The Impact of You

Jase

The shrill whistle cuts through the air with an insistent blast.

Avery…

I shove past bodies to follow the sound and find her alone in the hallway. She’s slumped against the wall, knees drawn up to her chest…and she’s crying. What the fuck?

I scoop her up in my arms, carry her to the nearby bathroom and lock the door behind us. I set her on the counter and push her hair back from her face. “Avery, baby…Tell me what happened.”

She sucks in a shuddering breath, biting her bottom lip. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess.” She uses the back of her hand to brush the stray tears from her cheeks and looks up at me with a pained expression.

“Whistle? Did someone touch you? Tell me what happened.” My blood is pounding in my veins. If someone hurt her, I will lose it.

She shakes her head. “No, nothing like that. It’s just…I saw someone from my past…remembered things I didn’t want to remember…” Little hiccups rack her chest, and tears still swim in her eyes.

If I could take away whatever she’s been through, I’d do it. I hate how powerless I feel. “Avery, tell me who he is. Let me handle this.”

She swallows down a sob. “Not he. She. And please don’t do anything, it’ll make things worse.”

She?

Fuck. I hate her past; I hate whatever this is that won’t let her move forward. “Avery, talk to me.”

“Not about this, please, Jase. Don’t make me. Can we just pretend…for one more night…please?”

heart. “Tell me what you need. I’ll do it, Whistle,

head. “I can’t tell you, Jase. I don’t know how.”

up. “Then let me make

eyes searing mine with their

her throat. This is the only way I know how to help her, and it seems she’s okay with letting

the button on her jeans, my tongue still stroking hers. Despite her fears and warnings about going slow, we both know we’ve been building towards this the entire time. It’s the only weapon in my arsenal to drive her past away. And I will use it. I know of no other way to

Avery

stopping briefly to wet his fingers with his mouth, then caressing me again. The way his slick fingers slide across my sensitive flesh makes me cry out. He lifts my shirt and pulls down the cups of my bra so I’m exposed, kissing and suckling each of my breasts, his mouth and tongue constantly exploring, keeping rhythm with his fingers

against his hand, needing more. Reading my body, he pushes one finger inside me and lets out a groan of his own when he penetrates me. He knows my body

is taking me there. I lock my knees, my hands scrambling for something to hold onto just as I’m almost there. Suddenly Jase removes his hand and plants a chaste kiss on my lips. Is he stopping?

don’t stop. I

and I have a

that was in

into place, zipping and buttoning them for me, while I stand there uselessly, trying and failing

He drops another

the living room cheers erupt – applause, whistling, hoots and hollers. My cheeks flame like never before. God, this is embarrassing. I tuck my chin to my chest, not daring

the soft lamp on his dresser, Jase shuts and locks the door, then turns to face me. I’m sure my cheeks are still flushed, but he doesn’t seem to mind my awkwardness. He stalks

know it’s no use pretending I don’t want this. Every fear has been silenced; every thought is tangled up with Jase. In this moment, I feel like I could let my past slip away, like I could start fresh with Jase and forget all about Brent and the mistake that shall not be named. This could be my last chance. Stacia could be learning about my past

you how

the promise

fall back onto his bed, sitting on the edge. Jase lifts my shirt over my head, and with a quick flick of his wrist, my bra drops open too. I let it fall down my arms