The OUT OF LINE Series Read online

  But he reared back and looked down at me…and I was lost. He was seeing what no man had ever seen before. I didn’t want to hide from him. Didn’t want to deny him a single thing. Not tonight. I let my hands fall to my sides. He swallowed so hard I could see it, and then traced a finger over my bare stomach, creeping closer and closer to my left breast.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he uttered, almost as if he didn’t realize he said it out loud.

  Before I could respond, or even decide if I should respond, he lowered his head to my breast, flicking his tongue over my sensitive nipple. “Finn,” I cried out. I gripped his head, urging him closer. Needing him closer.

  His slid his hands under my back, arching my back for me. I bent one leg, spreading my thighs to let him in. Knowing instinctively that he needed to be there to ease the ache building inside me, begging for release. He moved into the crook of my thighs, but didn’t press his erection against me. Instead, he scraped his teeth against my nipple and sucked harder.

  “I-I need you.” I licked my lips and added, “Please.”

  His hands trembled as he let go of me and undid my pants. I lifted my hips, letting him undress me, and didn’t so much as flinch as he lowered them down my legs. When he reached for my panties, I grabbed his hand and swallowed the nervous bubble of laughter threatening to escape me.

  I might be a virgin, but I knew what came next. And before I was completely naked, things needed to get taken care of. “Do you have protection?”

  He pushed off the bed and opened the nightstand next to it, pulling out a purple foil package. He tossed it onto the bed and made quick work of removing his shorts. When he ripped off his boxers, I didn’t drop my gaze from his body. If he saw my shyness and my uncertainty, he might back down. As it was, he surely thought I was more experienced than I was.

  I knew if he knew I was a virgin, this wouldn’t be happening.

  As he stepped out of the last piece of clothing he wore, I feasted my eyes on him. Tattoos covered his upper arms and shoulders. That I already knew. But his lower half was devoid of any ink. In a way, I was glad. The perfection of his body was an artwork all by itself, and I couldn’t help but think any more ink would detract from the muscle and flawlessness I saw right now.

  When my gaze dropped to his penis, I practically choked on the deep breath I took. No matter how many romance books I read, I hadn’t been expecting that much length. Holy crap. No romance book could ever have prepared me for this. He was magnificent.

  He approached me, his steps sure. When he lowered his body over mine, I stopped trying to do calculations on the likelihood of him fitting all the way inside of me without tearing something vital. I wasn’t a fool. Women had been doing this since the beginning of time, and I was no different than any of them.

  Though Finn might just be bigger than all the other men.

  He sucked my other nipple into his mouth, ripping open the condom as he did so. After a few quick movements, his hands were back on my skin, burning paths everywhere he touched. My blood heated, and my stomach clenched tight, building a pressure that I was powerless to stop. Powerless to control.

  When he kissed a path down my stomach, taking little bites as he went, I went mad with desire. Tossing my head back and forth on the pillow, I moaned and cried out and dug my nails into his skin. He flicked his tongue over my clitoris before taking that into his mouth too.

  Oh, holy mother of freaking God. That felt way too good to ever stop. I would make him stay down there forever. He could take breaks for water and food, but that was it. I dug my heels into the mattress, letting out a whimper that didn’t even remotely sound like me.

  He groaned and adjusted his hold on me. I, in turn, tightened my legs on his head, refusing to let him move until he gave me what I needed. Until I found the release I knew his mouth could give me. “Don’t stop,” I demanded, panting for air.

  He ran his hands up my calves, then down my thighs. When he reached my hips, he lifted me higher. Something in the changed position must have made for optimal pleasure, because my whole body tingled and went weak. I clung to his hands, needing to hold on to something secure before I let go of all control.

  And when I did, letting the pleasure wash over me, all of the pressure that had been building inside of me burst into a million pieces. As my whole body went limp with gratification, he dropped my hips and settled in between my legs. He rubbed against me, exactly where his mouth had just been, and another wave of intense pleasure crashed over me.

