by Kristy Marie
More and more, my hand drifts upward until his deep timbre starts to stumble and stutter.
Voice strained, he answers Callum about some teacher he thought was single. Wonder what’s got him so worked up? Ms. James isn’t that hot. Getting back to my ministrations on his thigh, I realize my fingers are an inch from his dick. I test the water and walk them up a couple of steps.
The hand rubbing my arm stops moving entirely as his body goes stiff with tension. I gaze down, noticing the tent that has now pitched in his jeans.
I don’t know what makes me do what I do next.
Maybe it’s the beer? Maybe it’s because it’s our last night together? Or maybe it’s because I have nothing left to lose. But before I overthink it, I eat up that last inch of space and cup his manhood, caressing it with the entirety of my hand.
Theo jerks, his breath hissing as he tries to compose himself before the guys take notice. Massaging the fullness to a hardened state, his thick length pulses in my palm as I begin to stroke up and down at a leisurely pace.
“So, whatcha think, man? Should I go for it? I’m graduating…no longer a student.”
My lips quirk in an innocent smile as Theo shifts away from the friction I’m creating. Increasing my tempo, my grip becomes firmer, my strokes more raw and erotic.
“Uh…I—” His hips grind into my hand instinctively as he struggles to speak clearly. “Ye—Yeah. Go for it, man.”
He springs from the booth, completely unhinged. “We gotta go.”
Smiling like an idiot when he pulls me from the booth, Theo uses me as a shield while he discretely adjusts himself. The guys say their goodbyes with claps on the back and an occasional hug (yes, it was Toby) before Theo yanks my ass out of the diner, damn near dislocating my arm.
We barrel into the car like two thieves on a mission. I’m giggly by the time I secure my seatbelt.
“Whew! It’s good to be out of there. The heat in that place made me fidgety. Did it make you hot too?” My smartass comment is laced with innuendoes and has the effect I intended.
Theo turns in his seat, his face flushed, pupils dilated. Tossing his hat on the dash, he rakes a hand through his flattened hair. “I hope you’re ready for a good fucking.”
He palms his crotch, showing me what I did.
My mouth goes slack as I swallow down the knot that’s suddenly taking up residence in my throat. Am I ready for a good fucking? I’m not sure now, but I nod anyway.
He chuckles at my lack of social skills and flips his hat back on, rotating it backward to show off those midnight eyes. Without another word, he guns his ‘67 Mustang out of the diner parking lot and onto the narrow road that leads to an endless maze of concrete junctions that have the power to get you lost with one wrong lane change.
We drive in silence for over an hour, the area becoming familiar to me. I already know where he’s taking me, though I haven’t been out here in four years. I’m not sure how I feel about coming here now, but apparently it’s important to him, so I go without complaint.
The driveway is overgrown with vines when we pull in. It’s obvious that no one has been here since they died my senior year of high school. The sharp pain I’ve learned to ignore jabs at my heart as we weave down the abandoned drive. My grandparents’ plantation house stands defiant in the center of hundreds of overgrown acres. The barn Theo and I used to play hide-and-seek in is barely visible behind the tall hay stalks that sway in the breeze.
Theo nudges me with his elbow. “You ready for this?”
I know if I were to say no, he would turn this car around and never speak of it. That’s the type of friendship we have. So, it’s not like I feel pressured to do this. I want to, even if I’m going to regret it, which is a distinct possibility.
“This old place has such classic beauty. Bittersweet memories,” I say absently. Shrugging my shoulder, I confirm my consent by squeezing his hand. “I’m ready. Let’s blow this friendship all to hell.” I’m chuckling at my own joke until Theo’s hand grows tense under mine. “I’m kidding,” I backtrack. I don’t want to make this more awkward. I give him a light shake and smile in the hope he will let it go.
He gives me a long look, those eyes conveying something I can’t read. Before I can figure it out or ask any questions, he pops the trunk and hops out.
The passenger door groans, breaking the tense silence as I open the door to follow. “I realize this is a classic, Theo, but damn, WD-40 it at least.” The air is dank and humid when I step out onto the grass. Georgia heat is killer this time of year. Too bad I didn’t think of this in the fall. Getting bitten by mosquitoes isn’t something I am looking forward to. I head to the trunk where Theo is piling blankets into his worn-out gym bag. “Need any help?”
He smirks, giving me that little asshole lip-tip he does when I say something ridiculous. “I got it.”
After he walks away, I slam the trunk and jog to catch up. He bypasses the house, making me curious as to what he has in mind for my devirginization. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see. Keep up. I don’t want a coyote dragging you off.”
“That’s silly. A coyote? I haven’t seen one of those in ages—” Howling yips sound in the distance, and I quicken my pace as I flank his ass. We bypass the barn, heading around the back, toward the pond. Theo keeps a brisk pace, not bothering to watch where he’s walking. I think we both know this place so well it wouldn’t make a difference if it were pitch dark instead of half lit by the moon.
Finally, we come to a stop feet from the pond. I help spread the blankets along the shore, the shaking of my hands going to high speed.
“You nervous?”
