5. Riggs

I'm not sure what rouses me from a deep sleep.

A noise?

A shift of the mattress?

My eyelids flutter open as I attempt to find my bearings.

For a handful of seconds, I lie perfectly still and listen to the sounds that fill the room. My ears strain in the darkness, but there's nothing. Maybe it was my imagination all along.

Just as I'm about to drift off again, there's another faint noise.

A whimper.

One that sounds suspiciously like—

That's when everything from earlier slams into me and I remember that Stella is spending the night in my bed.

My muscles freeze.

Is she having a dream?

Or worse, a nightmare?

Another noise—one that's more guttural in nature—fills the air. The deep vibration of it goes straight to my dick. I've been with enough chicks to know what that sound means.

It's cautiously that I turn my head enough for my gaze to fall on the other side of the mattress. Air gets trapped in my lungs as Stella comes into view. Her back is slightly arched, and her chin is tipped upward, revealing the long line of her throat. Her knees are slightly raised beneath the covers.

It takes a second to realize that she's getting herself off.

Holy fuck.

And just like that, my cock becomes unbearably hard. A tortured groan rises in my chest. It takes every ounce of self-control to tamp it back down so it doesn't escape from my lips.

Now that my eyes have adjusted to the velvety darkness, I'm able to see the way her teeth sink into her plush lower lip. My tongue swipes across my own. I'm still able to taste her there. It's so damn tempting to close the space between us and trail my lips over the column of her throat.

To find the pulse point that thrums beneath her delicate flesh.

My gaze drops to her spread thighs. I'd give just about anything to see what she's doing beneath the blanket. The way she's stroking her soft little pussy, giving herself pleasure.

I don't realize that I've reached over and tugged on the comforter until her movements freeze and her head snaps in my direction, wide eyes locking on mine.

"Don't stop," I rasp, silently cursing myself.

I'll fucking die if she stops.

When she remains perfectly still, the expression on her face conflicted, I plead, "Please. I want to watch you."

She drags a shaky breath into her lungs before squeezing her eyelids tightly closed. When she widens her thighs, I carefully pull the blanket away until she's completely bared to my sight. Every movement is cautiously made. As if she's a wild animal who could bolt at any second.

It's only when my eyes lick over her body that I realize her tank top has been shoved up against her collarbone so that her breasts are on display. Her nipples have tightened into hard little peaks that beg to be sucked and played with. My hungry gaze drifts along her ribcage before sliding over the gentle curve of her belly and then dipping to her spread thighs.

I don't think I've ever seen anything as beautiful as Stella spread out completely naked as her fingers rub gentle circles around her clit before dipping to her entrance.

I might have been hard at the idea of her masturbating, but it's nothing compared to the raging boner I now have.

I inch closer, wanting to get a better look in the velvety darkness that blankets us. It's so damn tempting to reach out and run my fingers over her, but I'm afraid of pushing for too much. I need to content myself with simply watching. I sit up, wanting a better view. As I hover over her body, attempting to see every inch, her eyelids flutter open and her gaze locks on mine.

"You're so fucking beautiful, you know that?"

Those soft words have her legs falling open even farther, giving me a tantalizing view of heaven. My dick throbs painfully in my boxer briefs as she continues stroking herself. I'd give my left nut just to slide inside the heat of her body and feel her muscles clench around me, milking every last drop of cum.

Fuck.

I want this moment to last forever.

Breathy little moans fall from her lips as she works her flesh. There's a part of me that can't believe she's allowing me to watch something I've spent all these years secretly fantasizing about.

When she finally shatters, it takes every ounce of control not to come in my boxers. A handful of seconds later, her muscles turn lax and a contented breath escapes from her. I don't realize that I've wrapped my fingers around her smaller ones until she glances at me, eyes full of questions.

My gaze stays pinned to hers as I lift them to my lips before sucking them deep inside my mouth. It's only when I've licked them clean and the honeyed taste of her floods my senses that I release her fingers and flop onto my back with a groan before throwing an arm over my eyes.

"Feel better?" I ask. My voice sounds scraped raw. Even to my own ears.

An embarrassed laugh escapes from her. "Yeah. You?"

If that's a joke, it's not funny.

"Hell no. I'm hard as fuck. I have no idea how I'm going to fall asleep after that."

One silent heartbeat passes.

Then another.

"Why don't you take care of yourself?"

I lift my arm and twist my head to stare at her as my brows skyrocket. "Are you serious?"

She shrugs. "Why not? Then maybe I won't feel like such a deviant."

It's so damn tempting to take her up on that offer.

I study her carefully in the darkness. "Are you sure?"

This feels like uncharted territory between us.

Have I dreamed about it?

Fuck, yeah.

And I've whacked off to thoughts of it.

But still…

We've always been such close friends. It would fucking kill me if Stella distanced herself because we crossed a line. I'd much rather we remain platonic than have nothing at all.

"Yeah." I silently mourn the loss of her breasts when she tugs the tank down before curling onto her side and staring at me with heavy-lidded eyes. "I want to watch you."

Fuck.

How am I supposed to turn down just such a request?

The answer is simple—I can't.