Alex groans from somewhere behind Bo and then there’s the sound of a condom package ripping. My view is blocked, my face completely owned by her, but I feel him. His hands — one on my hip, the other I can only assume palming himself as he places himself at my entrance. And then, with one, strong thrust, I’m filled.
I gasp against Bo, sucking her clit between my teeth to make her moan with me. My nails dig into the smooth skin of her thighs as she rocks her hips, her pelvis grinding against my mouth. Alex is so big, and it’s been so long since I’ve felt a man between my legs that the sensation is overwhelming. Each time he pushes into me he reaches a new depth and I feel myself climbing, higher, higher.
My hands snake up Bo’s frame to palm her breasts and she cries out as my fingers pinch her nipples. She’s grinding harder now, and I know she’s close. Wrapping my hands around her small waist, I flip her, her short hair blowing out in a whoosh against the sheets as it frames her face. Alex pulls out long enough for me to change positions, taking my place between Bo’s legs, a grin on my face.
“Do you know how turned on I am by you?” I whisper against her neck before sinking my teeth into the flesh. “I have never wanted anyone more than I want you right now.”
She moans, dragging her nails through my hair and pulling my mouth up to hers just as Alex sinks down over us. I’m sandwiched between them — Alex’s hard chest and abs against my back, Bo’s soft body below me. When Alex enters me from behind, I arch my back and Bo bucks her hips up to meet mine. One arm holding me steady, I glide the opposite hand down her navel, pausing at the small birth mark above her left hip before settling between her thighs. She’s still shaking, but now I know it’s because she’s close. When I thrust two fingers inside her at once, moving them in time with Alex’s pulses, her hands fly up to grip the headboard again.
“Oh God,” she moans, sucking her lips between her teeth. She’s fighting it. “Oh fuck!”
“Come,” I demand, and she does, her wetness soaking my fingers as her moans echo off the walls. Alex moans, cursing under his breath. I’m so incredibly turned on, I can’t imagine how he feels right now.
I lower myself for just a moment, kissing Bo softly, letting her ride the wave down. Her eyes flutter open to meet mine and she smiles. “You’re amazing.”
I just kiss her in response, but then Alex’s hands grip my elbows, pulling them together behind me. He pins them at my middle back, forcing an arch in my back as he plows harder, deeper, his mouth on my neck. He’s kissing, sucking, biting, and then he shares a look with Bo. They seem to agree on something not spoken aloud, because Bo leans up, taking my mouth with hers as her hand shoots between my legs. When she starts circling my clit, I break our kiss, crying out at the sensation. Her free hand grips my neck with just enough pressure to heighten my sensitivity.
Holy fuck.
Alex’s hands are gripping me so hard, I know I’ll be bruised in the morning, but I love it. Bo intensifies the pressure on my clit, biting my bottom lip, leaving my mouth open to scream as my orgasm shoots through me. Alex takes it as permission to come with me, and he flexes into me once, twice, deeper, three times, so fucking deep, his groans mixing with mine. It’s the highest ecstasy I’ve ever known. Every touch is amplified, every movement too much yet never enough.
Bo’s hands don’t leave me until I collapse against her, Alex rolling off of us and sprawling out on the sheets beside us, his chest heaving. My head against Bo’s chest, I watch him smile and shake his head before his dark eyes turn to us, flicking between the two.
“You girls are fucking wild.”
Bo giggles, her fears shattered now that the experience is over. “I blame her.”
Alex grins wider, baring his bright, beautiful teeth and I just shrug.
“I love Spring Break.”
AFTER ALL THE CRAZINESS of the first few days of Spring Break, it feels amazing to just lay on the top deck of a sail boat, sun rays hot on my skin, sea breeze blowing over me. We’re all in a line — Bo, Ashlei, Jess, Skyler, Erin, and then me — our bright, matching beach towels beneath us. The few Omega Chi brothers who dragged their asses out of bed early enough to make our all-day excursion are on the bottom deck, getting boozy on the free drinks. For the girls, I think we’re finally taking the time to soak in some silence.