I glance at my hands, then back at Theo’s worried face and let out a sigh. “Yeah, a little.”
A muscle twitches in his cheek as he only nods in return. Don’t think I missed that he didn’t disclose whether he was nervous. He kneels, shifting his knee under him, appearing unaffected by what we’re about to do.
I freeze in fight-or-flight mode, weighing heavily my decision whether to lower myself to the blanket.
It feels like five minutes pass before he sighs, patting the blanket next to him. “This was your idea. Are you backing out?”
“Fuck no, I’m not backing out. I’m just… savoring the moment.” His expression tells me he doesn’t believe me for a second.
Come on, Ans. You can do this. Pull on, or off rather, your big girl panties and fuck Theo. Right here, under the stars like you wanted. Like he knew you wanted.
Damn you, Theo, for being so damn perfect. Damn you for being my best fucking friend.
The cicadas snap their tiny cymbals as they orchestrate the background music for our little sexcapade. Their annoying buzz used to aggravate me, but in my current situation, it’s a welcome distraction. Swallowing my nerves, I crouch down and scoot next to the man who is about to take my virginity.
“I’m not backing out, asshole. I was just debating if I should have brought more condoms with me. We could layer them, you know, so the girth will be fuller.” My eyebrows jump up and down like some kind of cartoon villain. “I want to make sure you actually tear through the hymen.”
I’m amused, grinning like a fool at his insulted expression. It feels good to break the ice and not act so weird with each other.
“I assure you, I’ll break the hymen. Who says hymen, anyway?” He shoves me away in a playful gesture as he roots through his gym bag, tossing a handful of condoms between us. For a moment, we both just stare at them.
“This is going hurt,” he admits with his head still bowed.
I’m aware. From what I’ve seen of his dick—what? We live together. It’s totally normal—it’s going to sting like a bitch; never mind the emotional rollercoaster I’ll endure when he gets on that plane tomorrow. But I’m determined to follow through with this horrific mistake, even if it kills me.
I pull him close, burying my embarrassed face in his chest. “I’m prepared.” The lie falls easil
y from my lips.
With unsteady hands, he sweeps my hair to the side. “I’m going to take my clothes off now.”
Ok, so it’s going to be awkward, no big deal. I can deal with awkward. I swallow thick, and nod my head like an idiot. Theo rises onto his knees, peels off his shirt and tosses it off the blanket with finesse only a pitcher possesses. When he’s working on the button of his jeans, I stop him.
“Let me.”
Without answering, he moves his hands, extending his arms out wide. I fumble a bit before successfully popping it through the hole. I ease his zipper down, careful not to catch it on anything. Theo is known to be commando at times. Now, though, red boxer briefs peak out from beneath the denim.
“I need you to stand,” I say, chewing the inside of my cheek. Soundlessly, he does. Inch by inch I work the damp material down. It sticks in a few places, but after a few aggressive tugs, I get them all the way off, revealing his perfect athletic thighs. Thank you, Coach Anderson, for mandatory gym days.
It’s too quiet when he reaches for my shirt. Where are you now, stupid cicadas? His expert fingers remove my clothes piece by piece in seconds flat. Before I know it, I’m beneath him staring into hungry eyes that scream this is a bad idea, but I am going to enjoy every minute of it.
“Tell me to stop,” he breathes, almost pleading.
No, we’re doing this.
I pull him closer, my answer unspoken. His ribs expand with harsh breaths as his callused hand grips my thigh, gently opening me to cradle his narrow hips. The weight of his body coaxes me down onto the blanket, against the soft cotton.
I’m aware of everything, the cicadas, the slight breeze, the blades of grass struggling to poke through the flowered blanket.
I allow myself to let my guard down, taking a moment to catalog every memory of this boy, this man who’s always held my heart. His breathing becomes choppy, nerves evident in the strain of his shoulders. I want to comfort him, tell him that everything will be fine, but the truth is, it won’t be.
This will change everything.
I kiss the inside of his forearm, braced next to my head. “I’ll be okay,” I assure him with false bravado.
Those beautiful lips turn down in a frown before they press against mine. The kiss is soft, gentle even. He’s careful, his tongue hesitant as he slips it inside, testing the boundaries of our friendship. In seconds, we build friction as our bodies take over, grinding against one another in a sinful dance.
With more force, he begins to devour me like a decadent dessert he’s forbidden to have. My every moan, every sigh is lapped up with rushed fury, like this kiss is our last.
It probably will be. First and last.
Deep in this precious moment, he takes me, pushing in without hesitation. My whimpers of pain escape, right into his awaiting mouth as he breaches my barrier, tearing through.
In this moment, we are one.
In this moment, he is mine.
I’m pulling on my shirt when Theo breaks the silence. “So, that was good. You’re okay, right? I didn’t hurt you?” He fidgets with his hem, his eyes roaming from my face to my sandals.
“Yeah, I’m fine. You okay?”
He shrugs, pacing away. “Yeah. I’m good.”
“Good.” I’m folding our blanket, choosing to ignore the red stain that mocks me, when Theo’s phone rings.
