by Blythe Reid
“What happened?” Lexie asked suspiciously.
When I looked back up at Lexie, I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to tell her everything. She was my first real girlfriend, and I desperately needed someone to talk to about Lucien, but I worried she would disapprove or judge me. After all, she was against me going to the party in the first place.
“Okay,” I said. “But if I tell you, you have to promise not to judge me, okay?”
“I would never,” Lexie said with a serious tone.
I believed her. Despite having only just met, I already trusted Lexie. Maybe it was my naïveté or just my desire to have a friend, but I believed she was a good person.
“Well,” I began. “I was dancing with a group of people when Lucien came over. Lucien Wolfe.”
“I know him,” Lexie nodded.
“I was drunk,” I admitted. “But not blackout drunk. I had a few beers. It was the first time I had ever had so much as a sip of alcohol.”
“Seriously?” Lexie’s eyes widened in surprise.
I nodded. “Yup. So, I was having a really great time. Everyone was nice, and then, Lucien came up and kind of pulled me upstairs without a word. He asked why I was there, and he seemed upset by it.”
“Why?” Lexie asked with a frown.
“I have no idea,” I said. “At first, I thought maybe he was annoyed by me? Like, he just didn’t want me around? Then, when we were upstairs, I realized he was actually just worried about me. He didn’t want me to do anything I might regret.”
“And did you?” Lexie asked.
“No,” I said. “I told Lucien that I wanted to have sex with him.”
Lexie’s mouth fell open, and she stared at me in shock. She didn’t seem like the type to be shy about boldness. She herself was very blunt.
“Have you ever?” she asked.
“No,” I admitted. “Like I told you, my experience is extremely limited.”
“Did you and Lucien…?”
“No,” I said again. “He refused. Which was a huge hit to my ego, you know? But then, I realized it was actually really sweet. He said I was too drunk, and he didn’t think it was a good idea. He didn’t want me to lose my virginity while I was drunk.”
“Wow,” Lexie said. “Lucien Wolfe said that?”
I nodded. “We did… other stuff, though. Not sex or anything, but we fooled around a little bit.”
“You feel okay about that?” she asked.
“I really do,” I said with confidence. “Lucien was so sweet.”
“Men can be deceiving,” Lexie warned. She took a sip of her drink.
“Lucien’s not like that,” I said. “I mean, he took care of me. Most guys wouldn’t have done that, right?”
“Probably not,” she admitted. “But seriously, be careful. You’re new to all of this, and I don’t want to see you get hurt, Scarlet.”
“I know,” I said with a smile. “I like Lucien. He’s great. He took me out Saturday night on a real date, and he invited me to go away with him this weekend.”
“You’re not going, are you?” Lexie asked.
I laughed. “Of course, I am. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because you don’t know him that well yet,” Lexie pointed out.
“But I feel like I do,” I argued. “I really, really like him, Lexie.”
Lexie sighed and reached across the table to take my hand. She squeezed it gently and smiled at me.
“You’re a catch, Scarlet,” she said. “I know you’re eager to experience new things, but just remember that you don’t have to do anything. Make him work for you.”
I squeezed her hand back and smiled. She was a great friend. I knew she was only looking out for me, but she didn’t understand. Lucien and I had known each other for weeks now. I was ready to take things to the next level with him. After the frat party, I knew he cared about me. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have turned down my offer to sleep with him. Despite Lexie’s concerns, I trusted Lucien completely.
As we finished lunch, I daydreamed about what the weekend would bring.
Chapter 19
Lucien
The drive to Scarlet’s house felt longer than normal. I sat in traffic, tapping my foot anxiously. I couldn’t wait to get away for the weekend. As much as I fought against joining my family’s business, my childhood home was an amazing place to grow up. I knew Scarlet would love it. She would be blown away by the beauty and wilderness.
Driving to her house, I pictured her face. I pictured the way her eyes would light up with excitement the second we pulled into the driveway. A smile was plastered on my face when I finally made it to her grandmother’s house.
