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.”
“I don’t think little of you! I don’t /know/ enough, and you’re … you’re in my bed, expecting I don’t know what.” she flared. “What do you mean your dad locked you in a freezer?”
“I’m just trying to make you feel good,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes with one hand before sighing. “Can we not talk about the freezer right now? Sensitive subject.”
“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.”
Quietly, “Athletic. Good-looking. Popular. Smart.” She was still sitting on his legs, and now she rolled off to lay curled on her side, in case he wanted to leave. In case she drove him away. “You’re probably three deep in girls at school, and you’re here because you think you’ll get some prestige, maybe, out of having been with a college girl. Or maybe you think I can teach you something. About sex, I mean.” The nakedness of her body didn’t bother her, but she shivered slightly from the nakedness of her soul. “I don’t know what you think I am.”
Isaac frowned and stared at her. “I’m a werewolf — the athletic thing just kinda happened. I used to be a wimp. And I’m not popular,” he said, shaking his head slowly. “I’m the kid whose dad locked him in a freezer for most of his childhood. People don’t just talk to me. I only have a few friends, and honestly you’re the only girl I’ve even thought about this way since I was fifteen.” He looked away from her, staring at the wall for a few moments. “I didn’t know you thought that little of me,” he said quietly, not looking at her.
“I don’t think little of you! I don’t /know/ enough, and you’re … you’re in my bed, expecting I don’t know what.” she flared. “What do you mean your dad locked you in a freezer?”
Summer stilled, parsing that sentence, that expression, over and over again. “I … hadn’t thought that far,” she said finally. “That’s not how it works for me. I keep waiting for this to turn out to be a joke, actually. It wouldn’t be the first time.” She had to stop talking, take a deep breath, try to still the pounding of her pulse. “I’m … not the sort of person someone like you dates.”
Isaac frowned, eyebrows knitting together. “What is ‘someone like me’ then?” he asked, propping himself up and watching her carefully. “What do you think I am?” he asked in confusion, the wheels in his head turning. He looked away from her and frowned deeper, sighing a little and running his fingers through his hair.
Quietly, “Athletic. Good-looking. Popular. Smart.” She was still sitting on his legs, and now she rolled off to lay curled on her side, in case he wanted to leave. In case she drove him away. “You’re probably three deep in girls at school, and you’re here because you think you’ll get some prestige, maybe, out of having been with a college girl. Or maybe you think I can teach you something. About sex, I mean.” The nakedness of her body didn’t bother her, but she shivered slightly from the nakedness of her soul. “I don’t know what you think I am.”
Summer chuckled, low in her throat. “What do you know about me that makes you think you could bear me for long, Isaac?” she purred, nipping at the edge of his rib cage.
Isaac hummed, pleased and comfortable. “I don’t know. Are you planning on kicking me to the curb when you’re done with me?” he asked, raising an eyebrow and looking down at her expectantly.
Summer stilled, parsing that sentence, that expression, over and over again. “I … hadn’t thought that far,” she said finally. “That’s not how it works for me. I keep waiting for this to turn out to be a joke, actually. It wouldn’t be the first time.” She had to stop talking, take a deep breath, try to still the pounding of her pulse. “I’m … not the sort of person someone like you dates.”
“Point taken,” Summer responded. “Just how do you intend to persuade me, anyway? You don’t know /that/ much about me.” She shoved him over onto his back, climbing on top of him and pinning him flat before leaning down to kiss at his chest and incidentally grind against him. “I might make you crazy,” she whispered, looking up at him through half-lidded eyes.
Isaac smiled, shaking his head. He ran his fingers through her hair and closed his eyes, humming and smiling. He resisted the urge to buck his hips up into her. “I think you’re already doing that pretty efficiently,” he mumbled, shuddering.
Summer chuckled, low in her throat. “What do you know about me that makes you think you could bear me for long, Isaac?” she purred, nipping at the edge of his rib cage.
“Whoa! Slow down there, loverboy,” Summer said, rearing back mentally. “For all you know I have deep terrible secrets that will make you run away screaming.” Or, you know, foolish little secrets like being a twenty-year-old virgin.
Isaac rolled his eyes. “I’m a werewolf,” he pointed out, raising an eyebrow. “I’m not too sure you can top that,” he mumbled, kissing her cheek and laying down next to her, propping himself up on his elbow and watching her. He ran his hand down her body again, stopping at her hip and smiling.
“Point taken,” Summer responded. “Just how do you intend to persuade me, anyway? You don’t know /that/ much about me.” She shoved him over onto his back, climbing on top of him and pinning him flat before leaning down to kiss at his chest and incidentally grind against him. “I might make you crazy,” she whispered, looking up at him through half-lidded eyes.
Summer couldn’t help it; she blushed and laughed and shook her head. “No, I’m not. You’re saying that because I’m older and I’m letting you have your way.” She trailed light fingertips over his chest and stomach, ever lower, wondering if that would distract him or if he really had noticed her — distancing. One finger snagged in the elastic of his underwear.
Isaac shuddered as her finger trailed lower and he smiled, nuzzling her cheek. “I think you’re gorgeous, and you just need to deal with it,” he said, smiling and kissing her again. “I will spend the rest of my days trying to convince you if I have to,” he said, grinning at her before connecting their lips again and running his fingers through her hair.
“Whoa! Slow down there, loverboy,” Summer said, rearing back mentally. “For all you know I have deep terrible secrets that will make you run away screaming.” Or, you know, foolish little secrets like being a twenty-year-old virgin.
Every time she thought she’d gotten settled into kissing him he moved, aiming for some other place, kissing some other part of her. She wondered, briefly, if maybe he was thinking about someone else. Probably. So she arched and sighed and moaned and pressed herself against him; rutted against him; smoothed her hands over strong shoulders and lean hips and the perfect plane of his lower back; and tried to convince herself this was going to mean nothing.
Despite knowing she wasn’t made that way.
Isaac sensed a mood shift and frowned a little, but kept kissing her neck before moving up and resting his forehead against hers. He brought his hand up to rest on her neck, brushing over the skin with his thumb. He smiled a little, pressing their lips together gently. “You are so beautiful,” he said, smiling.
Summer couldn’t help it; she blushed and laughed and shook her head. “No, I’m not. You’re saying that because I’m older and I’m letting you have your way.” She trailed light fingertips over his chest and stomach, ever lower, wondering if that would distract him or if he really had noticed her — distancing. One finger snagged in the elastic of his underwear.
