Page 61 of Off Limits

Cal: When. When Mom and Dad get on your back, I’ll do my best to deflect attention.

Me: Deal.

Autumn’s studying again when I finish harassing my brother but looks up at the sound of my voice. “Alright, we’re all set. We’ll be driving Cal’s car down, and we get to use it for the weekend while we’re there, so we won’t be stranded at my parents’ house.”

She gives me a funny look. “Do they live in the boonies or something?”

I shrug. “No. But I promise, we’ll want to get away at some point. How will we get our movie night supplies without transportation to the grocery store at least?”

She points at me with her highlighter. “Good point. My last class on Thursday ends at three, but I can skip the afternoon if you want to get on the road sooner.”

“Noted. I’m not sure what Cal’s schedule is like, and he’ll be all pissy if we commandeer his car too early.”

She shrugs. “Do you really care that much?”

I open my mouth, then stop and consider her statement. “You know, that’s a really good point. Let me talk to my parents, though, and we can figure out when we want to leave and Cal can suck it. I’m doing him the favor, after all. If that means he’s without a car for half a day, then that’s his problem isn’t it?”

Autumn’s cackle follows me back to my room, and I can’t help smiling to myself. It feels good to finally stand up for myself with my brother at least. And it’ll be even better if he actually follows through on sticking up for me this weekend.

The only downside will be the extra time away from Simon. But I wouldn’t necessarily get to see him much this weekend anyway. He always has extra homework after away games to catch up for what he missed, and Cal’s usually around more for the same reason.

At least this way I’ll be busy instead of sitting in my room and missing him.

* * *

“I’ve missed you,” I tell Simon when I climb into his truck later that evening. It’s past dinner time, but he has a big project due in one of his classes tomorrow. Now that the semester is well underway, our time together is getting harder to carve out. Between staying away from my brother, his game and practice schedule, plus everyone’s class loads and homework, time alone is tricky. And after the way Autumn called me out at the party, I feel bad asking her to make herself scarce.

So we’re back to parking in out-of-the-way places to make out.

He smiles and leans in close to brush a kiss on my lips. “I’ve missed you too,” he says, his eyes tracking appreciatively over my low-cut top and flouncy skirt. Then his brows crease together in concern. “It’s clear, so I thought we could drive out somewhere and go stargazing. I brought a sleeping bag, plus a blanket and pillows to put down in the back of the truck. But you’re not dressed for warmth.”

“No, I’m definitely not dressed for warmth,” I answer, my voice low and sultry. Because I’m dressed for access.

His nostrils flare, and his eyelids droop to half-mast as his gaze tracks over me again. “Right,” he says and clears his throat.

I buckle my seatbelt and reach across the expanse separating us, resting a hand on his muscular thigh. “I guess you’ll just have to keep me warm.”

He shoots me a grin. “I’ll do my best.”

But I’m not at all worried. We ride in companionable silence as he drives north of the city, out past the city lights, and finds an empty parking area at a hiking trailhead.

“Wait here while I get everything ready,” he says, and I just nod, because a clear night in late October is chilly, and while my jacket is warm enough, my summer-weight skirt and thong provide no protection from the cold. I might as well be bare from the waist down, for all the good they do—which is exactly what I was going for when I picked them out.

It only takes a few minutes for Simon to tap on my window, then open my door, holding out a hand to help me down. His fingers are already chilled from being outside, but I know we’ll warm right up once we’re under the blanket together.

He boosts me into the bed of his truck, both of us moving by feel under the dim light of the stars, still night blind from the dome light in his truck. I love the way his hands feel on my body as he helps me up, spanning my waist, sliding under my top to tease my bare skin. And he knows exactly what he’s doing to me, all traces of shyness between us long since gone, at least where our bodies are concerned.

He climbs up behind me, his bulk blocking out a section of sky, lifting the blanket for me to scootch underneath. I kick off my shoes and shiver. “Come on,” I say quietly, my hands stuffed between my thighs. “It’s your job to keep me warm.”

His low chuckle washes over me as he settles next to me, his breath warm on my neck. The denim of his jeans is cold against my bare legs, but I don’t mind. I snuggle into his body, letting out a softeep!of surprise when he rolls me all the way on top of him.

His hands slide inside my open jacket, under my top, stroking up my bare back and over my shoulder blades, the calluses on his palms and fingers raising goosebumps in their wake. Lifting his head, he gives me a sweet, soft kiss that’s over too soon, so I follow him, inching myself higher up his body until I can reach his mouth with mine.

It doesn’t take long until his hands are bunching up my skirt and sliding under my thong, his thick fingers finding my slick center as he moans into my mouth. “Fuck,” he whispers, “it feels like it’s been ages since I’ve been inside you.”

“I know. It has.”

I gather the blanket around my waist so it still covers our important parts and sit up, scooting back onto his firm thighs enough to get his jeans undone, still operating mostly by feel, the denim now warm from our body heat but the heavy seams scraping my bare thighs.

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