by Virna DePaul
So when she texted me that she wanted me to push her onto the bed I couldn’t believe it. I read the message and my dick twitched in my hand. I pictured myself pushing her to her bed. I saw her tits bounce as she hit the mattress.
I expected her to freak out any moment and text me that she didn’t want to do this anymore. But she didn’t. Instead, she’d texted that she wanted her legs spread apart.
In my mind, I did just that.
That was the ledge. There was no going back after that. My hand was moving over my cock faster and faster as she texted and I knew there was no stopping.
When Little Tessa Stewart said I was going to come without touching her, I groaned aloud in my apartment. My eyes closed and I imagined her laid out on the bed in front of me. She had her nipple between her fingers, pinching harder and harder, with the other hand moving between her legs as she looked up at me with the tiniest grin.
I wanted to touch her. I wanted to touch her everywhere. I squeezed the base of my dick to keep from coming as I imagined her squirming at the pleasure of her own fingers, at the sight of me fucking my fist as I watched.
When, in my mind, I saw her thighs clench together and her mouth fall open in a silent scream, eyes still fixed on mine, I couldn’t hold it any longer.
I came all over my own stomach and sagged against the couch, sucking in breath liked I’d just been held under water till my lungs were about to burst.
But then Tessa hadn’t texted me back. I’d suddenly been worried that I’d gone too far with her. What the fuck had I been thinking? Tessa was the exact opposite of kinky. She was probably deleting my number and praying for my dirty, filthy soul. I’d gone too far. What was Tessa going to think of me now?
When she’d finally texted back, I’d sighed in relief. She’d just been making food. Which seemed a little insulting given what had just happened. Why wasn’t she a sweaty throbbing mess, recovering from an unstoppable orgasm the way I was?
I sent a few texts to make it seem like I had just been joking around, play pretending. That was all that was. I definitely wasn’t sitting on my couch with my own cum drying on my stomach. I definitely hadn’t imagined what she would taste like if it was me and not that other guy between her legs.
I told her I had a date to get to. That wasn’t exactly the truth, but what was one more lie? After all, I was already lying to her by omission.
I wanted my best friend. I wanted to do filthy, naughty, kinky things with her.
But Tessa wasn’t a filthy, naughty, kinky things kind of girl, no matter what she’d typed in her sexy texts or how she believed she’d actually go through with the sex study. I mean, fuck, she was making ramen while I fantasized about her hard nipple between her fingers.
Soon, she’d come to her senses.
I’d come to mine.
Things would go back to the way they were meant to be.
With Tessa and I as best friends and nothing more.
Chapter 6
Tessa
Cade had arranged for us to dine at a cool, new tapas place. He said he liked it because it would have a nice view of the ocean. When I looked it up, I knew I would have to wear something fancy. I told Ellis, he said he’d take care of it. An hour before my date, he showed up at my place with an outfit the wardrobe person from the set of his soap opera had let him borrow.
It was a designer tangerine crop top, which I laughed at and shoved right back into Ellis’s face. But he convinced me to try it, paired with a different designer’s high-waisted creamy accordion pleated skirt. It took a bit of wiggling and a whole lot of grunting to get into the outfit, but when I was done I liked what I saw in the mirror. Still, I’d been shy when I stepped out of my bedroom to show him, and even more shy when his eyes had seemed to heat when he’d run them over me. But in the end, he’d simply grinned victoriously at me, crossing his arms and propping his feet up on my coffee table.
“Don’t say a single word,” I pointed at him as he looked me up and down. I grabbed my purse and stalked toward the door.
“Damn, I do good work,” I heard him say as I closed the door behind me.
On the bus ride to the restaurant, I tried to settle my nerves, but I was all twisted up inside. Excited to see Cade, but also curious about the heat I’d seen in Ellis’s eyes when he’d seen me in my outfit. He was such a good friend, coming to my rescue time and time again, but sometimes I almost convinced myself there could be more than that between us if only I gathered the courage to tell him how I felt about him. That was especially true after that round of sexting we’d done together. Who knew I had it in me? And wouldn’t it be fun if we did that again and again, before moving on to the real stuff. But that was never going to happen.
