Chapter 11
Stella
I’m still shuddering in the aftermath of my orgasm, hardly aware of his head in the crook of my neck and his hands soothing me. He pulls out of me, my arousal still glistening on the condom as he lays down next to me, dragging my limp form into him.
I’m not a virgin anymore.
So many people told me how much your first time sucks. Not me. I just had my world rocked. Boy, did I ever. I’m already reminiscing about how he felt on top of me, the thick weight of him as he pushed inside, and I’m still in the afterglow.
I lean into his frame, not even trying to resist the oxytocin trickling through me.
I take mental stock of my body and my new aches and pains.
My legs are still trembling with the strength of my orgasm, and I’m a little sore, although it’s nothing compared to the muscle pain after a long shift on my feet.
My hand drifts between my legs tenderly.
That stung like a mother. I press on that tender spot, only mildly embarrassed when my fingers come away tinted red.
I noticed a smear on the sheets as well.
I try to remind myself he knew exactly what I was and what he was getting into.
It’s perfectly normal. Nothing to be embarrassed by. But those thoughts only last a moment.
“I think we need to do that again,” James mumbles into my shoulder in between soft kisses. His whole body is curled around me, keeping me safe and cozy, wrapped up in him. I twine my fingers through his where they rest on my stomach and turn to him.
“Are you sure? You’re the one who said it was a bad idea the first time,” I remind him. “I don’t want you to regret anything.” The last part comes out quiet, timid.
He rolls over, pulling me with him so I’m splayed out over top of him.
“Sunshine, I could never regret that. You’re fucking incredible.
” He captures my mouth in a searing kiss.
“You’re beautiful, funny, and kind of a smart ass.
” He gently skims my sides, tickling me and making me squirm.
His eyes darken as he finds purchase on my waist, stilling me.
“And you take direction so fucking well.” He returns his lips to mine, dragging me into a lust-fueled haze. I am completely lost in him.
As we tangle further into each other, he begins to stiffen again against my stomach, his dick pushing firmly against me.
“Already?”
“Now that I know what it’s like to be inside you, I don’t know if there will ever be a moment when I don’t want to be.”
“Ever heard of a refractory period, stud?”
“Are you saying you don’t want to go again, sunshine?”
“Shut up.”
One round turns into two, then three, and now it’s way past dinner time and I’m starving. James is making sandwiches while I get ready to hop into his shower. My muscles are aching and I’m deliciously sore as I strip in his bathroom.
That little weasel! I think as I survey the purple dots marring my neck, chest, and oddly enough my backside. What is he, a freaking vampire?
I huff as I turn on the water as hot as it will go and step in. I relish the way his soap smells on my skin, the way he envelopes me when he’s not even here, as the hot water soothes my worn body.
Hazel and Nessa weren’t joking when they said how tired they are after sex. My vagina needs a hiatus. Or a condolences card. I flinch as I clean my most private parts, still cautious of that twinge that I knew was coming but still hoped wouldn’t.
When I decide that I’ve successfully washed the hedonism off of me, I wrap myself in a James-sized towel and pad to his room to steal more clothes from him. His in-suite laundry has already taken care of the clothes I wore here, but I’m saving them for when I eventually need to go home.
The pit in my stomach grows as I think about that. We both agreed that this could only be for right here, right now. I know that won’t change.
You would be lying if you said you didn’t want it to. You want him all to yourself.
I dismiss the thought as I make my way to the kitchen, freshly wrapped up in the clean, fresh smell of him.
“Turkey okay for you?” he asks as he spreads mayo and prepares toppings. He’s created an entire sandwich bar for us. It’s incredibly endearing. I can’t fight the smile that takes over.
“That’s perfect,” I say, grabbing the toasted bread and making my own massive, stacked sandwich. He side-eyes my creation as I bring it to the table, digging in immediately.
“Work up an appetite there, sunshine?” he asks around a monstrous bite of his own.
“Carnal pursuits require much energy, apparently.” I reply haughtily. James snorts, then chokes on his sandwich. I smile to myself, not remotely apologetic. We eat in comfortable silence for a while until James clears his throat.
“Apparently the roads are getting cleared tonight. They’re saying it’s safe to travel after that.”
“Oh.”
“I’m not kicking you out,” he assures me, “but I don’t want you to think I didn’t tell you so that I could keep you all to myself.” The tightness in my stomach loosens. He isn’t looking to get rid of me. “Because trust me, sunshine, I really want to keep you all to myself.”
