They reached the car. Theo opened her door for her. "It's a chair, a table and a bed. Not much to see."
Ester shrugged as if to say: It was a silly idea. Forget I mentioned it.
"We can stop by, if you want," Theo said.
Ester exhaled more air than a person should hold. While Theo walked around to get in the car, she lifted her collar and whispered encouragement to her bra strap.
Theo lived close-in to downtown. She was still preparing herself and already he was driving slowly down a car-lined street.
"Parking in this neighborhood is a giant pain," he told her.
She'd set them on this course, but her confidence wavered. She was aware of every move he made, the way he turned the steering wheel, the turn of his head before taking the car around a corner. All the heat and manliness that rolled off him made it hard to sit still. She shifted in the seat, warmth pulsing in her belly.
He parked the car, and they got out. His street had lots of tall leafy trees and a mix of homes and apartment buildings. Ester was out of things to say. Theo had his hands in his pockets but he walked so close to her that his elbow brushed against hers. The longer she remained silent the more nervous she became.
From behind a wall of shrubs, a dog growled, then barked. She gasped and leapt to the side, her heart beating like crazy again.
Theo put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her along again. "We're good," he said, his voice calm.
"Are you a dog person or a cat person?" she asked.
"I guess neither," he said.
"I like dogs," Ester said, grateful to have found a topic to fill the quiet. "Someday when I have a house, I'm getting a couple of dogs. Rescue dogs. I try not to picture them because I want to be ready for whatever dogs need a home the most. But I don't like really little dogs or super hairy dogs. But I'm open-minded. Any dog could win me over."
"Dogs are good," Theo agreed. "This is it."
Ester gulped.
Theo lived in an old two-story brick building. He unlocked the main door and let her in.
"I'll give you the tour." He used his chin to point at the bank of mailboxes. "Mail." Then he indicated a box on the floor that had a single rubber boot, a miniature basketball hoop and a grease-stained sweatshirt. "Lost and found." He nodded at the staircase. "Stairs. I'm on the second floor."
Ester walked up the stairs with Theo following behind her, her emotions in a confusing tangle of terror and joy. At the top of the stairs was a small landing with four battered doors. A trio of pizza boxes leaned against the wall next to one door.
"Like living in the dorms," Ester said in a low voice.
"I never did that. Guess I didn't miss much." Theo unlocked the door and let her in first before closing the door behind them.
His description was accurate. There wasn't much there. The entire space seemed to be bed. There was no place to move without getting closer to the bed. It was the motel room all over again, only Theo lived here and she'd asked to be here.
"It's not that bad," Ester said, taking off her coat. She wasn't cold now. The walls were bare except for a tribal flag. He didn't have a single photo on display. There was no bookshelf or any kind of shelf for that matter. Just a cheap table with his school books piled on it and a single chair. This room revealed nothing about him, except he didn't mind living in a sparsely furnished place and if he had guests, they didn't need a chair.
The sheets were well-worn navy-blue flannel with a navy comforter, no doubt soft and comfortable. Simply standing in that small room with him and a bed set her entire body throbbing.
"Not at all," Theo agreed. "I like a small place. I can fit everything I own in my car and be out of here in an afternoon."
He pulled the chair out and offered it to her. She stayed where she was.
"You brag about that?" She'd meant it to come out light-hearted, but it sounded like a cut.
"Not really." He sat down in the chair himself. "You want something?"
"Do I want something?"
"To drink? A snack?"
Ester shook her head and tried to guess what Rayanne would do at a moment like this. Ester sat on the bed and looked at him expectantly. She studied his face. Whatever lustful gaze she wanted, this wasn't it.
"Something you were thinking about?" Theo asked.
Ester’s mind raced. What sort of come-hither thing would Rayanne say? Nothing—she wouldn't have to say anything because any guy would be all over Rayanne in a hot second. Ester reviewed her options. She could keep playing this game with him and die of anxiety before she ever got to touch his abs.
She patted the bed next to her. He raised an eyebrow and came over to sit down. As soon as he was seated, she got up and crawled onto his lap, facing him. Then she held his face in her hands and kissed down the side of his face and along the crease of his neck.
Theo groaned. "You're killing me, Ester."
"That's what I'm trying to do," she whispered, "kill you."
Ester stopped to trace her fingers over Theo's face. Now that she’d touched him, she couldn't stop running her fingers across his eyebrows and over his cheekbones.
Theo's eyes were closed, and he wore the most peaceful expression on his face. "What are you doing to me?"
Ester pondered the meaning of that question. "I'm getting to know you," she murmured.
"There are more interesting places to touch," Theo said.
"I disagree," Ester said. "This is the most personal place." She kissed him on the mouth again.
Theo sat up and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard, his tongue working into her mouth and stroking over hers. When he came up for air, he said, "You surprised me when you kissed me the other night. That was quite a wind-up."
Ester hid her face. "Once I made up my mind, I didn't want to chicken out."
"I'm not complaining. You can kiss me all night, Shoshone."
"That's what I want to do," she said.
Theo stopped and shifted in a way that made her uncertain. Her heart sank. He waited for her to look at him.