I jumped out of the car and jogged to the front door. Knocking, I stood back and waited for someone to answer. I was eager to leave, but I knew Scarlet’s grandmother would want to see me.
It made me nervous to think about taking Scarlet away for the weekend. Even though her grandmother seemed to approve of me, this was a big deal to most people. An entire weekend away held some hefty implications that I wasn’t sure her grandmother would be okay with.
My worries were unfounded. When Scarlet appeared at the door to let me inside, she told me her grandmother wasn’t there. She was spending the day in the city with some friends. I was relieved that I wouldn’t have to explain my intentions.
“So, are you ready to go?” I asked.
“Just about,” she said. She had a duffel bag thrown over her arm and a purse in her other hand. When she grabbed her keys, she turned back to me with a grin. “Now, I’m ready.”
“Wait,” I said, looking her up and down. She was wearing jeans and a thin t-shirt. “You might want to grab a coat, just in case. It gets chilly a little sooner up there.”
“Okay,” Scarlet said. She set her bags down on the floor and walked to the coat closet by the front door. She pulled it open and grabbed a red coat off a coat hanger. Throwing it over her arm, she leaned over to pick up her bags again.
“I got it,” I said. I brushed her hand away and grabbed her duffel bag, letting her take her purse.
“Such a gentleman,” she teased.
“I do try,” I said with a grin.
We left Scarlet’s house quickly, making sure to lock up behind us. Scarlet slid into the front seat while I loaded her bag in the trunk, where mine was already safely tucked away. The sight of our bags lying next to each other made me smile again. This weekend was going to be amazing. Two full days, just Scarlet and me. I didn’t even care if we slept together, I was just excited to spend time alone with her.
As I climbed behind the wheel, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d won. When I first met Scarlet, I saw her as a challenge. She was sweet and naïve, vulnerable in an adorable way. I knew seducing her would take some effort and now, I felt like I did it. She was here, in my car, ready to take the next step. The strange part wasn’t that I won, but that I didn’t care that I won. Sitting beside Scarlet, driving out of the city, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. She was no longer a challenge. She was just a beautiful girl, a beautiful girl who I was taking home with me for the weekend.
***
We arrived at my parent’s place late that night. Scarlet had dozed off a few times on the drive, but when we pulled up, she was very much awake.
“Oh my god,” she gasped as we turned the final corner.
I grinned as I took in the sights that I knew so well. Scarlet’s excitement was exactly what I expected. My childhood home sat in the middle of a twenty-acre lot. It was designed to resemble a small, log cabin in the woods. There was a wrap-around porch, and it had a cottage-like feel to it. As a kid, I always wished my parents would build something more lavish, something that wasn’t quite so humble. We had the money, so I never understood why we didn’t spend it.
“It’s kind of small,” I began. “But, it’s roomier on the inside.”
“It’s gorgeous,” Scarlet said.
“And it’s better during the day,” I said. “
Tomorrow, I’ll take you down to the lake. It’s through the woods a little way, but it’s the most beautiful part of our property.”
“That sounds amazing,” Scarlet said.
I pulled up in front of the house, and we jumped out. Grabbing the bags from the trunk, I led Scarlet up the front steps to the porch. She continued to look around as we stepped inside. Her eyes were wide with interest as she took in the cozy living room and humble kitchen. The winding staircase, which led to my room, was her favorite part.
“This is so cute,” she gushed. “I always wanted a winding staircase. They remind me of fairy tales. I told my mom it would make me feel like a princess, but she said no. Surprise, surprise.”
“That’s probably why I always hated it,” I said, laughing. “It’s too cutesy for my taste.”
“Cutesy?” she asked. “It’s classic. Comfortable.”
“Whatever you say, Princess Scarlet,” I teased.
