Chapter Thirty-One

"My brain is melting," Peyton groans from her spot on the floor.

"Tell me about it," Brett mumbles.

"Come on, guys. We just need to study for a little longer," I tell them as I pop another jelly bean into my mouth without looking up from my flashcard.

"You're way too chipper right now," Wyatt grumbles.

"It's all the fucking candy she's consumed since we started," Beckett says.

I raise my head and stick my tongue out at him. When I do so, I realize that there is a smudge on my lens. I take off my glasses and use my shirt to clear away the mark so I can see clearly.

"Did you really just stick your tongue out at me? What are we, five?" He chuckles.

"So what if I did?"

"Okay, I don't think any of us are getting anywhere," Clay says as he shuts his book. "What if we order food and put away the books?"

"But we all have tests tomorrow," I point out.

"Yeah, but if we don't know the material now, we won't learn it before morning. So what do you guys say? Quit studying and let the cards fall where they may," Clay says.

"I'm in," Peyton says as she tosses her book off her lap.

Beckett shuts his book and stands. "Don't have to ask me twice."

"Thank God," Brett mumbles.

Clay turns toward me. "What do you say, babe? Ready to give up the books for some good old-fashioned fun?"

Biting my lip, I look down at my book and sigh. If there was ever a time to stop studying, it would be now since I've read the same paragraph four times and I still can't tell you what it says.

"Fuck it."

Clay pulls me into his side and kisses the side of my head. "That's my girl."

"I vote pizza. What do you guys think?" Peyton says. "I could totally go for a slice of Canadian bacon with pineapple and black olives."

Brett makes a face. "That sounds absolutely disgusting. What's wrong with you?"

Peyton points at him. "Don't hate on me for having fantastic taste."

He tilts his head to the side. "Pineapple on pizza, though, really? And black olives? One is bad enough as it is."

"I like pineapple on pizza," Beckett tells us.

Brett groans. "Of course you do."

"What kind of pizza do you like? Plain old pepperoni?" Peyton asks sarcastically.

"What's wrong with pepperoni?" Brett asks, tossing his hands up.

"It's boring, that's what," Peyton tells him.

I raise my hand. "Okay, question. Uh, why are we fighting about pizza toppings when we will have to order multiple as it is? Seriously, everyone can get what they want."

"Because a little bit of conflict can do the brain good," Clay quips, making me roll my eyes.

I lean forward and grab my phone off the coffee table. Unlocking the screen, I pull up the app for the local pizza place. Thankfully it has my last order right at the top, so I add both my taco pizza and Peyton's pizza to the cart. Then I add a pepperoni, because that's clearly what Brett wants.

I look over at Clay and Wyatt. "What kind of pizza do you want?"

"Meat lovers?" Clay asks Wyatt, who nods in agreement.

I add one of those to the cart too.

Quickly, I rattle off what I have in the cart out loud. "Am I missing anything?"

Peyton moans. "Can we order some of those breadsticks they have?"

"Hell yes," I mumble as I swipe through the app.

I know that Peyton and I alone can eat an entire order of breadsticks, so I add three more to the cart for the guys.

"Anything else?"

"I think that will do it," Brett says, and everyone agrees.

I place the order and enter the delivery address. "Okay, it says everything will be here in an hour."

"They must be busy tonight," Clay says as he gets up.

I grab his hand. "Where are you going?"

He leans down and gives me a kiss. "I was going to go grab my wallet to give you some cash, and then I was going to grab us something to drink."

"I don't want your money, but I'll take something to drink," I say quietly.

"Grace, you don't need to pay for dinner for all of us."

"I know, but I want to. It's not that big of a deal, really."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

He leans down and gives me another kiss. "I'll go grab that water then."

"Thank you," I say as he walks away.

"Are they always that disgusting?" Peyton asks.

"Always," the guys say in unison.

I raise my middle finger, flipping them all off.

"They are just jealous of our awesomeness," Clay says as he walks back into the room.

"Is that what you call it?" Beckett asks.

