“I love you, too,” I panted as I felt a change in him. He was moving with a purpose now. His muscles began to tense as he reached between us and used his thumb to rub small circles on my clit. “Nick,” I shrieked. This was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. I was experiencing this feeling of complete bliss, and something so indescribable that I didn’t have words.
Nick’s hand drifted to my hip as he lifted my rear off the bed of the truck and created an even better angle. A few thrusts at this deeper penetration was all it took to send him over the edge.
“Leah,” he roared as his climax wracked his body. He slumped down on me as he mumbled in my ear. “Please, don’t ever leave me. You’ve totally wrecked me for anyone else. I think I might die without you.”
“I won’t,” I whispered. “You and me…forever.”
“Are you ok?” his voice was soft, tender even. “I know I hurt you,” he pulled himself from me, and disposed of the condom.
I nodded as I rolled onto my side and curled into a ball. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. Embarrassment, maybe? I’d screamed his name and begged him to take me, and now that he had, I wasn’t sure what to do next.
“Hey,” he reached for my chin. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I whispered. “I think I just want to go home.”
“Leah,” Nick’s expression was one of concern, and I felt bad for causing it, but I didn’t really know how to explain to him what I was feeling. “Are you regretting that?”
“What? No,” I shook my head and went to work righting my clothes.
“Are you mad at me,” he reached out and grabbed my hand causing me to pause in my movements.
“No,” I looked away.
“Then what,” his voice grew softer, begging almost.
“I just…” I struggled to find words. “This is a lot to take in. It’s my first time. I mean…I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel.”
He tugged at his hair, “Ok. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?” My lip trembled. Maybe it wasn’t good for him. Maybe I was a letdown. Maybe he wished that we hadn’t done it.
“What’s going on in there?” he tapped my head and looked deep into my eyes.
I swallowed before forcing the words out, “Do you regret it?”
“Huh?” he shifted to sit up straighter.
“Was I? I mean…did you…” I could feel my face heating and I tried to look away.
“I love you, Leah. You were perfect. We were perfect. It’ll get better…I promise,” he leaned in and placed a light kiss to my lips. “It was your first time…it hurt…I know that,” he pulled me into his arms and rested his chin on the top of my head. “Next time, it won’t hurt.”
“Next time?” I whispered.
“Yeah. You need to heal first, but I can’t wait for next time,” his chest shook as he held in a chuckle. “Come on,” he sighed. “I’ll take you home.”
“I love you,” I smiled up at him as he loosened his grip on me.
“I love you too, baby,” he winked, and then helped me back into the cab of the truck.
As he drove me home, I couldn’t help but think that this was going to change things between us. I wasn’t sure if it would be for the better or not, but I knew that things would be different now; I just didn’t realize how different.
Chapter 13
Leah
When my alarm went off the next morning, I all but threw it across the room. I was tired, and Nick was right…I was sore. I groaned as I rolled to a sitting position and stared at my closed bedroom door. I knew I needed to get up. School was starting next week, and I was supposed to be gearing up for track season in the spring. To most, that would seem crazy, but when you’re fighting to stay on top, it’s not. I was currently ranked number one in my district, and as soon as school started, I’d be number one in the state. The girl that had beat me at the state finals last year had graduated. Unless a freshman qualified higher, I was it.
“Leah?” My dad’s voice came through the door muffled. “You running today?”
“Yeah!” I called back.
“Ok! I left some breakfast on the stove for you. You can heat it up when you get back. I’m heading into work. Your mom’s gonna be out for the day working on some advertising for us,” he paused and then I heard the door shut.
“I’ll be fine,” I muttered. My parents had always let me be fairly independent, but lately it seemed like I was raising myself. I guess I shouldn’t complain. It made spending time Nick that much easier.
