Cabe's hotel fronted the ocean, and at two o'clock in the morning, we had the entire stretch of sand to ourselves. He seemed confident his hotel key gave us a free pass to the beach there, but I knew we were technically trespassing after dusk.
To play it safe, we sat against the dunes, hidden from view, and shared pieces of our lives. He told me what led to his parents' divorce and talked about his sister who managed a chain of bagel shops with her wife. And I told him that I was lucky to have been raised an only child, given that my parents should have stayed childless.
"Did you have any mentors when you were growing up?" Cabe asked as he drew circles on the back of my hand with his thumb.
"My track coach and I got really close. Still are, actually. She was there for me when my parents weren't. We meet for lunch once in a while."
"Tell her thanks for me the next time you see her."
"Why?"
"Because she must have given you some excellent advice. You're a pretty amazing person." We took to staring at each other while the surf swooshed back and forth. "Who did you inherit your pretty face from? I know it sounds corny, but you have beautiful bone structure."
His self-deprecating attempt at flattery gave me an excuse to chuckle, which hopefully covered my embarrassment. "It's from my mom's mom. She's Swedish. She moved to the states to attend college back in the seventies."
His finger brushed my chin, and he lifted it, bringing us face to face. "I know we've just met, but I would really like to kiss you."
I glanced at his lips, remembering the first time I imagined them on me. "I would really like that too."
My focus remained on his eyes, and I indulged in the galaxy floating there as he leaned in slowly, hesitating. Was he having second thoughts, or was he savoring the moment? Whatever the reason, my heart pounded and my thighs clenched as I waited.
Soft and warm, his lips touched mine, soothing me after the craziness of the day. It was as good as I'd imagined. He opened his mouth, and I met his tongue, swirling around it like a cocktail straw. His fingers sifted through my hair, setting off a ripple of chills across my scalp. He pulled away before I was ready, but we were both smiling.
"That was nice." He offered his compliment as he swept my bangs behind my ear. "Can I make a confession?"
"Isn't that what bartenders are for? Plying people with alcohol and listening to confessions?"
Smiling, he scooped up my hand again. "I wanted to kiss you as soon as you brought me that first pour. You made the guess without worrying about getting it wrong. A lot of people wouldn't take risks like that. You're fearless."
That was one way of putting it—the nice way. "First off, you encouraged me. But I'm glad you weren't put off by it. I've been told I'm presumptuous and recklessly overconfident."
"Who told you that? Derek?"
"He's one. But I've had a couple of professors tell me the same thing."
He snorted. "Let me guess. Those professors were male."
"That's a reasonable assumption, but one was female. And you don't have to prove you're a feminist to earn points with me."
I tugged on his hand, bringing his body closer, and we kissed for a while longer, our hands roaming to various intimate body parts. He was playing with the seam of my bra when hotel security found us.
"The beach closes at dusk, folks," said the nice man blinding us with his flashlight.
"Sorry. That's my fault," Cabe said. "I'm a hotel guest. I assumed that included privileges to the beach after hours." He fished inside his pocket and pulled out his key card as proof.
"Hotel guests still have to abide by city ordinances. I suggest you two enjoy the beach from your balcony."
He left and we stood to dust the sand off our asses. "So, where to now?" Cabe asked. "Do you want me to take you home? I'm sure I've kept you up past your bedtime."
Holy cow. Was this guy for real? "I'm not ready to call it a night. But I understand if you need to get some sleep. You've got a long drive tomorrow."
"To hell with the drive. I'm enjoying this. But it's fine if you . . ."
I used my lips to halt whatever excuse he planned to give me, and when the kiss ended, he smiled. "Should we follow the security guard's advice and enjoy the beach from my balcony?"
"That depends. Will we have a decent view from your balcony?"
"I'm on the tenth floor. Is that high enough for you?"
I pretended to consider it. "Hmm. We'll make it work."
Upon our arrival at his top floor suite, Cabe pulled a cold bottle of water from the minifridge, and we shared it as we got comfortable. His hotel was the priciest on that particular stretch of beach, and his room came with all the amenities, including a king-sized bed with Egyptian six-hundred thread count sheets.
I dropped my butt onto his bed and bounced a few times. It had been left unmade, which he didn't seem to mind. "Can I make a confession?"
"Please."