"So, what are we going to do?" I ask before everyone can start bickering.

"Video games?" Clay says.

"Works for me," I tell him.

"Let's do this." Brett rubs his hands together. "Peyton, you hand out controllers since you're closest. Should we bring down two of the TVs and systems from our rooms so that each team has their own?"

"Wyatt and I have the biggest TVs. Guys, come with us so we can do this in one trip," Beckett says as he stands.

"Be right back," Clay says as he stands along with the other guys.

"I'll be here," I tell him.

I can't help but watch him walk away.

"You really care for him, don't you?" Peyton asks quietly.

"I do."

"I'm happy for you, you know. Jealous, but happy for you."

"Your time will come."

A small smile plays on her lips. "Will it, though? Let's be honest, the man who ends up with me will need to be a little crazy."

"Just a little?" I quip, making us laugh.

"What's so funny?" Beckett asks as they come down the stairs, back into the living room.

"Just girl stuff."

"Right…are you guys ready to get this started?" he asks.

"Let's do this," I tell him as they start to set everything up.

If you had asked me a year ago if I would be walking through the girls' dorm, I would have asked if you were smoking crack. I had never stepped foot inside this building and never planned to.

Thank God that plans often change.

Now, I can't imagine not being here. Well, that's not completely true. I'm hoping that Grace might be willing to move in with me after this year, but it's too soon to bring it up. I need to convince her that it will be worth it first.

"Hey, James," someone says as I pass by them in the hallway.

"Hey."

I come to a stop in front of her dorm room and knock.

"Come in!" Peyton shouts from inside.

I open the door and let myself inside.

"Hey, are you done?" Peyton asks as I shut the door behind me.

"I am. You?" I hear the woman of my dreams say back.

She grabs her bag off her bed and puts it over her shoulder. "I'm on my way to take my last one now. Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Grace and I say in unison.

It's the end of the winter semester. Grace is headed home later this week to visit with family. I wish I could keep her with me, but she deserves to see her family too.

What she doesn't know is that I am not far behind her. After my last practice next week, I'm driving down to spend time with her. I already cleared it with her parents. Then I'm hoping to convince her to come visit my family after Christmas. My mom's working it this year, and Cora made plans to spend it with a friend. I hate not being there with them for the holiday, but knowing I will be with Grace helps with the sting.

I walk over to Grace's bed and sit down on the edge. "You okay?" I ask as I rub her back.

Grace groans, but rolls over to face me. "Whoever thought it was a brilliant idea for us to have multiple finals in a day needs to be shot. My brain is mush."

I chuckle. "How about we skip the murder and say we did? I kind of like having you outside of a nine-by-ten cell."

"Yeah, I'm not very good with small spaces," she quips as she stretches.

She raises her arms above her head and arches her back, and my eyes drop to her chest, where she's clearly not wearing a bra. Without thinking about it, I reach out and flick her nipple, making it pebble.

Grace sucks in a breath but doesn't say anything as she shifts on her bed.

"Do you need me to help relieve some of that stress? I could give you a massage," I tell her as I start to tweak and pull on her nipples.

She moans as she arches up into me, "I would love a massage. Maybe one more internal. There's this spot inside that just loves your cock."

"Oh, I'll get there, but I think that the outside needs a little attention too. Look at these nipples screaming to be played with." I lean down and suck one into my mouth through the shirt.

"Clay," she moans out, her hands coming to my hair.

I love when she pulls on my hair. Turns me right the fuck on and into overdrive.

"Mmm. You know, I'm kind of thirsty. How about you give me something to drink?" I tell her, moving to lie beside her on her bed.

"What?" She looks adorably confused.

I pat my chest. "Come take a seat, baby."

She laughs, shaking her head, but stands to peel off her shorts, her shirt going with it. Then she climbs on my chest, only she faces away from me.

"Not like that," I start, but then she reaches into my pants and grabs my dick.

"Shut up and lick my pussy," she tells me, lowering herself over my face.

