I don’t stop touching him until I feel him stop twitching and keep my hand around him, resting my head on his chest and listening to his heart beat gradually slowing down.
We look at each other and we smile, a pleasant tiredness invading our limbs while the storm is still raging outside.
‘Wait a sec...’
Xander gets out of bed and leaves the room for a moment, returning with a warm, wet towel.
‘Give me your hand...’
He wipes my hand clean and then he jumps back into bed leaving the towel on the floor and taking me into his arms, where I nestle feeling safer and happier than I have felt in forever.
I rest my head on his chest and drowsiness overcomes me, lulled by the rain hammering the cabin, the howling wind and the thunder.
He kisses my temple and whispers:
‘Sleep if you want, baby. I’ll be here to watch over you. I love you.’
I nestle deeper into his arms, inhaling his scent and listening to his heart beat: after what we just shared, being close to him feels different. I think it’s this intimacy I keep hearing about. The truth is that I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world so I circle his waist with my arms and fall into a deep slumber.
A loud thunder wakes me up but doesn’t startle me: that scent of sandalwood and amber surrounds me and Xander’s strong arms are still around me.
I sigh against his chest, contented and still feeling the effects of his touch on my body.
I try not to move so I don’t wake him up and I succeed until my stomach growls.
His eyes are still closed but a lazy smile spreads across his sexy lips.
‘I think you are trying to tell me something...’
I’m a bit embarrassed.
‘I’m fine.’
He opens those amazing turquoise eyes and looks at me without moving:
‘I think I could be persuaded to find us something to eat in the mini fridge in the lounge, with the right incentive...’
‘And what would that be?’
I ask and I receive a sexy grin in return.
‘We could start with a kiss...’
I nibble at his lips, my tongue teasing at the seam of them to get him to open his mouth and he doesn’t need any more persuasion, he lets me in and lets out a little moan when our kiss becomes hot and intense.
He breaks the kiss, breathing hard.
‘If you keep this on, dinner won’t be served for a while...’
He warns me and I touch my lips to his again, one of my knees sliding between his thighs.
‘Maybe dinner can wait...’
I ponder with a kiss behind his ear and one of my hands teasing at the waistband of his underwear.
‘Clary... What happened before... Thank you, I don’t think I have ever felt this good before...’
‘Neither have I. You know, I was telling Brie about your idea of getting to eventually having sex but taking it slow and how you wanted me to have lots of orgasms before we tackled intercourse and she said that guys don’t care about our pleasure but just their own. I told her that you were different and she retorted that orgasms are overrated anyway. So I asked her if she ever had one and she said she thought maybe she did...’
He cocks his head to the side, waiting for my conclusion.
‘I don’t think she has. If she had felt what you made me feel this afternoon, she would have no doubt. I think it was the most amazing feeling in the world and I also liked touching you...’
‘Did you?’
He whispers.
‘I loved it. Knowing that I could make you feel the same pleasure you made me feel was so exciting and satisfying...’
He kisses me.
‘How do I say this without sounding like a sap? I guess I will just say how I feel: I have had sex before Clary but the pleasure you gave me earlier on... It was unbelievable. I think it’s because of how attracted I am to you. I love you and it didn’t feel like you were doing what you did out of obligation but just because you love me too...’
‘Yes. I loved making you feel that way and I hope you will show me all the ways I can give you pleasure because I plan to.’
He squeezes me tighter:
‘I have never felt so close to anyone before and you made me feel so damn good...’
I kiss his chest.
‘No need for dead puppies ever again, hopefully...’
He looks at me a bit disconcerted.
‘Dead puppies?’
I explain:
‘You know, when we had to stop and you got frustrated, for you to be able to calm down enough until you could take care of things, thinking about dead puppies or disgusting stuff...’
He smirks.
‘Brie again?’
I shake my head.
‘No, Logan.’
He laughs.
‘I guess Logan has a point... So I assume he has had to resort to dead puppies?’
I nod.
‘Is it weird if we talk about what I have or haven’t done with Logan?’
He shrugs.
‘I know you love each other and I am not that naive that I think that your relationship won’t progress sexually. I know you are attracted to him and he feels as strongly as I do towards you, so...’
‘Yeah, but I don’t want you to feel weird, if it ever feels like it’s too much information, I need you to tell me. But to be honest, Xander, I feel like I can tell you anything... I have never met anybody who got me the way you do... And you light me on fire. Until earlier today, I just needed to look at you to feel excited beyond belief but now that I know what you can do to me...’
He sighs.
‘I’m happy you feel this way, baby. And I don’t want to diminish your feelings by telling you that probably Logan can do the same, if you gave him the chance.’
I smile.
‘One of the reasons why I love you is that you are so selfless when it comes to me. I know what you are trying to say and I am sure that he will have the chance but Xander... With you is like a constant fire... I can’t look at you without wanting to kiss you and touch you and now, after today...’
He nods.
‘I know. After all, the first thing you did the day we met, was dive head first towards my crotch...’
His bad boy smile appears and I bite his nipple making him yelp.