"I'm a whore for high-end bed linens. Even when I'm trying to stay on a budget, if I see an organic cotton comforter marked down fifty percent, I'll buy it and sacrifice eating for a few days. Not many people I talk to understand the importance of organic cotton in promoting a good night's sleep."
He laughed. "You and my mom would get along great. She takes sleep comfort to the next level."
"Sleep is the key to good health. It's a shame so many people neglect it." I lounged on my back and snuggled with the down comforter. "Not organic, but this is nice."
He walked to the balcony door and slid it open, letting the sound of the surf drift in. "Enjoy yourself."
I watched him sip from the water bottle as he stood inside the frame. Why had he chosen to enjoy the view when he could have been snuggling with me? I didn't know how I could have made my interest more obvious. I pushed up from the bed and joined him, slipping my arm around his waist.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked. The remnants of his cologne mixed with bar cigarettes made me nostalgic, and I squeezed him a little tighter.
"I'm just remembering what you said about never visiting the mountains. I've never lived near the ocean, but I think it's something everyone should experience in their life."
"I completely agree. The ocean is restorative. I'd love to see other versions of it. Once I start making money, I plan to travel extensively. I've been headhunted by a sports marketing firm in Baltimore, but I think I'll try to stay closer."
His head snapped to me, and those gorgeous eyes went wide. "My mom and sister live in Baltimore. What are the odds?"
"Really? That's crazy. If I believed in fate, I'd probably be freaking out right now."
He turned to slip both arms around my waist. "Well, I do believe in fate, and you just proved it exists."
Oh, my. What was going on here? This guy seemed like the genuine article—smart, funny, honest—but I had sworn off men of any type after Derek tried to smother me. Couldn't a girl just ask for a simple roll in the hay and dispense with the fated, lifelong commitment thing?
Something must have given me away, because Cabe's eyes narrowed. "I'm not trying to make things weird. I'm sorry if that's how it came across."
"It's okay. I've just been kind of leery since Derek and I broke up. It's hard to get shit done when you've got an ego-maniac trying to control you."
"I totally get it. But if I can be honest for a minute, you seem like the kind of girl a guy would want to hold onto."
I smiled, hoping it would excuse me from what I was about to say. "And it's been a long, hard road to get here. I decided years ago that everyone deserves to be their own person. Even my parents, who are the most selfish people I know. I like you, Cabe, which is why I'm here in your hotel room. I am not putting any labels or limitations on whatever this is, I just want to have fun with someone who respects me and who I respect back. Does that make sense?"
"Perfect sense."
"Good." I didn't bother with formalities and dove for his lips. He responded by taking ahold of my belt loops and tugging me closer. I wanted to resuscitate the vibe we had going on the beach, and I was encouraged when he hardened against my belly.
Before long, we were staggering toward the bed, and he eased me onto the plush comforter with one arm as he straddled me with both legs. He brought his body down to rest on mine, and I lifted my hips to greet the bulge in his pants. He wanted this, and a rush of adrenaline spread through my limbs.
I grabbed his ass and drew him closer. His hand crept under my shirt and went straight for my bra. I raised my back to give him access, and he managed the clasp in seconds. Fingers grazed my breasts, and a breathy moan escaped him. I'd been blessed with nice tits—not too big and aesthetically pleasing—and I enjoyed the reaction they provoked from the men I shared them with.
His mouth found my neck, and he breathed into my ear as he tongued my lobe. I let him have his fun as I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it off, ditching the bra beside it. He stared at my chest without shame.
"Fuck . . ."
I smiled as he brought his hands under both breasts and squeezed gently. The way he handled them with restrained care made me think he hadn't been afforded much time with breasts. Surely I was wrong about that.
He kissed me as he continued his exploration of my chest, dragging his tongue roughly through my mouth while his fingers fondled and kneaded. He fit his hard-on between my legs, dry humping me in urgent thrusts, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I deserved this.
I tugged on his shirt, and he sat back on his heels as he yanked it off. I was not disappointed by the view. He wore his youth well. I hadn't asked his age but I pegged him for early thirties based on our conversations. I tended to attract older men, which I blamed on my exposure to a lot of shit nobody should see before puberty.
Eager to see more of him, I reached for his belt, but he stopped me before I got very far. Funny. He didn't seem like a shy guy.
"Can we save that for later? I'm into delayed gratification."
I smiled, imagining the various reasons he wouldn't want me to see his big boy parts yet. "Who am I to deny a man his fetishes?"
