Line Change, page 20
I mimic Thea and undress; thankful I took a shower after the game. She comes toward me, and I hold my hand out for her, only for her to reach around me and lock my door. I chuckle, and she winks.
“No one is going to come in,” I tell her. “They know better.”
“I don’t care. If I scream, I don’t want anyone rushing up here, thinking I’m injured when I’m likely enjoying whatever it is you’re doing to me.”
There’s no arguing with her or her logic. Thea takes my hand and leads us to the bed. The second she turns around, I have her in my arms with my mouth on hers. She moans and hangs onto my wrists until the back of her legs touches the bed. Before I can ease her onto my mattress, she pulls away and sits. My cock jumps, knowing she’s at the perfect height to take him into her mouth.
Thea does just that, and I groan when her warm lips and wet mouth encase my shaft. “Fuck, I need to sit down.” But she doesn’t listen and continues to move me in and out of her mouth. I can’t help it when my hips buck, and I hear her gag. What she’s doing is so fucking hot my balls start to tighten, and I have no choice but to pull away from her. Thea looks at me with a wanton need I haven’t ever seen before. She slides back onto the bed and beckons me forward. I kneel onto the mattress and place kisses on each ankle, moving my way up to her thighs. Her hand goes into my hair, her fingers tugging on the strands as her body starts to quiver.
“What do you want?” I ask her as my mouth ghosts over her pussy. I’ve been here before, fucking her with my mouth, but tonight, I’ll be able to finish. I lick her from her core to her clit and flick her button with my tongue. Her legs squeeze together, holding me there in their death grip. I lay out on my bed, with my legs dangling over the edge. It’s times like this when it sucks being tall.
I continue to lick her pussy, sopping up her wetness and paying attention to her clit. I know it’s an important part of a woman’s anatomy, and the last thing I want to do is upset Thea.
My hand snakes between my face and her leg and moves it over my shoulder. Not only can I breathe now, but the angle of her body is perfect. I slip one finger in and then two before I readjust myself and kiss my way up her body. Every inch of her skin is perfect to me, right down to her freckles. When I get to her glorious mounds of breasts, I move my hand so my palm can graze her clit with each thrust.
“Fuck, I need . . .” she cries out.
I ignore her. I know what she needs, but I want to wait. I want her on the edge before I give her what we both want. I slip another finger inside of her, stretching her to accommodate my shaft. The last thing I want is to hurt her.
Thea has the best rack I have ever seen on a chick. Her tits are the perfect size for my hands, and they make my mouth water. I lavish each nipple with my mouth and tongue and nip at her heated flesh. It’s moments like this when I wish I had more hands because I need one on each boob, one fucking her, and the other kneading her skin.
My mouth finally makes it to hers. Our kisses are different than before. The passion and desire are still there, but there’s a carnal need now. Our lips are together, but we’re swallowing each other’s gasps and moans.
Something shifts inside of me, and I stop everything. I can’t explain it. Thea looks at with worried eyes. She cups my cheek with her hand and smiles. “I want this with you,” she says quietly. “I’ve wanted you from the second I met you.”
“Me too.”
I sit back on my knees, feeling the lost connection immediately, and reach for my nightstand. Inside, I pull a string of condoms out of my drawer, and Thea chuckles. “Wow, you plan to keep me on my back for a while.”
“Nah,” I say as I rip open the first one and slide it down my shaft. “I’m going to take you on your knees, you’re going to ride the fuck out of me, and if I’m not too tired, I’m going to take you up against the wall. I plan to fuck you on every surface in this room.”
“I’m not going to complain about that,” she says with a smile. Her eyes close when the head of my dick pushes against her core.
“Are you ready?” I pull away and bury my head between her legs for a second. “Fuck, you feel ready.”
“I am . . . oh God, yes,” she cries out when I enter her. I move slowly until I’m fully sheathed and have to fight the urge to come right then and there. Holy fuck, I had no idea she’d fit perfectly around my dick.
