Isaac laughed a little when she shifted them around but rested his hands on her lower back, continuing the long, languid kisses that she didn’t seem to have an intention to break off. He brought one hand up to brush some of her hair back behind her ear and cupped her face.
Once again she snuggled her face into his hand, revelling in the warmth of it, in the sense of skin against skin. Heat lined each vein and artery, much more strongly than before. Drawing back the tiniest amount, Summer murmured, “Isaac?”
Isaac smiled down at her, brushing their lips together before countering with, “Summer?” He smiled at her, feeling open and happy.
Another kiss, and another, one arm encircling his neck, fingers playing with his hair. She made little sounds of pleasure, pressing herself more strongly against him. She mouthed her way along his jawline to whisper in his ear, “I want you,” before biting his earlobe.
“Who the fuck are you?” the man growled at the curly-haired teen. “It’s none of your business what I do with what’s mine.” Summer’s shoulders tensed at the words, though she wasn’t quite sure why — Jesse couldn’t blackmail her concerning Isaac, because Isaac already knew. And this was part of why she wanted a bodyguard, right? But it was hard to break the habit of months of control.
Pushing the door open, she stepped inside, Jesse pointedly right on her heels. “He’s helping me with some of my papers,” she lied.
Jesse sneered, glancing at Isaac. “Uh-huh. I told you not to see anyone. Don’t make me do it, Summer. It’ll be your fault if he gets hurt, because you couldn’t do what you were told.”
Isaac had a very low tolerance for stupid, irritating people and this Jesse guy was doing a fantastic job of climbing his way to the top of that list. “You can’t own people,” he said, crossing his arms and looking at him. “She’s not yours. You can’t control her. And from what I’ve heard, you’re the ex and don’t even really need to be around,” he said irritably. He shook his head and huffed at the retort. “I’d like to see you try to hurt me.”
Jesse spun around and slammed his palm against the doorframe, blocking Isaac’s entrance. The two were of a height, which clearly bothered the older man. “I control her absolutely. Any freedom she’s got, it’s because I let her have it. And I’m doing this for people like you. That girl is dangerous. I’m protecting you.”
It felt different this time. Less frantic. More peaceful. She didn’t sense that need to simply tear clothes off. Something important had been settled. Summer tugged them both around until she was across his lap, cuddled close against his chest, and refused to come up for air.
Isaac laughed a little when she shifted them around but rested his hands on her lower back, continuing the long, languid kisses that she didn’t seem to have an intention to break off. He brought one hand up to brush some of her hair back behind her ear and cupped her face.
Once again she snuggled her face into his hand, revelling in the warmth of it, in the sense of skin against skin. Heat lined each vein and artery, much more strongly than before. Drawing back the tiniest amount, Summer murmured, “Isaac?”
“Can I have a kiss?” she asked very quietly, trying to hide the terrible upsurge of hope spinning through her blood. “I think I would like that. And see where that goes. And — and,” her voice fell to a whisper, “maybe we can go on a date? Be … serious? Together?”
Isaac smiled, turning to kiss her hair. “I would like that,” he said quietly before looking down at her and pressing their lips together gently. He brought his hand up to cup her cheek and brushed his thumb over her skin gently.
Summer tipped her head, nestling her cheek more closely into his hand and fitting their mouths more closely together. One hand crept up to rest on his chest, still bare. A soft moan slipped from her throat.
Isaac returned the same energy, arm sliding securely around her waist and holding her there with him. He smiled a little into the kiss, letting out a quiet moan of his own.
It felt different this time. Less frantic. More peaceful. She didn’t sense that need to simply tear clothes off. Something important had been settled. Summer tugged them both around until she was across his lap, cuddled close against his chest, and refused to come up for air.
“Can I have a kiss?” she asked very quietly, trying to hide the terrible upsurge of hope spinning through her blood. “I think I would like that. And see where that goes. And — and,” her voice fell to a whisper, “maybe we can go on a date? Be … serious? Together?”
Isaac smiled, turning to kiss her hair. “I would like that,” he said quietly before looking down at her and pressing their lips together gently. He brought his hand up to cup her cheek and brushed his thumb over her skin gently.
Summer tipped her head, nestling her cheek more closely into his hand and fitting their mouths more closely together. One hand crept up to rest on his chest, still bare. A soft moan slipped from her throat.
“I’ve never had a fling in my life,” Summer said, sitting up to meet his eyes. “I /always/ get attached. I’m trying to learn to let go.” She sighed and took his hand, tracing a doodle in the palm with a fingertip. “Tell me what you want. Right now. What do you want?”
Isaac looked at her, trying to decide what he did actually want. He swallowed and looked her over, letting her play with his hand (which admittedly he really liked) and sighing. “At this very moment, what I want is for you to know that it’s okay to get attached to me. Because I think I’m starting to get attached to you too. And… I want to make you feel good. In whatever way that may be. However you want,” he said after a while, shrugging a little.
“Can I have a kiss?” she asked very quietly, trying to hide the terrible upsurge of hope spinning through her blood. “I think I would like that. And see where that goes. And — and,” her voice fell to a whisper, “maybe we can go on a date? Be … serious? Together?”
