Can't Stop the Feeling (Whispering Bay Romance 6)

Her heart began to thud wildly.

I feel the same way, Jenna. Could that mean that he was in love with her, too? It seemed too crazy to hope for.

He raked a hand through his dark hair. “You and I? It’s probably not the best idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because we’re friends and I don’t want to blow that. And because you’re too young for me.”

I love you. If she said that out loud, he would run.

So instead she did something so un-Jenna-like that later she would hardly believe it. She leaned over and placed her mouth over his. “I’m not too young for you,” she whispered right before she kissed him.

Wondering whether or not he would kiss her back was the longest five seconds of her life, and then before she knew it she was flat on her back and Ben was on top of her, kissing her, his hands all over her breasts.

She might be a virgin but she wasn’t totally inexperienced. She’d had a boyfriend in high school, and she and Trey had done everything except the “deed,” something she was fiercely glad of now because what she’d felt for Trey was nothing in comparison to what she felt for Ben. Her first time should be with someone she loved.

And it should be right now, her body screamed. Because the things he was doing with his hands and his mouth were making her ache all over in a good way and she never wanted it to stop.

Afterward, they lay next to each other in her narrow twin bed.

“You should have told me it was your first time,” Ben said quietly. There was a hint of censure in his words that in retrospect should have alerted her, but in the moment all she felt was wonderfully woozy.

She could deny it, but there was no point. Not if he’d already figured it out. He sighed and placed his arm around her, drawing her against him. Jenna drifted off to sleep, happier than she’d ever felt in her life.

The next thing she knew, the door to the room opened and Kate walked in. “Don’t you have a class this morning?”

Jenna shot straight up in bed. “What?” She blinked the sleep out of her eyes. What time was it? She whipped around to find a note on top of the pillow.

Had to go. Talk to you later. It was signed simply Ben.

It was disappointing to wake up alone, but on the other hand, she was grateful to him for having the smarts to slip out before morning. It would have been too awkward to have Kate walk in on them. But she would have preferred that his note be a little more personal. Something more like, I am totally blown away by you! Or, Where have you been all my life?

“So how was your Thanksgiving?” Kate sat on her bed across from Jenna’s. Before Jenna could answer, she said, “Mine was horrible. My dad forced us to go to Jamaica where he spent the whole time playing golf and drinking and complaining about how much money my mom spends, and—” Kate stilled. “What’s wrong? You look different.”

Jenna grabbed her pillow and hugged it. “That’s because I am completely and irrevocably changed forever.” She grinned at her roommate. “Ben and I slept together last night.”

“What? Here?” Kate’s gaze shot around the room as if she expected Ben to jump out of the closet at any minute.

Jenna nodded.

“How did it happen? Oh my God! Was it wonderful? Did it hurt? What does he look like naked?”

Jenna giggled. “The answer to the first question is I’m still not sure how it happened. Yes to number two, a little to number three, and four is totally none of your business.” The look of disappointment on Kate’s face made her reconsider her last answer. “He looks exactly how you think he’d look, only lots better.”

“Better? How is that possible?”

“Believe me, it just is.”

“Wow.” Kate looked as dazed as Jenna still felt. “So are you guys like a couple now?”

“No, I mean, we’re friends and…” She shrugged. She wished she’d been awake when he left so they could have clarified that little point.

“When are you going to see him next?”

Jenna glanced at her cell phone. “In exactly fifteen minutes, if I can get to class on time.” She jumped out of bed and winced at the unexpected soreness between her legs. Okay, so the answer to number three was more than just a little, but she hadn’t lied to Kate when she said the whole thing had been wonderful. No wonder people were always obsessing about sex!

She splashed some water on her face and quickly got dressed. She made it to class just in time and was rehearsing in her head what to say to Ben when Dr. Parrish walked into the room. It wasn’t like Ben to be late, or to skip a class either, but that’s exactly what happened because he never showed up to calculus.