Linden: Rocking Pleasure: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 3) (40 page)

I swallow, but then I put my hands around his neck and pull him down so I can kiss him. When our lips find each other, we both utter a sigh of relief. I still have my reservations, and they won’t fade away so quickly, but I want to risk it anyway. I’m relatively sure that we will fail, but maybe Linden can prove me wrong after all.

Linden lifts me up and carries me back to his bed. While he still has me in his arms, I pull up his t-shirt, and I undress him the moment he lays me down on the bed.

We both fumble with each other’s jeans, until he chucks his off at the edge of the bed. Mine fly through the room, followed by my top and my bra. Then he leans over me and kisses me passionately, which I return with as much fire. My hands roam and explore his athletic body, follow the lines of his back muscles, ending on his firm butt, which is still covered by the borrowed boxers.

He breaks the kiss, rises up over me, and hooks his thumbs under the hem of my panties, which he pulls off as soon as I lift my legs for him. He kisses my left ankle, and then his lips move up my leg, trailing soft kisses until he reaches my inner thigh. He brings the tip of his tongue into play, which electrifies me, sending little flashes of lightning to my very core. I moan softly, and then more loudly as he reaches my labia and kisses them, too.

“
I love the way you taste,” he whispers, before burying his head between my thighs and laving my clit with his expert tongue.

I’m not turned on by dirty talk, so I don’t say anything; I merely revel in the sensation of his tongue on my most sensitive spot. Two of his fingers enter me, which makes me moan louder still. I claw at the sheets with closed eyes.

I’m so very much aroused that the lightest touch of the tip of his tongue makes the nerves in my thighs twitch violently. Just before I’m ready to explode, he pulls his head back and rises above me. “In the drawer,” is the only thing he gasps out.

I lean over and open the drawer on the nightstand next to the bed. There’s a box of condoms in there, and I quickly grab one and hand it to him. He tears it open and rolls the condom down over his penis. Then we lay back, and Linden thrusts into me before I can even take another breath. When his crotch brushes my overstimulated clit, I come immediately with a loud scream.

Linden freezes. “Jesus, you … careful, or you’ll break it,” he gasps and ceases to move, until my spasms have subsided.

“
I-I’m sorry,” I stammer as soon as I can catch my breath and find my voice.

He leans down and kisses me softly. When we lose ourselves in a passionate, tongue-dueling kiss, I can taste myself on his lips and tongue. His thrusts are hard and fast now, but that doesn’t bother me. I focus on approaching the now-familiar precipice all over again. I’m going to reach a climax and jump down that cliff a second time.

“
You’re so damn tight,” he growls, breaking our kiss for a brief moment.

I again capture his lips with mine and press against him. I want to feel every inch of his skin on mine. I wrap my legs around him so he can’t get away from me, and that allows him to thrust even more deeply into me.

Linden teases that special, sensitive spot deep within me, and I’m getting closer with ever thrust—until I finally explode with lust.

“
OH GOD, BABE
!” Linden screams out as he spends himself inside me.

Panting, he sinks down on top of me, caressing my cheek. After another kiss, he places his head in the hollow of my neck.

I draw up my legs and feel the aftershocks as I caress the back of his neck.

“
I’ve missed you so much,” he murmurs.

“
I’ve missed you, too,” I whisper back, basking in the heat his body radiates.

He places kisses on my neck and collarbone, and I shiver when his stubble tickles me there.

I close my eyes and can hardly believe what a relief it was to finally voice all my fears. Linden makes them all seem small and insignificant. It’s not the sex, but his words that have reassured and soothed me. He was as desperate, as hurt, and as insecure as I’ve been.

Maybe we’re the proverbial fools rushing in. Maybe we won’t make it. But until we know … I’m going to enjoy every single moment from now on.

Chapter 17

A week has passed since we decided we’re giving it another try. Gavin was released from hospital, my friends arrived in Austin, and finally my three weeks of genuine vacation started today.

