Chapter 20 #2
As his hand trails higher, his fingers graze my thigh as he lifts the hem of my shorts, allowing his fingers to slip beneath.
He moves his knuckles back and forth on my skin.
Back and forth. Back and forth. Agonizingly slow, almost as if he’s testing the waters, waiting for me to react.
Or he just doesn’t want his movements to be noticeable to the others under the blanket.
But wouldn’t that mean he’s doing this because he wants to and not to put on a show for the others?
I must not be thinking clearly. The heat that blooms from the spot he traces on my leg spreads to other areas of my body, making it hard to think through my reaction.
I do my best to control my breathing, as it involuntarily grows heavier at his touch.
It’s an effort to do so as I am consumed by Theo at this moment.
All I can feel is Theo. All I can smell is Theo. All I can think about is Theo.
Wanting to feel more of him, I move my hand and greedily place it on his abdomen underneath the blanket. There’s no harm in returning the favor. Maybe I’ll get more answers about how he really feels.
Trailing my hand lower on his abdomen, I gently brush my fingers along his waistband before dipping them under the soft fabric of his shirt. His skin is softer than I expected, but his abs are as hard as I envisioned, whch has been more times than I care to admit since meeting him at the diner.
With my head still resting on his shoulder, I hear the moment his heartbeat increases as I mimic his hand motions.
His fingers brush along the skin of my hips, the hemline of my shorts now pulled up farther than a few minutes ago.
My fingers lightly touch the space above his belly button, dipping every so often to tease his waistband.
With each circular motion of Theo’s fingers, he slides farther up my hip until he reaches the lace-lined fabric of my underwear.
My hand on him stalls as he begins to toy with the lace, pulling slightly before tracing his fingers along the fabric backward toward my ass.
Letting the lace go, he glides his fingertips back and forth on the bare skin of my ass, sending a shiver up my spine.
When his hand flattens on my ass cheek, I can feel the growing heat between my thighs at the proximity of his fingertips to my already soaking wet core.
“You guys want more popcorn?” Leo’s voice washes over me like a bucket full of ice water.
I yank my hand from Theo’s abs as he pulls the fabric of my shorts back over my hip.
When he declines Leo’s offer of popcorn, I glance at him.
One look and he’s staring straight at the TV screen, unbothered by the events that just transpired between us.
I know he can see me looking at him out of the corner of his eye, but he won’t look back at me.
It feels like a slap straight to the face.
Adjusting his position, Theo pulls his arm from around me, grabs his water, and takes a sip.
When he sits back, his arm doesn’t return to its original position.
Instead, he grabs a pillow and pulls it over his lap, resting both of his arms there.
The pillow's position would make it impossible for me to return my hand to its original position, and the message is clear.
Embarrassed that I may have unintentionally made Theo feel uncomfortable, I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. Theo barely glances my way as I leave the living room.
Once I’m in the bathroom, I turn the faucet to cold.
I cup my hands under the running water and begin splashing it on my face.
The first wave stings, but it’s nothing compared to the sudden lack of attention I’m getting from Theo.
The cold water numbs as I continue splashing it on my face, hoping it will help clear my mind and distract me from the ache between my legs.
After what feels like a solid ten minutes in the bathroom, I still haven’t cooled down. I’m not a virgin; it’s not like a man has never touched me before. But something about this man makes the simplest touch feel earth-shattering in the best way possible.
I haven’t been this worked up in a while. I curse myself for not listening to Beth’s advice about finding some random guy to sleep with the night of Theo’s party. Then maybe I wouldn’t be in this mess.
When I exit the restroom and look at the living room, I freeze. The thought of going back to sit with Theo feels suffocating. Everyone is still engrossed in the movie, so I turn the opposite way and head out the back door to the deck.
The summer night air cools my skin as I make my way across the deck, overlooking the lake.
Gripping the railing as though I might fall off, I take a few deep breaths.
As the cool breeze kisses my skin under the light of the moon, the sound of crickets surrounds me, and my body temperature begins to drop.
Inhale…Exhale…Inhale…Exhale…Inha-
The unmistakable sound of the back door sliding open breaks through the peaceful night air.
I don’t dare to look back as I wrap my arms around myself, wishing I had a shell to hide inside in the presence of the one person I didn’t want to follow me out here.
I don’t need to look back to know it’s him.
Another breeze rolls through, and his scent invades my senses the moment he gets close.
Something soft brushes against my left arm, and I look down to find Theo holding out his sweatshirt to me.
“Let’s talk,” he says softly.
My stomach drops as he says the words. Tentatively, I take the sweatshirt from his hand, the heat between my legs returning in his presence. The night air continues to kiss my bare limbs, and when a chill runs through me, I put on the sweatshirt, leaving it unzipped.
My heart rate increases as I await his next words. I know where this is going. I’ve made him uncomfortable by crossing a boundary between the two of us. I got caught up in the moment, and I’m ashamed of my body’s reaction. I should’ve known better.
He opens his mouth to say something, and I know only one thing for certain. I’ll have no choice but to accept the offer sitting in my inbox, since I’ll be kissing any job option I had with Theo goodbye.