Page 32 of Lessons in Falling
Fuck,was all he said, and I took that as answer enough, even before he added,Please.
The night we’d met, Caden had made me come twice with his mouth, and once with his cock, so this was uncharted territory for us: pushing him back against the mattress, my tongue trailing down his body, and my lips gently wrapping around him.
The way his hands found themselves in my hair was new, too.
Valentina,he whispered, right as I started moving—had closed my lips tightly around him, tongue sweeping over his wet tip once, twice, and a third time, for good measure.He seemed to like it so much, my name sounded like a plea.His grip on my hair tightened, but never forced my movement.
When I needed a break, my tongue would swipe up his length, torturously slow before my hand would take over.He’d press his head deeper into the pillow, like that made keeping quiet easier.
I knew what he meant now, though.Watching him trying— and struggling—to hold back was one of the hottest things I’d ever seen, too.
I’m—My mouth was back around him, taking inch by inch, until his tip tickled the back of my throat.When his eyes met mine again, watery and wide, his face contorted.I’m about to—he began, then started a completely different sentence, like his brain was muddled and coherent sentences were not on the table.If you want me in any other way tonight, you should really—
But I didn’t.I wanted Caden just like this: twitching against my throat, struggling to speak, and coming in the exact moment we made eye contact again.
And that’s how I’d had him.
CHAPTER 17
CADEN
Last night kind of felt like a spiritual awakening.Only that I hadn’t found my way back to God or the Universe, but to Valentina Rhodes.
Watching her come apart had been better than what my memory had served me.Watching her take me in her mouth, inch by torturous inch, had exceeded every and any fantasy.And kissing her, sweaty and out of breath, but seemingly proud of what she’d done to me, might still be my personal highlight.
When she had suggestedOnly Sex, I thought I’d hit the jackpot.I’d thought a repeat of the other night would be enough to still my insatiable hunger—but that’s exactly what it was: insatiable.
I’d been disappointed when she climbed back up to her bunk, and not because I’d been rooting for another round in the morning.Only because, somewhere in the back of my mind, there was a piece of me that had wanted to fall asleep next to her.Wake up and have her be the first thing I’d see.
That was new.And scary.
I got up the next morning, and she was still sound asleep, covers thrown wildly across her bed, covering barely half of her.I tiptoed into the bath first, then out of the room, and it hurt a little to leave her there, knowing I was about to spend my time with Mike, instead.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the guy.But priorities were priorities.
Anything for the HBU soccer team, though.Right?
Ready?he asked, standing by the bottom of the stairs as I descended.
No,I deadpanned.
Mike rolled his eyes, but I followed him outside.Cheer up, captain!He bumped my shoulder in amusement.A few more weeks until you’ll need enough motivation to encourage an entire team.Better start harnessing that good vibe early.
If I couldn’t even muster up those good vibes after a night with Valentina, I’m not quite sure how I was supposed to do it in two months.I knew I didn’twantto.Then again, I knew I didn’t have much of a choice either.
Alison’s wish lingered in the back of my mind, like a cobweb in the corner of a room you couldn’t get to and learned to live with.She would want this.She’d be ecstatic, knowing I was set to captain the current NCAA champion.She’d be happy.She’d be proud.
So, I sucked it up.
Just tired,I explained curtly, then clapped my hands together and managed to at least summon a semi-enthusiastic:Let’s do this!
One of the soccer balls we’d taken for practices exactly like this one was already in the yard.To warm up, we startedpassing it across the pool.Good enough motivation not to fuck up, in my opinion, and Mike still felt confident enough to continue talking.
There was rarely a time when he didn’t talk, though.
Tired,he echoed, and a knowing smile etched into the corners of his mouth.How much longer were you guys up?
My next pass was wonky, and the only reason it hadn’t landed in the water between us was Mike.I tried not to sound guilty (of what, I wasn’t quite sure) when I asked, panicking,What?