She playfully hit me on the arm, and I grinned. After I put our bags away upstairs, I came back down to give Scarlet the tour. There wasn’t much to see inside, but I walked her around the porch and showed her the different parts of our land. It was difficult to see at night, but she got the general idea. Her favorite part, even more than the staircase, was the stars.
“They’re so bright out here,” she said softly. “You can’t see a single one in the city.”
“I know,” I sighed. “I used to sit out here for hours and just count them.”
“You did?” she asked.
“Of course,” I said. “Wouldn’t you?”
“I would,” she said, nodding. “I guess I just pictured you as being more restless. I can’t really imagine you just sitting around looking at the stars.”
“Well, I guess you have a lot to learn about me,” I said with a grin.
“I guess so.”
Scarlet’s smile was breathtaking. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have her here with me. From the way the guys acted at the party, she could have had any guy she wanted on campus, and yet, she wanted to be with me. My happiness took me by surprise. I didn’t know what was happening to me. When did I become the guy who was happy just being with one girl?
Scarlet and I spent that night just talking and laughing. Nothing happened between us, not even a kiss. When we went to bed, I took the couch to be respectful. She made it clear she wanted to have sex this weekend, but I was willing to take my time with her. We only just arrived at the house. We didn’t need to jump into bed together right away.
So, that night was spent on the couch, with my mind constantly wandering up that spiral staircase to where Scarlet was lying in my old bed. I barely slept. Thoughts of Scarlet spun around my mind, keeping me wide awake and restless. More than once, I considered slipping upstairs and having my way with her. But I stopped myself. We would have plenty of time for that tomorrow and the day after.
When Scarlet woke up Saturday morning, she came downstairs fully dressed. She was wearing jeans and a long sleeve black shirt. Her red coat was tied around her neck, and it cascaded over her shoulders like a cape. It made her hair look even more vivid. She looked gorgeous.
“Good morning,” I said. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she said shyly. “I thought we’d go check out that lake this morning.”
“Absolutely,” I said. “Just let me get dressed.”
“Okay,” she said. “Do you mind if I get some food together? We can eat breakfast out there.”
“Sounds great,” I called as I made my way to the bathroom.
I got dressed quickly, hurrying back out to meet Scarlet. She had some food packed away in a bag, which I took from her and carried outside. We set off down the back path toward the lake. It was still early, and the air was thick with a chilly fog. Scarlet shivered and pulled her coat over arms.
“Good idea about the coat,” she said, laughing.
“It gets cold out here,” I said with a nod. “But I love it. I’ve never been able to stand the heat. In the winter, I used to camp out back because I loved the weather so much.”
“Did you like growing up out here?” she asked.
“Sometimes,” I said with a shrug. “Other times, I wished for more.”
“I think we all did that,” she said with understanding.
“Grass is always greener, that sort of thing,” I said.
She nodded. “Yeah. But it isn’t really, is it? I mean, eventually where you are is exactly where you’re supposed to be.”
“You think so?” I asked. This was something I’d always wondered about. I never truly felt like I belonged anywhere.
“I do,” she said with confidence. “Take me for example. I spent my entire life living in France with my mother, never really feeling like myself. Then, in the blink of an eye, I moved to New York. Now, I feel more like the real me than I ever have before.”
I smiled as we stepped off the path and the lake came into view. Scarlet’s face lit up when she saw the beauty surrounding us. I’d seen it a thousand times before, but I always loved it.
Scarlet was right. She seemed more comfortable in her own skin. When we first met, she was awkward and a little weird. Now, she still had that same clumsy charm about her, but she blushed less often. She stood with confidence and certainty. It was an amazing sight to behold.
We spread out on the ground to eat breakfast and keep talking. As the day progressed, the sun began to warm us, and Scarlet pulled off her wrap and discarded it on the ground. When she did, I noticed how much her shirt showed off her breasts. I swallowed hard and tried not to stare, but I couldn’t help it.
“Are you okay?” Scarlet asked, scooting closer to me and putting her hand on my leg.
“I’m great,” I said. “I just got distracted for a second. I’m sorry. What were you saying?”
