Page 19 of Fast Break

Nineteen

Palmer

Charlie's golden brown eyes liquefy into molten pools transfixed on my face.

A pulse ticks in his jaw as he rakes hisgazedown my body, his brows lowering and lips spreading into a wolfishgrin.

A thrill of anticipation ripples through me.

He leans down and presses akissto mystomach, then to each breast and my neck before sweeping histonguealong my lips. "Are you sure?"

I nod vigorously. My breathing has shallowed, my heart still galloping in mychest. Hekissesa hot path back down my neck."Do you,"I swallow,"want to?"

Hesitsup andstaresdown at me with a mixture of perplexity and need.

He pushes his hard-on against my leg. "Can't you tell?

I want nothing more than to be inside you.

I want to crawl inside your body, slip myself inside those velvet walls and feel you pulse around me, your sweet cunt milking mycockuntil I can't see anything but you coming apart under me, hear nothing but you screaming my name, feel nothing but you wrapped around me burning with pleasure, until we're both so consumed in the fire we won't know where we end and the other begins.

"So yes, Coco. I want to."Hekissesthe corner of my mouth."I want this."Hekissesthe sensitive pearl under my tight curls.

"I want you."Hekissesthetopof my left breast. I melt likeicedropped on acitystreet in July.

He gathers me in his arms andkissesme like the world is ending—deep, desperate, and demanding.

The mattress undulates as he continues to steal my breath, moving his way between my thighs to nestle against my bare flesh.

He pauses long enough to reach into the drawer of the nightstand and remove a foil packet, tearing it open with his teeth before biting at my lips to let histonguein again.

There's more shifting until his hot length nudges my center.

Idropmy knees, opening myself to him. He releases my mouth and in unspoken synchronicity, we stare down as he fists the base of his sheathedcockand guides it to my entrance.

In one smooth thrust, he rocks inside me.

I swallow a gasp at howdeephe fills me.

"Are you okay?"he whispers, watching my face with intense concern. He's holding still, the muscles in his arms quaking while he keeps himself propped above me, unmoving as I adjust to his girth.

"More than,"I say on a catch of breath.

Slowly, hepullsout to the tip, then pushes back in with just as muchcare.

It's like every nerve in my body is connected to the ones inside mysex, and as he drags his length against my inner walls, they all erupt in a series of tiny explosions, shooting out to my toes and the ends of my hair.

Imeethim thrust for thrust, gradually climbing to a steady pace.

He changes the angle of hispushwith a tilt of myhips.

I cry out as with each rock forward, he taps thedeepwell of hidden pleasure in me.

In only a couple of weeks, I've experienced more pleasure, learned more about my own body than in ten years of sexual activity.

UntilCharlie, I thought the clit was my most sensitive part, and that a good vibrator or well-placed thumb were the only ways to unlock all its splendidness. I was wrong. So wrong. So so wrong...

Charliepicks up the tempo, and it's not long before Istartfloating. I'm only feeling and pleasure and stardust in his arms, as his dick taps, taps, taps its magic code against my pleasure center. Moans become cries become shouts while I beg him not to stop, don't stop, never ever stop.

"Charlie,"I wail, digging my nails into his backside."Charlie, God,Charlie."

"That's it, baby,"he groans with me."Take all of me like a good girl."

Sweat-soaked skin slaps together, and one minute I'm pinned to the bed underCharlie'sbody, the next I'm flying, flying, flying into the atmosphere. I burst into a million stars, shuddering, shaking, and gasping for air.

"Fuck. I'm coming, baby. God, you're sofuckinghot.

I can't stop."With a roar,Charlietakes off right behind me, lifting my leg to his shoulder to press even deeper into me.

A second rocket, smaller but no less fiery, shoots off in me at the same time he pounds into me one final time.

In a fit of convulsive thrusts,Charlieempties himself before collapsing to the side, gulping for air.

"Fuck,"he moans, his face smothered in the sheets.

I can't speak, only gasp for oxygen as my senses slowly return to me. I've heard people talk of seeing heaven after goodsex, but until now I couldn't imagine it. This is nirvana. Pure joy.

Charlielifts his head, his breathing still ragged. Heholdson to the end of the condom as he slides out of me."Be right back. Let me takecareof this."

He flips on the bedside light and gets up. I can barely move, every muscle in my body no stronger than Jello.Charliereturns with a warm, wet washcloth and with a tendertouchcleans between my legs."Can I get you some water?"

