Chapter Thirty-Two
Thomas
Lainey’s eyes sparkle with a mischief I haven’t seen in her before, and it’s really fucking sexy. She’s always had this innocent air about her, but right now, she’s positively wild, and I’m the lucky guy on the receiving end of her plans.
The second I stand to my feet, she’s moving me across the room, before pushing me down onto the bed and crawling on top of me.
She lifts to her knees to create some room between us, then reaches for the waistband of my jeans, curling her finger between the denim and my skin, her gaze locked on the tuft of hair peeking out.
My cock twitches but I ignore it, content to wait and see how this all plays out.
Without a word, Lainey unbuttons my jeans, before slowly gliding the zipper down, following the path with her knuckle. My fingers flex as I itch to reach up and touch her, to slide my palms under her dress and glide my hands across her smooth skin. But I know she won’t let me. I may have made her come a couple of times since we reconnected, but it’s not enough. I want more. I want her so sated and sore that she never forgets me. Never forgets how good we fit. Because without even sinking inside her, I know that we were made for each other.
With my pants undone, Lainey stands up, and I preempt her move, ridding myself of my clothes in one quick motion. She raises her eyebrows with a soft smile until her attention moves to my throbbing cock, her eyes widening as she swallows a lump in her throat.
“I had plans,” she sasses. “But now, I’m not so sure.”
My gaze drops to my length, and I bark out a laugh before sitting up and pulling her onto the mattress beside me.
“From the lick of your lips, I’m going to guess your plans involved your mouth. And while I’m looking forward to feeling your lips wrapped around me—because they will be; I know you can take it—I need to be inside you more than anything else.”
Lainey bites her lip as she stands again, before lifting her dress over her head and curling her fingers into the strap of her thong. With her eyes locked on mine, she slides the satin material down her legs before unhooking her bra, standing naked before me for the very first time. And God, is she every bit the goddess I always imagined her to be. My cock pulses as I think about running my tongue from her pretty pink nipples down her taut stomach to her glistening core, but when I move to do just that, she holds a hand out in front of her, stopping me in my tracks.
“Nope. This is about you,” she scolds, before pushing me back down to the bed.
“Trust me,” I rasp. “Seeing you lose control is just as much for me as it is you.”
“There’s time for that later.”
Hell, yeah, there is.I hit her with a cocky grin before folding my arms under my head and getting comfortable, closing my eyes. “Have at it then,” I joke, expecting her to take her time but quickly discovering I’m wrong. My eyes flash open as I choke on air, my gaze locking on Lainey where she grips my length in her hands, pumping me with a tight hold.
“I will.” She grins and with her free hand, she crawls back onto the bed, straddling my legs to hover above me. I barely get time to relish in the view she’s giving me when she lowers herself, making me grit my teeth as I stifle a groan, watching as I’m buried to the hilt. “Jesus,” I cry out. “Warn a guy.”
Lainey giggles, and the movement makes her clench around me. “Isn’t that what I did?”
I want to joke back, but I’m so struck by how intoxicating she looks that I just stare at her, unabashedly drinking her in, my eyes roaming her body. And when my gaze hits where our bodies connect, I can’t help but smile. “A perfect fit, just like I knew it would be.”
“Doesn’t mean I can take you in my mouth,” she sasses.
“Maybe. But you will.” The words are spoken aloud before I’ve thought about them, and for a brief second, I wonder if I’ve taken it too far. But when Lainey’s eyes light up with desire, I may have met my match. And I’m more than happy it’s her.
With a soft shake of her head, Lainey pivots her hips, and my balls tighten beneath her. My eyes roam as she rides me, and while I’m still desperate to reach out for her perfect breasts, to rub my thumb across her beautiful pink nipples, I hold back, happy to let her lead for the time being. Only the more she bucks on top of me, the harder it is not to touch her, and when she lifts herself up, wrapping her delicate fingers around my shaft while running the tip of my cock through her slick heat, I’m done for. Sorry, Lainey.
As a groan rips from the back of my throat, I grab her waist and flip her around in one swift movement, loving when she squeals out in surprise. Spreading her legs wide, I mimic her move, running my cock through her wet pussy, watching intently as her head falls back and a mewl escapes her lips. Her hips buck, but I continue to tease, circling her entrance while never quite giving her what she needs, loving the way her body moves to seek me out.
