Breathing For The First Time (2 page)

“Alright, so how about a drink? I’ll buy if you come up to my apartment.”

I’m not sure who climbed out of his truck first.

CHAPTER TWO

Tyler

I follow Brooke up the stairs to her second floor apartment. I can’t stop myself from checking her out. As we climb the steps I’m given a perfect view of her long, lean legs disappearing under her tiny shorts that hug her perfect ass. I want to touch her so bad.

Waiting this long to go out with Brooke nearly killed me. She’s amazing, and I know how lucky I am that she even bothered with me. I’m not sure I’ll last long alone with her and keep my hands to myself.

I step through the door behind Brooke and take in her apartment. Studying together never gave me the chance to be at her place since we both knew what would happen. Now that we’re dating, there’s no holding back.

Brooke’s apartment is simple, but has definite touches of her everywhere. To the right of the door is a charcoal couch with deep cushions that makes it seem like an old  familiar sweatshirt; the kind you love to wear because it’s so comfortable, and never want to get rid of after investing so much time in making it perfect. In front of the couch is a hot pink ottoman with small indents where Brooke rests her feet. Two zebra pillows are piled on one end of the couch with a pink blanket across the cushions. It looks like Brooke took a nap here earlier. She has a large TV, but I’m drawn to her extensive collection of movies and books that flank the TV, overflowing the dozen shelves.

I wander over to inspect her collection, smiling at the variety of her taste. Her book collection includes plenty of school books, but also romance novels, self-help books, business information, and a few mysteries. It’s clear she loves chick flicks more than other movies, but she has a few classics thrown in. Somehow, this is completely unexpected and completely expected from her.

I tear myself away from her collection and take in the rest of the apartment. The walls are modestly decorated, most likely since it’s a rental, with pictures of various campus hot spots such as Williams Brice Stadium, The Horseshoe, and Carolina Stadium, where we just were. She’s collected pictures of herself with two other women, her best friends, Paige and Tiffany, I’m sure. A few candles here and there and a table lamp sporting a hot pink furry lamp shade make it seem like a place she’s really comfortable and happy. Her laptop is stuck under the mirrored side table on the far side of the couch. It doesn’t surprise me that she studies in the living room.

Beyond the living room is a small dining area with a four person table. In the center of the espresso wood table is a pink napkin swirled under a glass bowl full of pink rose petals and silver candles. It looks elegant and simple, just like Brooke.

I follow her to the kitchen. It’s small, but the light oak cabinets, black appliances, and dark laminate counters are clean and almost airy. The sink is free of dirty dishes and the counters are empty except for the wine rack next to the sink. Brooke slides a bottle out and sets it on the counter. She reaches up to a high shelf for a bottle opener and her shirt slides up her side revealing a sliver of creamy skin above her shorts.

My fingers itch to touch her, especially as the bottle opener proves to be just out of her reach. I step in behind her, placing one hand on her waist, my fingers resting on her bare skin, and reach up with my other hand to grab the bottle opener. Being about six inches taller than Brooke has its advantages.

Her milk chocolate eyes flash to mine and deepen to dark chocolate in an instant. For the second time tonight I think about kissing her, but this time I’m not going to screw it up.

With my hand still on her waist I lean into her, less than an inch from her face. “Did you need this?” I ask her, my voice whispering against her cheek.

“Yes,” she answers me, a slight quiver in her voice.

I press a delicate kiss to her cheek before moving to meet her eyes again. I see the same passion I know is reflected in my gaze and I pull her into me for our first kiss.

The instant our lips meet fire shoots through my entire body. My body erupts in goosebumps at her returned passion when she parts her lips and slips her tongue into my mouth. God knows I love a woman who’s going to take control.

I keep one hand on her waist, but move my other hand to her cheek, twisting my fingers into her hair. A soft mew escapes from her, bringing me back to reality.

I release her and take a small step backward, catching the breath she took from me. She looks equally thrown by the intensity of our kiss as she places a hand on my chest, not pushing me away, but not pulling me back either.

