The Pledge (29 page)

I stood in front of him, waiting for him to finish his question. I wanted to go to him—but I needed him to make the first move. His eyes widened when he got a look at my boots. My legs were shaking in anticipation, ready to close the distance between us, ready to be wrapped around his waist.

Alec took a breath, and his lips parted. His eyes darkened.

“Lock it!” Jon yelled from the other side of the door. “I can only hold him back for so long.”

The sounds of a struggle were louder on the other side of the door. Caz yelled out, “Don’t worry about being quiet. Be as loud as you want, you naughty kids.”

Reaching behind me, I felt for the lock, securing it without taking my eyes off Alec’s.

“What are you doing here?” Alec tossed his book to the side, and he moved off the bed, approaching me. His worn jeans and long sleeved T-shirt did nothing to hide his beautiful body. I laced my fingers together so that I wouldn’t reach for him before I could tell him all the things I needed to say.

“I wish I could go back and change the way I acted after the halftime show. I feel horrible that l made assumptions and accused you. I’m embarrassed that I let my jealousy come between us.” I squeezed my fingers together. “Most of all, I hate that I hurt you.” My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat. “I’m so sorry, Alec. Please forgive me.” I took a step toward him, and he mirrored me, moving forward, until we were almost touching.

“Why are you sorry?” His voice was raspy, and my tears welled. I missed him so much that my heart hurt, just hearing him speak. Being this close to him reminded me of how much I’d lost.

“For drinking too much. For doubting you. For being selfish. For costing you your job. For hurting your place on the team. For not telling you how much I want you—”

His lips cut my apology off with a kiss as his hand cupped my cheek, and I opened my mouth, frantic to taste him. I fisted his shirt in my hands. Alec’s tongue moved into my mouth, and I moaned, rising on my tiptoes to give me better leverage to kiss him back. Alec grabbed my ass, lifting me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist.
Yes
. He groaned, and I felt how hard he was against me. My tongue delved into his mouth, and I pressed myself as tightly as I could against his chest, not able to get enough of him.
God
. Only two weeks had passed, but it felt like forever without him.

I gently bit his lower lip and then moved my mouth to his ear. I whispered, “Does this mean you forgive me?”

Alec’s breaths came quick as he pulled back to look at my face, walking us over to his bed like I weighed nothing. I stayed wrapped around him. My hands rested behind his neck while my fingers played with the ends of his hair.

“We’ve both made mistakes, Taren. There are probably a million reasons why this thing between us might never work, but we only need one reason why it will. We can’t stay away from each other.” He stroked my back and kissed the corners of my mouth.

“I want you, Alec. I’ve always wanted you. I know that we don’t seem to be compatible, but opposites attract, right? Do you really want me to stay away?” I asked again.

His steely blue gaze scanned every inch of my face as if memorizing it. “No,” he finally answered. “If you hadn’t come over tonight, I would have come looking for you. I can’t stop thinking about you.” He kissed my lips. “I need you.”

I closed my eyes for a second, letting those words echo through me.
I need you
. I needed him, too. I wanted nothing more than to belong to Alec. Smiling, I pulled him back in for a kiss, but his finger came between our lips.

“No more games. No more flirting with Doug. I’m fucking serious. If we’re going to do this, I want to know that he’s completely out of your life. I want us both to be all in. You and me. A real relationship. Not just study buddies who make out. All in.” Alec looked at me, and my eyes burned with tears of relief. He didn’t just want me, he wanted
more
with me.

“That’s what I want too. I want to be all in with you.” I pressed my lips to his, feeling relief unfurl through my body, curling into fingers of desire.

“Taren?” Alec asked between kisses. “Can I touch you?” His hands were still under my thighs supporting my weight. Even though I was groping him with desperate need, he hadn’t tried to touch me anywhere else. I loved the way he asked permission, as if access to me was a gift, not an assumption. The power he gave me to decide, made me want to give him everything.

