"Then don't,"I strain, riding the aftershocks of my bliss."Fill me,Charlie. Take me how you want me."
Hepullsall the way out, but before I can protest, he flips me over and yanks me to my knees by myhips. It's rough and feral, and I tilt myhipsto give him as much access as he needs. He splits me and the angle of hiscockisputtingpressure near where I need it. Istartthe climb again, my third release soclose, soclose, soclose, a hair's breadth away. I rub my clit, trying to find the right combination to set me off again. He throbs inside me, my channel squeezing him, and he shudders like he's a moment away from falling off the edge. I want to be there with him when he goes, or at leastclosebehind.
"This feels so good. You feel so good, sofuckinggood."he wheezes."Are you ready, baby?"
"Almostalmostalmost,"I chant. I'm on the edge furiously working my clit, seconds away from happily dying."Don'tholdback. I'll be right behind you."
"Fuckthat,"he roars."You're coming with me."
He thrustsdeepwith a few more pumps, and I'm suddenly soaring. His shouts blend withmineas we both vibrate, his hot fluid spurting into me. Wefall, together, and tumble in a heap on the mattress, breathless, sticky, and spent.
He rolls off me, sucking in air. I turn onto my back, mycheststill heaving. I stare at the ceiling, waiting for my soul to come back to me. He grasps my hand and brings it to his mouth.
"Amazing,"he coos.
"Yeah."It's all I can squeak out in between gasps.
We lay together in silence until our breaths are controlled and our pulses slow from an all-out sprint to a lazy jog. He turns on his side and props himself up on his elbow, tracing lazy circles around mystomach."Why?"
"Why what?"I ask, stifling a yawn.
"Why did you want to skip the protection? Weren't you worried with my, er, experience, I wouldn't be a safe partner?"
I turn my head to look at him."No. I know if you didn't think you could keep me safe, you would've said so. As to why I asked... I don't know. In the heat of the moment, it felt right."
"And now? The heat has cooled, do you still think it was the right thing?"
I put a hand to his cheek."I don't regret it, if that's what you're asking. And if you'regame, I'm all for tossing out the latex for as long as we're doing this with only one another."
"Me neither."A tiny crease forms above the bridge of his nose."But if we do this, we're notfuckingother people."
"Of course not."
"Or going todinnerwith them,"he adds with a scowl. I feather akissover his lips.
"Okay. It's only you,Charlie."
Hegivesme his two-dimple smile."And it's only you,Palmer."
Twenty-Eight
Charlie
Wefallasleep in each other's arms. I can't think of a time when I was more satisfied, or more humbled. That she trusts me with her body means the world. We've taken a big step forward, and when we wake at her alarm in the morning, there's a lightness in my heart I never knew could exist.
Only it turns out it's not her alarm. Her phone is ringing the Star Wars Imperial March on repeat. With a shout of frustration, she untangles herself from me and half-climbs, half-falls out of bed. On the way out of the bedroom, she kicks the hassock at the foot of the bed."Son of a BITCH!"
She hops on one foot while she reaches for the robe hanging off a hook on her door. I pat the space she'd just occupied."Come back to bed and I'llkissit all better."
"I can't, I have to find my stupid phone."The music stops, but then it starts up again. She listens for a beat before rushing out the door."Hello?"
She speaks from the other room in low murmurs. I check the clock—six am. Who the hell is calling at six am on a Saturday?
Her voice rises. I'm alert now, her distress finishing the job of waking me that her phone started. I throw on my briefs andwalkout to find her pacing the living room.
"Mother,"she snaps into the phone."You're being unreasonable... yeah, you are... Playoffsstartthis week. I won't have time?—"
I make my way to the kitchen tostartthe coffee while she listens to her mother on the other end of the line. I sneak glances at her as I measure out the water and grounds, set the filter in the basket, andstartit brewing. I can't hear what is being said to her, but she started the conversation full of fire. Now, it seems her flame is being doused with every passing moment. Finally, she ends the call and drops onto the couch, slump-shouldered and defeated.
