Chapter 16 #3
I pull back an inch, both of us panting and looking at each other. Just when he’s about to open his mouth and possibly ruin the moment, I curl one sweatpants-clad leg around him, pulling so he’s flat on his back and I’m straddling him. “Whoa.” Daniel looks up at me admiringly, “That was smooth.”
“All credit to you.” I wink and hover over him, my long red hair tickling his face.
He’s laughing when I kiss him again. Our kisses are almost frenzied, the hint of a five o’clock shadow on his chin rubbing my face raw.
I work my way along his jaw, peppering him with small kisses and even biting his ear lightly.
I remember him liking it last time, and his groan does not disappoint.
I pull my Florence + the Machine t-shirt over my head, tossing it aside. I’m unnaturally pleased at Daniel’s reaction when he sees me. He looks up at me with awe, like I’m powerful and beautiful. “You’re amazing,” he says, eyes wide. “Did you wear that on the flight?”
It’s a deep burgundy lace bra with pink flowers embroidered throughout. I laugh then, too. “I might have changed in the airport bathroom. You’re just lucky I packed something nice at all.”
“Lucky is right,” he says with those starry eyes, and I can hardly contain myself. I feel like I’m jumping out of my skin.
Daniel must be feeling the same way because he grips me tightly and rolls us again, so we’re on a different blanket, this one is soft and white.
I’m now underneath, peering up at Daniel who is braced with only some of his weight on me.
He begins kissing me again, with that same fervor and passion that makes my head spin.
I arch my back, aching for him, and he reaches a hand underneath.
He fumbles once, then unlatches my bra. I help him take it off.
“I prefer you over the lingerie, Annie,” he breathes, touching my breasts just the way I like.
I grit my teeth when he takes my nipple in his mouth, swirling his tongue over it. My brain feels like it's on fire.
He takes the same care with the other one, while I grip his shoulders and swallow down some whimpers.
When he finally stops, I find myself scrambling for his shirt, wanting more of his skin on me.
He pulls off the black T-shirt and Stanford sweatshirt in one go, tossing both behind us.
I kiss down his chest, admiring his lean physique.
He might have lost track, but he could never quit running.
My eager hands find the waistband of his pants, and Daniel stills, reaching for my hand. “Annie,” his voice is hoarse with wanting, “are you sure? I understand who you are. We don’t need to do anything you don’t want to do.”
My heart swells up, almost stopping me from responding. It’s sweet he remembers our conversation from so long ago.
A couple weeks into our relationship when we had hardly shared more than a few kisses, I talked to Daniel about being demisexual.
I explained that I wasn’t always sexually motivated, and certainly not by people I hardly knew.
He nodded at all the right places, asked some thoughtful questions, and we decided to create the pace we wanted.
Just about the time he had his accident, I was feeling ready to move our relationship to the next step.
I slept with Evan about four months in, and it was good, just not great.
We both knew it wasn’t the right romance for us.
We weren’t bad together; we just weren’t great.
Daniel makes me feel like greatness itself.
I look him in the eye, so he knows I’m telling the truth.
“Daniel,” I keep my tone even, “it’s unusual that I’m sexually attracted to someone, that’s true.
” He’s already leaning back, trying to give me space, but I grab his jaw, pulling him back down so he can hear me.
“But you’re pretty unusual, Daniel Chan. And I’ve never wanted you more.”
At my words, he gives me that movie star smile and I want to fan myself, a blush spreading down my chest. He leans down, gives me a peck, then we begin to move slower.
Everything becomes less frantic and more sensual.
I appreciate the savoring. Every moment feels weighted, tension-filled, and it makes my body writhe with wanting him.
The eye contact as he slowly peels off my socks.
When we both take off our pants and he eyes my matching burgundy underwear hungrily.
When he delicately runs his hands along my lower stomach, teases the band of my underwear, traces a finger up my upper thigh.
My breath comes shorter and shorter. When he disappears for a moment for protection, which, like any ridiculous boy, he had stashed in his wallet, we both shiver as I help him roll it on.
I lean back on my elbows, feeling the soft plush of the blankets underneath.
I wonder how I appear to Daniel, nearly naked and hungry and flushed and freckled and almost out of my mind with needing him.
I can understand the appeal of sex now. It’s clouding any coherent thought.
Daniel’s fingers dig into my hips for a moment, skimming the faded stretch marks there.
He kisses them softly, pulling down my underwear and putting them aside.
“Ready, my beautiful Annie?” His voice is achingly soft, his body just as ready for me as mine is for him.
