Page 170 of Gathered Sparkle

I catch Sparkle’s expression faltering, and my grin immediately fades.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” she murmurs, brushing it off. But I’m not buying it.

“Don’tnothingme.” I cross the room, sit next to Alaric on the bed, and tug her into my lap. “Tell me.” I grip her chin, tilting her face up so she has to meet my gaze.

She glances at Alaric, unsure, but he gives her a subtle nod. She takes a deep breath before confessing, “I promised Ace... I promised him he’d get all my firsts. But I didn’t keep that promise. I thought he was gone, and I… I turned into a whore after that.”

“Fuck that.” I crash my lips against hers roughly. It’s not anger at her. It’s the kind that comes from loving someone too much to stand their self-loathing. When I pull back, I press my forehead to hers and murmur against her lips, “Haven’t I told you not to call yourself that?”

It’s a command, but there’s more to it. I need her to believe it.

I kiss her again, softer this time, but I can feel her guilt still lingering between us. I study her, taking her in, and then, because I know her, I push the words that will make her snap out of it.

“Well, Sparkle baby. Have you hadallof your firsts claimed?”

“What do you mean?”

I slide my hand down her back, fingers gripping her ass. “Did someone…” I trail off, letting the question hang, watching realization dawn in her wide eyes.

“No.”

“Huh.” My grin turns absolutely wicked as I give her ass a sharp smack. “Seems like we found something Ric can claim as his first.”

Alaric huffs. “Sy, I haven’t had sex for years before… two days ago, and now you want me to take her ass? I have no idea how to make that good for her, and—”

I cut him off. “You guys let me stay and help?”

Sparkle’s gaze flicks between us, her chest rising and falling in quick, shallow breaths.

Oh, she’s all for it.

Her teeth catch her bottom lip and fuck, the way her eyes shine with trust and need makes my heart clench. But when she turns to Alaric and sees his nervous expression, the heat in hers dampens slightly. “You don’t have to.”

Alaric searches her face, his blue eyes softening, the war within him written across his features. “Doyouwant to?”

She nods, and something clicks into place. The tension breaks and shatters into a thousand glittering pieces.

“Okay.” Alaric exhales. “If we fuck louder than the voices in my head telling me that this is a bad idea, it could work.”

A slow smile curls my lips. “Oh, we’ll be louder.”

“Fine.” Alaric rolls his eyes at me, “How… how do we do this?”

I put Sparkle on her feet before I stand, too, my gaze fixed on her as I grab the hem of my shirt and pull it over my head. “How about,” I drawl. “We start with losing those awful uniforms.”

I’ll keep my sweatpants on, though. There’s no need to make Alaric even more uncomfortable. I want to help, after all.

I’m just here to stretch my girl’s asshole.

Her eyes trail down my chest to my sweatpants, lingering on the ink winding across my skin. The hunger in her gaze makes my pulse quicken, her fingers already opening the buttons on her shirt.

Fuck, I love the way she looks at me.

She shimmies out of her bra, and my mouth goes dry. Her tits are perfect, her nipples already tight. My gaze snaps back to her face, and the smile on her cheeks makes my cock twitch.

I barely register Alaric fumbling with his buttons beside us. Sparkle notices, though, and steps in to help him. Her handsbrush his away, and she unbuttons his shirt slowly, kissing each inch of skin she reveals, making him shudder beneath her touch.

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