"I want you to," Theo said, "but you understand my situation here. I'm not boyfriend-material. I have to pass these classes. School is the most important thing. I have to keep up with work. If I fail, I go home."
"I understand," Ester said, wondering if she seemed desperate.
Theo pressed his forehead against hers. "I don't want us to start something here without you knowing there's not much potential here."
"When something starts, no one can be sure how it will end up," Ester said, her voice calmer than she felt inside. She kissed him again.
"Give me a second. I gotta see if I can find a condom. If there is one Indian cliché I would like to avoid, it's the one about the unplanned pregnancy."
"I have condoms," Ester said.
"I'm not worthy," Theo said with a surprised smile. He lifted Ester off his lap. She got the condoms out of her purse and put them on the pillow. Meanwhile, Theo switched off the overhead light and turned on the desk lamp, leaving them in low golden light. "That's the best I can do for mood lighting," he said.
Ester wasn't sure what to do next. She sat back down and yanked off her boots.
Theo's eyes never left her and she worried about meeting his expectations. He held out his hand. She took it and he pulled her into an embrace, his face sinking into her hair. It seemed like he was trembling. He tilted her face up and kissed her hard. He pressed his body against hers, his hands moving down to cup her ass and grind her against him.
"Let me show you the idea I had for a work around, if we didn't have condoms." His voice had fallen into a lower register that made her tingle down to her toes.
Several things happened very quickly. Theo’s hands slid around her waistband and the skirt dropped to the floor. He slipped the tights and panties off together. Before she'd even stepped out of them, her sweater was being peeled off over her head and her arms were still caught in the sleeves when the clasp to her bra came undone. She let t
he bra drop to the floor.
Theo's gaze was pure hunger. At least he was taking charge of things now.
"The bra and panties match," Ester murmured.
"Sexy," Theo said. "I'll pay better attention when you put them back on tomorrow."
She shivered thinking about being naked with him until morning.
He backed her up until she was at the edge of the bed and pushed her down. She tried to quiet the trembling of her limbs. Now that they were here, she was unprepared. Things should be unfolding slowly, but already she was naked and sprawled across the bed. She put a hand on her stomach, willing her nerves to calm.
Theo still had his clothes on and stared down at her. "You're gorgeous," he said.
"When do I see you with your shirt off?" Ester managed to ask.
"I'm going to show you my thing, first," Theo said.
"I don't see your thing," Ester said.
Theo smiled and kneeled at the side of the bed. "I'm demonstrating the thing I have been thinking about since this conversation started."
"With your shirt on?" The anticipation was making her lightheaded.
"You women, you're all alike." He grabbed her by the ankles and slid her toward him. Without taking his eyes off her, he grabbed a pillow and jammed it under her hips.
"Shouldn't we be warming up with more basic stuff?" she said, mostly to herself.
"This is the warm-up." Theo threw one of her legs over his shoulder and used his lips to caress her inner thigh before working his way down. Her eyes fluttered open long enough to admire his muscular arms in the pale light, and then there were too many sensations to process at once. No one had touched her like this before. His hands stroked along her hips. His tongue made lazy circles that made her center pulse and quake. He exhaled with quiet moans that would be amusing if she weren't so distracted by lust. Her body settled into the unfamiliar state, damp heat and rising tension.
"Okay, I think this exactly—"
Theo stopped with his mouth but moved one hand and did something clever with his fingers. "If you can talk, I must not be doing it right. You want me to try something different?"
She intended to say something in the affirmative but what came out was a high-pitched gargle.
"Was that a good squeak or a bad squeak?"
She tried again, and it sounded more like she was clearing her throat while singing a high note.
Theo kissed her inner thigh again. "Do you want me to stop?"
She said no but it came out like an exhale of surprise. She wiggled her hips until he nestled back down and returned to what he was doing.
She exhaled slowly, every cell in her body on fire. Theo's mouth was warm and persistent, working in a steady rhythm. Whatever shyness or uncertainty she'd brought with her when she'd entered the room, was long gone. She tried to find an orderly way to organize the sensations. Body, mind, skin, breath. Pieces of her drew into the center while other pieces grew further away. Her heart pounded everywhere at once and it was Theo doing this to her. Everything crested and came undone at once. She let out a noise that would have been embarrassing in any other circumstances.
Theo squeezed her thigh and kissed a line to her knee. He pulled the pillow out from under her and moved her up on the bed. Ester's eyes were half-closed, her mind tied up in a dreamy place as she rode the last of the sensations.
From somewhere far away, Theo said, "I'm taking my shirt off."
"Too bad my brain has stopped working." She opened her eyes. He whipped his shirt off and dropped his jeans just as swiftly as he'd removed her clothes. His skin was golden brown in the dim light. She wanted to touch him everywhere. She gestured him closer.
"You'll do," she said. Ester gave what she hoped was a sexy grin, but she was so addled, she probably looked deranged.
His boxers were puffy, pale-blue cotton, like something a grandma would buy as a Christmas present. If you looked like him, you wouldn't need to worry about your underwear. He stepped out of them and there was his thing.
