Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
EVEREST
I’ve never been the kind of guy to cancel plans. In fact, I pride myself on that. If I say I’m going to do something, or be somewhere then I will. Dependability is the one thing people know to expect from me.
I like structure. Commitments. Following through. It’s engrained into my DNA.
But lately?
It’s all fallen to the back burner. The second Cove entered the picture, all I wanted was to spend all of my free time with her. If she wanted to see me then that superseded everything else.
It started small—pushing dinner with friends back an hour because Cove was texting come over?
Then it escalated. I was missing a class here and there, skipping game night with Tanner, ducking out early from study group and I may have called in sick to work. Once or twice.
Why? All so I could be with her.
Tonight was no different.
Tanner and I had plans. I was supposed to meet him, his friend, Jax, and a couple of guys from work for wings. Instead, I’m sitting on the edge of bed, hands clasped together in my lap as Tanner looks at me as if he could kill me.
“Sorry, man, I can’t make it. Rain check.”
He shakes his head. “You’ve used all your rain checks this week, man. Come on, what's the deal?”
“I’ll make it up to you. Just don’t be pissed,” I tell him.
He just sits there. “What the hell’s happened to you, man? You never cancel and we just made these plans the other day. What could’ve happened between then and now?”
There’s a knock on our dorm room door and Tanner doesn’t even get up. Just yells, “Come in. It’s open.”
I let out a heavy sigh and the door opens, a guy steps in, dark curly hair and glasses. He’s about the same build as Tanner and I, but I have no clue who he is.
“Hey, man. Am I early?” Then as if he senses the tension in the room he adds, “Am I interrupting something?”
“Nah, Jax, you’re right on time. Tanner here is flaking on us though.”
Ahh, yeah, the new friend he wanted me to meet. The one I’ve flaked on two times already.
“Tanner, I’ll make it up to you,” I try to tell him again.
Jax snorts. “What’s her name?”
I look at him stunned. How does he know there’s a girl at the root of my cancellation?
“He’s been on one date so there can’t be a girl. If there was, he would’ve already told me all about her. Or been out with her more than once.” Tanner states with confidence.
Jax laughs. “Come on, man. You can’t see it? He’s gone. Fully. Head-over-heels gone. I don’t know what's wrong with her that he hasn’t told you about her, but there’s a girl.”
Tanner's eyes shoot to me, and I shrug, not even pretending. “Her name’s Cove.”
“Oh, so you got a girl and kept it from me? Does she have warts on her nose? Is it your sister? Tell me about this Cove.”
“She’s amazing. Smart, carefree, adventurous, gorgeous. Definitely no warts and not my sister.”
Tanner grins. “You canceled for her. Why not just invite her? Are you ashamed of your best friend?” He winks.
“You’re being fucking dramatic, man. This thing with her is new and well, I want to keep her to myself for a while. I was fully planning on going. She called me and said she was having a rough day.”
“And that matters more to you than me?” Tanner gasps, placing his hand over his heart.
“Yes.”
Jax laughs. “You’re done for. I want you to know that I’m cool with you ditching. Go cheer up your girl.”
I stand up, picking up my jacket and head for the door. “I know. And thanks, man. It was nice to finally meet you. Next time, I promise I’m there. No canceling.”
I stop for a minute and pick up my bag from the floor.
It’s already packed with a change of clothes and toiletries.
It’s not like I’m being hopeful, but more because every night I’ve gone to her place ended the same way lately—me staying the night, our bodies tangled together, falling asleep to shared breaths and quiet conversations that stretched long past midnight.
We spend the next morning half-awake, limbs tangled together, our hands roaming the other's body.
We wake the next morning and I dread getting out of bed. But I have a class today that I can’t miss.
“I need to shower,” I mumble to her, as she snuggles closer into me.
“Me too. I have a meeting with Lorna this morning. And I need to do some shopping.”
“Want to shower with me?” I ask her.
“I do,” she practically purrs the words.