“Yeah. Oh, hey. Yeah, yeah, Vanessa. I remember. No, no, I’m not busy.” He glances my way nervously.
Vanessa, longtime cheerleader of every sport imaginable. Her dark hair and exotic eyes make her irresistible to every dick in a thirty-mile radius. She’s always been nice to me, but only to get close to Theo. I’m no threat to Theo’s fan girls. They know I live in the friend zone.
Theo continues pacing and I wonder if he really remembers who she is.
“Yeah, sure. Give me about an hour and I’ll be over.”
Deep breath. You knew this would happen. Do not act like a lunatic. You said so yourself, it was just a fuck, pop your cherry and be done.
But, now it doesn’t really feel that way. Now, I feel used, discarded.
Theo must have hung up with his whore because next thing I know he’s taking the wadded-up blanket from my hand. “You ready?”
All I can do is nod so the tears don’t fall.
“You’re okay with me hanging out with Vanessa, right? I mean, this,” he motions between him and me, “didn’t change anything, right?”
He’s right. I said it would be no big deal and it isn’t… sort of. I just need a minute to wrap my head around it, is all.
With a fake smile that I hope is hard to make out in the dark, I nod, choking back tears. “Absolutely not. We’re good.”
He smiles, bringing me in for a hug. “Thank fuck.”
I pull away quickly, unable to be close to him for one more second. It’s not his fault, he can’t help it he’s a whore, but still… right after we…
Get it together, Ans.
Theo bumps my shoulder, almost pushing me to the ground. “High five it up here for breaking that hymen!” He holds his stupid hand up for me to return his five.
Would it be tacky if I punched him in the face instead? Yeah? Whatever, five it is. I smack it with less enthusiasm than he’s expecting. He frowns for a minute, his steady gaze on mine. “We’re still friends, right?”
“Yes, Theo. Stop being such a chick about it.”
I hustle toward the car. I need to get out of here now. One more moment staring at those puppy dog eyes and I will break down and cry. No one needs to see that.
Theo’s footsteps pound behind me as he jogs to catch up. “Damn right we are! Friends with benefits!”
Anger burns in my chest, and at the same time, I’m glad he’s so giddy about it. Maybe I will be too once I pull my heart out of my ass. And maybe after a few shots of liquor, I’ll feel more like a woman and less like a little girl whose heart was just shattered under the stars.
Maybe one day I will be able to be his friend with benefits.
Maybe one day he’ll be mine.
To keep reading, buy here
Commander in Briefs
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To the best readers in the world, I wrote this book for you. Never in a million years did I think Cade would draw as many fans as he did. I hope I did him justice and gave him the happily ever after you envisioned. Thank you for all your kind words and wonderful reviews. You are the reason I continue to write these crazy stories. If you loved, Gorgeous, please consider leaving an honest review. Each review means the world to a new author.
Thank you to my reader group, Kristy’s Commanders, for your enthusiasm and support through this whole process. You guys are like family to me and I couldn’t have done it without you.
To my beta readers, Sue, Candece, Laura, Misha, and Audrey. Thank you for encouraging me and reading this book so many times that you could quote it. For talking me down when I thought the material was destined for the trash. I pray I didn’t scar you for life with all those rough drafts.
Thank you to Nikita, Andrea, Vanessa, Stefanie, Cee Cee, Nicci, Ange and Cynthia for taking my mess and looking over it. It’s a hard job but someone has to do it. I’m honored it’s you.
Jessica. Each time I have to write something to you, it never feels like it will be enough. I won’t ever be able to thank you like you deserve. For pulling me up and dusting me off when I had meltdown after meltdown. You’re the reason I’m still standing. You’re the constant in
my life. Whether we’re just talking shit or discussing real world issues, you always put a smile on my face. I love you more than words.
Ajee. Whatever I did to deserve your friendship, I need to do it more often. Thank you for staying up and plotting with me. For believing in me even when I didn’t. For being the powerhouse behind my brand and creating the brilliant graphics for Cade. You are one of the most amazing women I have ever met and it’s been an honor to call you my friend. Please never leave me. I will have to stalk you and shit will get awkward.
Thank you to Sonja, one of the greatest readers ever, for coming up with Cade’s phoenix tattoo. I hope you love it.
To my sister, thank you for being my biggest fan and lying to me when I sent you first draft crap to read. I know it was garbage but the fact that you always made me feel like I just wrote a Pulitzer Prize winning piece means the world to me.
To my team that made this book decent. Letitia Hasser of RBA Designs. You amaze me how you can take my scattered ideas and turn it into something amazing. Stacey of Champagne Formats. Every time I think you’ve out done yourself, you go and be incredible again. Thank you for being so kind to me and teaching me your bookish ways. I heart you. And to Kara of Great Imaginations Editing. Thank you for taking a million typos and turning them into actual words.
And to my family that will never read this book. I’ll tell you thank you in the kitchen. I just wrote a fucking book and I’m tired of typing.
Kristy Marie lives in Georgia with her husband and three children. When she isn’t reading or writing, you can find her at SunTrust Field cheering on the Atlanta Braves. Commander in Briefs is her first series but definitely not her last.