She paused, and a blush appeared on her already flushed cheeks. “Touching myself.”
“Uh-uh.” I shook my head and batted her arm away. “That’s my job.”
Finishing what I’d started back at her dorm, I pressed my thumb to her clit, flicking and circling in a fast rhythm that had her writhing.
It didn’t take long. Letting out a choked sob, her entire body jerked as her pussy clamped around my cock.
And I couldn’t hold back any longer. Pushing her thighs wide, I pumped hard and fast, burying myself as deep into Kayla’s body as possible.
Blinding pleasure built to impossible levels as my balls drew up tight to my body before all my senses detonated like a bomb.
For a few seconds, I couldn’t hear. I couldn’t see. I couldn’t think.
All I could do was feel my body tensing with the strongest orgasm I’d ever had.
A roar erupted from my throat as my dick pulsed, filling Kayla with my cum. Marking her as mine. Bonding us in a way that we could never erase.
As the pleasure ebbed away, I slowed my thrusts.
I was buzzing everywhere, making me feel weak and invigored at the same time. It took all the strength I had left in my body to lift my head.
“Holy fucking shit, baby.”
With a dreamy expression, she made a sound of agreement.
Wanting to stay inside her for a while, I kissed her over and over again as my cock softened.
“I love you.” I’d already told her that, but I’d never get tired of saying the words.
“I love you, too.”
Both of us were breathing hard and wearing the same sated smiles. Kayla wiggled under my weight and my dick slid out. Moving to the side, I wrapped an arm around her and she laid a hand on my stomach.
No words were spoken for several minutes as we absorbed the importance of the moment. We just existed together until our bodies calmed.
I’d spent most of my pubescent years assuming I’d die a virgin, but suddenly I wasn’t anymore. And I never would’ve wanted it to be with anyone else. Kayla was it for me.
I was still mentally processing what we’d just experienced when she began to scoot away.
“Don’t leave.” I tightened my hold on her waist as if she’d disappear any second. “Say you’ll stay with me tonight.”
She looked amused. “I’m just going to the bathroom to clean up.”
“Oh, okay,” I relented, watching her luscious ass bounce with every step she took out of the room.
When she came back—still buck naked—she flipped off the hallway light before rifling through my dresser like she owned the place.
It made me chuckle.
“I need something to sleep in,” she explained, going down to the next drawer when she realized the top only had socks. “I get cold at night.”
“Shirts are on the right, sweatpants on the left. Grab me some, too?”
She tossed a black sleeveless tee and gray pants to me, then slipped on a blue Heyworth High School T-shirt. Frowning, she pulled the drawstring on her black pants as far as they would go, but her petite frame was still swimming in them.
“Why don’t you bring some of your clothes next time you come over?” I suggested as she snuggled up to my side. “The bottom drawer is empty and you can have it.”
“First you offer me a key, now this? Kinda sounds like you want me to move in,” she teased. “This is only our first date.”
“Don’t care.” I nuzzled her neck. “Just want you with me.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” She yawned and made a noise of surprise when she glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “After midnight? I didn’t realize it was so late.”
“Pierre,” I called out. “Come here, buddy.” He came in a few seconds later and had the decency to look at me like he hadn’t just heard us getting it on. Guess I could add ‘discreet’ to his long list of attributes. “Rapporte las eau.”
He left, and when he ran back to me with the bottle of water in his mouth, Kayla laughed. “Um, yeah. Definitely gotta keep him. What a good boy you are.”
Seeming pleased with himself, he went out to the living room to go to sleep.
“Coolest shit ever, right?” Uncapping the water, I handed it to her so she could drink first.
As she gulped at it, the image of my cock in her mouth flashed through my mind. My dick twitched. As if it hadn’t already gotten enough action for one night. One taste of sex and I was hooked.
After Kayla was done, I drained the rest and tossed it into the garbage can beside the bed.
