The Impact of You

Jase

I’ve paced the room for the last fifteen minutes, trying to talk myself out of it. I heard her shower turn on – and then off, eight minutes later – and now she’s probably getting ready for bed, but still I can’t shake the desire to see her.

I take one last deep breath, willing myself just to let it go and move on, but I know I won’t. It’s why I’m on this trip. I can’t give her up.

I tap my knuckles against the door and wait.

It’s completely silent. Maybe she’s already asleep. But a few seconds later, the door opens and Avery’s standing before me in a white tank top and baggy pink pajama pants, bare feet and damp hair. Her simple beauty crashes against me like a wave. I want to push the hair from her shoulders and kiss a path up her neck, remembering how good she tastes.

“Hey,” I say brilliantly.

“Hi,” she returns, her voice soft and cautious.

I swallow down a wave of nerves, wondering what the fuck I say now. I should have thought this shit out. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.” She takes a step back from the door.

smells like her shampoo and the air is still dewy from the shower, which is not

step closer and place my hands against her waist, pulling her close. Avery looks up at me with curiosity in her eyes as my thumb lightly strokes the bare skin at her hip. I don’t know what’s happening, or what’s left between us, all I know is that I need this. I need to erase all those vivid mental images of her with her ex. I need to make her mine. I’m in no mood to talk about my feelings. I

mouth to hers, then stop. I won’t force her into

breath whispers across

“Yeah?”

just closes her eyes and waits for me to kiss her. I don’t hesitate. I capture her mouth in a fierce kiss; a kiss I desperately hope chases away all the bad memories. Avery grips my shoulders, clinging to me, clawing at my biceps. Something primal and possessive bubbles up inside me. I push

and find her bare underneath. Her fingers work at the button on my jeans,

her up so I can remove her shirt. Her bra is the last article between us and I find the clasp at the middle of her back and free her of it. I toss it over the side of the bed with the rest

hips and her bare flesh presses into me, the tiny rotations of her hips driving me crazy. My head drops back on the pillow

bare skin is so soft and smells so good, I have to taste her. I sit up so I can reach her mouth, and kiss her deeply. Avery matches my pace, her tongue

wet she is and it’s not helping my erection. I’m going to embarrass myself if she doesn’t

breast in my mouth. Avery arches forward, groaning loudly in the too quiet room. My hands leave her waist, as I decide to momentarily trust her not to send me over the edge. One hand glides up her spine, curling around the back of her neck to lower her mouth to mine, while my other hand reaches between us to

head drops back and she growls with pleasure as I glide my fingers over her tender skin, sending her closer and closer to release. I attack her exposed throat with kisses, biting into the skin and sucking hard enough to leave a mark as my fingers increase their rhythm. Avery responds, but not at all like I expect her to. She scrambles from my lap, breathless, her eyes wide

into my lungs. Did I do something wrong? She doesn’t answer, but her eyes fill with tears. What the