Mature content.
Holy fuck.
Ellie's trying to give me a heart attack or a stroke.
It's working.
My heart didn't know what to do. It dropped in a plummet, soared on wings, then pounded in my ears with a giant rush of lightheadedness. After five days of overly due apologies, two punches in my handsome face, one destroyed phone, a grueling football game against our biggest rival, and her becoming my girlfriend, Ellie and I finally had our first date. My brain was stuck in that date mode before she yanked it into oblivion.
I almost fell over at the sight of her bare breasts, inches from my chest. When she reached behind her, I worried she'd gotten bitten by a mosquito. She didn't have a mosquito issue; Ellie had either taken her bra off with her shirt or hadn't worn one.
"What the fuck did I do to deserve this?" I mumbled, my eyes unable to blink.
I hadn't brought anything special, only a light picnic and a pair of shorts because I ran hot. Mom had offered to cook for us, but I hadn't let her because food poisoning or an ER trip wasn't an enjoyable date. Thirteen-year-old me dreamed of bringing a date here. Ellie made it true, but almost eighteen-year-old me couldn't believe what knelt before my eyes.
Her head tipped back, the sun shining on her hair and cheeks, and her laugh was warmer than the rays shining on us. "You told me I needed to show you some appreciation."
Her form of appreciation started as the slowest form of torture known to man, hovering her face six inches above mine, and that soft, suggestive voice shooting straight to my balls. Her coy, cute smile didn't help the way that my wanting to touch her now bordered a need. Small tingles erupted where her hands traveled up my arms until her elbows rested on my shoulders. She had incredibly bony elbows, but I was too distracted by how her eyes bored into mine with a challenge for me to break off our stare.
She shrugged. "You know, before Jake punched you."
Well, that cooled me off. The last words I'd expected were a reminder that her brother had punched me in the face. I couldn't convince Mom I'd gotten the black eye during the game. She insisted that I spent the night with a bag of frozen peas over it, and the only way I could distract her was by telling her about Ellie. She about ripped my neck off and broke my eardrum screaming, then went into some 'treat-her-right, respect-her-boundaries-you-doofus' tirade. The swelling in my eye disappeared, but I looked like a bad horror movie makeup application.
Thanks to Ellie, I had a whole different swelling problem.
I woke this morning wondering if it was real. It felt too good to be true, but here she was. Mine. Hopefully, all my screw-ups with Ellie were behind me. I'd probably find a few ways to put my foot in my mouth, but my outdoors hunch was right. Ellie had looked happy and at peace here, more than when we watched the sunset at the beach. The sun flickered between the trees and cascaded golden highlights across her hair. Even with our height and size difference, this tiny girl packed more of a punch than... her brother.
By her coy smirk and sparkle in her, she enjoyed teasing me. On the receiving end, I had no complaints. My spine stiffened when her soft lips met my neck, and she kissed right under my jawline. If I had a sensitive area, then by the knuckling-over of my toes, she found that spot already.
My mouth fucking salivating from the round curves inches above where my fingers held a death grip on her sides. Her dusty pink nipples beaded up with goosebumps and jiggled from the trembles that ran through her.
Was it my birthday? No, not for a few more weeks.
She finished her thank you with a smirk while I sat and silently gawked at her. I think my brain washed away in the river. This was not at all what I expected from her, but fuck, I liked appreciative Ellie.
"Sorry, it's not a picture, Logan." Her smirk widened, most likely at the idiotic look I probably wore. Had my jaw fallen between my knees? No, blood and appreciation swelled between my knees. "But take what you get."
Fuck yes, I'll take. And keep.
"Ellie," I interrupted as she leaned over with her lips parted. "Wait."
Her eyes widened as if I tossed cold river water on her. "Wait!?"
I bit back a laugh at the look of frustration mixed with angst on her face. Contrary to the exasperation in her eyes, I wanted to be selfish.
"Let me look at you," I mumbled like the awestruck fool she turned me into.
