“Eventually, I’ll teach. My mom has taught music for thirty years, so I guess you can say it’s entrenched in my brain.” He splays his hand over my breast, testing its weight, before groaning and motioning for me to lift my arms over my head.
“Entrenched in your brain. That’s a strong way to put it,” I say thoughtfully as he gives my red long-sleeved shirt a harsh tug up and over my head, messing my hair in the process.
“God, I’m so happy you finally stopped wearing all those stupid hats,” he murmurs in appreciation.
I shiver as the chilly air breathes against my bare skin, but then he drags me to him, warming me with his muscular chest. “You know, I wish I had teachers like you when I was in school.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” He jerks my jeans down around my hips and palms my sex, ripping a gasp from within my chest. “You’re mine now, Evelyn.”
“That’s an even better word,” I exhale as his finger glides inside of me, and I nearly lose my shit from the slightest touch. There’s so much more to come—there always is with Rhys—but somehow he manages to turn me into a wet, quivering mess before we’re even close to that part.
In perfect sync, we walk backward together, his hand never leaving my pussy, his finger continuing to pump quickly inside of me. Falling back on his bed, a harsh moan escapes my lips. “I love how wet you are.” Shoving my legs apart as far as they’ll go with my jeans still on, he exposes me to him. He rubs his thumb over my clit, flicking the tiny nub deliberately. “I love—”
I close my eyes and throw my head back. Powerless to stop myself from writhing in pleasure against the sheets, I wait for him to finish speaking. And I hope he’ll say those three words that I’m absolutely terrified to say to him first.
I love you.
Because that’s what this is, isn’t it? If it’s not, I don’t know what the hell is.
But then he shoves my jeans and panties down to my calves, and I finish kicking them off. I hear them fall to the floor. Leaning over my body, he strokes his free hand gently over my flat belly and up to my breast. Licking my nipple greedily through the soft cotton of my bra, he says, “I love everything about you.”
The bed creaks slightly when he climbs on beside me. He touches my skin gently as his fingers continue to work inside me, but the moment he sees that I’m close to going over the edge, he pulls them free. I barely have time to catch my breath between him putting on a condom and pulling me on top of him, positioning the head of his erection between my folds.
“I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you,” he admits, squeezing my breast.
“Anything?” I demand, and he lifts his hips a little, his cock squeezing into my opening. I close my eyes and count to five in an attempt to regain some of my self-control. “That’s a strong word.”
When he sits up abruptly, he fills me completely. I bury my face into his shoulder and cry out, but he laces his fingers into my hair and forces my gaze to his. “More than I’ve ever wanted anything,” he says once more in a low growl.
From that point on, everything is a slow, delicious blur. From the way his fingertips presses gently against my hips as he rocks me against his erection, to the soft kisses he drags all over my sweaty body after we both come and I’m still shaking all over. And then to the way his hands frame my face, touching my skin like everything about me is brand new and I’ll suddenly break at the slightest bit of pressure.
After we’re both clean from a shower, he pulls me to him. He twists strands of my damp chestnut hair through his fingers, and I listen to the steady beat of his heart.
“I love everything about you, Evelyn,” he tells me again before drifting off to sleep.
For now, I’ll take this. I can accept it. Because maybe—maybe he’s just as scared as I am.
***
I need to pick up a few of my books for an English assignment that’s due tomorrow and a few clothes, so Rhys goes with me to my room first thing the next morning. We’re quiet as we tiptoe into my suite. Hannah and Lara’s door is open just a bit, and I can hear the sound of Top 40 pop and smell lemon-scented cleaner as they perform their usual Sunday morning cleaning ritual. Expecting Corinne to be sound asleep with her ear buds in, I touch my finger to my lips and lead him into my room. I’m surprised to find it empty, but there’s a note from my roommate sitting on my desk by my laptop.
Decided to go to Farmville with Ella. If you need me, you know how to find me. XOXO
I refold the note and slip it on the giant stack of papers already littering my desk. “This shouldn’t take long,” I promise Rhys as I rummage through my drawers for clean underwear and clothes.
“Take your time. I love watching you.”
There’s that word again—love. A sweet pressure pools in the pit of my stomach, and I shoot him an impatient look. “I’d rather get you back to your place.”
Still, he continues to study me from my computer chair as I fold my clothes neatly and shove them into my duffle bag. After a few minutes, though, he finally casts a dark look in the direction of my suitemate’s room and releases a breath from between his teeth.
“Alright, change of plans because I can’t listen to the shit they’re playing anymore. Either hurry up or put on something good.”
“Now who’s being impatient?” I tease. Tossing my wavy hair back away from my face, I stuff a handful of underwear into my bag before nodding at the laptop on my desk. “The password is ABCD95.” He gives me a look that screams how incredibly lame he thinks that is, and I lift my shoulders guiltily. “It was easy to remember—the first four letters of the alphabet and the year I was born. Nobody’s figured it out yet.”
Grinning, he opens the screen and starts typing in the password. “Until you just handed it over to me on a silver platter,” he drawls, and I press my lips into a smirk.
“I think I’ve been doing that a lot here lately.”
“Don’t worry, as soon as we—” But then his words catch in his throat. Cocking my eyebrow, I look up from my bag to see him staring at my computer screen, unblinking.
“What’s wrong—” I start, taking a few steps in his direction, but then I stop as he silently turns the laptop toward me so I can see the screen. Suddenly, I have a clear view of what has affected him so much.
It’s the smiling photo of me with my sister.
A dull pain settles on my chest as he comes to his feet and backs away from my desk, shaking his head. “Miller,” he whispers harshly. “Miller.” He drags his hand roughly over his face, as if he’s forcing what he’s seeing into his brain, and then he turns his gaze on me. I’m struck by the look in his eyes. “You know—knew—this girl?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Who was she to you?”
I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe, and I’m suddenly shaking, but I finally let out, “She was my sister, Rhys. Lily was my older sister.”
He turns toward Corinne’s bed and his shoulders are hunched as he takes in heavy breaths. “And you already know who I am, don’t you?”
“Yes,” I say, and he releases a broken noise that reaches into me and breaks me apart.
“Did you know before you fucked me? Or did you figure it out when you let me spill all my shit to you?”
I take a hesitant step in his direction, and when I reach out and feather my fingers over his shoulder, he rips himself away from my touch. “Rhys, I—”
He turns to me, his face a mask of anger and pain, and he leans away from me. “Don’t dance around the goddamn question, Evelyn. Did you know who I was when you came over that first night?”
Hanging my head in shame, I stare at the floor. I should’ve known this would happen. Hell, I realized he would eventually have to find out that I’m Lily’s sister, but I didn’t want it to be like this. This is just ... wrong.
“I figured it out the first day we met in Professor Cameron’s office. That’s why I didn’t—” Clenching my hands into tight fists by my side, I release a tremulous breath. “That’s why I didn’t come to lessons with you at first. Because I was angry and afraid. I thought being around you would make me think of nothing but my sister.”