“No, don’t.” He stood up. “I… have to make a call.”
“To who?” She gasped. “Not my father?” She jumped up from the sofa. “He has nothing—”
“No.” His chuckle stopped her. “Not your father.”
“Who then?” she asked.
“Your mother.”
“Why would you call my mother?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Because, I made a promise…” He shook his head. “Just because.”
Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him. “Why?”
He sighed. “Alice, Jane is like my second mom. She had me promise that if there was ever a chance that we…”—he motioned between them—“that I’d…” He pushed his hands through his hair. “Never mind.”
“No.” She drew the word out and waved at him. “Please, go on. I’d like to hear how you promised my mother”—her voice spiked slightly at the word—“that you’d call or… text her if you and I ever hooked up.”
“It’s not…” He shook his head and she could tell he was frustrated. “It’s just… She was going to…”
“What?” she asked, her temper flaring now.
“Play defense and take the heat and try to break it to your dad as gently as possible,” he finished, looking even more frustrated.
“So, my mom… knew?” she asked, unsure.
“Sort of.” He shrugged. “I guess.”
“When?” she asked, feeling the heat of the room cause her face to flush. Or maybe it was the fact that her mother had assumed that one day they would end up like this. Together.
Eric avoided looking at her and she moved closer.
“Eric?”
“Graduation,” he blurted out.
“Yours or mine?” she asked remembering both parties.
“Mine,” he answered quickly.
“My mother knew…” She tried to not let her jaw fall at the thought of her mother guessing so long ago.
Eric just shrugged again and backed another step away from her. She closed the gap instantly.
“My family,” she started as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, “has nothing to do with us. Even though my brother is your best friend, my mother is practically your second mother, and my dad…” She shook her head. “Let’s not think about my dad.”
“Yes,” he agreed quickly. “Let’s not.”
Before he could finish, she had plastered her body against his. “Let’s not think about any of my family members.” She leaned up and touched her lips softly to his. It was amazing that the spark she’d felt the first time jumped through her again.
Then his hands rested on her hips and pulled her closer and the spark turned into a full-blown fire raging through every ounce of her, reaching down deep into her core.
“Eric.” She didn’t recognize her own voice. It was deeper and vibrated from her chest.
“Alice.” He hoisted her up into his arms, and she’d never felt anything like being held by him. “I never thought…” He shook his head as he walked towards the bedrooms. “I’d dreamed.” He kissed her again. “Don’t let this be a dream,” he said as he stepped into his bedroom.
“No.” She smiled. “It’s not.” She reached over and smiled as she pinched his shoulder.
“Okay.” He laughed. “Not a dream.” He set her down slowly on her feet again and held onto her as his mouth covered hers once more.
When she felt her body falling backward, she held onto him as he lowered them both to the bed.
“I’m going to go slow,” he said, his mouth just under her ear. His hot breath caused goosebumps on her skin, and she arched so he could trail his mouth lower.
“Yes,” she sighed and gripped his shoulders. She would have agreed to anything, knowing it was Eric who was running his hands over her, his mouth over her skin.
She felt his fingers nudge her shirt up, exposing the tank top. Before pulling that aside, she thought she heard him curse.
“You’ve got layers too.” She reached for his shirt and, before he could remove hers, he had it over his head and on the floor.
She watched him as he leaned back and slowly nudged both her shirt and tank over her head.
“Alice.” Her name was just a whisper. “You’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”
She chuckled. “You’ve seen me in a swimsuit before.” She reached for her bra, but he stopped her.
“No, let me. When I’m ready.” He came back down to her, his arms on either side of her body as he hovered over her, kissing her.
She felt her body begin to shake as his free hand roamed up her ribs, over her flat belly, then back up to cup her through her silky bra.
“You make me so…” His mouth left hers and then started trailing kisses down her shoulder and over her bra until he finally settled and sucked her nipple through the silk.
Her fingers went to his thick hair, holding him as he caused her entire body to shake even more.
She could feel herself growing wet. She had never waited this long for anything in her life.
“Eric, I want…” She shook her head. “No, I need…” she corrected herself.
His hand shifted to the clasp of her jeans. When he started to tug, she realized that her yoga pants would have to be taken off as well.
Reaching a hand down, she helped him remove both layers.
“Socks,” she said, eagerly.
“It’s like unwrapping a Christmas present,” he said. He chuckled when her yoga pants got stuck on her thick wool socks.
She smiled and wished that they were someplace tropical and all she was wearing was a string bikini instead.
When she reached for his pants, he pulled away and stood next to the bed. Yanking them off his legs quickly, he stood at the foot of the bed in nothing but boxer briefs, looking sexier than she’d remembered.
Eric and her brother were gym buddies as well. The duo worked out on a regular basis, which meant his thighs were thicker than her waist. She smiled, anxious to feel him next to her again.
“What’s that for?” he asked, remaining where he was.
“You.” She ran her eyes up and down him. “I approve.”
He did the same to her. “I more than approve.” His voice was a little gruff. Then he was beside her on the bed, running a fingertip from her navel to her chin. He touched the dimple next to her mouth. “This happens to be the sexiest thing on you.”
She laughed. “Okay.” She ran a finger down to his hips and the narrow triangle just above his boxers. “I’m particularly fond of this…” She ran a fingertip down the arrow of his hip. He sucked in his breath and closed his eyes. “Right here.”
When she removed her hand, his eyes moved to her erect nipples. “These,” he said softly and, with just his fingertip, touched one of them, causing them to harden even more, “are pretty high up on my list.”
Not waiting, she leaned closer and cupped him. He was hard and larger than she’d experienced before.
“Eric.” She swallowed, meeting his eyes with hers.