By the time I got off at the stop near the restaurant, I was confused and questioning everything, including my sex study goal and even my decision to go on the date with Cade. Yes, I kept fantasizing about him. And Ellis. And even Jamie. But didn't that mean I didn’t know what I wanted? Who I wanted?
All the more reason to do the sex study, a part of me reminded myself. You know you’re not going to have anything serious with Cade. You’ve been fantasizing about a threesome, so have a threesome. If he wants to be a part of it, let him. He’s gorgeous. Seems sweet. Be the New Tessa. Don’t back down, if only because you’d be proving Ellis right that you don’t have what it takes to do something bold for once in your life!
I was almost to the restaurant when I got a text from Ellis, and it was as if he’d sensed the dialogue I’d been having with myself.
ELLIS: You aren’t bailing are you, Tessa Juliet Stewart?
I glared at the screen then grumbled as I typed.
TESSA: I wasn’t going to bail.
ELLIS: No?
TESSA: No. I’m almost there, thank you very much.
I could see the restaurant just down the street from where I was. My phone vibrated in my hand.
ELLIS: Send a pic as proof then, thank you very much.
Sighing and clutching my fists at my side, I marched down the sidewalk toward the restaurant. I loved Ellis, but he was also the worst. The absolute worst. I clicked a quick photo and sent it to him.
TESSA: See? Proof.
ELLIS: So you’re really going to do this?
I hesitated. It was like he couldn’t make up his mind whether to support me in my goal or not. I had plenty of reservations, and if Ellis did, too…
TESSA: I think I need to do it.
ELLIS: …
I bit my lip when he didn’t immediately respond.
ELLIS: Then do it. You’re a super hottie, Tess. Just have fun, okay?
Pleasure washed through me at Ellis’ s words. He believed in me. I needed to believe in myself!
TESSA: Thank you. Love you.
I really do love you, Ellis. More than you’ll ever know.
ELLIS: Love you too.
With a sigh, I headed to the front door. Through it, I could see the patio bustling with activity under strings of delicate, colorful lights that swung in the ocean breeze.
I went around the side of the restaurant to check my makeup one more time in my cell phone screen reflection. Tall, dark shrubs lined the side of the building, and I walked along them before looking up to see Cade sitting at the patio right in front of me. Thank God he had his gorgeous, strong, muscular, wide-shouldered back to me because I nearly yelped in surprise and ducked between two shrubs. The branches tugged at my hair that I’d spent nearly an hour in my cramped, hot bathroom to get into half-way adequate curls.
“Agh,” I grumbled, swatting at the branches.
Ducking my head back out, I spied on Cade from the relative safety of my stalker hideout: a good start to any first date, of course. I’d only ever seen Cade in shorts and loose fitting tank tops at the gym, so it was even more of a shock to see him in a fitted linen suit. His long sandy blond hair, normally thrown effortlessly and still somehow perfectly into a bun on the top of his head, was now neatly combed back. I
watched as he drummed his fingers to the lively traditional Spanish music as he stared out over the beach and the start of the sunset.
Cade was so far out of my league that we weren’t even playing the same sport. He was a star football player and I was captain of the bingo club, if bingo clubs were even a thing. But he’d asked me out. I had to remember that. He’d dressed up. He’d arranged for us to eat at a really nice place. He was taking me seriously, and I was going to do the same to him. Unfortunately, I wasn’t ready to see him face-to-face yet, but…
Maybe that was okay.
I remembered my sexts with Ellis. I’d let loose, really let loose. And I’d liked it. The sexting, that is. And yeah, the masturbating that came along with sexting. New Tessa had gone for it in a way Old Tessa never would have, and the results had been glorious—I’d never felt like that before. It was terrifying and exhilarating and hot and for just a moment I forgot I was Tessa Stewart, the most timid girl in the world for the twenty-fourth year in a row. I wasn’t self-conscious at all, and the self-doubt that had always plagued me had miraculously disappeared, even if just for a couple of minutes. I was bold, I was brave, I was a sexy kitten and proud of it.