‘You tripped me...’
He smirks:
‘Maybe...’
He flips me over and hovers above me, his knees straddling my hips, holding my wrists down by my head but gently, so I could get free if I wanted to.
‘You are so impossible!’
I fake pout.
‘And you bite...’
He’s probably referring to our first kiss and what I just did to his nipple.
‘Because you are impossible.’
I don’t concede.
‘I can bite back...’
He warns and I swallow, looking into his eyes and not dare talk, already breathing a bit faster waiting for his next move.
He lowers his head and bites down on my neck, very softly and sensually and I squirm under him...
‘I think you bite way better than I do...’
I pant and he smiles again, this time biting on one of my nipples which has hardened and is straining against the lacy, soft material of my bra.
Grumble... My stomach again, way louder than before.
He laughs and lets go of my wrists, moves the bedding aside and helps me out of bed.
‘Ok, let’s feed you before you pass out on me but don’t think this is over... We have the whole night, since the storm doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon.’
‘My clothes are still wet... Can I wear your t-shirt?’
I put on the purple t-shirt Xander was wearing last night and it still smells like him so I think I will probably keep it to sleep in at night, so I can be surrounded by his sexy sandalwood and amber scent.
He wears a pair of shorts and we get into the living roo
m.
‘So... We have Mac and cheese or... Mac and cheese.’
He smiles digging two TV dinners from the freezer.
‘And if you eat all your macaroni, there’s ice cream cones for dessert...’
‘Deal!’
I beam not picking up on his teasing tone on purpose just to piss him off but he laughs and after he puts the pasta in the microwave, he comes to sit on the couch next to me and hugs me tight.
‘I love the way you look in my t-shirt... You should wear them more often...’
I climb on his lap and hug his neck, my lips coming really close to his, our eyes locking: just looking at him like this makes my heart feel full and gives me those goosebumps all over my body.
He kisses me, his lips touching mine tenderly until I can’t resist but open my mouth to let him in, our tongues tangled together, our breathing speeding up with the intensity of our kiss.
His hands get inside the t-shirt and find my boobs while my legs go around his waist and I feel like I am ready to melt against him: I can’t believe that with all that happened in his bed, our underwear never came completely off.
I guess that was good, it made me feel safe, it wasn’t overwhelming with all the new things that I experienced today but now it’s as if our clothes are an unnecessary barrier between us and I start tugging at the button of his shorts.
He breaks our kiss to ask:
‘Baby, the microwave just pinged but if you undo my shorts now...’
‘I don’t care...’
I breathe against his mouth, my nails already grazing his bare back ever so softly.
He lets out a low moan and lies me down on the couch, my legs wrapped around his waist and his hands inside the t-shirt I’m wearing.
‘You are just so hot, Clary... And the worst part is that I love talking to you too, I care about what you think and I love how sweet and loving you are... you just drive me wild, every part of you...’
He just described the exact way I feel about him: it’s my body that wants him but my heart and my head are in it too just as fully.
I grab his ass in an effort to push him closer to me and he grinds against me, breathing hard.
‘I’m really trying to go slow here, baby. I might need those dead puppies, after all...’
‘Xander...’
‘If you say my name that way one more time, I don’t know that I’ll be able to keep from ripping my t-shirt and your gorgeous underwear off you...’
That’s exactly our problem: his looks, his kisses, his touch, his hot body and the stuff he says to me. Now I also know how good he can make me feel and I want everything, I don’t care about going slow.
I take his t-shirt off me and rub myself all over him, my leg trying to go around him so that our crotches touch as closely as possible.
I try to undo the clasp of my bra reaching behind my back while he bites my neck and grinds his hardness against me.
‘Earlier, when you screamed my name, that was the hottest thing ever... I want to make you scream my name all night...’
‘Xander...’
I moan, pulling my bra off and throwing it on the floor, my hard nipples rubbing against his muscled chest.
‘Xander?’
The front door slams open letting in the wind, the rain and the noise of the storm still infuriating outside.
I squeal horrified, hiding my face and my chest against Xander and trying to pull us both down on the couch in a mess of limbs and couch cushions.
Joel and Jemma shut the door and stay at the threshold, probably waiting for us to sort ourselves out.
Xander grabs his t-shirt off the floor and passes it on to me, still keeping me on the couch and covering me with his body.
‘Baby, put it on...’
He whispers in my ear.
‘I will get your bra in a second.’
As soon as I am decent and I dare sit up, Joel and Jemma step further into the room: they are as drenched as Xander and I were when we got here, Jemma’s glasses fogged up and her jeans sticking to her body.
‘I see you guys got caught in the storm too...’
I admire Xander for trying to make small talk: my tongue is glued to the top of my mouth while both Joel and Jemma look at me.
They both look a bit pissed for some reason, I guess they were hoping to be alone.
‘Yeah, there’s a bunch of people stuck in the arcade, most of them are in the clubhouse and Angie is stuck uphill at reception. Obviously tonight curfew won’t be enforced and they said to everyone to stay put. We just decided to make a run for it because it was getting too crowded...’
