Summer Break (Love Nibbles Book 4) Read online

  The seventh inning started, but Eric couldn’t focus on the game anymore. He was aware of every movement Brianne made, every time she shifted or coughed. He watched her examine her manicured fingernails and click her tongue when they didn’t meet her satisfaction. She pulled her skirt even higher and cocked her hip so she could examine a mosquito bite high on her thigh. After scratching it, she flipped the skirt down.

  Eric tore his gaze away and fought the resurgence of his erection.

  “You want something to eat?” he asked halfway through the inning.

  “No. I’m fine, thanks. But I do need to use your bathroom.” She left the room, which seemed much larger without her in it. The background noise from the TV and the straining motor of the air conditioner in the window filled the quiet.

  When Brianne returned, she picked up the remote and clicked off the TV, walked over to Eric’s chair and stood in front of him, arms folded.

  “What?” He looked up to meet her steady gaze, disadvantaged by his seated position. He was also completely unable to keep his attention from wandering to her breasts, which jutted above her crossed arms. He remembered exactly what they’d looked, felt and tasted like last night.

  “This is dumb,” she said. “I’m attracted to you. You’re attracted to me. It’s ridiculous to ignore it and not do anything about it because of Josh. It’s unacceptable.”

  “Unacceptable?”

  “Yes. I refuse to accept it. Summer is almost half over, and I refuse to spend it acting like a nun.” She leaned down and, before he could think or speak, kissed him.

  He’d thought it would be easier to reject her when he was sober. Wrong!

  Soft and searching, her lips moved against his. His mouth automatically opened to kiss her back. Her tongue tickled his lower lip and his slipped out to meet it without hesitation. The warm, slippery caress of tongues set a low burning heat to his groin. When she pulled away, his lips tingled as if from a low voltage shock.

  Brianne’s hands were braced on the arms of the chair, trapping him. Her brown eyes glowed. “Just so you have no doubt about it, I’m not drunk tonight. I know exactly what I’m doing and what I want. And I think you want it too.”

  Eric gave in. He stopped fighting the attraction he’d felt since the first moment he’d ever seen her. He blocked all thoughts of Josh, friendship, betrayal, guilt, and sprang into action. He grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap.

  Her knees wedged on either side of him and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him with strawberry lips and a minty tongue. Had she used his toothbrush or her finger? He explored the terrain of her mouth, wanting to discover every bit of her inside and out. She purred a satisfied, “Mmm.” He kissed her neck, licking her throat and tasting salt. She was a feast of flavors.

  His kisses followed the column of her throat to her collarbones. Pulling the thin strap of her tank top off her shoulder, he admired the uninterrupted curve and stroked lightly with his fingertips. He pressed kisses to her shoulder, chest and every bit of exposed skin his mouth encountered.

  Brianne’s fingers dug into his shoulders like a cat kneading its claws in pleasure. She pulled away to strip off her tank leaving her clad only in a bra that scooped low to show off a lot of cleavage. The material was so sheer her aureoles and pebbled nipples were clearly visible through it.

  “Okay. Continue,” she commanded.

  He smiled—Brianne’s bossiness was both annoying and endearing—and returned to his licking and nuzzling.. He traced the outline of her bra with his mouth, then sucked her nipples through the fabric, taking a moment to enjoy their dark shapes pressed against the sheer material like a nude body seen through a fogged shower door. He took her hand and moved his lips over the sensitive inner flesh of her forearm, little nibbling kisses that made her gasp. He sucked on the pulse point in her wrist, and she made a soft, needy sound. He pressed a kiss in the center of her hand, then lightly sucked on each finger, rolling his tongue over the pads as if tasting a delicacy.

  “Holy shit,” she murmured.

  He glanced at her from under his brows as he sucked her pinky. Her eyes were wide. “I’ve never felt anything like that.”

  Eric released her little finger with a smack and smiled at her reaction. Nice to know he could surprise unshockable Brianne.

