Chapter 2

Janine

I’d like to have a piece of you.

“No, thanks.” I shake my head and my palm.

“Oh, come on. There must be something you want that I can get you.”

Dash leans even further across the table, his face inches away from mine. Inches. So close I can smell his earthy cologne, that same whiff I got when he sat in front of me in class. And it makes my mouth water.

I didn’t even know cologne could do that.

“T-tuna salad,” I answer, closing my mouth before I start drooling.

“Tuna salad it is.”

He lifts one toned arm, his sleeve sliding back to reveal one firm bicep. “One Buffalo shrimp wrap, please. And one tuna salad for the lady.”

Lloyd snorts. “Do I look like a waitress to you?”

I get out of my chair. “I’ll go order downstairs.”

“No.” He stands up, placing his hands on the table. “Wait here.”

He marches off, leaving me staring at the ripped muscles of his back and that tight ass, making me bite on a nail when all I really want to take a bite out of is him.

I still can’t believe Dash Siegel was sitting right across me just now. Or that he’s getting food for me.

Of course, I know him. I was paying attention during the first day of class. Besides, he’s hard to miss. He’s obviously older, maybe three or four years older than the rest of the class. Older students usually stand out, mainly because everyone’s curious as to why they’re still in school. Rumor has it Dash used to be in Hopkins and in Loyola. Why isn’t he there anymore? I don’t know.

More importantly, he’s a dreamboat.

As he walks back into the room with powerful strides, broad shoulders slouched just slightly, and wisps of sandy blonde hair dancing above his eyebrows, I find myself holding my breath, my heart pounding. Oh, what I would give to brush those wisps off his forehead, run my fingers across that prickly jaw or…

Shit. Now I’m drooling.

I manage to wipe my mouth and close it as Dash sits in front of me, though I think another part of me has started to moisten… I cross my legs.

“What are you studying?” Dash asks as he looks over my laptop.

“Oh, nothing,” I answer, quickly closing it.

Wrong move. With my laptop out of the way, I’m staring right into the staggering barrel-like curves of his chest outlined by his white, cotton shirt. Either that, or I have no choice but to be held captive by those eyes that resembles skies before a downpour.

He narrows those gorgeous eyes at me. “You weren’t watching porn, were you? Because you just acted like the way I did when my Mom used to catch me watching…”

“No,” I cut him off, shaking my head.

He touches his square chin. “It would make sense, you know, staying here upstairs all by yourself, sitting in a corner.”

I frown. “I was studying for my accounting class.”

“Sorry.” He laughs. “Just kidding.”

And the sound of his laugh, playful yet deep and controlled, is enough to make me forgive him instantly.

Shit. He even has a sexy laugh.

“I’m sorry about earlier,” he says as he strokes the handle of his fresh mug of beer. “We must have distracted you.”

“Yeah, you weren’t exactly quiet.” I lift my cup of coffee to my lips, holding it with both hands. “But don’t blame yourself. I was already struggling when you walked in, and I just decided to give up. Besides, this is a bar. There’s bound to be arguments.”

He taps his fingers on the table, making me realize for the first time how long they are. “Exactly. Which makes me wonder why you’re studying here.”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I just can’t seem to study at my boarding house. The room’s too small. Here, there’s a lot of space and it’s usually quiet during the day, plus the chairs are comfy, Lloyd has good taste in music and the coffee is good, cheaper than Starbucks.”

I take a sip.

“Only you would come to a bar and order coffee. You might as well be at Starbucks.” He pushes his mug towards me. “Want to try it?”

I stare at the mug, specifically at the rim where his lips were just moments earlier. Tempting but no.

“No, thanks.” I set my cup down. “I’m fine with coffee.”

Now, what? Talk about school? But it sounded like he never liked school and based on that conversation he just had with his brother, he’s leaving. Do I bring that up? No. That seems rude. Then what? Talk about the weather? Lame. But what else can we talk about? Apart from what I just heard, I don’t know anything about Dash and I definitely don’t think we have anything in common.

So what? Just stay silent?

Awkward. Thankfully, the food arrives.

“Yum.” He strokes his chin as he stares at his plate of food with wide eyes. “That looks good.”

“Yeah,” I agree as I look at mine, the seared tuna on a nest of mixed greens is absolutely appetizing. “You won’t get food like this in the Marines.”

Oops. Did I just bring that up?

“Ah.” He pops one of the fries on his plate inside his mouth. “So you were listening.”

