Page 218 of Hide and Keep

I like her like this. Not the drunk part. The down-to-earth part. She doesn’t give a fuck about her appearance right now. She’s only on my back because I insisted on carrying her while she’s barefoot. I could’ve put her shoes back on but…I didn’twant to. After being separated from her for four hours while I got my tattoo finished, I want her as close to me as possible. Watching her dot on a screen can’t compete with having my arms around her.

It’s too bad she’s not like this all the time. Her clones wouldn’t know what to do if Ever started describing how bats use echolocation to hunt. It’s probably why she’s not like this around them. She does what everyone expects of her, no more, no less.

Although, she surprised the hell out of me back at the club. Ever Munreaux trying to protect me. Me. She still won’t kiss me on the mouth but…

Why won’t she kiss me? Is that for my protection, too?

Since I’ve been leaving my window unlocked this whole time for a quicker escape, we use that one to sneak back into the manor. As soon as we’re both in my room, I grab Ever.

“You are sick, aren’t you?”

“I may not get out much, but I do have some immunity.”

“You won’t kiss me. You said ‘terminally’ when I asked if you were sick before. You’re scared how this is gonna end.”

“I don’t kiss anyone. I was joking. And I’m not scared. I have genuine reservations about starting a dead-end…” She waves a hand in a circle.

“Relationship.” This situationship just got upgraded to a full-blown relationship. She can fight me on that. I’ll be right fucking here. For three whole years.

That hand freezes in a stop motion but she doesn’t dispute that label, only says, “Maybe I just don’t like germs.”

“You Frenched a public restroom mirror. That shit’s gotta be dirtier than my mouth.”

“I doubt that. The university’s custodians are very diligent about keeping the campus spotless.”

She’s back to being a smartass.

“Stop fucking with me and be honest about why you won’t kiss me.”

Ever lifts her hand to my face. I lower myself automatically, shortening the distance for her. Her palm on my cheek, she says, “I’ll kiss you…” And just when I think she’s going to kiss me on the lips, she presses them to my chin in the same spot I kissed hers earlier before whispering, “Anywhere else.”

She trails kisses down my Adam’s apple, between my collarbones, then pushes me backward to sit on the windowsill.

Beneath raised eyebrows, I watch her get to her knees in front of me.

I thumb her bottom lip, rubbing the tip over the ridges of her teeth.

She bites my thumb, then sucks it, making my cock double in size…whatever size that may be. I should’ve never said four inches. I know it’s not four inches when I’m hard. I can’t even say it is when it’s limp because it’s never just one length. That motherfucker changes size all throughout the day. It’d be like measuring the temperature over a twenty-four-hour period. It’s down, it’s up, a storm rolls in and it goes into hiding. Who knows. Dicks are weird. Ever’s pussy handles mine just fine, which is all that matters.

If this goes the way I think it is, we’re about to find out if her mouth does, too.

“You can’t distract me forever, little bat.”

“I know.” She starts undoing my pants, my cock already straining to get out. “We don’t have forever.”

No, we don’t. Technically, no one does. It’s up to each individual what they do with the limited time they have. This is the first choice I’ve made in years that feels right.

I tried hating Ever. I really fucking tried. It almost stuck…until she wasn’t around to hate, then it turned into something else, something just as strong and overwhelming. I don’t wantto waste another minute denying what I feel for her, not even to myself. We only have three years together. I want to make every second count.

My cock free, Ever grips me just above my balls, making a groan tear from my throat. Jesus, this isn’t gonna last long. I’m not gonna last long. Not with Ever smirking up at me like the beautiful little creep she is.

One look from this girl is all it took for me to be addicted.

“This is my first time.”

“First time…”

“Giving head.”

---