“It feels like I’ve been waiting forever,” she said, making me shudder as she used one finger to trace down the inside of my hip.
“You waited?” I asked, my throat tight as I met her eyes.
She winced and barely shook her head. “I’m not a virgin,” she said, filling me with relief and jealousy that I’d never in a million years admit. “But it wasn’t like this.”
“I don’t want to know,” I murmured, coming down on top of her so that our mouths were level.
“It was only once,” she said, running her nose along the side of mine.
“I don’t want to know,” I repeated.
“It—” her breath came out in a rush as I slid inside.
She was snug and warm and wet and so goddamn perfect.
“Leo,” she said, her eyes wet. “Finally.”
I kissed her face as I started to move, breathing her in.
It didn’t take long before both of us were pushing for more. I lifted one of her legs over my shoulder as her nails dug into the back of my neck. Her hand ran between us and explored where we were connected as I worshiped her nipples, biting and sucking and leaving marks on her breasts that would be there for days. It was almost a fight, the way we went at each other once the thrill of exploration had turned into a craving for connection. Both of us struggled to get closer, to feel more and squeeze out every ounce of pleasure we could get.
She came with a whimper, her teeth clenched as she shuddered and as soon as her body went boneless, I had both of her knees on my shoulders. It didn’t take me long to follow her over the edge, and when I did, it was better than any high I’d ever had.
Less than ten minutes later reality intruded and my quieted mind started to spin again. All it took were a few words from her.
“I’m going to transfer to a school out here,” she whispered, snuggling closer against my chest as my stomach sank. “I can go to U of O. It’s a good school.”
“No,” I blurted, unable to keep my mouth shut. “No, you’re not.”
“What do you mean, I’m not?” she asked, her entire body stiffening.
“You go to Yale,” I said, staring down at the top of her head. “You’re goin’ to a fuckin’ crazy good school. You’re not ruinin’ that.”
“I wouldn’t be ‘ruining’ anything,” she said, lifting up to look at me.
“Your life’s out there. You’ve got a couple more years—”
“So, what was this?” she asked, pulling away until our bodies were no longer touching. “A one-off? Letting off some steam?”
“Does it gotta mean you completely change your life?” I asked, sitting up so she was no longer hovering above me. “Your life ain’t here with me.”
“It could be,” she snapped, crawling off the bed.
“I’ve got a kid, Lily,” I reminded her. “I go to work and I take care of my boy. That’s my life. That the life you want?”
“I want a life with you,” she ground out.
“What, you’re just gonna come back here and play house with me?”
“Why do you keep using that phrase, ‘playing house’? It’s fucking insulting. I’m saying I want to live out here and go to school near my family and you, and that’s a bad thing?”
“You think you’re gonna stick with school when you’re makin’ a life with me? Be able to keep up with all that work when you’ve got a two year old that’s askin’ for milk and a story and his blanket and for you to play with him?”
“A lot of people do it,” she yelled, throwing her arms up in annoyance. “Even people at Yale.”
“You know that Ashley had a good job when she got pregnant with Gray?” I asked, sliding to the edge of the bed so I could pull my jeans on. “Gray got sick a few times when he was baby and she had to take off work, so they fired her. Went from being the manager in an office to waitin’ tables at a fuckin’ restaurant at the mall.”
“What does that have to do with me?” she asked, angrily pulling on her clothes.
“Priorities fuckin’ shift,” I said. My head was starting to pound. “I’m not gonna be the reason that you don’t finish school.”
“I will finish,” she replied stubbornly.
“I know you will,” I said, throwing on my t-shirt and cut. “Cause you’re staying in fuckin’ Connecticut and going to fuckin’ Yale.”
I shook my head and turned to leave, but I couldn’t make myself do it. Turning around, I found her standing there with her arms wrapped around her waist, her eyes filled with tears.
“You’re so much better than me,” I said quietly, reaching out to cup her face in my hand. I leaned forward and kissed her gently. “It’s only a couple more years, alright?”