Grant
FIFTY-SIX
Me
What time do you get in?
AG
In two hours. After we get to the hotel, I’ll Uber to your place.
Me
I can’t stop thinking about you, and I don’t care how pathetic that makes me sound.
AG
I like pathetic.
More so when you’re on your knees.
Me
I plan to spend a lot of time there tonight.
There’s a door in the back alley of my building. I’ll leave it propped open for you to sneak in.
AG
No one will see me?
Me
Nope. There aren’t any cameras back there. Only a questionable dumpster.
AG
Okay, good.
See you soon.
Me
Literally counting down the seconds.
I’m an anxious wreck.
It’s impossible to sit still, and an hour of reading through websites on ways to make losing your virginity more enjoyable hasn’t calmed me down. I’m out of my element, and it’s time to call in reinforcements.
Typing out a message to the guys, I heave a deep breath before hitting send.
Puck Kings
Me
I need some quick advice. Is anyone free for a FaceTime call?
Mavvy
Reporting for duty.
Mitchy
I’m available!
Sully
No.
Huddy Boy
Everything okay, G?
Easy E
I’m supposed to meet up with a girl, and I only have fifteen minutes. Make it snappy, Everett.
Connor
I’m not great with advice, but I’ll do my best.
I lean my phone against a vase in the living room and FaceTime Maverick before adding all the boys to the call.
“What it do, baby boos?” Ethan announces when he gets connected. “Look at all of us together on a day when we don’t have practice. We’re really not beating the rumors that we’re codependent.”
“I am codependent, and that’s why I’m calling.
” I run a hand through my hair and look at the faces blinking back at me.
Even Liam answered, and seeing his scowl in the bottom right corner of my screen makes me smile.
“I’ve been keeping a secret from you all.
It’s personal. Like, embarrassingly personal.
I never knew the right time to tell you guys, but I need some advice, so I’m going to come clean. ”
“Is your dick pierced too?” Ethan asks, and Riley groans. “What? It’s a logical question. I can give you my cleaning routine, G, so you don’t get any rashes. No one likes a rash.”
“My dick is not pierced, and it will never be pierced,” I say.
“Are you sure? The original piercing hurts, but women love—”
“I’m a virgin,” I blurt, and Ethan stops talking. “I’m a virgin, and I have a woman coming to my place soon to… well, have sex, hopefully, and I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do. I mean, I’ve read books and watched movies and understand what goes where, but I… I don’t know what to do.”
“Hang on.” Maverick squints at me. “You’ve never slept with anyone?”
“No.” My cheeks burn. This is the most mortifying conversation of my life, and they’re going to start teasing me any second. “I’ve done everything else, but the act of, ah, penetrative sex is a new concept to me. I’m not going to be very good, and she’s going to have a horrible time.”
“Don’t say that.” Hudson shakes his head. “We were all virgins once.”
“Which means we all didn’t know what to do at one point in our lives.” Riley pushes his glasses up his nose. “It’s like hockey, Grant. The more you do it, the better you are at it.”
“How are you a virgin?” Ethan asks. “I see people at every game wearing your jersey and trying to get your attention. You’ve never slept with a fan?”
“No. The idea of a one-night stand isn’t appealing to me.” I don’t think my cheeks could be any redder than they are right now. “I’ve, um, had a crush on a woman for a few years, and it didn’t feel right to sleep with someone else just to get off when they were on my mind.”
“Damn.” Ethan whistles. “He’s a goddamn romantic, folks.”
“I need to know how to make things good for her.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “I want her to stick around after tonight, and I want it to be perfect. I need your help.”
“Women are simple creatures, G,” Ethan starts. “It doesn’t take much to—”
“That’s bullshit, Ethan. Shut up and let the adults talk.” Maverick rolls his eyes. “Let’s start with the basics: Does this woman know you’re a virgin?”
“She does.” I nod. “We did, um, other things the last time we were together, and she seemed to enjoy herself. But I have no confidence going into tonight.”
“First things first: Women are more complex than we are. Don’t you dare call them simple.” Maverick glares at the screen, and it must be directed at Ethan. “I can get off by watching Emmy get off, but it doesn’t work the other way around. Patience is important. So is listening and communicating.”
“What do you mean by communicating?” I ask, wanting to get all of this right. “Like, moaning?”
“No. Talk to her. Ask her questions. ‘How does that feel?’ ‘Do you like it when I touch you here?’ ‘How can I make this better for you?’ Don’t let your ego get bruised if she doesn’t like something. Adjust to a different position or different angle,” Maverick continues.
