Page 60 of Lessons in Falling
No!I chuckled against her skin at the gunshot of an answer, straightened back up and put everything I had intowhat would undoubtedly be my last few strokes.I didn’t know he—She swallowed another moan.He slept outside.I thought he… went running.Or something,she added.
Look at you,I whispered against her lips, a hair’s breadth away from mine.Doing so well.Taking me so well.Do you think you can be this quiet when we come?
The words she’d soundlessly formed on her lips were exactly what I needed to see.I’m about to.I’m close.
Close was an understatement for me.My feet were dangling off the cliff.I was about to fucking fall.
Tell her to look for—She understood before I’d even said the name.
Mike!There were better things than hearing your girl moan another dude’s name, but this was a delicate situation, and I’d excuse it.I’m sure he—Valentina squirmed in my grip, rolled her hips against mine, matching my rhythm, shuddering against me.He’ll know.Ask him,she managed to squeeze past her lips before another moan escaped them, whispered into my shoulder.Her teeth dug into the skin to keep those that followed quiet.
From outside, I think I’d heard aYeah, maybe,followed by departing steps, but Valentina twitched and pulsed around me, quite literally squeezing me to what might go down as the most spectacular orgasm of my entire life.And there’d been a few.
Around my hips, her legs were shaking.Her head was thrown against the wall I still had her pinned to, and her arms were around my neck, nails dragging across my back as she slowly blinked back into the present.
Into the reality where I’d fucked her in the shower, Iris onthe other side of the door, and she’d come just seconds after her friend’s departure.Who knew if she’d even made it out of our room yet?
And I think Valentina was realizing the same thing.
CHAPTER 28
VALENTINA
I admit, my logic was flawed.It didn’t make all that much sense: sleeping with him to distract me from the fact that I’d slept with him—and Alfie had found out.But you try to resist Caden Callahan, sex God and only-guy-who’d-ever-managed-to-make-me-come-through-penetrative-sex, and then we’d talk.
Apparently, not even another person there had been able to make me not want him.Even if that person had been my best friend, who could never ever find out about us.Even if that person had been talking to me through the door while he’d been balls-deep inside of me.
It had been a little thrilling, doing something I wasn’t supposed to.Exciting and new, taking initiative.Thinking about myself.Saying yes to Caden—and everything that came with him.
The thoughts—and images and sounds—still fluttered through my mind six hours later.Of the surprise on his face when I’d continued moving despite our interruption, and of thesurprise onmine.Of those deep, guttural sounds in the back of his throat, edging me close when he seemed nowhere near it.
I’d never be able to shower again without thinking about him.How good he was—and how much better we’d been together.
But I wasn’t in the shower, and this was hardly an appropriate situation to replay our sexcapades.In the kitchen, with all our friends around us, trying to cook a simple pasta dish, and failing miserably.
Then again, his hand on my ass wasn’t appropriate either, and here we were—on the other side of the kitchen island, leaving the rest of them to ruin the food.
I think Valentina should help.At least she can cook.Iris scowled at Alfie, currently dumping a bunch of spices into what was supposed to turn into Alfredo sauce.That’s too much pepper!she cried, then snatched it out of his hand.
Now Alfie was scowling, too.Synchronized, their eyes found mine, as if somehow I was responsible for settling their argument.My hands shot up, palms toward them.Nope.I’m not getting involved.
Too many cooks spoil the broth,Anni, on pasta duty, commented.Next to her, Mike was cutting up the cooked chicken.He’d been uncharacteristically quiet today.
What she said,I agreed.
Okay, then I think Valentina should be theoneperson thatdoesn’tspoil the broth.She can cook.So why should we have to eat the mess he’s spicing, when—ouch!Iris rubbed the spot Alfie had hit.Even if he was facing the pan again, continuing to throw salt and parsley into the sauce, I knew he was smiling.Probably keeping from outright laughing.
I leaned onto the island separating me from my friends, and Caden’s hand unsuspectingly slipped below the hem of my dress.Beside me, he was casually leaning against the same counter; if it hadn’t been my skin he was grazing, I’d never guess what he was up to.The bored expression on his face was almost believable, if it weren’t for the tent in his shorts.
Exactly,I snickered.Why should I rob you guys of a learning experience?This will be good for you.Now help Alfie, instead of complaining,I laughed.
Yes, chef.Iris turned back around, purposefully hitting Alfie’s shoulder with her own.He nudged her back—and turned their cooking into bickering within five seconds.
Who knew you could be so bossy,Caden muttered under his breath, head tilting when he finally looked at me.I’d been waiting all evening for our gazes to accidentally cross, but he’d been more careful since the Alfie incident, followed by the shower incident.I was glad for it, because I’d thrown caution out the window.If I hadn’t, he wouldn’t be touching me the way he was now.His fingers wouldn’t dance across my bare ass, and I wouldn’t be playing with the thought of palming him through his shorts.
Clearing my throat, I stirred away from those images as best as I could.I have my moments,I agreed, and tried not to look suspicious.All their backs were turned toward us, chatter and the bubbling of water and the sound of the fan were filling the air, but we still didn’t have to risk it.
He hummed in agreement, hands crossing on the island and leaving my skin cold and empty.His lips were by my ear, breath tickling my neck when he whispered,You sure dobefore rounding the counter and helping Mike.
