Page 29 of Matthias’s Protective Embrace (Cardinal Falls #3)
“First of all, you’re hardly a rowdy bunch. Second, it’s worth it.” Aaron shrugs. “Plus, I want to see Matthias with this guy who has him head over heels.”
“I’m not…” I don’t finish the sentence. Mostly because it would be entirely untrue.
Frank’s had me wrapped around his little finger since the day I met him.
I don’t know how he did it exactly, nor am I interested in finding out.
Right now, all I’m interested in is getting him back into bed with me.
And possibly staying there. Permanently.
Which is all way too soon. We’ve been on a grand total of two official dates, excluding any time we spend at my house. There’s still a long way to go before I can get what I really want. I hope he’s open to working through those pieces as they come about.
There’s that control monster that always ends up causing problems. I get too far ahead of myself—and my partner—that they back away. Sometimes slowly, but often leaving a cartoon smoke trail behind them.
“So, tell us more about how he finally won you over.” Nathan leans in, a big shit-eating grin on his face. Yeah, my friends are likely to eat him alive. Hopefully, Frank’s forgiving.
FRANK
Halle-fucking-lujah. That’s all I can say about finally wrapping up this semester. Taking two classes at a time will get me through my degree faster, but it’s significantly more work. More than double, I’m sure of it.
“Hey,” I call as I step into Matthias’s house. For once, I don’t need to do any studying. I took my history exam yesterday and my calculus one tonight. No clue how either of them went, but it doesn’t matter. As long as I pass, I’ll be happy with the results.
“Firecracker, how’d it go?” Matthias pulls me into a tight hug. I slump against him, letting him take all my weight. It’s one of the benefits of having a big brawny boyfriend, and I plan to take full advantage.
“Fine,” I mumble. I’m not trying to be vague, but I really have no idea. I finished, that’s what really matters. I hope I can pull off a B in each of them, but I’ll be happy with passing. A solid C is all I need to advance to the next course in the series.
Even if that’s going to be next year. I haven’t figured out what I’m going to do about that yet.
I’m not willing to get another job, not right now.
That leaves me with the option of moving out.
No matter how many times I look at my bank account, I can’t figure out a way to make everything work at the same time.
The only option is skipping the spring term.
“Come on, you need rest.” Matthias is right.
The study schedule he set up for me has kept me from pulling all-nighters, but the last two weeks have been intense.
I’ve been up late focusing on these exams. Thankfully, I have a perfect boyfriend who brought me lots of snacks and coffee to keep me focused.
Even if I suspect he substituted decaf some of the time.
“Hmmm…” That’s all I can say. Now that I’m on the other side of the adrenaline, my body is shutting down.
Matthias leads me up the stairs and into his bathroom.
I expect him to ask me to take a shower and then go to bed, but instead, he starts the bath.
Despite how often I sleep here, which is almost every night these days, I haven’t taken a bath since that first time.
I was so cold that I barely got the chance to enjoy it.
The promise of the hot water and Epsom salts wakes my body up a bit.
“Let’s get you ready.” It’s all the warning I get before Matthias starts stripping my clothing.
He treats me like a rag doll, moving my limbs around to pull off my hoodie and t-shirt, followed by my joggers and briefs.
My cock chubs up at his tender touch, the way he runs his fingers reverently over each piece of skin as he reveals it.
Suddenly, I’m not really in the mood for a bath. “Maybe we could go straight to bed?” I bat my eyelashes at him, hoping it’ll help make my case.
“You need to relax,” he says, kissing the top of my head.
“Orgasms relax me.”
He chuckles at my comment but seems undeterred. “Bath. Now.”
The tap is still running, but the tub is half-full.
I step in and make myself comfortable. The water temperature is perfect, and he’s added those salts that make it smell nice.
I lean back and close my eyes, trying to release all the tension of the past few weeks.
It’s not easy when I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do about all my problems. There’s still a lot to work out, but for tonight, I don’t want to think about any of it.
I want to be here, snuggled up to Matthias, enjoying the fact that I don’t have to bury my face in a textbook.
I must stay this way for a while because I’m startled when Matthias speaks. “Scoot forward.”
