The pain has long passed. And the pleasure is so inhuman, so criminal, so forbidden…
Devon Parker was a sin I could commit again and again. Then again.
Chapter Twenty-Two
I wake up next to Devon in bed the next morning. We are tucked under the duvet. He is lying on his stomach and fast asleep. I feel so mesmerized looking at his face. It’s like waking up in the best dream ever. And it’s not gonna end even if I pinch myself.
I still can’t believe last night was real. But I know it was ‘cause I feel nothing less than amazing. And that’s saying something because until now I just knew it as a word people like to use a lot but I know now the perfect feeling behind the word. So yeah, it’s like living a fantasy and knowing that this fantasy world is as real as reality can get.
With a smile on my lips, I roll out of bed to grab his shirt. I put it on and button up. I love the way I feel so hot and sensual, donning his cozy shirt.
“You’re very beautiful, Eleanor.”
I turn around to find Devon looking at me with the most gorgeous smile I’ve ever seen on him. I jump back in bed to lie next to him again. He places his hand below my ear and caresses my cheek with his thumb as he adds, “Every inch of you took my breath away last night.”
He looks so dazed that I feel the heat rise in my cheeks.
“And all I know is only you can make everything feel so right to me,” I tell him, tracing his alluring face with my fingers.
Devon props himself up on his elbow and presses his lips on mine. I run my hand across his sexy bare torso as he kisses me deeply. I giggle as I tease his lower lip with my tongue. He falls back in the bed and I climb on top of him without breaking the kiss.
Before I know it, I’m kissing him everywhere on his broad shoulders, his neck, and his biceps. He groans when I move my mouth over his chest. I look at him playfully as I slide further down his tempting body to place open mouthed kisses on each of his hot abs. I can’t help but give them a lick too, causing an arousal to shoot up my bare thighs. I’m being so hormonal right now that I just cannot get my hands off him.
“Let me get this straight. You were a virgin until last night?” I ask.
“Yeah, it’s a cruel world but I dodged countless attacks on my modesty to make it to last night ‘cause not every girl deserves to have sex with the irresistible me,” he says smugly.
I raise a brow at him. “Honestly, if you let that ego of yours grow like the beanstalk did outside Jack’s window, it will be lost somewhere in the clouds,” I drawl.
“Nah,” he scoffs. “My ego will swoop up to space and NASA will name it as the greatest discovery of the century.”
I burst out laughing at his remark, and he captures my lips for a kiss. I moan as he teases my mouth with his fiery tongue. He raises himself on an elbow as he slips a hand under my shirt. His shirt. I gasp his name in pleasure when he grabs one of my soft breasts and gives it a hard squeeze.
“Devon, we need to go get changed for school,” I whisper breathlessly as I drag myself out of his arms.
“I’ll come over to pick you up,” he says, watching me take his shirt off to put on my own clothes.
“The thing is…” I turn to face him with a hesitant look after getting dressed. “I’ll be going with Stef.”
Devon frowns. “Well, tell her that you’ll have to cancel on her.”
“I won’t do that.” I shake my head. “She is going through a relationship crisis with her boyfriend and I want to check on her before classes. So, see you at school?”
“Fine,” he mumbles reluctantly.
I give him a peck on his lips before heading out of the trailer with a lovesick expression on my face.
***
I reluctantly take a shower as I get home and choose a sleeveless orange floral print dress from the closet to wear with a white cardigan. My skin still ripples with the memory of his touch and kisses. My breath still echoes the fierce intensity of his heartbeat. And I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
I put my books into the bag and go downstairs for breakfast. Gran believes that I had a sleepover at Stef’s, and I intend to keep it that way.
“You look really good and happy, cupcake,” she remarks as I take a seat at the counter. “Are you over that boy or is he back?”
“Devon got back last night,” I admit, taming the wild thrill running through my veins.
“And where were you last night?” she asks, fixing me a suspicious look.
“I was really at Stef’s,” I insist, trying to not turn red. “We watched the latest episode of Riverdale on Netflix and were posting tweets about it on Twitter.”
“Let me tell you something that I never told you,” says Gran, her eyes twinkling, “When I was sixteen, I had a boy in my bedroom a couple of times for the whole night and my parents never came to know about it. I’m sure he has turned out to be a handsome old man now.”
And all I could do was gape at her and mutter a blank, awkward ‘Oh’.
***
“I know he’s cheating on me. I just do.” Stef slumps on the passenger seat as I pull over at her driveway.
My friend looks very much upset. Things must have gotten really bad because that’s all she talks about nowadays unlike before when she used to insist nothing was wrong between them. There was a time when the mere mention of Adam used to color her world bright but now the spark is lost somewhere.
“I don’t think Adam is the kind of guy to cheat,” I say gravely, getting back on the road to drive us to school. “Plus, you have been friends since kindergarten. He won’t do that to you.”
Adam Young is one of the most decent guys you could come across around here. It feels wrong to ever hear anything inappropriate about him.