It’s already been a long day. I’ve applied sunscreen every hour on the hour just to be safe, and yet still I know I’ll go back to our suite with a burn. It will eventually turn into a slight tan, but I never get as dark as the rest of the girls. Skyler always seems to catch the darkest tan, probably from paddleboarding all the time.
We started at eight this morning and we’ve already been snorkeling, parasailing and had lunch. Add that to the fact that I’m getting practically no sleep because I’m too self-aware of how close Adam and I are in our bed, and you could say I’m a little tired. Now, we’re parked at a floating dock with plenty of activities at our disposal, but I’m not the only one who doesn’t seem eager to jump on them. We’re all catching our breath. Tonight, we’ll be back on Duval Street, so for now, we’re taking it easy.
Zack Brown Band croons from the speakers on the boat and I tap my toes to the beat, smiling as I recount all the memories we’ve already made this week. I was warned that my first Spring Break with Kappa Kappa Beta would be wild and crazy, but no one told me how amazing it would be, too. I’ve literally been having the time of my life, and we’re only halfway through.
“Hey,” a voice whisper-shouts right above me. My eyes fly open to a dark silhouette haloed by the sun. I shield my eyes with my hand and Adam’s goofy grin comes into view, along with his abs and the hard V that leads right down to his dark red swim trunks. “Come ride the jet skis with me.”
He looks like a little kid, grinning ear to ear, a small speck of sunscreen that hasn’t been rubbed in resting on the bridge of his nose. His tan shoulders are starting to freckle, and a sheen of sweat has gathered across his pecs.
Scanning the rest of the girls, I realize he’s talking to only me. Jess is snoring, mouth hanging open, while Bo and Ashlei lean together over a book. Skyler and Erin are both on their backs, eyes closed, and I assume since they’re not stirring, they’re probably sleeping, too.
I look back up at Adam, hand still over my eyes. “Yeah. Okay.”
He smiles wider, holding out his hand to help me up. I take it, ignoring the dull buzz that always hums through me each time our skin touches. When I’m on my feet, Adam watches as I pull the straps of my light green top up and re-tie them at my neck.
“Um, they’re parked over here. Come on.” He leads the way down the stairs and over to the starboard side of the boat where ten wave runners are parked along the same dock as we are. We listen to one of the crew members go over safety and speed reminders before each climbing onto our own and pushing off the dock. We wade out a safe distance and then hit the gas, speeding off into the waves.
We ride side-by-side for a while, laughing as the waves spritz us with cool ocean water. Adam breaks off and goes wide left, jumping the wake of another boat and doing donuts. I just shake my head and speed off, pushing the jet ski as fast as it will go. The wind flies through my hair, my eyes shielded only by my sunglasses as I tear through the water. It’s an amazing sound, an incredible rush, and I only slow down when I reach the distance the crew member warned was as far as we could go.
Releasing my thumb off the gas throttle, I let the engine hum and stare off into the distance, taking it all in. Adam rumbles up beside me and does the same and for a few moments, we just exist.
“My grandpa used to water ski,” he says after a while. I turn, watching as he leans forward and crosses his arms on his handlebars, his eyes still off in the distance. “It was so amazing to watch. I was young, but I still remember it. He was one of those men who excelled at everything he did. It wasn’t just on the water, either. He was like that in his job, as a friend, a parent, a grandparent. Everything.”
I nod,
smiling, getting the sense that maybe I’m just supposed to listen right now. Adam chuckles softly, as if he’s recalling a memory as he leans back again.
“He raised me, you know?” he asks, turning to me with one eyebrow raised.
“Really?”
“Yeah. My mom and dad traveled a lot for work. They’re both in sales for a technology company, so it’s their job to schmooze the clients, keep them happy, and sell them on new products and services. They were gone at least ten months out of the year if you added it all up.”
I blanch. “Wow. That’s a lot, Adam.”
