23. Audrey

CHAPTER 23

Audrey

F or the first time all semester, I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud. The bed was cozy and warm, and I hugged my pillow even tighter.

Except. Wait. I opened my eyes, holding my breath like that could postpone the inevitable realization. My pillow didn’t normally wear a t-shirt. And it definitely didn’t have those muscles.

How did I get here?

The last thing I remembered was the bar I’d gone to with my sisters. Where I’d—shit. I’d been doing shots all night, and at some point, I’d pulled out my phone, texting Parker.

It was all coming back to me now. How he’d shown up, sweeping me off my feet and bringing me back to his room. The way he’d carried me into his room, before he undressed me so carefully, averting his eyes as I slipped off my bra and he dropped his sweatshirt over my head.

The sweatshirt I was still wearing, even though it had ridden up my thighs, leaving my panties exposed.

It was red, like his favorite color growing up. I wanted to steal it out of his closet next time he was gone for an away game, to remember this moment. How close I felt to him in it. Parker was curled around me, holding me tight against his body as he slept.

I took in the sight of him, letting my eyes linger on his face. God, he was handsome. I wanted to reach out and trace the sharp lines of his jawbone, brush my fingers over those soft lips.

It had been stupid to go out drinking last night, but after the week I’d had, all I’d wanted to do was forget. Forget about Duke and how he’d ruined the perfect time we were having. Forget about how scared I’d felt, pinned against the house.

Forget about Parker, and how, after basically offering him my body, he’d rejected me.

But last night… he’d said we’d talk, didn’t he? I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear his explanation.

“Audrey Rose,” he murmured as I continued to stare at him. His eyes were still shut, like he was still asleep, but he tightened his hold around my back, bringing me in closer to him.

And pressing his generous morning wood against my stomach. Oh, boy.

“Hm?”

“I can practically feel you staring at me even with my eyes shut,” he said, little more than a mumble. “Go back to sleep.”

It was still dark outside, so all I could do was comply. Besides, he was so warm that my eyes were already drifting shut again, sleep taking me quickly.

All I could think as I fell asleep in his arms, is that this wasn’t a dream.

“Hey, sleeping beauty,” a deep voice whispered against my ear. “I’m going to run and grab breakfast.”

“Mmm?” I blinked open my eyes, finding him standing over me, wearing a Castleton University crewneck and a pair of sweatpants.

Damn. He looked good in those.

He pressed his lips to my forehead, and I practically melted into the pillow.

“Want me to come with you?” I mumbled, not actually wanting to get out of his bed. Because it was too warm. Too comfortable. And here, I didn’t have to think about the mortification of last night.

He chuckled. “No. I just didn’t want you to wake up alone.”

“Oh.” I smiled, yawning and stretching my arms out. “Get me something?”

“Of course.” Parker brushed a piece of hair behind my ear.

Curling my arms around his pillow, I buried my nose in it, inhaling his scent. God, this was absolutely surreal. I was in his bed, and we’d been cuddled up all night. Parker had held me in his arms as we slept.

Nothing had happened, and he’d been the perfect gentleman last night. He could have just taken me back to the sorority house, but he’d brought me back here.

What did it mean? My head swirled with possibilities. The other night, he’d stopped us before anything could happen, despite the ache between my thighs and how I had so desperately wanted to straddle him once again.

But he was right. We shouldn’t complicate this with sex. Right ? Or maybe…

Twenty minutes later, I hadn’t gotten back to sleep. In fact, I was wide awake when Parker came back in the door, carrying a bag that smelled suspiciously like cinnamon rolls and two coffees in a coffee carrier.

Sitting up, I let the sheets fall to my waist.

“Mmm,” I practically moaned at the scent in the air. “Gimme.” Reaching out my hands—like I was a toddler, instead of a twenty-one-year-old college student who much definitely had a better vocabulary than that—I practically sighed in relief as he put the cup in my hand. “You’re my hero.” I sipped the cup, the sweetness of the white chocolate mocha hitting my tastebuds.

He chuckled. “Anything for you.”

I gave him a soft smile, drinking my coffee before digging into the cinnamon roll, the sweet treat practically melting in my mouth.

He watched me with rapt attention, a look of satisfaction on his face even as he drank his own coffee and ate the breakfast he’d picked up for himself.

When we’d both finished, he blew out a breath. “About last night…” Parker said, sitting down next to me, running his hands through his hair. I knew by now that he did that when he was nervous, and it was so adorable.

“It’s my fault,” I offered. My voice was low. Resigned. “I know you’re just my fake boyfriend, and I basically forced myself on you?—”

“Fuck. Audrey. No .” He shook his head. “It’s not like that.”

“Okay.” I bit my lip. “Then why?”

His head dropped, like he couldn’t make eye contact with me. “I’m not—” He blushed. And oh my god , Parker was blushing. “I’m not exactly experienced. With girls.”

“But…” I cocked my head. “I thought… You have had a girlfriend, right?”

