Page 162 of Withered

He’s leaning against the fridge, his jacket sprawled across the counter table the second we got here. “If I hadn’t been there tonight, none of this would have happened.”

“Stop.” I sputter out.

He’s beating himself up. “It is not your fault; stop blaming yourself. If anything, you gave me the best night I’ve had in years. Yes, I am scared, but you are with me.”

After a few seconds of silence, his eyes meet mine. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?” I ask, confused.

“How can you shine when all I do is drag you into this dark world of mine?” He asks, his eyes holding a pure emotion I can’t pinpoint.

“A dark world?” I chuckle. “Don’t you know by now that my favorite stars shine in the dark? Even if gloomy clouds cover and hide them, I’ll be your moon.”

His eyes are now fixed on his wristwatch. “You won’t leave me, right?” His tone is sad.

“No.” I don’t know how I went so long without him, and now that I have him, there’s no way I’m letting him go.

“Ever?” He asks, unsure.

“Never,” I promise him. “Where on earth will I find another Jake?” I joke.

He chuckles, and I stand in front of him. I’m not wearing heels, so I settle for a sweet kiss on his neck. His eyes briefly close, and his lips part.

“Rose?” Jake says, opening his eyes.

“Yeah?” I ask him, hiding a smile, feeling proud that I made him like this.

“Move.” His voice is thick and throaty.

“What?” I feel like I have the upper hand, and he tells me to move.

“You have to move now. If you don’t, I’ll kiss you like there’s no tomorrow. My hands will be all over you, and my mouth will mark every inch of your fucking body. You’ll forget yourself and squirm in absolute want. Trust me when I say I can’t keep my hands to myself when I’m with you, but I’m on the fucking edge since I got you off in the bathroom. The boys added to my fury, and I’m fucking hot. One more touch, and I’ll consume everything on your body. We both know you’re not ready for that stage.” He swallows thickly, his Adam’s apple gulping. “Move.”

I step away from his magnetic field, which is getting hotter and more bothersome with each passing second. Jake’s confession leaves me speechless, and I’m grateful he doesn’t want to rush anything.

“I’ll meet you in your room. I-uhm-I think I need to take a cold shower,” he stammers, and his voice is hoarse.

He walks away, leaving me alone in the kitchen. On the other hand, I can’t help but wonder where we’d be if he hadn’t said that and simply gone with it.

I go upstairs and change out of my gown and into Jake’s shirt. When I walk into my room, Jake is scrolling through his phone on my bed.

He places it on the bedside table, takes off his shirt, and pats the space beside him. I go there and rest my head on his arm. I trace the 3-D clock tattoo with my fingers, and his breathing becomes labored in seconds. I feel a surge of boldness and press my lips against his warm, soft, yet hard chest.

His hand goes into my hair and tugs at the roots, causing tingles to rush through my body, hardening my nipples, and then going straight to the core. “No teasing, Evans.”

I shake my head and crawl on top of him, my knees on either side. I kiss his chest again and run my tongue over his tattoos. He tastes like soap, and it’s highly intoxicating.

Jake rests his hand on my waist, and I could feel his hard flesh poking my thigh. I drag my tongue to his neck, kissing and sucking while I explore him. He makes me feel good and wanted, and I want to do the same for him. I want to kiss him so badly, but I settle for a quick peck. When he said he wanted to explore my body, I felt the same way.

I go south and flick my tongue over his chest. My hands explore his sides and abs; his muscles tremble against my touch, and I smile in satisfaction. My hands shake a bit when I undo his jeans button. I drag it down along with his boxers, and his manhood greets me.

My lips suddenly go dry, and I bring my tongue out to lick them. There’s no way I could take it all in at once.

I take it in my hand, a little wetness already coating him, his flesh warm and soft as I work with my hand. I bend down and flick the tip over with my tongue, and Jake’s body goes rigid.

Suddenly, his eyes open, and I flick over once more. His forest-green eyes widen, lust and hunger swimming deep in them.

Instead of flicking, I kiss the tip, and his body almost jerks off the bed. “Rose, if you stop now, I’ll fucking kill you.” He holds my hair to one side.

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