Seven years ago

Pittsburgh

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PITT’S FINAL RECORD for the regular season stood at an impressive 12-0. The last win came after a seven-point nail-biter over Penn State, and it ignited a night of wild parties and recklessness on campus. Cars and dumpsters burned, blue and white fireworks lit up the sky, and glittering gold confetti sparkled on the cathedral’s lawn.

To celebrate, I was supposed to accompany Grayson to a slew of parties. He wanted me to dance with him at each one and remind him to say, “Thank you for your support” to as many people as possible. 

However, we’d been to six parties so far, and we hadn’t danced to a single song. Instead, he’d pulled me into any available corner and kissed me as if no one else was watching. And when we left one party to go to the next, he stopped and kissed me in front of everyone just because he knew they were watching.

By the time we reached our seventh location of the night—an abandoned warehouse off campus, my body was on edge. My lips were swollen from his kisses, and I knew without even looking that he’d left claiming red marks on my neck.

The smell of alcohol and marijuana clung to the warehouse walls, and the music was so loud I could barely hear my thoughts.

“How many more parties do you have to go to?” I shouted over the music to Grayson.

“What?”

“How many more parties do you have to go to?”

He looked at me in confusion and clasped my hand, pulling me across the room to a makeshift bar. “Did you say you’re ready to leave?”

“No, I just wanted to know how many parties you had left tonight.”

“This is the last one.” He handed me a drink. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” He pulled his car keys from his pocket. “I can take you home.”

“I’m not ready to go home,” I said.

He looked confused. “You just said you were.”

“I meant that I want to go back to your place.”

“Okay. Well, just so we’re clear, I’m not watching another Friends marathon with you,” he said, smiling. “Three episodes was more than enough.”

“That’s not what I wanted to do either...”

He raised his eyebrow and stared at me.

“I said I was ready...” My voice was a whisper. “I meant it.”

“Okay.” He kissed my forehead and wrapped his arm around my waist, holding me against his side as we made our way through the crowded dance floor. When we stepped outside, he didn’t walk me to his car. Instead, he led me through the streets of upper campus, making us take the long way to his apartment.

When we arrived, the lights were dim, and Kyle was steering his car out of the driveway.

Walking me into his room, Grayson helped me out of my coat and locked the door. “I was kidding about Friends,” he said. “I’ll watch that with you if you want.”

“That’s not what I want.”

He trailed his finger against my collarbone. “Are you sure?”

I nodded.

“I need you to say it.”

“Yes.” I looked into his eyes. “I’m sure.”

He pressed a quick kiss on my lips, and then he slowly pulled the elastic band from my ponytail, forcing my hair to fall across my shoulders. Looking me up and down, he grabbed the hem of my shirt and slowly pulled it over my head. 

“Turn around,” he whispered, and I obliged.

Blowing soft kisses against the back of my neck, he unclasped my bra and pushed the straps down my shoulders one at a time.

“Are you still sure?” he asked again, softly palming my breasts from behind.

“Yes...”

He took his time trailing kisses in a line across my shoulders; then he reached around my waist to unzip my jeans. Bending down to push them past my thighs, he gently bit my ass. “Step out of your pants.”

I hesitated, temporarily distracted by the feel of his hands moving up my body. He was caressing my nipples, and I could feel his cock hardening against my cheeks. I heard him laughing softly, and before I knew it, he was picking me up and carrying me over to his chair.

Rubbing his hands up and down my legs, he got on his knees and slid a finger through the lace of my panties, pulling them down to my ankles. He pressed a hand against my thighs, looking up at me when he noticed I was shaking.

He cupped my face and brought my head down to his, kissing me deeply—using the soft rhythm of his tongue to say, “It’s okay.” He didn’t let go of my mouth until I was entirely breathless, and before I could catch my breath, he slid his hands under my thighs and lifted me up—moving me to his bed.

My heart was beating so hard and loud against my chest that I was certain he could hear it.

I watched as he took off his shirt in one smooth motion and untied his sweatpants before climbing on top of me. He blew warm kisses against me, leaving a wet trail all the way down my body.

My legs shook as he softly blew against my clit and slipped a thick finger inside of me. I grabbed the sheets as he teased me relentlessly, as he pressed his other hand against my stomach to keep me still.

Unwrapping a condom, he kept his eyes on mine as he put it on. He grabbed my hand and placed it against him, making me touch his length as he spread my legs apart. Positioning himself over me, he pressed his mouth against mine once more, and he pushed his cock inside of me, inch by inch, making me tense at the unfamiliar pain.

When he was halfway inside of me, I dug my nails into his arm.

“Am I hurting you?” he asked, not pushing himself any further. 

I didn’t answer.

“Charlotte?” He kissed me. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No...”

He stared at me for a few seconds, as if to make sure, and then he entwined his fingers with mine and thrust his cock deeper, completely filling me.

“Ahh...” I cried out, and he bit my bottom lip. I shut my eyes, and he whispered, “Don’t do that. Look at me.”

I obliged and kept my gaze locked on his as he thrust in and out of me. I cried out with each one—feeling a mix of pain and light pleasure.

“Grayson...”

“Yes?” He slid inside of me again, burying himself deep.

I moaned, unable to say anything else. Just as I was adjusting to his length and his rhythm, grabbing onto his hair to hold on, he suddenly pulled out of me. Catching me completely off guard, he gave me a quick kiss on my lips and flipped me onto my stomach.

Planting kisses up and down my spine, he positioned himself between my legs and slid his cock inside of me.

I couldn’t help but clench the sheets as he established a slower but more reckless rhythm, as he filled me again and again. I shut my eyes as he gripped my sides and controlled me, as he made love to me for what felt like forever.

I felt him stilling behind me—moaning, and he held my hips a little tighter as he found his release.

He whispered something I couldn’t comprehend before pulling out of me and getting out of the bed.

I lay still, unable to move a muscle and seconds later he returned.

“Are you okay?” He pulled me into his arms

“Yes.” I nodded, and we lay entangled in the darkness—his lips casually pressing kisses against mine as I rubbed my hands against his chest.

“What are you thinking about?” he whispered against my mouth hours later.

“Something I want to ask you.”

“Something bad?”

“Not really.”

He rolled me on top of him, looking concerned. “What is it?”

“Can we do that again?”