Page 29 of Promise Me Never

“Don’t you want to come at least?”

“Yes.” He drops his forehead against mine. “But if I let you pull my cock out, I’m not sure I can stop.”

“I don’t want to stop.”

He chuckles quietly. “We have time.”

I make a frustrated noise and turn my head which only makes him laugh harder.

“You’re cute when you pout.”

“I’m not pouting.”

“Okay.” He moves his face back in front of mine and kisses the tip of my nose.

“Don’t go yet.” I tighten my arms around his back when he tries to push off of me. His muscles ripple under my fingers.

“This alright?” he asks after shifting us so his weight is more to the side, but he’s still curved protectively around me.

I nod against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. Drowsiness settles over me as I start to drift off. I feel so safe and content in his arms, I can’t fight off sleep.

* * *

“You were out late last night,” Grandma says as I pad into the kitchen. She looks me up and down like she knows something happened. “Who were you with?”

I decide partial honesty is best. “I went out with Luke. There was a meteor shower last night, and it turns out we’re both astronomy nerds.”

“Really?” She raises her eyebrows. “I knew you were, but I had no idea about him.”

“What do you know about him?” Now’s as good a time as any to do some innocent digging.

“Well, he’s worked here since he was sixteen.” She turns back to the oven and begins to scramble some eggs. “I think this was his first job, so he’s clearly loyal. He lost his wife at a young age. Too young. It’s made him closed off and aloof.”

I knew most of that. I get the feeling that if I asked for more details about his wife’s death, she would tell me. That would feel too invasive though. With the way things are progressing between us, I want anything I find out about her to be from him.

“He’s been okay to me.” Understatement of the century. I’ve had orgasms before, but nothing like what I experienced last night.

“Good. Keep following him around, and you’ll learn a lot.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that.” I take the plate of eggs from her and walk over to the table.

In between bites of breakfast, I open the text thread with my parents to see another day has gone by without a word from them. We exchanged texts the day I got to the ranch just long enough for them to make sure I made it here safe, but since then there’s been nothing. It’s been several weeks.

It shouldn’t hurt after all these years, but somehow it still does. Will I ever get to the point where their disinterest doesn’t affect me?

Grandma sets a warm chocolate chip muffin in front of me and runs her fingers through my hair. She looks down at my phone and sighs, disappointment heavy in her expression.

“Someday they’ll regret the way they raised you.” She leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead. “Never, ever forget how much you’re loved by so many people. Including them, not that it excuses their behavior.”

“I know, Grams. I love you, too.”

“Let’s go out for dinner tonight. Just us.”

“That sounds perfect.”

She goes back to puttering around the kitchen while I scroll through social media. Photos of Brandon show up in my feed of him at a golf tournament in San Diego last weekend. I study him and search for a spark. He’s objectively handsome with his fit physique, perfectly straight, white teeth, and deep California surfer tan. Honestly, he could be a model. But his image is almost too perfect, too polished. It borders on boring. His hands are strong, but the only callouses he has are from swinging a golf club.

I’ve never felt a fraction of what I felt last night with him. Anytime we’ve hooked up he’s left me satisfied, but now that I know what’s possible, I’m not sure being satisfied is enough. What am I going to experience when I walk into the same room as him at the start of next semester?

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