“I’m finding it hard to believe that too but I just can’t shrug off the feeling that he is,” she sighs gloomily. “He is being very secretive now. He is lying to me, I know it. And I don’t wanna go through his phone or be the girl who stalks her boyfriend. I guess I am just no longer the girl he wants to be with.”
“You’re not going on a self-blame trip for what he’s doing to you, Stef,” I tell her. “I’m lucky to have you in my life, and everyone should feel the same way because you’re terrific.”
“Anyway, tell me about you,” she says. “How did it go with Devon?”
I feel a shot of adrenaline run through my body. I so want to tell her about Devon and me, like it’s too difficult to contain all the excitement bubbling within me right now, but it’s just not the right time to tell her everything.
“Nothing much,” I say, struggling to sound convincing.
“Puh-lease,” snorts my friend. “That was very lame considering the fact that you’re practically glowing so much right now that you can easily light up all the street lamps of Crawford Lane for a week, two weeks tops. I wanna know the truth.”
“Okay…so, I did it with Devon last night.”
“Wait, you’re telling me that you lost your virginity last night? OMG!” Stef squeaks brightly. “Why didn’t you tell me that before? Could really do with a reason to feel stoked. How was it anyway?!”
I blush hard. “Let’s just say I’m dying to be in bed with him again.”
Stef laughed. “Whoa. That’s an interesting choice of words coming from you,” she giggles. “But seriously,” her tone becomes meaningful, “More than the sex, I’m glad that you guys have worked out your issues.”
That catches me off guard. “We did no such thing.”
“Wait, what?” Stef doesn’t expect to hear that.
“Yeah, I mean he came last night. I said sorry. We kissed and then we did it.”
“You guys didn’t talk about all the problems?”
“No. We said sweet things to each other and then we fooled around. But that’s it.”
Stef gives me a grim look. “Eleanor, I hope you guys are not planning to live in a wonderland and believe all your issues will vanish on their own.”
�
�I-I don’t know...”
“Both of you have already clashed a lot because of your past experiences. You have to talk to him and make him talk to you if you want this to work out.”
I released a long breath. Suddenly last night doesn’t seem right anymore. And I’m not sure now if I want to come across Devon soon. Because I don’t really see how it’s gonna work out for us. I can’t imagine myself being able to talk about my issues. And I doubt the same for Devon too.
This is the exact thing I dreaded would happen. There’s a deep crack in my fantasy world now.
I see Devon in the hallways as he enters the combination to open his locker. I stand at a distance, wondering how to approach him with the gnawing uneasiness infiltrating my chest. While I’m still immersed in confusion, he spots me. My heartbeat slows down as Devon shuts his locker and starts to walk in my direction at a normal pace. I stand motionless, unable to even breathe. I cannot deduce the expression on his face either. I give him a smile when he nears me but the most unexpected thing happens right then.
Devon walks right past me as though I’m not there.
My mouth opens and closes like a fish in utter astonishment.
What the―?!
“Wait, wait, wait, wait.” I jog ahead of him and block his path. “What just happened? Did you just look right past me or do I have to borrow Harry Potter’s glasses?”
“Both are pretty much true. It’d be unfair if I choose just one,” he replies callously.
I stare at him in disbelief. “Devon, what’s wrong with you? Why are you acting weird?”
“I am not,” he denies bluntly. “Now if you will, please excuse me, I’ve a class to go to.”
“Devon, wait.” I stretch a hand in front of him. “You’re just being so random. If you’re mad at me for not driving with you to school then it’s pathetically ridiculous.”
He gave me a sour look. “You know what is pathetically ridiculous? You not leaving me alone.”
“Why are you blowing me off all so sudden?” I call sharply behind him as he starts to walk away. “What happened?”
“Because I don’t want to see you, isn’t that obvious already?” Devon retorts as he swings around to look at me. His expression turns smug as he continues, “Let me put this out to you as clear as I can. We were just a one-night thing and now I’m done with you. Whatever I said and whatever I did was only to fuck you. Because you snubbed me every time right from the beginning. And nobody does that to Devon Parker.”
My jaw drops at the smirk on his face. “Wait, so you want me to believe that you played me just because I crushed your ego??” I snort. “I’m sorry I’m not that stupid enough to buy that.”
“I’ve given you the facts and I don’t care what you do with it,” he drawls.
I roll my eyes. “Honestly, Devon, whatever bad boy novel it is that you’re using for reference, burn it in hell. Because I know that you love me and I love you, and nothing’s gonna change that.”
Devon scoffs in arrogance. “If you want to live in this frivolous world, then you’re on your own. Count me out of it.”
I stand there and gape at his retreating back.
Something is wrong, very wrong.
Like I’m gonna even take his words seriously. Devon is pretending but why? There’s got to be a very good reason as to why he is so determined to avoid me. Something big happened between the time I left the trailer and the time he got to school. And looks like he’s not gonna talk about it. But I’m gonna find out what it is. I just hope I don’t break in the end.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I sit next to Devon’s usual desk in fifth period and wait for him to walk in. But he arrives only to walk away to a different seat, which frustrates me. He does not even so much as spare a glance in my direction. And I look at him secretly every now and then. In no time I feel a burning ache for him shackle the depths of my existence. I wish every other soul in this class fades away and he thrusts me into this reckless world of his where I can let the darkness, passion, and intensity of his touch reign on every square inch of my body.