I pick up my fork. “Like I said, you weren’t exactly quiet.”

He frowns. “Billy and I usually get along but, you know, even siblings go through a rough patch every now and then.”

“No, I wouldn’t know.” I shake my head as I poke the fork into a piece of lettuce. “I don’t have any siblings.”

“Oh.” Dash leans back in his chair. “Well, lucky you.”

He narrows his eyes at me again, his intense stare making my knitted turtleneck feel as see-through as cling wrap. And it’s not just my turtleneck. Something in those narrowed eyes, gleaming with mystery and mischief, is making me feel completely naked.

I blush then quickly start eating in hopes of dispelling my embarrassment.

“Whoa. Slow down,” Dash tells me. “You can only stuff so much inside your mouth, you know.”

My cheeks immediately get hotter.

“You have to remember to swallow,” he adds.

I almost cough so I stop eating, drinking what’s left of my coffee.

“Do you like salad that much?”

I shrug, setting my empty cup down and wiping my mouth with a napkin. “Do you like shrimp?”

“I like seafood,” he admits, taking a bite out of his wrap. “But I like what I’m seeing right now more.”

A little scoff pops out of me. “What? A skinny girl stuffing her face?”

“A beautiful girl seeing something she wants and taking it.”

I almost choke. I’m not used to guys talking to me like this. I’ve been nose-deep in textbooks throughout college. I’m still a virgin.

I reach for my coffee cup so I can hide my face somehow, only to remember that I’ve just drank every last drop.

“You know what?” I tell him. “I think I’ll have some beer.”

“Hear that, Lloyd?” Dash calls out. “The lady will have a mug.”

“Sure?” Lloyd asks from behind the bar.

“Yup,” I confirm, looking at him then at Dash. “Just one, though.”

Dash grins. “Whatever you say.”

* * *

“So, if you don’t mind my asking…” I set down my third mug, two not having been enough. “What made you think about joining the Marines?”

Dash takes another sip from his fourth mug – or is it his fifth?

“My desire to serve my country.”

“Bullshit.”

Alcohol may calm the nerves but it also loosens the tongue. The longer the conversation, the less polite it gets.

He chuckles as he puts down his mug. “It’s more of an experiment, I guess. I want to find out what I’m made of, why I’m here and maybe find out what I’m supposed to do with the rest of my life.”

“Wow.” I nod. “That’s deep.”

“You asked me to cut the crap,” he reminds me, running his fingers smoothly over the rim of his mug.

“Sounds like you’re entering a monastery instead of the military.”

“A monastery?” He scratches his chin.

“Yeah. If you think about it, they have stuff in common. For starters, you’re all men–”

“There are women in the Marines, too.”

“But still mostly men. And then you’re away from home, you get bad food, and you spend a lot of time either training or doing nothing.”

Dash taps his long fingers on the table. “You have a point, but you missed something very important. Most monks can’t have the women they want.”

He’s giving me that look again, that look that makes my knees weak and my heart pound. My panties are getting damper by the second. He’s never looked at me that way before… but now that we’re sitting together, they come nonstop.

“Make no mistake, Janine.” His fingers go from tapping to tracing circles over the wood. “I’m no monk, no saint.”

I draw in a deep breath. “And I take it you’ve had every woman you ever wanted.”

“I guess we’ll find out.”

I inhale sharply, disguising it by grabbing my mug and taking a big sip.

“What about you?” He stretches his arms upwards as he sits back, the hem of his shirt crawling up to give me a glimpse of his six-pack and the tips of his V-line. “Why do you want to be an accountant?”

“I just like numbers,” I answer, tearing my gaze away from those muscles. “I’ve always been good with them.”

“Ah.” He clasps his hands on the table.

I tuck some strands of hair behind my ear. “You think you’ll be a good soldier?”

“I’m usually good at whatever I set out to do.”

I can believe that.

“You don’t like following orders, though,” I observe.

“Who does?” He shrugs. “But I’ll adjust.”

“And you don’t seem like a team player.”

“Wow.” He strokes the outside of my mug. “Some people lose their insight after drinking but you seem to have picked up yours.”

“It just takes one to know one,” I blurt out.

I don’t know why I said that. Maybe I want to know him a little better. Maybe I want him to know me. Or maybe I’ve had too much to drink. Whatever the case, I’ve said it so I might as well continue.