  Capturing my face in between both of his hands, he kissed me gently. As his mouth played over mine, I could taste the familiar flavor of Finn I’d come to know and also myself on his tongue, making for an intoxicating combination that made me even more eager for him to come inside me. More desperate for him to fill me completely.

  “Carrie,” he gritted out, his hold on my hips tight. “I can’t go slow or be gentle.”

  I opened my mouth to warn him about the technicality of me still being a virgin, but it was too late. He thrust inside of me with one quick movement, and the pain of him ripping through me blended with the satisfaction at having him buried deep inside of me, where I’d wanted him for weeks.

  Having Carrie in my arms was more than I could bear. Better than I’d imagined. Nothing could describe the way she made me feel, so I wouldn’t even bother to try. I fused my mouth with hers before surging into her, unable to believe how fucking amazing she made me feel. How she could bring me to my knees with a simple touch. Make me want to stay there too, I’d bet. I’d had sex with a good amount of women during the years, but I’d never done this.

  Never made love before.

  But then I crashed through the resistance I’d suspected might be there. I reared back, looking down at her with concern. “Are you okay?” Then, realizing I should act surprised, I added, “Wait. You’re a virgin?”

  “Y-Yes.” I started to pull out of her. She closed her legs around my waist, blinking back tears even as she tried to keep me inside of her. But I was hurting her. “No. Don’t stop. I want…I need…”

  She rolled her hips up tentatively, more than likely experimenting with the sensation of having me inside her. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to remain still, letting her test out the waters, so to speak. “You should have told me.”

  “I was afraid you’d stop,” she said, running her fingers lightly over my back. “Please don’t stop. Don’t let go.”

  “I’ve got you,” I promised, nibbling on her ear. I knew I should stop. Should end this right here and now, but she kept moving underneath of me, and letting out tiny breathy moans that drove me fucking wild. I couldn’t stop. Not ever. “And I won’t.”

  She thrust her hips up again, and a sheen of sweat formed on my forehead. Her tight pussy gripped me more closely than I could ever have imagined, and my cock screamed at me to move inside of her. To finish what I started.

  She dug her heels into my ass, urging me closer. “It doesn’t hurt anymore. Move inside me.”

  I pulled almost all the way out of her, then slowly drove back in. I groaned at the pleasure she gave me, unable to bite it back. Her body fit mine like a glove. It was as if she was made for me and me alone. My arms trembled from the strength I exerted to hold myself back. To not hurt her. I kept my weight on them, not wanting to crush her. “That okay?”

  She nodded and lifted her head. “Kiss me and move faster.”

  The control I’d had over my motions snapped, and I crashed my mouth down on hers. I moved inside of her, hesitantly at first, but growing more and more sure as I went. She moaned and squirmed beneath me, begging for more. Once I was certain I wasn’t hurting her, I lifted her hips in my hands and drove deeper. She cried out and scratched her nails down my back, probably drawing blood and waking up the neighbors.

  I didn’t even give a flying fuck.

  I needed her too badly. It had all started with an immediate attraction, but now it was more. So much mo
re. As I grew closer and closer to the precipice, I tried to focus on her. The way her eyes were slit, barely letting me see the bright blue sapphire. The way she let out tiny puffs of air through her swollen lips. But most of all, the way she moaned my name as I brought her higher and higher, refusing to stop until I made her come again.

  When she finally tensed and bowed against me, frozen in time, I let myself go. I thrust one more time inside of her, going as deep as I could possibly go, and cried out, “Carrie.”

  As the strongest orgasm I’d ever had rushed through my veins, I collapsed on top of her, keeping my weight on my elbows. She tightened her legs around me, seeming to not want to let me go, and hugged me close, her own breathing as ragged as mine. If she didn’t want to let me go, that was fine by me. I could happily lie here as long as she wanted me to.