“Ms. Sanchez, are you okay?”
I snap out of my web of desires to find the teacher giving me a quizzical look like the entire class sans Devon.
“Yes―I mean, no, Ma’am,” I stutter, struggling to get a grip on my labored breath. “I don’t feel good. Can I please see the nurse?”
After I am excused, I rush straight to the ladies’ room. I look at my red breathless reflection in the mirror. The heat between my legs is so unbearable that my knees turn wobbly.
Damn you, Devon!
I can’t help it.
I feel love for his broken soul and lust for his perfect body.
***
I find Devon in the library during free period. His back is towards me. I approach him silently and hug him tight from behind; my suddenness catches him off guard.
“That was me back in class thinking about you.” I kiss his neck.
“That will be enough, Eleanor.” He releases himself from my hold.
“There’s something that’s bothering you, and you’re not telling me about it.” I walk to the front of him.
“How come the thought that you might be a bother to me never crossed your mind?” He looks at me with cold eyes.
“How come the thought that I don’t believe in any of this crap never crossed your mind?” I challenge.
I grab his arm when he is about to walk off. “There’s something I didn’t tell you about this morning,” I say solemnly. “Somebody tried to run me over with a car in the neighborhood but Stef saved me in the nick of time.”
Devon’s eyes dart back at me in absolute alarm. My throat runs dry watching his face pale as his blue eyes freeze in horror. I’ve never seen him so numb and terrified ever before.
“Are you…are you okay?” Devon pulls me in a tight hug. “Who was it? Did you see the face? Do you remember the face? Any detail would do, Eleanor! Just tell me what you saw,” he adds frantically in anguish.
“That was a lie, Devon,” I say quietly against his ear. “I’m sorry.”
That causes his body to grow stiff, and he pulls away at once, fixing me with a stony expression.
“Which means I’m right.” I look him in the eye. “You’re doing this for a reason. Are you trying to protect me? I need to know from what? From whom? Tell me who’s behind your sudden behavior?” But he begins to leave instead. “Devon!”
“Eleanor.” He gives me a stern look. “Find someone else to play these little mind games with.”
I roll my eyes as he walks and fades out of sight.
Devon doesn’t need to tell me that someone is definitely behind his sudden change. I have gotten to know him deeply ever since we met, and nothing could change his mind. Just like me, Devon is a guy with so many issues, and the only plausible explanation for abrupt change is that he is trying to protect me. And If I am right, why would anyone want to hurt me? Last time I checked, I struggle to have my head wrapped around my own issues to even have time to make an enemy. I make sure that I am nice to everyone.
God this is crazy. Is this about some psycho girl who wants Devon all to herself? And I thought this only happens in movies.
***
When Devon walks in the trailer later that evening, he is not amused at all when he finds me there waiting for him. Not that I care about it. I’m not about to let anything break us apart after everything we have been through to be together.
“Why are you here?” he asks.
“Don’t worry. I made sure nobody saw me slip in,” I tell him.
“Leave.”
“No.”
“Fine, I will.”
“If you walk out that door now, I’ll never come back to you. The choice is yours.”
And that stops Devon in his tracks just before he is about to step out. I watch his fingers curl into fists at his sides.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he says in a low voice.
“You know what? You’re hurting me so much right now,” I tell him matter-of-factly which makes him look at me. “I need to know what it is that’s troubling you so much. You don’t have to be alone. We can deal with the situation together.”
Devon appears conflicted for the next couple of seconds but then I notice a sudden change in him. He marches across the floor and grabs my face to kiss me. The world fades into oblivion, and I can’t feel my knees anymore. He cups my nape while his lips push me further into a state of frenzy. I burrow my fingers in his hair as my heart flutters violently against his chest. My mind draws a blank as I sink into the wildness of his mouth.
As we fall in bed with me on him, his hands reach behind me, and I feel the cool zipper slide down my warm back. He rolls me over, and I quickly unbutton his shirt. Our clothes lie in a messy pile on the floor as his hungry lips devour mine again. I rub myself against his smoldering bare skin and the pleasure is inhuman.
He runs the tip of his hot moist tongue across my collarbone, causing me to wriggle under him. I scream his name in delight as he shifts his weight to bury his face in my chest. I am a breathless mess by the time he spreads my trembling legs wide to taste me.
The moments of ecstasy that follow are beyond anything I thought I was capable of feeling. I’m a sinner who can’t get enough of his wicked allure. It takes me quite some time to notice the buzz of my cellphone over the sound of my heavy breathing.
I don’t want to answer whoever it is calling me on the other line, but my instincts tell me otherwise. I try to reach for the phone but Devon doesn’t let me.
“I’ve to take that…it’s Stef,” I insist, having caught a glimpse of the name flashing on the screen.
“Fine,” he grunts in disapproval and pulls away of me.
Again: A Young Adult Romance Page 17