“Let’s get some sleep.” Lying on my back, I opened my arms and decided to enjoy holding her for a while.
I’d never shared a bed with anyone before. At least, not since I was a kid when Jimmy and I would have campouts on the living room floor.
But I could quickly become addicted to this. Kayla’s head was resting on my chest, her ear right over my heart, our fingers were entwined over my stomach.
Tonight was the happiest night of my life, and the best part? We’d get to do this again and again.
Kayla was mine, now and forever.
Always, she’d said.
Once her breathing evened out, I gently slid my arm out from under her head. Then I turned over onto my right side and got comfortable with my therapeutic pillow.
“Um… Ezra?” Kayla’s breath fanned against the back of my neck.
“What’s up, baby?” My eyes were drooping but I made sure to call her the term of endearment she liked so much. “Thought you were asleep.”
“I just…”
“What’s going on?” I glanced over my shoulder, and even in the darkness I could see the sheepish expression on her face.
“I want you to hold me. You don’t like to cuddle?”
Feeling awkward—because my leg was going to get brought up again—I shrugged. “It’s not that. Being in the right sleeping position helps my leg. I need something throw it over.”
“You could use me.” Her petulant tone made me smile. “Is it silly that I’m jealous of a body pillow? I feel like a third wheel.”
I kicked at the pillow, sending it flying to the floor, and patted the spot in front of me. “Come on over, then.”
Climbing over my body, she took the opportunity to plant a kiss on my cheek before she rolled over and pressed her back to my front.
Then I hooked my knee over her thigh, pulling her close. Her soft body was perfect for this. “Guess I don’t need it when I have a real body to sleep with. This okay?”
“Yes,” she sighed happily. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, baby.”
Waking up next to Ezra was… Well, it was everything.
His warm body was draped over me like a weighted blanket. Warm. Comforting. Better than I imagined.
There was something so intimate about starting your day with someone.
In the light of day, sensuality was replaced with familiarity. Heart-racing excitement became soul-quenching trust.
Sometime during the night, I’d rolled over to face him. His left leg hung over my hips, effectively keeping me as close as possible and anchoring me to the bed. He hadn’t been kidding about using me as a body pillow, and I didn’t mind one bit.
I’d spent nights at Gavin’s before. There were times when we’d fallen asleep on his sectional couch, but I always woke up stiff from being in an uncomfortable position all night and with one of Gavin’s giant feet in my face.
I gave Ezra’s neck a sniff, since my face was conveniently tucked under his chin. Definitely didn’t smell like a stinky foot.
My eyes bounced up to his beautiful face. Even after everything we did last night, this was the most vulnerable I’d ever seen him. His cheek was squished up from the pillow, his hair was messy, and his lips were slightly parted.
He looked so much like the boy I’d fallen in love with years ago.
Tightening my hold on him, I pressed my ear to his chest and listen
ed to his strong heartbeat.
The soothing sound was interrupted by a much less pleasant noise.
My alarm clock on my phone went off a second time, and I could hear the insistent ringing coming from somewhere in the living room. Reluctantly, I untangled myself from Ezra, trying my best not to wake him.
Before I could slide out from under his leg, I grabbed the pillow from the floor and slyly replaced the vacant space. Satisfied with the way it was tucked against Ezra’s body, I turned away.
A warm hand caught my wrist. “Where are you going?”
I sat on the edge of the bed. “I have to get to work.”
“So early,” he grumped, rubbing his eyes. “It’s still dark out.”
I grinned at this side of him. He definitely wasn’t a morning person.
“The sun is coming up.” I motioned toward the pink glow coming through his curtains. “And I need to get back to the dorms to take a shower.”
“Take one here.”
“Really?”
“If you don’t mind smelling like my soap, yeah.” He grinned, the grumpiness melting away. That idea certainly had its merits. I wanted to spend the day smelling him on me. Ezra leaned up on an elbow. “I’ll even join you.”
Sold. I was bobbing my head so enthusiastically that it made Ezra chuckle.
