by Renee, Holly
“What happened?”
It was almost embarrassing to answer him, almost shameful.
“I came here instead.”
He watched me as if he was searching for the answer, as if he could find the truth resting on my face. “Because of your parents?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “But it was more than that. Because of Theo.”
I waited for his reaction, but he hid it well. Instead of what I expected him to do, he turned his head to the side and watched me.
“He means that much to you?”
It felt weird talking about Theo with him like this.
“I told you he’s my best friend, but it’s what’s expected of me. My parents went here. My dad wants me to work for him when I graduate.”
“That’s a lot of what other people want.”
I didn’t reply because I didn’t know what I would say. Yes. I was letting my parents control my future. That I got a scholarship to Columbia, but my dad said he wouldn’t pay for my living expenses. It sounded weak, and it made me feel weak.
“Thank you for this.” I hugged the camera closer to my chest. “Seriously, it’s amazing.”
“You’re welcome.” He finally smiled. “If you need a practice subject, just let me know.” He flexed his biceps in the air and kissed his right one.
I snorted and clicked the camera on. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
“Yeah.” He laughed with me. “I could feel the douchebag coming out of me as I did it.”
I held the camera up to my face and looked at him through the lens.
“What do we still need to work on for the group project?” I snapped a picture of him as he spoke.
“Nothing.” I looked down at the camera and viewed the photograph. He was almost as handsome on the screen as he was in person. “I finished typing it up yesterday. You can read it if you want.”
“So, this was just a ploy to get me here?” He stood from his chair and started moving around the table toward me.
“You could say that.”
“Well.” He stuck his hand out to me. “Let’s go take some photos.”
We moved through the library stacks, and I laughed as Easton grabbed my hand and pulled me around the corner. He twisted me around, pressing my back to his chest, and he held the camera out in front of us, snapping a quick selfie.
He put the camera back in my hand, and I almost dropped it when he pressed his lips against my neck.
He moved through another stack of books, and I followed him with my camera as we seemed to move farther away from everyone. I snapped a photo of him as he walked, his face turned back toward me, laughter evident on every line of his face.
“What are you doing?” I whispered because I didn’t want to get in trouble with the librarians. They seemed harmless enough, but I knew better than to underestimate the quiet ones.
He disappeared around another corner, and I struggled to keep up with him. I rounded the corner he had just taken and I squealed as his arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me in the air.
“Shhh…” He laughed as he whispered against my lips, but I couldn’t stop giggling. Easton was too much. He made me feel too good, and I wasn’t naive enough to realize how badly that scared me.
Easton’s hand wrapped around the back of my head before he fully pressed his lips to mine. I leaned into him, pushing him back against the shelf, and a few books fell to the floor in a loud clatter.
“Shhh.” Easton laughed and quickly squatted down to grab the books. “You’re going to get us in trouble.”
I could feel my skin blossoming with heat, and it didn’t matter that we were in the middle of our school library. I wanted him.
“Maybe I want a little trouble.”
He stared at me so boldly and intimately that I felt like I was on fire. I had never been looked at like that before.
He opened his mouth, I hoped to say that he wanted it too, but the next words I heard weren’t his.
“This is a library. Not a sex pit.”
Easton and I both looked over at the librarian, and even though I tried, I couldn’t stop the snort that echoed through the room as I tried to rein in my laughter.
She turned her attention fully to me, and even though I knew I should have been worried about being caught. I couldn’t stop laughing.
“What’s your name?” She took a step toward me, but Easton blocked her path.
“We were just leaving.” His words were said with their own edge of laughter, and it only seemed to fuel mine. He pushed me in the opposite direction of the librarian, moving us quickly through the aisles, and we clung to each other as we pushed out the library door into the fresh air.
“I didn’t give you enough credit, freshman.” He looked me up and down as he laughed. “You have more balls than I thought.”
Twelve
“We’re not watching this movie again.” I groaned from Theo’s bed as he set up the TV.
“The Fast and the Furious is a fucking classic.” He looked affronted that I would think anything different.
“Yeah, because it’s so dang old.” I popped some chocolate-covered raisins in my mouth. “Like you.”
“I don’t know who you’re calling old. You’re only a year younger than me.”
“Yes.” I winked at him. “But I will always be a year younger.”
He grabbed his remote and plopped down on the bed beside me. “I remember when you used to hate that you were younger than me. I got my permit first, my license first. I had to buy your tickets to R-rated movies.”
“True.” I stuffed a pillow behind my head and leaned back. “Do you remember that time we watched Transformers then sneaked into The Fault in Our Stars?”
“Yeah.” He chuckled. “You were a bad influence.”
“Me?” I pointed to my chest. “I’m pretty sure that you’re the one who talked me into that.”
“No. I remember specifically that you threw a fit because we were watching Transformers so I had to sneak us into The Fault in Our Stars to make it up to you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cry so hard.”
“That’s a sad freaking movie.” I tried to defend myself. “But it’s so beautiful and so perfect. Let’s watch it instead of The Fast and the Furious.”
