Page 92 of Palm South University: Season 3

It’s almost too much, too much history and pain and unexplainable pleasure rolled into one single moment. She melts in my arms as I deepen the kiss, one hand running the length of my abdomen before tucking into the band of my briefs.

I inhale a breath and hold it there, tongue still working hers as I flip us, sliding up between her thighs, her red hair spilling out of her hair tie and over my pillow. She moans when I kiss down her neck, sucking the skin just behind her ear as her nails dig into my back. Our breaths are so loud and heated, years of wanting pouring out without a filter now, my sheets the stage for the show long overdue. Cassie flexes her hips against me, the hot center of her meeting the bulge in my briefs, and I groan, pulling back.

Her eyes widen as I take a pause, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to think clearly.

“You don’t… you don’t want to…”

“Oh, I want to,” I clarify quickly, cock aching at the thought of being inside her. But I lift my eyes to hers, running my thumb over her swollen bottom lip. “Trust me, I want to. But the first time I take you, I want it to be us — just us. No exes, no drama, no pain. I just… I know I’ll never forget our first time, and I want to make it worth remembering.”

Cassie swallows, nodding with tears misting her eyes as she pulls me down to kiss her again. She kisses me with all the unanswered questions we’ve shared, with all thewhat ifsandwhat nows.

“Don’t let go tonight, okay?”

“I’m never letting go again,” I answer, resting between her thighs again as I kiss her lips like I’ve never tasted them before, like tonight is all I have.

I slide one hand under the cotton of her tank top, groaning with appreciation when I feel she’s not wearing a bra. My hands roam over every inch of her, palming her breasts before moving down to grip her waist again. Cassie arches off the bed, offering her neck to my mouth, nails digging into the flesh of my shoulders like she’s holding on for dear life.

And for the rest of the night, we explore each other, kissing and touching with our clothes staying completely intact, even when it’s nearly impossible to do. I take my time with her, showing her I’m in no rush, that I’m not going anywhere — and I hope she can say the same.

For the last year and a half, we’ve danced around each other, never fully giving in, always something or someonein the way. But now that I have her, now that there’s nothing but scraps of cloth between us, I know there’s no way I can ever let her go. I meant what I said about not figuring anything out tonight, but in my heart, I know as well as she does that this is it — this is our time.

Cassie McBee is finally mine, and I have always been hers.

With my heart in her hands, Cassie pulls me closer as the sun rises through my window, sealing that thought with the sweetest, most perfect kiss.