“
Thally is here!” Camille calls out as she leads me out into Delsin’s backyard, or rather, his father’s.

“
Thally!” my assembled friends cheer from their various lounge chairs and towels strewn around the pool.

I smile as I step out into the glaring sun. They don’t know yet that Linden and I are back together, and I’ll only announce that when he has arrived, too. Tonight, he and his pals have another gig I want to attend. Maybe my large circle of friends will join me in the audience. I expect them to treat him like an enemy of the state, however—at least in the beginning.

“
Is everyone doing good?” I ask nobody in particular. A nod here, a “yes” there, and some don’t bother to answer, too busy jumping in the pool. With today’s scorching heat, I’m going to do the same thing later, that much is certain.

I undress down to my bikini and sit down with Cami in the shade. “Tell me, what have you been up to?” she asks. “Were you really that busy? You haven’t called in ages.”

“
Well, it was exhausting and sleepless, but I also had a great time.” I smile.

“
Nate told me Linden kept showing up. Is that the reason you didn’t get enough sleep?” she asks, not even hiding her curiosity.

I lean back and look over at Avery and Dahlia, who are playing basketball on a tiny hoop in the pool with Delsin and Hailey. “Thally?”

“
Huh?” I ask, after absent-mindedly shaking my head.

“
Is Linden’s sudden reappearance the reason?” Cami repeats.

Heat infuses my cheeks, and I put on my sunglasses so I won’t give anything away. “Maybe.”

“
What is that supposed to mean?” she prods. “You haven’t started seeing him again, have you?”

“
Cami, come on. We tried to tell you Delsin was no good for you, too, and now you’ve been with him for a whole year. I … I love Linden,” I confess with a smile, “and I know I won’t get any guarantee of a long-term relationship, but I’m determined to make the most of it for as long as it lasts. Okay?”

She sighs heavily. “Are you happy?”

“
Yes, he makes me happy, even though we can hardly go anywhere. We meet at my parents’ house or his rental. A few days ago, we were chased all over South Congress by a mob of screaming fans.”

“
Thally, I’ve seen you suffer for weeks,” Cami says, “and I don’t think you should have given him another chance, but I’ll be glad if you can prove me wrong.”

“
Maybe I made the wrong decision, but then at least I’ll have the memories of the good times. There are worse things than a relationship gone sour, and even though the last few weeks were horrible, they also formed me. You know?”

“
I’m just surprised you can be this positive again all of a sudden,” she muses.

I throw her a searching glance. “I’m happy, Cami, that’s all.”

She leans over and hugs me tightly. “Then I’m happy for you as well, despite everything.”

“
Thank you, honey.”

The doorbell rings, and I’m surprised we can hear it back here. Must be cranked up to eleven.

“
That should be him,” I say. “He said he’d drop by after they’re done with the sound check.”

“
All right, then let me get the door,” Cami says.

“
I’m coming with you.”

We rise and walk through the house to the front door. Linden stands on the porch with a bouquet of flowers, which has me confused. Is there something he has to make up for?

“
Hi, Cami.” He smiles and holds out the flowers. “I thought I needed to bring something to curry favor after all the bad things she must have told you about me when she was upset.”

Cami blushes. “Thank you.” She looks at the arrangement of flowers. “Bluebonnets, Neem, and Rosinweed. That’s pretty.”

“
And very Texan,” I acknowledge. “I bet you went to that hippie florist on Guadalupe Avenue to get real wildflowers.”

“
Got me. I thought that, as a farm girl, she’d know what’s what.” He grins. “And by the way, hi, babe.” He greets me with a kiss.

“
We should go back to the yard, and I would advise you to show your happiness like that, otherwise Delsin and Ave might come charging right out of the pool to beat you up again,” Cami tells Linden with a deadpan expression.

“
We’ll take care of that, don’t worry,” I hasten to say, after I notice Linden’s shocked glance. I struggle not to giggle, because I don’t want to further increase his insecurity.