“Please.” My voice was breathy, and I gripped his shoulders tighter. My pulse raced with anticipation.

He set my feet back on the floor so he could reach up to my face. He ran his thumbs over my cheeks like I was precious. Cherished. He’d become my protector in so many ways. He made me feel as if my heart and body were safe with him. How had I ever doubted that?

I reached down between us to grab his shirt and lifted it over his head, eager to have access to more of him. Leaning forward, I kissed him again. Our tongues tangled together and we both moaned. Alec grabbed the hem of my dress. He inched the fabric up before smoothing it back down over my legs, almost as if he was doing it against his will. After he repeated this several more times, I smiled against his lips as we continued to kiss. My heart was slamming against my chest, begging him to just take my dress off, but he was waiting for my permission. I ran my hands up his chest, wishing I could convey my feelings to him through touch alone. His hesitation and his respect was like an aphrodisiac to me. I wanted him, desperately.

“It’s a little unfair I’m so over-dressed,” I whispered against his lips. My voice wavered, and my hands shook. I had no experience in seduction, and here I was, trying to tempt the hottest guy I’d ever met in my life. I licked my lips and swallowed hard. My eyes lifted up to meet his, and the lust-filled look I got in return caused me to shudder with apprehension.
Get it together, Donuts,
I scolded myself.
He’s not going to believe it if you don’t.

“Do you know what you do to me when you look at me like that?” He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his lips against my shoulder. “Fuck. You’re driving me crazy.” Alec’s voice was rough, and his words made me ache.

I could do this. I could be sexy. I looked up at him and smirked. Then, I reached down to the bottom of my dress and with a slow wiggle, I gradually slid the tight material up my body. Alec leaned back to watch as my naked skin made an appearance inch by inch. His fingers twitched like he wanted to help me, but his arms hung by his sides as his gaze followed the progress of my hands.

When the dress finally made its way over my head, I was left in nothing but my carefully chosen lingerie and boots. I wasn’t ready to go all the way with Alec tonight, but I was ready to move to the next level. Tonight was about baring myself to him both physically and emotionally. I was ready because he was worth the risk.

Excitement and nerves vibrated under my skin, and I ran my hands up his arms, wrapping them around his neck. “Well?” I was proud that my voice was confident.

Looking down, Alec gave me a crooked smile. “You can leave the boots on.”

His hands rested on my waist, and I giggled as he spun us around so that the backs of my knees hit the edge of the bed. He lifted his chin toward the mattress and his was voice soft. “Is this okay?” He brushed my hair back from my face, his fingers tracing the edge of my jaw with reverent gentleness.

I nodded and he lowered me to the mattress.

“I dreamt about this.” Alec dragged his fingertips down my neck and to my hair that lay splayed across his pillow. He leaned over me, and his weight rested on his forearms. “I pictured you just like this. Laying in my bed, your hair spread out on my pillow, your scent on my skin.” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “Your lips begging to be kissed.” Alec slipped his tongue along my lower lip. “I missed your taste. I missed…you, Taren.” He dipped his tongue inside my mouth, pulling me in for a deep, slow kiss.

The words coming from his lips were too much. I moaned into his mouth as emotion stung the corners of my eyes. He was hard as he pressed against me, and my eyelids fluttered shut as I lifted my hips into him. My hands ran all over his arms, and my fingers molded themselves to the muscles of his shoulders and back. I would never have enough time to feel him. Never.

Alec’s kisses were eager, his lips pressing against mine with such intensity I hardly had time to catch my breath. He moved down, trailing his lips along my neck until he reached my chest. Every place he left a kiss felt hot, and I felt flushed.

“I missed the way you tuck your hair behind your ear when you’re nervous.” His lips branded my right shoulder. “I missed the way you smile when you know you’re out-debating me.” His mouth traced the words into my skin before leaving a scorching touch on my rib cage. “I missed the way you can get lost in a book and fall into its pages.” His kiss settled between the swell of my breasts, and his breath feathered across my skin.

