6. Allie #2
His hands are warm as they skim along my stomach, lifting my top and pulling it over my head delicately. Like I’m fragile—cherished. He does the same with my skirt, until I’m left in nothing but my underwear. He trembles as he takes the condom between his teeth and tears the wrapper.
My cheeks flame, skin red-hot as he pops the button on his jeans, slowly unzipping himself, towering above me with his muscles strained and flexing. “Are you absolutely sure, Allie?”
“Yes, yes.” I nod rapidly, lifting to grab his face and pull him over me, feathering my lips between his. “I love you, Archer.”
As the sentence leaves my mouth, I know he’ll be forever altered by this, just like I will.
They mean something different now, something more.
His entire body bristles as he swallows my words, like he can’t believe he’s tasting them. Like he understands it too. “I love you.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he groans, rolling onto his back beside me.
“Stop apologizing,” I say as we both stare awkwardly at the ceiling. “I figured that would probably happen, anyway.”
He drags a hand over his face, embarrassed, I’m sure. “I tried to hold back. I swear, I did.” Archer glances at me, a blush spreads over his cheeks. “You felt so good, though. I couldn’t…” His eyes roll back. “Fuck. I still can’t believe it.”
My own face flushes, and I fail to hide the smile teasing my lips. “It’s okay. I promise. It was still good. I…I liked it.”
I definitely didn’t orgasm.
I’m pretty sure I experienced one that night I let Archer touch me between my legs. At the very least, I came much closer back then than I did tonight.
“Did it hurt?” he asks.
“Not as bad as Willow made me think it would.”
He sits up, turning onto his side to face me, propping his head in his hand. “How the hell does Willow know?”
I roll my eyes, choking on a laugh.
“I’m going to kill Cam,” he mutters.
“You have no right.” I roll over, mimicking his position. “You just did the same to me.”
“Yeah, but I love you, Allie.”
“Cam loves Willow too.”
His nose scrunches like he doesn’t agree, though he doesn’t voice it. I make a mental note to ask him more later.
“How do you feel?” I ask instead.
“I’d say perfect, if you’d had as good of a time as I did.”
“I had a good time, I promise. Plus,”—I smile, patting his cheek—“we can try again.”
“Right now?” he smirks, raising on his elbows as he inches toward me, bringing an arm around my body to box me in beneath him.
“Give me a minute to breathe.” I laugh, pressing against his warm chest—though Archer on top of me is the safest I’ve ever felt, even despite the ache between my legs that he put there.
He drops a kiss to my nose before his lips trail over my jaw and down my neck. “You know…” he murmurs into my skin. “I could try that one thing that we haven’t done yet.”
“Oh.” That needy flame rekindles in my core. “Are… Are you sure? I… I think I might’ve bled a little bit.”
“That doesn’t bother me. I want to make you feel good, Allie.” He lifts his eyes to my face—they flare, determined and hungry. “You’re not leaving this room until you give me one. So, do you want to try my mouth, or do you want my dick again?”
I blink, slack-jawed. I don’t know where the boy I grew up with went, but the Archer hovering above me right now is a man.
“Why don’t you try for one of each?” I whisper.
A grin spreads over his mouth as he crawls back down the bed, settling between my thighs. “You got it, baby.”
Archer
“Oh…my…God.”
Allie’s still trembling when I sit up between her legs, grinning with triumph. She looks so fucking beautiful beneath me—naked, flushed, and glowing. Her breathing is rapid, eyes half-lidded, hair a wild halo framing her face as she drags a hand over her forehead.
I drop my mouth to her chest, licking the sweat-glistened skin over her heart, tasting the rhythm of the drumming I’ve created.
“That…was…” Allie pants, running her hands through my hair. “That was an orgasm. No doubt about it.”
I laugh against her chest, kissing her once more. “Do you still wanna…”
“Sure feels like you do,” she mewls, brushing her leg over my stomach, popping a brow at the clear reaction my body had to watching her come undone like that.
“I’d like to keep making you feel good, if you’ll let me.” I nip at her neck as I rise over her, flushing our bodies together. “In whatever way you’d prefer.”
“I want to make you feel good,” Allie murmurs, planting her palm at my chest and guiding me backward.
I let her control my movements as she flips me over so my back is against the pillows.
She crawls atop me, straddling my hips as she lifts the bedsheet over her shoulders, blanketing us.
I grip her waist. “I want to go again, but this way.”
She dips her head, fluttering her lashes as a flush creeps up her chest—almost bashful. Timid. Like she’s nervous.
How could she ever think I’d say no to this?