“What do you want, Lainey?” I ask, my voice coming out scratchy. “Tell me what you need.”
Eyes still closed, Lainey shivers as she answers. “This,” she says breathlessly. “You. Everything.”
Biting back a groan, I insert my tip just enough for her to cry out, then lean forward to whisper in her ear, “Let me hear you say it.”
Her eyes shoot open as her mouth drops in a silent gasp until she recovers and locks our gaze, staring me down with conviction. “I want you to fuck me, Thomas. Make me forget the rest of the world exists.”
Holy fuck.
Ignoring the way my heart seizes at her words, I do as she asks, sinking inside her as she spreads her legs wide, her knees dropping to the bed by her sides, completely opening her up for me.
My eyes widen, and I bite my lip before huffing out an incredulous laugh. “Fuck, Lainey.” She feels so good wrapped around me, but it’s her flexibility that has my mind spinning, picturing all the things we could do. And that picture alone has me throbbing.
As I pump into her, I grab one of her legs and hook it over my shoulder, leaning into her, until there’s barely a breath between us. Lainey moans my name as she curls her hand behind my neck, her fingers biting into my skin.
“More,” she whispers, dragging me closer until our bodies touch with her leg almost flush to the bed. She releases a sigh as I bite her bottom lip, sucking it into my mouth and soothing the area with my tongue.
“You are heaven,” I rush out. “This is heaven.”
Make me forget.
I grind into her as our bodies crash together, the friction creating an entirely different sensation. The tension builds around my middle, but I clench my eyes shut, fighting my imminent release.
Slipping one hand between us, I roll my thumb across her clit as I continue to pump my hips. My other arm shakes as I hold up my weight, trying to stop myself from crushing her, but she keeps pulling me down, wanting us to be one.
“Don’t stop,” she moans, as if that was an option, when in reality, I couldn’t stop if I tried. This is everything, and I never want this moment to end, while also needing her to come more than I need my next breath.
When her walls tighten and her ragged breathing increases, I slow my pace, moving with a focused rhythm, keeping my attention on her clit, knowing it will have her flying over the edge.
Lainey’s moans peak until she calls out my name, thanking the heavens for our time. “Thomas. Oh God.” She bucks as her grip tightens on my neck and she convulses beneath me, riding the wave of her orgasm. I try to hold strong, but within seconds, I’m grunting her name as I follow her over the edge, my body shaking when it all becomes too much.
“You are a goddess,” I rush out as I slow, our hips moving in sync. “You were made for me.”
Lainey giggles, and it’s not until I fall onto the bed beside her that a panic hits me. “Jesus, fuck. We didn’t—”
“I’m on the pill and I’ve never not used protection,” she cuts in, scrunching her nose. “Also, um…this may be too much information, but my periods don’t really come regularly anyway. It stems from being a ballerina.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal while my chest tightens, my own panic completely subsiding.
“I’ve never gone without either,” I say and that reality should be a big deal, but it’s not something I can think about now. Instead I’m worried for Lainey. She’s put herself through hell and for what? So her family could force her into going somewhere she didn’t want to go, only to leave before finishing her degree. And more. I know there’s more.
“Anyway, the world doesn’t exist, remember?” she adds with a smile, rolling onto her side. “And since it’s just us, what should we do next?”
Iwake to Lainey’s naked body sprawled across my chest and the fine strands of her pink hair tickling my nose, but I’m too comfortable to move. Last night was an experience I will never get over. Lainey wanted to forget about the outside world, and God, did we do that. At one point, I forgot my own name.
Now, with her wrapped in my arms, her soft breath warming my skin, I want to live in this blissful existence for as long as she’ll let me. But when my phone beeps with a text, I gently lift her, jumping up before it goes off again.
After locating my phone near our uneaten midnight snack, I silence it without looking at the screen, tossing it onto the armchair beside me. Right now, there is nothing more important than Lainey, and I don’t want anything to ruin her peace.
