Page 110 of Try Hard

I smiled at her, loving how she wasn’t embarrassed by how much she wanted me. I’d been correct that existing physically around her was different, knowing she wanted me physically was different, but her honesty was… a turn-on. Eve turned me on. It felt like a miracle, but it made such perfect sense that she did. “How would you want me to do that?”

“However you want—hands, mouth, toys… Whatever works for you.”

“I haven’t had sex in a very long time and I was young and—”

“We’ll figure it out together, and I’m plenty communicative, Ophelia.”

I couldn’t stop the way my body shuddered at her words. Just the thought of her naked in front of me, telling me what she liked, letting me make her feel good… She was such a dream. “I’m sure you are,” I said with a heated blush.

She smirked proudly. “And then?”

With my lips pursed, I reached out and traced my fingers over one of her thighs, loving the way she sighed at the touch. “I want you to be involved, when I… come, hopefully. But, if you’re restrained, I’m wondering…”

“Fuck yes,” she practically groaned, knowing exactly what I was getting at. “You can absolutely ride my thigh.”

I leaned forward, burying my face in her shoulder. The embarrassment wasn’t bad, but it was a little mortifying just how much I needed her, especially when she was so into the ideas we were discussing.

She wrapped her arms around me and gently tackled me back into the mattress, looking down at me, both adoring and turned on. She was stunning. “Not one part of you needs to worry that I’m not going to enjoy myself. I’malreadyenjoying myself, and, whenever you’re ready to do these things, I’m there, enthusiastically, happily, and eagerly. But not until you’re ready.”

My hands were gripping her waist and I flexed them, acutely aware of the place where her shirt ended. I didn’t think it would take too long for me to be ready. Her expression suggested she could see that on my face. I wanted her to.

I traced my fingers along the edge of her shirt, feeling along the waistband of her shorts. “So, that sounds good for you?”

“It sounds great for me. When you’re ready.”

“I understand.” I brushed my nose against hers. “Anything you want to ask for?”

“Nothing other than that you genuinely take all the time you need to be ready. I’ve wanted you for over twenty years, Ophelia, and I would wait for you forever.”

“I would wait forever for you too.” My voice came out barely more than a whisper and thick with emotion, but she was only a breath away from me. I didn’t need to worry she hadn’t heard.

I felt like she’d been hearing me most of my life.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Eve

Iwas lying on my temporary bed at my mum’s place, thinking about Ophelia—her touch, her lips, the way she kissed, her smile, the way she spoke when we were alone, how ridiculously thoughtful and intelligent she was—when Soph burst through the door without warning.

“Have you given up knocking?” I asked, watching her as she sat herself on the bed beside me looking all prim and proper. After spending the whole weekend with Ophelia, that side of the bed already felt like hers.

“Knocking would have given you time to hide things,” Soph said imperiously.

“What, like you’ve been doing, you mean?” I wasn’t annoyed with her for keeping her relationship a secret, but I was frustrated with her continued flirting with Ophelia and her barging into the room like she was hoping to catch the woman undressed. Not that she was here. But still.

Soph scowled, eyes narrowed dangerously. “I’m nothidingthings.”

“Oh, no? What would you call it? Obscuring the truth?”

“I told your girlfriend, didn’t I? Obviously, it would get back to you.”

I tried to bite down on my smile, I really did. Unfortunately, being called Ophelia’s girlfriend and not really being able to deny it made that impossible. “You could have told me yourself.”

“Where’s the fun in that? Got to keep you on your toes.”

“So I can keep worrying that you’re trying to woo Ophelia?”

Soph snorted, shooting me an unimpressed look. “Woo? Who even are you?”