Chapter 15
Ihadn’t even taken my pants off and this was already the best sexual experience of my life.
Gracie Knight was half naked and whimpering in my lap, her body still shuddering with the aftershocks of her climax. I was pretty sure if I lived to be a hundred, I would never forget the feel of her wet, tight heat clenching around my fingers when she came all over my hand.
Shit. My dirty teenage boy brain had come up with a million filthy fantasies about her, but the reality of it had blown them all away.
The soft, desperate sounds she made deep in her throat.
The way she clutched at my shoulders when she got close, her fingers reflexively tightening over and over again.
The little gasp she’d made when she finally came, like she was surprised by the force of it.
Hottest thing ever.
“Wow,” she muttered against my chest, where she had slumped weakly sometime after her orgasm hit.
I brushed some hair away from her forehead, my chest warming with pride at the almost disbelieving tone in that single word. It had been amazing for her, too.
“Wow is right,” I told her, kissing the top of her head. “That was…”
I trailed off, at a loss for words.
“Wow?” she offered, and we both chuckled.
Somehow, that made it even better. Because Gracie and I could still laugh together, could still feel that same old comfort with each other.
For a long time, I had desperately wanted our relationship to become something more, but I also never wanted us to lose the friendship that had meant the world to me in those days.
I squeezed her a little tighter, holding back my groan at the feel of her soft breasts pressed against my chest, her nipples still hard with arousal.
My body might still be raring to go, but I wasn’t going to push her to do anything.
I knew it had taken a lot of trust for her to let things get this far and if she needed time to take in what had happened, that was more than fine with me.
Even if my aching dick was still hard enough to hammer nails.
Then Gracie looked up at me, her eyes glinting with heat, and my breath caught. That wicked expression on her sweet, beautiful face sure didn’t look like someone who needed time. And when she pressed her lips against mine, there was no holding back the groan that demanded release.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” she whispered against my mouth.
“I know.” I swallowed hard, trying to keep a hold of my desire. I wanted to press her back into the couch cushions and feel her sweet, curvy little body writhe under me. “Then again, it kind of feels inevitable.”
She pulled back enough to look into my eyes. “Inevitable?”
I nodded. “Me and you. That pull has always been there.” A stab of uncertainty hit me. “For me, at least.”
She smiled softly. “For me, too. I just never thought…” she trailed off, shaking her head.
“Never thought what?”
Her smile turned sheepish. “That I would have the guts to do anything about it.”
I chuckled, kissing her forehead. “Are you kidding me, Gracie? You’ve always been one of the bravest people I know.”
She made a choking sound. “Me?”
“Yes, you. I know your childhood wasn’t exactly easy, but look at how you handled it. No matter what shit the world ever threw your way, you still stayed the same driven, kind, passionate girl.”
I swallowed back the emotion threatening to block my throat. Did she have any idea how much I looked up to her? How much I always had?
“You always did the things you set out to do. Your college scholarship. Your career. The life you’ve built here in Austin.” I shook my head. “I don’t think you realize how rare that is, sweetheart.”
I finally gave into the pull to meet her gaze, nervous she’d be able to see just how far gone I was for her if she looked into my eyes.
Instead, the expression I saw reflected in her face took my breath away.
There was so much emotion in her eyes and I couldn’t even begin to make sense of it all.
The only thing I knew was that I needed to kiss her.
I had barely pressed my lips against hers when she pulled out of my arms and got to her feet.
She stood in front of me and I was momentarily struck dumb at the sight of her.
Dressed only in her now-rumpled skirt, hair messy from my fingers, red waves coming lose from where they’d been gathered on top of her head.
Her gorgeous tits were bare for me, sending a pulse of desire straight to my dick.
“What are you doing?” I asked, looking up at her.
“Being as brave as you seem to think I am.” She held out her hand to me and I took it automatically.
Then she pulled me to my feet and turned to the staircase, never dropping my hand.
I didn’t need to ask her where she was taking me.
First of all, I would follow Gracie Knight anywhere, no questions asked.
Secondly, I was pretty sure I already knew.