He holds my hand in a firm grip. “Okay, let’s go. I have some practice being an enemy of the state.”

We cross the house and walk outside hand in hand. Of course all my friends stare with bewilderment or disbelief, but none of them says anything bad.

“
Hey, Linden,” Delsin greets him with a skeptical look. He climbs the pool ladder and gets out.

“
Hi.”

“
Uh … No hard feelings … I mean, uh … ” Delsin shrugs and mimes a punch in the air.

Linden nods briefly. “No worries, I deserved it.”

“
No, really. I wanted to give you a few more, but I was held back … ” Delsin grins and then looks at me. “So what’s the deal? All quiet on the Western front?”

I nod slowly. “I think so.”

“
I don’t think I’ll ever understand you. They should really offer classes for that,” he says with a smirk.

“
Delsin, I’ll give you extra credit for attending ‘How to Understand Thalia Leroux 101,’” I say with a wink. “But I doubt you’ll ever be a straight-A student.”

Cami, Linden, Delsin, and I burst into laughter.

“
If I wanted to trump you, I’d need to attend ‘Sarcastic Repartee 101’ instead,” Delsin says teasingly.

“
Or you could be homeschooled by your girlfriend, who definitely knows how to keep you on your feet,” I answer with a sweet smile. The sun is already making my skin tingle. “I need some shade.”

Linden follows me to a set of lounge chairs, and I sit down on one of them. He takes off his shirt and jeans and then sits down behind me. “Did you put on sunscreen when you got here?” he asks under his breath.

“
Yes, I did. But maybe you could reapply it on my back?” I plead. “My sunscreen is right there in my bag.”

It doesn’t take more than ten seconds before I feel the cooling lotion on my back. Linden spreads it with soft, loving motions of his hands.

When he’s done, he kisses my neck. “Can you do the same for me, please?”

“
It would be a pleasure.” I grin, and we trade places.

I rub the sunscreen on his back and notice how tense and cramped some of his muscles are. I lean close to him and whisper into his ear, “Do you want a massage?”

“
Ooh, do you know how to do that?”

“
Yes, I do. At least, nobody has complained about my skills yet.” I chuckle.

“
Linden?” Ave calls over.

“
Right here,” he says.

“
How about a game of basketball? Guys versus girls?”

“
How about after I’ve gotten my massage?” Linden counters cheerfully.

“
Nope,” my friends answer in unison.

“
There’s more men than women,” I interrupt, “so we get your two tallest players.”

“
That would be unfair,” Delsin complains.

“
Why? Ave, Thierry, and you are the tallest ones,” I laugh, before turning to Linden. “Do you even want to play?”

“
If you give me that massage after the gig tonight,” he barters.

“
Does that mean you want to take your most fervent groupie to your room?” I joke, batting my eyelashes at him. “Then I can give you so much more than a massage.”

Linden jumps up and races into the water. I look at his eagerly retreating back and make a face. “Man … ” Then I rise and follow him slowly.

“
Come on, Thally,” Draven yells from the deep end.

“
I expect we’ll break a few bones each,” I giggle as I climb into the water. “This pool is more like a can of sardines.”

“
Stop being such a worrier,” Cami laughs, which I answer with a snort. “All right, Ave and Thierry are on our team, yes?”

“
Yeah!” Hailey, Dale, and I cheer.

“
I’ll be calling you the Morrison sisters from now on,” Delsin teases the two tallest players.

Everyone laughs raucously, and I laugh with them. While funny, it’s not fitting at all. Avery plays football, and Thierry boxes. I wouldn’t want to cross either one of them, because they could both beat me to a pulp without any effort. But of course they’re real gentlemen with women. Boyfriend material, really, just not for me. Because I fancy guys like Linden … ever since I met Linden. Before him, I used to like blond guys with a friendly smile and a lot of bad-boy attitude, but I guess my current taste in men might serve me better.