I open my eyes to find myself face-to-face with his dick, something I never mind. When did he take his clothes off?
Nevermind. Doesn’t matter. I have a lot of fantasies that start exactly like this. I move forward to give him room to step in behind me. It takes a bit of finagling on both our parts, but eventually, he’s behind me, big arms wrapped around me, pulling me into his chest.
“Now, Firecracker, tell me how the exam went.”
“Fine.” I repeat my answer from before. I doubt he’ll be satisfied with that response.
“I answered all the questions.” That’d been my problem earlier in the semester.
I often left the last question blank, not because I didn’t know the right answer, but because I ran out of time.
Extra studying and tips on test-taking from Matthias have helped me overcome that issue.
I might not get the answer correct, but at least I put something down.
“Good job, Firecracker.” He runs his hands over my wet skin, and I squirm a bit against him. “I’m proud of you. No matter what.”
“Uh-huh.”
“So what do you want to do this weekend to celebrate the end of the semester?”
Celebrate? I think last term, I went to a bar and bought myself a beer from Hoppy Friends, a local company. It was a big deal because, on the rare occasion I go out, I stick to the cheapest thing they have. That usually means some shitty light beer. “I don’t know.”
“Well…” He slides his hands up my thighs until they’re dangerously close to my growing erection.
I’m not sure if he’s noticed what he’s doing to me.
“Think about it. We can have a nice quiet time at home.” His hands dip between my thighs, causing me to slip a little further into the water.
And, if I spread my legs a little to help balance myself, that’s an added benefit.
“Or, we can go out somewhere.” He runs a finger ov er my balls. “Your choice.”
“Um…” Am I supposed to be thinking right now? Because I only want one thing at the moment.
“Do you want something?” When I don’t answer, he wraps his hand around my cock and gives it a tight squeeze. “Firecracker?”
“Ngh.” My hips buck, trying to get him to stroke me, but he holds firm. “Please.”
“Please, what?” He stokes me a few times, the water around us sloshing. As soon as I thrust up into his fist, he stops. “I’ll give you whatever you want, but you have to tell me.”
“Fuck.” My mind isn’t working right now. “I want to come.” Honestly, I don’t care how that happens at this point. Whatever he’s willing to give me.
“Good boy.” There’s a part of me that wants to push back against him calling me that.
I get enough bullshit for being the youngest at work.
Somehow, when Matthias says it, the word doesn’t make me angry.
Instead, it makes me warm and fuzzy, the same way I feel when he calls me Firecracker.
Though maybe that’s the warm water. Or the way he’s stroking me.
He’s unreasonably slow, speeding up enough to get me close, then backing off repeatedly.
It’s pure torture, and I’m loving every minute of it.
Though my body is starting to resist. “Please, Matthias.” I keep chanting please as he speeds up his hand, hoping this time he won’t back off at the last second.
“I’m so close.” I pant out through gritted teeth.
“Come for me, Firecracker.” Apparently, permission is all my body needs to let go.
Before he’s even finished the sentence, I go over the edge, ropes of cum hitting my belly and washing into the water.
“You look so good like this.” I look down to where he’s holding my softening cock.
Even though most of the cum has washed off, my skin is still painted with the proof of my orgasm.
I snake my arm awkwardly between us, trying to get at Matthias’s cock. I can feel his erection pressing into my back. “No, Firecracker. I’m okay. That was just for you.”
I want to argue, but the post-orgasm tiredness is starting to catch up with me.
“Let’s get cleaned up and get you in bed.”
He pulls the drain and starts the shower, helping me stand and washing me carefully. A few minutes later, after getting us nice and dry with his warm, fluffy towels, he leads me into the bedroom and pulls the covers back. “In you go.”
Who am I to argue with something like that?
I crawl between the sheets, finding the perfect position in the middle of the bed.
Nope, not my side, the middle. I like it here.
It forces Matthias to cuddle up behind me and pull me close so he can get enough room.
I’m sure he’s onto my tricks, but I don’t care. They work.
“Go to sleep, Firecracker.” He curls up with me, arms around my midsection, stroking my skin as I start to doze off. I still don’t know what the future holds, but I hope it’s a lot more of this.