  His hands spanned her rib cage, and he lifted her off his lap before rising from the chair. They stood close together, face to face, breathing, wanting. He felt as if they’d been traveling toward this moment for a long time, even though he’d never actually expected to get here.

  “Time for bed,” he whispered.

  She nodded and wrapped her arms around him, snuggling against his chest. Their moist skin stuck together in the hot room. He walked her backward toward the hide-a-bed and laid her across it. The frame creaked and he wondered if it would hold up when they really got moving.

  He stood, entranced at the sight of Brianne lying on the same bed where he’d dreamed of her on so many nights. She gazed at him with heavy-lidded eyes, her lips parted. He leaned over to pull her skirt off her hips, and she lifted her ass to help. She removed her bra and now she lay nude but for her barely-there panties.

  Eric ran his hands idly up and down her body, feeling the texture as if reading Braille with his fingertips. So beautiful and so incredibly real, no longer just his fantasy. He molded her breasts in his palms before sliding down the bumps of her rib cage and over her flat stomach. His hands grazed over her crotch and he slipped a finger beneath the scrap of silky material, exploring until he found her clit. He brushed the erect bud and Brianne gasped.

  He couldn’t get enough of the sight of her blissful expression and knowing he’d put it there. He kept circling her clit, his touch feather light, making her reach for it. Her pelvis lifted off the bed as she tried to maintain contact with his teasing finger.

  “Stop screwing around,” she whined.

  He smiled and slipped his fingers between her folds, pushing them into her hot, wet channel. He drew moisture to her clit and swirled around and over it, provoking a deeper moan that made his cock ache to plunge into her.

  But he would take it slowly and savor this experience, since he doubted it would ever happen again. He removed his hand from her underwear and smoothed it up her belly to her breasts, toyed with her nipples, pinching and pulling them until she whimpered.

  “Come here.” She tugged on him, and he moved to lie between her legs at last, his erection pressing against her. He longed rip off his shorts, tear off her panties and impale her in one strong thrust. Instead, he rocked slowly, enjoying the sensation of skin gliding over skin and inhaling deeply the intoxicating scent of her flesh.

  She ran her palms down his bare back then drew her nails up and down, sending shivers through him. Then her hands slid under the waistband of his shorts, gripping his ass, encouraging his thrusting. He kissed her, tongue plunged into her mouth the way his cock wished to, and he didn’t know how much longer he could hold back.

  Brianne suddenly pushed against his chest, wrapped her ankle around his calf and flipped him onto his back. She straddled him and smiled down at him. “You think you’ve got a talented mouth? You’re not the only one with skills.”

  She latched onto his chest just above his nipple, sucking hard enough to leave a red mark. Then she flicked her tongue over his nipple and nipped it sharply.

  Eric sucked a breath between his teeth. This was exactly how he’d imagined Brianne would be in bed, a little rough and controlling, but soft and yielding too.

  She kissed across his chest then licked and bit his other nipple before moving slowly down his torso to the waistband of his shorts. He caught his breath in anticipation as she pulled them down his hips. His cock sprang free like an escaping prisoner.

  Eric closed his eyes and focused on not coming the moment she touched him. “Fuck,” he muttered when she took him in her warm hand.

  “Watch,” she commanded.

  He opened his
eyes and looked down.

  Brianne stared at him with glittering eyes. One perfectly manicured hand encircled his cock. Her lips pursed in a Playboy pout as she lowered it to kiss the head of his cock. Then she opened her mouth and sucked him into wet heat. The sight of her glossy pink lips stretched around him and the powerful sucking was almost too much to bear. His urgency grew. He lifted toward her hands and mouth. “Stop,” he begged after only a few moments.

  She let him go and crawled up his body, smirking. “You’re ready?”

  Eric growled. “You know I am.”

  He flipped her onto her back. She gave a startled shriek and laughed as he pinned her. He leaned over to reach the end table where he had condoms stashed.

  “She stripped off her panties while he scrabbled through the drawer until he felt a square package. He rose to his knees and ripped open the foil. The head of his cock was a violent shade of purplish-red and already weeping pre-come as he rolled on the latex.

