us.

  I’d never felt so attached to someone in my life. I’d had my fair share of admirers and even a few boyfriends, but nothing like the way I felt about Ford. My attraction to him had spawned in grade school, only multiplying as we grew older.

  Every time a guy got serious about me, I tried to reciprocate the feelings and see a future with them, but it was impossible. I’d spent so much time and energy imagining my life with Ford, it was no use pretending I could see myself with anyone else.

  It was the main reason I was still a virgin, never wanting to share such an intimate and special experience with just anyone. He was my knight in shining armor, the star to my fairy tale. My heart raced knowing I was only minutes away from starting a new chapter.

  When Ford exited the highway, my thighs pressed together with excitement. My body began awakening, knowing it wouldn’t be long before I was alone with him in private. It was the first time we’d have privacy since my birthday night, which was ruined before we could really get going.

  There would be no interruptions tonight. That much was clear when we pulled into the driveway of the townhouse. The neighborhood looked ripped from a magazine, each cookie-cutter home fit with a perfectly manicured lawn to match.

  Following Ford, I walked to the front door, glancing over my shoulder at the neighborhood, as I wondered just how much money he was making to live in such a nice neighborhood. I’d never known anyone to live in an area so far from the city.

  You couldn’t hear the highway, or the commotion from downtown like at our house. I bet Ford would never have to worry about traffic on game days like we did, existing in his own world in his brand new neighborhood.

  As he opened the door, I realized that even Ford hadn’t found the new place to be home yet. Rather than the beautiful décor I expected to resemble the exterior appearance, the place was filled with boxes, most still taped shut.

  Besides the boxes, I didn’t see much furniture or evidence at all that someone lived there. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was struggling to reconnect with the home he’d left so many years ago, but my thoughts were disrupted as the front door closed behind me.

  Ford wrapped me in his arms, sweeping me off my feet with ease. My thoughts instantly washed away, replaced by the desire that had only simmered during the car ride. He wasted no time picking right back up where we’d
left off in the movie theater, and my body reignited with a thirst that felt foreign.

  With his hand guiding my neck, Ford tilted my head, swirling his tongue around mine in a way that tightened my pelvis. A soft moan crept from the depths of my stomach, and he pulled me closer, pressing his body against mine until it was almost painful.

  Tugging at his collar, I fought to undress him, and Ford quickly pulled the shirt over his head. I’d waited so long to see his bare chest, and it did not disappoint. His abdomen was out of a magazine, belonging on a model the way his muscles creased with perfection.

  Struggling to catch my breath, I looked over my shoulder. “Please tell me you have a bed.” It was a lot to hope for considering the bare state of the house, but from the smile spreading across Ford’s handsome face, I knew it was likely.

  “It’s about the only thing I have in here,” he smiled, pulling me back to him. This time, his nose muzzled against my neck as he walked carefully through the maze of boxes.

  “How long have you lived here?” I wondered, my arms wrapped around his neck, holding on tightly.

  “Since I got back,” he answered before leaving a trail of kisses down my neck. “But my things are still being delivered from Minnesota.”

  I nodded, still scanning the living area as Ford focused on more important things, like nibbling my ear seductively. The sensation left me wanting more, desperate to feel him all over me. My body was reacting in ways I’d never experienced, my legs wrapped around him as though it was a normal occurrence.

  Although I’d never been with anyone before, nothing felt new with Ford. I was always comfortable when I was with him, safe to be myself. He had a way of making me relax, and as he climbed the stairs, I did just that.

  Sinking into his arms, I moved my neck from one side to the other as his tongue explored my sensitive skin with an eagerness that left me breathless. I felt so desirable and sexy. Allowing him to devour me left me empowered, like I was the queen of the world.