Page 5 of Coping Skills

“Hmm? Oh, yeah.” He focused his attention on the TV in front of him, his fingers manipulating the controller in his hand to start the game, trying to will the chub in his shorts to go down, glad that at least it wouldn’t be too obvious while he was sitting.

Soon they were both involved in the game, throwing their whole bodies into turns, elbowing each other on accident, then on purpose, laughing and dueling for position. Since he was bigger and heavier, he won more often than not, but Elena knew how to use her sharp little elbows to her advantage, probably the result of growing up with a younger brother. He didn’t have a sister, but he had friends who did, and some of their older sisters were just as rough as he was on his little brother. Clearly Elena fell into that category of older sister.

After one elbow contest where Elena was losing, both with her elbow, and her narrow lead on screen, she hopped up and sat on his lap, knocking the controller out of his hands, making his character veer off course and crash. She braced her feet on the coffee table, pushing back to smash him as far into the couch as she could, pushing the coffee table away as she did so.

Wrapping his arms around her, he caught her before she could fall off his lap, trapping her against his chest, pulling her back, and rolling sideways so he pinned her on the couch. She laughed, squirming under him, and tossed aside the controller, blowing out a breath to try to dislodge the ends of her ponytail caught in her mouth.

She slapped his tricep lightly. “Move your arm! I can’t believe you made me crash!”

He laughed, moving his arm, but brushing the hair off her face before she could. Her laughter died, and she stilled under him, as though she suddenly realized how she was laying, pinned under him.

His breath caught at the look on her face, equal parts memory and desire as her eyes flitted over his features and settled on his lips. “You made me crash first.”

Her eyes went back to his, and her smile was dazzling, finally reaching her eyes and driving out the perpetual sadness. “I was just trying to win.”

Now his gaze settled on her lips, lush and red, still smiling, though less widely now. He remembered the taste of those lips. Had been wanting to taste them again ever since.

Slowly, he lowered his head to hers, giving her plenty of time to turn away if she wanted. But she didn’t. Instead, she closed the distance, fastening her mouth to his, her tongue plunging into his mouth. That was all the invitation he needed, and he took control of the kiss, sucking on her tongue and sliding his along it, forcing her to retreat so he could take her mouth, his hands bracing her head, holding her still to taste her as thoroughly as he’d been hoping to since Megan had dangled the prospect of seeing her again in front of him.

Her hands drifted to his waist, finding the hem of his shirt, and running up underneath it, skating along his ribs. He shivered under her touch, his muscles jumping, but he didn’t slow his assault on her mouth. When she pressed her hips up to make firm contact with his, he groaned. With her hands now gripping his ass, she rubbed herself against him, and he pulled back, his chest heaving against hers.

And there was that naughty smile that he’d gotten to know. God, he didn’t know if he’d ever get enough of that look. Her hips dropped and her hand came around to cup him through his shorts, rubbing up and down his cock. He thrust into her hand, unable to help himself.

Sitting back on his heels, he gripped her upper arms to pull her up to sitting and stripped her shirt off. Before he’d even dropped the shirt on the floor next to the couch, she’d already reached behind her and unhooked her bra, her perfect breasts spilling free. He reached for them, the lighter tan skin showing between his dark brown fingers an even greater contrast than the more bronze skin of her arms and legs. She sucked in a breath when his thumbs rubbed over her nipples, bringing them to attention. Leaning over, he tongued one nipple before closing his lips over it, making it even harder, then giving the same attention to its twin.

She gave herself to his hands and mouth, but as soon as he started to sit up, her hands were gripping his shirt, yanking it up and over his head. With a gleam in her eyes, she licked her lips, tossing his shirt carelessly over her shoulder. Oh yeah. This was the Elena he remembered. This was going to be fun.

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