“Thea, baby . . . I’m not going to last with this one.” I pump my hips and find a good rhythm for us. Thea hitches her leg over my hip, giving me a better angle, while her hands grip the slats on my headboard. In her mind, this is probably great, but for me, it’s torture. Those beautiful tits of hers are free to bounce in my face, and I never thought I’d love being titty-slapped so much in my life. I take one in my mouth, letting my tongue play with her nipple while my dick throbs inside of her.
Every moan, every word of encouragement, every fucking sound brings me closer, and I have to find a way to push off my pending eruption. I lean back on my knees to slow us down. Her hips move, looking for the friction she wants.
Before me, the woman I never thought I could have, bares all for me. Just for me. Her eyes are heavy with lust, her body shakes from labored breathing, and the most precious part of her body is connected with mine in ways I only dreamed of.
“Fuck,” I say as my thumb flicks her clit. “You’re so fucking beautiful, and you’re mine.”
“Just yours,” she says headily.
My hands grip her hips, and I start to move her back and forth, watching as my erection moves in and out of her pussy. The sight is my undoing, and I fall forward, thrusting into her until my hot cum fills the condom. Instantly, I’m out of her and on my knees with her legs over my shoulder. I know she didn’t get her orgasm, and I’m not about to let her fake it. My tongue and fingers go to work and listen when she tells me not to stop what I’m doing. I don’t until she’s thrashing around, and her body is trying to milk me for all I’m worth. I swallow her sweet juices and then crawl next to her.
“Now, we can fuck,” I tell her, much to her delight.
twenty-five
Thea
Things between Kyler and I are really great. Despite the fact we’ve only just officially become a couple, we haven’t slipped into that newly-together, honeymoon period most new couples go through, and we’re definitely not “sexing like rabbits” as Nolan not-so-delicately put it. It’s not that we don’t want to—there are times where we absolutely do—I’m just mindful of the fact my brother’s room is just across the hallway to Kyler’s and underneath mine. And, despite the fact Jude’s told me on a number of occasions he’s happy for us, and has given us his blessing, it just feels weird knowing he’s nearby while we’re, well, sexing. Plus, what with the guys’ hockey games and Kyler’s job at the bar, we don’t have the luxury of spending all our time together, and I’m okay with that. We’re still our own person and so not being joined at the hip works well for both of us. But it doesn’t stop Ky from slipping into my bed late at night after he’s finished a shift. And the times he doesn’t? Well, those are the occasions we don’t talk about, because this is where we disagree. He’s still fighting, and I wish he’d stop. He tells me he has to go through with each fight because the money is a promise of a secure future for Lacey. And because Lacey is his priority and I know I’ll lose the argument every time. So, instead, I care for his cuts and bruises as tenderly as I can and hold back my words.
Today, Kyler’s helping his sister with finalizing everything for Lacey’s birthday party at the end of the week, so I’m taking the opportunity to do my own bit of family bonding. Jude and I have barely seen each other recently and it feels like we’re distant relatives rather than close siblings. Like Ky, hockey takes up most of his time, but when he’s not on the ice, he’s also not at home, saying he has plans elsewhere. Whatever they are, they seem to leave my brother closed off. He’s not his usual, happy self and my sibling instinct tells me there’s something on his mind.
He’s already at Cool Beans, the coffee shop on campus, when I arrive and has snagged us one of the cozy sofa areas, so I order our coffees and something to eat. He won’t have time to have lunch later, so I make sure he has something now.
“Hey bro,” I greet him, leaning down to give him a hug which he reciprocates, and hand him his americano and a grilled pastrami and cheese sandwich. “How was class?”
Jude shrugs as he takes a sip, the hot temperature of the drink causing him to wince a little. “Eh, same old. Prof. Donnelly was in an extra grumpy mood today, which is always a joy.”
I feel a little bad for Jude, as Professor Donnelly is the only professor at NU who doesn’t give any leeway to the athletes on our sports teams. While others are more lenient with workloads or deadlines for turning in papers, Donnelly doesn’t give a rat’s ass. As far as he’s concerned, if you take his class, then you’re expected to give one hundred percent commitment to the assignments sent; extra-curricular activities or not.
