My foot rests against his chest and he looks down at it. “This isn’t going to keep me away from you.” He grabs my ankle, holding it tightly. Holding it up, he places gentle kisses up my ankle up to my calf, then my inner thigh and my legs shake from the sensation of his soft breaths on my skin.
As he moves up my body, he kneels on the bed, bringing himself all the way up until he’s floating over me. His forearms are on either side of my head and it’s clear that he doesn’t want to put his whole weight on me.
I mean, he’s a big guy but I’m no shrimp. With a sneaky grin, I take my legs and wrap them around his waist, pulling his bare core directly against mine.
Arden hisses in a sharp breath at the contact.
“Brat,” he warns. “You’re being greedy.”
Smiling, I place wet kisses along his neck. “No, I’m not.” I tighten my legs, bringing him even closer to me, and he laughs through a groan.
“Danika,” he breathes my name and I could break from the sound alone. “Dani,” he says again, like a whine. A plea.
“Yes, Arden?” I reply sweetly.
“Tell me what you want, baby.” He’s trying to hold his composure but I’m rubbing up against him and I can tell it’s taking all the willpower he has not to push his way home.
“I want you to get a condom.”
Like a flash of lightning, Arden is up grabbing a condom from his bedside table and then he’s back in the exact same position. As he does, I pull my shorts off, not waiting to waste a second. He pushes back onto his heels and sheathes himself before falling back over me. We could ignite this way, just like this, but that’s not what I want. No, he’s been in control way too long.
With a vicious grin, I push his chest so that he falls off me and onto his back. He has no time to complain about the movement because in his next breath, I’m placing myself over him, lining us up perfectly.
“Tell me whatyouwant,” I taunt him, hovering over him. He grabs my waist to anchor me but I know he’s waiting until I give the okay.
“I want you, brat. Now.”Say no more. I take a seat and am immediately filled to the brim. He feels so right inside of me. So complete. I don’t even think I need to move to finish this way. But I do, shifting up and down, leaning down so our noses touch.
“God, you’re so perfect. Beautiful, stunning, perfect,” he murmurs as I move over him. I kiss his neck and let his words sink in. I’m so close and I can tell he’s close too, the friction bringing us both close to the brink. Arden moves his hand between us to give my center the attention its craving and I moan against his neck. “That’s it, baby. Yes.”
I keep up the momentum and so does he as we both inch closer and closer to the edge. “Yes,” I echo and I feel the tension building, ready to release. “Fuck, yes.”
“Yes, baby.” Arden’s body tenses up and so does mine. We’re about to explode at the exact same time and I can’t believe anything has ever felt this good. “Fuck, Dani, yes. Yes, you’re–”
I explode and he explodes, and I want to melt into a puddle of pleasure against his chest but as he finishes, a word sneaks out of his mouth that causes my entire body to tense.
“Mine.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Arden
OfcourseIwantedher to stay, but I think I scared her away by what I said. She can pretend all she wants that she didn’t hear it, but I know she did. I’ll let her pretend if it’s easier for her but now that’s been said, I’m not sure I can take it back. Or if I even want to. I want her to be mine. Fully and completely. Mine.
After we finished, Danika blamed exhaustion and couldn’t leave the room fast enough. I could hear her bedroom door slam from my bed, and I breathe out a sigh of resignation.
I hope I didn’t just ruin this entire thing. But there’s no going back for me now. I want her. If I’m truly honest with myself, I’ve wanted her for longer than I’d care to admit but now, I’m not going to push the feelings away.
When I wake up in the morning, Danika has already gone to campus. She didn’t leave a note or anything, but her room is empty and there’s a trail of granola from the kitchen cabinet to the doorway.
I quickly get myself ready and head to my shift at Groundbreaking. If I can get through this shift and my classes without being totally burned out, then maybe I can find Dani at her study session and bring her some coffee. I’m sure she’ll need it.
Pulling the black apron over my head, I clock into the register before turning on the machines and putting out the pastries.
“Morning, Arden,” Carla, a tiny sophomore who also works here, greets me as she walks through the double doors from the back.
“Hey, Carla,” I respond.
“Hope it’s not too busy today, I’m hoping to sneak in some studying for my econ midterm.”