Joel offers, his dark blue eyes fixed on me.
‘Well, we were about to have some dinner, if you guys are hungry...’
‘I think you guys were already at dessert...’
Scoffs Jemma: I think she isn’t over the fact that Xander didn’t want to date her, despite having been joined at the hip with Joel for the last few days.
Xander ignores her remark while I blush under Joel’s gaze: he just stares me down without saying anything.
So, we all sit down around the couch and share the TV dinners and eat the ice cream. We even play a few table games, before I let out a loud yawn.
‘I think Clary and I might retire for night...’
‘Mhm... I was hoping Clary would share a room with me, since there isn’t a room for each of us...’
Interjects Jemma.
Joel and Xander look at her a bit taken aback and I frown, unsure of why she would want to bunk with me.
‘It would be inappropriate for us to sleep with the boys...’
‘I... I don’t mind sleeping in the same room as Xander...’
I say: I really don’t want to share a bed with Jemma, she makes me uneasy, especially with the way she keeps staring at Xander.
‘Come on, Jems, is this really necessary?’
Joel rolls his eyes but she doesn’t relent.
‘Joel, you know I’m a proper lady...’
Her southern drawl grates in my eardrums: I normally love a southern accent but she has a whiney quality to her voice that really bothers me.
‘You can take my room, Jemma. I’ll take the couch.’
Suggests Joel.
‘But it’s cold tonight, wouldn’t it be better if the girls bunked together and so did the boys?’
‘There’s some spare bedding and blankets in my closet, if Joel doesn’t want to be cold...’
Offers Xander and Jemma agrees reluctantly and follows Xander in his bedroom.
I stare at the floor when Joel says:
‘She’s very proper. For some reason she really cares about appearances. It’s not as if I didn’t already have her in the lake, in my car, in the pool and in the lifeguard tower during my shift... And oh... We shared a sleeping bag on bonfire night.’
I shake my head: so she’s having sex with Joel but she doesn’t want anyone else to know...
‘Are you sure you are ok to share the room with Xander?’
His eyes bore into mine and I decide not to say anything: it’s none of his business what I am doing with Xander and it’s not like he hasn’t just caught us half naked on the couch. Even if technically we aren’t sleeping together.
‘Clary?’
He presses.
‘Yes, I’m fine. He’s my boyfriend, I was actually hoping to be able to spend the night...’
His eyes harden up:
‘So you don’t care what people might say?’
Not really. And I really don’t have to explain myself to him either way.
‘People talk either way, Joel. I don’t care much. The people I truly care about won’t care where I spend the night out of some sense of propriety...’
Jemma and Xander walk back into the lounge with some spare bedding and I help Jemma make the sofa into a comfortable bed while Joel takes a shower and Xander waits for me in his room.
‘So, you don’t care that everybody will know that you and Xand
er are doing it?’
I don’t bother to correct her, I just stare at her, unsure of what kind of point she’s trying to make.
‘You know, people talk here at camp, you don’t want to be known as an easy girl, that reputation can follow you up to grad school, since we all end up going to Ivy League schools...’
I can’t take her vacuous, hypocritical chatter any longer.
‘I am in love with Xander. And he won’t go spread any rumours. Regardless, people talk if they want to and it doesn’t even have to be true...’
‘Exactly!’
She shouts.
‘One day you want to marry well and you’d be vetted by his family...’
Seriously, she’s starting to sound like Brie and my mom.
‘Look, Jemma, do what you think it’s best. And Xander doesn’t go run his mouth, nor does Joel, really. So if I hear rumours, I know where they will come from...’
Her eyes narrow for a moment but then she smiles:
‘Oh, I wouldn’t dream about that, buttercup! I am just trying to look out for you... Sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite!’
I enter Xander’s bedroom and I climb on the bed where he’s lying down bare chested and dark faced.
I snuggle into him and look up into his amazing turquoise eyes.
‘Are you ok?’
He shrugs and hugs me closer to his body.
‘You really don’t mind sleeping in here tonight?’
I look at him, surprised he’s even asked me that.
‘Of course not... What gives?’
He looks at me, his eyes suddenly intense, almost reminding me of Austin.
‘Jemma just gave me a speech about how I should be looking out for your reputation...’
I shake my head:
‘Jemma is a giant hypocrite. She acts all proper and while you were collecting the bedding, Joel just admitted that they have been having sex all over the place...’
He sighs, holding me tighter.
‘I had no doubt about it. My ex was like that too. She cared about what people said but she’d slept with more people than I did. And somehow, after that crazy weekend, after the breakup, I got the bad boy reputation... And I know she knew one of the girls I hooked up with and...’
‘ Xander, I seriously couldn’t care less about what people say. I love you and what we do is between us... Between us three if anything, because I realise that Logan is part of this too. But the only people I respond to is you two. Everyone else doesn’t matter to me.’
Lake Emerald Chronicles: The First Summer: A Reverse Harem Romance Page 23