I take a sip of my oat latte before following up. “His class was a killer, huh?”
“You know it.”
An awkward silence settles between us and Jude takes a bite of his sandwich, seemingly unaware of the stilted conversation. Normally we’d be talking non-stop, or teasing each other, and there’s never been this strange tension between us—I don’t like it at all.
“Is everything all right, Jude?”
Jude takes another bite of his sandwich before responding. “Yeah, why?”
“It’s just that you seem . . . I don’t know, preoccupied, I guess?”
He glances out of the window as if to collect his thoughts, but doesn’t offer an immediate reply, which makes me worry even more.
“You know you can talk to me, right? I know I’ve been a little head-in-the-clouds with Ky, but I’ve always got time for my favorite brother.”
That earns me a small raise of his lips. “Your only brother, you mean.”
“Eh, semantics,” I pause, waiting to see if he offers any more information, but he doesn’t.
“Jude . . .”
“I’m fine, T. I promise. Just the usual juggling of hockey and studying and whatnot. Once I get this econ paper turned in, I’ll be fine.”
“You know it’s all right not to be fine? If you’re struggling with workloads—or anything else for that matter—it’s okay for you to say it and ask for help.”
“I know.”
“And the same goes for anything not work related too. Hobbies . . . love life . . . relationships . . .”
“Okay, you can stop now.” Jude gives me the smile I’ve been looking for since I got here, and I find myself relaxing a little.
“Honestly, I’m okay. A little stressed with this paper, a little hyped about our next game, but that’s it. And, nice try with the love-life digging, but there isn’t anything to tell. But, thanks, Thea, for looking out for me. It means a lot.”
“Of course,” I tell him earnestly. “We’re siblings, right? That’s what we do.”
Instead of agreeing, something catches Jude’s attention behind me and, whatever it is, has him furrowing his brows. I’m about to turn around to take a look but am saved the bother when a familiar voice greets us.
“Hey.”
“Hey man,” Jude answers as Adam comes to a stop beside our table. He’s the last person I expect to see here; firstly, because he’s not a student and secondly, since we broke up, we cut off all contact with each other. So, to say I’m surprised to see him is an understatement, which is evident in my response to him.
“What are you doing here?”
“I . . . er . . . I was going to look for you at the house, but I ran into Saul, I think it was? Anyway, he said Jude was meeting you here, so I tried my luck, and here you are.” To his credit, Adam looks a little sheepish with his admission, but he still hasn’t answered my question.
“Okay, but what are you doing here, in Northport?” I ask again, hoping for a better response.
“I had a site meeting,” he says, which explains the suit and tie he’s wearing, “and, well, honestly? I was hoping you might be able to help me with something.”
My eyebrows raise up to my hairline in surprise. I can’t possibly think what he would want my help with, especially after how things between us were left. He wasn’t exactly pleasant with his words, and honestly, neither was I.
“You want my help?” I say with a bite and cringe a little as it comes out a little harsher than I intend it to.
“Thea,” Jude says quietly, “hear him out.”
Adam nods in Jude’s direction, signaling his gratitude for stepping in, and runs his hand through his hair. It’s a nervous tick he had years ago when we first started dating, and I’m hit with an odd sense of nostalgia. No matter how things ended between us, we were once a good couple together, we loved each other, and I owe it to him to listen to what he has to say.
“Actually,” Adam continues, “it’s more a favor to all of us, my mom and dad too. Thing is, we found out recently Austin has a child. You may remember dad made a flippant remark at Thanksgiving dinner, but none of us—well I—didn’t take him seriously and thought he was just being his usual crass self. Turns out, it’s true. Austin had a relationship with a girl from out of town and she ended up pregnant just before he got sentenced. With his parole hearing coming up soon, we, or rather his lawyer, is trying to get all the information he needs to present a favorable case to the parole board, and that includes portraying Austin as a family man, one who is regretful for all the time he’s missed out. His lawyer has managed to set up a meeting with the mother and thinks it would be a good idea to have a female presence there, instead of three men. You know, to make her feel a little more at ease?”
