“Fuck, Oaklyn,” I breathed.
“Not yet,” she panted out of breath. “But maybe someday.”
She smiled, and I laughed. My body felt light like it would float away. My chest expanded on each breath, each one a little easier. And she was laughing and smiling with me. Ten feet stood between us, but right then, I felt more tied to her than I did when my tongue was buried between her legs.
Oaklyn was either going to make me or destroy me. I just hoped it was the former, because I didn’t have much more left to destroy.6
She tugged her underwear back over herself and walked to the kitchen, coming back with a wet washcloth.
“Thank you,” I said, holding her stare.
She understood that I was thanking her for so much more than the washcloth. “Anything, Callum.”
By the time I’d cleaned up and tucked myself back in my pants, she’d pulled her sweater back on, but left her legs bare.
“Do you want to stay?” she asked, tipping her head to the bed off to the side.
“I don’t know if I can,” I answered honestly.
“Will you try?”
Could I?
For her, I’d try anything.
Nodding, I got up and moved with her to bed. I had no idea how it would go. I sometimes had nightmares and woke up shaking and sweating, but everything in me urged me to lay out on the bed and hold her as close as I could, never letting her go.
I still wanted to warn her.
“I’ve never done this before.”
She rolled to face me and smiled. “Neither have I.”
“Yeah, but you’re nineteen.”
“There’s no required age for experiences. I’m sure there are men out there who have never shared a bed with anyone who are much older than you.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I am,” she gloated.
I brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before stroking my thumb along her lips. Electricity shot to my chest when she pressed a kiss to the pad of my finger.
“There are a lot of things I haven’t done,” I said, hating to admit it, but needing her to know.
“It’s okay, Callum.”
“I know. I just…you make me want to be honest. You make me feel like Icanbe honest. I’m not sure why, but it’s there, just the feeling I have when I’m with you.”
“Is it wrong that I feel honored at being that for you?” she asked on a whisper.
“No. I want to try with you, Oaklyn. I care about you and over the past few months you’ve become more than a friend. Something about you clicked with me. As wrong as all of this is,” I took a deep breath before saying it again. “I want to try with you.”
“There is nothing wrong with this.” At her fierce tone, I cocked my eyebrow. She smiled at my reaction. “Other than me being your student, but I won’t be forever, and I don’t want to keep fighting this. I care about you too, and I want you.”
Shifting forward, I pressed a soft kiss to her lips before moving back to my pillow. Her hand snaked out between us and touched mine, asking for permission. I opened my palm and watched her slim fingers link with mine.
Somehow, by some miracle, my breathing evened out and I fell asleep, my hand gripping hers like a lifeline.7
