Page 40 of Practice Makes Perfect (Pine Barren University #2)

The raw need in her voice sends a jolt of pleasure straight to my cock. I return my mouth to her center, doubling my efforts, drinking in every gasp and moan she makes. And then I feel her body go taut, trembling on the edge.

“That’s it,” I murmur against her. “Let go for me.”

She does, with a cry that I’m sure the entire party can hear. Her body convulses around my fingers, and I work her through it, gentling my touches as the waves of her orgasm subside.

When she finally relaxes, I place one more soft kiss on her center and pull back to look at her. She’s a vision—eyes half-lidded, cheeks flushed, chest heaving. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.

“Come here,” she says, her voice husky.

I move up her body, expecting to kiss her, but she surprises me by pushing against my chest. For a moment, I’m confused—until she manages to flip our positions, straddling me with newfound confidence.

“My turn,” she declares, eyes sparkling with mischief.

My cock throbs at the sight of her above me, still naked except for her bra, looking like some kind of avenging sex goddess. “What did you have in mind?”

She trails her fingers down my chest, stopping at the waistband of my jeans. “I think it’s time I show you a thing or two.”

“Is that right?” I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face.

She nods, unclasping her bra and letting it fall away. “I’m going to make you beg,” she says, confidence radiating from her as she works on my jeans.

My pulse quickens at her words. This is a side of Em I haven’t seen before—bold, assertive, in control—and it’s the hottest thing I’ve ever witnessed. A second later, my cock is free, and my erection is bulging.

“I want to try something,” she says suddenly, a hint of nervousness creeping back into her voice.

“Anything,” I reply immediately, because right now I’d probably agree to rob a bank if she asked me to.

She bites her lip, as if reconsidering, then says, “I want to… I want us to… at the same time.”

It takes me a second to catch her meaning, and when I do, my brain nearly shorts out. “You want to sixty-nine?”

She nods, her confidence briefly faltering. “Is that okay?”

“That’s more than okay,” I assure her, my voice rough with desire.

With some maneuvering, we get into position—me on my back, her above me, facing the opposite direction. The view is spectacular: the curve of her ass, the glistening pink of her pussy, still sensitive from her orgasm. I place my hands on her hips, guiding her down to my mouth.

At the first touch of my tongue, she moans, the vibration traveling through her body to mine. Then, without warning, I feel the wet heat of her mouth envelop me, and it’s my turn to groan. She hums in response, the vibration almost unbearable against my sensitive skin.

I redouble my efforts, determined to match her stroke for stroke, lick for lick.

It quickly becomes a game of sorts—each of us trying to make the other lose focus.

When I suck on her clit, her rhythm falters.

When she swirls her tongue around the head of my cock, I momentarily forget what I’m doing.

I’m so caught up in the sensations—the taste of her on my tongue, the feel of her mouth around me—that it takes me a moment to realize we’ve found a rhythm, a perfect synchronization. It’s like we’re dancing together, each movement flowing into the next, building toward something monumental.

The connection between us has never felt stronger. It’s not just physical anymore—it’s something far deeper, far more profound. With every stroke of her tongue, every arch of her body, I feel us becoming more intertwined, more united, more one.

I can tell she’s getting close again. Her thighs tremble around my head, her movements becoming more erratic. I’m not far behind, the pressure building to an almost unbearable level.

“Em,” I manage to warn her, pulling away from her for a moment. “I’m close.”

She doesn’t stop, doesn’t pull away. Instead, she takes me deeper, one hand reaching down to caress my balls gently. The dual sensation pushes me right to the edge, and I struggle to maintain enough focus to keep pleasuring her. I want us to come together, want to share this moment completely.

I concentrate on her clit, alternating between gentle suction and firm strokes of my tongue, my fingers still working inside her. Her body tightens around me, and I know she’s right there with me.

“Now,” I gasp against her. “Come with me, Em.”

As if my words were the trigger she was waiting for, she falls apart, her body convulsing as she cries out around me. The sensation of her moaning against my cock, combined with her coming, sends me hurtling over the edge.

My orgasm tears through me with an intensity that leaves me breathless, and Em swallows everything I give her, her throat working around me, prolonging my release.

Time seems to suspend as we ride the waves together, our bodies connected in the most intimate way possible. In this moment, there are no barriers between us—physical or emotional.

As the aftershocks fade, Em carefully moves off me, turning around to collapse by my side. We’re both breathing hard, covered in a light sheen of sweat, utterly spent.

We lie side by side for several minutes, catching our breath, the only sound in the room our gradually slowing heartbeats. Em’s head rests on my chest, her hair spilling across my skin like liquid silk. I trace patterns on her bare shoulder, still not quite believing what just happened between us.

“That was…” She trails off, apparently at a loss for words.

“Yeah,” I agree, because what else is there to say?

