Gabe and I shuffled into his room to get ready while Derek begrudgingly did the same. I got in the shower first since my hair would take longer to dry. He tried to convince me that to save water and time, we should shower together. Rolling my eyes, I walked in—alone—and laughed when he mumbled, “It was worth a shot.”
He was waiting—naked—as I stepped out, and somehow I was able to limit our interaction to one ass grab and only a couple of kisses before he stepped into the shower. I had just finished blow-drying my hair when Gabe walked out with nothing but a towel around his waist. My eyes greedily took him in and I couldn’t help but fixate on the droplets of water still running down his chest. Unconsciously, I licked my lips as a couple disappeared into the towel, heading straight toward his—
“Alara,” he growled. “Stop it.”
“I’m not doing anything,” I said as I raised my arms in defense. “I was just standing here.”
He gave me a hard look filled with heat. “No you weren’t. You were looking at me like an on-again, off-again vegan who hasn’t had meat in a freaking year.”
I rolled my eyes as I made my way over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist until they settled on his lower back. Teasing the top of his towel, I dipped a few fingers inside as I lifted up to kiss him.
He groaned and pulled away, gripping my elbows to keep me from advancing. “If I kiss you right now, I won’t be able to stop and then we’ll never leave.”
“Try,” I whispered, and that was all it took to seal his mouth over mine. We were lost in each other’s lips for several minutes before Gabe pulled away again, panting.
He gave me one last peck and a saucy smile before backing away. “Okay, seriously, we need to focus. Naomi is gonna kick my ass.”
I worried my bottom lip at the mention of Naomi and shuffled toward my overnight bag. “Did she seem more… I don’t know, more hyper than usual?”
“Naomi always seems hyper to me. She’s the Energizer freaking Bunny personified.”
“Yeah, I guess…” I trailed off as I bent down and pulled out my jeans and sweater. I jumped when I felt warm, strong hands wrap around my middle and pull me up. Gabe gave me a quick squeeze before turning me around to face him. With his hands on my hips, his gaze thoughtfully roamed over my face.
“You worried?”
Nodding, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Her and Caleb have barely seen each other lately and she doesn’t seem all that concerned about it. Hell, she doesn’t even bring him up, and honestly I’m too afraid to.”
He frowned and pushed a loose strand of hair out of my face and behind my ear. “What are you worried about?”
“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but Naomi really loves Caleb. I don’t think it’s the breath-stealing, life-changing, soul-encompassing kind of love…” I felt the blush rise over my cheeks as I forced myself through the topic. “But she loves him all the same and I think they’re near the end, and I just don’t want her to get hurt.”
“But it has to happen eventually, right? If she wants to find that breath-stealing, life-changing, soul-encompassing kind of love, she has to go through this.” His voice was soft as he traced my ear with a light touch.
I nodded and leaned my head into his chest. “I know, I just… I hate it.”
“Yeah.” He blew out a breath that tickled my ear and started rubbing my back. After a few more comfortably silent minutes, we pulled away and finished getting ready. We met Naomi and Derek at the front door fifteen minutes later and piled into Derek’s car. As we neared the fair Naomi began bouncing in her seat, causing her very disgruntled brother to mutter some choice words about her. But not even that got her down—the second we arrived, she sprang from the car and skipped to the ticket booth. Derek gripped his large coffee mug and adjusted his sunglasses before trailing after her.
“I’m surprised he agreed to come considering how hungover he is,” Gabe observed as he wrapped his arm around my waist and rested his hand on my butt while we walked toward them. I smiled at the gesture and leaned into him, not feeling awkward at all because there wasn’t anything remotely sexual about it. It seemed more about comfort than anything else, like he couldn’t walk next to me and not touch me.
“Naomi loves the fair and it’s sort of become their thing. The only way Derek wouldn’t go with her is if he were dead.”
We spent the entire afternoon there, and honestly nothing had ever felt that perfect. Derek and Naomi exhausted themselves on the rides while Gabe and I just enjoyed walking around and talking. He had just finished telling me about his horrible experience rushing a frat when he surprised me by stopping at a basketball booth and handing money over to the fair worker.
“Uhh, whatcha doing?” I asked as he bounced the ball a few times in front of him. He smirked as he looked up and nodded toward the stuffed animals. I chuckled. “You eyeing that purple pony, Gabe?”
“How dare you?” His mouth dropped open as he gripped the ball. “I’m aiming for the pink one.” He turned toward the hoop and proceeded to make all three in a row.
“H-how…” I sputtered.
