I’d never been exposed like that in front of anyone, but I didn’t feel exposed. I felt … safe. His mouth memorized each breast, paying special attention to my nipples, making me squirm. Cain pulled my pants down enough to let his hands run over the top of my panties, tracing the spot where material turned to skin. My fingers tangled in the softness that was his hair. Dear God, I would let this happen. A month with Cain and I was ready to punch my v-card. At least if I didn’t psyche myself out.
His lips lightly followed the path his hands had taken across the lowest part of my stomach, while his fingers slipped inside the pink barrier, touching me in a place no one else ever touched me. A gentle touch that sent electricity throughout my body. I groaned. He didn’t look to me for permission by then, instead letting my moans guide him. Softly, his fingers began sliding down my hips, taking the panties with him.
Someone pounded on his bedroom door, making me jump half a foot and knee him in his rock hard abs. Oops. It wasn’t my fault he was down there.
“I will kill whoever that is,” he said against my stomach.
I giggled but kind of hoped he would. The pounding continued.
Cain pushed off the bed, brought his face back to mine, kissed my lips gently and the soft spot between my breasts, then brought my shirt back together in the center and got up. I noticed he didn’t button his pants before opening the door. Nice way to advertise what we were doing.
“What?” He barked.
“Christ, you scared me,” Sam’s voice came through the opening.
I sat up putting myself back together more. Even though I knew Sam couldn’t see in and Cain would never open the door far enough for that to be possible, I still felt ridiculous laying there without being dressed. The bra went back together, pants got buttoned, then I worked on my shirt.
“I could say the same to you. What’d you want?”
Cain made me smile big time. Clearly, Sam would see what we were up to by the state of Cain’s undress but even if that weren’t the case, his voice said it all. It took on super sexy deepness when he got turned on. I’d been hearing it more and more lately.
“Hey, I just came home. You should take a look outside. Don’t shoot the messenger but I thought you might have someone in there with you.”
Cain slammed the door in his face, buttoned his pants, and grabbed the shirt I’d thrown across the room. Then out the door he went.
“Flannery or someone else?” Sam asked before the door shut. He got an answer with what sounded like a smack to the back of the head. Pretty hard, too. I didn’t hear anything after that.
“Fuck,” Cain said when he came back in. “We’ve been … occupied longer than I would’ve guessed and the snow’s really coming down out there. Actually, it’s horrible.” He pulled a pair of boots out of his closet. “I’m going to go start digging out my car.”
While he laced up, I went over to the window to see for myself. It was bad. Visibility next to nothing through the blowing snow and what I could make out of the parking lot, was completely covered even though it’d been plowed recently. Cain’s car was not only caked with snow and ice, but the plow truck had dumped even more behind it.
“That sucks.” I turned to find him digging through a drawer. “What’re you doing?”
“Looking for my gloves. It might take a while.”
Honestly, it’d take forever. “Why don’t I stay here? I’ll help you in the morning.”
He froze. “You’d be ok with that?”
“Yeah. I mean… ” Suddenly I became shy and awkward. I invited myself to spend the night, which was basically inviting myself into his bed. Given how heated things had gotten, it shouldn’t have been a big deal, but for me it was. Yet another thing I’d never done.
“I’ll sleep on the floor.” He offered, probably seeing every rambling thoughts run through my head. “Here.” Cain pulled a shirt out of his drawer and tossed it at me. “More comfortable than jeans. Oh, there’s an extra toothbrush in the left drawer in the bathroom.”
“Were you a boy scout?” Or did I not want to know.
“Mom leaves crap like that around all the time.”
In the bathroom I went. I don’t know if it was nerves or being neat, but I took the time to fold my pants, shirt, and bra then stacked them in a neat pile. Cain’s shirt was huge on me falling nearly to my knees. It smelled like him too. It wasn’t a scent I could put a finger on but it was all Cain. Soap and something else.
He’d changed into pajama bottoms before I came out, and man did that body make me want to do bad things to it. In a completely good way. Cain sprawled out on his bed waiting for me, an arm under his head. Folding my arms under my breasts, I leaned against the door jamb taking him in. He apparently hadn’t heard the door open making it the perfect opportunity. I loved that we’d gotten completely comfortable with each other. Almost like I’d known him years not weeks.
“I’m a virgin.” It spilled out like word vomit. I had no idea why or where it came from. I never decided to tell him.
Cain’s head whipped around so fast, his mouth slightly gaping, eyes seriously three times their normal size. The surprise was priceless even putting me at ease a bit. It was out there now and I couldn’t do anything about it.
“Uh…What?”
“Ah, yeah. I didn’t mean to just blurt it out like that. But, it’s true. I’m a big ole virgin.”
I’d never seen someone visibly try to put a sentence together until that moment. The poor guy had no idea what to say. I could see why given what we’d been doing in his room for quite a while and not many people were still virgins their second year in college.
“So, um, how do you think the Tigers will do this year?” I asked.
It was the only thing I could think to say. He’d been watching EPSN about spring training, prospects, and a bunch of other sports stuff I didn’t understand when I came out of the bathroom. So, epic fail in subject changing.
