by Lauren Wood
I reached out for him and caught a handful of his shirt. “Oh god, I’m so sorry. You didn’t even have time to undress!” I blushed. “Should I have waited before I…”
“God, no,” he smirked, kissing my forehead. “Everything happened exactly as I meant for it to. How do you feel?”
My head dropped back against the mattress as a big smile spread across my face. “Amazing,” I laughed. “I feel fucking amazing.”
We were quiet and still for a while before Jack offered, “I can call a car to take you home. Or you’re welcome to stay here.”
“What?” my eyes widened again. “We’re not finished, are we? We haven’t even…You haven’t…”
“Don’t worry about me. I wanted this to be about you. I don’t want to pressure you into anything.”
He started to pull himself up to the edge of the bed, but I grabbed his shirt and pulled him back. Before he could protest, I swung my leg over his hips and straddled him with my naked body. I kissed him long, hard, and slow.
“I’m nowhere near finished with you yet, Jack Landson.”
9
Jack
The straining bulge in my pants was throbbing against Jada as she rolled her naked body over mine. Kissing her body up and down and seeing her cum was enough to make me hard as a rock. I was aching for more but fully prepared to let the night end with me fully dressed and her fully satisfied. But it seemed she had something else in mind.
For all the things I expected to happen that night, ending up in bed with Jada was not one of them. I certainly didn’t expect her to be a virgin on top of that. I wanted to be careful and considerate. But as much as I tried to keep my hands hovering over her skin, not touching and maintaining control, the look in her eyes was wearing down my resolve…and fast.
Her fingers went to work on the buttons of my shirt, undoing them one by one. She smoothed her hands out along my bare chest and nibbled on my ear. I groaned and thrust against her, hissing as I grabbed her shoulders and tried to calm us both down.
“You really don’t have to…”
“I know I don’t have to do anything.” She grinned. “This is a matter of what I want. And what I want is to feel you inside of me.” She leaned down closer to my ear. “Now.”
“Are you sure, Jada?” I asked again, my voice cracking with need. “I’d be your first, and I can't…”
“I told you. I don’t expect anything from you. Don’t think just because you’re my first that you’re going to be the sun in my universe or something like that.” Her hand drifted between my legs, squeezing my erection. “All I want is...this.”
She didn’t have to tell me twice. We were as clear and on the same page as we’d ever be with her naked body rocking on top of me. I grabbed her by the arms and flipped her over, positioning myself on top of her again. Only this time, I’d give her what she really wanted.
I unbuckled my belt and slipped off my pants, massaging her breasts with my free hand as I went. With no clothes left between us, I snaked my hand down between her legs and felt how dripping wet she still was.
Her eyes grew wide as she stared down my cock, licking her lips and waited. I teased along her folds before gently sliding the tip in.
“Is this okay?” I murmured.
She bucked her hips up, taking in another inch of me…and then another. “It’s okay, but I want more. I want all of you.”
“You’re a petite woman,” I reminded her. “And I’m not exactly…”
“Small?” she snickered.
“You noticed.”
“Believe me, I noticed. I can handle it.”
I dipped my lips down to her ear. “I’m still going to take it slow. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Kissing her neck, I slid into her slowly, going deeper with each breath she took until I was nearly all the way in.
“Take a deep breath,” I whispered.
She nodded and gasped, clawing into my back as I pumped forward, filling her completely. Her whole body tensed and relaxed beneath me. She cried out and melted back into the mattress, curving her body up to mine for more.
I pulled out slowly and thrusted in again, picking up the pace a little at a time until we were in a steady rhythm.
“You’re so tight,” I groaned, feeling myself getting closer to the edge. Her muscles clenched around me, and it was too much to take.
I would have to demonstrate my stamina for her some other time, I thought. If there would ever be another time, which was hard not to crave while I was still inside of her and about to explode. Things shouldn’t have even gone that far, but there we were. It was too late to turn back.
I reached between her legs and smoothed by thumb over her folds, coaxing another orgasm out of her. Those delicious moans and screams escaping her lips combined with the way she spasmed around me brought on a mind blowing orgasm that made the room go dark and blurry.
I crashed down next to her and tried to catch my breath with the fading pleasure after she milked me dry. She curled into my side like a cat, purring soft little moans that sent my arms wrapping around her. She was like a precious little treasure, and I suddenly felt such a strong urge to hold and protect her. Like she was all mine, even though I knew I had no right to claim that. Even if she had wanted that, it wasn't something I could give, or take.
We both drifted off to sleep quickly in our satisfied ecstasy. It felt like no time passed at all before my alarm was blaring from my phone. I thought it must have been a mistake. I only closed my eyes for five seconds, and that wasn’t nearly long enough to enjoy the feeling of Jada’s warm naked flesh next to mine.
But when I reached for my phone, I was blinded by the sun streaming in through the windows. I jumped up and looked at the time. It was eight in the morning already, and the alarm reminded me that I had a flight to catch.
“Shit,” I hissed, ripping the covers off as I bolted out of bed.
“Everything okay?” Jada sat up, rubbing her eyes.
