Chapter Four
Hudson
“What if I could help you?”
I have no idea what the hell I was thinking. The words just leaped out of my mouth. Listening to Gracie talk about kicking off her granny panties and popping her cherry with some random Internet dick...I guess it drove me temporarily insane.
But there's no taking back the idea now. Gracie sucks in her breath, blinking wide-eyed. “What do you mean?” she asks.
What do I mean? Here I am, sitting next to the world's most beautiful girl—drowning in her eyes¸ her scent, the gentle puff of her breath on my mouth that begs me to close the distance. I know what I want, but I also know what will happen if I take it. My best friend will rip off my balls and feed them to me. And I'll probably deserve every second.
But sweet Jesus, I'm pretty sure Gracie wants this too, and that's enough to blow my better judgment to pieces. All I care about right now is making her feel better. In as many ways as possible. And if her slightly quickened breathing, blown pupils, and flushed cheeks are anything to go by...
As an experiment, I dart out the tip of my tongue to wet my lips. Her darkened eyes drop like a magnet yanked them. Yeah, bingo. Having a little black book as thick as the dictionary has its advantages. I know damn well how to tell when a woman wants me.
And it's become crystal clear that Gracie needs me, too. I've always been her friend, her confidant and cheerleader. This virginity thing is clearly weighing on her mind. I can't stand the thought of her feeling inadequate or ashamed about herself. And if she's half as horny for me as I am for her, this could add up to a lot of fun for the both of us.
“It's just a suggestion. Since you want to get more sexual experience, we could do something about it together.” As calmly as I can, I cross one leg over another to hide my lap. The mere thought of being the first man inside her has me rock-hard. Images pour through my mind … Her lush hair fanned out over the pillow as I slip in. Her big blue eyes widening with surprise at how good my cock feels. Her perky tits bouncing and soft fuckable mouth falling open as I start pumping in earnest. I try not to groan aloud.
“I...um...” Gracie's eyes skitter around the room, always returning to me. Her cheeks are furiously red now. But she doesn't draw back even an inch. “H-how would that work, exactly?”
That's a lot closer to a green light than I thought I'd get. “Nothing complicated. We'd meet up at my place—say, three times—and I'd teach you what I know.” Taking a chance, I add, “What makes you come best. How to please a man. Anything you want to learn.”
Her breath hitches. Just the tiniest possible noise, but I can hear it, and it makes me ache. She chews her lip in an internal struggle. I can see interest flickering in her and I wonder again if she's as aroused as I am.
“They wouldn't be real dates, if that's what you're worried about. I'd just be...like a tutor.” I resist the urge to make a pun about showing you the ropes. I have no intention of springing bondage on an inexperienced woman, but I don't want to push my luck and scare her off with some stupid joke.
She chuckles. “A sex tutor? I think the word for that is 'gigolo.'”
Hope sparks in me. If she's teasing me like usual, that means she's feeling comfortable. “Hey, I'd never charge money. I share my expertise for the benefit of the community,” I protest, putting my hand on my chest as if I've been mortally wounded.
“Pro bone-o,” she snorts.
I laugh out loud, and soon she's giggling behind her hand, too. But the sexual tension doesn't drain from the atmosphere—it just changes form, becoming playful instead of heavy and unspoken. Seeing her cute dimpled grin definitely doesn't help me get my boner under control.
“I'll have to think about it,” she says finally, and my stomach leaps hot with anticipation. “But I'm not sure how to explain this...thing to people.”
“You don't owe anyone an explanation. It could be our little secret. Nobody has to know.” Especially not your mother hen of a brother.
She stares into her wine for a minute. “When would we start?”
“I'm free tomorrow night if you want.” I know I sound eager, but damn it, I really am.
“No, I have dinner with Melanie on Saturdays.” She pauses just long enough to make me wonder if she's finally shooting me down. “But I can do Sunday night.”
I feel a wash of relief, followed by desire. Despite being pretty sure that she wanted me, I'd still run the risk of coming on too strong and freaking her out. But she agreed—and less than forty-eight hours from now, she'll be mine. Mine to hold and kiss and taste and feel. “Great. How's eight o'clock at my place?”
She opens her mouth...
Then hesitates and closes it, looking down into her wine. Guilt is written all over her face. “No. I'm sorry. I can't.”
Crap...I screwed up after all. “What's wrong?” I ask.
“I can't do this to Hayden. I know he wouldn't like us messing around.”
I rest my hand on her shoulder. “I know how you feel. Hayden's my best friend and my business partner. I'd be taking a huge risk, too.” Bigger than hers, probably—Hayden would be a lot less hard on his baby sister than on the douchebag who deflowered her. And it would affect our jobs, not just our personal lives. But I'm not going to point that out right now. This moment is all about Gracie, not me.
She gives me a look of skepticism and concern. Not anxious, exactly, but needing to be convinced. I can't tell if she's still tempted or if that's just my wishful thinking. “If it's such a big risk, why are you willing to take it?”
“You let me worry about that.” Because my boner has hit the emergency override switch in my brain definitely isn't the answer she wants to hear.
She sighs through her nose. “I'm still not sure how I feel about lying to him.”
“It's not lying,” I insist. “It's just not over-sharing. Do you text him every time you go to the bathroom?”
She wrinkles her nose. “Ew...too much information.”
“Exactly. There are some things it's okay to not mention. Sex is your private business, so he doesn't need to know.”
When she continues to sit silent, I finish my train of thought. “Listen, Gracie...this is your own life. You get to decide what to do with it. Don't worry about what Hayden thinks. He's a big boy and he's going to have to face the fact that you're a grown woman now. If he judges you for having sex, he's a shithead.”
That gets a weak smile out of her. “And a hypocrite,” she adds softly.
“I wasn't going to say it,” I agree, shrugging. Hayden had his reasons for sleeping around—pretty similar to mine, in fact—but there's no denying how he acted before Emery inspired him to shape up.
I give Gracie's shoulder one last squeeze and let go. “Just think about it, okay? No pressure. I won't be offended if you change your mind.” Though I will jerk myself raw, imagining what might have been, before I try to get on with my life.
She chews her lip again, then answers, “Sure. I'll let you know.”
I can't resist smiling at her as I stand up. “I should probably head out now. But one more thing...” I pause on the other side of the coffee table. “If we are doing this? Promise me you won't see any of those guys from the website until we're done.”
“Why not?” Her brow is furrowed in a way that means she's just this side of annoyed.
“Because the whole point is to learn from someone you already know and trust,” I say carefully. I can't let her know how ragingly jealous the alternative makes me feel. Not just because it would be too much for my pride, but because she'd start doubting my judgment. “Someone who can find your clitoris and isn't an axe murderer.”
She rolls her eyes. “I'm telling you, these guys aren't...”
“If we meet up three times and you're not feeling it, then you can try them. But give me a chance to work. Get all the lessons before you start trying to put them into practice.”
“Yes, sir, Mister Stone,” she chirps with a half-smile. It was meant to be a sarcastic retort, but I swallow hard. The image of her in a schoolgirl's uniform, roleplaying a “hot for teacher” scene with me, is way too much when I'm not allowed to touch her yet.
I wave goodbye and let myself out, already putting together a class syllabus in my mind. Three nights to grant my dream woman her deepest desires. This is going to be good...provided she says yes.