He swung his legs over the side of the mattress and rubbed at his left thigh. I remembered what he’d said before the summer about how he had muscle stiffness in the morning, so I waited for him to assess the situation.
After extending his leg out a couple times, he gave me a nod.
As we shuffled to the bathroom, shyness came over me. Showering with a guy was another brand-new first. Last night it had been darker in the room, so being completely naked with each other seemed less intimidating.
Ezra flipped on the lights. There were two—one above the large mirror over the sink and the other on the ceiling.
I squinted. Yeah, it was really bright in here.
When he pulled back the gray shower curtain, I looked down at the small chair in the tub.
“What’s that for?” I tilted my head as I studied the white plastic seat and metal legs.
Blushing, Ezra groaned as he sleepily scratched at the back of his head.
“A shower seat. I used to have one at home, and my parents insisted on getting it for me. You know, just in case…” he trailed off, gesturing at his leg. “But it’s a waste of space. I swear they treat me like a baby sometimes.”
My eyes darted back to the seat, dirty images popping into my mind. Images of me straddling his lap, steam filling the air as I rode him.
Rubbing my thighs together, I tested the soreness between my legs. There was a slight twinge of pain in my center, but the sensation only enhanced my building desire. It was as if I could still feel his cock inside me.
“So you sit on it?” I bit my lip as heat flooded my body.
“I haven’t yet. Haven’t needed to.”
“Would you like to now?” I asked slowly, giving him a naughty grin.
Realization dawned on his face.
I’d never seen someone get undressed so fast.
When I saw Shauna sitting in her regular booth, I hurried to finish up some of my tasks so I could get a few free minutes. Instead of standing to take her order, I sat across from her.
“I want to talk to you about what you did yesterday,” I blurted out. I realized I was lacking tact and manners, but I didn’t have a lot of time to chat.
She smiled. “I told you not to worry about the tip. It’s yours.”
I shook my head. “I’m not talking about that. The man on the street…”
“Paul?” She chuckled. “He’s a sweetheart.”
“Yes, Paul. I met him after you left. I…” My voice died away because I was ashamed of what I was going to say next.
Shauna gave me a patient look, waiting for me to continue.
“I probably wouldn’t have noticed him if it wasn’t for you,” I confessed. “I don’t know what that says about me. My family always taught me selflessness and kindness, and maybe it didn’t stick. Maybe I’m too self-absorbed.”
Shauna reached across the table to pat one of my hands. “You’re young, honey.” Leaning back, she clucked her tongue. “You don’t even want to know what I was like at your age. A real hell raiser. The important thing is that your eyes are open now.”
“Do you ever…” The words got stuck in my throat again.
“Go on and say it. I’m not going to judge.”
“Do you ever wonder what a homeless person does with your money?” I whispered, hushed. “Like, what if they’re not even homeless? What if it’s a scam? What if they buy drugs or alcohol?”
She nodded through my spiel, like this was all old news. She’d heard these things before.
“The second that money leaves my hand, it’s none of my business. I’ve done my part. What they decide to do with it is up to them,” she said, taking a sip of her tea. “But you’d be surprised how many of them are just in a bad place, or in unfortunate circumstances, or had unspeakable things happen to them. Now, I’m not saying to approach strangers in a dark alley. Desperate people can be dangerous. Be smart about it.”
“Okay,” I responded, slightly aware that table four was in need of a coffee refill.
“And sure, there are dishonest people out there everywhere,” she went on. “But I just want to do what I can.”
“So do I.”
She grinned. “Well, then. You’re not as self-absorbed as you thought.”
I spent the rest of my day on cloud nine. I floated through my classes on a high from the night before, then rushed to Ezra’s apartment as soon as I got done. I didn’t bother showering at my dorm. How could I possibly go back to the public shower stalls after this morning?
As soon as Ezra opened the door, I grabbed his hand and dragged him to the bathroom for round two.
