Sweet Little Nothing

"It smells and looks so good."

"Dig in."

I saw off a bite of steak and moan as the flavors of butter, garlic, and rosemary burst across my tongue. "Oh my God."

Our eyes meet over the flickering candlelight, and a calm settles over me. Being here, with him, just feels right.

"How are you feeling about everything, about school?"

"Mixed emotions. A little sad, but also like it was the right choice."

"An incomplete is better than failing out."

"Agreed."

"And you get to start fresh next semester."

"Also true."

"I'm proud of you, Emmy. Truly. You're amazing. An inspiration, really."

I roll my eyes, but I'm smiling. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Sterling Abbot."

"Everywhere, you say?"

"Everywhere."

"Well, then, let's finish up dinner and let that flattery take us to the hot tub."

We push back our chairs and stand at the same time, both of us clearly ready for what's to come.

Without any preamble, I shove my leggings and panties off, followed by my sweatshirt and bra. Sterling stands, slack-jawed, as I climb into the bubbling water.

"Aren't you going to join me?" I ask, pouting out my lower lip.

"Fuck yes." He scrambles to undress, nearly tripping in his haste to get to me.

As soon as he's seated, I climb onto his lap, straddling him.

His hands move to my hips, holding me in place. "Emmy, baby, are you sure?" he asks, his voice an octave or two deeper than usual.

"So." I lean in and kiss him. "Very." Another kiss. "Sure." This time, I lick across the seam of his lips, seeking entrance to his mouth.

He opens for me, and the moment our tongues touch, he takes over.

Sterling yanks my body flush to his with one hand while burying the other in my hair. He tugs, positioning my head to just the right angle for him to devour me with his mouth.

"God, baby. I've missed this, you." He speaks the words against my mouth, and I greedily swallow them down, rolling my hips against his.

"Yes, Ster. Me, too. God, me, too."

"I need to be inside you, baby. I need to feel you all around me."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

He stands from the water, and I cling to him as he steps over the edge of the hot tub.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking you to bed, little mouse, so I can fuck you right."

I press my lips to his neck in reply, kissing up and down the column of his throat.

Inside, he lays my dripping wet body down onto the mattress. "You look so fucking good with your skin all pink and your pussy all wet for me."

"Please touch me," I beg, feeling like I might actually die if he doesn't put his hands back on my body.

He moves to lower his head between my legs, but I stop him. "No."

"Baby."

"No, I just want you inside of me. I want you to fill me up and make me feel whole. Please. Can you please do that?"

He rakes his teeth over his lower lip and stalks over to his suitcase to retrieve a condom. "You know damn well I can't deny you anything."

"Then give me what I want. What I need."

He crawls up the bed, settling between my legs and pushes into me. We both moan as my body stretches to accommodate his.

"Fuck, baby, you feel...this feels..."

"Like coming home," I whisper, wrapping my arms and legs around him.

"Yeah,” he grunts as he pulls back before thrusting into me again and holding his hips to mine. "Just like that."

I whimper, digging my nails into his back, urging him to move.

He gets the hint and begins fucking me in earnest. "I love you, Emmalyn."

"I love you, too, Sterling." I wrap my legs around his waist and his back bows as I meet him on every downward stroke. "So, so much."

My heart is thundering in my chest, my entire body shaking with need, as Sterling works me over, hitting all the right spots and whispering filthy promises into my ear until we're both right there, clinging to each other as we both find our release.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Emmy

"Good morning," Sterling whispers, jostling me softly until my eyelids flutter open. "Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" I stretch my arms over my head as I yawn.

"For your first real day of college."

Outwardly, I'm all sass as I roll my eyes, but inside, I melt. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"You still feeling like taking last semester off was the right idea?"

I nod, my head rubbing against the pillow. "Yeah. I feel healthier. Stronger. I'm still a work in progress, but I'm definitely my best me."

"Hell yeah, you are," he murmurs, his eyes heating as he takes me in.

"Nope. No, sir. None of that."

He pouts. "Why not?"

"Sterling Abbot, I am not waltzing into my first class with sex hair."

"You better hop in the shower then, or you'll be going in with bedhead and people will think it's sex hair anyway."