me.” He leans down and kisses my stomach. “I’ll clean you up. Don’t move.”
I tiredly watch him put his boxers on. He grabs something out his closet and then leaves the room. I don’t move an inch while he’s gone. I’m too sore to move and too tired and hollow to understand what’s happening around me. A few minutes later he returns and jumps on the bed. The music’s off and the party sounds over. He touches my knees and then parts them so my legs are open for him. I feel something wet and warm against me. He wipes me clean. When he pulls away the white rag is covered in blood.
He tosses the rag on the floor and then lies down beside me, pulling me against his chest on top of the covers.
“How was it?” He nuzzles my ear.
“Perfect.” I hug his arms to me and snuggle against his chest.
“Wouldn’t change a thing?”
“Nothing.”
“Not even the pain?”
“No,” I whisper, dozing off in the middle of my answer. “Because it felt so good after the pain was gone.”
“I hope you can still say that tomorrow. And the next day, and the one after that…” He kisses my cheek as I fall asleep.
The last thing I hear is, “Because I am never letting you go, Rain.”
Chapter Seven
I awake muddled.
Not only were my actions abnormal last night, I am in a strange bed, with a male’s arms around me. I have a slight headache and when I shift to get comfortable my vagina stings. The pain is screwing with my mood. And Kent is so hot against me. Our skin is slicked with sweat and I can feel his body heat radiating off of him like an oven. My vagina hurts.
“Kent.” I nudge him gently.
His arms tighten around me. I’m starting to panic. I know it’s the pain. I never handle physical pain well. It makes me nauseous and panicky.
I try and calm myself down by thinking about last night. So much happened. Truths that we had both denied and ran from were finally set free, and emotions we’d forbade ourselves to have were felt the way they deserved to be. Recalling him on top of me makes the pain less painful. The image of us freefalling toward earth as our wings blazed leaves me yearning. I squeeze his arms to me and allow his sweat to melt with my own. My confusion fades away and Kent is left in its place.
I wait for it. I know it’s coming. It always comes.
How could you sleep with him? my common sense demands. She starts pointing out reasons for me to not have done so, but for once I don’t want to listen. I don’t want to hear it right now. I want to be in his arms before we part ways. I know that’s coming too. Kent said so last night. He isn’t going to change because I want him to. Auburn Hair is still out there, waiting to take the only man I’ve ever wanted. If he couldn’t stay faithful to Willow why would he stay faithful to me?
Before I can stop myself I ask my common sense one innocent question. What if I’m different?
It rages.
What’s different about me? I did everything I said I wouldn’t. Kent dragged me down, and though I fought him, he won. I’m naked, without my virginity, and covered in his sweat. And damn it, his sweat feels so good I know my demise is going to be painfully sweet. I shift my ass against his sweaty groin, sliding against him.
“Mmm,” he groans. “Are you asking for it or getting comfortable?”
The sound of his voice does strange things to me. I want to cry and smile at the same time. I settle on nothing. It’s in the middle. Sensing my distress, he lifts up and looks at me. Seeing his sleepy, breathtaking face does me in. I bite my lip to keep it inside, but I can’t help it. My tears pour out of me.
“Hey,” he says, laughing softly at me. “What’s wrong?” He touches my cheek and brings my face closer. “Tell me,” he orders when I cry harder.
What’s wrong? I can’t have you!
He had to hide his ex’s picture to sleep with me. My common sense is right. What the hell was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking. I never do around him.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I slept with you.” I’m starting to panic again. My breaths are coming too fast and my heart is pounding. “We