From my position on the edge of the bed, I sit and study her for a moment, smiling when she stirs, a soft sigh escaping her adorable pout. She’s always been beautiful—even when we were teens, it was impossible to deny the attraction I felt—but right now, she’s breathtaking, and I want to do anything I can to protect her.
Gently sliding back the covers, I tuck myself in beside her and wrap an arm around her waist, splaying my hand over her bare stomach. And just like it always does when she’s around, a peace settles in my chest as I soak in the feel of her, letting her warmth work its way through my body.
Lainey groans as she rolls over to face me, her previously peaceful expression now pinched like she’s in pain. A sharp pang hits me until a smile lights up her face, and she comically winces.
“Why am I so sore?” she groans again, making me chuckle. “Stop moving, it hurts.” She giggles and a feeling of pride takes over me. I like knowing I made her feel just as good as she did for me.
“What hurts the most?” I ask, keeping the humor from my voice. “Let me look after you.”
She lifts her head and studies my expression before her brows rise. “My stomach,” she sasses, biting back her smile. “I’m sure some room service would help.”
I fake a pout before standing up and stretching my body, reaching for the room service menu, laughing at Lainey’s puzzled expression. “Something wrong?” I question her.
“Do all hotels have mirrored windows or just the fancy ones?” she asks, folding her arms under her chin to watch me.
“I actually have no idea,” I say honestly, turning to check out the view. “I haven’t checked this one out yet.”
Lainey’s eyes flash in the same direction before she sits up, collecting the crisp white sheet in her hands. “You know you’re famous, right? And very naked.”
“I’m not famous.” I laugh. “I’m a rookie, but thank you for giving me a big head.”
“Thomas. Need I remind you that you are one of the quarterbacks for a huge team. You missed out on making the Super Bowl by the smallest margin. And there’s rumors about you and Ralph Lauren forming a sponsorship deal.” Good to know she’s keeping tabs on me. “Everyone knows your name. And if they don’t, they soon will. Standing in front of a window buck naked is not your brightest idea.”
Instead of acknowledging the accolades or making a smart-ass comment, emotion clogs my chest to an unbearable level. Everything she said is true, and yet, I feel completely empty when it comes to that.
I’m about to fake a smile and step away when she stands up with the sheet still in her grasp and walks over, wrapping it around me, her naked body now on display.
I groan as I untwist myself, opening the sheet to encompass us both, smiling when her smooth body presses against me, the tightness dissipating. “For the record, I would rather have naked photos of me all over the world than one of you in this moment. And that will never change.” No matter what happens.
Lainey curls her body into mine, and I once again bask in her warmth, but when she breaks away from my touch, I catch a glimpse of the pain marred in her features, and the tension returns.
“Are you happy?” I ask, linking my fingers with hers, pulling her back into my fold.
She nods as she smiles up at me, a mask settling into place. “I am. I’ve got a lot to be happy for. Are you?” she counters, her eyes narrowing in challenge.
My answer hits me instantly, and I fake a smile to hide my frown. Lainey makes me happy. She makes me feel things I’ve never felt before, but if I’m speaking about happiness in the broad sense of the term, then no. But how can I tell her that? How can I tell anyone that considering how amazing my life looks from the outside?
Lainey’s stomach audibly rumbles, interrupting my need to answer, and we fall back into a playful banter, neither of us acknowledging my lack of response. We eat unhurriedly, but as soon as breakfast is done, Lainey heads to the bathroom, returning fully dressed and ready to leave. “I better get going. I have a lot to do today, and—”
“Wait,” I say urgently, a new panic taking over me. “It’s still early. I need more time.” I still don’t know what happened.
“More time?” she asks, her eyes bouncing around my face, studying my reaction.
I smile to ease the frown lines visible on her brow. “An hour,” I pout to make her laugh. “I live so far away.”
She rolls her eyes, but puts her phone down on the table, her eyes narrowing. “Thirty minutes…and you better make it worth my while.”
“Thirty minutes. Done. Want to watch wrestling?” I joke, my body deflating as the tension leaves me. Lainey scoffs while I quickly pull on my jeans from last night. But when I link our fingers and pull her close, she smiles.