  “You keep condoms in your living room?”

  “It’s my bedroom right now.” He resumed his position on top of her, then stopped with his cock nudging her entrance. “You’re sure?”

  “Yes. Very sure.” Her tone was firm, and she wore her “what Brianne wants, she gets” expression.

  He eased inside. When her tight heat surrounded him, it was all he could do not to go wild and starting rutting like an animal. He hadn’t had sex since Amanda last fall. Besides, Brianne was his long cherished fantasy come true. He was living a dream that was very solid and real at last.

  He entered slow and easy, pulled out just as slowly, and pressed again. He took a steadying breath. His body quivered with the need to thrust hard, but he maintained control.

  Brianne rose to meet him, grabbed his ass and pulled him deeper. “It’s okay,” she gasped. “You don’t have to be so careful with me.”

  Her words released him. He pushed harder, deeper and faster. The sound of his grunts, her cries and their bodies slamming together rose above the rattle of the air conditioner. He thrust as if trying to batter through the door of a fortress, finally pushing so hard Brianne cried out and thrashed beneath him. At first he thought he’d hurt her, but one glance at her blissful expression let him know she was coming, not protesting.

  Eric plunged into her until he his balls drew tight, and his cock released. Waves of pleasure surged through him as his body shuddered. When his climax was over, he collapsed on her, heart pounding. Or maybe it was Brianne’s heart. Hard to tell where he left off and she began. Their flesh was fused together by sweat, and he never wanted to peel apart.

  He nuzzled his nose into the crook of her shoulder and breathed her in as his breathing slowed and steadied. A pricking of tears made his eyes itch. That had been one fucking powerful orgasm. Cathartic. He felt more relaxed and at peace than he had in a really long time.

  She finger combed the damp hair at the nape of his neck and gave a soft, contented sound. “That was amazing.”

  In answer, he kissed her neck.

  The lay fused together by sweat and exhaustion for another few moments before Eric finally rolled off. He lay on his side, stroking a hand over her belly, his head turned toward her on the pillow.

  Brianne’s hair was a tangled mass across the other pillow. She reached out to touch his chest with her hand. Eric grabbed it and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

  “Thank you.” His voice was hoarse.

  She frowned at him. “Are you choked up?”

  “No.”

  Her eyes opened wide. “You are!”

  He cleared his throat. “No, I’m not. It’s just been a long time and it felt really good.”

  Brianne laughed, the full-bodied chuckle he adored. “You’re emotional jelly, a secret tender-hearted romantic. If that’s what a sexual drought does for a guy, men should try it more often. The sex was amazing. In fact, I think—”

  He covered her mouth with his hand, stifling her chatter, then rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom to clean up

  He brought her a damp washcloth and a glass of water she gulped down. Her hair was plastered to her red face. The air conditioner wasn’t keeping up with the heat they’d generated in the apartment. But despite the heat, he spooned her on the saggy sofa-bed, drawing the sheet over both of them.

  In the quiet time after sex, guilt escaped from the closet where he’d locked it, and settled over him. He was desperate not to think about how he’d just screwed over his best friend. “How are things going with your dad and step-mom?”

  Her shoulder lifted and fell. “My stepmom moved out. Dad took off for a ‘business trip’ to Europe, so I’m on my own for the last month before I leave for college. The usual bullshit.” She kept her tone light, but he could feel her sadness. Brianne wasn’t as tough as she pretended to be.

  Eric thought about his mom moving to Arizona with that asshole Derrick and leaving him with Carl. “Happy families are a myth.”

  “For fucking sure.” Her voice was choked and her swallow audible.

  He stroked her bare arm and kissed the back of her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

  “Doesn’t matter. I’ll be gone soon anyhow, and I’ve got my dad’s credit card to keep me company for the rest of the summer. I think it’s time for a new wardrobe and about twenty pairs of new shoes.”

