Stuck With You Read online

  Sure, I’ve gotten erections with other girls I’ve dated, but it never felt right. We never went further than kissing. With Everly, I always feel like I’m on cloud nine. My heart races, my palms sweat, and I can never stop staring at her lips. They are so damn beautiful; they drive me to the edge of madness with that little cupid’s bow forming on the top lip, readying to shoot its love straight through me.

  It doesn’t even need to. I’m shot. I’m a goner. There’s no hope for me. I’m drowning in my love for her.

  We drive in silence, the windows rolled down, and the occasional waft of her pear-scented perfume drifts to me. I’ve always loved that smell. Everly unbuckles her seatbelt, slides herself to the middle, and lays her head on my shoulder. “Thank you for doing what you did back there,” she says.

  “You don’t have to thank me. No one messes with my girl,” I say it to sound like I’m teasing, but I’ve always viewed her as my girl. Whether it be my best friend or my soulmate, she’s mine. And I know she has to feel it too.

  “I’m glad. I don’t want to think about what would have happened if you weren’t there.”

  “You never have to worry about that, Everly. I’ll always be here.” I take her hand and bring the soft palm to my lips, giving it a kiss before intertwining our fingers and placing them on my lap.

  Damn, it feels right.

  I turn onto a dirt road that only locals know about. It doesn’t even have a street name because it isn’t supposed to exist. The truck bobs, hitting all the divots, potholes, and bumps. Everly laughs as she slides back and forth across the leather seat. And I wrap my arm around her when we hit a big one to hold her securely next to me. She could have hit her head on the window.

  “I thought I told you to put on your seatbelt. You’re going to hurt yourself.” I scold her, but all she does is giggle. “I’m serious, Everly.”

  “You’re such a worry-wart. I’m fine.”

  I put the truck in park and shut off the engine before stretching my arm over the seat. “It’s only because I care.”

  “I know.” She doesn’t argue. Instead, she puts her head on my shoulder again as we stare out at the overlook.

  It’s gorgeous. The night sky is dark with a blue hue, and the stars are so bright and shine by the millions. The Spokane city lights twinkle below us. Another soft breeze comes through the windows, teasing me with another waft of pear.

  I’d be content sitting with her here forever because it’s so peaceful. I’m not sure how much time passes, but her hand on my thigh brings me back to the present. I swallow and tilt my eyes down to see her thumb swiping back and forth on my inner thigh.

  It’s nothing. Don’t freak out.

  But then her hand drifts up, and she rubs her thumb right below where my cock is. If she keeps it there much longer, she is going to feel how hard my cock is. I try to take a few deep breaths, but by now, she can sense the change in me.

  I look over and see her staring up at me with big, emerald eyes that are glossed over with lust. “What are you doing?” My voice cracks. I clear my throat. I want to curse. I sound like I hit puberty all over again.

  “I don’t know.” She moves her head closer to me until her lips are just an inch away. I can feel the warm puffs of air ghosting over my mouth. It’s an aphrodisiac.

  “We shouldn’t.” It’s a poor protest, but something in the back of my mind screams at us to stop. This can ruin our friendship, but isn’t this exactly what I want?

  Her eyes move from mine to my lips. “I know, but I’m tired of fighting it, Rowan. I want my first time to be with you. I want all my firsts with you.”

  It’s my undoing. I grab her by the hips and lift her onto my lap. Her dress rides up, and the small strap of the dress falls off her shoulder. I cup her cheek, and she leans into my touch like it’s the best feeling she has ever felt. I bring her forward and lick my lips. There’s no more hesitancy. I take what’s meant to be mine.

  I sigh deeply, feeling how soft her mouth is. My body becomes weightless as if I’m floating, as I kiss the only woman I’ve ever loved. I can tell she is inexperienced with how she kisses me back with so much uncertainty, but it drives home that she saved this for me. All of it. I relish in it. I treasure it.