“I really don’t care.” He sat up and waved me over then patted the space next to him on the bed.
Crawling up, I was more careful than usual because I didn’t want to flash all my goodies right then.
“You’re telling me this now?”
“I didn’t intend to but given today…I wasn’t sure I should at all and it fell out.” A flame ignited on my face, burning hotter until my head was about to explode.
“Well, yeah you should tell me but if you would’ve earlier…I don’t know…something.”
“Saying it seems to be a mood killer. I don’t want things to be weird.”
“It isn’t.” His hand scraped over his face and then those beautiful brown eyes were back on me. “How is that possible?” I didn’t understand the question. “Seriously. Are you waiting for marriage? Did you promise yourself to Jesus? I need to know what I’m up against.”
I slapped his chest with a loud smack. He laughed back at me.
“Don’t be an idiot. There hasn’t been anyone…I don’t know, worthy.” He laughed again making me relax. It was sort of true though. “I had a boyfriend in high school, but he just wanted in my pants. Then there were some dates, same thing when I got to college, and remember I don’t do hook-ups. There wasn’t anyone.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “For reals. You’re the cream of the crop.” Bad word choice but it lightened the mood even further.
“Have I mentioned how incredibly sexy it is that you’re wearing my clothes?” I shook my head. “Well it is. I might have to sleep out on the couch to keep your virtue safe. Now that I know there’s a need.”
“I kind of hoped you’d sleep in here with me. Unless…I mean…if you’re weirded out now or whatever that’s fine.”
Instead of answering, Cain pulled the covers back allowing me to slide in then covered me back up. Then he did the same for himself. The warmth of his body heated mine.
“One embarrassing question, please?” I asked after the lights were out. If it wasn’t dark, I may have never had the nerve.
; “Shoot.” He sighed.
“Earlier…you pulled my hands away. Was I doing something wrong?”
He laid his hand flat against my bare thigh as he spooned behind me. It tickled in a very good way, almost distracting me from what I’d asked. “Flannery, no. You were doing everything right. You touching me, your skin on me…felt too good.”
“Then why did you stop me?”
“Really?” He chuckled against my back burying his face in my hair. “It felt too good. Get it? Get it?” Cain nudged against me to get me thinking. “If I didn’t stop you I may have…”
“Oh, God, I get it.” A hand slapped over my very embarrassed face. “I’m such an idiot sometimes.”
“I just need to remember that there are things you don’t know. Trust me, Flannery, it’s a very good thing.”
I didn’t think my heart would ever slow down enough to let me sleep. But eventually, it did.
When I woke the next morning I expected to have Cain cuddled into my body, maybe snoring a little. And was completely let down when he wasn’t. His side looked slept in so I knew he’d stayed and not moved to the floor. Then the smell of bacon in the air got me out of bed. Slipping my socks on, I walked silently across the living room to peek into the kitchen. There I found him, bare-chested, making breakfast. I don’t know how but he noticed me standing there almost immediately even though I hadn’t made a peep.
Dropping the fork on the counter, Cain crossed the room in a few steps to kiss me full on the lips. Yuck. I hadn’t brushed my teeth. Somehow he didn’t care.
“Good Morning,” he said kissing my forehead once more before turning back to breakfast.
“Morning.” I slid onto a bar stool to watch him. “I think I’m in love with your bed.”
His body shook but he didn’t turn to look at me. “Yeah, well, we’re a package deal. Me and my bed.”
Before I could answer, Sam shuffled in, didn’t seem to see me sitting there, and took the orange juice out of the fridge to gulp down right from the jug. And then I noticed he was in his underwear. Not boxers, not boxer briefs. Straight up tighty-whiteys. My hand stifled a giggle, which made Cain turn to see what I was trying not to laugh at.
“Aw, come on, man. Nobody wants to see that,” he said, jerking away turning his back turned to Sam.
“Didn’t realize we had company.” Sam took the stool on the complete other side of where I sat. “But I pay rent so I’m going to be in my underwear sometimes, Flannery.” His gaze glossed over my own lack of clothing, lingering a touch too long on my thighs. “Looks like you will be, too. Get used to it and enjoy the view. I know I will.”
Cain’s jaw hardened and he looked about ready to choke the poor guy.
“I would, Sam, and I don’t know if it’s just cold in here, but from what I can tell I’d have to look really, really hard to find something of interest.”
Cain burst out in laughter, unable or unwilling to even try to contain the rumbling in his chest.
“Yeah, that’s not what your mom said, Dorsey.”
“Ouch, a your mama joke,” I smiled sweetly. “I think you can do better.”
Even with the fun in the kitchen, I ate quickly, as did Cain, so we could dig his car out after getting dressed. He didn’t bother shaving and stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom brushing his teeth while I grabbed the brush I’d used the night before and hoisted myself onto the counter which pushed the shirt a little further up my thigh. He noticed and tried to stifle a grin.
After we finished, I was a little torn. It seemed kind of foolish to go into the bathroom to change because he’d seen me almost naked already. Yet I wasn’t sure if I should let it all hang out there. Cain being Cain kind of made the choice easy when he kept his back turned the entire time.