After forcing myself to get up and get dressed, I grabbed my iPod and jogged down the stairs. When I slipped out the door, I wasn’t paying attention. My head was down, and the earbuds were already in place. If I’d looked up, I would have seen him, but I didn’t. I stumbled as I walked right into a wall of muscle. Hot muscle I might add. Hot muscle that belonged to me.
My head shot up and his green eyes gleamed at me. “Morning,” he grinned.
“Wh…what are doing here?” I stuttered as I pulled one of the buds from my ear.
He ran his knuckles lightly down one of my bare arms, “I came to see how you’re doing.”
“How I’m doing?” I was confused and flustered.
“After last night,” he whispered as he leaned in next to my ear.
I flushed with embarrassment, “I’m fine.”
“Leah?” He narrowed his eyes at me as he scanned my face. I could tell he was trying to see if I was telling him the truth.
“I’m fine,” I nodded, and then motioned to the sidewalk in front of my house. “I’m getting ready to go for my morning run. So…” I bit my lip as I watched him “I need to go.”
“Want some company?” he cocked his head to the side.
“Ssssuuure,” I drew it out as I lifted a shoulder. “Do you think you can keep up?” I giggled.
“I’ll show you who can keep up,” he smirked as he began walking toward his truck.
“What are you doing?” I called as I began walking toward the street.
“Gotta put my keys away. I think my stuff is safe in your driveway,” he laughed as he slipped a pair of sunglasses on. “Let’s go,” he waved his arm.
This was a first and I hoped that it wasn’t the last. I’d never had someone to run with. Even at practice, I ran alone. No one could keep up with me, or was even willing to try. I did slow my pace for Nick. I knew he would never admit to being tired, or not being able to keep up, but I could tell he was struggling.
“You ok?” I yelled over my shoulder as we rounded the corner and made our way into the park.
“Fine,” he panted. “I like this view.”
I laughed and shook my head. He’d been running behind me for most of the route. At first, I thought it was because I was pushing him too hard, but now I was figuring it was by choice.
“You’re a dirty boy,” I scolded when we reached the spot where I usually started my cool down. We were near a small patch of trees, and when I paused, Nick placed his hands on his knees and began gasping for air. “Tired?” I fought to hold back a giggle.
“Not at all,” he huffed. “I could go all day like this.”
“Sure you could, Mr. Football star. I bet you could run circles around me,” I quirked one side of my mouth up as I watched him.
“You know it,” he stood up, and wiped his arm across his forehead. “It’s freaking hot.”
“It’s like this the entire season. I really don’t notice it anymore,” I shrugged as I leaned against a tree.
Nick reached behind his neck and grabbed the collar of his shirt. He yanked it over his head in one motion, and then proceeded to wipe the sweat from his body. I swallowed as I watched him. The muscles of his chest and arms bunched and flexed. His body had gone from a toned athlete to a ripped construction worker. I couldn’t help but stare.
In my lustful daze, I failed to hear or see him approach until he’d come to stand right in front of me. “You keep that up,” he leaned in next to my e
ar, “and I’m not gonna wait to take you again.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, “Take me?”
“Take you,” he nodded and grabbed my hand. I thought he was going to walk us back, but instead he pressed my palm to his groin. He was hard and ready, and if I weren’t sore from the night before, I would have let him take me.
“Nick,” I hissed.
“It’s what you do to me, Leah. I want you all the time and now I don’t have to hide it,” he sighed as he leaned in. “You’re like a drug,” he brushed his lips over mine, “and I’m hopelessly addicted.”
Before I could respond, the kiss deepened. He dropped his shirt, and wrapped both arms around me. His head tilted to the side and his tongue plunged in. He groaned as he rolled his hips forward and backed us into a tree. I slumped between him and the tree trunk. Staying upright wasn’t possible with the feelings that were running wild through my body. It was as if I’d flipped a switch last night. Now that I knew what sex was like, it seemed that it was the ultimate goal with each encounter.