I hated thinking about him having been with someone else. That someone else had gotten to see him like this. Hold his hand. Kiss him. The flash of jealousy that surged through me was new.

I’d never considered myself a possessive person—not until now. Not until Parker.

“Yeah, but we didn’t… Go all the way.” He cleared his throat. “I didn’t stop us because I don’t want you, Audrey. I just didn’t want to disappoint you.”

He hadn’t…? With anyone?

“I’m a virgin, Audrey.”

I blinked. “Oh.”

He ran his fingers through his hair, blowing out a deep breath. “Yeah.”

“I didn’t know.”

“How could you?” He cupped my cheek. “I didn’t tell you. Maybe I just didn’t want to make it some big thing. It’s not like I’m waiting for marriage or anything. It just didn’t feel right before, with anyone else. And I’ve always been so busy, with sports and everything.” The corner of Parker’s lips tilted up in a hesitant smile. “But maybe, all along, I was just waiting for you.”

“Parker.” I shut my eyes, nuzzling my face into his hand. “I don’t even know what to say.” God, the sincerity in his tone was making me melt.

I was waiting for you. Words I’d never known how much I wanted to hear. But suddenly, they changed everything.

“Does it bother you that I’m not?” I whispered, my eyes fluttering open. “That I’ve been with other people?”

He flinched. “No. Of course not, Audrey.”

When I’d first started college, I’d hooked up with a few people before quickly realizing it wasn’t for me. I got attached too easily, imagining my entire life with someone after the first date. After that, I’d only slept with people I’d been in committed relationships with. And after Duke, well… There hadn’t been anyone.

“We can take it slow,” I offered. “If you want to.” His jaw clenched. “Or… maybe we should just focus on the musical right now.”

That was the right thing to say, but when I looked at Parker, his eyes were dark. “I do want to,” he said. “I just don’t know how to do this. And I don’t want to fuck it up, Rosie.”

“You won’t,” I promised. Because I wasn’t sure it was possible for Parker not to excel in every single thing he did.

He rubbed his hands over his sweats. “How do you know?”

This time, it was me who cupped his cheeks. “Because it’s you , Parker. And I know you.” His cheeks were dotted with the faintest of pink, and it was endearing.

“Guess you do, huh? You probably know me better than anyone.”

“Yeah.” I liked that. I practically preened at the words. Better than anyone . I liked him better than anyone, too. “You know, formal’s next weekend.”

He nodded. “Yeah.” Parker tapped on his forehead with his finger. “Got it all up here.”

I laughed, throwing a pillow at him. “Okay, dork.”

“Hey, my good memory comes in handy. I’m a quick learner.” He smirked. “ Really quick.”

My cheeks heated at the insinuation. How quickly he’d gone from quiet and shy to flirty.

That was when I remembered that the only thing I was wearing was my underwear and his sweatshirt, his sheets, and as much as I wanted to go further, now wasn’t the time. Not after last night.

“Well, this was fun.” I got up, pulling his sweatshirt down to mid-thigh, covering everything. Scrambling off his bed, I pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for breakfast.”

“Okay?” He raised an eyebrow. “That’s it?”

“Uh-huh. We’re taking things slow, remember?” I quirked an eyebrow. “So I’m going to go home and get ready for this week, and then I’ll see you later.” Nodding my head a few times, I took in Parker’s face. He looked shocked.

“So, are we just going to pretend like this never happened?” He rasped, moving to stand in front of me. His frame towered over mine, his brown hair falling onto his forehead as his eyes captured mine, demanding attention.

“No,” I murmured.

Standing up on my tiptoes, I kissed him softly, pulling away to look at his eyes. Did he know how I felt? How desperately I wanted him? How I was trying to be patient because I wanted this to mean something to him like it did for me?

Neither one of us said a word. But his amber eyes bore into mine, and for a second, I thought he was going to pull away. Like we’d just leave it there.

But Parker wrapped his hand around my neck, and then he pulled me back into him, his lips descending on mine. It wasn’t like my soft, uncertain kiss. No. He devoured me with his mouth, passionately kissing me like he couldn’t bear not to.

Like he wouldn’t let me go.

His tongue slipped inside, and heat pooled between my legs.

When we pulled apart, his lips brushed down my neck, and I tilted my head back, letting out a small moan.

“We can still do other things,” he said against my skin.

I nodded. Yes, was right on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t seem to get the word out.

“Tell me what to do,” Parker said, his lips caressing my neck in open-mouthed kisses. “Tell me how you like it. I want it to be good for you.”

“It will be,” I reassured him, cupping his jaw. Because it’s you.

“Rosie,” Parker groaned, sliding his hand up my thigh underneath his sweatshirt.

I widened my legs for him, an open invitation for him to touch me. His fingers were hesitant, exploratory, as he dragged them up my inner thigh and over the thin fabric of my panties. I whimpered as he ghosted over my clit, not giving me what I needed.