Instead of walking her to the couch like she expects, I lead her outside, only stopping when we reach the stairs to the private rooftop garden. After guiding her up, I make her comfortable on the lounge chair, settling in beside her. She instantly wraps her body around me, as I stare up at the sky, catching the last glimpse of the stars before the sun erases them from our view.
We’re quiet for a moment until Lainey burrows into me and sighs. From the outside looking in, I have no doubt she’d appear at peace. But with her body pressed against mine, I can feel the subtle difference from last night, and I know something’s off.
Grabbing her chin, I tilt her face to mine and catch the frown lines before the facade appears. “Can you please tell me what’s wrong?” I ask, smoothing my thumb across her brow.
Lainey laughs until I stare her down, waiting for an answer, acutely aware that I never give her answers myself.
“Okay.” She sighs. “As I said, I have a lot to do today when what I really want to do is stay here, wrapped in your arms, pretending none of it exists.”
Pretending.I’m suddenly regretting asking her to do that for me.
“What happened with Jaiton?” I push, praying she wants to talk and just needs a push in the right direction…not that I’m out of line.
After briefly closing her eyes, she glances up at me with a new resolve and nods before sitting up and turning her body toward me. “I was kicked out of Jaiton,” she says, her expression devoid of emotion.
My eyes reactively widen but I quickly school my features. “Okay.”
“From the very beginning, I was treated differently because of my gran, and as you can imagine, the other dancers didn’t take that too well. It started off with simple bitchiness, exclusion, and fake rumors, but when I forced myself to act like I didn’t care, over and over, it got worse.”
“Shit, Lainey.” My body tenses as rage takes over. “You were bullied.”
Reaching out, she curls her hand around my wrist as though I’m the one that needs comforting, and I hate myself a little more. She flashes me a thankful smile before her expression drops and she continues her story. “I guess it could be bullying,” she says with a shrug. “Though I didn’t see it that way at the time. I had, um…I was seeing someone in our year level, and I thought things were good between us, until I discovered he wasn’t really with me for the right reasons.”
My fists clench and though it kills me, I hold back from asking who the fuck the guy is, letting her get it all out.
“He did little things—subtle things—on behalf of two girls that I never knew had an issue with me. I’d been under the impression they were keeping away from the drama, but I was wrong. They were just using someone else to do their bidding.” She pauses and brushes a hair behind her ear, her gaze peering through me. “Long story short, he put bleach in my shampoo bottle the day before our midterms, among other things, and…” she trails off and I can’t stop myself from questioning her.
“And what? What other things?”
Lainey speaks as though she’s telling me a story she heard about someone else, while I want to tear through the world to find out who did this to her. What the fuck is wrong with people? Lainey’s so fucking strong, but like Summer, I sometimes forget how young she is. How much she’s been through before she’s even considered an adult.
“That’s not important,” she whispers. “What is important is that instead of going to a member of the faculty and telling them what happened, I performed with my half-dyed hair, and…they kicked me out when I refused to explain why I did it. They wouldn’t tolerate that “kind of rebellion.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. What about your gran? Didn’t she help? And who the fuck is the guy?”
Lainey shakes her head as she grabs my hand. “I never told Gran the full story, and it was actually a way out that I desperately needed. I hated it there, so I let her believe that I did it myself. I’m happier now.”
“Jesus. I’m happy you’re out of there too, but what happened yesterday? What had Luke so freaked out?”
An ache forms in my chest from tensing so hard, but I keep my cool. Lainey doesn’t need me getting all protective of her, no matter how badly I want to. She’s got enough going on.
“I’ve been getting some anonymous messages. They’ve been coming since I left, but they’ve ramped up now that it’s audition season. It seems my gran is making it difficult for some of my ex-classmates.”
“But you said she doesn’t know what happened.”
“Oh, she knows. Just not the full extent of it.”
“Do I know the full extent?”
Lainey’s eyes flash to mine, and I see the answer clear as day in her expression—No. And she’s not planning on telling me anything more.
“Does anyone?”
She shakes her head before leaning forward and burying her face in the curve of my neck.
“What about Luke?” I ask, thinking back to his urgent call yesterday.