"Sure,"I say, suddenly self-conscious.

MaybeCharliesenses this because he drapes the light blanket folded at the foot of his bed over me andkissesmy cheek."Will you stay the night?"

"Do you normally spend the night with your, um, dates?"

He shares a lopsided smile."No,Palmer."

"Oh."

He makes a sound like a half-chuckle."Yeah. Oh . But you can stay. I'm asking you to stay."

"Oh. Well. If you're asking,"I say, trying to keep the moment light.

Hekissesmequick."Be right back."

While he's gone, I stare at the ceiling and think about what just happened.

Not thesex. I don't need to think about that because it will forever be imprinted on my brain.

What I wish I could figure out is why hewantsme to stay and whether I should.

If this is only a fling, I should find my clothes and slink back home, right?

As unappealing as it sounds, it's probably the right move.

We're friends, and he's probably only being polite.

If I were some random woman, he'd probably have called me a Lyft already.

I slip out from under the blanket andstand, glad my legs are strong enough again toholdme up. He returns with two waters and frowns when he sees me."You aren't staying?"

I'm about to explain it's better if I go home, but something in his eyes stops me. I shake my head."Just need the bathroom."

"Oh."His relief is palpable. He hands me a glass and I greedilydrink."Across the hall."

"Thanks,"I say, handing the glass back. When I'm finished, I come back to the bedroom to find he's turned the bed down and is lying on one side. He pats the empty space next to him and I climb in beside. He turns off the light and puts his arm around me.

We settle down, my head resting on hischestwhile he plays with my hair."Your hair is so soft. It's like cornsilk."

"It's so fine,"I say."I wish I had some texture to it. I'm actually jealous of Tisha's locs."

"I don't know if you canpulloff locs, Coco."

"Duh."I poke him in the side and he makes a good-natured grunt."Though I always wantedpinkhighlights."

"Why don't you get them? What's stopping you?"

"Nothing now, I guess."He keepsplayingwith my hair while I lazily scratch hischest."Did your tattooshurt?"

"Yeah. The ribs are probably the most painful place to be inked, but once I got the first one, I was compelled to follow throughand putthe second one on the opposite side. My next one will be on myass."Hischestrumbles with laughter.

"So, fleshy parts are better?"

"Generally speaking. You thinking about getting a tattoo?"

"Maybe."

He chuckles."Tattoos,pinkhair. Are we going through a rebellious phase?"

"Maybe. But what do you think? Should I go for it?"

He's quiet for a moment. Then he says in a serious voice,"Palmer, if you want to dye your hairpinkor get a tattoo, then do it. But only if you truly want it for yourself. Don't do it to get back at your mom or your ex or whoever. And don't do it to please anyone else. Okay?"

I choke down a bubble of emotion."I promise."

His breath begins to even out, but his fingers still move in my hair, lulling me into a sense of peace.

I think about being the exception to his rule regarding sleepovers and I wonder ifLibertywas also an exception.

But I can't ask. There is something, though, I have been curious about. "Charlie. Can I ask you something?"

"Anything,"he murmurs.

"Have you ever been serious with anyone before? Or have you always been anti-commitment?"

His fingers stop moving, and when he doesn't say anything for a while, I assume he's not going to answer. But then he resumes his lazy caresses."Once. Her name was Angela and I was planning on proposing to her after college graduation."

"What happened?"

"During spring midterms, I decided to skip study group and head back to my dorm to take a nap."Hegivesa humorlesslaugh."Apparently, so did Angela. And my roommate, who was also my best friend. Only they weren't napping when I walked in."

I lift myself to look at him. He's in shadows, the moonlight only revealing a small portion of his face, but the heartbreak is hard tomiss."I'm so sorry,Charlie."

"Funny,"he says, taking his eyes off me to stare at the ceiling."That'sexactlywhat she said."

"Hey."I tug on his chin so he's looking at me."She's a total moron to have let you go and I hope—no, I know —she regrets losing you every day of her miserable life."

A small smile turns his mouth up."You think so?"

"Yup."Ikisshis jaw."Because if a guy like you were in love with me and I did something stupid enough to make him leave, I'd spend the rest of my life in abject misery."

His mouth opens, then closes, and he swallows.

He adjusts our positions so we're on our sides facing each other.

Worldessly, hekissesme so tenderly I can weep, and before I realize it, he's rolled protection on and is back inside of me.

This time, he rocks me gently, quietly, until we're both too spent to do anything butfallasleep in each other's arms.