Page 85 of Unrivaled

“Tiffany,” he whispers against my skin, his lips finding my nipple and sucking deep. “Baby. I need you so bad.”

I whimper and writhe as he tongues one nipple and then the other, his fingers already sliding between my spread thighs.

“Yessss,” I hiss, arching into his hands and mouth. “Please.”

“I’ve got you,” he tells me, just like always. And he says it like he means it forever. Like he’ll always have me, always give me what I need.

Squeezing my eyes shut tight, I push that thought away and instead focus on right now. This moment. Because this moment is what we have, and I don’t know how many more of these moments we’ll get, and I won’t ruin this one by thinking about what will happen next.

What has to happen next.

He lifts up and rolls on a condom before lowering himself over me again. Claiming my mouth, he slides inside me, owning me in a way no one ever has before. And I doubt anyone ever will again.

It takes everything in me to fight back the tears that threaten to fall. I wrap my arms around him, gasping, grateful that it’s easily interpreted as passion, and lose myself in the feel of his skin under my hands, his lips on my neck, and the smooth, easy rhythm of his cock moving in and out of my body.

I raise my hips to meet his, sliding my hands down his back, and he picks up the pace at my encouragement.

“Open your eyes,” he whispers as he raises his head.

And I can’t help but do as he asks, letting him see into me as he drives me to the edge and watches me shatter.

Except it’s too much, and I turn away and close my eyes at the last moment just before my orgasm overtakes me. He kisses me, deep and slow even as his hips pound into mine in the short, jerky rhythm that means he’s about to come.

I hold him against me as he shudders through his orgasm, grateful for the sweet cover of the kiss. Because how can I show him what I’m feeling when I’m not ready to face it yet myself?

* * *

Despite seeing Gray every day before he leaves, including skipping class to drive him to the airport on Monday morning, Ben is despondent the rest of the day.

“Can we call him?” he keeps asking every five minutes or less the whole drive home and the rest of the morning until I finally get a break for my afternoon class.

I’d considered skipping the whole day, but I need something to keep me busy. Something to distract me from all the feelings swirling around that I don’t know what to do with. And snapping at Ben for asking the same question a million times won’t make anything better either. Gray said he’d let me know when he gets there and gets settled. He won’t be able to have a video chat with Ben before then, no matter how many times Ben asks.

When class is over, I check my phone to find a few texts from my mom with pics of Ben playing and a video of him telling me he wants to call Gray as soon as I get home. But I haven’t heard from Gray yet, so …

I guess we could make a video for him like Mom did for me and text that to him. It’s better than nothing, at least.

But I’m not ready to go home yet, so I make my way to the campus coffee shop for something to do. I can bring Ben a hot chocolate and a croissant or something to cheer him up. And have an excuse to stall on going home for a little bit longer.

After paying for my order, I turn to find Autumn waving at me from a corner table. When she beckons me over, I figure I can spend a few minutes hanging out with her until my order is ready. I shouldn’t stay longer than that, though.

With her is Piper, Ellie, and another girl I don’t know.

Autumn beams at me. “Tiffany, this is Dani.” She indicates the girl with her dark hair in a ponytail wearing a black hoodie bearing the silhouette of a weightlifter holding a barbell above his head. “Dani, this is Tiffany.”

Her face lights up with recognition. “Oh! Hi. You’re Tiffany. Nice to meet you.”

Wary, I offer a polite smile. “Hiiii. Nice to meet you too.”

“Sorry,” Piper chimes in. “Dani’s my roommate. She heard about dinner last week. She’s not trying to be creepy. She just knows you’re dating my brother and have the most adorable kid I’ve ever met.”

“Oh, um—”

“Wait,” Piper interrupts, sitting up straighter in her chair. “You are dating him, right? I mean, I saw you guys holding hands. And you kissed that night at Crowley’s. And I mean he brought you to family dinner. He wouldn’t do that if you weren’t together. Would he?” On the last question she looks around the table for support, but only receives a bunch of shrugs.

“I’d think you’d be the best one to answer that question,” Ellie puts in.

“Ugh. Fine. You’re right.” Piper returns her attention to me, spinning her paper cup in one hand and leaning her chin on the other. “So. Please share with the class.”

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