by Hughes, Maya
“If it’s a kiss, I’ll be a happy man.” A whisper-soft brush of his lips against mine.
I ran my hands up and down his arms around his shoulders. “You’re too easy to please.”
“Only when it comes to you.” He planted a kiss on me. A deep, sweet kiss that made everything lighter and brighter around us.
“We’re here!” The door banged open. A flurry of hula hoops with Styrofoam balls stuck to them surrounded Seph. Reece helped her through the doorway, laughing the whole way.
The volume increased now that we had an actual professional player here. With an exchange of fist bumps and bro hugs, Reece got Seph situated with her costume complete with a bright yellow sun helmet.
“It’s not spatially accurate, but I took some artistic license for this special occasion.”
“Everyone forgives you, Seph.”
“I’ve never gotten to dress up for Halloween before, let alone make my own costume. The glue gun was treacherous, but I persevered.” She held up a triumphant fist.
Berk came back in with a tray of jello shots, which disappeared before he got to me.
“Don’t look so sad. I saved one for you.” He pulled a small plastic cup with red gelatin inside from under his toga.
“Do I want to know where you were hiding this?” I laughed and threw it back.
“You do not.”
“Thanks for thinking of me.”
He slipped his arms around my waist. “Always.”
* * *
“There’s a small pot of the salted caramel sauce at my place with your name on it.” She smiled at me with that mischievous look in her eyes. The one that meant she’d learned a new pole dancing move, ordered a new outfit just for me, or had something delicious for me to taste.
Every day with her was an adventure in what it felt like to be so loved it was like living in a dream. She was my dream girl, and no matter what, we’d have our dream life filled with all the love we’d been searching for all our lives and could finally share with one another.
Wearing her Dough Ho costume, she looked good enough to eat. The reminder of the phrase that had contributed to breaking us up wouldn’t have been my number one choice, but the way Jules worked the room in jeans that hugged her curves pushed aside any worries I’d had. She was so much stronger than she knew, and I’d be by her side every step of the way from here on out.
“Is Alexis coming?” She locked her fingers around the back of my neck.
“No, she’s home studying for the pre-college program that starts in May.”
“More studying? After her two-month SAT cram session, I’m surprised she can see straight.” We rocked back and forth to a song with a much faster tempo, but I didn’t care. With Jules, every song deserved to be a slow dance.
“And the applications, but the real work starts now that she’s in. I much prefer getting phone calls about helping with Scantron sheets and financial aid applications.”
She fixed my crown, trailing her fingers along my scalp. “You’re a great big brother.”
Stitched, healed and smoothed, my heart belonged to her. Without a word from me, she knew that deep down thing I longed to hear. She took what I longed to hear and put it out into the world to show the truth of everything I’d always doubted.
“And I love you.” Her lips pressed against mine, sweet, soft, and eager all at once. She was made for me, and I’d spend the rest of my life giving her every beautiful thing she deserved—starting with my love.
Slipping my hand along the back of her neck, I deepened the kiss.
Keyton burst into the room waving and clicking the metal tongs together. “LJ’s supposed to be helping me with the grill. People are hungry.”
Chuckling against her lips, I pecked Jules. “I’ll get him.” I took the stairs three at a time. We had promised people some chargrilled burgers, and we had to deliver.
“LJ, Keyton says you’re on grill duty.” I flung LJ’s bedroom door open.
If we’d been in a movie, this was the moment when I’d have been holding a bowl of marbles or beads for no reason, and they would dramatically fall to the floor. The two of them broke apart, staring back at me like I’d caught them trying to hide a body. Marisa released the grip she had on the back of LJ’s hair and he extracted his hand from under her bra and shirt.
Slowly, like measured movement would mean I hadn’t seen this, she climbed off his lap.
Jerking her shirt down, Marisa turned her back to me with fire-engine-red cheeks. LJ’s belt jingled as he tugged up his zipper and fastened his button.
“We’ll be down in a second.” He moved toward me, breaking me out of the deep freeze I’d been in standing in the doorway.
His face was grim, flushed and sweaty. “Give us a second.” The door closed in my grinning face.
Jules jogged up the stairs. “Did you find them?”
“Yeah.” I braced my arms across the doorway. “But they’re gonna need a sec.”
“Why are you smiling like that?” Her eyebrows scrunched, her gaze darting from me to the door.
“No reason.” I took her hand leading her downstairs. “Let’s say things are about to get a whole lot more interesting around here.”
The Letters
…Just the thought of those big hands all over my body makes me wet. I use a toy on myself, pretending it’s your fingers inside me. I’ve never come so hard in my life as when I’m panting your name and pushing myself to the next orgasm….
Who is this? If this is one of the STFU guys playing a joke or something? It’s not funny.