I almost blurted out that I was supposed to be on my way to Tokyo for a consulting gig, but then I quickly remembered who she was. Lucas’s sister. And Lucas couldn’t know I was still dipping my toes in other ponds while considering his offer.
“I have a…uh, trip I have to take. Personal matters,” I shot back.
I didn’t have much time to explain, and anything I could explain needed to be left unsaid anyways. I hated to rush off and ignore her, but what else could I do? I snatched my suitcase from the closet and started throwing things in.
“I hate packing in a rush,” I griped, racing back and forth between my closet, dresser, and suitcase.
I could feel her watching me, but didn’t know what to say. She didn’t seem to know what to say either.
“I hope I didn’t make you late,” she finally offered as she awkwardly searched for her clothes, scattered around the bed. “I’ll get out of your way. I have to get into the office anyway. More interviews later today.”
“Huh?” I asked mindlessly, rattling off a list in my head as I scanned over everything I gathered so far.
“The interviews,” she said again. “You know…for work. I guess Lucas knows you’re not coming in today?”
“Oh, right. Sure. Yeah. I mean, yes. Lucas knows. Personal matters.”
Her smile faded. “You mentioned that already.”
My attention was being pulled in a million directions, but I could see she was starting to be in a hurry to get out of there. I had some serious damage control to do before it was too late.
“Hey, listen…Jada…About Lucas and work and everything…”
“Yes?” she raised a brow, pulling her dress over her head.
“Would you mind if we kept last night—what happened—just between us? I don’t want things to get weird for either of us at work…and I don’t want to stir up any drama with your brothers…”
She considered it for a moment, putting me on edge. “Sure.” She shrugged finally before bending over to put her shoe
s on.
“Great, thanks,” I sighed with relief.
I lingered for a moment, wishing there was more I could say or do. It was the worst morning after I could imagine…after a night that never should have happened. But god, it was hard to regret it with the smell of her still on my skin and the memories of it all still fresh on my mind.
I retreated into the bathroom to brush my teeth and grab my bathroom essentials. I’d have to shower at the hotel when I arrived. The bonus was getting to have the smell of Jada’s sex on me for all that time—my own little secret.
I didn’t know if she’d still be hanging around when I got out of the bathroom. I looked around the bedroom until I heard clattering coming from the kitchen. She was standing there, waiting for me, helping herself to some toast.
She pointed to a plate with extra toast and melted butter. “I made you a quick bite to eat. You can take it on the go, but there’s coffee brewing too.”
“Thank you,” I smiled tightly. She was too sweet for her own good, and making me feel worse by the second.
“Hey, Jack,” she sucked in a breath, leaning against the kitchen island. “I’m sure neither of us expected that to happen last night. Or at least…I didn’t.”
“No, no. I didn’t either. Definitely not a part of the plan,” I confessed, rubbing the back of my neck.
“Well, I don’t want things to be weird between us because of it. I’m not going to tell anyone at the office or in my family, as I promised. And I wouldn’t want you to either. Just promise me…You won’t treat me differently now?”
It was hard to imagine not treating her differently. I had been doing that from the moment I got back, at least since I started noticing how confident and gorgeous she had become. But the poor girl needed some kind of token of reassurance after everything she gave to me…and the unceremonious departure I was being forced to give her.
“Absolutely. Nothing will be weird.” I stepped forward, feeling the urge to kiss her forehead. But that seemed like the wrong signal to send, so I reached out my hand to shake hers instead.
She winced a little, but cordially shook my hand back. It felt all wrong, but I was quickly distracted by the time on the stove behind her.
“Shit!”
“You have to go. I know. I’ll get out of your way,” she said, grabbing her purse before heading to the door.
I stood there with my lips parted, wanting to say more. But my tongue froze. No words came out. She flashed her eyes at me one last time before shutting the door behind her. Gone, just like that. And I needed to do the same.
My phone rang as I was piling up my suitcase and things by the front door. It was Lucas—the last name I wanted to see. I was betraying him two-fold. I fucked his sister and now I was racing off to cheat on him with another job. Some great friend I was turning out to be.
10
Jada
I was flooded with a mix of emotions as I walked home from Jack’s place. There was an ecstatic stirring inside me that oozed out and wrapped around me like a warm blanket, drawing a smile to my face. My body quivered with the fresh memories of his sounds, his taste. How good it felt to have him stretch me out and break me in. I wasn’t a virgin anymore. The words rolled around in my brain like a new song I never heard, but knew it was going to be a favorite. And Jack Landson of all people had been my first. High school me would have never believed I’d find myself walking in these shoes.
But there was also a dark cloud hovering over it all, thanks to his weird behavior that morning. He couldn’t get me out of there fast enough, and if I tried to linger, he made it clear he was about to walk out and leave me there. It wasn’t exactly romantic…or what I had hoped for the morning after my first time. But that’s what I got for waiting so long to lose my virginity. Having too-high hopes and expectations was what turned me into an adult who had never had sex. I knew when I finally ripped the band-aid off, it wasn’t going to be like one of my romance novels.