“Maybe it’s because I’m an only child but I’ve never liked working in groups or joining clubs. I’ve never had a lot of friends.”

“Same here.” Dash traces circles on my mug. “Maybe that’s one reason why I’m signing up for the Marine Corps. Maybe I’m looking for a place to belong.”

I draw in another deep breath. “Well, aren’t we all?”

I reach for my mug to take another sip and briefly, my fingers brush against his. Briefly, but I can feel the electricity all the way to my toes.

Just then, my phone vibrates, the sensation making me jolt. What is with all this buzzing?

I take it out of my bag, looking at the screen. I have two messages, one an hour ago from my roommate, Shannon, which I’ve somehow missed, saying she’s sleeping over at a friend’s place and the one that just came in from Mrs. Cook, my landlady, who is looking for me and reminding me that she’ll lock the door if I’m not home by ten.

It’s 9:52.

Have I really been at the bar that long?

“Shit.”

I put my phone back in my bag and start packing my things.

“What’s wrong?” Dash asks, concerned.

“I know one thing – I don’t belong here right now and if I don’t get back to the boarding house in less than ten minutes, I won’t have a place to sleep.”

Dash stands up. “Then let’s hope we can get you home in less than ten minutes.”

We? I have no time to argue, though.

“You have a car?”

“Yup.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

I sure hope I can get back in time.

* * *

No such luck.

By the time Dash and I get to the boarding house, it’s twelve minutes past ten and only the lights on the porch are on, the front and back doors bolted.

“Shit.”

I sit on the porch steps, running my hands through my hair in exasperation.

Now, I’m locked out for the night.

“Can’t you ask your landlady to let you in?” Dash glances at his watch as he stands across me. “It’s only a little past ten.”

“For Mrs. Cook, rules are rules. Curfew is curfew. She says if you get caught breaking the law, you can’t make excuses so she’s not going to let us make excuses, either.”

He touches his chin. “Sounds like a tough landlady.”

“She’s nice, though, when you follow the rules.” I sigh. “Well, I didn’t so I’ll have to sleep out here, I guess.”

I lie down on the porch, suddenly feeling light-headed.

“That’s what I get for drinking with Dash Siegel.”

Dash frowns. “Isn’t there someone else who can let you in?”

I place an arm over my forehead. “Nope. My roommate decided to spend the night somewhere else and currently, we’re the only two boarders.”

“Probably because of her rules.”

“Probably.”

“Isn’t there someone you can call? Surely, someone has a couch.”

“I don’t have a lot of friends, remember?”

“It seems like you don’t have any.”

I pout at him. “Thanks for making me feel better.”

He doesn’t respond to my sarcastic remark, and instead disappears around the corner of the house. He comes back, sits on the porch steps, and takes off one shoe.

“What are you doing?” I ask him, sitting up.

He takes off his other shoe without acknowledging my question.

I swallow. He’s undressing?

“Wait.” I raise a hand, leaning on the other one to keep my balance. “We’re not going to do it here on the porch, are we?”

He stands up. “Hurry up and take off your shoes. We’re going to climb that tree.”

My eyes grow wide. We’re going to do it up a tree? Is that even possible?

“Won’t that be too rough?”

Dash looks at me. “Climbing a tree? Yes, it can be rough. But you’ll manage. Come on.”

I blink, still confused.

“We’re going to climb a tree to get into the second floor,” Dash explains. “I see a window open.”

“Oh.”

I take off my shoes and follow him, looking up at the open window with the yellow curtains.

I tilt my head. “Is that the window to my room?”

“You tell me.”

“Wait. Are you suggesting I go in through there?” I point to it.

“I’m saying you can.”

“But if Mrs. Cook finds out I got in through the window–”

“Just get out again before she finds out,” Dash holds out his hand to me. “Do you want to sleep in a bed or not?”

“I do, but–” I swallow the lump in my throat as I look at the window again.

“Come on.”

He grabs my hand, pulling me along until he’s right under the tree beside the house. Then he lets my hand go and falls to his knees on the ground.

“Stand on my shoulders.”

“What?”

“Stand on my shoulders so you can climb the tree; then get on the branch that leads to the window.”

I step back, shaking my head when I see how high and crooked the branch is. “No way. I don’t think I can do that even if I’m sober.”

“But you’re not,” Dash reminds. “So you’re going to do something brave, foolish, and fun.”

Well, I have to admit there’s something exciting about sneaking into a bedroom, even if it is your own bedroom. And I do want to sleep in a bed.