At my request, Ellie straightened up. The longer I gazed over her, a light pink color deepened on her cheeks. I'd seen a lot of girls' breasts. Ellie's were perfect. They were perky, round, and large for her frame, but that was a –pun aside– perk for me, not a complaint. My head lightened from the warmth flowing between my thighs, but beyond the obvious sex appeal of Ellie, I saw more.
A lot more.
The sun's golden highlights on the dark brown hair framed her face and shoulders. Her eyes averted, but she wasn't shy or uncomfortable. She didn't hide the sparkle in them. By her coy smile, she knew the effect her boldness had on me. She knew I drooled under my tongue at her. From her relaxed shoulders and the ease she knelt over me, the same quiet confidence surrounded her from the first time I saw her. Instead of gazing at her from a distance, she radiated within my grasp.
I should stop swearing but fuck, she was beautiful.
No, I should tell her.
I grabbed her elbows, parting her lips in a silent gasp, and her head snapped up. Like a man possessed, she needed to know that I wasn't only about taking advantage of what she laid in front of me. Even if drool pooled under my tongue and my jeans were impossibly tight.
"You're beautiful," I word-vomited in an insistent, barked-out voice. She had to know. "Not like this, all of you, Ellie. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I never want to take that for granted."
My voice tightened and cracked with the dryness that coated my tongue, "I'll never do anything that you aren't ready for, and I'm always going to ask if certain things are okay."
"Appreciate that." She pressed her forehead against mine. "Ask away, but you'd better kiss me first."
I tipped my head and pushed my lips against hers. Fuck, that warm softness was addictive. She threaded her fingers through my hair, opened her mouth, and pressed harder into me. Long, warm strands of her hair brushed my knuckles. With the soft pokes of her fingers into my scalp, my body responded as she woke it up. Warmth and tension spread through my muscles, from my shoulders to my wrists. I moved my hands over her, clenching her warm, soft skin. She was right here, but I wanted her closer.
With a quiet giggle, she pressed her lips back against mine. Her hair pitched and fell around us in a curtain of soft, warm strands. I smoothed back enough pieces over her ears until her cheeks were visible, then trailed my fingers over her bare shoulders. Ellie overload threatened to consume my senses. Seeing her, raising goosebumps on her bare skin from the trails of my fingers, and tasting her lips surged my blood through my body. It flushed hot, and an ache burrowed itself in my gut. If she sat any closer, she would feel the same strain threatening to break out of my jeans.
Her lips left mine as she inhaled a soft 'Oh,' sound that made me want to nut in my pants. Her sharp exhale fanned warm air over my nose and cheeks. Near deafening pounds of my heart blocked almost all other sounds in my ears, but I needed to slow down, to ask her for more.
How was she this bold? Zero hesitation or doubt shone in her eyes, only -
Fuck. The innocent, warm trust radiating from those beautiful eyes crippled me.
Ellie smiling at me was not helping my thinning restraint. With one reach up and tug on my neck, she pulled me down and kissed me. I slid my tongue against hers and kissed with harder strokes into her mouth until the erection between my legs throbbed for attention.
Don't be that guy.
You're better than a selfish prick.
On that thought, I broke my lips off Ellie's and panted into her cheek. Sweat tickled at my hairline, and my insides burned. I moved my mouth to the side of her neck. She giggled at my line of sloppy kisses down to her bare collarbone. The sparkles were back in her enlarged pupils when I gave her one more kiss on her shoulder and pulled back.
"Ellie?" I forced out a few deep breaths that failed at calming myself down. "Are you sure?"
While I enjoyed every second of this, it wasn't my intention. Was it too far, too fast? My original plans were sandwiches and pasta salad.
Sandwiches. I'd brought sandwiches...not protection.
"I trust you," she whispered the only answer I needed.
My cock mutinied my brain when I grunted between my teeth. "Then we should take this slowly."
Ellie's shoulders tensed at my words. Fuck, she probably thought I rejected her again, but I was more worried I needed to wash my pants in the river if we went any farther. She surprised me with how she enjoyed physical intimacy. Her forwardness was an absolute mindfuck, but I wasn't going to ruin a good long-term thing with a short-term mistake.
Was she naïve or insanely comfortable in her skin? I didn't know, but slowing things down was probably best. I was worked up hotter for a girl than I remembered.