We give each other a kiss and I let out a groan as she rolls out of my arms and we both get out of bed. We make our way to her bathroom and she turns on the shower while I quickly brush my teeth.
She steps in the shower before me, but I can see her reflection in the mirror checking out my ass.
“Like what you see?” I ask her.
“Umm, you do have a nice ass. I like your dick better. Especially when it’s buried deep inside of me.”
That lights a fire under my ass and I finish brushing my teeth and step in behind her, shutting the glass door. Steam curls around us, water sliding warm over my skin.
Cove has her back to mine, letting her body lean into mine as I squirt some soap on a loofah and start washing her body, taking my time caressing her breasts, before moving down to her bare pussy.
She slips her hands between our bodies, gripping my cock in her hand and strokes it firmly.
“I can’t get enough of you,” she murmurs. “You’re fucking addicting.”
“Good.” I turn my head, and press a kiss to her temple, then her cheek. “’Cause I’m not going anywhere.”
My fingers slip between her thighs as she takes a step to the side opening the space for me.
“You’re wet and not from the shower,” I whisper into her ear.
She lets out a moan when I press a finger against her clit.
“Fuck me,” she orders, her voice husky with want.
That’s all I need to hear.
“Turn around.” My voice is deep and commanding. She pulls away from me, turns and faces me, and I slip my hands around her waist as I walk her backwards against the tile wall.
Lifting up one of her legs, I wrap it around my waist as I take hold of my cock and press it against her opening before thrusting inside of her.
Her body presses tighter against the wall with each movement I make. Water beats down on us as we both are overcome with arousal until finally we’re both groaning our release. We stay like that, our bodies connected as the last waves of our orgasm crash over us.
We finish our shower, only when the water runs cold do we get out of the shower. Cove first, getting a towel for herself and then handing one back to me.
We dry off, then go to her bedroom to dress. I’m pulling my shirt over my head when my phone buzzes on her nightstand.
I pick it up, expecting it to be Tanner. But it isn’t.
Mom.
I stare at the screen longer than I should before deciding to answer.
“Hey.” I try to keep my voice casual and nothing like a man that just had shower sex.
“Are you alive?” she asks, half teasing. “I haven’t heard from you in days.”
“I’ve just been busy, Mom.” Cove looks over at me, smiling, trying to hold back her laughter.
“Uh-huh. Well, I’m calling to ask about Christmas. Are you coming home or pretending you forgot again?”
I glance back over at Cove, perched on the edge of the bed, clothes on now, as she towel dries her hair, while scrolling through her phone every few seconds.
“I’m coming home. I just… haven’t figured out the details yet.”
I can hear her mind churning away now, I only miss calls with her when I’m seeing someone. It’s sad I know, but it’s the way it is. “Anyone special coming with you?”
I hesitate. Do I want to ask Cove to come home with me? We haven’t even spoken about the holidays. She may want to see her own family. “Maybe. I’ll let you know.”
“Okay. I love you, Everest. Just try to remember me and check in so I know you’re alive.”
“I promise, Mom. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
She hangs up and I set my phone down. Cove looks up at me and must see something on my face that concerns her. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” I sit down on the bed beside her. “She asked about Christmas.”
“Oh.”
I take a breath. “I want you to meet her. Eventually.”
I hesitate. Not because I don’t want her there—God, I do. But because I can’t tell how she’d take it. It’s too soon, maybe. Or maybe I’m just scared she’ll say no.
Cove’s smile softens—but uncertainty flickers behind it.
“Maybe. One day. We’re still new. Perhaps, after the new year?”
The disappointment hits fast, sharp but quiet. I nod. The rejection without even asking her gutted me.
“Yeah,” I whisper. “Whenever you’re ready.”
I don’t push. Don’t argue. And I sure as hell don’t ask her to come for Christmas with me.
Instead, I reach out for her hand, lacing our fingers together.
And even with the small ache in my chest, there’s one thing I know for sure:
Cove is it for me, even if she doesn’t realize it yet for herself.