I place a hand on Dash’s shoulder then my foot.

“You better not look up my skirt,” I warn.

“You better not fall on top of me.”

I place my other foot on his other shoulder then place my hands on his head as I try to steady myself.

And fail. After a few seconds, I slip, letting out a scream as I fall into Dash’s arms.

“Shh.” He holds a finger to his lips. “You don’t want to wake up the whole neighborhood.”

No, I don’t.

“Sorry.”

“Let’s try this again.”

Once again, I place my hands and feet on his shoulders. This time, I manage to keep my balance, leaning on the tree as Dash stands up slowly, at least for the first two minutes. As soon as Dash is upright, he wobbles and I do, too, my feet sliding off. I let out a scream as I wrap my arms around Dash’s head and neck, my legs hooked over his shoulders.

“Janine, I can’t see.”

In the next instant, we both fall to the ground, me on the grass with my legs sprawled and Dash between them.

Quickly, I sit up, closing my knees. “You said you wouldn’t look.”

“You said you wouldn’t fall.”

“Who’s there?” I hear Mrs. Cook’s voice along with a window opening, lights coming on the first floor.

Shit.

I can’t seem to move but thankfully, Dash springs into action, pulling me off the grass and against him as he hides behind the tree, his hand over my mouth.

“Did you hear something, Henry?” Mrs. Cook asks.

“No,” I hear Mr. Cook reply.

“You’re deaf as a doornail. I heard something.”

“Yeah, you heard something when there was nothing. Better deaf than crazy, woman.”

Thank goodness Dash has his hand over my mouth, or I would have laughed.

“It better not be those damned cats again.”

The window shuts and the lights go off moments later.

As soon as Dash lifts his hand, I grab my stomach, giggling.

“God, that was close.”

“Shall we try again?” Dash suggests.

“Yes,” I answer. “Without the falling this time.”

“You’re the one who fell.”

This time, I manage not to fall. Reaching the branch, I pull myself on it, wincing as I scrape a knee.

“Shit. I should have worn pants.”

“You’re saying that now?”

Dash pulls himself up on the branch, its leaves rustling.

“Well, I can’t say I don’t like the view.”

How am I supposed to cross the branch with him staring at my panties?

“Give me your backpack. I’ll hand it to you when you’re in your room.”

I do that, making my way across the branch. It dips beneath my weight, leaves shaking in the breeze, and I feel terrified, but somehow, I make it through, opening the window fully and tumbling inside. Dash gets on the branch, handing me my bag.

“See,” he says. “Your first attempt to breaking into your room is a success.”

“Only because of you,” I tell him, setting my bag down on the floor.

If not for him, I would have frozen to death on the porch.

“Well, it was partly my fault you missed your curfew.” He grins like he’s proud of that. “Partly.”

I raise my eyebrows. “You mean entirely.”

He chuckles softly. “So I guess this is goodbye.”

Goodbye?

Right. He’s signing up for the Marines so I’ll likely never see him again.

“Wait,” I tell him just as he starts to move back. “Don’t leave yet.”

I don’t want him to leave. Not yet. Not like this.

He stops, holding my gaze. “You know what will happen if I come in there, right?”

I nod, licking my lips. I know it all too well. My body is already buzzing in anticipation, my heart is pounding so hard I’m afraid it might jump right out of my ribs, and my hands are shaking and sweaty. My mind, on the other hand, is screaming against the idea. I barely know Dash. He’s leaving, and I don’t do one-night stands. I’ve never even had sex before! Second base is the farthest I’ve gone.

Maybe it’s because I’ve had too much to drink. Maybe it’s because of the fact that he’s leaving, or maybe it’s because I’ve dreamed of this once before… but I don’t want him to go. I don’t want the night to end like this. I want him to stay, to be mine, even for just a night.

I want him.

“You’re sure?” Dash asks, his voice and his gaze holding both a plea and a warning.

“Yes,” I answer, my voice trembling.

As he comes across the branch, the rest of my body begins to quiver in excitement, heat coursing through my veins and filling me up, some of it leaking out of me and making my panties even wetter.

I want him. And I’m ready.

“I told you I’m not a monk,” Dash says as soon as he’s in my room, closing the window quietly behind him.

“No,” I agree. “You’re a soldier, and you deserve a proper send-off.”

He moves away from the window, stopping right in front of me and running his fingers through my hair. “Is that what this is?”

