Emelie
I did my very best to let go of the worried feeling inside me, those thoughts of Clayton deciding that what we had wasn’t what he thought it to be. I knew I loved him; okay, I more than loved him, but the feelings I had were so indescribable I couldn’t even manage to come up with the words.
Palmer had just given me the lecture of a lifetime and told me plain and simple I was being ridiculous and petty; I tried to move on from it. I was doing well, or so I thought, until we were leaving the burger place and practically collided with the girl who had left these concerns inside me.
Of course she was dressed to impress, making me feel frumpy in comparison. Tight shirt, showing off all her assets, and a skirt that was short and barely covered her ass. She was perfect, long slender legs, and perky non-mom boobs. I had stretch marks, and this girl looked like a china doll without any imperfection.
“Twice in one day.” She smiled brightly. “This has got to be a sign.”
Clayton only gripped my hand tighter in his when I attempted to step around them. Apparently I would once again be forced to watch their exchange.
“Oh my god!” A long shrill voice echoed around us and my body jumped in reaction to the sound. “Clayton and Corbin.” I looked around Ms. Perfection to see a short girl with red hair barreling toward us. Before any of us had time to register what was taking place, said girl launched herself at Clayton and he caught her in his free arm, hugging her close.
“Squeak,” Clayton said with a laugh, “still breaking glass with that screech of yours, I see.”
He lowered her to the ground and again I felt as if I was intruding on some type of private place in Clayton’s life. That was until he released my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me in to his side tightly. “Penny, I want you to meet my girl.” The girl smiled at me without an ounce of distaste or malice. “Em, this is Penny, or Squeak.”
“The girl who was right by our side causing all kinds of shit while growing up,” Corbin said as he practically tackled the redhead and lifted her up over his shoulder. He smacked her ass hard and she wiggled in his hold.
“Touch my ass again, Corbin Powell, and I will make you squeal like the little pig you are.” He lowered her to the ground and she shoved against his chest.
“I heard all about Emelie and Ethan from Bevin,” Penny said with a smile so wide it made my own cheeks hurt. “The girl who has stolen the heart of Clayton, made him grow up, and become a man.”
I chanced a glance toward Dana as she observed us with a look of distaste, almost like she’d tasted something really bad. After a while you’d think that she would’ve just walked off, yet she remained right there watching it all. On occasion, she would add a little piece of a story that was retold, and each time that she did, I hated that she’d been there to help create that memory.
“I think I just heard you growl,” Palmer said near my ear and I waved her away, making her laugh. It was true, in my mind I was scratching her eyes out and damaging her perfect skin. The girl drove me crazy and I knew it was unfair because I didn’t know her. But had the roles been reversed, I think I would have been trying to gain the attention of Clayton, too.
***
“What are you doing?” I asked him in a whisper as I looked over toward the bed next to me. Ethan had been awake when we got home and climbed into bed with Palmer. He was now fast asleep curled into her. The three of us had shared the spare bedroom, out of respect for Clayton’s parents, though I knew Clay didn’t much care for the arrangement.
We’d hung out for a couple hours after eating, catching up with Penny. The guys seemed to really adore her, in a little sister kind of way. She was fun, I could see that in her, and she reminded me a lot of Palmer. She was kind of a badass, and not once did she ever make me feel like I wasn’t a part of Clayton’s life. She and Palmer ganged up on Corbin, and we all sat around laughing when he realized that there was no way in hell he’d come out unscathed paired against those two.
It was the first time all day I had laughed and felt less tense. But in the back of my mind, that green monster continued to lurk.
“You need to get back to your room.” I pushed against his chest as he lay over me. Instead of moving away, he held on tighter, refusing to give in.
“No,” he whispered into my ear. Using his thigh, he parted my legs and managed to wiggle into the space between. “I needed to see my girl.”
“Okay, you saw me, now get going.”
He shook his head and again I looked toward Palmer.
“You need to be quiet before you wake them up.” I narrowed my eyes at him when he hushed me and smiled. “Now kiss me.”
I made no attempt to offer him what he’d asked. “Either kiss me or I’m gonna start moaning your name real loud and everyone in the house is gonna assume we’re having sex.”
He was impossible.
I moved forward, quickly offering a peck before moving away fast, taking away his chance to prolong it.
“There, now go back to bed.” I wiggled beneath him as if I actually thought I could break free.
“Come with me.” He skimmed over the side of my nose with his own.
