Page 49 of The Assist
The answer should be me. He should be doingme.
An idea forms, and I hesitate for half a second before bounding up the stairs to Wes’s room and grabbing my overnight bag.
There’s no sign of Wes. Maybe he went to Joel’s room for something? I quickly pull the shirt I’m wearing off and then pull on the Valley jersey. Without a mirror, I can’t properly check my reflection, but I have a feeling Wes is going to enjoy seeing me wear his name and number.
I’m contemplating removing my shorts and just making my intentions ultra-obvious, but he appears in the doorway. He’s holding his phone and tapping away like he’s sending a text. When he sees me, he stops short, fingers still over the screen. “Holy shit.”
“You like?” I turn so show off the back and, yes, my ass because I know it looks fantastic in these shorts.
“Come here.”
We meet in the middle, and I give myself over to him. His touch, his kisses, the smell of him . . . I breathe him in. Everything moves slowly, he’s taking his time as if there’s no rush when I’m so keyed up I might die if things don’t move faster. I’m forcing myself to let him take the lead, and it’s as if his restraint is something of Gods and not mere mortals like myself.
I whimper when he finally brings two rough palms up under my shirt, but just as his hands graze the bottom of my lacy bra, he pulls back and lets his hands fall to my hips.
The restraint I’ve been holding on to snaps. “You’re either some sort of saint or you just aren’t as into me as I’m into you.”
He laughs, a deep throaty sound that I feel shake his chest. “I promise you I’m no saint and I’m definitely into you.”
“Then what is it? I have my sexiest lingerie on and I’m practically throwing myself at you. Can we please get naked now?”
He groans and pulls at his hair with both hands. “Fucking Joel.”
The mention of Joel catches me by surprise. Seems like a weird time to chat about his friend. Maybe their friendship really does know no bounds.
“Did Joel do something? Say something?”
“He just gave me maybe the worst advice ever.”
I wait for him to say more, utterly confused.
“This is embarrassing, but I guess I’d rather risk humiliation then have you think I’m not into you. I’msointo you—so much so that I took fucking Joel’s advice.”
“I—”
“Joel lives by the motto that you shouldn’t show up on game day without getting your head in the right place.” He says it so quick that I’m pretty sure I heard him wrong.
“I’m sorry, what?”
Why the hell are we talking about basketball right now?
“You know . . . clean the pipes, buff the wood, polish the rocket?” He uses both hands to point to his junk. “Joel jerks off before—”
“Ewww, okay. TMI. I donotneed to know about Joel’s pre-game rituals.”
“No. Fuck. I’m going to kill him.” He takes a deep breath and lets it out. “Joel told me I should jerk off before we had sex. It’s been a while, and he was worried about me making an ass of myself.” He continues muttering under his breath, but I’m doubled over in laughter.
He finally joins in, and it only eggs me on. I’m laughing so hard tears are streaming down my face while simultaneously wondering if it is the end of romance when you find out the guy you want to have sex with is taking matters into his own hands . . . literally.
“So, just now . . . while I was downstairs?” I motion at his crotch, which sets me off again.
He scrunches his nose like he knows he’s said too much. “Fuck, this is humiliating.”
I try to rein in my laughter. He’s clearly embarrassed. “Guys really do that? You jerk off before having sex for . . . what reason exactly?”
“I know it sounds dumb as fuck now, but Joel was convincing.”
“Joel seems like the last person to take relationship advice from.”