  I buried my face in her neck, closed my eyes, and waited for the regrets and the guilt to come. Waited for cold, hard reality to come crashing over me once I remembered all the reasons I shouldn’t have done this. And even more terrifying? Knowing she would hate me for taking her virginity while lying to her. When she knew what I really was—who I really was—she would never forgive me for taking her under false pretenses. And I would never forgive myself either.

  I needed to find a way to fix this.

  I lifted myself on my elbows and looked down at her, sweeping her sweaty hair off her face. I knew I should be feeling that suffocating guilt right about now, but it wasn’t coming. She smiled, her eyes warm and soft and on me. “Wow.”

  “Yeah.” I grinned at the wonder in her voice, despite myself. “You okay, Ginger?”

  She nodded and arched a brow. “Are you okay?”

  I laughed. “I think so.” I slowly withdrew from her, watching her for any signs of pain. She flinched when I pulled out of her completely, but besides that she seemed fine. “You really should have told me, though.”

  She didn’t even pretend to misunderstand me. She was a smart girl, my Carrie. “Would it have made a difference?”

  I thought about it, but I already knew the answer. I wouldn’t have stopped. I’d been lost in her the second she walked out on that beach more than a month ago, demanding for whoever was hiding in the shadows to show themselves. I’d been lost this whole time, but I’d been fighting it. I was done fighting her. From now on, I would fight for her.

  For us.

  “No, it wouldn’t have. I couldn’t have stopped any more than you could have,” I admitted. “But now I need to take care of you.”

  I brushed my lips over hers before sliding off the bed. As I walked to the trash can to remove the condom, I took a deep breath. This obviously changed everything between us. I couldn’t ignore my need to be with her any more than I could ignore the pressing need to admit my real identity to her before it was too late.

  She would be angry with me at first, but if I came clean on my own—without her finding out when I wasn’t there—then maybe she would understand. Maybe she could find it in her heart to forgive me and allow us to continue on as we had been, only without any lies between us. Yeah, and maybe some pigs would fly by wearing Wonder Woman costumes too.

  Actually…that might be more likely.

  I turned around and crossed the room to my bed. She let out a squeal when I picked her up and carried her into the bathroom. “I can walk, you know.”

  “You can, but I want to carry you.” I kissed the tip of her nose before I set her down in front of the shower. “And you like making me happy, so you’ll let me.”

  She huffed. “So, that’s how you’re gonna play this, huh?”

  “Uh-huh.” I turned on the shower, grinning the whole time. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so happy. Probably never. “Is it working?”

  She splayed her hands over my shoulders, sliding them in front of my body. She rested them over my heart, pressing her cheek against my bare back. “Yes.” I stopped moving, not wanting to break her hold. Not wanting her to let go. But then she did, and she slid her hand under the water. “Perfect. You coming in, too?”

  I cocked a brow. “You have to ask?”

  She laughed. “Guess not.” She stepped into the shower and smiled at me. “This is weird. I’ve never showered with someone else.”

  “Well, it’s another first for you then.” I joined her and pulled her into my arms. Her naked body pressed against mine, making my cock harden again, but I wouldn’t touch her. Not tonight. She needed rest. “I want to be all your firsts from now on.”

  She laid her head against my chest, directly over my heart. Did she know she owned it yet? “Sounds like a plan.”

  I grabbed her hair and got it damp, watching the water cascade down her bare back, only to roll down her ass. After clearing my throat, and mentally slapping myself in the face for being a perv, I reached for the shampoo. As I washed her hair, her eyes drifted shut and she let out a happy sigh.

  I rinsed out the suds, watching her face as I did so. She looked so peaceful and innocent. “Sorry, I only have men’s shampoo.”

  “That’s okay.” Her lids drifted up. “I’ll smell like you.”

  I made a mental note to buy her some girly shampoo in the morning. And a toothbrush. If I had my way, she’d be spending a lot more time here with me from now on. “Next time, you’ll have something better.”