No joke, Berk. I slide my hand under the waistband of my boy shorts and sink them inside myself, pumping three fingers at a time with my back arching off the bed, wanting it to be your touch.
If you’re real, tell me who you are. These letters are seriously hot.
I had a dream about you last night. You had me pinned against the wall, your cock slamming into me, and I wrapped my legs tightly around your waist, taking every inch of you. I came twice and lay in bed sweaty and still unsatisfied because you weren’t there with me.
If you want it to be my touch, then let’s stop with these letters. I’m going to burn a hole in my palm at this point re-reading these.
Some things are left better to the imagination.
Not this. You’ve got to be feeling just like I am. Your hands or your toys aren’t making half the fire we will. I can’t get you out of my head.
I licked my hand clean, after my middle of the night dreams, pretending it was your cum. I bet you taste good.
…When can we meet? I’ve read your letter ten times already and wrapped my fingers around my cock thinking about you. Give me a name I can call out when I’m ready to come…
…No name. You’ve already got one for me. The Letter Girl…
…That’s not good enough. You’ve got me at a disadvantage. You know who I am, you know my name. Hair color? Eye color? Anything—help me picture the woman who turns me inside out with her words. Did you touch yourself thinking about me today?
I touch myself thinking about you every day. How your cock will feel stretching me, filling me up so I can feel you everywhere. I dream of tasting you, running my tongue along the head of your cock and trying to take all of you. I have brown hair, but that’s all you’re getting…
Now you’ll have my head swimming thinking about every brunette woman I pass. Give me more. What’s your favorite movie? Song? I’ll play it and think of you.
I’ve always been a John Hughes fan.
Me too. Who doesn’t want all their problems wrapped up neatly at the end of a 90 minute movie? Give me something else about you. Do you go to my school? Are you in any of my classes?
We might’ve had a class together, or maybe I’ve seen you on campus or on the field.
So you’re writing to me because I’m a football player.
Not really, although I do love the way your ass looks in those pants.
I think I’m blushing
. There’s nothing sexier than the taste of your pussy on my lips. Sucking on your clit will be my appetizer, but sinking into your pussy will be the whole damn meal. When can I have you for dinner, Letter Girl?
None of my other letters made you blush?
No, those letters only made me want to rip this campus apart to find you and do everything to you that you’ve written about over the past couple months.
I can’t say I would mind you Hulking out in a mad dash around campus, but I think you’re more of a Thor type of guy.
No way! Cap all the way, although I’m not nearly as clean cut.
But you do have America’s ass. ;-) All that gym time pays off, and not just on the field.
I approve of your objectification.
Sunny side up all the way. Maybe fried.
I threw up in my mouth. Scrambled FTW! Add some cheese on it and I’m set.
I’m not kidding. I didn’t even realize there were curses in half those movies until I got to college.
Sometimes I feel like I can tell you anything.
You can.
We can’t meet. This was never supposed to be more than our letters. Real life… Real life ruins everything.
This will be my last letter. This was the most fun I’ve had in a long time, so thank you. Yours, The Letter Girl
* * *
Thank you so incredibly much for spending some time with Berk and Jules and the rest of the FU gang! Many of my stories reflect feelings I’ve felt at one point in my life, but Jules was especially close.
Her struggles with accepting herself are ones I’ve wrestled with and continue to wrestle with and I hope someday to be as kickass about it all as she is.
I can’t believe we’re already on the third book of the Fulton U series! Time flies and there’s still so much story to tell.
* * *
If you’d like another day with Berk and Jules, click here to grab a little more time with them.
Want More Maya Hughes?
Here are a few books from my backlist you might want to dive into for even more swooning and laughter! All of these books are available in KU!
Want to start Fulton U where it all began?
The Perfect First - Reece + Seph
The Second We Met - Nix + Elle
Looking for another sweet and steamy sports romance read?
Kings of Rittenhouse - FREE
Shameless King - Enemies to Lovers
I hope your next book hits all the right spots. Happy reading!
Maya xx
Honesty Time
Thank you for reading The Third Best Thing! It was an emotional rollercoaster navigating Jules and Berk’s journey. Jules…I’m not sure any other way to say it, other than—I want to be her when I grow up.
She’s so much bolder and more fearless than I’ve ever felt I could be. I learned a lot from her throughout the book. There was more than one lesson I needed to learn myself.
And sweet, sweet Berk. Not hardened by his past and so full of love and acceptance for the people around him, flaws and all. I love him so hard and a lot of those gentle touches and words bursting with love are inspired by how Mr. Maya has been my rock since day 1.
I hope their story brought you joy and you’re looking forward to what comes next. The questions have come by email, DM and posts in my group. Yes, that side character you loved, they’re getting a story! When or what will be something I’ll tell you about later. ;-)