I swallow. “I don’t know.”

All I know is that every nerve in my body is lit like a fuse, every inch of my skin tingling. I can feel adrenaline pumping through my veins, filling me up with pure excitement and raw desire.

I want more of him. I need more of him.

Standing on the tip of my toes, I place my hands behind his neck and kiss him. At least, I thought I was kissing him but when he places one hand on my cheek and the other on my back and presses his lips against mine, I realize that this is a kiss. A real kiss.

The best I’ve ever had.

I can feel every inch of his soft, smooth lips against mine. I can feel his thumb against my cheek. I can feel the warmth of his breath mingling with mine as our lips part and then I feel his tongue in my mouth and I’m lost, my hands slipping down to cling to the front of his sweater as the taste of the beer and something else much more delicious and exciting washes over me, making my head spin and my knees grow weak.

Dash pins me against a wall and as I shift my legs, I feel my thigh brush against something hard, the awareness of it making my sex melt even more. It presses against me as his tongue rubs against mine, hands unzipping my sweater and finding my swollen, aching breasts, freeing them from my bra.

“I’ve been wanting to do that all night,” he says hoarsely, staring at them as he cups them.

I don’t know what to say to that, so I simply gasp as he rubs my stiff nipples with his thumbs, trembling.

Dash pulls me to the bed, pushing me down on it and kissing me again as he plays with my nipples. I let my fingers get lost in his hair as I kiss him back, pulling on some strands when he suddenly abandons my mouth to kiss one of my breasts with reverence. His fingers crawl under my skirt and up my thigh, slightly tickling me before reaching their destination.

When they brush against my soaked panties, I let a moan out, but I quickly clamp one hand over my mouth to suppress the sound.

I would die if Mrs. Cook walked in on me like this, both from embarrassment and from Dash stopping.

I clamp it tighter as Dash sucks on my breast, the heat from his mouth quickly spreading throughout my body like wildfire. At the same time, his fingers start stroking me through the wet cotton, brushing against my clit.

“Shit,” the soft curse escapes my lips as another shiver racks my body.

He pulls my skirt down, grinning as he stares between my legs.

“What are you grinning for?” I ask him.

“Nothing,” he answers, holding my gaze as he moves lower, settling between my legs.

He lowers his head so all I can see now are his eyes and the top of his hair, those eyes mesmerizing me as his fingers slip beneath my panties.

I close my eyes, unable to look any longer but they fly open, wide as saucers, as he pulls my panties away and kisses me there.

“Dash!” I try to push him off. “That’s too–”

Too much? Too embarrassing? Too dirty?

“Good for you to miss out on,” he finishes my sentence. “Trust me.”

I whimper, giving in. I did say I was coming to college to try new things…

Dash continues kissing, but not just kissing. The tip of his tongue rubs against my clit, making me wetter. Then his tongue moves even lower, delving in.

I grab fistfuls of the sheets as my mouth gapes to let out a silent cry.

Shit. It is good.

Too good. With each stroke of that tongue, I can feel my body raging out of control and my mind slipping away.

But at the same time, it isn’t enough. I want more. More of him.

“Dash.” His name escapes my lips as a plea.

He stops, licking his lips as he looks at me with darkened eyes. “Tell me what you want.”

I reach for the bulge in his pants, stroking it.

His breath seethes out in a low hiss.

“I want you.”

He nods, taking off his shirt. My eyes grow wide as they devour the muscles of his chest and his abdomen and unable to resist, I run my fingers over them, delighting in each dip and curve and how they quiver beneath my touch.

“Beautiful.”

Dash chuckles. “I’m not sure that’s the word I’m looking for.”

He continues to undress, taking off his pants and then his boxers.

At the sight of his cock, massive and pulsing, I gasp.

Now, this… this part of him is magnificent.

I’m filled with awe, my heart pounding with excitement. At the same time, though, I feel a tinge of fear. Will this even fit inside me?

He takes my hand, guiding it to his cock. “Are you sure you want this?”

I nod, wrapping my fingers around him, delighting in how soft his skin feels, especially the tip…

“Careful,” he warns. “I have to confess, I’m at my limit.”

I nod, lying back down. I’m not scared anymore.

He settles between my legs, kissing me as he enters me. I wrap my hands around him, clinging to him as I hold my breath. Inch by inch, he fills me to the brim, stretching me so much I feel a sting but that fades after he stops and all that’s left is awe at how perfectly he fits inside me, the incredible knowledge that our bodies are joined together for the first time.