He rolled on the condom and took his time crawling onto her. His chest was perfectly sculpted muscle. She would have to remember to ask him how he kept that up when he didn't have time to sleep. She reached up to stroke his belly and his breath caught. She wanted to say something about how sexy he was, except her mouth couldn't make the words her head was thinking. He raked his teeth across one of her nipples.
Ester gasped.
"Good, you're still in there," Theo said. He nibbled on her lower lip. "How're you feeling?"
"Delicious," Ester said.
"Ready for more?"
Before she answered, he slid in and filled her up. Once again, her mind and body were a blur of sensation and electric heat. She stroked her hands down the muscles of his back and over the curve of his butt. The unexpected sounds of their bodies slapping against each other heated her up again. Theo's breath rasped in her ears. She opened her eyes and tried to see his face in the dim light but it was hidden in the crook of her neck. She sensed the moment when he lost control, bucking against her, groaning in her ear.
He rocked his hips slowly against hers before his lips brushed the side of her face. It took a minute before his breath slowed down and he moved off of her.
"I'll be right back."
Ester made a little singing noise in the back of her throat that made him laugh. When he returned, he pulled her against his chest, his heartbeat steady against her cheek. She floated in a blissful haze, her fingers tracing over his chest.
"This time I get to hold you properly," Theo said.
"This time?" Ester said. "Oh. The motel night was nice though."
"The motel was torture," Theo said. "I had to jerk off in the shower."
"You had a funny expression on your face when you came out of the bathroom but I thought it was your rush to get home."
"It was about you," Theo said. He nuzzled her neck. "You know, I noticed you before, when you came to the computer lab."
"How come you didn't try to talk to me?"
"I wasn't in a position to start something so I didn't see the point."
"And yet, here we are," Ester said. She was glad her pleased smile was hidden from him.
Theo kissed a spot between her neck and shoulder, and she sighed happily. "You sleepy?"
"Unfortunately," Ester said. "I'm not used to staying up late on school nights."
"What time do you have to be at work tomorrow?" Theo said.
That was a splash of cold water on the afterglow.
"Ugh, work," Ester muttered.
Theo's lips brushed across her temple. "I'll set my phone alarm to get us up by ugh."
"I can't go to work in my date clothes. Rayanne will tease me to death," Ester said, half-heartedly trying to push herself up. "I'm too young to die." She hated to do it but Theo could drop her off.
Theo pulled her back. "I'll get us up early enough to go by your place so you can change. I don't want you to die, either."
22
The bed was empty when Theo woke up and he felt a twinge of disappointment until he heard Ester in the bathroom. He pretended to sleep while she tiptoed out and slithered back under the covers. Through half-closed eyes, he admired the beautiful body he'd fondled the night before.
Before she settled, he reached for her and lined her body against his. He put his hand on her belly and pressed into her, his lips on a tender spot he'd discovered under her ear.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" she asked with feigned innocence.
"I had to get up, anyway." His hand snuck up to play with one of her nipples. She jerked in surprise. He kept his lips brushing her neck.
"Something you were thinking about?" she asked.
"I'll show you." It didn't take him long to put on the condom and then roll her on top of him.
"My, you're acrobatic," she said with an irresistible laugh.
She stared down at him, flushed cheeks and dark lips. She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, her eyes shiny. He urged her to l
ean down and he kissed her mouth.
"No one's ever said that about me before," he said.
He held her hips until they found the same rhythm, then let her take over. She leaned over him, her face twisted in bliss. She ducked her head and her hair tickled his chest. He felt it everywhere in his body. This had already gone too far and now he couldn't stop it if he tried. He memorized the way her shoulder slumped forward as if in a perpetual state of mild embarrassment, and the whimper in her breath when he stroked her inner thighs. She bounced faster until at last she gasped his name and something seized in his heart. He grabbed her hips again and pumped into her until he finished, too.
Afterward he dragged her into the shower with him.
"You are a terrific host," Ester said later while he towel-dried her hair. "It's been a long time since I've been so thoroughly scrubbed front and back."
"Leave a good review online," Theo said, wishing they didn't have to leave. "Let's see the matching underwear."
Ester's shoulders hunched forward, but she found her bra and panties and put them on while he watched.
He kissed her shoulder. "I'll think about this view all day."
"But none of the other part?" she asked with half-smile.
"I need to function," he said. "We've got about thirty minutes to get to your place and then to campus."
They hurried out of there and pulled onto campus barely five minutes late.
"My work schedule isn't etched in stone. It'll be fine. What do you usually do in the morning?" Ester asked, looking about as happy to be ending the date as he was.
"Normally, I catch up on sleep—not complaining—I thought I would go in with you and catch up on homework."
Ester's mouth dropped open, but no sound came out.
"Ester?"
"You want to come into the office with me? Everyone will know." Her voice rose in panic.
"No, they won't. Besides, you're crazy-hot. Why wouldn't you be getting any?"
"But that's why I wanted to go home to change clothes," Ester said.
"Do I embarrass you?" Theo asked. He tone was serious but his eyes were not.
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