Chapter 28
CHAPTER 28
I woke up hard and with Katherine’s mouth around me, sucking eagerly at my morning wood. When I groaned, she pulled back, looking up at me shyly as a blush climbed her cheeks.
I skimmed my thumb across that pink stain spreading from cheek to cheek, across her nose. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Mmm,” she hummed against me causing bone-deep vibrations to surge up my spine. “It’s only fair. You didn’t get to finish last night,” she purred.
Well, just because we weren’t having sex yet didn’t mean I had to deny myself all the pleasures, right?
That didn't mean denying myself the pleasures of her silky skin or kisses along her jawline or her breasts brushing against my chest as she looked down at me like I was a delicacy.
And it definitely didn’t mean stopping her when her wet, hot mouth was sucking me so fucking good.
I was only human.
I groaned again and closed my eyes, focusing on anything but the need building inside me. "Katherine, baby," I warned through clenched teeth. "You're gonna make me lose it."
She looked up at me again, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "That's the plan, Romeo," she said before returning to her task at hand.
A few minutes later, I came with a hoarse shout, my back arching off the mattress as I spilled myself into her waiting mouth. She swallowed every last drop.
I collapsed back onto the bed, my chest heaving and my cock limp in her hand. Katherine crawled up next to me, pressed herself against my side and rested her head on my chest. I ran my fingers through her silky hair as our breathing evened out.
"Thank you," I finally managed to say, still trying to catch my own breath.
"For what?" she mumbled sleepily.
“For… for being you. For giving me a second chance. For maybe eventually forgiving me in the future.”
“I’m pretty sure this is your fifth chance,” she hummed through a sleepy smile then kissed my chest softly.
“I don’t doubt that.”
I glanced at my phone, noting it was six a.m. Way earlier than either of us needed to be up, but I couldn’t go back to sleep. I slid out from Katherine’s arms, shushing her when she moaned in protest. “Shhh, go back to sleep. I’m going to make us some breakfast.”
“Pancakes?”
“If you want.”
“With M&Ms.”
I chuckled quietly. “You got it.” I might have to sneak into Duncan’s candy stash that he thought was so expertly hidden behind the PlayStation… but if my girl wanted M&M pancakes, it was the least I could do for her.
I tiptoed down the hallway, careful not to wake Duncan or any of our other roommates.
I crouched down and slid the games aside, grinning when I saw the telltale crinkling of candy wrappers. Jackpot. I dug around, grabbing a bag of M&Ms and a few other chocolate treats Duncan wouldn't miss.
Just as I went to stand up, I heard voices coming from down the hall. I froze, still crouched by the shelf.
“You’re sure no one’s up yet?” a female voice whispered.
I peeked around the corner and saw Duncan sneaking out of his room with Jill… who was wearing what was clearly last night’s clothes.
That motherfucker. He promised me Jill was hands off.
Jill giggled as Duncan pulled her close for a sloppy kiss. "Go on, get out of here before we’re caught.”
They tiptoed towards the front door, Duncan's hand firmly grasping Jill's backside. I held my breath until I heard the door click shut behind them.
I stood up slowly, gripping the bag of M&Ms so tightly it nearly burst. I steadied myself with a deep breath before stepping into the hallway.
"Morning," I said evenly as Duncan walked towards his bedroom.
Duncan froze, the stupid shit-eating grin melting from his face as his eyes widened. "Oh, hey man. You're, uh, you’re up early."
"Couldn't sleep," I said, staring him down.
His eyes shifted quickly to the door, then back to me. “I was just, uh ? —”
"Save it," I snapped, getting right up in his face. “I saw Jill leave.
He tugged on his hair sheepishly. “Yeah. It uh, just kind of happened.”
“How long?”
To his credit, he didn’t try to bullshit me or make excuses. “It started a couple weeks before winter break.”
“And how many other girls are you also fucking?”
“Jesus Christ, Holden. I am capable of having a girlfriend, you know.”
I sneered at that. “Oh, really? Because last I checked, there hadn’t been a single girlfriend of yours in two years you haven’t cheated on.”
“That’s not fucking fair and you know it. Ashley told me she wanted to date other people ? —”
“What about Brie? Or Christine? Or Emily? Did they all claim they wanted open relationships, too?”
Duncan sighed, his hand falling to the back of his neck. “It’s not that simple.”
“We had a deal. You fucking promised me you wouldn’t touch her. Jill was off-limits and you broke that trust." I shook my head in disgust. "All you had to do was be honest but instead you snuck around behind my back like a little bitch."
Bleary-eyed, Katherine poked her head around the corner. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice still raspy with sleep. "What the hell are you guys yelling about?"
“Nothing,” I snapped.
“It doesn’t sound like nothing.” Confused, her gaze bounced between us.
Duncan’s face turned red. “What the fuck? You hypocritical piece of shit. You two are back together again?” He whipped around to face Katherine, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “He’s fucking cancer, Kate. He’s going to destroy you and you just keep coming back for fucking more.”
“Shut the fuck up, Duncan!”
Katherine's eyes went wide, suddenly awake as she looked back and forth between me and Duncan.
Duncan stalked over to me and even though he was an inch taller, I had a good thirty pounds of muscle on him. “We’ve all been treating you with kid gloves since your mom died, but you want to know the truth? You’re throwing your fucking senior year and future away for what? Some shitty college production of Romeo and Juliet? To appease a freshman who in a few short months won’t even live in the same state as you.” Duncan’s scowl turned briefly to Katherine before landing back on me. “You’re both fucking idiots. Jill and I might be hooking up, but there’s no pretense that it’s anything more than a casual fling. What you’re doing with Kate is way fucking worse.”
With a snort, I shoved Duncan back out of my face. “And what’s that? What am I fucking doing with Katherine? Loving her? Because I do. I fucking love her.”
“You don’t know what love is, Holden! And you have zero fucking loyalty. Not to your dad. Not to your teammates. Not even to your fucking mother when she was alive and begging for your help.” Duncan slowly shook his head, turning to address Katherine. “You might think he loves you. But Holden doesn’t know how to love anyone.”
His words speared me. I stood there numb and angry and aching and unable to stop myself from emotionally bleeding out as he delivered the final fatal blow. Slowly, he turned and looked at me, his gaze slicing me open. “And all you’re doing is giving her false hope, Holden.”