  She rocks against me and whimpers as she grinds herself down onto my cock, still covered by my jeans. A hunger like no other rips through me, and I growl as I push my tongue inside her mouth, dancing it over hers. I increase the pressure, taking her lips harder. I can’t control myself. I have to touch every inch of her skin, or my entire world will be over. I will die if I can’t see my fingers running over her milky skin.

  Our lips break apart as she yanks my shirt over my head. I push my hands up her dress, torso, and breasts, until I’m tossing the purple material in the backseat. We stare at each other, both of us gasping for air. Her lips are red and swollen from our kiss. I’ve never seen her look more beautiful.

  Her hands ghost down my body, and those green eyes leave mine as they take in what she is touching. She runs her fingers over the ridges of my abs, and I moan from how amazing it feels to feel her touch. I’m not dreaming this. I’m not hoping. This isn’t some fantasy. It’s real life. I hardly know what to make of it, but I’m on cloud nine. That I do know.

  I push my fingers under the straps of her lace bra and push them down her arms. Her cheeks are red, and a small smile teases my lips. She’s shy.

  “You’re so beautiful, Everly. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” I lean forward and take her mouth again, plummeting my tongue between her lips as I take her bra off. Once it’s off, I settle against the seat again and take in the goddess sitting on top of me.

  Her breasts are the perfect handful, with small, pink nipples that are begging for attention. I run my hands over her shoulders and chest, cupping her soft mounds. Everly tosses her head back and rocks against my straining cock as a luscious moan escapes her throat.

  The reality of what we are doing hits me hard. She has no idea that I’m a virgin, too. I hope I can make this good for her because I don’t have a clue about what to do. I just let my instincts take over. I pull her closer to me, pushing her breast into my mouth, and she rocks against me faster. I can feel how wet she is through the flimsy pair of panties. Her juices soak my jeans, and if she keeps it up, she is going to make me come before I can get inside her.

  And that just won’t do for me.

  I flip her over until she is lying across the seat, long hair fanned around her. Her nails rake down my chest, and the sting makes me gasp.

  “I’ve wanted you for so long, Rowan,” she whispers as her shaky hands go to the button on my jeans. She swallows when the button comes undone and lowers the zipper.

  I’m not wearing underwear, never do, and my cock bobs free, leaking a stream of pre-come until it drips onto her stomach. Her cheeks blaze a bright cherry red, but she pushes her nerves aside and wraps her small hand around my aching flesh.

  “Everly,” I whisper and push my pants the rest of the way down. I kick them off, and they fall to the floorboard. I want to do so much with her. I want to feast on her entire body. I want to feel her lips around my shaft, but maybe next time. There is too much tension, too much build up. I have to have her now.

  I reach for the glove compartment and search for the box of condoms I threw in there the other day. I don’t know why I got them, but it’s better to be safe, and I’m so glad I did because the dream is literally laying underneath me.

  Finally. The box. I take it out and open it, pouring the three condoms out onto the floor. I grab one and tear it from the rest. Let me see if I remember how to do this correctly. God, what if I fuck up like a fool? I take a deep breath, calm and collected, and sheath my cock in latex.

  “Rowan, I’ve never done this before,” she says. “And you’re really big.”

  I curl myself over her, arms bracing her head. I run my fingers through her hair and take her lips in a soft kiss. I try and pour everything I fee
l into it. How much I care, love, and adore her. When we break free, she is breathless again, and I lay my palms on her cheeks and stare into her eyes.

  “If you don’t want to do this, we won’t, but I’ll try and make it the best I can for you. If you want to stop, tell me. And we will.”

  “I’ve only wanted you, Rowan. Just go slow, okay?”

  “Like I’d ever rush this with you,” I smile in a soft, admiring tone.

  She wraps her arms around me and spreads her legs to the side. I look down and grab the base of my cock with my fist, guiding it to her virgin entrance. The heat from her pussy sears the tip of my cock. I snap my head back up when I’m finally situated against her hole. Sweat drips down my temples, from nerves and anticipation, and I wait for her to tell me it’s okay.

  She gives a small, nervous nod.

