AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I love it. Bea is great and—”
She cuts herself off, bringing her hands out in front of her and doing that same pulsing on her knuckles as she did before.
I stay silent, hoping she’ll continue, and giving her the space to do so. She does after a while.
“The freedom. The freedom is the best part.”
Her admission hangs in the air between us. The air that’s now charged with something–but I have no clue what that something is. Something has shifted between us. Her shoulders have relaxed a little, and she sits more comfortably next to me, leaning forward more on her arms that rest on the railing.
I get more comfortable too and rest my head on my arms, turning to face her. She must sense my stare and turns to look at me, too. Neither of us speak for a long time. We simply hold each other's gaze.
I find myself studying her face; committing the map of her freckles I can see in the dim light to memory and appreciating the way her full lips are pressed together tightly. My breathing slows and my eyelids get heavy as I continue devouring how beautiful she is.
This is all so unlike me. Emmett before cancer would spend more time appreciating a woman’s body. I’d stare at her ass, her legs, or her tits. Ask me to draw a picture of the last girl I slept with’s face and I’d be in trouble. But I know without a doubt I could describe her boobs with perfect details. A month ago, I’d never get the needy feeling I am now just by staring at a woman’s eyes. Even if they are big and bright green and—so innocent looking.
It occurs to me. Aubrey is likely just that—so, so innocent. Before I can stop myself, I’m wondering if she’s a virgin. Even though I know I shouldn't, I let myself wonder if the most sensitive parts of her have been touched by anyone else. Have they ever been tasted by anyone else? It’s not a far jump to let my thoughts be overtaken by how she might taste.
And, well, the equipment downstairs is still working, even with the new treatment. I’m getting hard and I’m wearing sweatpants.
I let out an uncontrollable groan and shift my hard dick as inconspicuously as I can manage, but the groan gets Aubrey's attention and breaks the spell that had her eyes locked on me. Her sparkling eyes go wide at my feral sound, and she sucks in air through her teeth. She squirms and turns her attention back out to the glow ahead.
“You take classes at the college?” she says, breaking the silence.
It’s a question, said more like a statement, but getting her to talk to me is like pulling teeth. I grab onto it anyway and answer her.
“I do. I’m uh—doing online courses right now, but I’ll start again in person for winter quarter,” I tell her, avoiding divulging any details why I’m not currently on campus for classes.
“And what are you studying?”
“I actually recently switched my major.”
I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. I haven’t told many people yet about my new change in major but it’s something I’m excited about and I haven’t been excited about something in a long time, so I continue.
“I’m planning on getting my BS in Biology.”
Aubrey looks at me with surprise painfully evident on her face.
I guess I should get used to this look. The jock who’s trying for a science degree.
“That sounds—thrilling,” she says.
She doesn’t say it in any condescending way. It’s more of a longing.
“Are you planning on taking any classes?” I ask.
Her face falls and her shoulders slump.
“No, I’m not that lucky.”
Lucky? What does luck have to do with going to Pinehurst College? Unless you’re trying to get into the writing program they’re known for, they accept almost anyone.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, not everyone can do what they want, whenever they want Emmett,” she says, her eyes narrowed at me once more, in that way I’ve come to learn, means she’s annoyed with me. But the way my name falls from her lips sets my skin on fire.
“What’s stopping you?” I ask her. “From taking classes at Pinehurst, I mean.”
She lets out another sigh and gives me another rare, honest answer.
