Chapter 17
Oscar
But there was just something about the way Maren smelled, her ass grinding against me, that had me on the edge.
When I felt her walls clench around my fingers and she flooded my palm, it was too much.
But tasting her, that’s when I lost it. She came undone one more time, and I was right there with her.
That was the dirtiest, rawest sexual experience I have ever had, and she didn’t even touch me.
I have to take a shower.
As hot as that was, sitting in a mess of my own making is not comfortable.
I shower so often between rehearsals, practices, and games that it’s usually a quick endeavor, but right now, I need to soak away the tension, let the hot water roll off my skin, finally let go of all the shit with Tatum so I can focus on Maren.
I lean against the wall and let the steam billow around me until the water runs cold and the fog lifts.
It’s cleansing all of the anger, resentment, and misery from each and every pore.
I grab my towel and wrap it around my waist, but I nearly drop it when I open the door and see Maren sitting on the edge of my bed chewing her nails, looking at the floor.
When her eyes lift to meet mine, I see a faint smear of mascara under her eyes and then notice that her hair is a mess, not a huge mess, but not as smooth and silky as it usually is.
She looks freshly fucked, but I never entered her.
“This is your room,” she murmurs slowly and I’m not sure why. She’s looking around like she’s lost.
“What?” I tilt my head.
“The other night, I thought I was in Jax’s bathroom, but it was yours.” She looks right at me, but her eyes are replaying the other night.
“Yeah,” I speak softly, not knowing how she’s feeling right now. But my stomach is in knots. Did I hurt her? Push her?
She runs her hand through her hair, “You’re probably wondering what in the hell I’m doing in here.”
I bend down in front of her, and readjust my towel. “I’m surprised for sure, but,” I brush her knotted hair behind her ear, “it is the best fucking surprise.”
“Hoping to come in your pants again?” she jokes as her eyes meet mine.
“Seems like you have that effect on me,” I say laughing.
“Why are you such an asshole?” She’s blunt, and I respect the hell out of it, even if the question catches me off guard.
I’m not sure why she’s asking it now, but it’s clearly an answer she needs. So I give it to her.
“Walking in on your best friend fucking your girlfriend will do that to you,” I admit.
“Has she tried to reach out to you at all?” she asks, and I know there is more to her question. Are we over? Is there a chance I will start something with her and then run back to Tatum?
“She texted me for the first time the night of the party. Said she misses me.”
“Oh,” she says, moving a little out of my reach. It’s subtle, but she’s drawing a line. “Ozzie, I won’t be your rebound. You can’t just finger fuck me in a parking lot and bounce between me and your ex. I know my worth, and it’s a hell of a lot more than that. That will no—”
I crash my lips to hers, wanting to make it crystal clear that she’s not just a finger fuck in a parking lot.
But she pulls away. “I didn’t come here to finish what we started. I came here to stop it.”
She shoves me, stands and walks toward the door and my stomach drops.
“Let’s watch a movie,” I suggest, surprising myself.
She stops dead in her tracks. “What?” She smirks, as she turns to face me. I don’t know why she isn’t moving towards the door, and I don’t care. I just want her to stay.
“I don’t know if I like spending time with you yet,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood.
“How do I know you have good tastes in movies?” She challenges right back.
“I have excellent taste in movies,” I reassure her as I turn my TV on and start to search for Princess Bride.
She tilts her head and smiles, “As you wish.”
She quotes the movie and I almost drop the remote. In all the years Tatum and I were together, she never was able to quote a movie even if her life depended on it.
I click play and pat the bed. “Get comfy. I’ll put some clothes on and go make some popcorn.”
“I like extra butter and salt.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” Another plus. Tatum was always so consumed with counting calories, she would barely let me add butter.
Stop comparing her. She’s already a step up… She didn’t fuck your friend.
When I return with popcorn and sodas, I stop in the doorway in awe.
She is lying on her stomach at the foot of my bed with her hair pulled up into a ponytail kicking her feet in the air as she watches the movie.
She looks like Cher in Clueless, all cute and shit, but you can bet your ass if her feet get cold, I’ll warm them up with my hands, not a fucking pillow.
I lay down next to her and put the bowl in front of us.
We both laugh as we watch and take turns quoting the upcoming lines, and I’m not even sure either one of us are actually watching the movie, shows how well we both know it.
Laying next to her is so comfortable, so easy.
We have a lot more in common than I thought, so why do I have a pit in my stomach like the idea of properly kissing her would be cheating?
I grab a handful of popcorn, and when my hand leaves the bowl, it grazes hers.
Her breath hitches. It’s quiet, but I catch it.
We make eye contact, and I can’t look away.
I trace her lips with my eyes as they follow her tongue licking the salt off her lips, and I decide, fuck it, I want a taste. I’m free to feel however I want to.
I lean in and knock the bowl of popcorn onto the floor, but neither one of us gives a shit.
I roll her onto her back and hover over her lips for just a second, admiring their plump curves before I lower my lips to hers and part her lips slightly.
When she opens her mouth and our tongues meet, the sensation is like nothing I’ve felt before.
Her fingers dance through the hair at the nape of my neck as our kiss deepens.
It’s slow, intimate, and full of emotion.
She pulls me closer to her, and my erection brushes her leg.
She’s still wearing the same work clothes from earlier.
I briefly pull back, “Wait, aren’t you supposed to be at work?” I ask.
“When I walked in looking,” she raises her hands, “like this, Ruby sent me home. She said I looked terrible, and asked if I was feeling ok. I lied, told her I thought I was coming down with something. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I was actually just coming down from the best orgasm of my life.
” She smiles, and her teeth are absolutely perfect.
I don’t know why that’s always been so hot to me, but it is.
I lean in and kiss her nose. “Do you want me to walk you to your car?”
She pulls back with a look of concern, “Are we done here?”
“No. I mean, I don’t want to be, but you said you didn’t come here to finish what we started, and I’m not sure either one of us will make good on that promise if you stay.”
She looks at me and I can see the contemplation in her eyes. She wants to stay, but the silence is broken by the ping of my phone.
Jax: On my way home. Got pizza.
We both look at the message preview, and a second later, she stands.
“You’re right, and I’m not sure I should be here when he gets home. If Horner finds out, he’ll fire me.”
“Fuck Horner. I’ll talk to him.”
“You don’t mean that, you love him.”
“I do. But he’s not going to be the thing that stands in the way of whatever this is.”
“Let’s just let it be for a bit before we go stirring up trouble. Ok?”
“How did you get in here, by the way?” I ask, as the question sneaks in my brain and vomits out of my mouth.
“Huh?”
“I assumed Jax let you in, but he’s not home yet.”
“The front door was cracked open, so I called your name and then heard the shower. Now we’re even… you’ve been lurking like a creep.” She smiles and places a kiss on my cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow at rehearsals.”
I take a long breath forcing myself to let her leave, and when the door closes and I flop down on my bed, her flowery scent lingers below me on the bed.