Page 39 of Whatever It Takes

I snort. “He’s looking out for his company. I’m not his friend, Willow. I’m his employee.”

She shakes her head like she doesn’t believe that, but instead of carrying on, she asks if I’ve seen the latest episode ofSupernatural. We talk about all the things we both love. TV. Pop culture. Video games. I’m suddenly wide-awake, just wanting to extend every second I can.

Willow glances at her clock and grimaces. “Holy—we’ve been talking forthreehours, and I’ve sufficiently ruined your nap and the whole purpose of you getting rest.” She buries her face in her palms with a long groan. “I’m the worst. I’m sorry.” We’re both beating ourselves up.

Her for distracting me.

Me for distracting her.

I don’t know how to fix this.

“You’re not even close to the worst,” I tell her. “I enjoyed tonight—or today—or whatever you call it.” Tonight for her. Still today for me.

She unburies her face and slowly braids her hair. “So do you want to… maybe… um…?” She takes a breath, her eyes soaking into me like she wants something. And then timidly, she slips off her overall straps and pulls off her green shirt, just in a blue cotton bra.

God.

Blood pulses in my dick, and my eyes trace her soft skin and the tops of her breasts.Yeah, I want to.Times a million.

I yank my hoodie and tee off my head. Tossing both on the floor. I adjust the computer, setting my laptop more on my mattress near my waist. I see myself in the screen—what she can see—and my whole body is almost in full view.

I focus on Willow, and I frown. “Hey, we don’t have to do this if you’re not into it, Willow.”

Her shoulders are bowed in, and she’s clutching her elbows. She pushes up her slipping glasses. “No, I want to. I really do. It just feels kind of…” She glances around her dorm room. “It’s really quiet here.”

“I can put on music.”

She nods and rubs her arms.

I play an alternative rock playlist on my computer, so she’ll hear the noise. “Better?”

“Yeah.” Willow exhales. “I’m nervous.” She shakes out her head. “I wish I weren’tthisnervous.”

I know her well. I know that she’s pretty shy and reserved. Our relationship movedslowfrom the start.Like the slowest I’ve ever had. And there wasn’t one day where I wanted to press fast-forward and speed up. She’s also the best I’ve ever had.

In everything.

“It’s okay that you’re nervous,” I assure. “It’s probably because we’ve never had Skype sex before.”

I look her over, wishing I could be at her dorm a billion times more now. To ease her nerves, to make her feel good. Fuck, it’d be easier if I could just touch her…

She speaks so softly this time; I don’t catch the next words over the music.

I hit the volume on my keyboard. “Say that again?”

“Does it turn you off?” she asks in the quietest whisper. “How nervous I am?”

I shake my head, almost smiling. “No.” Honestly, I’m really smiling.

Her lips start to rise seeing my smile. “What?”

“Your insecurities are pretty cute. You always think you’re so lame and meek, but you’re like that daytime soap opera title.”

Willow leans closer to the screen. “General Hospital.”

I push longer pieces of hair out of my face. “The other one.”

“As the World Turns.” Willow grins a bit, knowing that’s not the right one either. We both don’t watch soaps, but we know our television.