“No.” Again I looked toward the bed Palmer and Ethan slept in. I was worried we’d wake them. Not to mention his closeness was making it almost impossible to not grow aroused; the guy was like a magnet.
“I know you’re still upset about earlier.” Immediately I started worrying my lip. “Which means you’re still questioning what we have and I don’t know how to make you understand what I feel for you. It kills me that you think I wanted anything other than you and him.”
“I don’t.” I looked away from the second bed and back to Clayton. His eyes locked on my own and that familiar hum in my body whenever he was close ignited.
“Yeah you do,” he whispered, leaning in and this time kissing me the way I assumed he’d wanted to be kissed a few minutes ago. “I don’t want Dana, or anyone else. I want you, I always want you.”
Only seconds had passed, but I swear it felt like hours before I reached up and pulled his mouth back to my own. Palmer was right, I was being an idiot. I knew Clayton loved me, but the fear of losing him had paralyzed me and I wasn’t being fair.
“I don’t like it when you’re mad at me.”
“I’m not mad at you.” I fisted the hair at the back of his neck. “I get so scared of losing you. I’ve never had the kind of love you give me. Neither of us have.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Emelie.” I reached down between us and started to stroke him through his shorts, desperate for a connection. “Mm,” he moaned, and I kissed him again to muffle the sound.
“I want you,” I confessed, pushing his shorts lower.
I was on the pill. I also took it at the same time every day, without delay. Hell, I’d had an alarm set in my phone with a screeching panic sound that went off and then two minutes later it went off again. But even then, we’d never gone without protection. But now I was almost desperate for it, hungry for the intimate message it gave.
“I need you,” I added, and I felt how eager his hands became as he pushed his shorts down, exposing himself completely.
The adrenaline was pumping through me at the idea of what was about to take place. Our movements were quick, and I almost lost it the second the head of his cock came into contact with me.
“I need to feel you,” I whispered near his ear, spurring him on. “I need all of you.”
He looked at me as he slowly pushed his hips forward, nudging my opening. With each inch I felt the ache inside me grow more intense until he was so deep my head grew fuzzy. I’d never felt anything like this, the rawness, the deep connection. I had no words to describe the impact it held.
“Fuck,” he practically growled as his body tensed and he remained perfectly still for a few seconds. I could imagine what he was feeling, because I was feeling it too. This was more than sex, it was so much more than a sense of release.
“I need more, Clay,” I wiggled my hips beneath him and he turned his head, suckling the side of my neck. Then before I could say anything more he began to move. Slow, steady strokes, pulling back to the point where he was almost out and then sliding inside me all over again.
“You feel so good,” he assured me. “Nothing better, perfect Em.” His movements picked up. “So fucking perfect, feeling you wrapped around me. Nothing between us, it’s almost maddening. I don’t wanna be quiet.”
I knew exactly what he meant. I had to bite my lip to keep from moaning or screaming out his name. With each stroke I could feel myself building.
“Damn,” he moaned, kissing me harder. “You’re getting close, aren’t you?”
I nodded my head, fearful that if I opened my mouth I wouldn’t be able to hold back my screams of pleasure.
“I can feel it,” he confessed, thrusting upward, chasing after my release. “Let go,” he groaned out, his voice husky with determination. “Come for me, Em.”
***
We laid completely still in the darkness of the room. Clayton remained seated inside me, our foreheads pressed together, both of us with our eyes still closed. Somewhere off in the distance you could hear the faint sounds of crickets chirping and it was crazy how such a sound could be classified as peaceful. But it was.
Being here with Clayton and his family, with the exception of our trip to the grocery store, was the most peaceful I’d felt in a long time. They’d all accepted me and Ethan so easily. They’d also accepted Palmer.
Clayton gently rubbed his thumb over the side of my neck. He lifted his forehead off mine, and I opened my eyes to find him looking down at me. “You’re amazing, Em,” he whispered.
“She’s amazing, you’re amazing, we’re all amazing,” Palmer said and both Clayton and I froze. “And I feel like I just experienced the most erotic sensual form of porn blindfolded. All the whimpers and moans, it was excruciating when I’m stuck in a country town with Corbin as the only form of relief.”
I laughed and hurried to bury my head against Clayton’s chest.
“Busted,” Clayton whispered near my ear, only furthering the humor.
“Next time can you two take it to another room, please?” Palmer said her voice muffled. “It’s just a cruel game of teasing when you force me to listen.”