  Her eyes drifted shut again and she yawned. I made quick work of washing her body, pausing at the blood smeared between her legs. I’d done that. Taken her innocence. The fact that she’d chosen me, trusted me, was enough to make me want to scream. Soon, she would hate me. Soon, she would regret this.

  I rinsed her off, and then quickly washed my own body. She leaned against the tile wall, her eyes devouring me. “Can I do you?”

  I bit back a groan. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I already want you again, but you can’t handle that. Your body needs rest.”

  She licked her lips. “Are you so sure of that?”

  “Yes.” Fuck my fucking conscience. “Positive as a proton.”

  Her eyes went wide, then she let out a nervous laugh. “You heard that?”

  “I did,” I admitted, shooting her a sheepish grin.

  “Oh God.” She dropped her forehead onto her palm. “How embarrassing.”

  “You mean adorable?”

  “Nope,” she quipped.

  I turned off the water and grabbed two towels. As we dried off, my eyes never left her. She was so gorgeous. Her pale skin contrasted fantastically with the smattering of red curls between her legs. She had a few freckles across her body, but for the most part, she was all ivory skin and temptation. I dropped my towel and cupped her face, tilting her it up to mine.

  I ran my fingers over the line of freckles that ran across her cheeks and over her nose. “I love these little freckles. You know that?”

  “I hate them.”

  “They’re perfect, just like you.”

  I kissed her, making sure I kept it light. I swung her in my arms and carried her to the bed. After I gently set her in the middle of it, I reached down to the foot of the bed and lifted the covers over her bare body. She lay on her side, her hands folded under her cheek, watching me. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and quickly let her father know she was safe and sound.

  I just neglected to mention she was safe and sound in my bed.

  When I crawled under the blanket with her, she smiled and ran her fingers through my damp hair. Something that had nothing to do with lust rolled over me, like a tidal wave. She nibbled on her lower lip and tugged the blanket higher. The pink tinge in her cheeks hinted at her vulnerability.

  “Stay the night with me?” I asked.

  She gave me a small smile. “Do I really have a choice? You already tucked me in.”

  “Not really.” I pulled her into my arms. “I was simply pretending to be a democracy.”

  She snorted, but burrowed closer. “Fine, but are you going to wake up and then curse and apologize in the morning?”
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br />   “Nope.” My arms tightened around her. “I’m done fighting.”

  She smiled up at me, her eyes shining. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  She smoothed a piece of my hair off my forehead. “So, uh, are we still just friends? Or…?”

  I laughed and hauled her against my body. “Some friends might do that, but not me. We’re more than friends now, Ginger.”

  “Do we have a name?” she asked, her voice soft.

  Yeah. Mine was liar. Hers would be mad.

  The guilt I’d been expecting had arrived right on schedule.

  But for one simple night, I didn’t want to think about anything. Didn’t want to think about repercussions, or what her dad would say when he found out I hadn’t followed the rules. Even worse? What my dad would say. Would my actions ruin Dad’s chances at getting the big retirement pension?

  No, I couldn’t let it. I’d find a way to fix this, but it started with telling Carrie the truth.

  “I’m not sure yet, but I know this changed everything,” I said, kissing the top of her head. “Every fucking thing.”

  Her fingers closed around my shoulders, holding on tight. She yawned loudly. “You don’t exactly sound happy about that.”

  “I’m happy.” I swallowed all of my fears and doubts, trying to drown them out with a bright smile. “I have you. What more could I need?”

  “How was drill?”

  “Boring and utterly exhausting.” I hesitated, then added, “And I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too.” She smiled and snuggled into the crook of my elbow. “Can you wake me up at seven for class?”

  “Yep.”

  I reached out and switched off the light. I lay there, holding her close, and tried to come up with the best way to tell her what I was. Tried to come up with a gentle way of breaking the news. Bad thing was? There wasn’t one. No matter how I said it, she would hate me.