He slows, stops. He pushes himself up on his hands, still breathing hard, looking wild and untamed and sexy as hell.
“Kiss me,” he says, and I do.Chapter Thirty-FourCalebWhen I come back from tossing the condom Thalia’s still lying on my bed, one knee up, her arms overhead. She’s naked and beautiful and on display, and I pause for a moment, just trying to memorize this moment.
I wonder if she has any idea how she looks right now, whether she knows that she’s temptation come to life, desire personified. I wonder if she knows my bed looks like there’s a goddess in it.
“You’re sure you can’t stay?” I ask, glancing at my bedside clock. One-thirty in the morning.
“I shouldn’t,” she says, glancing at the clock herself, then making a face. “I still have to pack for break, and my ride’s gonna pick me up at nine so we hopefully don’t hit too much traffic in Richmond or the Tidewater.”
I get into my bed next to her, ignoring the large, sticky spot where I used way too much lube. Thalia looks at it, then rolls over, onto her stomach.
“Also, I should shower,” she says.
“The instructions said lots,” I point out, perching two fingers on her shoulder, then running them softly down her back, to her tailbone.
Just barely, her back arches, hips rising to meet my touch. I flatten my palm against her.
“Well, the instructions worked,” she says, laughing. Her cheeks are faintly pink and I can’t tell whether she’s still flushed from sex or whether she’s blushing anew.
“Once more proving the power of research,” I say.
“Is that what we just did?” she teases. “Prove the power of research?”
“I don’t hear you complaining.”
“I’ve got nothing to complain about,” she says.
Then she catches my eyes, pauses for a beat.
“That was really good,” she says, and now she’s definitely blushing. “Thanks.”
“You don’t have to thank me.”
“What if I want to?”
“Trust me, I got all the thanks I need,” I say, sliding a finger back up her spine, watching the way she rolls her shoulders as I do.
She’s addictive, this girl. The more I get of her the more I want.
“Can I shower here?” she asks, glancing at the clock again.
“No,” I say.
She gives me a look, and I laugh.
“What, you can sleep in my bed and hop on my dick but not shower? Of course you can shower here.”
“I think I’m gonna need to work up to hopping,” she says, then leans in, gives me a long kiss on the mouth.
“I’m available for practice,” I tell her.
“Good,” she says, her lips still against mine. “I’ve brainstormed some ideas for next steps.”
“Already?”
“I’m a planner. I like to think ahead,” she says, then pushes herself off the bed, stands, and walks for the bathroom, still utterly naked. A few minutes later, still on my bed, I hear the hiss of the shower and even though I’m tempted to go in there and offer to get started on those next steps, I don’t.
Instead I change the sheets and set an alarm for six, so she doesn’t miss her ride. When she gets out of the shower I take one as well, then crawl into bed next to her already-sleeping form.
In her sleep, she snuggles back against me. I stay awake a little longer just to savor it.* * *Seth: Caleb, who are you staying with?
Levi: I thought it was me.
Daniel: If you like being awake at three in the morning, you can stay here.
Daniel: Charlie approved of your laundry folding skills last time you were over.
Eli: You say that like she’s the one in the relationship with opinions on how laundry gets folded.
Daniel: Fine. Caleb, you folded the laundry nicely.
Seth: I folded laundry, he put together the swing.
Seth: But thank you.
Levi: Caleb, the spare bedroom is yours if you want it.
Seth: I’ve also got a spare bedroom. And also, wifi.
Levi: We have wifi. We’ve had wifi for two years.
Seth: You mean June has wifi?
Levi: We live together. It’s our house and therefore it’s also our wifi.
Eli: We know whose wifi it is, Levi. Do you even know the password?
Levi: Yes.
Eli: Caleb, you’re welcome to our couch, but sounds like you’ve got better offers.
Eli: Maybe he’s staying at Mom’s house?
Seth: Earth to Caleb.
Daniel: Caleb, please bring one of those huge chocolate chip cookies from that place near the park when you come. They’re very good and I would like to eat one. This is Daniel.
Eli: Daniel left his phone unguarded again, didn’t he?
Levi: Looks like it.
Daniel: I did not leave my phone unguarded and I would like the big cookie please insert this patch itch extra extra wish bag etc
Eli: Definitely seems like Daniel over there.
Seth: For sure. Better get ten cookies.
Daniel: Sorry. I went to grab Thomas and Rusty got my phone.
Eli: Wow, that wasn’t you? She even said “this is Daniel.”