It had been right there in her eyes when she looked down at me.
Sure enough, Gracie headed straight up the stairs, not pausing to turn on a light in the darkening house, and led me into her bedroom. She paused by the bed, dropping my hand so her arm could come up to cover her chest.
“So, um.” She shook her head a few times, gathering herself. “This is my room.”
My eyes scanned the space. I wanted to explore it more, wanted to investigate every detail and corner.
Wanted to immerse myself in this woman’s house, in her life, find out every little thing about her.
What pictures did she have on her nightstand?
What books were on her shelf? When had she picked out that sky blue bedspread?
What did she dream about when she snuggled up here in the white wrought-iron bed at night?
But a look over at Gracie told me now wasn’t the time to demand she open up her brain for my perusal. For all her boldness in leading me here, it was obvious my girl was now letting the nerves trickle back in. And the last thing I wanted Gracie to feel was nervous, or uncertain.
I was all in with her, had been from the very beginning. And I wanted her all in with me.
“Come here.”
She didn’t meet my eyes when she took a few hesitant steps in my direction. But when I took her into my arms, her body melted into mine as if it was the only place on earth she wanted to be.
“We don’t have to do anything,” I told her, running my fingers through the loose strands of hair, messing it up even further but not giving a damn. Gracie looked good all mussed and disheveled.
“I want to,” she whispered against my chest, and those simple words had my already aching dick hardening even more.
“But you’re nervous,” I made myself say, not wanting to push her. Needing her to be sure.
She nodded, exhaling a shaky breath.
“How can I help you to not feel so nervous?” I asked, running my fingers along the back of her neck. “What do you need?”
“I just need you.” She looked up at me then and the emotion swimming in her eyes took my breath away. Mixed in with the desire and the nervousness I could make out a plea. Don’t hurt me. Take care of me.
Gracie needed me to take the lead here, needed me to guide her, to show her how it could be between us. And that was something I could definitely do.
I brought my lips down to hers, marveling once again at how perfect it felt to be kissing her.
I kept one hand in her hair while the other trailed over to cup her breast. I couldn’t have held in my groan if I tried, and Gracie’s answering whimper had me squeezing her soft flesh tighter, desperate to get as close to this woman as I possibly could.
I eased her down onto the bed, whispering that I had her, that she didn’t need to worry.
She held me to her, the feel of her hot skin against mine almost too much.
Almost too good. I fought back the urge to rip her skirt off.
I had to try to keep a handle on my raging desire, she needed me to be slow, to be gentle, and—
“Liam,” she whispered against my mouth. I looked down at her, surprised and pleased to see the anxiety had left her features, replaced by a look of impatience. “What in the hell are you waiting for?”
Well, okay then. Apparently slow and gentle were off the table.
I had her skirt off in five seconds flat—in fact, I’m pretty sure I ripped it in my haste to get her naked and under me.
Then I froze all over again because she was laying there on the bed, her creamy skin practically luminescent in the golden light of the setting sun outside her window.
Wearing only a pair of light green cotton panties—nothing too fancy or over the top—she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
She lifted a hand to my face and our gazes caught, something passing between us as we stared at each other. Some awareness that this was really happening, after all this time. That it was going to be every bit as amazing as we’d ever imagined.
Gracie broke the moment first, reaching for my zipper with eager hands.
I had never been so happy to not be wearing a belt.
I didn’t think I’d be able to stand the extra seconds it would have taken to remove it.
Gracie helped me push my shorts down, along with my boxer briefs, and then her soft little hand was gripping my shaft and I was dangerously close to blowing my load before I even got inside of her, like an inexperienced teenager.
A chuckle burst from my lips and Gracie looked up at me. “What’s funny?” she asked, the corners of her lips tugging up. I had always loved that about her—if someone was smiling or laughing, she was always ready to join in, even before she knew what the joke was.
“Just thinking about how embarrassing it would be to come all over your hand right now,” I told her. “And realizing that’s probably exactly what would have happened if I’d ever been lucky enough to be in this position as a teenager.”