He just shook his head and laughed before pointing up. “Pick one.” When my eyes found his again after I had my baby blue elephant in my arms, his look of amusement had faded and in its place was one of pure affection. My heart tripped over itself as I returned his gaze, no doubt conveying complete amazement by the person standing in front of me. Something seemed to pass between us in that second, like we both knew that this simple look was one of the moments that made us realize how much we meant to one another. His soft small widened as he turned around and handed the guy more money before making three more baskets, this time missing one in between.
“And who’s that one for, mister?” I asked as he stepped back.
He smiled and cocked an eyebrow. “What, you think you’re the only lady in my life?” I raised an unimpressed eyebrow right back, staying silent and fighting my grin.
“Dude, just pick one.” The pimply-faced teenager gestured toward the stuffed animals as he smacked his gum and leered at a group of girls walking by.
Gabe rolled his eyes and nudged my arm. “Pick one for Megan,” he whispered as he placed a kiss on my cheek. My eyes drifted shut and my throat seemed to close around my emotions. He was perfect. He was flawed, but he was so, so perfect.
I shook my head and opened my eyes before wordlessly pointing to a green and blue dragon. Gabe grabbed the stuffed animal and placed his palm on the small of my back, guiding me away. We walked in silence for a few minutes until we reached the beginning of the chairlift. Without even looking at each other we stepped in line, and ten minutes later we were airborne with two stuffed animals wedged between us.
One of Gabe’s arms was stretched along the back so his hand could play with the ends of my hair, while the other was resting on my knee. Both of my hands were in my lap, nervously twisting as my gaze shifted between his face and the two stuffed animals in between us. It was such a simple thing, such a stupid thing, and yet it felt monumental.
Maybe it only felt that way because it was the moment I realized I was in love with Gabe. I couldn’t say I fell in love with him, because that never made any sense to me. If you look up the definition of fall you’ll find something like this: to drop or descend under the force of gravity, as to a lower place through loss or lack of support. And that was nowhere near what happened.
I didn’t drop; I soared. I wasn’t forced by gravity; if anything, I fought against it until I willingly walked into his arms and gave him my heart. I wasn’t in a lower place; I was in a better place, the best place. And there was no lack of support; there was so much support that I was slowly becoming the person I’d always wanted to be.
I jumped into love, and even though I could still fall, I knew I’d jump all over again.
She hadn’t said anything for the past twenty minutes, and I was growing restless as I thought about what could be going through her mind. I lifted my hand and slowly dragged a finger from her temple to the corner of her mouth. Alara’s breath faltered and her hands clenched in her lap at the contact. “Penny for your thoughts?” I whispered.
Smiling and shaking her head, she grabbed my hand and linked our fingers together. “Thank you. She’ll love it,” she said while nodding to the dragon.
“Good. I want her to love it.” We smiled at each other as we came to the end of the ride. I grabbed both stuffed animals as we hopped out and moved toward the exit.
We met up with Naomi and Derek shortly after that. Naturally I was still holding both stuffed animals, and they both took turns making fun of me for a good thirty minutes. Naomi tried to get me to win her a goldfish, but one look at Alara’s alarming expression and I told her that I pulled a muscle on the last shot I took. No one believed me, but thankfully Naomi didn’t push it as she dragged us to the food stands where we each ate a full plate of fried dough doused in enough cinnamon and sugar to ensure we became diabetics. Just as we left the concert area and decided to go home, Derek and Naomi begged us to let them go on one last ride.
“Hmm… I don’t know,” Alara mused as she wrapped an arm around my waist and looked up at me. “What do you think, honey? Have the kids earned one last ride?” Naomi smiled as Derek mumbled something under his breath before they both turned away, claiming they’d be back in thirty.
I smiled down at Alara before running my nose along her hairline and inhaling the scent of coconut and lime. The scent had my eyes closing and my mind wandering to how I woke up this morning. “What about me?” I asked hoarsely.
“What about you?”
“Have I earned a ride?” I nipped her earlobe before pulling back to look at her expression. Honestly I had expected her to be blushing and fumbling for an answer, and that I could have definitely handled. I wasn’t expecting to be met with a heated stare and slight nod of her head. My eyes widened as a smirk slowly appeared on her soft pink lips.
Quickly looking around, I smiled when I saw the unoccupied photo booth a few yards away. She laughed as I grabbed her hand and practically dragged her toward it. That laughter was quickly cut off as I shoved her in and pulled the curtain shut. It was tiny and cramped, but you know that old saying, when there’s a will there’s way? Yeah, well, I had tons of will.
