Chapter 9
Celia
I blink awake, bright light shining through the crack in the hotel’s black-out curtains. I move my arm and wince. My entire body aches like I got hit by a Mardi Gras float and then stomped on by the marching band behind it. That’s when the memory of clinging to Brian’s back like his shoulders were the only thing keeping me from falling off the side of a mountain slams into me. I wince, remembering that falling sensation when he tripped during the piggyback race and slamming my nose into the back of his head.
Brian.
I look around, and there he is, in bed with me. And he’s naked. No, not naked, I remember. In his boxer briefs. Because… right. Making out and… everything that came after. My cheeks heat. That was an unexpected development. And, wow, was it hot. Who knew Brian had that kind of fire locked up inside of his quiet body?
I allow my gaze to trace down his sleeping form. Brian is lying on his back and his face is completely relaxed, eyes dancing behind his lids in a dream. His near-black hair spills over his face, and he has one arm tucked beneath his head. His pale skin gleams in the sliver of morning light shining through the window. I study the dips and curves of his thin frame, admiring the dusting of dark hair beneath his belly button, and oh... right. Morning wood. I should look away. I know I should, but the shape beneath his boxer briefs is impressive. Remembering the feel of him in my hand last night causes the low pull of desire to tug in my belly.
He stirs, and I look away, embarrassed to be caught staring. This is new for me. With every other man I’ve been with, my confidence took the lead. I was always the first to initiate intimacy, never the one to avert my gaze. But Brian is more, somehow. He isn’t some guy I’m trying to impress or figure out. I know him already, know the way his single dimple pops when his lips tilt in a subdued smile. I know the way he shouts as he crosses the finish line in Mario Kart, and the way he adds just the right amount of Italian seasoning to his spaghetti sauce.
His eyes flutter open and find me immediately. At first he looks bewildered, rubs his eyes, then opens them again. He is sleep-mussed and utterly adorable. I still can’t believe I never noticed how much so until last night. I smile, and his eyes widen, then he smiles back shyly at me. He glances down and notices that I’m not wearing anything except a pair of black panties. His face brightens until it rivals a boiled crawfish.
“Sorry,” I whisper. “I’ll grab a shirt.”
I move to get up and feel his hand lightly clasp my wrist.
“Don’t,” he says, sleep still clinging to his voice. “I like it. Come here.”
I get under the covers and snuggle up to Brian, laying my head on his chest. His arm comes up and tucks me in close. This should feel weird, but instead, it just feels wholly right. When Brian lets out a sigh of contentment, I know he feels it, too.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
He seems to purr beneath my ear. “I’m fantastic. Are you okay?”
“I’m good. Really good, actually,” I murmur into his chest.
“So this, last night. You mean it? You want to try for something more between us?” Brian whispers into my hair, almost as if he’s afraid to voice the question aloud.
I nod, burrowing more deeply into him. “Yeah, I really do,” I say, then tilt my head up and press a kiss into his freshly grown stubble.
He tilts his head down and kisses me gently on the lips, then pulls back to watch my reaction. A grin breaks across my face.
“So now what happens?” he asks. “Do I, like, need to get my own place so this won’t be awkward?”
“Please tell me you’re joking. The only thing that changes is that now I get to kiss you after we argue about which movie to watch,” I tell him.
“Why do I feel like this is going to be something you use against me to get your way from now on?” he asks.
“I already get my way,” I tell him. “This just sweetens the deal.”
A low chuckle rumbles through his chest and into my body, making me shiver. “And what are we going to tell Katie and Jacob?” he asks.
“Nothing I’m sure Katie doesn’t already know,” I sigh.
“Really?” he asks incredulously.
“Brian, did you not see the meaningful glances she was throwing us all night last night? Believe me. She knew before we did,” I say, laughing.
He coughs and says, “Knew before you did, you mean.”
I pull back and look at him, a hint of pink coloring his pale cheeks. “How long have you felt something romantic for me?” I ask.
His cheeks manage to deepen in color. “A while,” he mutters.
“Brian. How long? Tell me.”
“It’s embarrassing,” he demures. I glare at him. “Fine. Since high school, okay? You don’t have to make a big deal about it.”
“Brian, you can’t mean that. There’s no way,” I start to deny, but he interrupts me.
“From the very first moment, you sat down next to me in Mr. Franklin’s math classroom and asked me why they bothered putting letters in math equations. You were wearing that light pink sweater with a C on it like you were in Happy Days or something, and had your hair pulled up into a high ponytail.”
“Oh,” I say, shocked.
He looks away, embarrassment now fully taking over.
“Why didn’t you ever say anything to me?” I ask, feeling confused and something akin to hurt.
“Cee, you were the most beautiful girl in school. Even now, when you walk into a room, every head turns to look at you. You’re dynamic and outgoing. I am a first-class nerd. And everyone knows the nerd never gets the girl. Plus, you always had boys chasing after you, prom dates, boyfriends.”
“Hey, you dated that one girl, Hannah,” I protest.
“Dated is a very generous word for it, Cee. We played video games together, and I kissed her once when we got drunk and played Spin the Bottle. But I’m pretty sure that she kissed at least three other guys that night, so that’s not really something I like to brag about.”
“What about that girl at work who’s always flirting with you?”
“Do you mean Emma in accounting? Cee, I’m pretty sure she just wants to jump the IT ticket line.”
“Or jump your bones,” I say, wiggling my eyebrows.
He chuffs a laugh. “No. Not interested,” he insists. “It’s hard to date anyone when you’re hung up on someone else.”
It’s my turn to blush at his sultry words. “Oh.”
And then we’re both moving toward each other, lips crashing, hands stroking the backs of heads and tracing over each other’s bodies. I pull away, gasping. “Maybe we should take this slow? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” I say.
“Am I making you uncomfortable?” he gasps.
“No, not at all, it’s just that…” he cuts me off with a kiss.
His tongue slides into my mouth, and any shyness he felt last night seems to have melted away. He explores me with his kisses, moving from my mouth to my jaw, peppering kisses down my neck and to my breasts. His enthusiasm is thrilling, and I wonder if he’s willing to kiss me everywhere. He slows, pressing a kiss to my belly button, lingering. Then moves down an inch, another.
His phone starts buzzing. “Ignore it,” he says immediately, not stopping in his pursuit of going exactly where he wants. He blows a hot breath against my panties. The phone starts buzzing again.
“What if it’s an emergency?” I ask.
“Dammit,” he whispers, then picks up his phone, glancing at the screen. “It’s Katie,” he says, then answers it.
“Hello? Yeah, hey, Katie.” A moment passes, and then Brian coughs. “That’s not really any of your business.” I can hear Katie’s boisterous cackle ring out through the phone as Brian winces and pulls it away from his ear. “That’s not necessary, you know.”
I smile to myself, guessing the gist of what she’s saying to Brian.
“Oh, okay. Yes. Oh. Okay. Yeah, we can do that. Ten a.m.? Okay.”
And then he hangs up and turns to look at me. “As much as I wish we could pick up where we left off, Katie requests our presence for brunch.”
“And you didn’t tell her no because….?”
“Because she said it’s important,” he sighs and runs his hand through his hair.
Brian is way too nice. Katie knew better than to call me. I would have told her no immediately. I get out of bed and walk over to him, sliding my arms around his waist and pressing our bare torsos into each other.
“Don’t worry, B. When we get back to Dallas, we have an entire apartment to ourselves, and we can put all the phones on Do Not Disturb.”
He wraps his arms around me and presses a kiss on my forehead.