Page 77 of Stay
I’ve never experienced anything like it before in my life.
I yelp when he flips me over, gaze searing into mine. “You’ve,” he echoes in disbelief, “hadbetter?”
“It was good. Really. A solid performance. A definite seven or seven point five.”
His eyes widen as his mouth falls open.
“Look,” I continue, “you’re young. I wouldn’t worry about it. With enough practice, you’ll improve.”
“Well, fuck…” A determined expression settles over his face as he reaches over and opens the drawer of his nightstand.
I grumble, not appreciating the way he’s jostling me. “What are you doing?”
“Clearly, I need to redeem myself. I knew it’d been a while, but honestly, I thought…” his voice trails off in embarrassment.
Laughter bursts from my lips. “You know I was joking, right? It was spectacular.”
He swings around and cages my upper body before staring down at me. “You were seriously messing with me?”
I nod as a slow smile curves my face.
The lure of his bulging biceps is too much to resist, and I findmyself running my fingers over them. I want nothing more than to reach up and nip at the firm flesh with my teeth before laving at them with my lips and tongue. That thought is enough to make me groan.
“Yup.”
Before I realize it, his fingers are drifting over my ribs and under my arms. As they attack, I squeal and try to catch my breath. “I’m sorry, okay? Please stop,” I breathe, still laughing, “please!”
After he ceases the torment, his hands glide over my pliant body as he shifts to his side, pulling me against him. “It was good?”
A chuckle slips free as I roll my eyes. “Cole, it was amazing.” I press a kiss against his throat. “I’ve never had an orgasm before.”
His brows shoot up. “Never?”
Why this should make him happy is ridiculous, but apparently it does.
“Nope.” I’ve never come close to feeling like I was going to explode.
“Not even by yourself?”
“No.” Under normal circumstances, talking about something so private would embarrass me. With him, it doesn’t. I pull away enough to meet his inquisitive gaze.
He smirks with obvious pride. “I’m glad I was able to give you your first big O.” He closes the distance that separates us before capturing my mouth in a scalding kiss that nearly burns me alive. “The first of many,” he whispers.
“Yes,” I agree, wanting that just as much as he does.
A comfortable silence falls over us as we lay entwined in each other’s arms, and my mind begins to wander. Wrapped up in him, I feel more safe and secure than ever before.
He drops a tender kiss against the top of my head. “You’re mine now. There’s no more running away.”
My eyelids flutter open as I stare into the swirling darkness. Instead of responding, I keep my breathing deep and even, pretending to be asleep. When he doesn’t say anything more, I close my eyes again before drifting off.
As much as I want to give him that assurance, I can’t. What I do know is that
I want Cole for as long as I can hold onto him.
19
CASSIDY