I gripped his hips with both hands and pulled them flush with mine. My knees bent as I began rubbing myself on his hard length. I couldn’t believe what was happening. We were in the park, during the day, with only a few trees hiding us. My dad was working not fifty feet away and anyone could come by and see us.
“Leah,” Nick panted as he broke the kiss. “You gotta stop that,” he reached for my shoulders and held me in place as he stepped back to break the contact between us. “You’re hurt, and as much as I want this,” he shook his head as a muttered curse escaped, “we can’t right now.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled as I glanced down at his obvious discomfort. “I didn’t mean…”
“Shhh,” he pecked my forehead. “Nothing to be sorry about. I’m glad you want to, and I promise we will. Just not today. Give yourself time to heal, and then we’ll do it whenever you want to,” he smirked.
“Ok,” I smiled shyly up at him. “Wanna hang out at my place today? Nobody’s home,” I grinned.
“So we’d be alone?” he smirked. “Like totally alone? All day?”
I nodded slowly as a giggle burst from my lips, “Totally alone until late. Mom and Dad are both working. I’ve got the house to myself.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” he snickered. “Although I do kinda smell now,” he lifted an arm and sniffed.
I bit my lip as I stared at him for a moment. He may have been sweaty, but all I saw was tanned muscle that I wanted to touch. “You got any clothes in your truck?”
“I usually keep a change in there, why?” he ran his hand over his head.
“You can shower at my place,” I tried to act nonchalant as I looked everywhere but at him. “I usually get cleaned up when I get home from a run.”
“Leah?” his voice was strained as he moved closer.
I lifted a shoulder, “What?”
“You can’t say stuff like that,” he hissed.
“Stuff like what?” I knew what he was talking about, and I could see how it was affecting him.
His body was so tight, his jaw ticked as he pinched his eyes shut and he groaned. “You know you’re asking a lot of me right now. If I didn’t care so much…” he trailed off as he looked away.
“Tell you what,” I paused and grinned. “I’ll race you back…if you beat me, you can have me. If not, I get to punish you.” His eyes darkened as they darted from my mouth to my eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed slowly as he nodded. It was as if he was still letting the words sink in, and wasn’t sure if I meant them. “Just so you know,” I leaned up on my tiptoes and whispered right into his ear, “I don’t lose…ever.”
“We’ll see,” he muttered as he took a deep breath. “Where is this race going to start from?”
“Right…” I paused as I moved a few steps ahead of where we were “here,” I shouted as I took off at top speed toward my house.
“You’re a cheater!” he shouted from somewhere behind me.
I’ll give him credit; he could run. I could hear his feet pounding behind me. I didn’t dare look back to see how close he was. I was afraid I might trip or crash into someone who was out walking. He laughed a few times, but I could also hear determination. He wanted to beat me. He wasn’t one of those guys who let the girl win just because she was a girl. He wanted to push me. Maybe it was just what I needed for training? Someone who wouldn’t treat me differently.
When I rounded the final corner, and saw my house in the distance, I cranked it up a notch. I’d stuffed my iPod in my pocket, so I could hear him, and his panting breaths seemed to be right beside me. I chanced a glance to the right and there he was. He grinned, waved, and kept pace with me. “You’re going down,” I growled as I pulled ahead.
I’d just turned in the driveway when he reached forward and wrapped his arms around my middle causing us both to topple to the ground right in the front yard. He chuckled as he held me there. I tried to be mad at him, but I couldn’t. He was being so playful and it was contagious.
“You cheated,” he gasped for breath as he rolled us so he had me pinned in the grass.
“I don’t lose,” I giggled as I grinned up at him. “Told you.”
“You sure did,” he leaned down and nuzzled my jaw. “I learn something new every day from you.”
“You do?” I panted, but this time it wasn’t from being out of breath. No, my body was slowly remembering what we’d been talking about in the park and now that we were here…alone…it was all I could do not to jump him. Nick had awakened me and I wasn’t sure how to deal with it yet. It was embarrassing…how much I wanted him.