Allie in my bed, completely bare, on top of me like this… “You’re like a dream come true.”
Her eyes snap to mine, that pretty blush deepening to the sweetest shade of pink. “I am?”
“The most beautiful girl on the fucking planet.” I nod, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I’m the luckiest guy alive right now. You have no clue what you’re doing to me, Allie Cat.”
She bites her lip, a smile fighting to break through. She scrambles across me, grabbing the box of condoms from the nightstand and pulling one out. This time, she unwraps it and slides it over me. I watch her—transfixed.
I wonder if perhaps my molecules are rearranging themselves, creating someone new, when Allie grasps me before connecting our bodies—for the second time tonight, my universe implodes. This new plane of existence only consists of her.
Allie is the sole star in my galaxy. She’s everything.
“Oh, God,” she moans, and I wonder if she’s thinking the same.
Our entire world is reduced to just this—to us.
So much so that neither of us hears the footsteps coming down the hall.
I hardly register the sound of my bedroom door being thrown open.
Not until the muttered, “Good Lord,” clatters off my walls and Allie’s spine goes rigid as she shoots up, covering herself with the sheet and looking over her shoulder.
The door slams shut again, and Allie faces me, every ounce of beautiful color draining from her face as her eyes widen in shock.
We’re still connected as she begins shaking, so I slowly lift her off me, dreading the answer to my next question as I ask, “Who was that?”
Allie flops onto the mattress, gaze meeting mine with a blank stare. “My dad.”
Kill. Me.
Dominic Evans has scared the shit out of me since I was about seven and made my first grand declaration of love to Allie with homemade macaroni art for Christmas that year.
His response, if I recall correctly, was, “Who told you that you could love my daughter?”
I think he was joking, but I’ve never been sure. The gleam in his eye when he’s looked at me ever since has shot a chill right through my ass, though.
“Archer! Allie!” someone calls from downstairs, the voice booming. If it’s her dad or my own, I can’t be sure.
That launches us into hyperdrive. I leap out of bed, pulling up my jeans and grabbing my shirt while tossing Allie’s clothes at her. She turns around, putting her back to me as she redresses, and I think this has to be the worst possible way to end the night.
She allowed me to see, touch, and taste all of her body tonight, and now she’s hiding it from me. Our first time was ruined before we’d even had the chance to process it. Savor it.
“I’m sorry,” I say as I toss my bedroom door open.
“What’re you sorry for?” she asks, following me out.
I stop at the top of the stairs, spinning to face her. “You deserved a better first time than that, Allie. I should’ve made it special. I should’ve made sure there was no chance we—”
Allie grabs my arm, squeezing it to stop my words. “All I wanted was you. That’s it. You are what made it special. It was perfect.” There is a tremor in her hand as she slides it down my arm and locks our fingers together. Her eyes are withdrawn and shadowed—she’s nervous to face our parents.
I am too.
“We’ll be okay.” I keep my hand in hers as I lead her down the stairs, noticing for the first time that there is no longer music playing, no longer the full hum of numerous conversations.
It’s eerily quiet, and as the living room comes into view, I find my brother, Willow, and her boyfriend sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on the couch.
Our parents, and Willow’s, standing above them with crossed-arms and stern expressions.
Allie and I don’t say a word as we slide onto the couch beside my brother. I keep her hand locked in mine, placing them in my lap as I tug her close to me. When I finally gather the courage to lift my eyes, they immediately find Dominic, shooting daggers in my direction.
I dart my gaze away, finding my brother staring after me with a knowing smirk. He slips his pointer finger into his mouth horizontally, puffing out his cheeks before sliding it out with a pop and raising a brow in question.
Allie snorts, leaning around me to give him a nod.
Willow returns the laugh from across the couch, tossing us both a wink.
“Do you think we’re stupid?” Mom asks.
All of us sink into the cushions like scolded puppies.
“I don’t think you’re stupid, Mama, but I mean… You did leave a bunch of teenagers alone for the evening, so you must’ve had some idea of what our plans were.” Zander shrugs.
“Yeah, are we going to pretend like you all didn’t party when you were in high school?” Willow mutters.
“Oh, I did.” Mom nods. “Had a great time. Until I got pregnant.” She cuts her gaze to Allie and me.
“We knew you four would be up to something, but we didn’t expect a raging house party.” Darby rubs her temples. “I didn’t even know parties like this still existed. I thought we’d have to confiscate a few joints at most!”
“Speaking of,” my dad adds, pointing at Zander, “we’re going to talk about that stash of yours, buddy. The alcohol too.”