Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
GATSBY
I press her body even closer to me. After tomorrow, I might not see her for a couple of weeks. Who knows how long I’ll stay at home. We’ll do a video conference the same way she does with her parents. If she weren’t so stubborn and would let me buy her a cellphone, our problems would stop.
For now, I need to enjoy her. I lower my head to kiss her, covering her mouth with mine.
As always, our lips burst with heat when they touch. It’s like lightning. Her sweet lips part for me. My tongue probes deep, finding hers.
I almost come with her soft moan.
I kiss her deeply.
A ripple of pleasure strikes down my spine and all the way to the soles of my feet.
I can never get enough of her.
She’s become everything to me. I don’t understand why, but as my wise father told me the other day, love isn’t an object. It’s an emotion.
Emotions were put in the world to be felt.
Lived.
So here I am, riding our love like a wave that I hope lasts for an eternity. After all, stars like Maia are bigger than the sun. A blue star has the energy to last billions of years.
Maybe our love will last that long.
She cups my face. “Are you okay?”
I nod.
“You’re concerned about something.”
“The presentation, of course.”
“You should send me an email with the copy, just in case something happens to your computer.”
I try not to laugh, but I release a chuckle. “No offense, but your laptop is outdated and doesn’t have much capability.”
She glares at me, and it reminds me that I need to go back to my apartment for my stuff.
Instead of dicking around while she was talking with her parents, I should’ve run a few errands.
We’re out of milk, cereal, and of course, I need my laptop for tomorrow’s presentation.
She’s going to die when I tell her the computer is in my apartment, and the options are to go pick it up now or wait until tomorrow morning.
Before I can speak, she pushes me around and has me flat on my back. “Nice move, Little Blue.”
Our faces are so close to each other I can feel her soft breaths against my skin—warming it.
“I’ve learned a thing or two since I met you.”
I roll her over, and this time I’m on top. I don’t let her speak. I slant my mouth to hers and kiss her. I devour her, knowing that I might not be able to do this for a few days.
Except we have all night. Don’t we?
Still, I consume her as if this were my last dinner, my last kiss, my last chance to love her. I declare my love. I promise her the world as I do every day and every night. Sure, we’re young, but I don’t see myself loving anyone the way I do her.
Greedily, I stroke my tongue between her lips, groaning. Fuck, I lose myself in Maia’s taste. The way our tongues dance a sweet tango. We claim each other. Every kiss, every touch is a declaration of love between us.
Can there ever be something more perfect than what we have?
“I love you,” I say as I undress her and kiss every inch of her beautiful skin. I bury my face in her neck and nibble her skin, biting her ear and grasping her jaw with my teeth.
“What’s happening to you, Gatz? You’re impatient today.”
“Hmm…we barely saw each other today.”
Maia smirks as she unfastens my shorts and pushes them down. She’s so bold and sexy when she takes charge. I pull off my shirt. She’s the one who reaches for my length and places it right at her entrance. I don’t wait. I plunge myself inside of her.
Deep, impossibly deep.
I claim her.
I surrender.
This is perfect—perfect and so us.
I feed on her pleasure, her whimpers, her love.
I’m always hungry for her. We infuse each other’s souls with our scents, our love.
It doesn’t take long to get close to the edge. A few strokes, and I’m close. We’re so fucking close. The rush of energy slams through my spine. Her whimpers turn into throaty moans, and we’re both sent over the cliff.
We fly up, up, up, until we’re gliding.
This is us, and we can’t help but fall madly into each other.
Maia caresses my face, her eyes filled with lust and love. “What are you thinking?”
“That I need to go home for my stuff, but I don’t want to move.”
She gives me that look that says, you never listen . “I told you to do it earlier.”
I kiss her temple. “You were right. I should learn to listen to you more often.”
It’s hard to let her go. It’s only a few hours, come on, let her go.
“Can you come with me?”
“Nope. You know the rules. I have a curfew on school nights—even when I don’t live at home anymore.”
I try hard not to roll my eyes. It’s almost impossible to understand her parents’ rules. I guess it’s because mine are pretty laid-back. “Fine, but you’re going to miss me.”
She scrunches her nose and shakes her head. I press her closer to me.
“Fine, I’ll miss you.” She sighs.
I want to kiss the sassy tone out of her mouth.
Anything is a good excuse to mold my lips to hers.
I kiss her hard before I get dressed. Tomorrow, after we ace the presentation, I’ll try to convince her to come to Paradise Bay with me for a few days.
It’s not like she needs to be here over the weekend.
She can make an excuse, something like a field trip or…
I don’t know what, but I want her with me.
Also, I want my parents and my family to meet her.
“I love you,” I say as I walk toward the door.
She springs out of bed and rushes to me, giving me one last kiss. “I love you too. From here to the moon.”
“I love you more.”
“Leave, Spearman, or we’re going to end up in bed again.”
I smirk. “Or against the wall.”
“Go.”
I wave at her and get out before we go for another round.
My apartment isn’t that far from her studio. Still, I drive since I need to go to the grocery store. When I pull out of the parking spot, my phone rings. I wait until I get to the red light to answer the call. I’m sure it’s Maia asking me to bring ice cream, cheese fries, or candy.
“What did you forget?”
“Gatz, it’s Aslan.”
“Hey, I should be on my way home tomorrow evening.”
“You need to come now!”
“Why? I mean, Dad said not to worry.” He did. I spoke to him earlier. It was six in the morning his time when I called to make sure he was okay.
Our vineyard is his passion. Losing it was painful, but as he said, we have good soil and the vineyard will be reborn like the phoenix.
Today’s task was to check the vines one by one to see what he could save.
I offered to help over the weekend—and stay home until we knew what would happen to the vineyard.
I don’t care if I have to repeat the semester. My family comes first.
“Where are you?” he asks.
“I’m in the car, heading to my apartment.”
“How far are you?” He’s the most demanding of the three. I can usually take his attitude, but I’m not in the mood to deal with him.
“I’m almost there. Do you want me to park the car or what?”
“I’ll wait until you’re inside and sitting.”
My gut tightens, and the tone of his voice is making me nervous. What happened? I know something is wrong. I can feel it. I rush through the streets, park the car, and head to my place. Once I close the door, I slide to the floor and say, “Hit me.”
“Dad died.”
Pins and needles poke my body. I can’t feel anything but the tears rolling down my cheeks. This can’t be happening. Not him. Not Dad .
I still need my dad.
“Uncle Joel hired a charter. It’s waiting for you at the airport.”
“I’ll be there in a few hours.”