He hooked his fingers in the waistband before dragging my panties down my hips and kneeling in front of me. Spreading me wide, he kneeled in front of me, pushing the sweatshirt up to my waist and just staring at my bare pussy, perfectly on display for him.

“God,” he murmured, his rapt attention focused on my slit. “You’re so beautiful. So pink.”

I blushed. “Parker...”

“Tell me what you like,” Parker repeated, looking up at me from between my thighs. His soft, brown hair was right there, and it was all I could do to bury my fingers into it. He pressed his lips against the soft, sensitive skin of my inner thigh, eyes still locked on mine. “Want to be your good boy.”

A groan slipped from my lips. “You can—you can use your mouth,” I panted, already so turned on. Needing this. “Taste me.”

“Fuck, yes,” he groaned, leaning in and licking a line up my entrance, like a hesitant first taste. “I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he muttered against my cunt. I was dripping wet for him, more turned on than I’d ever been in my life, and he hadn’t actually done anything yet.

But then he spread me apart with his fingers, lapping at me with his tongue like he was dying of thirst.

“So wet.” He swirled his tongue inside, and I wasn’t sure I believed him when he said he’d never done this before. “Is all of this for me, baby?”

I nodded. Being surrounded by his scent, tucked into his bed and wearing only his sweatshirt, had made me incredibly horny.

Parker pulled back, looking up at me. “What else?” His eyes were dark, pupils blown with desire.

“Your fingers,” I moaned. “I need—” Biting my lip, I held back from practically begging him for more.

He slid a finger inside of me, groaning as I clenched around him. He pumped it a few times, his eyes studying my face like he was trying to gauge my reaction, before adding another finger. “Good?” He asked as he crooked his fingers.

I gasped at the sensation. “Yes. And then my clit—” I let go of his hair so I could bring my finger to that bundle of nerves—showing him what I liked.

Parker hummed, pulling his fingers out of me and spreading my wetness around, circling my clit with his fingers.

“I think I’ve got this now,” he mused as I let my head fall back when he thrust both fingers back inside of me at the exact moment his lips closed over my clit, licking and sucking it. Each flick of his tongue against me and pump of his fingers was bringing me higher and higher.

My knees were shaking, and he picked up each of my legs, dropping them on his shoulders before pushing us back against the wall, moving those fingers inside of me in a steady rhythm.

“Don’t stop,” I cried. “I’m so close.” I buried my nails into his shoulders, letting every sensation run through me as he took me for a ride.

He ate me out like a fucking champ, letting out groans all while fucking me with his fingers. So good . It had been so long since anyone had touched me like this, and my body was absolutely wound tight. Ready to explode.

“Come for me, baby,” he murmured, the vibration against my clit too much.

I cried out, unable to hold myself back as I let go, my orgasm bursting through me like the sun rising into the sky, and I let myself ride in the moments of bliss as he continued working his fingers inside of me.

When I opened my eyes, he withdrew his hand, planting my feet back onto the floor before standing up. My juices coated his fingers, and he hummed, slipping them inside his mouth as he sucked them clean.

“So sweet. You taste like the sweetest thing I’ve ever had. Delicious.”

Holy shit. My cheeks were warm, but I couldn’t look away. Hot. He was so damn hot.

“How?” I asked, not even formulating words. Because that was incredible .

“Said I was a virgin, sunshine, not that I was a prude.” He winked.

I let out a giggle. Then my eyes drifted down, seeing the massive tent in his sweatpants. I reached out, brushing a finger over his impressive erection. There was a part of me that was ready to drop to my knees right here. I wanted to see it, to return the favor—to taste him like he had tasted me, but he put his hand over mine as I cupped him through the material.

Frowning, I looked up at him.

Parker gave me the tiniest shake of his head. “That was just for you.” He pressed his lips against mine, kissing me roughly, letting me taste myself on his tongue. “I’ll take care of myself later.” He brushed a piece of hair back behind my ear. “Feeling better?”

I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself. “I should probably get back to the sorority house. I have a meeting later today.” I hated to leave after that, but I also needed time to process what had just happened. What we’d just done.

How it felt like we’d changed something between us forever.

But I like this new version of us.

He looked down at my frame. “You look good in my sweatshirt.”

“Maybe I should keep it, just like your jersey.” I buried my nose in the neck, inhaling deeply. I never wanted to wash it.

He kissed me again. “Maybe you should.” Parker’s eyes drifted down my bare legs. “Do you want a ride back?”

I nodded, then something occurred to me. “Can I also borrow some, uh… pants?”

The idea of doing the walk of shame in my dress and heels from last night was mortifying, but would anyone think twice about me wearing my boyfriend’s clothes? No.

He chuckled. “Sure. Hold on.”

A while later, after rolling a pair of his sweats so they wouldn’t fall off my hips and a steamy make-out session in his car, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as I walked back to the sorority house.

“See you later, Rosie Girl,” Parker said, as I closed the door. “And I can’t wait to be your date next weekend.”