“Yes,” I say tremulously. He kisses his way up my body, his erection just teasing at my entrance. I whimper at the lack of pressure. “Please,” I say, my nose skimming his cheek, whispering in his ear.
When he finally enters me, it is slow. So slow, I see spots.
I clutch his back, and he kisses me searingly, and then we find our rhythm, moving faster.
He adds a few fingers just where I want him, making the pleasure almost unbearable.
I wrap my legs around him, increasing our closeness and the angle.
I wish this moment would last forever, this feeling of closeness and understanding between us.
The night feels perfect, untouchable and sacred.
We started with emotional, intellectual closeness, followed by a more physical, subconscious closeness.
I cherish every place we touch, the grip of his hand on my waist, his teeth just grazing my lower lip, his chest pressed against mine, my ankles interlocked in the small of his back. The rhythm of us, the bliss of us.
Then there is a blistering amount of pleasure, a starburst in my brain, and we’re both sighing at the finish.
His body is heavy on top of mine for a moment, but then he pushes up a fraction.
I raise a trembling hand, smoothing his eyebrows, tracing the angles of his face.
He looks beautifully undone, curls flopping in his eyes, eyelashes so close to me I can count them.
He gives me one more kiss, then leaves for just a moment to clean up, and the chill makes me shiver. I wrap myself in one of the blankets, blinking in surprise when I see that the living room clock reads 12:34 AM.
I’m already dozing when Daniel comes back and re-wraps the blanket around both of us. I nestle into his shoulder, feeling more content than I have in years.
*
I wake the next morning feeling hungry and cold. Daniel and I spent all night in the living room, waking up a few times to kiss and more. We even talked for a lovely hour at 3:00 AM. At some point in the night, I pulled my T-shirt back on, and Daniel put on his sweats.
My smartwatch vibrating where it lies near my head is what ultimately propels me from our lovely cocoon, telling me it’s 9:30 and if I don’t get moving, I’ll be late to practice.
It doesn’t officially start until noon, but I’m expected for pre-workout and stretching by 10:30.
I could skip it, but answering questions about my relationship with Daniel is the last thing I want.
We’re still technically fake dating for my teammates, and real dating—but only for the first time—to Jadea.
Explaining all of that so early does not seem wise.
Daniel looks so unassuming, lying in a wild mess of pastel blankets and pillows.
Some sunlight is starting to bleed through my living room curtains, though I try to draw them closed so he can sleep as long as he wants.
I hum through my shower and my breakfast of avocado toast. It’s either the sunlight or my good mood that stirs Daniel.
“Annie?” He rubs his eyes adorably. “What time is it?”
I look at the clock. “Just after ten. I’ll have to leave soon.”
He somehow unearths himself from the blankets and heads my way.
I’m sure I look thoroughly sexy in my towel turban and hot pink bathrobe.
Daniel leans in to kiss me, and I have to hastily drop my toast. “Daniel!” I start giggling as he kisses down my neck, pulling me closer. “We’re going to be late.”
He leans back enough to raise a brow. “Late?”
“I need to be in the cardio room in less than half an hour.” I look at the clock pointedly.
“You can join me if you want, run on the treadmill.” Daniel has already made use of our cardio room several times.
But he’s hardly paying attention to me, coiling the robe’s tie around his finger.
“Come on,” I wheedle, “what’s more tempting: sex or the runner’s high? ”
Daniel shakes his head in disgust. “You play dirty, Ms. Larger.”
I laugh and press a lingering kiss to his mouth. “I know. Now, hurry up and get ready.” I manage to half-heartedly pull away so he can get dressed and brush his teeth with one of my spare toothbrushes.
He’s about to walk away, just barely holding on to my hand, when he pulls me back in. I bump into his chest in surprise. “One more thing,” he says, real low. “And it’s really important. Annie, there is nothing better in life than waking up next to you. Will you please be my girlfriend again?”
I shouldn’t be surprised he asked, but I am. I try to hide the depth of my emotion behind a delighted smile. “I think I will.” My voice is lower too, as though I can’t just laugh this off.
We stare at each other like happy idiots, until I finally regain my senses and push him towards the bathroom. “We’re going to be late!” I look at the clock in alarm. “I hate being late!”
Daniel releases a long-suffering sigh. “My girlfriend is so punctual.” He emphasizes the first two words as he heads into my bathroom.
“My boyfriend is, too!” I yell back cheerfully.
That feeling in my chest is too bright to ignore. Happiness suffuses through me. Why did I deny Daniel for so long?