“If you need reinforcements, toys are your friends, not your competition,” Riley adds. “Vibrators. Dildos. Ropes. Those can all help her come, but only after she gives you consent to touch her like that. You need to ask before you try anything new.”
“Don’t get off before her, Everett,” Liam says. “She always finishes first. I don’t care if you have to recite every hockey stat in existence to keep your mind occupied. Don’t even think about taking care of your needs before she’s come at least once. Twice would be preferred.”
“I would never. She’s the priority, obviously. Finishing first isn’t fair,” I say. “How do I know if I’m being too rough? Or not rough enough, if that’s what she likes?”
“That goes back to communication,” Hudson says. “And body language. If she says please, you need to ask her please what? so there isn’t any confusion if she means more or less of what you’re doing. If she looks like she’s in pain, stop and check in with her.”
“You don’t need to narrate the whole thing, but you can get dirty with it.” Ethan grins. “You can talk about how big your co—”
“Definitely not doing that.” I’m tempted to mute him. “Here’s the embarrassing question: What if I finish too fast?”
“Happens to all of us.” Connor grins. “On more than one occasion. Women are hot as hell.”
“Almost every time I’m with Emmy,” Maverick admits. “She’s too damn sexy.”
“We’re visual creatures,” Riley adds. “When Lexi forces me to watch her get herself off without being allowed to touch, I swear it’s just as effective as having her hand wrapped around me. Like Sully said: The goal is to make sure she finishes first. Doesn’t matter how long you last after that.”
“Shower when you’re finished. Personal hygiene is important, and aftercare is one of the best parts,” Liam tells me.
“Aftercare can be as hot as the actual orgasm.” Maverick grins. “Especially when you finish in her and get to clean her up.”
“One of the most important things to remember is that the majority of women don’t have an orgasm from penetration alone. They need stimulation,” Liam continues. “Touch her while you’re inside her. Whatever you did before sex, do during sex.”
“So many moving parts.” I rub my forehead. “And a lot of things to remember.”
“Make sure she has water!” Ethan chimes in.
“Hydration. That I can do. This has all been very helpful. Thanks, boys. Wish me luck, I guess?” I laugh. “I don’t fucking know. I spent twenty minutes trying to figure out what type of condoms to order to my house, so maybe we won’t even get to that part of the night if they don’t fit.”
“I go with magnums.” Ethan reaches out of the frame and returns holding a box. “They fit me perfectly.”
“We’re ending on that note. Way too much personal information.” Hudson pinches the bridge of his nose. “You’re going to be fine, Grant. Enjoy the night, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
We hang up after a round of goodbyes, and I shove my phone between the couch cushions where it can’t distract me. The knock that echoes down the hall makes me double check my reflection in the mirror, and I’m so goddamn nervous.
My hands are sweaty. My heart is racing, and I cannot believe I’m the lucky bastard who gets to do this with her.
“Hi,” I say when I open the door, and the sight of Lia in her leather skirt, white turtleneck, and black boots that show off her long legs is enough to make my mouth dry. “Fuck. I missed you, Lia.”
“Hi.” She drapes an arm around my neck. “I missed you too.”
“You’re even more beautiful than when I last saw you.” I put a palm on her hip. I draw her close and trace my thumb over the hem of her short skirt. “How is that possible?”
“The sun hasn’t been out for weeks in Denver, so you might be delusional.
” Her laugh is light when she shuts the door behind her.
She runs her fingers through the ends of my hair then pulls down on my bottom lip with her thumb.
It makes me whine. “You look great, Grant. And you still have all your teeth. That’s a miracle. ”
“Come here.” My hand slides to the small of her back. I press her flush against me, a hungry groan working up my throat when I inhale her perfume. “You’ve been in my apartment for over a minute, and I haven’t kissed you yet. What am I doing?”
“Waiting for something better to come along?”
“There’s nothing better than you.” I spin her so her back is against the wall.
I put a hand next to her head, dropping my mouth to her neck then moving up to her cheek.
When I get to her lips, I kiss her hard and desperately, glad when she gasps and answers with her tongue.
“Fuck, baby. I’ve been counting down the goddamn seconds until I had you in my arms.”
“I’m here.” Amelia turns her head, letting me kiss down her throat. I bunch her shirt in my grip, wanting to rip the thing off her body. “This is so much better than what I’ve been imagining.”