I don't dare disobey her. I grip her hips, pulling her down until my nose is buried in her scent. Then I lick her softly as she starts to jack me slowly.

I keep up my light licking, purposely missing her clit every time. I can feel her body grow more and more frustrated with each lick.

When she finally grinds down on my face, I smile.

"Need something, baby?" I ask against her clit, making her moan.

"Two can play this game," she says before a warm heat circles my cock.

I groan as I thrust up into her mouth. Fuck if it isn't about to make me come just knowing what she is doing.

"Point taken," I tell her before I start eating her out for real.

I don't hesitate this time. I need her to come and come hard before I do. In fact, I don't want to come in her mouth at all. I need to be balls deep in this beautiful pussy before I come.

With that goal in mind, I go to work like a man starved. I lick and nip at her until her body is practically vibrating. Then, without warning, I lick right up to her asshole, pushing my tongue in.

She hums around my dick as her body starts to shake, a splash of liquid shooting from her pussy.

"Fuck, baby, you're a squirter. I want to make you do that every time," I tell her as she pulls off my dick, panting.

"What the fuck?" she manages to say.

"That was the single hottest thing I've ever seen in my life. My chest is covered. It's fucking amazing," I tell her before nipping back at her.

She rolls off of me, groaning. "That's embarrassing. You are soaked."

I only smirk at her. "It's your body's way of telling me I did my job. Now, I'm not done with you yet."

Quickly, I pull off my shirt before kicking off my pants. Then I reach down and pull the condom out, putting it on. When I finally crawl over her, her eyes are full of heat once more.

"I'm going to make you squirt on me every single day, so when you can't be around me, everyone knows who I belong to."

"Who knew that the campus playboy would want to be claimed so thoroughly?"

I nip at her nipple before I look up at her. "Don't worry. I'll be claiming you too. You're mine, and any guy who thinks they have a chance with you will have to face my wrath."

She starts to laugh, but that turns into a moan as I thrust into her. Gone is the soft playing from before. No, now I'm going to fuck her until the only name she remembers is mine.

I set a punishing pace, angling her hips so that I hit her G-spot with every thrust. It doesn't take her long to come again. I want to come with her, but I'm not ready for this to be over with. So instead, I pull out and flip her on her stomach. She is practically catatonic with her blissful look on her face.

"You okay?" I ask.

"Yes," she manages to breathe out so I thrust back into her.

She moans again, her hips moving with mine.

"My greedy little Grace. You need more than two orgasms?" I ask her.

She only moans my name in response.

I fucking love it. I feel like a damn king.

Sucking my thumb into my mouth, I get it nice and wet. Then I press it against her asshole.

There is no hesitation from her. She pushes back against it, clenching around me at the feeling.

I'm going to own her ass one day too, but not today. Today, I am going to make her come until she is ready to pass out.

I continue to thrust against her, feeling my own release coming, but I need another one from her. So I start to finger her ass with my thumb.

"My dirty girl. Taking it up the ass so beautifully. Do you want me to fuck your ass one day? You want me to own every single part of you?" I ask.

"Clay, please. I need more."

With my free hand, I reach around her and start to strum her clit.

It's enough to have her gushing all over me, her body falling to the bed. Two thrusts later, and I'm following her.

Quickly, I get off of her, turning her on her side before I pull her into me.

Grace and I lay in her tiny ass bed, cuddling.

"Is it just me, or does the sex keep getting better?" she asks after a moment of silence, making me chuckle. "Not that it was ever bad!"

"No, I get what you mean. The more time we spend naked together, the more we learn each other's bodies and what they like."

I feel her relax next to me. "Exactly."

I tilt her face up to mine. "And just think about how good it will be in a year."

"I can't wait," she murmurs against my lips.

I cover her lips with mine, and she throws her leg over my hip. Reaching down, I cup her ass as she rocks against me.

"Again already? Did I create a monster?" I tease.

Her leg tightens against my hip. "Just shut up and fuck me."

"With pleasure," I growl as I flip her over onto her back.