I reach behind her for the wine on the counter and raise my eyebrows in question. Brooke nods and turns from me to step across the kitchen. She grabs two wine glasses from a cabinet and I notice her hand trembling as she sets them on the counter. I pour two large glasses of wine, knowing it won’t help my nerves or my desire for her. Brooke asks if I want to sit down and we go to the living room.

Her couch is every bit as comfortable as it looks and I fall into it, feeling a little tired once seated. Brooke flips on the TV and finds the Food Network. We’ve talked about cooking and have both admitted we don’t cook much but want to learn. We’ve talked about taking cooking classes together.

A competition show is on at the late hour instead of one of the shows teaching you how to cook. We get wrapped up in the fight, each picking our favorites as the show progresses. Our wine disappears quickly and I refill Brooke’s glass, setting mine aside so I can drive home later.

I sit back down on the couch, daring to move a little closer to Brooke. We’re leaned toward each other and I drop my hand over hers. She immediately wraps her fingers through mine. I look to her and see her watching me. I lean in and kiss her again.

Brooke’s response is sudden and refreshing as she slides closer to me, keeping our lips and fingers locked together. My free hand settles on her bare thigh, pulling her even closer until she’s lying down on her couch.

I settle on top of her, feeling the quickened pace of her heartbeat as I cover her with my body. Her hands begin to roam, rubbing against the soft hair on the back of my neck before pulling at my t-shirt. I prop myself up and oblige, pulling my shirt over my head.

Her eyes pass over my chest and I let her look. She looks back to me with a glimmer in her eye that makes me laugh. Her face splits into a grin and I tell her it’s her turn.

“Why don’t we take this in the other room?” Brooke suggests, a throaty voice that would rival any 900 operator, nodding toward her bedroom.

My breath catches in my throat, but I’m as eager as she is to go there with our relationship. I stand up and reach for her hand, pulling her off the couch and straight into my arms. I brace one hand on the small of her back and the other clutched in her hair before I push against her for another breath halting kiss.

She guides me to her room and turns on a lamp on her bedside table, casting a gentle glow over the room. The room has a queen sized bed centered on the longest wall, framed by two windows. Two dressers and a full length mirror fill the rest of the space around two doors, for the bathroom and closet. Brooke didn’t decorate much in here, telling me this room is for sleeping, but I’m happy to use it for something a lot more fun tonight.

Brooke turns back to me and fingers the edge of her shirt, apparently trying to decide if she wants to remove it or not. After a moment’s pause, her fingers lift the garnet top from her soft pale skin to reveal a pair of glorious breasts, still captured under a black satin bra, and a firm stomach. A belly button ring I never knew she had glints in the soft light, teasing me to come closer.

I cross the room to her side and look into her eyes, taking her hand in mine, careful not to touch any other part of her. “We don’t have to do anything, okay. I don’t want you to feel pressured here. I’m okay with whatever you are. I promise.”

“Are you saying you don’t want to?” she asks me, a hint of shyness and fear in her voice.

“Oh, no, I definitely want to,” I tell her, my tone giving away my need for her. I pause before continuing, trying to calm myself down, “I just want to make sure you do.”

“I’ve wanted this since the moment you shook my hand on the first day of classes.”

I appreciate that I’m not the only one who’s been waiting for this, and that gives me all the go ahead I need. I pull her against me, pressing her delicious body to mine. I command her with another kiss, running my tongue across her neck down to her breasts. I flip her bra loose and drop it to the floor. Then I lick one nipple and she lets out a groan, dropping her head back. I pull it into my mouth and suck on it, giving her a nibble before releasing it, only to treat the other with the same attention.

I fumble with her shorts while teasing her nipples and finally free them from her sexy hips. She’s standing before me in garnet lace panties, barely hiding the most precious part of her.

Brooke accepts my look of admiration of her body with ease, not tearing her eyes off me at any point. She reaches toward me, slipping the button out and the zipper down  my shorts with the ease of a practiced magician. My boxers tent in front of me, evidence of my desire for her.

