His grip on my wrist effectively stops my squirming. “Hey, Whistle. Breathe for me, okay?”
Can he see the panicked look on my face? Hear the pounding of my heartbeat?
I pull a ragged breath into my lungs as Jase slides closer and tips my chin to meet his eyes. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“You…”
“Me?” His smile falters.
“Not you…but you in swim trunks…”
He looks down at his naked chest, his gaze wandering down to the navy blue board shorts submerged underwater. A slow smile blooms on his mouth as he realizes that his half-naked form is what’s gotten me all flustered. “Babe, you in a bathing suit is a thing of f**king wonder, trust me. But I told you, nothing’s gonna happen that you’re not ready for.”
A tiny whimper escapes the back of my throat and my eyes slide closed.
Jase is going to think I’m crazy. Hell, I am crazy. I’ve warned him away from me numerous times, and now I’m ready to beg him to get closer. Far from the pressures of school, in a place where no one knows me and a beautiful man is looking at me with desire in his eyes? There’s no way I’ll be able to resist. And the thing is, I don’t want to. I just want to let go.
His expression is tense, his jaw working as he reads the emotions in my features. “Whistle…” His hold on my jaw remains, his thumb lightly stroking my cheek. “Stay still. Let me kiss you.” He moves closer, not waiting for my answer. It must be obvious on my face. His breath mingles with my own as he closes the distance between us. “Just once,” he whispers.
When my hands move from my lap, I’m not sure. But they tangle themselves in the hair at the back of his neck, and I use the leverage to pull Jase closer. His mouth presses against mine, warm and solid and grounding me in this moment. His lips begin to move, slowly devouring, slowly unraveling what I’ve worked hard to bury. His tongue glides along mine and a wave of heat tingles on my skin, pooling between my legs. One more soft caress of his tongue swiping against mine, and Jase pulls back to gauge my reaction.
My entire body is humming with pleasure, and I’m ready for more. “Still with me?” he asks.
I nod, obediently.
His jaw relaxes, and he slouches down into the bench seat, visibly relieved at my reassurance. With one hand still holding mine, he pulls me over to him, nestling me in against his body. Which is good, because without something solid to grasp onto, it’s possible I could drown in the three feet of water.
His fingers lace with mine and he releases a heavy sigh. “Okay…so you liked the kiss.”
I nod.
“And your body was practically begging me to continue…” His fingertips lightly graze my bare thigh. “Which means I’m completely confused.”
I swallow a wave of nerves, biting my lip but make no move to explain.
“Say it, Avery. Tell me this is okay. You’re not like other girls I’ve been with, and I f**king love that, but I’m totally unsure what to do here.”
I know I’ve told him I’m not ready, that I don’t want this. But what scares me more than anything is that I actually do want this…want him…so bad I can feel it in my core. “I’m not good at all this. I had my trust broken big time. And I just…”
His hand squeezes mine. “Hey. It’s okay. I don’t want to push you. You just…you know how I feel about you, right? You’re perfect, Avery.”
Ha! I am so far from perfect, but rather than tear myself down again, I focus on his words, the honest need in his eyes. He doesn’t mention the R-word, so I’m not sure if we are talking about a relationship or just the physical aspects. And I still hate his relationship with Stacia more than is even remotely normal. But half-naked Jase is clouding my judgment and I crawl over into his lap, placing my palms on each of his cheeks. “Kiss me again.”
Several minutes later, I’m moving against his lap and we’re still kissing eagerly when Jase pulls back. “Avery…wait. My mom’s bedroom is right up there.” He points to the second floor window looking down on us. “I think she’s sleeping, but just in case…we should go inside.”
I nod, and disentangle myself from his lap. Sheesh. The last thing she needs to see is me wildly riding her son in their hot tub.
Watching Jase get out of the hot tub is a test of my physical restraint. His erection strains against his swim trunks and he tucks a towel around his waist, grimacing as though it’s painful. He grips my hand firmly and tows me inside as I let out a giggle.
Chapter 14
Jase
Avery is damp and flushed from the hot water and is lying against my pillow. It is a beautiful sight. She chews on her bottom lip. “Are you sure your mom won’t be mad that I’m in here?”
My mom knew I was sexually active from the time I was sixteen and supplied me with condoms; I’m pretty sure she’d be okay with this. I just nod. “She won’t care. Trust me.”
“Well, I’m not sleeping in here,” she says.
“Whatever you want.”
I lie down next to her, curling my body around hers. She’s changed into a pair of little sleep shorts and a tank top, with no bra – which my dick won’t let me forget – but I have no plans of pushing her any farther than she wants to go. I’d changed into jeans and a T-shirt, not wanting to be presumptuous. Avery snakes a hand under my shirt and rests her palm against my back. The simple touch from her is highly intimate, knowing how cautious she is sharing anything physical.