“What distracted you?” she asked.
“You,” I answered. “You distracted me.”
Scarlet’s green eyes stared deeply into mine. She seemed to appreciate my answer, and the more I looked at her, the more desperately I wanted to kiss her. So, I did.
When our lips finally met, she sighed against my mouth, and the sound was almost too much. Her lips were soft and urgent against mine. My tongue slid in her mouth, and I tasted her slowly, wanting more.
Scarlet pulled away for a second to look at me. There was something behind her eyes, a mix of desire and uncertainty.
“I want to,” she whispered. Her voice was deep and sexy.
I kissed her again, slowly pulling her into my lap as I did. She straddled me easily, her hands tangling themselves in my hair. Our kiss was more insistent this time. We kissed each other hungrily, our hands roaming freely over each other’s bodies.
When I slid my hands down to grab the bottom of Scarlet’s shirt, I paused for a fraction of a second and pulled away. I looked at her questioningly, making sure that she was sure she wanted this.
She didn’t speak. Instead, she reached down and pulled her shirt over her head, throwing it on the grass beside us. Her bra was red and lacy. It fit tightly against her breasts, and the sight made my dick twitch with desire. I couldn’t control myself for another second. I flipped her onto her back and ravaged her with my lips.
Chapter 20
Scarlet
Lucien’s eyes were dark with desire as he flipped me over. I laid on my back, breathing heavily while his mouth found my chest. He kissed the skin around my bra, sliding his hands under my back to unhook it. As he slid it over my shoulders, I was overcome with insecurity. What if he didn’t like what he saw?
Before I had a chance to let my mind spin out of control, Lucien was throwing my bra onto the grass. My breasts were exposed to the air, and I felt my nipples harden. Lucien groaned at the sight and attacked them with his tongue. He licked and teased one nipple at a time, massaging the other between his able fingers. My body felt hot as I lifted my hands to push my hair off my face. Lucien knew just what to do to drive me crazy.
His lips moved lower, kissing their way down my stomach. I remembered the way it felt when he went down on me, and I was desperate to feel that again. Only this time, I wanted more. I wanted all of him.
When Lucien’s lips reached my jeans. He unbuttoned them slowly and pulled the zipper down. His eyes were locked on mine as he moved, silently asking me for permission. I appreciated how careful he was with me, but I was ready. I’d wanted this for a long time now.
“I want you,” I said again.
His answering grin was mischievous, and he slid my jeans down. I lifted my hips to help him, letting him pull them all the way off. When he did, I suddenly became aware what I was lying in front of him wearing nothing but my panties, while he was still fully clothed.
Without a word, I sat up and pulled his face to mine. I kissed him hungrily, frantically searching for the bottom of his shirt. When I found it, I broke our kiss to lift it over his head. My eyes fell immediately on his chest. He was muscular, and his bare skin made me swallow hard. I ran my fingers over the tattoo on his arm and then down his abs, feeling every inch of him.
I kissed his chest, taking my time to play with him. Pushing him backward, I climbed on top of him, throwing one leg on either side. My lips roamed freely over his naked chest and stomach. I tasted him slowly, wanting to remember every second of this moment. As I kissed him, his breathing sped up, and I could feel his heart pounding in his chest.
“You’re torturing me,” he groaned.
“I’m playing,” I whispered back.
My fingers reached his pants, and I slowly pulled them off. I yanked his boxers down next, desperate to see all of him. His dick sprung out, already hard and ready. The sight made my stomach flip. I’d never seen a naked man in person before. Lucien was gorgeous. Sexy and handsome all at the same time.
I let my eyes trail over his body, memorizing every inch. When I climbed back on top of him and lowered my lips to his, his hands grabbed my hips and squeezed. Instinctively, I rubbed myself against his cock, causing him to moan loudly against my lips. I loved the sound, so I did it again. And again. Until finally, Lucien flipped me over and pinned me down.
