The Perfect First (Fulton U, #1)(39)

Nodding, I closed the door behind me and stood outside. My head leaned against the door. I wanted nothing more than to rush back inside, rip her clothes off, and bury myself inside her until the only name she remembered was mine. And that was exactly why I needed to get my ass downstairs and stop thinking about the fact that Seph was going to be naked in my room in the next few minutes, about how soft her hair had felt in my hands. I could imagine wrapping my finger around it before trailing it down her exposed neck, still sweaty after giving her the most explosive orgasm of her life.

I jogged down the steps. Stop thinking about it. I’d give her the other firsts, as many as I could, because if I gave her too much, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from never wanting to stop.





15





Seph





Reece’s restraint was killing me. If he was any more of a gentleman, I might stand in the middle of his room naked until he did something about it. He kept saying my first time should be special. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind he could be the one to make it more than special—the one to make it perfect.

His room was the typical guy stereotype: movie posters, piles of clothes everywhere, and way more sneakers than I’d have imagined, all neatly lined up in rows inside his open closet door.

Taking off my clothes, I shivered as the cool air swept over my skin. I picked up the outfit he’d grabbed for me. They were probably the only clothes in his whole room that were folded. And no, I didn’t hold them up to my nose like a stalker might—okay, maybe I did, but only a little bit. They smelled like freshly mown grass, like someone who’d spent most of their time outside in nature, sweating, working at something they loved.

I folded my old clothes and stacked them on the bed. Putting the shirt on, I looked at myself in the mirror on his desk and imagined for just a second I was his girlfriend rolling out of bed and wearing his clothes.

The sweatpants took a little bit of maneuvering to get the drawstring tight enough and the cuffs rolled up, but I made it work. With my clothes under my arm, I scooped up my shoes off the floor. They dangled from my fingers as I walked back down the stairs. The voices from the kitchen filtered over the creaking of the steps.

“In her bedroom on the floor?” Berk’s voice froze me dead in my tracks.

“Why’s that so hard to believe?”

I leaned against the banister, making sure they couldn’t see me.

“Have you ever had a platonic sleepover before?”

“Sure, plenty of times.”

“Let me rephrase that. Since the age of twelve, have you ever had a platonic sleepover?”

There was silence then more pans clanking and the kitchen sink being turned on.

“That’s what I thought. So what’s the deal? She’s hot, can hold her liquor like a boss—how have you not already banged her seven ways till Sunday?”

Right, Berk?! At least there was someone on team Reece Should Bang Seph. Wait, Berk thinks I’m hot?

“I’m not talking about this with you.” Reece’s voice was tight and clipped. Pots and pans banged together.

“Why the hell not? I tell you all about when I get some.” Berk talked like he was chewing something, muffled with a grin behind it.

I peered through the wooden dowels of the banister and craned my neck.

“Even when we beg you not to.” LJ shoved at Berk’s shoulders.

“Just because Marisa has your balls in a vise.”

“You wouldn’t know what caring about someone looked like if it smacked you across the face.”

“Right, LJ, that’s why you’re running around after her and putting your career in jeopardy caring. You’re playing the long game.”

“Does everything have to be about sex? She’s my friend, has been my friend since long before I knew you.”

“Then you won’t mind if I ask her out. Her ass is stellar and her rack is even better.”

LJ bolted from his seat so quickly he was barely a blur. He slammed Berk against the fridge. The whole thing rattled and a box of cereal toppled over, hitting him on the head. Berk held up his hands in surrender.

“Don’t go near her.” LJ shoved his hands, which were still fisted in Berk’s shirt, against his chest.

“Just friends, huh?” Berk took another bite of the piece of bread in his hand.

“Can I listen too?” The sharp whisper tickled the hairs on the side of my neck.

I jumped and yelped. Clutching my hand against my chest, I whipped around. Nix sat on the step beside me, rubbing his hands over his eyes and rotating his shoulder. My cheeks were ready to spontaneously combust. So busted. My mouth opened and closed like a fish on land. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I just didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He yawned and stretched his arms over his head.

Reece popped up beside my spot on the steps with a pan in his hands. “You coming to help or are you freeloading like the rest of them?” He gestured to the guys with the pan, butter sizzling appetizingly in it.

“I’ll help.” Seizing my chance to escape, I hopped up from the steps. The eyes of everyone else were on me and I hoped the flames didn’t burn them too much when my face set on fire. Setting my clothes down on the couch, I followed him into the kitchen.