  My heart thumps against my chest. I hope she can’t hear it, but it’s all I can hear as I push my way inside her virgin heat. My eyes nearly cross, and the edges of my vision fade to black with how amazing she feels. I never thought it could be like this. And with anyone else, I don’t think it would.

  I hit the barrier. That thin wall is the only thing keeping me from being as deep and as close as I can ever be. And I don’t want to be rough. I don’t want to cause her pain. I bring my lips to hers again, hoping it will take her mind off of the next second. I push my tongue between her lips at the same time I thrust forward, ripping past the one thing in this world that is now forever mine.

  I groan into her mouth when I’m fully seated within her. She is whimpering beneath me. I pull back from our kiss and see her eyes watering. I hurt her. I did something wrong. I try and pull away, but she wraps her legs around me, keeping me inside her tight channel.

  “Stay. It stings, but it’ll fade. I know it’s hard to tell, but this is the best feeling in the world—being close to you.” Her hand lays flat against my heart, and there’s no more hiding how hard my heart is thumping.

  I place my hand over hers covering my heart. “It’s the only feeling that matters.”

  The smile she gives me melts any worries I have that say this doesn’t feel good.

  “Move,” she says.

  I gulp, and for the first time in my life, I slide my cock out and back in. Slowly at first, but I start a good rhythm, and our skin slaps together, echoing in the cab of the truck. I lay my forehead on her chest, and my hands fondle her breasts as I moan.

  “Rowan,” she whispers my name, breathless.

  It gives me fuel. I speed up, hitting the deepest, most untouched parts of her.

  “Rowan!” she cries, scrapping her nails down my back.

  I look up in time to see her worrying her lip, before her eyes roll to the back of her head, and her pussy clenches around my cock. A gush of hot liquid drips down my sack, and it makes me fall over the edge. I thrust once, twice, three times, until I’m filling the condom with my come.

  I roll to the side and take her with me, manoeuvring our bodies, so my cock doesn’t slip out. I’m not ready to leave her yet. I kiss her shoulder, up her neck, until she turns her head to meet my lips.

  This is it. This is all that matters. Tomorrow, when we wake up, I’m going to tell her I’m going to follow her to NYU, so we can be together.

  We settle in the seat, and she rests her head against my shoulders, filling my lungs with the pear scent that I love so much.

  “I love you, Everly,” I say, but the silence in return and steady breaths lets me know she has already fallen asleep. I wrap my arms around her and hold her close, feeling complete.

  Until I wake up the next morning, sun shining through my windows. A cold spot where she is supposed to be. No note. No text. No nothing. She left me, and my worst fear has come to life.

  And I don’t think I can ever forgive her for leaving me like this.

  Chapter 1

  Rowan

  Two years later…

  Everything is almost packed.

  Almost everything. I sigh and open the drawer I haven’t opened since coming to Berkeley two years ago. My heart clenches as I see the picture of Everly and I. It’s framed in silver, simple, nothing too fancy, but looking at it now…

  We were in love, and we had no idea. I swipe my thumb over her face, getting rid of the built-up dust that has collected over the years.

  Her long brown hair is blowing in the wind, and she has a huge smile on her face. I’m leaning against my truck, smiling along with her. It was a perfectly timed photo. A butterfly had just landed on her nose, and Blaire tried to capture the moment, but the butterfly flew away, and apparently it tickled Everly’s nose. It’s why she was laughing.

  Me? I’m smiling because she’s so damn happy. It’s my favorite photo in the entire world. I might not have seen it in two years because I tossed it in the drawer to be out of sight and out of mind, but I’ve memorized every inch of that picture. I know it by heart. I don’t need to look at it to know the feeling it gives me.

  It guts me to this day with how she left things. I’m still angry. I still hold resentment. I’ve never experienced a night like what she and I shared at eighteen. Sure, I’ve been with other women since then, but none of them hold a candle to Everly.

