Who Falls Hardest (Clearwater University)

He’s probably worried that if it comes down to it, Emma won’t choose him. He was the one who started all this bullshit, after all. West and I went along with it, and it’s not like the two of us aren’t guilty of being assholes too. But if we ask Emma to choose, how could she possibly pick Trent? The man who’s hurt her the most?

For a moment, I feel a wave of sadness for my friend, for the fact that his younger, stupider self fucked things up this badly for him.

But then my focus shifts back to Emma, and everything else seems to fade away.

Cupping her cheek with one hand, I turn her head to face me. Her eyes bounce between mine, and she watches me closely as I move a little closer to her on the couch. Her skin is warm and soft beneath my palm, just like Emma herself. So warm and soft, but strong and resilient beneath it all.

She’s beautiful.

Perfect.

Mine.

“I’ll prove I’m the best one for you, Ems,” I tell her quietly. “That I’m the one who can love you best. Take care of you best.”

Her breath hitches, and her gorgeous breasts heave a little with the movement. Heat blazes through my body, and I run a thumb softly over her cheek.

“It’s your choice. And I don’t want you to feel like you can’t choose because you’re worried it will drive the three of us apart. That’s for us to deal with. All you have to do is take what you want. You have to know by now that we all want you too.”

West makes a low noise of agreement in his throat at that, and Trent steps a little closer, nodding.

Emma’s gaze is trapped by mine as she nods once, and I grin at her, unable to help myself.

“Look, I’m not gonna stop you from exploring your feelings for West or for Trent. I’m also not gonna stop trying to prove myself to you or stop trying to win you over. Because when you do choose, I want you to be sure. I don’t want you to have any doubts.” I lean closer, my gaze dropping to her lips as her breath ghosts over my face. “Not about your feelings or mine.”

I swear I can feel her heart pounding in her chest as she gazes at me, feel the vibrations of it through the contact of our skin. I lift my other hand, clasping her face, and drop my head to press my lips to hers.

She jerks slightly in surprise, but then her body responds to me like it always does, melting into my touch, becoming soft and pliable for me.

Like she can’t help herself, like she’s been waiting for this for days, she kisses me back, leaning up into it as her lips move against mine. A tiny noise comes from the back of her throat, and it makes my cock jerk.

God, I want her so fucking much.

Every time I touch her, it just makes me want her more, a craving that grows stronger each time I give in to it.

Part of me wants to see how far she’ll let me take it. If she’ll let me lay her back on the couch and settle between her legs. If she’ll let me palm her perfect, firm breasts or run my hand over the flat plane of her stomach. Would she let me slip my hand between her legs, let me feel the slick wetness I know is there?

More blood rushes to my cock at the idea of that. Of running a finger through her drenched folds while Trent and West watch, knowing I’m the one who turned her on like this. Knowing every drop of her arousal is for me.

Fuck, Reese. Get ahold of yourself.

I’m supposed to be proving to Emma I can take care of her best. And trying to get her to put on some kind of show for the other two guys just to make them jealous probably isn’t the best way to do that.

But that doesn’t stop me from sliding my tongue between her lips and taking the kiss deeper, tasting her sweetness as my tongue tangles with hers.

A noise like a growl comes from beside us, and I sm

ile into the kiss as I hear Trent’s footsteps approach. Emma must hear it too, because I feel her body stiffen slightly, as if she just realized the two of us are making out in front of two other men.

Good. That means I’m doing something right.

“Oh. Um…” Emma clears her throat, blushing a little as she pulls away from me.

I chuckle, and to my surprise, so does Trent. I find out why a second later when he pulls Emma up from the couch and wraps his arms around her. Pushing a lock of light blonde hair behind her ear, he claims her lips in a hard kiss, as if he’s trying to erase every trace of me from her memory.

Possessive jealousy rises in me, but I just gave Ems my word I wouldn’t interfere if she wants to explore her feelings for my friends. So instead of tearing Trent away from her like I want to, I just clench my hands into fists and watch, torturing myself by keeping my gaze locked on the two of them as their kiss deepens and intensifies.

Her body molds to his as his arm comes around her waist, his hand splaying across her lower back and hiking her closer to him.