13. Aria
13
ARIA
I t was five minutes to eight. A large bowl of popcorn sat between two of the deep, plush seats in our home theater. We had spent so many happy hours here, Valentina and I, sometimes with our friends, sometimes with Mom and Dad. We used to curl up under blankets, sometimes covering our faces if the scene was too scary. Horror movies had always scared the hell out of me when I was a kid, but somehow, it wasn’t as bad when I knew I was right down the hall from my bedroom. I was safe.
Was I safe tonight? Debatable. Obviously, it was a waste of time to tell myself this was wrong, that we shouldn’t spend time together this way. Somewhere, when I wasn’t paying attention, I had stopped caring about that.
It’s probably because I started caring too much about him. This would’ve been so much easier if there hadn’t been the chance to get to know him. It was always harder to hate someone I knew.
It didn’t hurt that he was an expert at making me come until my ears rang, and I forgot how to speak.
I settled in, confident he would join me, and he didn’t disappoint. The door opened behind me, leaving me holding my breath, staring up at the screen where the Blu-ray menu for the movie I had chosen was displayed.
“Fuck.” Was that admiration in Miles’s voice as he approached, passing two rows of seats before reaching mine? “Why go out in public at all? You have everything you need right here under this roof.”
He had a point. “It was something Dad put together for Valentina and me,” I explained, patting the seat on the other side of the popcorn bucket. “We always had the coolest sleepovers.”
“No doubt.” The strange, unsettling anger that had seemed to grip him earlier at the carnival was nowhere in sight. Grinning affably, he dropped into his seat, now wearing a sweater and jeans with only socks on his feet. This might have been the most casual I had ever seen him. Well, not counting the time we were naked together.
“Oh, I forgot. Are you thirsty?” I hopped up and scooted over to the mini refrigerator in the corner. “There’s Coke, root beer, Dr. Pepper.”
“I’ll have a Coke,” he decided. “I still can’t get over how nice this is. Your father spared no expense on you two.”
“Mom always worried he was spoiling us,” I confessed, bringing him a soda and settling down with one of my own. “She didn’t grow up this way. She kept us grounded.” He grunted softly but offered no reply. I probably seemed like the least grounded person who ever lived.
“Have you ever seen Citizen Kane ?” I asked, picking up the remote. “And if not, would you mind watching it now? It’s probably my favorite movie.”
“I’ve never had the pleasure,” he admitted. “Though it’s always been on my list of films I would like to check out. There has to be a reason it’s so highly regarded, I imagine.”
I clapped my hands gleefully before remembering whose presence I was in. “Don’t laugh at me,” I warned when his lips twitched as if he was about to do just that. “Sorry, I get excited when I have the chance to introduce people to something I love.”
His smile was genuine. “That’s very nice. I look forward to the film.” He took a handful of popcorn and tossed a few pieces into his mouth, grunting in approval. “Shit, this is good.”
“I aim to please.” His eyes held mine as I pushed play on the remote.
Sitting next to him, every nerve on edge, I couldn't ignore his nearness and the electric touch of his fingers grazing mine as we both reached for the popcorn bucket at the exact same time. The tension between us was palpable, heightened by the soft gasps and murmurs he made in response to the twists of the plot. I was determined to keep my eyes glued to the screen, but damn, it was a struggle with that pull toward him.
Every so often, I’d glance his way. There was nothing as gratifying as watching somebody enjoy something I loved. After a while, he noticed, his gaze locking onto mine.
I didn’t stand a chance against him. All it took was the sight of those gold-flecked orbs to light a fire in my core. Something wicked sizzled through me like a lightning bolt, and I slid out of my seat before there was time to talk myself out of it.
“What are you doing?” he asked, amused, as I lowered myself to my knees. I gave him a quick glance, sliding my hands under the hem of his sweater to unbutton his jeans.
Why use words when actions get the point across?
He watched my every move, completely still and almost holding his breath when I lowered his zipper. What was I doing? Anybody could come in if they heard the movie playing and wanted to join us. He had no reason to lock the door when he came in.
That didn’t stop me. I didn’t know what would now that a wicked little sizzle danced up my spine. Finally, what I’d always heard made sense. Danger made the whole thing much hotter.
I opened his fly and reached inside his boxer briefs to pull his stiffening dick through the opening at the front. I knew how big he was. He had damn near split me in half. Still, having him in my hand left me wondering if I could take him into my mouth.
I had to try. It was the challenge that drove me to run my tongue around his ridge, making him tense, releasing a deep breath, and sinking into the seat. “Fuck, that’s good,” he groaned out, barely audible over the movie playing behind me.
His hand found the back of my head as I took him into my mouth, letting him slide past my lips. I held him there for a second, taking him to the edge of his patience before plunging my head down as far as I could go. Already, the salty taste of his precum danced across my tongue.
There was a sense of power, which was why I had always enjoyed giving head. Being in control of a man’s pleasure, setting the pace, slowing down if it seemed he was rushing toward the end.
Now, it was even better. There was more than a feeling of power surging through me as I bobbed rhythmically up and down, using my tongue to massage the bundle of nerves under his head with each stroke. This was Miles I was sucking. For once, I was in control, and I was going to savor every second of it.
I released him with a soft, popping sound, followed by his deep groan. “Put it in your mouth,” he ordered, pushing on my head like that would help.
Stroking him with my hand, I shook my head. “You don’t call the shots now,” I warned, giggling when he groaned again in dismay. “Sorry.”
“No, you aren’t,” he muttered miserably. That misery ended when I licked his head like a lollipop before plunging down again, sucking harder until there was nothing he could do but grunt with every breath, all of his control slipping away while the music reached a crescendo that filled the room as I took him to the edge.
“Yeah… just like that… you’re gonna make me come…” he whispered, lifting his hips, frantic for relief. I moved faster, letting his sharp gasps guide me until he groaned, his hand tightening around the back of my head, pulling my hair an instant before he filled my mouth with a rush of salty warmth that I quickly swallowed back, keeping up, somehow needing to prove I could take all of him. A strange sense of pride swelled in my chest when he finished.
I released him and reached for my soda, taking a long gulp as I stood. The movie was over now, the sled burning up in the fire and sending plumes of smoke into the sky. “Sorry I made you miss the end of the movie,” I murmured.
In the soft glow from the screen, I caught sight of his wide grin. His eyes were closed, his heaving chest slowly starting to settle down. “Are you kidding?” He sighed. “That was the best fucking film I’ve ever seen. It could be we need to go to your room to discuss it a bit more.”
What was already warm and wet suddenly started to ache at his choice of words. “I think I could spare a little time for some film discussion,” I agreed while he tucked himself into his pants.
This was bad.
It was so bad.
Then why did it feel so good?