“What do you mean?”
Leaning back in my seat, I tell him, “We’re really close. I mean, we’re physically close as well. It’s just always been that way with us. Her name’s Candace. She’s a sweet girl, but in many ways, extremely closed off. Her parents are dicks to her. But, anyway, I just need you to know that we spend a lot of time together . . . we spend a lot of nights together in each other’s beds. But it isn’t like what most people would assume at all. She’s just a friend . . . well, family really. She’s all I’ve had for a long time.”
He nods his head, but doesn’t say anything at first. I worry that he might not be okay with this, but when he says, “I think it’s good that you have someone like that in your life,” I relax a little bit.
“Are you sure you don’t have a problem with it?”
“Look, I don’t know much about you, but I hate that you don’t have a family that supports you,” he says, and I know his words are genuine. “So, if this girl can give you what you can’t find from anyone else, then yeah, I can be okay with it.”
Curious about his family, I ask, “So how did your parents react when you told them?”
“They took it pretty well. I didn’t tell them for what felt like a long time. I was terrified they’d react badly. I was scared shitless, to be honest. But it worked out. My parents have never treated me differently from the way they always have. They love me regardless . . . it really bothers me that you didn’t get that.”
I can’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy, wishing that I had what he has. How easy it must be, but in a way, he’s right. Although I have Candace, I still feel very much alone.
“Well, since I can’t introduce you to my family, you want to try and get together with me and meet Candace and her roommate, Kimber? They are pretty much who I spend most of my time with.”
He smiles, big, and it’s perfect. “I’d love to.”
I smile back and can’t really understand why he’s being so nice after what I did, but I’ll take whatever he gives me, and right now, it’s more than I deserve. “Okay. I’m going to see Candace later today, so I’ll find out when she’s free. Sometime this weekend?”
“Yeah, I have nothing going on. Just planning on taking it easy before classes start back up on Monday.”
When we finish our coffee, I look over at him and ask, “You wanna come over to my place for a while?”
“Yeah, where do you live?”
I laugh as I say, “Right here. I live in this building.”
“That’s convenient,” he says with a knowing smirk as we head out.
When we get off the elevator and head into my apartment, we make ourselves comfortable on the couch and flip on the TV, although we don’t watch it because it doesn’t take but a second for Mark to distract me. He reaches over and threads his fingers with mine. Staring at me with his deep green eyes, I slowly move in and brush my lips against his. I tug him in closer to me and press my lips more firmly onto his. He didn’t shave this morning, and the roughness of his kisses do nothing but turn me on. I hate that I had to hurt him to be able to be with him like this. I should have just been honest. I should have trusted him. Pushing those thoughts away, wanting to be here with him and not in my scattered head, I loop my arms around his waist and pull him down on top of me as I lie on my back.
He hovers over me, running his hand down my cheek to my neck and wraps it around the back of my head, lifting me closer to him as he slips his tongue in my mouth. I run my hand up his smooth back, underneath his shirt, and when he grinds himself against me, I can feel what I’m doing to him. I tug at the hem of his shirt and peel it off. Wrapping my arms back around him, I hold him against me.
Moving the way we are together ignites more than just lust inside of me, but feelings I never knew were there. The connection that I feel with him, even though I still really don’t know him, is intense. I know Mark isn’t into anything casual—he’s told me this—and that makes this even better because for once, I don’t want to walk away.
He moves his lips from mine, and when he asks, “Same page?” I know he wants the confirmation for this same question he asked me a couple weeks ago. The question I was too afraid to acknowledge.
Looking up at his flushed face—able to respond this time—I nod and affirm, “Same page,” and my anxiety about this starts to dissolve into the happiness that is swarming through me when he looks at me like he is.
I watch his muscles flex as he slowly lowers himself onto me and reaches down, slipping his hand under the waistband of my gym shorts. When he wraps his hand around me, I let out a low growl with the pleasure that pulses through me as I harden under his touch. His grip is strong as I fist my hands in his hair and slam my mouth over his. Not holding back, I possess his mouth with my tongue as his hand continues to work me.
Fumbling with his belt, I manage to unclasp it and pop the buttons open on his pants. I yank them down enough to be able to freely give him back what he’s giving me. He’s hot to my touch, and just the feel of him is enough to keep me from holding on any longer. I thrust myself into his hand, burying my head in his neck, and moan in intense pleasure as he makes me come. He doesn’t let go of me as I begin to pump him in my hand, gripping tight.
He lets his body fall onto mine, and we shift to our sides. He takes my lips with his, and I move with him in a way I haven’t with anyone else. I go slow and take my time, not wanting to take my hands off of him anytime soon.