Gripping her face, I brought our mouths together in a kiss that could only be described as primal. We opened for each other at the same time and our tongues battled for dominance as my hands slid into her soft hair. I moaned and fisted her hair as I tasted the sugar and cinnamon from earlier, making Alara taste so much sweeter. The kiss seemed to go on forever as Alara’s soft pants filled the small booth before I guided her head back and moved my mouth down the slope of her neck. My hand had just grabbed her left breast when the curtain was pulled open.
“Ahh…” Alara squeaked as she jumped a little and hit her head on the wall. I scowled as I turned around and met the stare of an older gentleman who claimed to be manning this part of the fair.
“Excuse me, sir, ma’am. But you need to actually use the booth in order to… s-sit in it.” He was embarrassed as he stumbled over the word sit and avoided eye contact. Growling, I pulled my wallet out and shoved a few dollars in the machine before reattaching my lips to Alara’s neck.
“Gabe,” she whispered, lightly shoving at my shoulder. A second later the outside light disappeared and the curtain closed. “Oh God,” she moaned. “That was embarrassing.”
I moved my lips back to hers, and the next moan that left her mouth was purely from pleasure. She seemed to forget all about our interruption as she sat up straighter and slid her hand down my stomach until she was rubbing me through my jeans.
“Goddamn,” I rasped into her mouth. “We need to get out of here.” She smiled against my mouth before removing her hands and adjusting her sweater. I leaned my head back against the booth, thumping it a few times before rolling it her way. “It’s probably been about thirty minutes,” I said softly.
“I’ll see you out there?” At my furrowed brows, she pointedly looked down to my lap and laughed. “I think you need a few minutes.” After a quick kiss, she shuffled outside holding the two stuffed animals.
When I stepped out five minutes later Derek, Naomi, and Alara were laughing as they watched something on Derek’s phone. I quickly grabbed the photo strips and walked toward them.
“So where are the pictures?” Naomi asked, causing Alara’s face to drain of color. Laughing, I handed them over before Alara could take them. She moaned and dropped her face into her hands as we walked to the exit.
“Damn, these are hot. You ever consider doing porn?” Naomi looked between Alara and me as the couple in front of us glared at her and shuffled their children further away. She chuckled when she caught on and lowered her voice. “Oops.”
“I don’t think you need to whisper oops.” Alara snatched the photos from her friend’s hand. Looking over her shoulder, I took the photos in for the first time.
The first one was taken right after I put the money in, so all you could see of me was the back of my head as I mauled her neck. I looked like a goddamn vampire. The second one was still the back of my head, but this time I was leaning to the side so you could also see Alara’s lust-filled face as her head tipped back and her hands gripped my shoulders. I was gonna get hard all over again if I kept looking at these. But as I made my way to the next two, I froze. They weren’t photos of a lust-driven couple anymore; they looked like a couple in love.
The third photo showed us breaking apart, both catching our breath from the high our kisses seemed to elicit. Her smile was soft and small, but it held so much joy my chest ached at the sight of it. When I looked at my own face I already knew what I would see, and sure enough, I found it. Love. I was so in love with her, anyone with eyes could see it. I looked like a love-drunk idiot as I stared at her with my head resting on the back of the booth.
The fourth one went off right before Alara left the booth. The peck she gave me only lasted seconds, yet somehow that was the moment the camera went off. Both our eyes were closed as we met in the middle for a barely there kiss. Only our lips were touching, but there were slight smiles on both our faces as we came together. It was such a simple picture, barely anything remarkable about it, and yet it meant so much more than any of the others. There was nothing sexual about it; it was just a simple acknowledgement that we were together. That kiss was a promise. A promise I’d never break.
…
On our way back to the apartment some of our lust had faded as Naomi coerced us to hang out with them a little longer. It was a little scary how adept Naomi was with the guilt trip. As soon as we walked through the door Alara went back to my room, leaving Naomi and me alone on the couch to watch Derek set up a video game.
“We should go get ice cream.”
“Like you need more sugar,” Derek said as he shook his head at her.
“But… ice cream,” she pouted and looked toward me for support.
I shrugged. “I’m down.”
Momentarily pacified, Naomi was playing on her phone when Alara came out in yoga pants and a sweatshirt. Without looking up, Naomi said, “We were thinking about getting ice cream. You game?”
“I’ve already taken my bra off,” she said sadly as she sat down beside me and curled up under my arm. Naomi’s head snapped up as she muttered, “Damn.”
I looked between the two of them like they were crazy… because let’s face it, they were. “So go put it back on.” I shook my head and laughed.
Alara’s eyebrows furrowed. “But I’ve already taken it off,” she repeated while staring at Naomi like I was the crazy one.