  I hate that I miss her, but what I miss more is our friendship. I miss climbing into her bedroom window and watching Grey’s Anatomy. I never told her, but even though I gave her so much shit for liking it, I ended up loving it and still watch it. I’m hooked. But I refuse to tell anyone. That would be a lifetime of jokes if my guy friends ever found out.

  “Hey man, you almost ready?” my roommate Gray asks as he leans against the doorframe.

  “Yeah, just give me a minute.”

  He nods, walking back out to the common area where all the TVs and stuff are. Gray was done packing this morning, but I’ve been putting it off every second I could, just so I wouldn’t find this photo. I guess I could have left it and not opened the drawer, but I’d hate it if I left it behind, even though I’m angry at her.

  The only person I can talk to these days is Gray Jones, my best friend for the last two years. Gray is also dropping out of college with me to help run the accounting app he and I created together. It has already made over a million dollars. For a couple of kids who don’t know much about anything, we considered that a win and decided to open a headquarters to have a home base.

  But in order to do that, we have to leave college, so we are. And if I ever need to go back to school, I will. And I plan on it one day. Our app is similar to PayPal or Venmo, except when you log in, you pay a base fee, and get all the tax advice, financial services, and accountants you can think of right then and there. It’s personalized, and we have already helped so many people that the app exploded overnight, and now we have five dozen employees to help with the influx of customers, and it’s still growing every day. We just got a massive round of venture funding, allowing us to truly take that next step. To become not just a start-up, but a major financial firm in our own right. All our hard work is finally paying off.

  The one person who I wish I could tell, I can’t. I’d love to tell Everly my plan, but she has never once messaged me back. I tried every day for six months after the night we had sex. That includes phone calls, voicemails, emails, and texts. Maybe I went overboard, but I missed my best friend, and I wanted answers.

  I never got them, though. It was hard to take a hint, but I finally got it. She didn’t want me, so I stopped trying. And a year and a half later, I still haven’t heard a word from her. I don’t know what happened; I don’t know what made her think to do what she did because it was so out of character. Thinking about it still shocks me and makes me feel that morning all over again like it just happened.

  Abandoned in the woods, after having bared my soul to the woman I love.

  Anger replaces sadness, and I toss the photo in the suitcase and zip it up. It’s time to officially leave all the heartache and bullshit behind me here at Berkeley. I’m starting a new life with
my friend Gray, and all my focus needs to be on the company, not some girl.

  But she isn’t some girl. She’s the girl.

  Fuck! I want to scream. I’m so tired of her being on my mind.

  “Dude, are you ready yet? Did you pack all your panties? I’m not sure what’s taking so long.” Gray bounces on the heels of his feet, impatient as always. He’s wearing his typical outfit, pastel shirt with khaki shorts and Sperrys. He’s your typical frat, boy except he wasn’t ever in a frat.

  His blonde hair is slicked back and parted to perfection, and his blue eyes shine with excitement. He is like a kid in a candy store, and he isn’t even in our store yet. The man lives off anticipation.

  “I’m ready, jeez. Stop getting your panties in a twist.” I take the handle to my suitcase and start to the door.

  “I’m so excited to see Spokane. I did some research, and it has a small-town vibe to it. It has prime property overlooking mountains. I made an appointment with a real estate agent to show us around. I figured we can talk to a construction crew after we buy a plot of land. What do you think?”

  “I think you’re five steps ahead, like you always are,” I say to him as I turn off the light and shut the door. I don’t bother looking back toward the room where I spent all my nights creating this app to try and forget about Everly. That’s what this company was started on. That anger, pain, and constant attempts to put her behind me.

  I had no idea my heartache would take me here. Owner and CEO of LifeRight Financial. I guess I really have to thank her for what she did, or I wouldn’t be where I am today.

  “Someone has to be prepared.” Gray claps his hands together. “We have a few hours before our flight leaves. How about we have one last hurrah before leaving?”

  “That’s what last night was for, and the previous night, and the night before that,” I say with a smile. Gray loves to party and find any reason to celebrate. He even partied and celebrated a test he failed one time because ‘that’s life, and I love life’. His exact words.