He still had nightmares about his mom being sick, even though everyone thought he was too young to remember. I’d only seen Xander a handful of times since we graduated, but the last time I’d seen the little guy, he’d seemed lost. Wearing a vacant look, he’d barely smiled unless his big brother was giving him his full attention.
I knew Cameron carried a lot of guilt over leaving. His heart torn between the girl he loved and the little brother he wanted to protect.
“But your mom is okay, right?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. But she and my dad are both at a loss about what to do with him. He’s so... different.”
“He’ll be okay,” Hailee said. “As soon as we can, we’ll bring him out to Michigan and show him the sights again.”
Cameron leaned down and kissed her. “Thank you.”
“Are you excited about classes, Mya?” Flick asked, changing the subject to safer shores.
“I can’t freakin’ wait. Although I wish it was senior year so I could jump into field practice.”
“I’m not going to lie, I’m a little scared about clinical practice.”
“Nah, babe.” Jason hooked his arm around Felicity. “You’ve got this.”
“And hey, at least tutor boy will be around to help you if things get too much.” I smirked and Jase flipped me off.
“Really, you went there?” A low growl rumbled in his chest.
“Joke. I’m joking.”
“Yeah, well it doesn’t matter,” Felicity said. “Darcy graduated. He’s no longer at Penn.”
“Thank fuck,” Jason murmured, and she elbowed him in the ribs.
“Without Darcy I probably would have flunked my classes.”
“You would have figured it out.”
The two of them started bickering quietly while the rest of us watched the flames lick the inky sky. There was something about ending the summer with your girl and best friends and stepping into a new year. It was a tradition we’d started the summer before college. One I intended on keeping. We may have had less and less time for one another now we were all at college, but when we came together it was like no time had passed.
“What are you thinking?” Mya brushed the hair from my eyes.
“Just how perfect this is.”
“Another year,” she sighed.
“Another year closer to the rest of our lives together.”
“Ash...”
“I know. No rush, right?” I touched my head to hers.
“We have time.” Mya brushed her lips over mine and I was a goner.
There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for this girl. If she wanted time, I’d give it to her.
So long as she knew she was my forever.
“God, Asher, it’s—”
“Fuck, babe, I know.” I thrust up inside Mya again, curling my hand around her hip, encouraging her to ride me harder… Faster… Deeper.
“You feel incredible.” Leaning up on my elbows, I took one of her perfect tits in my hand and flicked my tongue over the dusky bud. Mya cried out, throwing her head back as I sucked and laved, teasing her sensitive skin with my teeth.
I wanted to mark her, to brand her permanently as mine. I’d never been a possessive asshole, at least not like Jason... until Mya came along.
I couldn’t explain my need to possess and consume her. I wanted her tied to me in every way possible.
Heart, mind, body, and soul.
I guess you could say I was a lot to handle. But Mya loved me. She loved our life together. And we openly talked about the future.
“Fuck.” She ground her hips slower, rocking in tortuous circles, making my body tremble with pleasure. “Fuuuuck.”
Mya smirked, aware of the power she held over me. I’d gladly handed over my balls to her when I’d chosen Temple—chosen her—over my place at Pittsburgh. But I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.
When you’d grown up under the stifling expectations of my father, having something—someone—to call your own, to love and cherish and worship... well, it was a rare thing of beauty.
Need burned through me and I flipped Mya onto her back, slamming inside her, so deep she cried my name. Threading our fingers together, I pressed our hands beside her head as I pulled out and rocked back in, over and over, driving us to the point of sweet ecstasy.
“I’m close.” She raked her fingers down my spine, moaning into my ear as I trailed hot wet kisses down her throat.
A familiar tingling started at the bottom of my spine just as Mya pulled me deeper into her body, locking her legs around my hips and shuddering around me.
I kissed her deeply as I fucked her into complete submission.
Nothing... nothing would ever feel as good as this.
Except maybe our wedding night.
Or the day I watched her birth our kids into the world.
Okay, so I was a little more than ahead of the game. But I was a Bennet. I had a game plan. One that included me and Mya and a happily-ever-after.
Mya
Sunlight framed Asher’s face, making him look angelic. Although the way he’d loved my body last night was nothing short of sinful. A shiver ran through me just thinking about how he’d flipped me onto my back and fucked me as if it was the last time he would ever get to be inside me.
I let my fingers linger on his chest, tracing his cut abs, loving how warm his skin was. Sometimes it was hard to believe this was my life. I was halfway through my bachelor's in social work and living in an amazing building with my boyfriend. It was a far cry from life in Fallowfield Heights. But I’d earned it. I’d made sacrifices and worked my ass off to get here.
Asher, and all that came with being his girlfriend, was just the icing on the cake.
“You should probably move a little lower.” His voice was thick with sleep.
“No can do, I’m meeting Faith for a run.” I dipped my head and kissed him. It was supposed to be a chaste gentle peck, but when I tried to pull away, Asher buried his hand in my thick curls and captured my lips with his.
“Good morning,” he breathed, finally letting me up for air.
“Morning.” I smiled. I couldn’t help it. I was one of those annoying girls now, sickeningly in love with her boyfriend. A football player no less.
“Are you going to the gym with the guys?”
“Yeah, l think Aiden wants us there.”
I kissed him again. “Well, don’t work too hard.”
“What do you want to do later? I was thinking we could get dinner at Dukes or we could stay home and Netflix and Chill.” His brows waggled.
“Or... we could go to The Hideout for open mic night.”
“Yeah?” He frowned. “You enjoyed that?”
“What?” I batted his chest. “Faith is on the roster tonight and I want to support her.”
“But what about supporting me and my very, very,” he grabbed my hand and cupped it over his morning wood, “real problem?”
“You’re insufferable,” I chuckled.
“No, I’m just a guy in love with a girl.” Asher nuzzled my neck, sucking and licking.
“I know what you’re doing.” I tried to push him away.