This is my first time to have a man inside me, and it feels sublime.

I feel like a woman.

I push my hips against him, suddenly bolder. Dash breaks the kiss, letting out a chuckle.

“You like this…”

“It’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” I answer.

His eyebrows furrow. “Well, let’s make it better, shall we?”

He grabs my thighs, lifting them as he starts moving inside me.

The bed creaks, the sound amplified by the silence throughout the house.

I no longer care. I hug him tighter, nails raking across his glorious back as he rocks my body with his, each time causing an explosion of pleasure inside me.

“Shit. I love the way you move.”

“You mean like this?” He lifts his head and gives a particularly deep thrust.

I gasp then smile. “Faster.”

Dash grins and gives me a salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

The grin vanishes as he pounds into me, and I close my eyes. The sheets twist in my fist and I savor each thrust. He’s going to break me into a thousand pieces.

I’ve never felt more vulnerable and yet at the same time, I’ve never felt safer. I can feel everything and yet nothing at the same time.

How on earth do people survive this madness? And how am I going to survive without this now that I know how amazing it feels?

Over and over, he slides in and out of me, plunging into the very depths of me and rubbing against spots I never knew existed. I wrap my arms around him, parting my lips and trying to force as much air into my lungs to make up for what’s being stolen, though I can’t seem to keep up. My body is burning, every inch buzzing, every nerve tingling.

“Janine.”

He pauses to say my name for the first time since he came to my room, and I open my eyes.

That gaze from his dark, half-lidded eyes is more intense than ever, taking me by surprise, and yet, somehow, it’s softer, too, more tender.

Shit, it’s sexy. Not just his eyes but how he has this thin layer of sweat on his forehead, how his hair is even more of a mess now, how his features seem to be wrenched between ecstasy and agony.

I wonder if I look the same. I know I’m a mess. I can feel some strands of my hair sticking to my cheeks and I can feel tears at the corners of my eyes. I don’t care.

I brush some of the hair off his forehead and pull his face closer, kissing him. He starts moving again, faster, uncontrollably. There’s no rhythm or pace; we’re more like animals than people. He just bucks into me, the friction between my body and his increasing by the second.

“Dash!” I cry out as my body arches against his, the pleasure overwhelming.

Every nerve in my body explodes, lighting fireworks across my vision before I squeeze my eyes shut. My mind goes blank as I throw my head back.

God…

I recover my senses just as Dash gives a final thrust, deeper than the rest, grunts spilling out of his lips as his body shakes and cock bursts inside me.

Then he collapses on top of me and I lay still, arms lying limply at my sides and eyes staring hopelessly up at the ceiling.

I can feel his heart pounding against me, each beat like the ticking of a clock.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Seconds ticking away.

How many until he slips from this bed?

I wrap my arms around him, fingers running across his strong back that I’ll miss staring at. Some make their way to his hair, stroking the wisps.

I don’t want him to go.

I say nothing, though, releasing him as he gets off me and off the bed. I feel suddenly empty and sad, but I force a smile as I prop myself up on my elbows.

“For two people who aren’t team players, we make a good team,” I find myself saying, stroking my pendant.

“We do,” Dash agrees with a smile as he puts on his pants.

When he’s put his shirt and his sweater on, he comes over to me, kissing me on the forehead.

“I have to go, Janine.”

My fingers tighten around my pendant, pulling it slightly. For a moment, I wonder if I should give it to him to remember me by but I let that thought go. I simply nod, getting out of bed with the blanket wrapped around my shoulders.

“Bye, Dash,” I tell him as he opens the window. “Take care of yourself.”

He glances back at me. “You, too.”

He places his feet on the window sill then jumps onto the branch. I stand by the window, fingers fidgeting with the pendant of my necklace as I watch him scurry across the branch and jump down the tree in seconds, landing on his feet. Then he looks up, gives me one last smile, and runs to his car, the silver Benz fading from view under cover of moonlight.

He’s gone.

It takes a while for that fact to register, the scent of his cologne still in the air, the smell of his sweat still on my skin, the warmth of his cum still trickling down my thighs.

How can he be gone so soon?

I let out a sigh then go to the bathroom to clean up. Afterwards, I put on my pajamas and get into bed. I don’t fall asleep at once, though, one question looping in my mind as I run my fingertip over my still swollen lips.

Will I ever see Dash again?