Sliding over, she let him put an arm around her. “What difference does it make? I wanted it. You wanted it. I like you. I like you a lot, Isaac. And the people I like never like me back.” She buried her face in his chest and mumbled, “I was just going to be glad for what you offered and try not to get attached. And then you started talking like we were already in the middle of — of a relationship, and I got confused.”
Isaac frowned and kept his hand on her arm, not touching her side, just in case. “I’m sorry. I just… I just liked you,” he said, giving her a weak smile. “And I guess I thought you liked me too. I don’t know. I’ve only ever been in one relationship, and that didn’t go so well. So I’m not really used to it. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, to be honest.” He sighed and closed his eyes. “I just know that I like you, and I think you’re gorgeous. And I don’t want to be a fling. So… If it’s a fling you want, I’m not your guy. I can’t do that.”
“I’ve never had a fling in my life,” Summer said, sitting up to meet his eyes. “I /always/ get attached. I’m trying to learn to let go.” She sighed and took his hand, tracing a doodle in the palm with a fingertip. “Tell me what you want. Right now. What do you want?”
She closed her eyes, trying not to cry and failing. “I assumed. I didn’t think — I didn’t — ” She fought the words out. “I didn’t look any farther into you than the surface, because it’s not fair. You can’t do that to me. And I assumed, and I was wrong, and the last person who wanted to have sex with me — and by the way I’m still a virgin — the last person decided I bespelled him into being with me!” She had to stop and swallow hard before she could go on. “I would have said no, I would not have — none of this would have happened if I was just using you in place of someone.”
Isaac blinked in surprise and stared at her for a bit before looking down at the ground. He slowly walked over to the bed before sitting down on it next to her. He looked at her and held his arm out, inviting her to cuddle. He gave her a small smile and sighing. “Summer, were you going to have sex with me without telling me you were a virgin?” he asked quietly.
Sliding over, she let him put an arm around her. “What difference does it make? I wanted it. You wanted it. I like you. I like you a lot, Isaac. And the people I like never like me back.” She buried her face in his chest and mumbled, “I was just going to be glad for what you offered and try not to get attached. And then you started talking like we were already in the middle of — of a relationship, and I got confused.”
When he climbed out of the bed, the cold crept into her bones. She shivered, and groped for an edge to pull over her body. “Please come back,” Summer whispered. “Please, just talk to me.” When he did come back, though, his words cut. “Those are my lines,” she said, sitting up straight. “Isaac, that’s what I’m supposed to say. It’s — don’t — please don’t just — ” She had to stop and sniff, try to put her thoughts in order. “I didn’t realise you wanted this to be something else right now,” she began. “I … if you want that, it’s fine. It’s good.”
Isaac looked down, staying quiet for a few moments before sighing. “Summer, I think you’re great and fantastic and amazing, but you don’t think that of me,” he said, frowning. “You thought I was someone completely different. And… It’s not me. At all. I’m not that guy and… He’s the one you wanted to have sex with,” he said, shrugging a bit and looking away from her. He crossed his arms over his chest and turned away, trying to sort out his thoughts. He frowned. Why was he doing this to himself?
She closed her eyes, trying not to cry and failing. “I assumed. I didn’t think — I didn’t — ” She fought the words out. “I didn’t look any farther into you than the surface, because it’s not fair. You can’t do that to me. And I assumed, and I was wrong, and the last person who wanted to have sex with me — and by the way I’m still a virgin — the last person decided I bespelled him into being with me!” She had to stop and swallow hard before she could go on. “I would have said no, I would not have — none of this would have happened if I was just using you in place of someone.”
“Okay, let’s talk about how we got from me making a smart remark I never expected to be taken seriously to you in my bed talking like we’re dating, or going to be dating, and Isaac you don’t — you should not want to be with me.” She rolled over farther, shoulder into his hip, and buried her face in the blankets. “You’re gorgeous and sexy and — and — I don’t know. I don’t know what you want, I thought we were just having fun.”
Isaac frowned. “Right,” he mumbled, climbing out of her bed and sliding into the bathroom. He sat down on the edge of the tub and ran his hands through his hair. He was an idiot. This was supposed to be sex and only sex. He should have wanted that. After a few moments of thinking, he slowly got up and walked back in, grabbing his pants and starting to pull them on. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m still too naive to think people want me for more than sex. I should have learned that lesson the first time around,” he said, buttoning his jeans and zipping them up. “Sorry. I’m not really that kind of guy. And… I don’t know. I’m sorry. I thought this was something else, but I was wrong.”
When he climbed out of the bed, the cold crept into her bones. She shivered, and groped for an edge to pull over her body. “Please come back,” Summer whispered. “Please, just talk to me.” When he did come back, though, his words cut. “Those are my lines,” she said, sitting up straight. “Isaac, that’s what I’m supposed to say. It’s — don’t — please don’t just — ” She had to stop and sniff, try to put her thoughts in order. “I didn’t realise you wanted this to be something else right now,” she began. “I … if you want that, it’s fine. It’s good.”