“No way.” He shook his head, hard and fast. “I barely survived that movie with you once. There’s no way in hell I would do it again.”
I pouted, but he just smiled as he pressed play on a movie I knew he had seen at least a hundred times before.
But it made him happy, and I loved seeing him happy. So I put away my puppy dog eyes and watched the movie. If nothing else, there was plenty of eye candy, and I was with my best friend.
Theo was passed out completely as the movie continued to play. I shoved him, but he didn’t even budge. I checked the time on my phone. It was only ten forty-five, and I was nowhere near sleepy.
I pressed Easton’s name on my phone and my fingers hovered over the keys.
Theo’s profile bounced in and out of view through the TV light. He looked so peaceful, and I knew that I shouldn’t leave him. But I pressed my finger against my phone anyway.
What are you doing?
Easton: Reading. You?
Are you in your room?
Easton: Yes. Are you here?
I didn’t give it much more thought as I slowly climbed out of Theo’s bed, trying my best not to disturb him, and crossed the room. I tried not to look back at his face as I turned the handle and slipped out into the bright hallway.
I quickly made my way to Easton’s door and rapped my knuckles against it. I could hear movement behind his door, and it only took a few seconds before he pulled it open.
I tightened my hands behind my back and ogled at what stood in front of me. He was wearing a pair of red flannel pajamas that were slung low on his hips and no shirt covered his drool-worthy abs.
“Hi.”
I finally looked up at his smiling face. “Hi.”
/> He still had a book in his hand. I couldn’t make out what it was, but it was old and tattered at the edges.
“What are you doing here?” He looked down the hallway.
“I’m staying the night with Theo.”
His eyes darkened, but he didn’t say anything about it. “His room is down there.” He nodded in the direction of Theo’s door.
“I know.” I shifted my feet.
“But you’re here.” It wasn’t a question. Or maybe it was. Either way, he knew that I was here instead of where I should have been with Theo.
“Are you going to invite me in?”
He stepped back out of the doorway and waved his hand in the direction of his room with a grin on his face.
He was clearly in bed getting ready for sleep because his bed was in disarray and the only flicker of light through the room was provided by the lamp beside his bed. He shut the door behind him as I stepped into his space.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” I pointed to his book. “I just wanted see you for a minute.”
He stepped toward me, backing me up toward his bed, and grinned. “I’m glad you did.” He was staring at my lips as he said the words.
“Yeah?” I watched as his tongue peeked out and wet his bottom lip.
He didn’t answer me. At least not with words. Instead, he closed the small space between us and thrust his fingers in my hair without warning. His mouth was against mine, more practiced than the last time, but no less hungry.
I let him lead me, his tongue pushing against mine, his hands tight in my hair, and I didn’t stop him when he took one more small step forward and the back of my knees hit the bed. He laid me down slowly, his body hovering over mine, and I was aching for him to drop his weight against me.
His knee was pressed against the bed between my thighs, and I arched up into him, begging his hands to move somewhere other than my hair. He groaned into my mouth as my breasts pushed against his chest and my core pressed against his knee. That one sound seemed to fuel me.
I wasn’t a virgin, but I knew that Easton had to be more experienced than I was. But I didn’t care about any of that. All that mattered was him touching me.
He tore his mouth away from mine, and I mewled as his lips moved along my jaw before dropping down my sensitive neck. He wasn’t gentle. It was as if all his restraint was spent on his body and there was none left when it came to his mouth. His teeth nipped, his tongue caressed, and I was so wet that I didn’t know how much more I could take.
“Please, Easton,” I cried softly. I didn’t even know what I was asking for. I just knew that I needed more.
He pushed my t-shirt up my stomach and his mouth dropped to the soft flesh. Nothing beyond my stomach was exposed, but the way his tongue swirled around my belly button before taking a small bite of my hip made me feel like I was completely bare before him.
My fingers dragged through his hair, silently asking him for more, but I could feel his lips hesitating. He lifted his head and looked up at me.
“We should slow down.”
I shook my head and gripped tighter in his hair. “Please.”
“What do you want, Maddison?” His voice was rougher than I had ever heard it.
“Everything.”
He squeezed his eyes closed like I was physically paining him. “Not tonight.”
I opened my mouth to object, but he stopped me.
“There’s no rush.”
I knew what he was saying was true, but it didn’t make me want him any less. I let my hand roam over his side until I reached the edge of his pajama pants. “Can I touch you?” I looked up into his eyes. “I want to touch you.”
“Fuck.” The word was a curse from his lips as his forehead hit my chest.
But he didn’t stop me.
His stomach tightened as I hooked one finger beneath the band of his pajamas then moved my hand completely below them. His breath caught in his lungs as I gripped his cock in my hand. It was warm and silky and so hard against my fingers. I wrapped my hand around him, slowly moving my hand up and down, and his breath rushed out against my neck.