Phenomenal?

Mind-blowing?

Life-altering?

None of those seem adequate.

I can still taste her on my tongue, feel the echo of her body around mine. Something fundamental has shifted between us. What started as a simple arrangement has morphed into something vastly more complicated—and infinitely better.

I shift slightly, propping myself up on one elbow to look at her properly. Her lips are swollen from our kisses, her hair a magnificent mess, her skin still flushed. There’s a vulnerability in her eyes that makes my chest ache with tenderness.

Unable to resist, I lean down and capture her lips once more.

She sighs into my mouth, her arms wrapping around my neck as she pulls me closer.

I pour everything I’m feeling into that kiss—desire, affection, hope.

The taste of both of us mingles on our tongues, somehow making the connection even more intimate.

I could stay here forever, wrapped up in her, forgetting the world exists.

Which is precisely when the world decides to remind us it’s still there.

A sharp, thunderous knock on the door makes us both jump.

“For the love of God, get a room!” Lea’s voice comes through muffled but unmistakably amused.

Em bursts into laughter against my chest, the vibration tickling my skin. “We did get a room,” she calls back. “This is literally a room.”

“You know what I mean!” Lea’s exasperation is palpable even through the door. “One that isn’t my boyfriend’s, where the entire hockey team can hear you!”

Em winces, burying her face in my shoulder. “Were we that loud?”

“Let’s just say you’ve got an impressive set of lungs,” I murmur, kissing the top of her head.

“You guys have thirty seconds before I’m sending in Maine with a camera,” Lea threatens.

Em shoots up, eyes wide with horror. “He wouldn’t.”

“He absolutely would,” I confirm, already reaching for my jeans.

Em slides off the bed, searching for her scattered clothes. I try to help, but mostly end up staring at her naked form in the dim light. The curve of her waist, the smooth line of her spine, the dimples at the small of her back—I want to memorize every inch of her.

“What?” she asks, catching me looking as she steps into her panties.

“Nothing,” I say, smiling as I button my shirt. “Just thinking how lucky I am.”

She rolls her eyes. “So lucky we’re about to do the walk of shame.”

After she puts her bra back on, I hand her the dress, and she pulls it over her head in one fluid motion. As she smooths down her hair and I finish with my buttons, a thought occurs to me. Something I’ve been wanting to ask, but our unconventional start has made it seem out of sequence.

“Em,” I say suddenly, my heart racing in a way that has nothing to do with what we just did.

“Hmm?” She’s busy adjusting her dress, apparently unaware that I’m having a minor internal crisis.

“Let me take you on a date.” The words tumble out before I can overthink them. “Tomorrow.”

Her hands still, and she looks up at me with those wide, expressive eyes. “A date?”

A slow smile spreads across her face. “I’d like that. And afterward, we can have sex.”

The directness of her statement catches me off guard. I’ve spent so much time handling her gently, desperate not to traumatize her or send her running for the hills, and now she drops that particular bomb on me. A laugh escapes me—genuine, joyful.

“What?” she asks, suddenly self-conscious.

“Nothing bad,” I assure her. “I’m in.”

Her smile returns, brighter than before. “I’m glad,” she says.

“Ready to face the music?” I ask, offering my hand.

Em reaches out to take it, lacing our fingers together. “As I’ll ever be.”

I give her hand a reassuring squeeze before turning the doorknob. The sudden flood of light from the hallway makes us both squint, and Em’s grip on my hand tightens as we step out of the bedroom.

The moment we emerge, it’s like walking into a spotlight. The hallway has mysteriously filled with half the hockey team, all wearing shit-eating grins that tell me I’ll never hear the end of this.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Maine calls out, his booming voice carrying over the music still pumping from the living room. “Anyone got a cigarette for these two?”

Em’s face flushes crimson, but there’s a defiant tilt to her chin that makes my chest swell with pride. And something else—something that feels dangerously like falling in love.

“Please tell me you at least changed the sheets,” Declan says.

“Relax,” I tell him. “We stayed above the covers.”

As we make our way down the hall, Em catches Lea’s eye across the room. Her roommate is watching us with undisguised curiosity. Em flashes her a little thumbs up, and Lea’s face breaks into a beaming smile.

“So,” Maine says, falling into step beside me as we head toward the front door, “is this like, official now? Because I’ve got twenty bucks riding on it…”

“You bet on us?” Em asks, sounding more amused than offended.

Maine shrugs, unrepentant. “Team tradition. We bet on everything.”

“It’s official,” Em says.

“WINNER!” Maine shouts, earning cheers from half the guys, and groans from the rest of them.

Em buries her face in my shoulder for a moment, her body shaking with laughter. “Well, this isn’t mortifying at all.”

I tilt her chin up, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “It was worth it, though, wasn’t it?”

Her smile is answer enough.