Then we were out trudging through a mountain of snow. Snow that immediately soaked my Converse, a bad shoe choice on my part. Why didn’t I wear boots in Michigan in the winter? No idea.
The sun had been up long enough to start melting it on its own, but we had a lot of work to do. Apparently, Cain and Sam only owned the one shovel, which he would not give me a turn on. I spent my time making snow angels and throwing snow-balls at him. He “accidentally” tossed a shovel full all over me. Shaking off the snow, I gave my best dusty eyeball. He didn’t look scared in the least and that was annoying.
When one of my carefully crafted snow-balls hit him in the side of the head, he dropped the shovel and chased me down until he had me against the ground. I laughed more that morning than any I could remember in recent history.
Unfortunately, we did get the car out and he took me home.
“Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day,” he said before I got out of his car.
“Yeah,” I smiled.
“I have something planned.”
My smile grew wider. “Is it something that we previewed last night?”
“No.” But he couldn’t hide the grin creeping up on him. “You’ll see tomorrow.”
A quick kiss and I was on my way. He had to work out with the team most of the day, off-season conditioning, which left me to get ahead on my homework so I’d be free the whole weekend.
Chapter Nine
I sat in the library for as long as I could. It was pretty empty, but I decided I needed to get comfortable to keep at it. Especially biology. I needed comfort for that level of detail. Walking down the hall on my way out of the building, I got hip checked so hard that I stumbled three feet before catching my balance.
“Hey, bitch,” Kendra said with a smile.
“You’re killing me with that shit, Kendra.”
“You love it. So, have you heard anything about some girl named Lori talking up Adam?”
“No.” I’d never thought of Kendra as the jealous type. Learn something new every day. Maybe she’d never liked someone enough to be jealous.
“Cuz I’ll cut a bitch if she tries anything.”
“Aww…you’ve threatened violence against the competition. You love him.”
“Shut your mouth. If you say anything, I’ll deny it.” We walked in silence until we got close enough to the door and she knew I’d be leaving. “What are you and Cain doing for Valentine’s?”
“No idea. He said he had a plan but that’s it.”
“It’ll involve hot, sweaty sex right?”
“Ah, probably not.”
She grabbed my wrist and swung me around so fast I almost ninja kicked the floor with my face.
“What the hell?”
Kendra didn’t respond until we were further off to the side where no one would be able to hear us.
“Do you have your period?”
That’s an odd question. “No.”
“I’m trying to figure out why you wouldn’t be having sex on Valentine’s Day. Sam told me you spent the night with Cain last night.”
“Yeah, well, Sam needs to keep his mouth shut and his pants on.” Her mouth dropped and eyebrows shot up. “Ugh, no. He came into the kitchen in his underwear. It was gross.”
“Don’t try to distract me with visions of almost naked boys.”
“We just haven’t yet, that’s all, so I’m assuming we won’t tonight either.”
“Be ready anyway.” We started to walk back toward the door.
“What are you talking about?”
“Shave your legs, Flannery.” No less than five heads turned in our direction, giggling or looking surprised. She’d said that loudly.
Giving her a quick wave without saying anything else, I hit the door wanting to get back to the dorm. My thoughts wandered on the walk. I started to wonder why I even said anything to him about being a virgin. What if it changed everything? The more I thought about it the more nervous I became to the point that I considered calling and cancelling a couple of times. I couldn’t do that to him and I didn’t want to. But I might puke before he picked me up.
***
The knock on the door made me flinch. My feet wouldn’t move from the bedroom even aft
er I heard Cain talking to Ava. His laugh covered me like a warm blanket and I knew that the last thing I wanted was to stand him up. After putting the finishing touches on my face and double checking to make sure that the dark skinny jeans, red long sleeved shirt, and trusty Converse looked good, I headed out. Cain told me not to dress up and to wear comfortable shoes, which honestly, I was thankful for. I loved the dressy version of myself but sneakers and jeans were much more comfortable.
Cain dressed equally casual, but everything hugged him perfectly giving me warm tingles over every inch of my body. It made me think of Kendra and what she’d said. To be ready. I was, yet that didn’t stop the knots from tying and untying my stomach.
“There she is,” he gave me a look like he was seeing me for the first time. When he leaned down to peck a kiss to my lips, I flinched, knocking my head into his cheek. Horrified yet grateful that his face was unmarked. I went to grab my purse and flung it around dropping all its contents to the floor. An uncomfortable, confused kind of sound came out of him. I was being a total spaz and needed to knock it off.
“I’m worse than a spastic colon tonight,” I said, dropping to the floor to fill the bag back up. He came down beside me to help.
“What’s going on?” He asked quietly while squatting next to me, close enough that our arms brushed one another.
I shrugged and felt his eyes on my face trying to get the truth even if I didn’t want to tell it. Once we were both back upright, he leaned in very close to whisper in my ear.
“We’re not having sex tonight so you can calm down.”
My face is a big old traitor. I’d rip it off and throw it away if I didn’t need it so much. Or if it wouldn’t make the villagers grab their torches and pitchforks.
“How did you…”
Up for Grabs (Up For Grabs #1) Page 6