A short laugh escapes his lips, the wind blowing his dark hair back. “I know. But I had my grandpa. I stayed with him most of the time or he would come sleep at our house. Either way, he was the one always there, teaching me the things I needed to know, helping me with homework, showing me how to throw a punch the first time I got bullied. He used to have this one, long patch of hair that he would comb over his bald head” He crosses his arms over his chest, still smiling, the waves rocking us gently. “I miss him every day.”
A sadness washes over me. “He passed, didn’t he?”
Adam gives one curt nod. “When I was a junior in high school. I had to stay with my aunt a lot after that, until college, anyway. But it wasn’t the same.” He blows out a long, slow breath. “He’s the reason I do what I do, you know?” He turns to me, black sunglasses misted from the sea salt. “He never half-assed anything. So when I came to PSU, when I rushed Alpha Sigma, I knew I had the chance to take an organization that everyone underestimated and really make something of it — and maybe of myself, in the process.”
My heart squeezes and I fight the urge to reach out to him. Adam and I have talked a lot since we met, especially when we were doing breakfast on a normal basis, but I never questioned why he cared so much about Alpha Sigma and the direction it was headed in. I always just assumed that was part of who he was, and I guess in a way it is — but it’s not just a part of him, it’s a part of his grandpa, too.
“That’s really beautiful, Adam,” I finally say, my voice low. He crooks a smile at me, his left dimple making an appearance as his hands find the handlebars again. But then he pauses, lifting his sunglasses, eyes wide.
“Cassie! Look!” I follow his finger and strain my eyes against the bright blue water.
“What?!”
“Do you see them? Dolphins!”
I scan the water, waiting, and then two fins break the surface followed by a third and fourth one.
“Oh my God!”
“It looks like an entire pod of them.”
“Wow,” I breathe, watching them as they come closer. “They’re so close!”
“They’re probably curious about us.”
They’re not alone there.
The dolphins play around us for a while and we just watch, pointing, laughing, talking. It’s easy and relaxed, and for once, I don’t feel awkward or afraid of my feelings around him. For once, it feels like maybe we really can have a real friendship.
As we ride back up to the dock, I think of Skyler and Clinton, how they are together. It’s clear they love each other, but not in a way that crosses the friendship line. I wonder if maybe Adam could be that friend for me. The thought of it twists my stomach just as much as it makes me smile.
Adam helps me off my jet ski once we dock and I unzip my life jacket, tossing it to the crew member as Adam does the same. We both head straight to the bar on the first deck of the boat to grab water, taking our plastic cups to the back of the boat and leaning our arms against the railing.
“If I ask you something, do you promise to answer me honestly?” Adam asks, sipping from his cup. I nod, though something tells me I might regret it. For a moment he’s quiet, but then he drains the rest of his water and turns to face me, one elbow still propped on the white railing. “What happened with you and Clay last semester?”
Yep. Instant regret.
I clear my throat. “You know what happened.”
“No I don’t.”
I shift my weight to my other hip, chewing at the chapped skin on my top lip. “I don’t know, Adam. I liked him. I thought he was nice. And honestly, I just wanted to have fun. We fooled around and stuff, and I didn’t expect it to go as far as it did, but that night after semi-formal, I was just so upset with you and he was treating me so kindly, even though you told me he was an ass. And I don’t know, I just trusted him for some reason. So we…” I trail off, shaking my head. “Well, I don’t think I really need to say it.”
Adam winces. “You slept with him because of me?”
My heart kicks in my chest. “Oh God, that didn’t come out right.” I know I’m blushing furiously, trying to save my ass but coming up with absolutely no words that help me achieve that. “I just mean that I was in a weird head space. I wasn’t thinking. Normal me, in her right frame of mind, would have remembered that I have always wanted my first time to be special. I wouldn’t have let some frat daddy take it after seeing each other for less than a month.”
I chuckle, but when I lift my eyes to Adam, his fist is clutched around the empty plastic cup, crushing it, his other hand still gripping the bar. His nose flares, murderous eyes hard on mine. “He took your virginity?”
Oh God.
Now I’m really blushing.
Covering my face with my hands, I shake my head, peeking through my fingers. “This is so embarrassing.”