“I never knew I could feel this way about a girl,” his eyes were soft as he stared down at me. “I love you so much,” he murmured before he placed a light kiss to my lips.
“You really mean that, don’t you?” I reached up and cupped his cheek.
“Why would you ask me that? Of course, I mean it,” his brow crinkled.
“I just thought…I mean after last night,” I looked away embarrassed.
“You thought after we had sex that I wouldn’t want you anymore,” he growled and looked away. “I don’t know how to prove this to you. Sex doesn’t change the way I feel. I didn’t need it to know that I want you. We’re more than that. I’m glad we waited. It made it mean more,” he shook his head lightly and laughed. “Gah, I sound like a girl.”
“I love hearing this side of you. It makes me love you more,” I smiled. “Hey…you still want that shower?” I nibbled my lip.
“What did you have in mind?” his smile grew into a full grin.
“I need to shower, you need to shower,” I waved my hand in the air, “no one’s home.” I chewed the side of my mouth.
“Leah, if you can’t talk about it, I’m not going to do it,” he taunted.
“Fine!” I sighed. “Wanna shower with me?”
“Did you think you even needed to ask?” he grinned and then rolled off me. After standing up, he reached down to help me. “Come on before I change my mind about letting you heal.”
“You wouldn’t do that,” I challenged.
“You’re right, I wouldn’t, but I need to touch you…and kiss you,” he leaned in again and placed a deeper kiss to my lips “and I don’t want an audience,” he motioned around us.
“Well, then,” I swallowed, “lead the way.” I giggled as I let him pull me toward the front steps.
This was new territory. I’d never been in a relationship like this. It was thrilling and scary all at the same time. I was putting myself out there and trusting Nick not to hurt me. I heard that once the guy got what he wanted, he usually moved on, but I was beginning to think that maybe Nick was different. Maybe we could have forever. Maybe this would work. Maybe, just maybe I could have it all.
Chapter 14
Leah
Over the next week, Nick and I spent every minute together. Avery had been lost in her sea of boys and we really hadn’t talked much. C
am and Sarah had ended whatever was going on between them, but I knew that wouldn’t last. I don’t really know what Sarah had that Avery didn’t, but she had something that kept Cam coming back for more. Just last week, her parents had caught him sneaking out her bedroom window. Nick claimed that Cam didn’t really want her; she was just uncomplicated and easy. I think what kept him going back was the fact that he didn’t have real feelings for her. I saw the way he looked at my best friend. He liked her. He’d never admit it, but he liked her. I think he was afraid that she’d hurt him if he gave her a chance.
Now, with school starting in the morning, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Nick was coming over to drive me. This was going to be the first year that Avery and I didn’t show up together. I’d called her earlier in the day asking if it bothered her. She claimed it didn’t, but I heard it in her voice. She knew that Nick was an important part of my life now, that things would be different this year. Our group was changing and I knew it bothered her. Part of the change was the addition of Sarah and the loss of Nick. The bitter sarcasm that she spewed whenever we talked about this had me on edge and worried about what was to come in the morning.
ooooooooo
When my alarm went off this morning, I couldn’t help but jump out of bed. Today was ‘the day’. Senior year was finally here. Avery, Cam, and I were going to rule the school. I had everything going for me and I had nothing to worry about. My dad’s shop was doing great, Nick and I were stronger than ever, and I was now officially number one. That thought both excited and terrified me at the same time. Scouts were going to expect me to win, and if I didn’t, they’d question their desire to have me on their team.
“Leah?” My mom called from the kitchen.
“Coming!” I yelled back. I grabbed my backpack and slung it up on my shoulder as I bounded down the stairs. When I glanced up, I saw the most beautiful sight. Nick was standing there, leaning in the doorway, waiting for me. He was wearing a pair of worn jeans, work boots, and an old gray t-shirt. His arms were crossed over his chest and a white baseball cap was pulled down low on his brow.
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