I exhale slowly but am a little bewildered by everything Adam is telling us. My mind is still caught up on the fact Austin has a child. Even so, I let Adam continue.
“My mom . . . she’s so conflicted and overwhelmed by everything. You know yourself she took Austin’s sentencing badly, because of the bad name it gave the family. As much as she wants to, she doesn’t think it’s a good idea to attend the meeting because she doesn’t want to get over-emotional and have to start depending on the antidepressants again. You know how bad she was after the sentencing. And honestly we really need for this meeting to go well and for Austin to be in with a chance.”
Slowly, the pieces start to fall into place, and I realize what Adam wants my help with before the words come out of his mouth.
“So, let me guess, you want me to go to this meeting with you?” I question and am met with Adam’s nod.
“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t so important for Austin. And I know things between us ended badly and I’m regretful for that. But, please Thea, you’ll be really helping us out. It’s only for this one initial meeting so we can get to know her, and her us.”
“Isn’t there a social worker or someone who would do this kind of thing?”
“We’re trying to keep this between families, so as not to scare her away. We don’t want her to think we’re going to take her child away from her, because we’re not. It’s just for the sake of Austin’s parole.”
Hesitating, I glance at Jude to see if I can get an indication of how he feels about this, but all he gives me is a tiny shrug of his shoulders. He’s probably as shocked as I am by Adam’s revelations.
But he still comes to my aide and asks, “When’s the meeting?”
“This Sunday morning,” Adam tells us. Immediately I know I can’t help him, even if I wanted to, because Lacey’s birthday party is on Sunday and there is no way on earth I’m letting her, nor her uncle, down by not attending.
“I’m sorry, Adam, I’ve got something on this Sunday, and I can’t change it,” I tell him honestly.
“Please Thea,” he asks again, “It’ll only be for thirty minutes. An hour tops. And it’s taking place here, so you won’t have to travel back to Silver Lake.”
“Can you do both?” Jude asks me and this time I find myself silently cursing him for interfering. He knows I’m going to Lacey’s party, and he also knows it doesn’t start until after lunchtime, which would give me enough time to go to this meeting in the morning and be back for the party in the afternoon. The soft spot he used to have for Adam is clearly starting to rear its head again.
“I promise you,” Adam says, “I can have you back here in time for whatever it is you need to go to.”
I sigh as I toy with the strap on my purse, wondering how I’m going to broach this subject with Kyler. Eventually I look back to Adam and seeing a glimpse of the boy I fell in love with all those years ago has my resolve slipping. “Look, I can’t give you a definite yes or no now. I need to check some timings first. Can I let you know?”
Adam breathes a sigh of relief, his shoulders sagging from the tension I hadn’t realized was there. “Yes, of course, that would be great, thanks, Thea. I’ve changed my number; hand me your phone and I’ll update my details.”
I watch as Adam quickly updates his contact details and gives the phone back to me. “So, you’ll let me know if you can make it?”
I nod. “I’ll be in touch.”
With a quick “thank you” Adam says his goodbyes and leaves Jude and I with our thoughts and our lukewarm drinks.
“What are you going to do?” Jude finally asks me the question I assume was on the tip of his tongue.
“Speak to Kyler, I guess.”
It turns out, Kyler is more amenable to the meeting than I am, which shocks the hell out of me. He tells me if it was the other way around, and he was asked to go to a meeting with Lacey’s dad because it would help Ally out, he’d do it in a heartbeat. Sure, he’s not too happy with the fact Adam will be picking me up, but he knows where my loyalties lie and nothing will happen. Besides, I highly doubt Adam will do anything untoward which will lose Austin any chance he has of being granted parole. I send Adam a text letting me know I’ll attend, and he replies with a “thank you” and a smiling emoji and confirms he’ll pick me up on Sunday morning at nine a.m. The meeting is at nine-thirty a.m. and so I’ll be back in good enough time for the party.
