In the Wake of Wanting (59 page)

“Some of her favorite things to make her feel a little better. Let her know she’s missed.”

“Thanks, Frank. She’s definitely missed.”

“I, for one, am happy you two are finally dating. I hope it’s not weird for me to say that. I’ve just never seen two people with so much chemistry fighting so hard to stay apart.”

“It’s not weird. It’s easy to be with her. Much easier than avoiding her, that’s for sure.”

After my class time at
The Wit
, I walk with Pryana to Coley’s dorm. She’d decided to stay with Teri in Coley’s absence, still not comfortable living alone in her apartment full time.

“Hi, Trey,” Teri says, greeting me with a hug. “I’ve got two items for you. Is that too much?”

“Nothing’s too much,” I assure her, looking at the old, vintage suitcases on her bed and gauging their sizes to figure out how I can combine her things into luggage that will travel better. The cases actually have stickers from cities and countries on them, and I would venture to guess she earned those badges on her own, traveling to most of those places with her father when he was on assignment. It feels like a romantic notion to me, adding the stickers; it seems like something Coley would do. “What all is in here?” I ask, picking them both up.

“Just… lots of clothes, some makeup, her one-piece suits, pajamas, a few pairs of shoes. I just packed until there was no more room,” she says.

“Great,” I say with a laugh. “I’m sure that will work.”

“Well it’s for two and a half weeks, so…”

“She’ll be grateful, trust me.”

“Okay. I mean, if she wants anything I forgot, aren’t you going back on Friday?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I’m sure we’re fine.”

“You’ll be in class Friday?” Pryana asks me.

“Of course.”

“I just know you were excused…”

“I was just going to take time off to get her away from here. She didn’t want to go on the trip I’d planned. She just wanted to go home. There’s no point in me missing classes.”

“You’d get away from the prying eyes and questions.”

“What doesn’t kill me…” I start the old adage. “I hope they get it all out of their systems before Coley has to come back. I think by me being here, that has a better chance of happening.”

“I think you’re right,” Pree agrees. She checks her watch. “If you have to swing by your place, you better get going.”

“Yeah. I’m sure we’ll be texting tomorrow. Let me know what you think about Monica’s piece. I thought it was a little light on substance. I just feel weird telling her that.”

“Suck it up, Managing Editor Holland. I’ll give you my feedback, but you get to deliver the news to her if I agree. It’s part of the job.”

“I know, I know,” I tell her as I leave through the door she holds open for me. “You packed way too much,” I mention to Teri as an aside, noting the weight of the suitcases.

“Stop complaining.”

“Bye, ladies.”

I arrive at Coley’s, toting one large rolling suitcase with all of her things and a duffel bag with a change of clothes and my books. Her mom, Beth, answers the door after the Uber driver drops me off.

“Come in, Trey,” she says warmly, holding open the door to the modest, one-story house in the middle of the block of an older neighborhood with huge trees. “I thought you were leaving in the morning.” She eyes the luggage I’m dragging behind me.

“These are her things. I just transferred them into my rolling bag. I’ve got everything I need in here,” I explain, patting the bag hanging from my shoulder. “And yes, my train leaves at four-thirty in the morning.”

She stops walking. “Why so early?”

“I have a nine o’clock class.”

“Oh, wow. Well, come down this hallway. I’m putting you up in Nyall’s room. It’s here on the right.”
I guess I’ll book a hotel for the weekend.
“You’ve got clean linens on the bed and a TV in the corner.” I set my stuff down on the small desk under a window. “The bathroom is right across the hall. Clean towels are under the counter.”

“Thank you,” I tell her. “Where’s Coley?”

“She’s in her room.”

“How is she?”

“She’s… she’s been better.”

“Yeah,” I say sympathetically with a nod.

“How are you?” she asks.

“I’m fine.”

“Was school okay?”

“Yeah. It was… it was a lot like Monday. I’m just hoping it gets better.”

“Listen,” she says, touching my arm. “Thank you for being so understanding about the trip. She said you never even tried to change her mind.”

“I could sense that wasn’t an option. I didn’t want her to feel bad about wanting to cancel, either. We can do that anytime. Hopefully sometime when we want to go, and not when we’re trying to run away from New York.”

“Yeah,” Beth says.

“Can I see her?”

“Of course. She’ll be happy to see you. I’m sure she’s got her headphones on or else she would have greeted you herself.” She leads me to the room at the end of the hallway and knocks before opening the door when no one answers. “Trey’s here.”

“Already?” I hear her say. Her mom steps out of the way, letting me in. “I missed you so much!”

“My heart was here all day,” I tell her as I give her a big hug.

“I know,” she says, pulling me to her for a kiss. I can still feel her mother’s presence as we get reacquainted.

After a few seconds, Beth clears her throat. “I’m heading out, Nic. You can order in or there’s stuff for a nice salad, if you’d rather. I trust you two will be good.”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Thank you,” I tell her with a smile.

“Be careful,” Coley adds.

“I’ll see you for breakfast.”

As soon as her mom disappears from view, Coley’s impatient lips find mine again. We kiss until I need air and want a lot more than that. “So, your mom is gone until morning?”

Her grin is full of mischief, and then she nods her head.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but she led me to Nyall’s room for the night. She has rules about things that go on in this house, doesn’t she?”

“But she won’t be here,” she argues.

“She trusts we’ll be good,” I add, repeating her mother’s words.

“But she won’t know.”

“But I will.”

“You are not going to deny me what I want tonight…”

“I’m starving,” I tell her, changing the subject.

