The Impact of You

Chapter 32

Jase

I’ve paced the room for the last fifteen minutes, trying to talk myself out of it. I heard her shower turn on – and then off, eight minutes later – and now she’s probably getting ready for bed, but still I can’t shake the desire to see her.

I take one last deep breath, willing myself just to let it go and move on, but I know I won’t. It’s why I’m on this trip. I can’t give her up.

I tap my knuckles against the door and wait.

It’s completely silent. Maybe she’s already asleep. But a few seconds later, the door opens and Avery’s standing before me in a white tank top and baggy pink pajama pants, bare feet and damp hair. Her simple beauty crashes against me like a wave. I want to push the hair from her shoulders and kiss a path up her neck, remembering how good she tastes.

“Hey,” I say brilliantly.

“Hi,” she returns, her voice soft and cautious.

I swallow down a wave of nerves, wondering what the fuck I say now. I should have thought this shit out. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.” She takes a step back from the door.

Her room smells like her shampoo and the air is still dewy from the shower, which is not helping my train of thought.

Avery stands silently watching me. I do the only thing I can think to do: I step closer and place my hands against her waist, pulling her close. Avery looks up at me with curiosity in her eyes as my thumb

lightly strokes the bare skin at her hip. I don’t know what’s happening, or what’s left between us, all I know is that I need this. I need to erase all those vivid mental images of her with her ex. I need to make her mine. I’m in no mood to talk about my feelings. I just want her naked. I need to feel her skin. If that makes me an asshole, so be it.

I lower my mouth to hers, then stop. I won’t force her into anything. I want to give her the chance to decide.

“Jase?” Her breath whispers across my mouth.

“Yeah?”

Her tongue dampens her bottom lip, but she doesn’t say anything else, she just closes her eyes and waits for me to kiss her. I don’t hesitate. I capture her mouth in a fierce kiss; a kiss I desperately hope chases away all the bad memories. Avery grips my shoulders, clinging to me, clawing at my biceps. Something primal and possessive bubbles up inside me. I push her back to the bed, helping her scramble onto the mattress. We’re both breathless as we crash together again, kissing, struggling to get closer. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

There are no words tonight. No over-analyzing shit. We are two bodies, attracted to each other and fulfilling a need so deep it can only be overcome one way. I want to be inside her. I’m desperate to claim her, but I don’t have a condom and I doubt she does, either. I rip her pants down her legs and find her bare underneath. Her fingers work at the button on my jeans, trembling and unsure. I rise from the bed and remove my jeans and boxers. I stand proudly in front of her and watch as her gaze lowers to my insanely hard cock. I realize I’ve never been naked in front of her before. The desire in her eyes tells me she likes what she sees. I pull my shirt off next and join her on the bed once again.

Avery’s eyes linger over me, taking in everything. Unable to slow the pace, I pull her up so I can remove her shirt. Her bra is the last article between us and I find the clasp at the middle of her back

and free her of it. I toss it over the side of the bed with the rest of my clothes.

Avery climbs on top of me, straddling my hips and her bare flesh presses into me, the tiny rotations of her hips driving me crazy. My head drops back on the pillow and a groan escapes the back of my throat.

Being naked with Avery is a bad idea. Capital fucking B. Her bare skin is so soft and smells so good, I have to taste her. I sit up so I can reach her mouth, and kiss her deeply. Avery matches my pace, her tongue massaging mine. The only sounds are skin sliding against skin, heavy breathing and the occasional soft moan from Avery. It’s making me crazy.

My fingers grip her waist, holding her still against me. I can feel how wet she is and it’s not helping my erection. I’m going to embarrass myself if she doesn’t stop grinding against me soon.

Kissing a damp path down her throat, I stop to nibble her collarbone before tilting my head to capture her breast in my mouth. Avery arches forward, groaning loudly in the too quiet room. My hands leave her waist, as I decide to momentarily trust her not to send me over the edge. One hand glides up her spine, curling around the back of her neck to lower her mouth to mine, while my other hand reaches between us to massage the sensitive nub of flesh she’s trying desperately to rub against my groin.

Avery’s head drops back and she growls with pleasure as I glide my fingers over her tender skin, sending her closer and closer to release. I attack her exposed throat with kisses, biting into the skin and sucking hard enough to leave a mark as my fingers increase their rhythm. Avery responds, but not at all like I expect her to. She scrambles from my lap, breathless, her eyes wide with fear.

“Babe?” I pull a deep breath into my lungs. Did I do something wrong? She doesn’t answer, but her eyes fill with tears. What the fuck? “Did I hurt you?”

She shakes her head.

“Tell me what I did.” I reach for her hand, but she pulls away from me, climbing off the bed to stand on shaky legs.

My overheated body struggles to catch up to my brain. We’re still both naked, though my erection is quickly catching up to the problem. I grab the sheet from the bed and wrap it around her shoulders, and then step into my boxers. “Tell me what happened.” My voice is firm, but I don’t care. She was having a good time, about to come, I think, and then she just snapped.

Avery swallows visibly and tugs the blanket tighter around herself. “I’m sorry. That was just too much for me. This – whatever that was – I can’t. I just need to focus on me. I need to get through tomorrow. I can’t handle this with you and the idea of meeting my mother tomorrow. I need to pick my battles.”

Shit fuck. I shouldn’t have come in here with one thing on my mind – to make us both forget. Avery has bigger things on her shoulders right now. Maybe she wanted to talk, have someone beside her to listen to her feelings, hell, maybe she wanted to be left alone. Either way, I’ve fucked up. Again.

“I’m sorry.” I pull up my jeans. “I wasn’t thinking.”

She clutches the blanket around her shoulders and watches me get dressed.

The moment between us has passed, and I can sense she wants me gone. I pull my T-shirt over my head. “I’ll go. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come. Just get some sleep.”

She nods and I disappear through the door to my own room.