I wanted to recapture that feeling. Here and now with Cade.
TESSA: Hi Cade, it’s Tessa—
I stopped. This wasn’t an email to a hiring manager. I needed that chill vibe.
TESSA: Yo, Cadester—
Too much.
TESSA: Hey, just running a bit late. Traffic. Ugh. Hopefully you’re not stuck in it, too! - Tessa
I pressed Send, and still hiding between the shrubs, I sagged against the adobe wall, still warm from the afternoon sun. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe in deep, comforting breaths, like the ones Cade had taught me in his yoga class.
A few seconds later he texted me back.
CADE: No problem. I’ve got a really nice spot all ready for when you get here. See you soon!
I was about to text back when he added with another message:
CADE: Want me to go ahead and grab you a drink?
TESSA: Sure. Anything with alcohol is acceptable!
CADE: Anything in particular you like?
I stared at the screen. You can do it, Tessa! Just be sexy. Remember what you did with Ellis…
After glancing to the right and to the left and to the right again just to make sure no one was watching, I ducked further behind the sharply trimmed hedges lining the building. Partially hidden behind the dark leaves, my fingers moved over the illuminated keyboard on my cell phone.
TESSA: The wetter the better, eh?
I ran my hand over my face and moaned. What in the actual world was I doing? I erased the words on the screen as quickly as my pointer finger could tap the delete key and sighed.
I knew what I should do: I should step out of these bushes, because adults who aren’t bound for prison don’t hide in bushes. I should round the corner, smile at Cade, and say, “Hi”. “Hello” would also be acceptable.
But if I stepped out of the bushes I wouldn’t turn the corner toward Cade. I would turn the corner toward the bus stop.
And I didn’t want that.
Shaking the tension from my shoulders and exhaling a steadying breath, I typed quickly.
TESSA: I prefer something stiff.
I sent the message and there was no stopping it now. Leaning my head against the wall, I closed my eyes. Each second dragged out longer than the one before it. I felt like I was stuck in chair pose the way my whole body quivered. When my phone flashed I nearly dropped it into the mulch. My fingers fumbled to unlock the screen.
CADE: Haha stiff isn’t a problem at all. Sweet or tangy?
I shifted against the wall as I imagined Cade getting hard at just the softest of my touches. Would his dick twitch at the scrape of my nails against the nape of his neck? Would blood rush to his groin if I whispered his name into his ear, my breath hot and intoxicating? What if I didn’t touch him at all? Would his cock stiffen at just the sound of me undoing my bra clasp?
I ran my hand over the straps of the sexy see-through black bra beneath the tangerine crop top from my shoulder down to the swell of my breast and felt my nipple strain against the pressure of my palm.
TESSA: Spicy. Always spicy.
I pressed Send. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed one of those chalkboard signs in front of the restaurant advertising their specials. In bright red chalk were the words: “Ten percent off your entire meal if you dare to try our hotter than hot ghost pepper.” For some reason, I linked ghost pepper to penis, and without thinking—like, without thinking at all— I quickly sent another text:
TESSA: Hot hot hot. Like I want your ghost pepper inside of me.
Oh no! I’d hit Send without doing my usual self-review. I hadn’t meant to hit Send. Now what was Cade going to think? Clearly, when Ellis wasn’t there to guide me, I sucked at sexting, because Cade wasn’t replying. I stared at my phone, which was starting to shake in my shaky hand, waiting for his response.
Finally, it came. It wasn’t good.
CADE: Um, my ghost pepper?
Staring up at the ledge of the restaurant’s roof, I pondered for a moment why I wasn’t instead staring a gorgeous sunset next to a gorgeous man. I could still recover: I could go around the corner and play it all off as a joke. “You should have seen your face,” I could say. Then I could look at something other than twigs and rusted gutters.
But of course I didn’t do what I should have done. That would have been reasonable. That would have been normal. That would have been sane.
Instead I did exactly the opposite of what I should have done: I doubled down. I doubled down hard.
