Page 42 of Something to Someone

Turning back around to face him, I tucked my hands in the pockets of my coat and glanced down at my white sneakers.

“Are you busy?” I asked, and he shook his head.

He motioned to his empty apartment. “Nope, I was watching reality TV and eating cereal. Are you going to answer my questions now?”

“I’m here to give you your graduation gift.”

His eyebrows shot to his hairline, and he crossed his arms over his chest, inadvertently flexing his biceps and showing off his defined forearms.

“A gift? For me?”

I nodded and walked toward him. He dropped his hands to his sides and straightened, readying himself for what I was about to do. I offered him my hand, and he didn’t hesitate to lace our fingers together. Ignoring the electricity that traveled from my fingers up my arm at just the smallest touch, I led him over to the couch and pointed to the middle cushion.

“Sit,” I commanded. Like I expected, he plopped down without hesitation. I stepped around the coffee table as he braced his elbows on his knees and watched me. On the other side of the table, I toyed with my coat ties and slipped my fingers between the knot at my stomach.

“I had to get creative with your gift,” I said. “I wanted to get you something original. Something only I could get you and that you’d remember forever.”

He licked his lips as his eyes slowly raked over my coat. “I swear if you have on what I think you do under that coat…”

I smiled and undid the first knot then took my time with the second, maintaining eye contact with Ryder who looked like he was ready to leap off the couch. The ties fell to my sides and all that was left was a single black button.

As much as I was teasing Ryder, I was teasing myself, too.

I’d been contemplating his reaction, hyping myself up for the moment, since we were sitting at lunch after his graduation two days ago. Natalie and Mark both got him gifts, and even Theo had something for him while I was empty-handed. Ryder acted like he barely noticed, but I did. And it hadn’t been for lack of trying. I just didn’t know what to get when everything had recently changed.

What did I get my best friend’s son who I’d started hooking up with? A gift card? Socks?

Nothing felt right. Until I thought of this.

I popped open the button and let the coat fall open. Not wasting any time, it fell down my arms, and I tossed it away. Leaving nothing between Ryder’s hungry eyes and the outfit I wore underneath.

The red, white, and blue bikini Ryder couldn’t stop talking about, the same one I was wearing the first time I met him, was a little smaller than it was almost a decade ago, but I managed to get it on. Although I didn’t think Ryder minded that the triangles covering my breasts were smaller and more of my ass would be on display. At least it would be once the light wash denim cutoffs came off.

“Holy…fuck,” Ryder groaned, rubbing his hand over his mouth and sitting back in the couch. He stared up at the ceiling and said, “You’re gonna have to give me a minute because if I look at you right now, I’m going to come in my pants.”

Suppressing my laughter, I readjusted the swimsuit. “Okay, Trouble, take your time.”

“Ugh,” he moaned. “Don’t talk either.”

So, I stood silently and tried to refrain from crossing to him. Every time we were in the same vicinity, it was startling how hard it was to fight that pull. Like we crossed that godforsaken line, and my body had to remind me every single time we were together or when I heard his voice.

Staring at the very obvious growing erection behind his sweats wasn’t helping either.

“Okay,” he sighed and rubbed his palms against his thighs before leaning forward once again. “I think I’m okay.”

With one brow raised, I stood there as he slowly,finallylooked at me.

“As good as you remember?”

He shook his head. “Better. So much better.” He stood from the couch and watched me as he stepped around the coffee table. I turned to face him, and he stopped right in front of me. When he raised his hands, I was surprised to see they were shaking.

His exposed chest quickly rose and fell as he pushed my white cotton shirt off my shoulders. The fabric fell down my arms and pooled at the ground below me. When he dragged his fingers down the back of each arm, I fought the urge to shiver.

“You’re perfect. This is the best gift ever,” he said quietly. He entangled our fingers, and I wanted to sigh. It had been too long since he’d touched me. “I don’t know where to start.”

Taking his left hand, I raised it to my neck and placed it against my collarbone. “Start wherever you want,” I said. “We have all night, so play out every fantasy you’ve ever had.”

He wrapped a palm around the side of my neck and used his thumb to tilt my head higher. “You know, my fantasies are never ending, but I’m sure we can get through a few tonight.” I nodded, and he ran his thumb over my lower lip. “And they include me being deep inside your perfect, little cunt until we’re both crying out and begging for more.”

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