Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
“Sorry I’m being so cryptic about it. When I started college, there was this guy I was kind of interested in. We met on Grindr and chatted on there, and then we met up in the library at school, went to the café a few times, and we messed around a little bit, did a bunch of different things. When we were at his place, we would rub on each other.”
“What do you mean?”
“Like lying on each other and rubbing—frottage.”
“Yes. I used to do that with girls I was seeing before we went further.”
“This guy, Brad, I figured he would be someone I could try that with. I didn’t have a lot of feelings for him, but I didn’t feel much for any of the guys I was blowing or whatever. Thought I could get it out of the way, so he came over one night. We had dinner, watched a movie, and we started doing the usual when I said I wanted to try doing something more. Needless to say, it was quick and didn’t feel very good. I didn’t really say anything to him because I didn’t want to make him feel bad, but it sort of hurt. I assumed maybe that’s what it was supposed to feel like, but now that I’ve talked to other people about it, I know that’s not the case.”
Keegan hurt? This asshole Brad hurt my Keeg.
I couldn’t get past those thoughts, but I stilled my rage, figuring that wasn’t likely to help soothe him much. “Keegan, that sounds like a horrible way to have your first time.”
He still wore that disappointed expression on his face, like he was reflecting on the negative experience.
“Like I said, he’s a good guy,” Keeg went on.
“Maybe he should have been a little more considerate.” I couldn’t help myself. My fists clenched, and there was a part of me that just wanted to hunt down the guy who’d hurt him.
“Brad couldn’t have known. If I’d said something, he would have stopped. I was just worried I’d make him feel bad.”
I took a breath, steadying this primal protective impulse within me. “I’m very glad you brought it up. I think I would have rather known that beforehand, and I hope you’d say something to me if that ever happened with us.”
“I didn’t know him like I know you, O. I feel like I can talk to you.” He set his hand on top of mine, and a warmth filled my chest as I felt the truth of his words.
“Good, because I would rather know, even if you thought I might be uncomfortable. I’d rather have an awkward moment than do anything that would hurt you.”
“And since we’re being so open, I have to admit, as much as you needed the limits of our no-messing-around rule because you were still coming to terms with how you felt about me, they made me feel safe too. Like I didn’t have to worry about us going too far, too soon.”
“I guess we both had our reasons for needing to take our time, but it’s been fun taking my time with you.”
He smiled before offering a tender kiss, which I eagerly reciprocated. I crawled over him as he lay on his back. And as we shared the exchange, I could still feel him shaking slightly.
A powerful sensation of rage stung in my chest—burning-hot fury. Everything in me, every sense, every awareness wanted him so badly to fulfill the fantasies I’d been running through in my mind on the jet ride over. Yet there was something else there too.
I pulled away, looking down at him, reading the tension on his face.
“Keegan, we’re not doing this.”
“Fuck, I shouldn’t have told you that story. I’ll be fine, O.”
“Yes, you will be fine,” I assured him. “Because we’re not doing this.”
“What?”
The way he asked it, wide-eyed, his mouth hanging open, I would’ve thought I was depriving him of something much more than sex. I quickly clarified, “No, I mean, we will do that, but I just… I was stupid to assume we could jump right into this as soon as I arrived. But I want to.”
“I need it, Owen.”
I rolled beside him. “Obviously, I need it too.” I indicated my crotch, which made him laugh.
Seeing his tension let up set me at ease.
He grabbed the bill of his cap and pulled it down so that it was slightly over his face. I pulled it back. “Keegan, clearly what happened with Brad was a result of moving too quickly.”
“I don’t think anyone can accuse us of rushing into anything.”
We shared a laugh. “No, I’m sure of that, but we can take a little more time. I’m not going anywhere this time. At least, I get a few weeks with you. It’s not a race to the finish line.”