TESSA: It’s the hottest pepper in the world, you know.
Cade’s text took a little longer to come in.
CADE: Um, okay…
Not great, I know. But I was convinced I could still save this. I could still make this sexy. Sexy. Sexy. Sexy! I just had to think sexily. I closed my eyes and imagined Cade in a kitchen. He was wearing nothing but an apron, his chiseled butt bare as he chopped a pepper and glanced over his shoulder at me.
From the dark of my not-creepy-at-all hiding place in the shrubs, I peeked an eye open to add another text.
TESSA: I hope you have milk ready.
My fantasy continued. In my imaginary kitchen, Cade called me over to him. He paused his chopping of the pepper in order to lift me up and sit me down on the counter. While his eyes darkened, his fingers walked up my leg and under my skirt. I imagined myself gasping as he dragged his thumb over my wet folds, and moaning as he licked his finger before returning his attention to the chopping, leaving me gasping for more.
I was starting to get into my fantasy when a pesky realization hit me: my lady bits would probably be on fire if Cade actually touched me after cutting peppers. I could practically feel my nipples shrinking at that annoying practicality. I needed hot, but not the painful kind of hot. Why was this proving to be so difficult?
This wasn’t working. It didn’t get any better when I looked down at my phone to see Cade’s text.
CADE: Um…milk?
Didn’t he know that milk soothed the heat from hot peppers? Wasn’t that a thing everyone understood? I realized that milk was perhaps the least sexy drink out there, second behind prune juice. But I still thought I could save it. I closed my eyes, remembered how I felt sexting Ellis, and inhaled deeply through my nose.
TESSA: Key ingredient in milkshakes. Do you want to try my milkshakes?
To get back into the mood, I imagined the noise of a blender in the kitchen. Imaginary me looked over Cade’s naked shoulder and was surprised to see imaginary Jamie. Why was my idiot neighbor in my fantasy again? And why was he wearing nothing but a chef’s hat? At first I was annoyed that my grouchy neighbor continued to invade my sexual fantasies, but then my imagination had him walking over to me as I was still between Cade’s thighs. Jamie held a chocolate milkshake in his hand, and scooped out a dollop o
f whipped cream onto his finger. I held out my tongue. This fantasy was delicious, on all levels.
TESSA: I’ll even let you lick my cherries.
Very sexy, I thought. Very sexy indeed.
I forgot to watch the phone for Cade’s response, and instead closed my eyes to enjoy my fantasy once again. There are reasons I was a theater major with an acting emphasis—I can really get into the moment. I audibly gasped behind the hedges when in my imaginary kitchen, imaginary Cade lifted me from the kitchen counter and carried me over to the table. Milkshake in hand, imaginary Jamie followed, watching as Cade lay me flat on the table and then tore my shirt down the middle.
Dream me felt the air hit my bare nipples. But the cold of the air was nothing compared to when Jamie poured some of the milkshake over my chest. The boys each leaned over me to cover my skin with their hot tongues and I hoped the moan that escaped my lips was only loud in my mind.
I peeked an eye open to make sure no one had found me, then remembered to look at the phone. I saw a text from Cade that made my stomach drop.
CADE: So are you close by, or what?
It wasn’t exactly the sexy response I was hoping to get.
In my fantasy, an alarm went off in the kitchen because while we were getting on our hot threesome on the dining room table, the stir fried peppers burned and the smoke was filling the kitchen. It was loud and obnoxious and so unbearably loud. I felt Jamie’s tongue freeze as Cade ran toward the stove. This was not going well.
Feeling panicked, I texted the first thing that popped into my mind.
TESSA: Sex study?!!?
It was sent and gone and I wasn’t getting it back. I covered my face with my hand and groaned. It didn’t take long for Cade to text back.
CADE: Hey, Tessa, look I thought you were looking for something more. I’m sorry, but I don’t think this is going to work.
Great, I thought. Just great. I sank to the ground and wrapped my arms around my knees. Moments later, I watched from my hiding spot as Cade walked along the side of the restaurant and out toward the parking lot.
