Chapter 33
thirty-three
PARKER
Going to a sad little nightclub in my late twenties with a bunch of teenagers was a horrendous way to spend an evening. However, Astrid wanted to go, and I’d be an idiot to deny myself a natural opportunity to fall back in bed with her. If I did not, I risked never seeing her again.
I feared Astrid attaching herself to me like a barnacle, but she kept things normal. I preferred it that way. I didn’t owe her anything, even if I was convinced I’d probably blown her mind a little. I may have been a dark horse in the sack, but I didn’t show up to disappoint. It was easy to try hard for Astrid. She made it fun even if it was clear this was all it was—hot, convenient sex.
“It’s… not what I expected,” Astrid spoke loudly into my ear as we hung by the bar.
“How so?” I asked.
“It’s smaller, less impressive, and much louder than I expected. The noise… it’s giving me headaches. And what is this horrid music?”
“House music,” I answered. “It is dreadful.”
“I know you will say I wanted to go, but I am here to admit you might be right, Parker. ”
I took a moment, then nodded at her gin and tonic. “Slam your drink, Princess. Let’s get out of here and find a proper bar.”
She followed orders well for the first time in her life, and we decamped down the road to another location—a whisky bar with a jazz pianist playing in the background. Astrid and I sat at the bar top and waited for the bartender, a man in his late thirties, to come over.
He asked in a thick Glaswegian accent, “Hello. What can I get you, love?”
She looked at me.
“No, no. Not yer boyfriend—not what he wants. What do you want to try? We’ve got a little of everything.”
She and I both blushed at that assumption, but she responded. “I’m not sure. I don’t drink much whisky.”
“Something smooth, not too peaty, maybe?” The bartender looked at me. “Simpler that way?”
I nodded, knowing Astrid had no idea what any of that meant.
“I will bring you a flight.”
“See, he’ll bring us options,” I said. “We can try them and pick our favourites.”
Astrid’s smile returned. She was still nervous but calming.
“Why do you get so flustered?” I asked. “I watch you lead a seminar or a lecture or even discuss findings, and you’re dreadfully confident. You call me out like it is your job, but Astrid, you struggle?—”
“When you’ve been locked up your entire life, Parker, shit gets weird.” Astrid’s smile faded when my curiosity hit a nerve.
“Sorry, I keep forgetting that,” I said. “Look, about last night and?—”
“Last night was fine,” Astrid said. “But I feel you don’t want to do it again. You don’t have to explain. It doesn’t hurt my feelings.”
It very much sounded like it did. Our whiskies arrived as I searched for any words that might make sense.
“Astrid, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. You don’t owe me that, but I do enjoy you.”
Astrid’s face showed surprise, no longer dismay .
“Taste the whisky,” I urged. “It’s good, I’m sure.”
We dabbled in each tasting before settling on two we liked. Few words were said, but she was calming. I was terrible with women like this, and she read any curiosity or slight criticism as me coming for her. I’d caused that myself. I hadn’t exactly been Prince Charming to date.
“I’m not in love with you,” Astrid protested.
“And I’m not in love with you,” I laughed.
“But I’d do it again, is all.”
“Same.”
“Let’s get the check, Parker.”
I paid an exceedingly expensive tab for a small outing to a bar and then hailed a cab back to our hotel—long before our charges came home. In the cab, we snogged like overzealous teenagers. I tested my luck, running my hand slightly up her short dress. We barely made it into my hotel room before clothing flew. Astrid was wilder than ever , and I was on the receiving end of her appreciation for my previous efforts. The mere vision of her there, naked again in my bed, was enough of a reward.
I rolled a condom on and climbed into bed. I kissed her slowly, hovering over her now. I pressed her into the bed, my cock rubbing against her entrance, now wet with anticipation. My playing with the hem of her dress worked.
“You like it when I toy with you, don’t you?” I asked. “And you want me?”
Astrid nodded. “Yes.”
“You’re very wet already.”
“I know,” Astrid gasped as I pushed the tip of my cock against her wet clit. “Please.”
“Please what?”
“Please fuck me, Parker.”
Since she said please, I could give it a go. I took things gently. I was concerned about this again. Instead, she was ready. As I slipped quickly inside her, she let out another moan—one deeper than before.
“Good? ”
“Yes, please. Fuck me harder this time.”
Well, I could do that. I wasn’t going to go full tilt for fear I might frighten her, but I picked up the pace with my thrusts. The way her tits bounced was glorious. The tell-tale red that crossed over her chest, up her neck, and to her face told me Astrid was about to ascend to another realm. She dug her nails into my lower back and screamed.
“Oh, Parker, fuck… me… harder!”
I picked up the pace as she descended into only babbling, writhing, and panting. She came for me eventually, but by then, I struggled to keep going without completely losing it. The visual was what did it. Her sweet, round face curled up like that—all because I was getting her off and taking her far, far away mentally—did it for me.
“How about we switch?”
“Am I doing something… wrong?”
I quickly responded, “No. You’re great. But…“
“But what?”
Astrid was clueless. The more I kept going, the further gone I was. I forgot how little she knew about all this. I came, unable to hold back. Feeling terrible about it, I groaned and pulsed inside her. I hung over her, kissing her neck before I rolled off on my side. I lay there for a moment, catching my breath. I struggled to pull myself away to toss the condom. It was warm in bed.
Returning, I said, “I’m sorry, Astrid.”
“Did you not cum?”
I didn’t know if she was taking the piss. Based on her face, she wasn’t taking the piss.
“No, I did. I just came fast . You screaming my name did a number. I am sorry. That’s… that’s why I wanted you on top of me. Because I wanted to get you off again.”
“Why?”
“Do you always just ask questions?”
“We both do. It’s our job,” Astrid said.
“True.”
She nodded. Her adorable little face melted me a little. Here, naked and vulnerable, we could both just exist . It wasn’t about competition. It was just us. Her sweet face drew me in. I was called to be honest.
“Because I like getting you off. Because, despite what you think, I’m not a selfish dick. And because the sound of you cumming is the sweetest thing I’ve heard in ages.”
My words came easily. I meant them. She was lovely and deserved to know. I was partially responsible for teaching her and giving her feedback.
“Really?”
I played with her hair. “Yes.”
“But what about my song about UBI?”
I chuckled. “Oh, well, that was lovely, too. But it was our song. I was on the keys.”
“My dance sold it.”
“Your dance was great.”
Our eyes locked again. I didn’t know what this feeling was, but I was drawn to her. Love her or hate her, Astrid was undeniably different. She challenged me. No one got under my skin or tortured me with questions like she did.
“Thanks for agreeing to come and then leaving when I got overwhelmed,” Astrid said.
“Sure. You did panic.”
“Don’t judge?—”
“I’m not, Astrid. It was unexpected. You are very confident.”
“Issues crop up sometimes. I’m competent, but I even have my moments. I can struggle with some social things—normal things.”
I nodded. “Well, I appreciate your confidence. You’re competent, too, as you say. And nightclubs aren’t my thing, either.”