  Eric looked around the crappy apartment, which always smelled of old pizza and mildew and thought about what a struggle it was for him and Carl to simply pay the rent on this roach trap. A shit ton of money would go a long way toward easing the pain of losing your parents.

  She rolled over to face him. “It’s not like I care or anything.” Her tone was bright, but her bottom lip trembled. “But wouldn’t you think... I mean, I was ready to help my dad through this, to be his shoulder to cry on or whatever. But I came home from a spa day with my girlfriends and his bags were packed. The taxi was already on its way. That’s all the heads up he gave me. ‘Here’s a credit card, honey, and goodbye.’” She blinked. “If I hadn’t come home right then, he would’ve just left, maybe remembered to text me from the airport if I was lucky. God, that’s so wrong! It’s like my mom all over again.”

  Eric nodded and rubbed gentle circles on her stomach. Brianne’s mom had left when she was twelve and only rarely called. Maybe money didn’t help take the edge off the pain after all. “I’m sorry,” he repeated.

  “And then fucking Josh is gone too. It’s just too much.” She rubbed her hand over her eyes and rolled over, presenting her back to him.

  “I know.” He wrapped his arm around her and held her tight.

  Brianne shuddered in his arms. “God, I didn’t mean to cry like a little bitch. I hate that.”

  He nuzzled his mouth into her hair. “It’s okay. I cried when my mom left.”

  She laughed through her tears. “Hah! I knew you were a crybaby.”

  Eric nipped her shoulder. “Bitch.”

  “Wuss.”

  He couldn’t think of another name for her besides “amazing goddess” so he fell silent. The room was quiet, the girl in his arms soft and warm, and his body so used and relaxed he thought he would melt into the mattress.

  “Thanks.” Brianne’s voice startled him awake. “I really needed this tonight.”

  “Me, too.” But what happens now?

  She almost echoed his thought aloud. “What are you going to do, Eric? Josh and I are leaving. What are you going to do next?”

  “Come back here in twenty years and I’ll probably still be living in this dump with my brother.” It came out more bitter than he meant it to.

  “You don’t have to stay here, you know. You could move to a new city and try something else.”

  “So I’d end up in a different dump with a different crappy job?”

  “Or you could just keep moping like a big baby,” she said dryly.

  “Give me your dad’s credit card and maybe I’ll stop.”

  “What a whiner! I like you better when you’re silent
and stoic.”

  He laughed. It was impossible to stay annoyed with her. She was too damn cute. “And I like you better when you use your mouth for something besides talking.”

  He rolled her over and kissed her, not pulling away until she was breathless and nearly speechless.

  “Talking is overrated,” she gasped. “I always thought your quietness was kind of peaceful, especially compared to...” She trailed off without speaking Josh’s name, but it hung in the air between them. “Anyway, you don’t say a lot, but when you do it’s usually worth listening to. I like that.”

  He’d had no idea she thought about him even that much. It felt good to know she cared about his opinions.

  They resumed their spoon positions, and this time when Eric fell sleep he didn’t wake until long after midnight when Brianne nudged him awake to tell him she was going home.

  “Your brother just got here,” she whispered. “He kind of creeps me out. I think he was standing there looking at us before I woke up. Yuck! See ya later.”

  “Okay. Later.”

  After she left, he felt an aching loss of her in his arms. He scooted over into the warm impression her body had left on the bed. He couldn’t go back to sleep. His brain had opened for business again, reminding him he was a rotten, disloyal, slimy, back-stabbing person. Josh had offered friendship to him when no one else had, soon after being abandoned by his mom and utterly alone in a strange world. Sure, Josh liked having a follower he could coerce into doing just about anything, but he was also a loyal friend who would never betray Eric as Eric had just done to him.

  When he closed his eyes, all he could see was Josh’s open, trusting face. If he and Brianna kept their mouths shut, Josh never had to know. The three of them would go their separate ways in the fall with no one hurt or friendships destroyed. If a tree fell in the forest and no one heard it, did it still make a sound?