The Hardest Fall

My eyes only opened halfway and I managed to mutter a low, “What?”

“Condoms?”

I forced my eyes to open a little bit more and my heart sank. “Oh, no.”

He groaned and rolled to his side, his cock slipping from my hand in the process.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, propping myself on my elbow and looking down at him as he rubbed his hand over his face a few times.

“Then I should get out of this bed—hell, probably the apartment while I’m at it.”

I smiled. “Why?”

He gave me a frustrated look, his expression just as dark and tight as his eyes. I lost my smile pretty quick and cleared my throat. Without another word, I got up on my knees, a little breathless and a little unsure, settled next to his legs and swallowed. I wasn’t going to ask permission, and he wasn’t stopping me. I could feel his eyes burning into my skin. Was it uncool to be so fascinated by a cock? Because apparently, I couldn’t take my eyes off of his. The thick shaft, the dark pink head…the way it rested on his hard stomach, that thick vein on the underside…the anticipation of how good he would taste…all of it rushed at me at once and I couldn’t wait any longer.

I chanced a glance at Dylan and saw him swallow, saw his throat moving and how set his jaw was.

I reached to take him in my hand, but he stopped me before I could and linked our fingers together.

“Use the other one,” he said, that thick, needy voice rushing over me and causing goose bumps to explode all over my skin.

I licked my lips in anticipation. “Okay.”

I wanted him in my mouth probably a bit more than even he wanted it. I wasn’t a pro at blowjobs per se, but I didn’t think I was the worst either. Shaking my head to get rid of all the stupid second-guessing, I grabbed his thick base with my left hand and lowered my mouth over the thick head, rolling my tongue all around it.

Dylan’s hips jerked up and he squeezed my hand with his.

“Sorry.”

Slowly I moved my hand up and down his length, brushing my thumb over his slit, using his seeping wetness to make it easier. He tried to lie as still as possible.

“Fuck,” he hissed, his head sinking into the pillow when I put him in my mouth again. “Zoe, I don’t think I’ll ever let you out of this bed again.”

And he didn’t, not until he had to when his phone started ringing over and over. One of his teammates, Benji, was calling to make sure he would make it to practice.

After that, it was a mad rush. I had no idea when we had woken up, but after I made him come all over his stomach and my hands, he reciprocated, and then I got another bonus one. When his friend called and popped our private little bubble, I felt guilty for being so happy when my friend was going through hell.

Fifteen minutes after the phone call, we were both showered, dressed, and ready to go.

“You’ll call me when you’re coming home?”

“I will.”

“You’re skipping your classes?”

“Yes, both Jared and I are.”

“You’ll call if you need anything?”

“I will.”

“Text me how she is doing when you get there.”

A quick nod from me and I looked away.

He reached up to grab my chin.

“What’s wrong?”

I gave him a half shrug. How was I going to explain to him about Mark and Chris? How did you even start a conversation like that?

So…here’s the thing, I know you hate liars because you told me that the first night you came here, but I’ve been lying to you this whole time. Hey, at least it was a white lie, right? I never had a boyfriend, not since you moved in, and your best friend happens to be my long-lost brother, but we’re not telling him anything because that’s how Mark wants it. Good talk. Bye.

Just like ripping off a band-aid.

To my embarrassment, my eyes burned with unshed tears and I turned away to get to the door before he could see them.

“Nothing. You’re going to be late. Come on.” I pulled on his hand to tug him out and locked the door.

“Zoe, wait.”

He put his hand on my arm, but I was already on the move.

Ms. Hilda’s door opened before we could escape. I swore the woman spent half her day—possibly even more—with her ear pressed to the door, lying in wait for her victims.

“Where have you two been? I needed you yesterday and I knocked and knocked on your door. Did you have a party over there? I believe I told you I wouldn’t like that when you first got here, Miss Clarke.”

If I’d had a to-do list for the day, dealing Ms. Hilda wouldn’t have even been the last thing on that list. Very aware of Dylan’s presence standing tall and strong behind me, I tilted my head and took a deep breath. “Did you hear music or something, Ms. Hilda?”

“No, but I could have sworn I heard—”

“We didn’t have a party, and we’re not planning on having a party in the near future either. I would love to help you with whatever you need, but right now I’m late for class and Dylan needs to get to practice, so I’m sorry, but you’re gonna have to find someone else to check your drapes. Have a good day, Ms. Hilda.”

While she was staring at me with an even deeper frown and an open mouth, I started down the stairs. A second later, Dylan’s footsteps followed.

When I stepped outside, I tilted my head up to the bright blue sky and felt a little better with the wind on my face.

“What’s going on?” Dylan asked from behind me. Then his arms were around my waist, pulling me back to his chest, his lips pressing the lightest kiss on my neck.

That felt even better than the wind, and I relaxed further.

“Nothing,” I answered then tilted my head to the side, shamelessly asking for more. He didn’t make me wait. Gripping my chin, he gave me a long, wet kiss, chasing away every bad thought.

“Nothing,” I repeated breathlessly when we stopped. I looked up to his dizzying eyes and believed it would all be all right.

* * *

“Is she asleep?” I asked when Jared walked back into the living room.

He sat on the couch with a huff and held his head in his hands. “Yeah, finally.”

I twisted so I could look at him but was stopped short by a little hand tugging on my hair. “Zoe, no, no, no. You’re messing it up. You can’t move, silly. Now I’m gonna have to start again.” There was a cute sigh behind me, dripping with mock annoyance.

“I’m so sorry, Miss Bluebird,” I drawled, using the new nickname she’d begged me to use as soon as I’d stepped foot into the apartment. Jared’s little sister, Becky, was the cutest little girl, and the smartest, too, just like her brother. “Do I have to pay extra now that you’re starting again?”

Her fingers stopped moving in my hair. “I get paid?”

“Well, you’re my hairstylist, so I think I should pay, don’t you? I mean, you’ve been working at it for how long now? Half an hour?”

“Yes. Yes, you pay me, okay?”

“Okay, I pay, but you have to make me look pretty, okay?”

“I’m trying. How much are you paying?”

“Ouch,” I mouthed to Jared, but he wasn’t even paying us any attention. “How much do you want?”

She turned to Jared. “Jar, I’m getting paid today. How much money do I want?”

I grinned a toothless grin and managed to hold my snicker back. Becky always called her big brother Jar or Jer.