He pushed my shirt up, his hands rushed and excited, and exposed my breasts. His hands traced the swell of my breasts above my bra.
I pumped my hand faster, matching the push and pull of his ragged breath, and his teasing touch turned needy. He jerked my bra down, baring my breasts to him, and his thumbs grazed my nipples.
I pressed my thumb to the head of him, and I moaned as his head lowered and pulled my nipple into his mouth. He was as rough there as he had been with my neck, and I could barely control the speed of my hand as my body begged him for more.
He pushed his hands under my pajama shorts and panties, his fingers sliding through me, and he groaned against my breast as he felt my arousal. His finger slid into me with ease as the palm of his hand put pressure on my clit, and I was embarrassed by how quickly my body tightened up around him.
“Easton.” His name was a plea—a plea for more, for him to never stop, and it only seemed to fuel him further.
His teeth bit down on my nipple as the pressure from his hand intensified, and I followed the speed of his fingers with mine as we both chased our orgasm.
“Fuck, Maddison.” He cried out my name just as I felt his release hit my hand, and I couldn’t hold myself together any longer.
I fell apart around his hand. My back arched into his chest and my mouth found his. He kissed me as he milked out my orgasm.
He pressed his forehead to mine, his breath mingling with my own, and I tried to calm my racing heart that I knew matched his.
“That had to be better than your book.” My words were breathy and languid, but they caused his body to shake against mine in laughter.
He dropped his weight beside me and pushed my hair out of my face. “You’re kind of a dork. Do you know that?”
“I’ve been told that a time or two.” I pulled my bra back in place before lowering my t-shirt and turning toward him.
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest. I could hear the loud steady beat of his heart as he ran his fingers over the back of my head, and I traced the deep ridge of his collarbone with my own.
“Does Theo know you’re in here?” His voice sounded like it was the absolute last thing he wanted to talk about, and I couldn’t blame him.
Just hearing his name make my chest ache.
I shook my head against him and pressed in tighter.
“I should probably get back before he wakes up and freaks out when I’m missing.”
His hand didn’t stop his slow, gentle caress over my hair, but he nodded his head in understanding.
“I’ll walk you back.”
I pushed against his chest as I sat up and looked at him. “Do you think that’s the best idea? I don’t want this to be the way he finds out about us.”
“Do you think he’s going to care?” His eyes narrowed slightly, but that was the most he would let his irritation show.
“I don’t know what he’s going to think, honestly, but I don’t think he’d appreciate that I snuck out of his bed to come in here with you.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“Because.” I pressed my lips gently against his. “I wanted to. I wanted to see you.”
He nuzzled his nose into my neck, and I felt his deep inhale of breath as if he was trying to memorize the smell of me.
“Then I’ll walk you back.”
I didn’t argue this time. Instead, I let him hold me against him before we climbed out of bed and he cleaned himself up. I watched his every move as he moved about his room. He was comfortable and confident here, more so than anywhere else, and I loved watching him.
“You ready?” His hand was on the door handle, and I nodded just before he turned it.
We stepped into the hall, him still wearing nothing but his pajama pants, and I was thankful that we were the only two. It was a quick few steps to Theo’s room, and I suddenly
felt self-conscious as we made it to his door.
“I’ll text you tomorrow.” Easton rested his hand on Theo’s doorframe, and I couldn’t decide where to look.
“Okay.” I nodded and gripped Theo’s door handle in my hand. The door creaked open, making the smallest groan as the wood moved forward, and Easton’s hand gripped my chin before I could go any farther.
He kissed me. His lips were gentle against mine, but they said more than everything that had just happened in his bedroom.
I was his, and me going back to Theo’s room didn’t change anything.
Thirteen
“I swear you eat more than anyone I know.” Easton laughed as I shoved another bite of lo mein in my mouth.
We had hung out for the last two days. Always in different places, not his room or mine, and I was dying of sexual frustration.
“You’re the one who introduced me to this place.” I licked some sauce off my phone. “If I can’t fit in my jeans anymore, I’m blaming you.”
He pushed the plate of egg rolls in my direction. “Trust me. Your jeans are looking perfect.”
I rolled my eyes even though my stomach went all gooey at his compliment.
“Based on the pictures you took of me, that must be your favorite part.”
He smiled and took another bite of his food without answering.
We had spent the day yesterday taking photos. He didn’t complain once as I watched different people throughout our town and snapped pictures of things that moved me. The only thing he photographed that moved him was my ass.
Or my lips.
There were several of those too, and in each one, they were swollen from kissing.
“What do you want to do today?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. My classes were over for the day and the only thing I had been able to think about the entire time was him. “We could go back to my dorm.” I wagged my eyebrows.
He grinned, but I knew he would say no. He told me that he wanted to take things slow—that he didn’t need all that to be with me, but I was over taking things slow.
“Maddy.”
I looked up from my food at the sound of Theo’s voice, and it was instantaneous the way guilt filled me. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, at least not morally so, but I had been keeping Easton from Theo.
