Page 107 of Cruise Control

“That’s it. C’mon. You have forced me to fuck you until you can’t walk straight,” he said, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder.

“Finally!” she laughed as he carried her into the bedroom.

He literally tossed her onto the bed and she bounced around, eventually landing on her stomach. She scrambled to roll onto her back, preparing to be pounced upon. But pouncing didn’t happen. Parker was staring at something on her wall. She followed his eyes and groaned.

“Is that ...” he asked, pointing. She nodded.

“Yup. It is.”

His bright pink hoodie was hanging from a hook on the wall.

When he'd left her in that hospital room all those months ago, he'd accidentally left the jacket behind. She'd packed it up with her stuff, telling herself she'd mail it back to him. He'd loved it so much.

But she never put it in the mail. She grew attached to it. At first, she'd only worn it occasionally, like when she first came to Seattle and her motel room had seemed chilly. At least that’s what she told herself.

But eventually she just wore it all the time. It was too large and the cuffs had gotten all frayed and at a concert one evening, someone had burned a cigarette hole into a pocket, but she'd never been able to get rid of it. The nightmares she'd had in the hospital had stayed with her, and sometimes she would sleep in the hoodie. It was a little piece of him she could hold onto, for when he wasn't there and her heart felt like it was breaking.

“I can’t believe you kept it! I wondered what had happened to it. Look at it! Have you been wearing it?” he asked, taking it off the hook and examining it. Paige pushed herself onto her knees.

“Well, it’s not like you were around to wear it,” she said. He walked towards her, holding the hoodie out.

“But you made endless fun of me for wearing this. Threatened to burn it once, if I remember. Now you wear it?” he sounded surprised.

“Not all the time or anything, geez. And maybe I just didn’t like it on you,” she replied. He suddenly grinned at her.

“Paige,” he started. She raised an eyebrow.

“Yes?” she was wary.

“Do you sleep in my hoodie?” he asked.

“Stop it, Parker,” she warned him. He sidled closer, moving to kneel on the bed.

“Do you wrap it around you and pretend it’s me?” he teased, walking on his knees closer to her. She reached out and grabbed at the hoodie.

“No,” she replied, pulling it out of his hands and throwing it across the room.

“Hmm, I think you do. I think you curl up in it at night and dream about me,” he told her. She put a hand on her hip.

“You know what, you’re right. I get completely naked, and I put on that pink hoodie, and then I roll around in bed, rubbing the fabric all over my body. Completely naked,” she said slowly, her voice getting low.

Parker groaned and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close.

They laid down on the bed, Parker managing to work her tank top off. He ran his fingers through her long hair and laughed, kissing her on the nose. She smiled at him and tugged his shirt over his head. She felt like it had been years since she'd felt his skin against her skin. She rubbed against him like a cat.

He slid down her body, taking her leggings with him. He joked about leaving her socks on – “pretty kinky” – but she kicked him in the stomach and he took them off. She laid stretched out beneath him only in her bra and panties. He propped himself up over her.

“God, it’s been so long since I’ve looked at you,” he whispered. She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close.

She pushed his pants off his hips, and he kicked them off onto the floor. He unhooked her bra and tossed it away. He licked his way down her stomach, pulling her underwear off as he went. She giggled and squirmed when he got to the sides of her hips.

“You're so ticklish. I don't remember you being like this,” he told her, pulling himself back up her body.

“I’ve been a little pent up lately,” she replied as he nibbled on her ear.

“Lately?” he asked. She chuckled.

“Lately. Say, for about ... the last eight months.”

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