Page 30 of Only Some Stars Fall

“What? How have you lived right outside of Boston your whole life and never been to a Red Sox game? It’s a rite of passage for us New Englanders!”

“Being raised by a single dad, who worked impossibly long shifts, time and money were not something we always had a lot of.” She looks down at her hands, and I hope I didn’t make her feel ashamed. I by no means live the life of the rich and famous… clearly.

“I’m lucky I got a good scholarship to BU. It was the only way I could afford it, plus, it allowed me to be close to home to still help with my little brother.”

“Sounds like you’re really close with your family?”

“Extremely, since day one, we have always enjoyed being with one another. When my mom died, that bond strengthened, as well as changed our roles. My brother was still young, and I stepped in to help raise him as much as possible.”

There is a look on her face I can’t fully decipher, maybe pride? Mixed with a little bit of sadness?

“I almost didn’t come here this summer. Being away from my dad and brother all summer didn’t feel fair, but my brother is a teenager now and pretty self-sufficient. In other words, he is too cool for me.” She laughs.

“I highly doubt anyone could be too cool for you.”

Her eyes meet mine, and once again, we stare at one another without a word. It’s funny how nervous I feel in her company. I mean, let’s be real, I have had my tongue down her throat a few times and my hand up her shirt. But those moments were always fueled by passion, frustration, and lust. This is different. It’s peaceful.

Everly breaks eye contact first, at the same time, Birch jumps off the couch and finds his place on his dog bed in the corner. I take the opportunity to slide closer but disguise my intention by acting as if I need better access to the chip bag. We are both a little hesitant about physical contact, but eventually, Everly yawns and settles into my side.

“You getting tired? I can drive you back if you’re not comfortable staying here?”

“I’m comfortable here,” she says, never taking her eyes off the game. I reach behind me and pull the blanket off the back of the couch, covering us beneath the soft fabric, and for the first time in a long time, I feel at home.

I wakeup to the glow of the DVR menu, the Sox game recording long since over. Looking at the clock, I am surprised to see that it’s three in the morning. Everly is still asleep, with her head on my lap. I stop myself from fantasizing about just how sexy she looks in this position. I lightly rub her shoulder while brushing her hair off her face with my other hand.

“Hey, it’s three in the morning. Come on, you can sleep in my bed, it will be much more comfortable.” She stirs and opens her eyes, meeting mine with a sleepy smile across her face. She nods and pulls herself up, still half awake.

I lead her over to my bed and sit her down. I go to the dresser and pull out one of my T-shirts, which is long enough to touch her knees. Earlier in the night, I noticed that her clothes smelled… well, not good, but I hadn’t wanted to make her even more self-conscious.

“Here, you can sleep in this. I’ll sleep on the couch.” I hand her the shirt, but instead of grabbing the fabric, her fingers graze my hand. I start to pull away, but she doesn’t let go. Looking at herlook at me doe-eyed with her pouty lips, my cock jumps, and my jaw tics. Oh, the things I want to do to her. It’s almost unbearable. But I remind myself, not tonight. Not like this, not when we have spent most of the day either ignoring one another or at each other’s throats. I want her to be clear-headed and completely ready.

“Stay with me, please?” she says in the softest, most innocent voice. I can’t help but let a low moan escape my lips.

“Everly, you are seriously killing me. Do you know how much I want you? How badly I want to be inside of you?”

She gasps, and for a moment, I can’t tell if I have scared her with my blunt confession.

“Let me help you get changed, and then we will sleep. Only sleep.”

Without breaking eye contact, I lightly touch the hem of her Anderson’s shirt and lift it over her head. She raises her arms, and when she is free of it, she slowly brings her arms back down, trailing her fingers down her skin and over the mounds of her breasts. They are perfect. Through her lace bra, I can make out her hardened nipples, and my desire to release them from that bra is overwhelming.

She leans back on the bed, propping herself up on her elbows, still not breaking our intense eye contact. I unbutton her pants, taking my time. If this is the only action I am getting tonight, she can bet her ass I am going to draw it out no matter how much torture it is causing me. She lifts her butt slightly so I can slip the jeans down. I let my fingertips trail down her bare skin as I bring them to the floor.

Everly wets and then sucks her bottom lip between her teeth, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession. I love the way her body responds to my light touches. I am positive that she is more than ready for me under her cute lace panties.

I step back and admire her for a moment. Her eyes silentlyplead, but I won’t back down. She deserves to spend time with me when I am not being an asshole. I want to show her who I am when I am not bogged down with the personal baggage I have been letting get in the way of knowing her. When I am not hyper-focused on locking away any emotion that tries to bubble to the surface.

I come close again, leaning down and placing the lightest kiss on her forehead. I hold my lips there a few extra moments before gently helping her into my T-shirt. She lets out a slight whimper, a hint of frustration buried within it, making me chuckle.

I start to unbutton my jeans, aware that I will not be able to hide the massive hard-on I’m currently sporting. Everly stops my hands, her face turning up to meet mine.

“Let me, I mean it’s only fair, you undressed me, after all.” My breathing staggers, and I truly don’t know if I can handle this. I have been in some tough situations before, but this is testing my restraint at a whole new level.

The moment her hands touch the waistband of my jeans, my whole body involuntarily quivers. She smiles slightly, enjoying the power she has over me. She slowly unzips my pants and pulls them down, my erection springing toward freedom beneath my briefs.

Everly trails her fingers over the outside of the brief’s cotton material and then down the front of them ever so lightly. I can feel a pool of wetness at my tip forming just from her soft touch. She looks back up into my eyes, and we stare once more with no words. To be honest, I’m not even sure we’re even breathing at this point. Her hands return to my jeans, which are halfway down my thighs. She pulls them to my ankles, and I step out of them.

Then she scoots herself back and up against the pillows onthe far side of my bed, pulling the covers up to her chest. She pats the spot next to her with a big devilish grin.

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