"Ellie," I breathed harder than I had during last night's game. "Unless you want this going somewhere I'm not ready for, we should stop."
The full salute jutting between my legs screamed in pain, but I felt more than the need to make myself feel good.
Totally a first.
Unpack it later, Hightower.
"Today, can I just kiss you?"
When she smiled and relaxed, I'd made the right call. Even if I had to dance the five-knuckle shuffle tonight. And all week. Who was I kidding? She'd given me a month's worth of shower inspiration images.
Ellie propped herself up on her elbows, and her eyes scanned mine. She flashed me the prettiest smile. "Of course. As long as I can kiss you back."
I smiled in return. "Deal."
Right when my lips pressed into hers, her stomach vibrated and squealed out gurgled sounds. On the same wavelength, my stomach clenched and growled. I closed my eyes, and a quiet laugh shook my shoulders. Her stomach squealed another round of loud, angry protests.
"Let's get you fed." I pulled back with a groan.
Today was the date that I originally had in mind. Which, for the record, didn't include... her 'surprise.' Ellie didn't seem like a movie-on-the-first date kind of girl, so I took her to a place special to Brody and me as a kid.
Now? Holy fuck, was I glad we were somewhere private. Especially now that I had two working brain cells and a mess in my underwear.
"You can keep that off," I teased when Ellie shrugged back on her shirt and clipped her bra.
She smirked over her shoulder and pointed at the wet stain on my pants. "Only if you're eating naked."
"Challenge accepted." I unbuttoned my jeans with a smirk. "If you wanted to go skinny-dipping, you could've just said so, baby."
"No!" She laughed and redressed.
Again, she wore the book sweatshirt. How many times did she wear it?
The reality that Ellie was now my girlfriend hadn't sunk in yet. Things felt brand-new but exciting, and I couldn't stop smiling when I did acknowledge the word 'girlfriend.'
As if she read my thoughts, she handed me a food container with curious eyes. "Be honest. Does it kinda not feel real to you?"
"I might've woken up this morning thinking that, but fuck, Ellie, I'm surprised I remember my name right now." I shook my head and dropped my clothes in my bag. "I'm not complaining because fuck, that was amazing, but promise I brought you here to get to know you better."
I did want to know her better, everything she'd tell me. Good, bad, pleasant, shocking, I wanted to go as far as she ran deep. Her past would never be a pleasant topic, but earlier she'd described how open and accepting the group of women she'd met was. They helped her figure out that party houses triggered her nightmares, and I was relieved when she said Jake agreed to stop drinking and having her pick him up.
Her issues might not need a simple fix, but she assured me she planned to attend the Mary's House meetings a few times a month. Her eyes shone while she spoke, and she projected a calm sense of satisfaction. I fell silent because I didn't have the words to say how impressed I was by her confronting her past. What would I do if I ever came face-to-face with Ryder? Hopefully, I never would, but we had a connection through Mason.
"Starting with, how the fuck was that -" I swept my eyes down her. "Okay with you?"
"I don't know," she whispered around her fork. A beautiful pink flushed over her cheeks, and her eyes widened. "You have that effect on me. It's exciting but kinda scary. You make me want to be reckless."
I dragged a hand through my hair. "Same. You tell me if it's too much, promise?"
I was happy to take things as slow as she was comfortable with. We needed to know which of her boundaries were uncrossable. My chest tightened at the idea I did anything she wasn't ready for yet. Ellie was gorgeous, and I would happily rip all her clothes off and fuck her in the woods, but that wasn't the only reason I was with her. Responsible one wasn't a role I'd ever been but for her? Any challenge was worth it.
"Promise." Her smile was contagious. "I need to work on opening up. Sorry, I'm not used to it."
"Get used to it because you're stuck with me," my tone was light, but I meant those words. The permission-asker role was a no-brainer. Being more experienced than Ellie, I assumed I'd navigate that ship in our relationship, but Ellie was the captain.
Who am I kidding?
Ellie's always been the captain.
I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. There was so much depth to this girl, and I barely scratched under the surface. Fuck, if this was the start, I couldn't fucking wait for whatever came next.