2. Sebastian
Ifollow Mila to the hotel I’ve driven by a thousand times between work and home. I’m a Boulder native, and I know every nook and cranny of our small city.
She’s waiting for me outside of her car when I get out of mine.
“Hey,” she says.
I’m not one to waste time, so I pull her to me. The air outside is brisk. Her mouth is cool, but not for long.
I kiss her slowly and thoroughly as a test. I want to know she’s really down for this before we go inside.
Her hands go around my neck. She’s eager and responsive. Everything revs up. This is happening. I snatch her up in my arms, cradled to my chest.
She lets out a whoop, then laughs. “Are you sweeping me off my feet?”
“I hope so.”
I carry her across the parking lot, but when we get to the lobby doors, she presses on my chest as a signal to set her down.
Even so, the two of us practically race across the empty lobby to the elevator. No one’s at the desk, so I kiss her again while we wait.
When the doors open, we stumble inside, laughing as we fall into the side wall. The doors close, but nothing happens, and we laugh again when we realize no one pushed a button.
“Ever done it in an elevator?” I whisper in her ear.
She laughs again. “Maybe next time.”
Next time. I like the sound of that.
She pushes the button for the third floor.
We kiss all the way to her door and almost fall in again when it pops open with her key card.
I’m not sure I’ve undressed this quickly with anyone in my life. We drop our jackets, kick off our shoes. I pull her sweater over her head and one of her earrings flies off. We laugh about that, too.
I’ve never had an encounter so easygoing, so carefree.
We tumble onto the bed at the underwear stage, and now she’s mine to explore. I take my time, kissing along her skin as I remove the rest of her clothes.
Every inch of her is delicious, smooth, and soft. I explore all of her with my hands, then my mouth, moving down her belly to lick every inch.
She’s wildly responsive, as if everything is new. I love every sound she makes, and how her fingers thread through my hair.
She likes watching me work, and my eyes meet hers right as she loses it, crying out unintelligible things. I keep going until I know she’s done, before nipping the inside of her thigh.
Then she’s pulling me up, pressing me near her. I rush to get a condom on.
I don’t think anything’s amiss until I’m inside and her expression shifts. It’s a surprise, like maybe I’m bigger than she expected.
I can go with that.
Then the moment passes. I figure her as one of those who likes it best when she’s the star of the show. Penetration isn’t her favorite part.
That’s not unusual. I push her hair away from her face as the long, dark strands spill over the white pillow.
She watches me, quiet this time, with a pleased smile. Her hands press into my back, and we move together. I’m ready to work her again, and reach down to bring on another round, but she takes my hand and kisses my knuckles.
I understand and hold onto her, letting go of my tightly held control. I haven’t unleashed like this in ages. Everything about this night has been unexpected and perfect.
When I’m spent and can focus again, she pushes my hair back the way I had hers.
“I liked that,” she says. “I like you.”
I grin at her. “I like you, too. And I haven’t forgotten about that raincheck on the elevator.”
Her smile drops for a second, but then she says, “Nor should you.”
I slip out of her. We’ve left the lights on, and I see the condom is coming out red. “I think we might have gotten your monthly started,” I tell her. There had been no sign of it earlier.
She looks down, and every muscle in her body tenses. “You don’t think that when you were down there…God.” She seems panicked. “When your mouth was, that there was…Oh, no.”
“It’s fine. Woman things happen.” I pull away, but she grabs my arms.
Her eyes flash wildly, as if she has to explain this to me. “I’m not on my period. I thought it was an old wives’ tale about the blood. I’m twenty-two. It shouldn’t have been like this.”
I don’t know what she means. “What old wives’ tale?” Then it hits me. “Were you…a virgin?”
She sucks in a breath. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to freak you out. I ruined it, didn’t I? I’m sorry. God. This is why it took so long. I’m so awkward. And nobody’s choice. I know what I am.” She lets out a strangled groan. “This is the worst.”
“Don’t think that.” I snatch a tissue from the box by the bed to quickly handle the condom. Then I draw her against me. “You are my choice. It’s all right. You’re all right.”
I slide us down on the bed and draw the rumpled covers over our bodies.
She gulps in what sounds like a sob. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to ruin it.”
“It’s okay. You didn’t ruin anything.” I draw her head to my shoulder. “Shhh.”
I wait until her breathing slows and I’m sure she’s not crying.
Then my thoughts whir.
Hell of a thing. I’ve never had sex with a virgin. Not even when I was one.
What would make her do that? Pick up a stranger?
God, it could have been Carl.
But I’m not asking questions tonight. I’ll stay here.
We can talk about it in the morning.
I just hold her close.