Jack certainly wasn’t forthcoming about what he was rushing off to. Personal matters. I would have asked Lucas if he knew anything, just to satisfy my curiosity. But that would have inevitably broken our pact not to tell anyone what happened between us.
I wasn’t exactly clamoring for anyone to know Jack and I had sex. It wouldn’t look good for me or my position at the company. So, his request shouldn’t have bothered me. But I had the nagging feeling that maybe his motivations were different. Was he ashamed of me?
Or the more likely explanation…I wasn’t the only girl at the office he had slept with. For all I knew, he had a girlfriend out there somewhere. Or maybe several. And that’s why he couldn’t have our little secret getting out.
He probably had girlfriends all over the place and was racing off to see one of them that very moment. The thought stung, but I didn’t really have a right to be upset. It was what I signed up for.
I meant what I said. I really didn’t expect anything more to come out of it. That didn’t curb my wishful thinking, but I was determined to keep my head on straight and be realistic.
I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a shop window and couldn’t help but smile. I had a new look, and now I was a new woman. A woman who had sex. Casual sex at that.
I did a little spin, ignoring the passersby just as much as they tried to ignore me, like I was a crazy woman. I wasn’t about to let whatever emotional, unreasonable dark cloud of icky feelings that was trying to settle over me steal my moment. It didn’t matter what Jack had going on. This new life of mine was about me, not him.
After running home to shower and change, I was off to my next interview session for the new Heartstring campaign. Mike Rosner was a professional athlete who was actively dating on the site, and he was a part of my group of seeking singles I planned to feature.
I met Mike at a lunch spot downtown. He was tall, fit, and handsome…as I’d expect a pro athlete to be. He also had a cocky sort of air to him…like I’d also expected. Normally, someone like that would have intimidated me. But I was doing my best not to let those kinds of things stop me anymore. After just a few short weeks of working on my insecurities, the pay-off had already been immense, and I was determined to stick to it.
“You’re prettier than I expected,” he announced after I introduced myself.
“Thanks. I guess.” I sat down, which prompted the waiter to come over. I wouldn’t normally drink at a work meeting, but this Mike didn’t seem like the type to judge or care. And my new mission was to do the opposite of whatever I would normally do.
“A mimosa, please.” I smiled as the waiter nodded and zipped off.
“So, you’re looking for love on Heartstring?” I asked, pulling out my pad and pen.
“I guess so,” he shrugged. “Something like that.”
“You don’t know what you’re looking for?” I questioned, always amazed by people who got on our site for hookups. There were better apps for that. Ones that were infamous for serving hook-up culture.
“I guess I’ll know what I’m looking for when I find it,” he smirked. “I’ve been on about ten dates from the app so far. The women have all been really cool. Hot…funny, all that. I haven’t met anyone I really see as being part of my future yet though.”
“Do you find that discouraging?”
“Nah,” he waved. “It’s all an adventure. What happens, happens. I don’t like to force things.”
I wrinkled my brow, wondering what he expected to happen from a dating site. You meet someone. If you like them, you date. If it goes well, you spend your lives together. Maybe get married and have kids. It seemed pretty straightforward to me. I didn’t understand this muddled world some people seemed to live in, wanting love and not wanting it at the same time.
“How will you know? When it happens?” I ventured to ask, sipping my mimosa. “I’m just trying to get as many different perspectives as possible to present to our customers. That way everyone can find something they relate to.”
“When what h
appens?”
“Whatever you’re on the site for…I don’t know. Love?”
He leaned back with a laugh. “I don’t know that love is exactly what I’m out to find. But if it happens…”
“It happens. Got it. Okay.” I slammed my book shut and took a longer drink.
“Something wrong?”
“No,” I answered, thinking it over. “Not really. I just…I guess I don’t understand men. And I feel obligated to say that…because if I’m feeling that way, other women out there in the dating world must be feeling the same.”
“You’re in the dating world?” He raised a brow. “How about we call this a date then?”
I blushed a little, still not used to being hit on so openly, especially by men like him.
“I’m afraid this meeting needs to be entirely professional,” I told him.
“Well, I’ll let you in on a secret.” He leaned over the table with an arrogant grin. “Men? We don’t know what we want. We only know what we don’t want. And anything beyond that…we’re waiting for a woman to show us what it is we’re wanting.”
I winced, trying to make sense of it. “Wait. So you’re saying it’s a woman’s job to tell you what you want?”
“She can’t just tell us,” he scoffed. “The right woman shows you what you want. She makes it so abundantly clear in the way it feels and tastes that you know you can’t live without it.”
“That seems like an awfully vague generalization. How many women have done that for you?”
“None,” he stated plainly. “That’s why I’m still out there searching, I guess.”
I stopped myself from telling him not to hold his breath. It bothered me that women were supposed to be so sure of everything. But men were allowed to be aloof and flaky as a croissant, without apology.
Mike didn’t say much of anything during the interview that sat right with me, but I decided it was still a valuable perspective to present…with the right spin. I would work on that later. As I left the restaurant, I decided I had done enough work for the day. Or at least I deserved to mix some work with a little pleasure. After all, it was my first day as a non-virgin. I felt the need to celebrate somehow.