“Trey Holland!” I start walking to the kitchen. “Jackson Andrew Holland the third!”

“Please don’t ever do that again,” I request over my shoulder. “It gives me the parental heebie-jeebies and kills any romantic vibes I had going on.” I look in her refrigerator and take out a soda and a couple of bags of lettuce, setting them on the counter. When I stand up, arms reach around from behind and a hand finds its way down my jeans. I enjoy its touch for a few seconds before pulling it away and turning around. I pick her up easily and settle her on the counter, spreading her knees apart to make room for myself. “Maybe you’ve never met me before, but I’m the guy who respects the house rules set forth by parents–my own as well as others.”

“You’re breaking my heart,” she whines.

“Stop being so dramatic,” I whine back before leaning in to kiss her. “I promise. I’ll still make you feel good.”

“Oh… you will?”

“I assume making out is okay. I know your parents are okay with you having sex in general. I get they’re not okay with it happening in their home,” I say with my lips about a quarter of an inch from hers, “but surely they’re okay with a little touching and kissing and grinding.” I gently thrust into her and pull her into me at the same time to make my point. Her lips attack mine, her tongue playful and adventurous. She wraps all her limbs around me, and I pick her up and carry her to the couch in the living room, laying her against the cushions.

“So, where do you draw the line?” she asks me, trying to catch her breath as I sit down next to her legs.

“No nakedness below the belt,” I tell her.

“You’ve thought this through.”

“I’m a planner. My parents have the same rules… and you have to know your boundaries before you start or you’ll just barrel right over them.” Coley sits up and takes off her shirt and bra. “Oh, shit. You’re going to test me on this, aren’t you?”

“No… just pushing you to your boundaries. Shirt?” she asks, tugging at the bottom of mine. I unbutton it and slip it off, then slide my undershirt over my head. “Surely we don’t have to keep our socks and shoes on, too.”

“No nakedness above the thighs.”

“Just tell me to keep my panties on.”

“That,” I tell her as I watch her strip out of her jeans. I take mine off, too, tossing them onto a recliner next to the sofa. “You
are
testing me,” I affirm as my eyes travel up and down the length of her slender body.

“I’m torturing myself,” she counters. “I’m already… slick… and ready for you.”

“Oh, Coley…” I squeeze my eyes shut tightly, only hearing the rogue voice on my shoulder telling me to do it. I must have left his virtuous counterpart at home. “I haven’t even been here fifteen minutes and already I’m wanting to break the rules.”

“I can’t help my attraction to you.”

“I can’t help mine, either,” I mutter. “My condoms are in your brother’s room.”

“I’ll meet you in my bed.” I watch her as she makes her way back to her room, spotting the food I’d set out on my way down the hall. I stop to put everything back, getting some water for both of us. In Nyall’s room, I hastily dump everything from my duffel out onto the bed, frantically searching for the condoms until I remember I took them out of their box and put them in my shaving kit. With the image of Coley’s beautiful body and her sultry words still in my mind, I feel no remorse about what we’re about to do.

When I get to her room, she’s sprawled out on her bed, feverishly scribbling in her red notebook, still outfitted in only her light pink underwear.

“May I come in?” I ask her, hoping she hasn’t changed her mind.

“You better,” she says, writing one last word before putting the lid on her pen. She hands me the book, open to the page.

“What?”

“It’s for you.”

Slick

Quivering

An ache like no other

Mere minutes from you

Have ripped me asunder

Suffuse me with kisses

Transfix me posthaste

Inspire in me

Deep cries from within

Your taste

On my tongue

Your name

Every breath

Burning

Consuming

Delighting

Exciting

Take me now

Make me yours

All of me

All of you

All of you

All of you

Give me all of you

Quick

“How do you just… do this?” She shrugs her shoulder. I stare into her blue eyes. “The depth of my desire for you is immeasurable. I love your words–the profusion of life you create with them,” I confess to her. “Move over?” I request, then repeat her own command. “Quick.” I shut the book and place it carefully on her desk, then slide into her full bed next to her, my feet hanging off the end. Turned on even more, I kiss her hard as I remove her panties and she starts to push down my underwear. I finish the job for her.

“Transfix you, huh?” I ask her, not missing the double meaning.

“Posthaste,” she breathes as she puts the condom on for me.

“I think you want me…”

“I hope you want me.”

“You know I do,” I tell her as I settle in between her legs. I make sure of her arousal before I ease myself into her. She sighs first, then moans as she wraps her legs around my back.

“I wanna fuck.”

“I gathered that,” I tell her, planting a kiss on her ear as I push into her. “I can read.” She gasps loudly. “Too hard?”

“No. More.” Her fingernails dig into my ass as I do it again. “You’re so deep. It feels so good.” When I look into her eyes, they’re watering.

“You’re sure it doesn’t hurt?”

“It’s so good.”

“Please tell me if I’m hurting you,” I tell her, closing my eyes and ducking my head into the crook between her head and shoulder.

“You’re not,” she reaffirms. “All of you. All of you.” Her words come out in rapid exhalations in my ear with each thrust. “All of you.” With a few minutes of our steady rhythm, I feel her body tremble beneath mine. Moans build into indiscernible words that grow into shouts of obscenities. At the height of her climax, I feel her tighten around me and I get my release, too.

“Oh, fuck, Coley,” I breathe. She plants sweet kisses all over my lips and cheeks and jawline as I take my time reveling in the immense orgasm. “Thank you,” I tell her. “I didn’t realize how badly I needed that.” I feel my cheeks turn pink at my admittance.