A tear rolled down my face as emotion overwhelmed me. I wasn’t just another body. He saw me. The real me.

He looked up and propped himself up on his elbow. He reached up and wiped the tear away with his thumb. He left his hand on my face and gazed down me. “What’s wrong?” His fingers stroked my cheek.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath. “I’m so happy we get a second chance.” Another tear escaped me, and his face pinched as he reached up to wipe that one away, too.

“Second chances don’t change the past. They just prove we can learn from our mistakes.” He pressed his face into my neck, his mouth just below my ear. “I’m not the same guy I was in high school. I’m going to prove that to you.” He kissed the curve of my neck.

“Please, keep going. I don’t want you to stop. I need this.” My voice was strong, and I threaded my fingers into his hair.

He raised his head, watching as his fingers skimmed across my shoulders and down over the swell of my breasts, tracing the edge of my bra. He unhooked the clasp on the front and then pulled back the lace. He inhaled sharply when the tips of his fingers caressed me.

“I can’t get you out of my mind. You’re…amazing.” His gaze followed the path of his fingers. The reverence in his voice sent my heart soaring in a thousand different ways at once before it slammed back in my chest. Alec’s hand cupped the weight of my breast before his thumb lightly circled the center. I pressed my lips together to hide my moan, but his triumphant smile was proof that he heard me. He brought his mouth to my other breast while his thumb continued to massage my nipple. His gaze never left mine.

As soon as I felt his warm, wet tongue, I closed my eyes. The feeling was so sweet that light burst behind my eyelids. My breaths came quickly as he sucked and nibbled. I squirmed and writhed beneath him, his touch both gentle and demanding. All of my questions were gone. I had no doubts, no worries, only trust. Alec’s embrace was the one place I belonged.

He moved down my body, kissing my belly until he got to my panties. He lifted his head in question.

I licked my dry lips and gulped in a breath. “Not all the way. But—” I swallowed hard. I needed to tell him exactly what I wanted, but I was embarrassed to say the words aloud.

“My hand?” He pushed up to press another kiss to my lips, coaxing away my apprehension. His tongue stroked mine, and I relaxed. Pulling away, I nodded.

His grin was wicked as he inched his way back down my body and then slid my panties down my legs. He reached down between us to stroke me, sending pulses of heat racing through me with every touch.

My hands were buried in his hair, gripping the strands in desperation. Alec’s fingers moved along the warmth between my legs, dragging with sweet tenderness, before circling along my center.

I gasped, clutching him tighter to me and arching up into his hand. He’d never touched me like this. If I felt like I’d been on a rollercoaster before, I was wrong. Pleasure surged through my body, and I held on tight as he took me to the edge before kissing me gently.

Alec stilled his fingers and looked up, his eyes searching my face. “You still okay?”

This man. I loved that he didn’t want to push me too far, but right now I needed him to keep going.

“Please,” I groaned, and he smiled, relief filling his face. He slid two fingers into me, watching my face as he moved them in and out. Each stroke of his fingers sent delicious tremors through me. I tensed, squeezing my eyes shut. “Yes,” I dragged out the word and just when I thought I would crack and fall over the edge, he changed the rhythm...the angle...the pressure. Dear god I hoped he’d never stop.

“Alec...” My eyes locked onto his as my body thrummed with pleasure. Tears filled my eyes again. Tears? This couldn’t be sexy. I kept crying, but everything about me was out of control right now. My body, my heart, my mind, raced to keep up with him. All I could do was hang on.

“Taren. You feel…Jesus you look so beautiful.” Alec’s voice cracked, and his lips trailed up my neck, as he sucked and groaned against my skin.

“Alec.” I began to shake as his name shuddered out of me with every breath.

Finally, my body became lax, and Alec lay next to me on the bed, pulling me in close. I pressed my nose against his neck, nuzzling against him, and smelled the scent of his hot skin. He kissed my temple, and I tangled my legs with his jeans-clad ones.