Page 42 of The Sinner (Haven Grace Prep 1)

Grayson

After what was hands down the best sex of my life, I ease myself out of her and pull the condom off, tying the end and tossing it into the garbage can before collapsing down onto the bed. The only sound in the room is our labored breathing, but it’s not at all awkward. Savannah giggles happily, smiling from ear to ear.

“Holy shit, that was incredible,” she whispers.

I smirk and turn to look at her, taking in how good she looks all sexed out. “Pissed you waited so long now?”

It only takes a second of thinking about it before she shakes her head. “No. If I hadn’t, it wouldn’t have been you.” She rolls over to face me. “And you said you didn’t know how to go easy.”

It’s true, I did, and when I said it, I meant it. But hovering over her and seeing how vulnerable she was while still trusting me not to hurt her, it’s like something in me knew—she’s the exception. She’s everything I shouldn’t want, and everything I can’t resist.

As I let my eyes rake over her body once more, I notice a healing bruise over her ribcage. “What happened?”

Her attention focuses on what I’m looking at, and she hesitates just long enough to make me suspicious. “Oh, that. Dance injury. It happens.”

Every part of me says she’s lying—but why would she lie about a bruise? Where else could it have come from? No, stop. It’s not my problem. I push it to the back of my mind and focus on the here and now. Slipping my arm underneath her body, I pull her closer so her head rests on my chest. I’m already going to hell for this; I may as well enjoy it. She relaxes into me and sighs in relief.

“Will you stay?”

I hum, pressing a kiss to the top of her head but not answering the question. “Go to sleep, Sav.”

She doesn’t say anything else as her hand rubs small circles over my stomach. It isn’t until she stops and her breathing steadies that I’m sure she’s no longer awake. I allow myself a few more minutes with her, not wanting to get up just yet. I know once I do, my mind is going to torture me for what I just did.

THE NEXT MORNING, I wake in my own bed, with the taste of Savannah still lingering on my tongue. Last night plays in my mind like a movie reel. The way she moved, the sounds she made, how it felt to finally be inside her, I know one thing for sure—I’m utterly screwed. Now that I know what it’s like to have her, divine intervention couldn’t grant me enough self-control to resist doing it again.

Swiping my phone from the nightstand, I call the only other person who knows about my true intentions here.

“You slept with her, didn’t you?” Tyson asks as soon as he answers the phone.

“How did you know?”

“Because you’re calling me at 10 a.m. on a Saturday. You never call anyone unless it’s important.” He pauses for a moment and then snickers. “So, how was it?”

I throw my arm over my eyes. “Fucking mind blowing.”

“Damn, who would have thought a virgin would be so good? Let me have a pass at her, will you?”

He’s kidding, I know that, but it doesn’t stop me from growling possessively. “You’re not helping, asshole.”

He laughs like this shit is the funniest thing in the world to him. “Okay, okay. In all seriousness, though—I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal out of this. If anything, it only helps you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you took her virginity. Girls eat that shit up. It’s like every fairy-tale ever taught them that sex automatically means impending marriage.”

He has a point, though I don’t picture Savannah as the type to watch fairy-tales—not anymore, anyway. “I don’t know, man.”

“Just, hear me out.” He inhales, reminding me I really need a cigarette. “You said she’s too strong to break easily, did you not?”

“I did.”

“Then you need something to play on, and this could be it. The more you take from her, the worse it’ll hurt when you deliver that final blow. And in the meantime, you get to eat your cake and have it, too.”

I groan, sitting up and rubbing a hand over my face. “That’s pretty messed up.”

He snorts. “No more fucked up than her lying and helping throw your dad in prison. Besides, it was impossible for you to keep your dick in your pants before you fucked her. You haven’t got a chance now.”

BY THE TIME MONDAY morning comes, I’ve already wallowed in self-pity enough to get it out of my system. One thing I’m not sure of, however, is whether I’m going to let myself have Savannah, or if I’ll go back to staying away—or at least trying to. What Tyson said made sense, but it still feels like a betrayal to my dad. He said to stay away from her, and what took place Friday night was the total opposite of that.

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