“He took your virginity and then dumped you for your ex-best friend in front of everyone.” It’s not a question. His jaw is ticking beneath the strained skin. “Unfuckingbelievable.”
Dropping my hands to my side again, I offer a sad smile, the scars from that night stinging a little. “It’s okay, Adam. I mean, that’s what college is all about, right?” I shrug. “Lessons learned and all that.”
I force a smile, but Adam is still glaring at me like I took my own virginity. Finally, he sighs, blowing the breath out hard and loosening his grip on the cup in his hands. He doesn’t say a word, just takes my cup, too, and walks them to the trash can nearby. I watch him, wondering if I should have lied about what happened. When he reaches me again, he doesn’t stop in the space next to me. He pulls me into him completely, wrapping his arms all the way around me, his naked chest on mine, his abs pressed against my navel, his arms hard around my shoulders.
“I’m so sorry, Cassie,” he whispers into my hair and chills race from the point of contact all the way to my toes. He doesn’t break our hug, just holds me, and each second kills me and fills me with hope all at once. Hesitantly, I wrap my arms around him, too, and my eyes water.
When he pulls back, he sees, and he wipes at the corner of my eye with the pad of his thumb, catching the tear before it even had the chance to fall.
And it’s in that moment I know for sure.
We will never be like Skyler and Clinton.
MY MOM IS A HUGE ERNEST HEMINGWAY fan. She has all of his books on her shelf at home and loves to quote him frequently. So, of course, I couldn’t come to Key West without visiting his old-home-turned-museum for her.
“That was amazing!” mom squeals as I take a seat on one of the benches in the back yard area of the house, holding the phone so mom can still see my face on our video chat. I had her on video the entire tour, showing her every nook and cranny of the house. A cozy, black polydactyl cat is curled up on the bench next to me, and it doesn’t stir in the slightest when I sit. Apparently, the six-toed Hemingway cats are pretty famous, and therefore, pretty immune to all the petting and picture-taking that happens to them every day.
“That was pretty cool. Hey, maybe I could be a writer,” I joke, pulling my damp hair away from my neck. Still, the thought isn’t too far off. I’ve been trying to figure out what I want to do after college, and the truth is, I was really fascinated by the tour. Ernest Hemingway was an interesting man. Oddly enough, even though he was one of the most prolific writers of his time, he was better known in Key West for his hunting,
fishing, and fighting skills. And of course, his love for whiskey.
Sounds like my kind of lifestyle.
“You think so, baby?”
I scrunch my nose. “Nah, probably not. At least half the words in any book I write would be offensive.”
Mom giggles, roping her dark hazelnut hair around her fingers and draping it over one shoulder. “Oh gee, I wonder who you get that from.”
“Not me!” Dad calls out in the background and we both laugh.
“Well if it isn’t Skyler from Florida,” a voice twangs above me. Squinting against the rays of light streaming through the trees, I grin when I find exactly who I thought I would.
“Trevor, the trouble from Tennessee.”
“Who’s that?” Mom asks and I flip my phone, making Trevor blush and offer a half wave as my mom nearly falls out of her chair. “Oh my! Aren’t you handsome.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Mom scoffs. “Did he just call me ma’am? What am I, eighty?”
I choke out a laugh and mouth a sorry to Trevor, turning my phone back to my own face. “Got to go, Mom. I’ll call when we’re back on campus.”
“Don’t get into any trouble!” she teases just as I blow a kiss and end the call, standing to join Trevor.
“Your mom is hot.”
“Ew,” I laugh the word, adjusting my purse strap across my chest.
He barks out a laugh, loud and strong. “You are the last person I expected to find here.”
“What? I don’t look like the literature loving type of gal?” Did I just say gal?
“I guess I shouldn’t assume, huh?”
“Damn straight,” I say, crossing my arms. “But I only came for my mom, so in this case, you were right.” I wink and Trevor smiles. “You here alone?”
“Yeah, not exactly what my brothers had in mind for Spring Break.”
“My sisters neither. They’re at Smathers again.”
“You heading there now?”
Palm South University: Season 2, Episode 4 (Palm South University #2) Page 5