"I wouldn't call it a fetish. I just don't want to rush this. I'm enjoying it too much."
I was enjoying it too. And not just the physical release. As a partner, he had me extremely aroused, and I hadn't had a drop to drink. I'd established a practice to keep my emotions separate from my goals; numb myself with alcohol and enjoy sex with the hottie of my choice. Tonight, I was going off script.
Swept away by my thoughts, I failed to notice that Cabe had unzipped my jeans and was tugging them off my legs. Apparently, it was okay for him to put the brakes on my advances, but he was free to explore at will. Oh, well. This guy had my motor running on premium octane, as Mom would say, and we were headed in the right direction.
He left my panties on, which I figured was part of his delayed gratification fetish, and he began an enjoyable journey across the length of my body, using his mouth as his vehicle. This soon turned into a game. As I nudged him lower, he playfully resisted.
When his mouth finally reached my lace panties, I clamped my legs around his head, holding him to the spot. His chuckle vibrated into me, and I became acutely aware of every move he made from there; each pass of his fingers as they brushed my inner thighs, when he tugged the lace fabric aside, the warmth of his heavy breathing as he stilled between my legs, delaying.
"Cabe . . ." I spoke his name without thinking, then I wondered why I had done it. I liked to keep my partners nameless. It made the goodbyes easier for everyone. Of course, one slip couldn't hurt.
He glanced up, and his eyes held me there, weightless, suspended without gravity. The teasing had brought me so close I could hardly stand it. He looked extremely pleased with himself, like I'd given him the reaction he was looking for. What was he up to?
Whatever argument my mind had prepared slipped into background noise when he dove in, tongue first. I squeezed my eyes shut and stars appeared. He had me climaxing seconds later, rocking and moaning with the intensity. Damn. I didn't mean to give in so readily. Hopefully, I hadn't disappointed him. Or maybe I'd responded exactly the way he wanted me to.
I gave him an encouraging nudge, and he crawled up my body, his lips glistening in the light of the table lamp.
"That was fun," I said. "You've got mad skills."
"Only when I'm inspired." He smiled as his lips met mine, and he dug his bulge into my pelvis.
I reached down and took ahold of him through his pants. I could tell he had a lot to offer. It was time I sampled the goods. I struggled to unbuckle his belt, and he groaned as he gently bit my lip.
"Can I make a request?" He sat up, adjusting his crotch.
"What's going on?" I pushed onto my elbows, hoping I hadn't misread this guy. He seemed to have his shit together.
"I'd like to give us something to look forward to. I like you, and I was hoping we could see each other again . . . after this weekend."
Crap. A serious one. Why did this keep happening to me? What was I doing wrong? "It's not that I don't appreciate your interest, but long-distance relationships are very hard to maintain. Not to mention the fact that my life is about to change drastically."
"I know." He grimaced and slid his fingers through his hair, making it look like he'd just climbed out of bed. It was adorable. "I need to level with you. I travel a lot for work, which makes it difficult to hold onto relationships. Not to mention the problems it causes when I meet a girl I like while I'm on the road. At first, I just went with it. I had sex with women I barely knew. But that's not really me. I like the idea of a committed relationship, although I'm still figuring out how I can make that happen with a modicum of success."
Once again, I found myself in the company of a guy who needed his sexual partner to commit. While I didn't disagree with the benefits of said relationships, I was in no position to give that to said partner. I had plans.
"I totally get it. And I'm all for the happily-ever-after scenario. You've done shit and figured out what you want. But I'm on a different path. At least for right now. All I know is that I don't want to take the same road my mom took."
He studied me with a furrowed brow. He looked a little embarrassed, but also hopeful. "So, have I totally blown it? Or would you be open to spending time with me again?"
"I would definitely be open to seeing you again. And it would be great to do that after the pressure of graduation has passed, which isn't for another three weeks. So, that brings me to the next question. What do you want to do with the rest of the time we have?"
"What are your thoughts on snuggling?" He offered a sheepish grin, and I busted out laughing. I couldn't help it. This guy was next level.
"I appreciate the merits of snuggling. Should we talk and snuggle? Or should we find a movie to watch? Do you like comedies? I'm always in the mood to laugh."
He grabbed the remote off the nightstand and aimed it at the television. "What's your pleasure?"
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Who's a fan of snuggling? Whether it's sleep time or play time, I believe a little snuggle goes a long way.