I groan loudly, grabbing the armrest to keep from holding onto her hair. Instinctively, I know that could make her panic. And believe me, stopping is the last thing I want her to do right now.
What is it about Ivy that hits all the right notes with me? She makes me laugh, makes me feel good about myself, and I’m not just saying that because she has my dick in her mouth right now. She has this amazing ability to drive away the darkness that has always been a part of my life.
At this rate, I’m not going to last much longer, and as much as I want her to continue, I want her to experience this, too.
Wordlessly, I lift her to her feet. She lets out a surprised laugh when I scoop her into my arms, carry her to the bedroom, and set her on the mattress. My mouth crashes over hers as we strip off our clothes. Without breaking our kiss, I grab the box of condoms I brought. Goddamn it. You think they’d know people don’t want to spend much time trying to figure out how the box works. I wrench myself away from her, rip it open, and little foil packages go flying.
“Fuck!”
She laughs.
I tear one open with my teeth and quickly roll it on. Her hair spreads over the pillow, her lips slightly swollen and parted. I fall on top of her, my mouth finding hers again as I guide myself like an arrow. There. The tip slides in, right between her folds, and I stop.
“Baby, you ready?” I ask against her lips. “After what this naughty mouth of yours just did, I’m about to explode.”
“Yes,” she whispers, kissing me back.
That’s all I need to hear.
With my weight braced on my forearms, I flex my hips and push into her. She hisses in a breath. I still myself briefly, allowing her a chance to get used to me being inside her. She’s so hot. So damn tight. I’m not going to last long.
“Fuck me, Jon.”
Oh shit. My mouth crashes over hers and I thrust into her. Once. Twice. Three times.
“God, Ivy,” I groan into her hair. “I hope you’re close.”
She cries out my name and arches her back, allowing me to slide a fraction deeper. Her inner muscles tighten around me. Guess that’s my answer.
I’m…I’m there, too.
I need this.
I need Ivy.
She’s mine.
My release rushes over me with a force so strong that, I swear, my heart stopped beating for a second. I hold her tighter, wishing this could go on forever.
“Yes,” she whispers softly in my ear. “I need you, too.”
chapter sixteen
You are the candle that lights the whole world,
and I am an empty vessel for your light.
Ivy
The next day we get up early because I have to work at noon. I strip the bed, wrap myself up like a burrito, and head to the laundry room to start a load. Jon laughs at me and the little steps I’m taking. (It’s hard to walk like a burrito.) I yelp when he grabs the other sheet from me and puts it over his head like a ghost.
“I’m coming for you,” he says in a spooky voice, holding out his arms.
I scream, hitch up my sheet, and run down the hall, but before I reach the laundry room, I hear a clunk.
“Ouch.”
I turn around. Jon is rubbing his head. Not being able to see were he was going, he bumped into the corner of the door.
“Let me kiss your boo-boo.”
We end up leaving a little later than we planned.
My shift at work literally drags on forever. Everyone’s talking about what happened to Maddy. When they find out I live in the same dorm, I’m bombarded with lots of questions. Because I hate being the center of attention, I keep my answers vague and manage to avoid telling them that I was the one who discovered her. I’m sure it’ll get out though. Things like that always do.
Now, I’m finally back at the White House, sitting in the family room with Jon and his roommates.
“Let your goddamn cousin sleep in your goddamn bed!”
With my eyes downcast, I try to keep a straight face and let Jon handle this.
Cassidy got back from Portland a few hours ago. The police still haven’t caught the guy who attacked Maddy, but they have a few leads. Even though they’ve rekeyed the entire residence hall, including all the dorm rooms, Jon insists I stay here with him, which is okay by me. However, I don’t want Cassidy to stay at the dorm alone and since Tate is her cousin, it only makes sense that she should stay here, too. It was Jon’s idea, actually.
“Then where am I supposed to sleep, huh?” Tate adjusts his PSU ball cap, pulling it lower on his forehead. “Didn’t anyone think about that? Why doesn’t anyone seem to care about me or my needs?”
I glance at Cassidy. “Is he always this way?” I mouth.
“Baby of the family,” she whispers.
Rick, whose grandmother owns the house, claps Tate on the back. “We love ya, buddy. But she’s your cousin, which means you give her your bed.”
Tate gives him the evil eye. “Thanks for the support, ass-wipe.”
Jon points his beer bottle at him. “I’ll bet if you’re really nice to James—you know, make him dinner or something, rub lotion on his feet—he’ll let you sleep with him.”
“Fuck you, Priestly.” James props his long legs on the coffee table and clicks the remote.
“That’s okay,” Cassidy says. “I can sleep on the couch. No big deal. I’m just happy I’m not at the dorm. Half the girls on our floor have moved out until they catch the guy.”
Jon sets down his beer with a bang, his face stern and angular. “This is Tate’s problem, Cassidy. He needs to fucking man up and take the goddamn couch.” He glares at his roommate. “It’s not like you’ve never passed out and slept on it anyway.”
“Dude, he’s right,” James says. “Quit your whining and do the right thing.”
“This sucks.” Tate stomps out of the room and heads toward the stairs. “You guys are all ganging up on me.”
“Take the sheets and the pillowcases off the bed,” Jon calls out to him. Tate doesn’t answer, but his footsteps in the upper hall get louder.
A short time later, with Cassidy busy doing laundry and cleaning the disgusting upstairs bathroom, Jon and I are in his room. I grab my sports bra and head to the bathroom. I’m not used to changing in front of him yet.
“Thanks for going to bat for Cassidy,” I tell him.
“I’m glad Tate finally agreed. I was getting ready to give up my half of this bed to her.”
I hesitate in the bathroom doorway and turn around. “Good thing you didn’t have to do that, because I’m kind of thinking I might want to hook up with you again tonight. Just sayin’.”
He laughs. “Oh really? Is that all this is?” Suddenly he’s in front of me. He backs me into the bathroom and lifts me up onto the counter. I let out a little giggle. I’m thankful this room doesn’t look like the one down the hall.
“If this is just a hook-up, I might be thinking it’s the only chance I’ll have to be with you, so I’d better take advantage of the situation.” He pulls the shirt over my head.
“And you might have to be a little more aggressive, since we may not have much time. We could be interrupted any minute.”
“Definitely.” His mouth crashes over mine, consuming me. He manages to slide one of my legs out of my jeans without pulling away from me, leaving my thong in place. I hear the zip of his fly and the sound of him rummaging in a nearby drawer.
His lips leave mine just long enough for him to roll on the condom. His erection, sheathed in flesh-colored latex, juts out at me, thick and proud. A thrill runs through me knowing where it will be in a moment. He scoots me to the edge of the counter and moves the thong aside. I cling to his neck as he lifts me slightly. I feel the tip of him right there.