Dirty Little Secret

Fuck. “Yeah, Luna. She did. But she is okay.”

“Is she really?”

The look of utter devastation on her face hits me like a punch to my gut. “I…” I trail off, because I don’t want to lie to her. “As far as I know. Sterling told Gabe that she was okay.”

“Can I see her?”

I shake my head. “Not until they release her. She can’t have visitors right now.”

Stella whimpers, her breakfast long forgotten. “I feel like the worst friend ever. I should have been there. I could have—”

“Oh, Luna, baby.” I slide the plate out of her lap and place it on the table before pulling her into my lap. “Nothing that happened is your fault. You couldn’t have prevented it any more than someone can stop it from raining. Don’t blame yourself for this.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“What do I do?” She snuggles into me. “How do I help?”

“Just be you, Stella. You’re fucking goodness and light. You’re sunshine and daisies. Shine for her.”

She glances up at me from beneath damp lashes. “I don’t know what that means.”

I lean down and kiss her forehead. “Just be there for her—whether it’s as a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen. Follow her lead.”

“Okay. I can do that.” She nods as if reassuring herself. “Hey, Samson?”

“What’s up?”

“Could I… could I stay here until Emmy’s released?”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her she can stay here forever, but I settle on, “Sure, Luna, as long as you want.”

“What do you want to do today?” Stella asks, settling down on the couch next to me.

“I’m up for anything, as long as it’s with you.” I sound like a schmuck, but fuck if I care. Stella’s supposed to go back to her dorm tomorrow, and it’s all I can do not to chain her to my damn bed to keep her here.

Call me selfish, but I’d be perfectly content for her to never go back.

I know she isn’t ready for all of that though—I know it, but I don’t like it.

Regardless, I don’t like the idea of her or Emmy going back to their dorm. And from what Gabe says, Sterling agrees.

“Maybe just chill?” She snuggles in closer to me. “Watch a movie or something?”

“Sure. Whatcha want to watch?”

“Um.” She grins up at me.

“Friends With Benefits, huh?” I ask, knowing it’s her comfort movie of choice.

“If you don’t mind.”

“Is it gonna make you smile?”

She scrunches her nose. “Yeah?”

“Then I don’t mind.” I lean forward and grab the remote. “You want some popcorn or anything?”

“Nope.” Stella kicks her legs up, laying them on top of mine. “I just need you.”

“Alexa,” I murmur, hitting play on the remote. “Turn off the lights.”

We settle in as the opening credits roll, content to just be.

That is until the tennis scene happens, touching on the age-old question—can a sexual relationship really exist without strings or expectations?

For Stella and me? Hell-fucking-no. I want our strings to be so tangled, so intertwined, that you can’t tell where she ends and I begin.

“You know,” Stella murmurs. “I know I’ve only slept with you, but I can’t imagine just sleeping with someone. Not that I would judge someone else for doing it, you know? To each their own—but for me, I just… I think I would need that deeper connection to let myself be vulnerable like that.”

Anger over the thought of her with anyone else pricks at me, but the satisfaction of knowing I’ll be her only quickly chases it away. “Good thing I’m it for you, huh?”

She twists in my hold, pressing her lips to my neck. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“Really?” I draw her lips up to mine, kissing her deep and slow.

“Mmm.” She pulls back ever so slightly. “Really.”

“That’s funny, because I can think of a million different ways I want you.”

Stella’s cheeks turn my favorite shade of pink. But instead of shying away, Stella does what she does best—and turns it up to fifty. “Oh, yeah? Why don't you show me one or two of them?”

“Fuck, Luna.”

“Show me, Samson.” She kisses me again, nipping at my lower lip before teasing her way down my jaw. “Right here, strip me down, and show me.”

I slide out from under her in a flash, dropping to my knees in front of her. “You gonna do what I tell you to?”

Stella scowls but agrees all the same.

“Good.” I pull her hurt leg into my lap and gently undo the straps before sliding it off. The skin is still bruised, but it’s more of a yellowish hue, than the deep mottled blue it was when it happened. “Does it hurt?”

“Not too much.”

Leaning down, I press my lips to the ball of her ankle and gently kiss my way up to her knee.

“Samson,” she sighs my name, and I swear to God, the sound goes directly to my cock.