I pull her back to a kiss and feel my erection peek through my boxers, brushing against the smooth skin on her stomach. I reach between us and slip my boxers down, exposing my body to her, then drop her panties with the other clothes.

Standing naked in front of each other is both amazing and terrifying. Every other woman I’ve slept with, not that there were many, we got into bed before getting completely undressed. With Brooke, I love having the opportunity to appreciate her body, even though I feel completely vulnerable.

“You’re beautiful,” she tells me, taking in every inch of me. I smile at her and return the compliment before pulling her against me again, not able to keep my mouth, or my hands, off her for long.

She lies down on her bed, scooting over enough to give me space. I climb on top of her, asking again if she’s sure about this.

“If you don’t make love to me soon, I’m going to explode from wanting you.”

I don’t need more of an invitation than that. I kneel between her legs and slide my fingers into her. The deep valley of her wetness moves against me when my fingers meet her. The slickness of her hardens my erection to almost painful limits, but I’ve waited this long, and it will be worth it to hold out just a few more minutes.

I remove my fingers from her and trace up to the sweet spot at the edge of her folds. Her eyes meet mine and I know she was hoping for this, but didn’t want to ask for it. I tenderly circle her, setting a steady rhythm with my wet fingers. Her hips move with me, speeding up as I continue moving until she’s panting for me to go faster.

I increase my speed, pushing her straight to the edge of ecstasy. Her moans fill my ears and my body hums knowing I gave her that pleasure. She bucks up into me as my fingers continue to circle her, pushing her closer to her limit.

When she’s about to fall over the edge I plunge my erection into her, filling her with every inch of me. Her slick body responds as she wraps her legs tightly around my hips. I keep moving my fingers against her and she moans deeply before screaming my name, burying her face in my neck, and biting my shoulder, hard.

I absorb the blows she delivers, enjoying the sound of her so completely out of control. As soon as her shuddering slows, I push into her, feeling her body tighten against the intrusion.

She looks up to me, her eyes filled with sweet happiness and she lowers her hands to my ass, encouraging me to move into her. Her legs keep me pinned tight to her and her breathing speeds up with each thrust. She’s close to a second orgasm now and I want so desperately to hear her my name on her panting lips again.

I clench my body tight and hold back everything I have, adjusting my position against her legs slightly to push deeper inside her. The deeper I am able to go, the faster her breathing becomes, and the more she moans and digs her nails into me, pulling me closer to her. I increase my speed as she moves with me, screaming aloud.

When my name escapes her lips I drop my tension to allow my own release. I fill her, pressed deep inside her while she shudders under me, still coming down from her own orgasm.

The fog clears from my eyes and I look down to Brooke. She’s smiling up at me and reaches to brush a lock of hair from my forehead. Her legs are still wrapped tightly around me like she doesn’t want to let me go. The truth is, I don’t want her to.

I let my weight fall on her and breathe deeply against her neck, smelling the mix of her sweat, her coconut shampoo, and the intoxicating fuel of our fresh sex all over her.

Her legs drop after a few moments and I slide out of her, settling next to her. I pull her body against me, stroking her damp hair, and kiss her forehead. “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”

“Not too early, why?” I ask her, unsure why she’s talking about being apart right now.

“Do you want to stay for breakfast?”

CHAPTER THREE

Brooke

I lean over and peer out the window. From up here, the world looks so different. It’s peaceful, even with kids crying in the back. I look over to Paige who is sleeping peacefully. A part of me wishes I could snap a quick picture of her right now, to add to our collection of embarrassing shots of each other, but Paige looks so calm and peaceful.

I tried to sleep, but I can’t stop thinking about last night. It was everything I hoped it would be. I close my eyes and can still feel Tyler’s hands on me. God, when he kissed me I felt like I was breathing for the first time.

The speaker interrupts my thoughts as the flight attendant announces we will be landing soon. I push my tray table up and turn the clip to keep it in place. I nudge Paige and she stirs, slowly coming to.

I hand my cup to the flight attendant passing through the cabin and Paige pats down her wavy brown hair where she was lying on it. I look out the window again, watching the ground coming closer.