“That’s alright. I should probably leave in the morning anyway. I’m sure that Beck will need me back at work eventually…” The thought of leaving our bubble and returning to the real world is sobering.
“Stella,” James says seriously, walking around the table to stand between my knees, “I need you to know that this is the best snow day I’ve ever had.” I throw my head back, laughing.
“Had many of those?”
“No, but each one after this will be a disappointment. Hands down.” He kisses my forehead reverently. “You are incredible.” He holds my gaze until he hears a knock at the door. We exchange a puzzled look before he hesitantly opens it.
“Stella! I’ve been so worried about you!
” Maria shouts as she storms into the apartment, her dark, thick locks waving behind her as she rushes in.
“Hazel said she was sending you my way, and I couldn’t get a hold of you, and I don’t think I breathed for a moment until I heard you were safe here.
” I’m completely covered by her as she hugs the living crap out of me, squishing my face into her generous cleavage.
Slender as she is, at 5’10” she still manages to be an intimidating presence.
She pulls away, her dark, heavily lashed eyes bore into mine as though she can sense my wellbeing by staring at me.
“Thank you for taking care of her,” she says in her gently accented voice, turning to James without releasing me. “She’s precious, this one.” I blush, but James smiles knowingly. Maria gently pets my head, which is still squished into her boobs.
How does she get these so soft?
“That she is.” I can’t stop staring at him, and it takes a second to realize that Maria has clued into what’s going on.
“So…” she says, eyes darting between us, “I’m guessing we aren’t telling anybody about this little escapade?”
“I, uh, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I choke out.
“Querida, your neck is purple,” she says simply, poking a love bite that lingers there. I wince abashedly.
Kill. Me. Now.
“We would appreciate your discretion,” James says evenly, his expression unreadable.
“You kept her warm, fed, and off the streets. You have nothing to fear from me,” Maria affirms. Her eyes catch on the frozen pizza boxes shoved in the recycling bin.
“Have you been eating… frozen food?” she asks in abject horror, her trembling fingers fluttering to her mouth.
I shrug my shoulders, unsure of how to answer such an obvious accusation.
“Oh dear lord,” she mutters, grumbling something to herself about burning that from her memory.
“In my defense, she ruined my groceries.” I glare at James as he oh-so-sweetly throws me under the bus.
“I fell! It was an accident,” I say, whirling on him with a snarl. I want to smack his self-satisfied smirk off his smarmy, stupid….
What’s another ‘s’ word?
Maria cuts off my internal struggle. “I should be on my way anyway. Now that I have proof of life, I’ll leave you two to your canoodling. I have plants to attend to.” She twiddles her fingers as she floats out of the apartment, leaving us both stunned.
“You think she actually won’t say anything?” I ask James, panic clawing its way through my stomach. I know it’s not a big deal, but if Nessa decides this is unforgiveable, I’m the one getting the boot. And if she disowns me, Hazel might, too, since they’re so close.
Sensing my spiraling thoughts, James wraps me in an embrace.
“Everything is going to be fine, sunshine. Even if people do find out, I promise it’s not going to be a big deal. That’s why we’re not saying anything. Because it’s not a big deal and we don’t need people freaking out.”
“Right. Because we’re not even together. Just for the storm.”
“Just for the storm,” he confirms, his warm green gaze boring into my own. “You’re not embarrassed, are you?”
“No!” I shout, and he cracks a smile. “Not even a little. I just don’t want people getting excited, or hurt, or… anything.”
“You’re a good friend, sunshine.”
“So are you, stud.”
We eat our sandwiches in silence, the bubble we’ve been hiding in sufficiently popped.
I take my time, gathering my things and folding his clothes back up on his bed, except for the hoodie.
I’m stealing that for sure. My little gremlin brain won’t let me leave without my souvenir.
I keep it on, hiding it under my jacket as I bundle up, pulling up my rideshare app and ordering a car.
I answer a text from Hazel, letting her know that I’m safe and heading home, and send one to Beck to let him know I’m available to help him open tomorrow and get the shop up and running again. The joy I was steeped in here slowly drains from my system as I make my way to the front door.
James is dozing on the couch as I look back one last time. I know I should wake him, tell him I’m going.
But then he’ll kiss me. And I’ll never leave.
I barely want to leave now. I shouldn’t make it harder on either of us. I scrawl a quick note on an envelope by the front door before I sneak out, carefully closing it behind me until I hear the snick of the automatic lock.
This has been the most wonderful few days of my life, but now it’s time to go back to the real world.