“Especially not Luke.” She giggles, but it comes with an incredulous sigh. “I know, I have to tell him something. And I will. But he doesn’t need all the details.” She reaches out and squeezes my arm again, a soft smile on her face. “Thank you for listening. I promise, I’m okay. Being with you makes everything okay, and I’ve got my volunteer trip to look forward to.”
“I’m here whenever you need me. But I wish you’d let me hurt that guy.”
Lainey laughs before shaking her head again.
The mention of her trip makes me anxious, but at the same time, I know she needs it. Her expression changes when she speaks about it, and she gets lighter somehow. Like this trip is her escape. Her time to process everything that happened to her.
And no matter what I’m feeling, I could never take that away.
Not that I think she’d let me.
Sixteen-year-old Lainey often held back. She kept her cards close to her chest and went along with things she didn’t necessarily like. Nineteen-year-old Lainey is stronger, more decisive, and not afraid to go for what she wants. It’s beautiful to think about until I realize it’s her time at Jaiton that changed her.
“Is it your turn now?” she asks me after a beat, and while it should be, my pain seems trivial compared to what she’s been through.
“You know most of my stuff. I haven’t heard from Summer, I’m in Seattle on my own, and…” I hate myself for what I’ve done. “I just feel a little empty. If I didn’t have you…” Fuck, I don’t even want to think about that.
Lainey’s face drops before she palms my cheek. “You’ve got me.”
Her gaze bounces between my eyes as though searching for something, and when I lean into her hand, she releases a breath before relaxing into me. We’re quiet for the beat, as a comfortable air surrounds us and I feel the shift in her demeanor, both of us content to just…be.
I’m not sure how much time passes, but as I begin to drift off, Lainey giggles, lifting her head to look at me. “Sooo…you win. This was a nice way to end our time together and start my day.” But now it’s time for her to go.
With a grin, I bop her nose before shaking my finger with a tsk. “You should never doubt me, Lainey. I live to see you smile.”
That smile wavers for a second before she recovers, but once again, she’s not fast enough to hide it, and my sharp pang resurfaces.
“Lainey, is there—”
“Busy week?” she asks, cutting me off as she stands up and walks toward the spiral staircase, glancing over her shoulder. I jump up when she motions for me to follow her, trying hard to ignore the fact that each step is taking us closer to goodbye.
“We have our exit meeting on Thursday,” I say, in answer to her question. “I have to clean out my locker, and then…” I have no fucking idea, and I’m a little terrified if I’m being honest.
“Your locker? What happened?” The sheer panic on Lainey’s face makes me laugh even though it’s not something I’m looking forward to.
“We have to clean out our locker each year. Standard practice so we can start fresh again in April.
“So that’s it. After Thursday, you’re done for a few months?”
“I am. Got any grand plans for me?”
To my surprise, Lainey hits me with the most breathtaking smile before she bites her lip, and her smile turns a little wicked. “I can think of a few things.”
I bite back a groan as I imagine doing those things to her right now, while Lainey shakes her head, stepping back with her arms raised, her lips pulled into a smirk. “I can see that mind ticking over. Don’t even think about it, Kelly. I have to go.”
“Twenty more minutes,” I joke.
“Nope.”
“Ten. I’m sure we could do a lot with ten.”
“No.” She giggles again. “I’m supposed to meet Luke because I refused to see him yesterday. I wanted to wait for him to cool off. He’ll be calling soon if I’m not home.”
I roll my eyes but accept her excuse because that’s exactly what he’ll do. “Okay. Okay. For that, I’ll let you leave.” I laugh. “He probably has a GPS on your car. It’s best if we don’t open that can of worms just yet.” We both know Luke’s more of a shoot first, ask questions later kind of guy.
Lainey laughs, but from the exaggerated grimace, I can tell she’s over his antics. “You’re probably right,” she says. “I’d much rather keep this a secret for now. He doesn’t need to know about our sex life.”
Sex life.That doesn’t seem like the right term for what this is, but then again, what is? We haven’t really defined it. All I know is that I feel this intense desire to be around her at all times. And yes, it always involves some form of intimacy, so I guess that means Lainey’s spot-on. Either way, I’m fine with keeping it a secret and delaying my death, because I know with absolute certainty that Luke is going to murder me.
But I also know it will be worth it.