“Yes, we just went over that. And then I made the crazy suggestion that you go put it back on,” I said wryly.
“I don’t understand.” I pulled back from Alara and frowned; maybe she hit her head harder than I thought in the photo booth earlier today and had a concussion?
“Gabe, dear, once a girl takes her bra off for the night, there’s no way she’s putting that bitch back on,” Naomi explained.
Derek finally paused his game to look at the two of them with a bemused expression. A couple seconds later he tore his gaze away and raised his eyebrows at me. “And yet we’re the weird gender?”
I started to laugh when Alara dropped a few soft kisses on my cheek before moving her lips to my ear. “Think carefully about what you say next,” she whispered. “We may not be getting ice cream, but that doesn’t mean I’ve ruled out dessert.” All conscious thought fled as I squeezed my eyes shut and fisted my hands. After several deep breaths I opened my eyes to see a victorious smirk in place, and God I wanted to kiss it right off her. I moved in to do just that, but she giggled and twisted her head away.
“Oh God, you’re giggling. This night is totally done.” Naomi stood and grabbed her purse off the counter. When she turned around she was smiling at Alara. “So I’m guessing I shouldn’t wait up?” My eyes shot to Alara as she shyly ducked and shook her head.
“Good.” She smiled and then stood in front of the TV until Derek’s character blew up.
“What the hell?”
“Come on. They need alone time.”
“This is my apartment too.”
Naomi raised an eyebrow. “Yeah it is, and do you want to hear Alara getting thoroughly fucked in your apartment? Screaming, begging, and—”
Derek paled as he got up and wordlessly went to his room. He exited a few minutes later carrying a small duffle bag before giving us a silent salute and leaving the apartment.
“You’re welcome,” Naomi chirped before following him out and leaving us alone.
…
Our movements were unhurried as we stood at the foot of my bed and started removing our clothes. Reaching behind my head, I pulled my flannel shirt up and off before throwing it on the floor on top of Alara’s already discarded sweatshirt. I flicked the button on my jeans as she hooked her thumbs into her yoga pants, both of us slowly dragging them down our legs and kicking them off. I groaned at the sight of her curves showcased in nothing but a lacy emerald green thong and a tight black tank top—and unlike before, now I was extremely grateful for the crazy I won’t put my bra on after I’ve taken it off philosophy as I stared at her aroused tits through the thin fabric. She slowly peeled off her top and my mouth watered as I struggled to remain still.
Clad in only her underwear, she stepped forward and pushed off my boxers until they pooled at my feet. Her eyes flared with desire and her lips parted as she took me in from head to toe. My breathing picked up when she wrapped her warm hand around my pulsing cock and slowly started pumping as she dropped kisses down my neck.
My hands shot out to grab her waist when she reached my nipple and lightly bit it before soothing it with her tongue. She groaned as my hands slid around, dipping beneath her underwear until I was cupping her bare ass and pulling her against me. I kneaded her cheeks until she was moaning and squirming against me. Her hand gave one final rough squeeze before it fell away and reached up to grip my shoulder as her lips found mine in a devastating kiss. I quickly pulled off her underwear and sat her on the edge of the bed before kneeling before her. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out before I buried my mouth between her legs.
“Oh shit, Gabe,” she panted as she fell back onto the bed and brought her hands up to cup her bare breasts.
My lips formed a quick smile as she planted her heels on the edge of the bed, spreading herself wide open for me. I ran my fingers lightly through her wetness, spreading it around the swollen nub until she was wiggling in anticipation. Blowing lightly on her clit, I slowly sank two fingers deep inside her. “Beautiful,” I whispered reverently before sucking mercilessly on her clit.
“Oh God,” she moaned just before her legs curled up and lightly squeezed my head. Her eyes met mine as she sat up on her elbows and watched my assault. Her mouth fell open in a silent scream, and despite how hard she tried to keep her eyes open, it was a losing battle. Her eyes rolled shut as her hips began rocking into my mouth, chasing her own pleasure. Minutes later she was gasping my name and falling apart under my mouth. Her legs fell limply around me as I leisurely shuffled her to the top of the bed and settled between her open legs.
I reached into my nightstand and removed a condom packet before giving her a few more soft kisses.
“Are you sure?” I whispered against her lips.
“Yes.”
“You’re not a…” I paused and swallowed the rest of my sentence. Was it insulting to ask a girl if she was a virgin? I chanced a glance at her eyes and found them bright with laughter.
“It’s not a bad word. You can say virgin.”
