When Zayden finally opened his eyes, waking up from the oblivion caused by his orgasm, he turned me around to the edge of his bed gently without saying a word. He closed himself onto me, wrapping his right hand over me. As we lay spooning, I started wondering what the night had in store for us next.
“Aria,” he spoke eventually, still holding me. “Are you okay with what happened today?”
“It’s a little too late to ask that question, don’t you think?” I giggled and it was a giggle made of jest. He jerked upright, looking completely wounded by what I had just said.
“I – I am sorry,” he said looking nervous.
I had never quite seen him like this before, in such a compromising position. He looked as though he hadn’t been more remorseful about anything in his life and needed desperately to give me a reasonable explanation for what had happened.
“I lost control. You don’t know how good you feel. You don’t know the things that happen to my mind and body when I am inside you. It’s like, it’s like the whole world ceases to exist and my mind just becomes completely incapable for any real thoughts or feelings. All it can see, think, or feel is you. All rationality and logic goes out the window. And, and, I know that’s not really a very good explanation. There is no good explanation. I just wasn’t—”
“Zayden,” I cut him off, trying to make a visibly amused expression on my face. “I was joking. I don’t mind what happened at all, relax. I don’t know if you noticed but I came pretty hard too.”
“I did, which is why I thought it was okay, but—”
“No but. You thought right. It felt good.” As relief seemed to run through his whole face, I added, “Really good. Really, really good.”
“So you would do it again?” He grinned and I was glad to notice that all tension had vanished from his face.
“Maybe.” I smiled mischievously. “Maybe if you help me out first.”
He raised his eyebrows and made a quizzical expression as if to say “Aren’t I already helping you enough?”
“What? Don’t make that face! It’s just, I have this paper due tomorrow. And as you can imagine, between the stress with my mother’s bills and the contract and…well, us…I have hardly been able to concentrate on schoolwork. I have to do it tonight no matter what. And your help would be appreciated.”
“Hmm,” he said, smiling from the corner of his mouth. “If you aren’t careful you are going to make me think you’re using me for my brains.”
“Well, of course I am,” I said matter-of-factly. “I would be an idiot not to, wouldn’t I? But if it took you this long to figure that out, your brain is obvio
usly not all that I thought it to be.”
He looked affronted for a split-second before catching my eyes, which must have been twinkling with the mirth that I felt because we both burst out laughing.
“This, right here, Aria. This is why I am so smitten. You are fucking extraordinary.”
Smitten? He was gripped by me? That sounded oddly like saying he was, I don’t know, in love with me, didn’t it? Why didn’t he just say that? I did not let it show on my face. Nor did I let it show even a hint of the profound joy that I was currently feeling. Instead, I nodded simply, bidding for time so that when I spoke I would say something sensible and wise, instead of squeaking.
“You got awfully quiet, did I offend you?” He asked, looking concerned.
“No, not at all,” I jumped to say immediately. “I was just thinking of how to thank you for your complement.”
“Have you figured out a way, then?” he asked smiling.
“Oh I can think of many, but we have both exhausted ourselves enough so that will obviously have to wait. But don’t worry; you will be handsomely rewarded for your flattery.”
“It’s not idle flattery. I really mean those things.” After looking like he was deeply considering whether to speak these next set of words, he added, “Sometimes I wish I didn’t. You frustrate me so much, you haven’t the slightest idea. Nobody in my living memory has made me feel the roller coaster of emotions you put me through and I hate it, but I can’t help be drawn to you.” He gently ran his fingers through the small of my back. “I don’t think you know this, but you are a really special girl.”
I rolled my eyes, even though I knew he couldn’t see me. “Sure.” I chuckled. “I am so special, I go to college and work on an hourly wage and have regular people friends. Yep, I am so special.”
“That’s one of the things that makes you so special. You think of yourself as ordinary, even though you are the most exquisite girl – woman – that I have ever met.”
I snorted involuntarily and tried to turn it into a cough. “If I am so very exquisite, then, why don’t you help me with my homework?” I said that mostly to change the topic, as his increased description of my merits were starting to make me feel uncomfortable, especially since I had no clue what the appropriate response was.
“What do I get in return?” he teased.
“An opportunity to spend time with me, of course.” I giggled. “I mean that is obviously worth a lot to you. Word on the street is that you are paying tens of thousands of dollars just for that.”
He grunted and said, “Don’t bring that up right now.”