After that, we spent the rest of the evening tangled up together on the couch, talking and watching TV.
And when I dozed off to the sound of his steady heartbeat, I felt him scoot out from under me before strong arms hooked around my body and carried me down the hall.
College art classes were interesting. At least, my first one was.
As soon as the Drawing 101 room filled with students, the professor powered up his laptop and asked everyone to direct their attention to the screen at the front of the room for a showcase of his portfolio. Apparently, he wanted to regale us with his talents in the form of a PowerPoint presentation.
And although I was disappointed I wouldn’t be breaking out my new pencils just yet, I wanted to see what this guy could do.
Professors made good money, but was he able to turn his talent into a career he actually enjoyed? Or was he dying a slow, painful, soul-crushing death on the inside?
Those were legitimate questions. No one wanted to end up miserable at a job they thought they would love, only to find out they were stuck doing something they hated.
As an art major, my career choices were limited to teaching or some kind of design field. Neither appealed to me much. I couldn’t imagine standing in front of a room full of people staring at me all day. I was way too shy for that. And most design fields required some math, and that just wasn’t my thing.
I glanced around the classroom, but I didn’t recognize anyone. I’d hoped maybe someone from the frat would be in it with me, but no such luck. Too bad. I would’ve liked having an art buddy.
Then I realized someone across the room was turned in her seat, and she was waving at me. It took me a second to recognize her. Kayla’s roommate. I couldn’t remember her name, but I gave an awkward wave before Professor Drummond—AKA Ed, as he insisted—started the slide show.
“In high school, I won a few awards with these still-life drawings and this self-portrait. And here are some projects from my classes at the Art Institute of Cleveland,” he said proudly, clicking the mouse pad from one picture
to the next.
His early stuff was good. Impressively good. Some were simple object drawings of eggs, shoes, and colorful glass vases.
It was intriguing to see how his skills evolved and as time went on, he obviously favored oil paints over any other medium. His landscapes were beautiful and bright. Then some were more complicated paintings, with floral-patterned drapery, some silverware, and a bowl of fruit.
After that… things got weird.
“And these are some oil paintings from a gallery showing I did here at McAdams several years ago.”
My eyes widened. Jaws all around the room fell open. A dreadlock-sporting dude next to me dropped the pencil he’d been twirling in his hand. Someone behind us made an audible gasp.
The paintings were beyond morbid. Naked, bloated corpses were strewn about in dark alleys. More of the same in sewers, some of the bodies floating in the water. Shallow graves in the woods with more dead people.
What in the actual fuck?
From there, it only got worse. There was an entire series of unborn fetuses with too many arms and umbilical cords in all the wrong places. Some were half-human and half-animal.
My stomach churned. Students squirmed uncomfortably in their chairs. Others were pale. One girl covered her mouth like she might lose her breakfast.
Seriously, though. What. The. Fuck.
It was like a switch had been flipped, going from nice and normal to downright disturbing.
And Ed was so proud, talking excitedly with wild hand gestures as he spoke of the technical aspects of his work—unity, color, proportions—all of which I had to admit were extremely well done.
By the time the horror show was over, it was just about time for class to be dismissed and I was thoroughly grossed out.
Was this what it meant to be a professional artist? I understood creative fields were often about getting a reaction and evoking emotion. But as clueless as I was about my goals in life, I knew one thing for sure: I didn’t want to make anyone upchuck their breakfast.
“Okay.” Clapping his hands, the eccentric professor powered down his laptop. “Before you leave, I’ll be giving out the first assignment. You’re all going to make your own PowerPoint presentations,” he announced, earning a few groans and gasps from other students. Giving the class an understanding smile—because he knew he’d scared the shit out of us—he continued, “It doesn’t have to be like mine. The only requirements are that you display no less than six of your artworks and at least two of those need to be new. Oh, and they need to be something important to you. Something that moves you.”
OUTCAST: A Good Guys Novel Page 15