I swallowed and felt my eyes widen a bit. “So, y-you are one?”
She laughed when I still couldn’t say it and wound her arms around my neck before pulling me down. “No”—kiss—“I’m”—kiss—“not”—kiss—“a”—kiss—“virgin.” Alara’s sentence ended on a chuckle as she released my face and reached for the wrapper. It sucked to think about Alara with another guy but I wasn’t going to be crazy about it, and honestly I was grateful that was something I didn’t have to go through. I never wanted to see her in pain, no matter the circumstance.
I nodded before letting her roll the condom on and lowering myself between her shaking legs, slowly moving them further apart. Grabbing my neck, she brought our mouths together as we kissed and our hands roamed over each other slowly. I gripped my cock, sliding it along her wet entrance and teasing her as I kissed my way down her neck. Her moans got louder as she clutched my head and began begging me. Closing my eyes, I brought my mouth up and roughly kissed her as I slowly entered her.
“A-are you okay?” I choked out against her lips. With a furious nod she grabbed my neck and brought me back down at the same time she raised her hips, grinding into me. I groaned and pulled all the way out before slamming back in.
“Ohhh… yes.” She arched under me, rubbing her tits against my chest as her head flew back against the mattress. I returned to a slow, torturous pace as I nibbled on her jawline before gently biting her earlobe.
“Do you want more?” I whispered into her ear.
“Y-y-yes.” Her breath caught as I pinched and rolled her nipple. Alara’s hands gently traveled down my back and landed on my ass, where she dug her nails into my skin. She roughly squeezed, pulling me further into her and urging me on. I groaned into her shoulder as I quickened my pace. The sound of slapping skin and pleasured moans filled my bedroom until I was drunk on it. I moved my mouth over hers but couldn’t make contact as we quickly spiraled down and lost control. Our mouths hovered against one another as we traded hot breaths, pants, and moans.
Alara finally made contact and bit my bottom lip as she began to shudder. I opened my eyes and pulled back to watch her. Her mouth was wide open but her eyes only half closed, fighting to stay open because she wanted to see everything.
I grabbed her hands that had wandered to my hips before lacing our fingers together and bringing them over her head until she was pinned to the bed. Her eyes flared with desire as I fucked her faster, harder. I could see the sweat gathering at her temples and smell the sweet coconut lingering on her skin, and we were both so close I couldn’t stand it.
I let go of one hand, reached down and pinched her clit, sending her over the edge. She cried out as she trembled and squeezed my hand. Her head moved from side to side on the pillow as she continued to moan and shake while she tightened around me, creating the most wonderful pressure I’d ever felt. Only a minute later I followed her over, tensing and groaning out my powerful release.
We were both silent, except for our pants, as we came back down. I had collapsed against her and still hadn’t found the energy to move off her, but when I thought about how I might be hurting her I rolled off and onto my back. Getting up, I disposed of the condom and cleaned her up before lying back in bed and shuffling us both under the covers. We said nothing; in fact we hadn’t even looked at each other as we lay there.
“Alara?”
“Yeah?” She tilted her head up and looked at me with hazy eyes.
“That was perfect.”
She smiled and kissed me once, twice, three times before responding. “Yeah, it really was.”
We were silent once more as we wrapped around one another as much as we could and sunk further into the warm sheets.
“So… Thanksgiving is in a couple days,” she murmured a few minutes later.
“It is.”
“Do you have any plans?”
I shook my head and placed a kiss on the sensitive spot below her ear. “Nope. My sister wants to stay at home with my dad, but I just can’t go back there.”
Alara gave me a sad look as she grabbed my hand. “I understand.” She shifted around and cleared her throat before gazing up at me, looking adorably nervous. “But uhm… you could come over to our place, if you want?”
I pretended to think it over, and at first she looked a little crushed and definitely embarrassed. But the second she realized I was messing with her she tried to suffocate me with a pillow.
Tugging on her hand until she released the pillow, I tossed it across the room and I pulled her down to seal our lips together. “Of course I’ll come.” I tilted my head as I thought of something. “Why aren’t you going home? And what about Derek and Naomi’s parents?”
“My parents have to be traveling around the holidays this year, and Jackie is taking Megan out of the state to visit her other grandparents. Naomi and Derek don’t speak to their parents. And Sherry is never around on the holidays—we don’t even know where she goes.” She finished like none of those things were abnormal and even though there was definitely more to all of that, I let it go.
“Naomi and Derek usually come home with me. But like I said…” She trailed off and shrugged. “We’re trying to do it right too, so even if the food’s not good, it’ll be entertaining to watch us try.”
I smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”