“Sure, but you’re number one on my trampoline.” That has her body shaking against mine before she wraps her arms around me tightly. “Also, if I walk you home, it isn’t a walk of shame for sure.”

She gives me a doubtful look. “You, Jace Sinclair, the Bullies’ captain, are going to walk me home?”

“You know a lot about me, and I know nothing about you.”

She shoots me a playful grin. “I like it that way.”

I wrap my arms around her and nip at her nose. “I’ll find out what I want in due time, but you ain’t doin’ no walk of shame. I’ll walk you home.”

She grins, her cheeks bursting with color. “And you say you’re a player.”

“Shh, I am.”

“Oh, of course,” she giggles, running her nose along my jaw as silence fills the room. “But maybe just a few more minutes before we do that.”

“Yeah,” I agree, holding her tightly because I think we both know what happens when we walk out that door.

This is over.

And even though she claims she doesn’t want this to continue after we leave my room, I think she does. She just doesn’t think she does, and I bet it has to do with the wickedest of the wicked. As much as I want to ask her about that, I know I can’t. I have to tread lightly with this girl, get in where she can’t push me out.

Hold the fuck up. I want that?

No, you don’t, I tell myself. You want to fuck bitches and light trails. You are not a one-woman man! You are a wanderer, a hang your hat everywhere kind of guy. Kick her off the trampoline and tell her good riddance. Be more cynical. This isn’t what you want. What if it goes south, and it will… She’s obviously not into it. She has one foot out the door; you’re bound to get hurt. Remember the pain, remember the heartache Mom and Lucy went through? Hold on to that. You don’t want this.

I hear myself loud and clear, so why isn’t that pep talk working?

It’s just that it feels right. Believe me, I’m not one of those people. I don’t think there is a person out there for everyone. I think everyone is just trying so hard to find that someone and be happy, but then they settle for whatever comes because it’s what society wants. They want you to get married, have babies, and die. But then, I can’t really say that and believe it because of Jude and Claire and Jayden and Baylor. Those are relationships that were mapped out in the stars. They were meant to be together and live and be happy. Oh shit, I sound like Jayden. Fuck. So what the hell do I think? What the hell do I want?

What the hell is wrong with me?

Nineteen years. Nineteen years have passed and I haven’t met anyone who had me wanting more. Even with Delanie, it was nothing more than really great sex. I didn’t get awestruck in her presence or want to gobble her up and never let go. Just lying next to Avery has me wanting to morph my body into hers so I’ll never be away from her. Insane, right? A little creepy? I know! So why? What the hell happened to me? Why is this happening?

“Do you have any more condoms?” When I open my eyes, her heated gaze is staring into mine. “Figured one more time for the road.”

I have no clue what is going on, but I do know I can’t get enough. I don’t even answer her. I reach up, grabbing a condom out of the drawer as her hand trails up the length of me. Her hands are like soft velvet along my skin. Every spot she touches, white heat appears and then gooseflesh rises. She does something to my body no one has ever done before, and it’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced. As my cock stands at attention, her fingers run circles around the base of me, her gaze holding mine.

“Only if you want to, that is,” she whispers and I can’t answer her. My heart is in my throat. My body is so tight, I swear it’s about to snap as she takes the condom from me. Wrapping her hair around my hand, I pull her to me, kissing her long and hard as she grips my cock in her small, delicate hand. When her tongue pushes into my mouth, I’m breathless from the taste of her. She tears her mouth from mine and I think it’s to put the condom on, but then her mouth is on me…and, yeah, I’m dead.

“Oh fuck,” I gasp as she sucks me to the back of her throat, her fingers dancing along the base of my cock. Arching into her mouth, I watch as her eyes close. Her face flushes as her hair drapes along my thighs, and man, she’s gorgeous. Her shoulders are thin, and her skin is blotchy with red marks. I hate them. Her skin is too soft, too beautiful to have those hard spots from our lovemaking.

Oh Jesus, did I say lovemaking?

Fuck me.

But before I can dwell on that for long, she moves her mouth up and down me in a rhythm that has my toes curling and my back arching off the trampoline, wanting to go as deep as I can inside her hot mouth. Slipping my fingers into her hair, I love how long it is, how softly and perfectly it wraps around my fingers. As she increases her rhythm, I can’t help it, I thrust into her mouth, unable to get enough. When she gags, though, I pause.

“Sorry,” I find myself saying like a damn pussy.

Shit, I’m exactly what she said. A wannabe player. How sad. But she doesn’t seem to mind and continues her mindless assault on me. My body tenses and I know I’m almost there. I want to blow my load to the back of her throat, I do, but I don’t think she’s that kind of girl. And plus, I have to be in her one more time. Pulling her head back, she looks up at me, her lips swollen, her eyes watering, and I swear, could she be any more exquisite? Bringing her to me, I take her mouth with mine as she melts against me, her body molding into mine.

“You were almost done,” she whispers against my lips as I roll her over, covering her body with mine. The trampoline is so small, it’s really only supposed to be used to jump on to get to the top bunk. Some stupid thing Jude came up with, and I really didn’t think it through when I laid her down on it. As I bring her leg up, a spring digs into my knee. But I have one thing on my mind, and it sure as hell isn’t the pain I’m feeling in my knee. Or the fact that I’m going to be sore. It was the first place I could get her to that was comfortable, and I have every intention of continuing to make it work.

Remembering her words, I say, “Yeah, I know, but I want to be inside you when I come.”

My voice is rough as I tear the condom open, sheathing myself as she watches. Directing myself into her hot, tight body, I close my eyes and thrust into her until I completely disappear. The fit is tight, so fucking tight, and I love it. Fucking love it. I look down at her and her mouth is parted. She’s gasping for breath and she looks so small beneath me. The room isn’t lit completely yet, but the warm glow makes her body sparkle and I’m spellbound by her.