Page 52 of Help Wanted

“How drunk are you?” he asked.

“I’m not,” she answered.

“Are you sure?” was his second question.

“Yes.” She managed to get out between gasps. She was really into it. He smiled against her lips while walking backward toward the steps that would take them below.

He kissed her for a long time before opening the door and leading her down. It was difficult to kiss while descending narrow stairs, so he helped her on the steps until she was safely against him once more.

At that moment, seeing her in his stateroom with the contents of his suitcase askew, he felt the impact of what was about to happen. Her lip curled up on one side as she unbuttoned the top button on her shirt.

There was no more resisting. He had to do this. In the name of every awkward teenage boy who was ever smitten with the sexy cheerleader, he had to. It was his duty. He was owed this for all the time he’d spent pining for an unattainable girl back in high school.

And then he noticed the way her hand shook as she moved to the second button and everything changed. This wasn’t about the past or the girl he’d once thought he loved.

It was about Kenley. The amazing woman who was here with him now. He thought all this time he’d been attracted to her because she’d looked like the girl of his dreams. But somewhere along the way she’d taken over that spot all on her own.

There was only her.

She sat on the edge of the big bed, and he crawled over her as he made his way up to her lips again.

After his transformation from ugly duckling in college, he’d had his fair share of sex. He became quite skilled at it, giving him even more confidence as he grew into himself.

He decided to unleash all his best tricks on Kenley. Taking his time, he removed her shirt and jeans. But once he caught a glimpse of her sexy bra and panties, his movements became more hurried. Taking his time became a struggle.

She was as perfect as he’d fantasized. Her hard nipples pressed into his chest when released from her bra. He spent a good bit of his attention on them before taking off her panties.

And within a few minutes she was lying next to him, naked and breathing heavily. At some point his clothes came off, either her doing or his, he couldn’t quite remember. The sound of their panting filled the space as he reached for a condom from the built-in nightstand and rolled it on. He was surprised to see his hands shaking slightly.

He gazed at the beautiful woman in his bed. It was like a dream coming true, and he couldn’t help but take another long moment to appreciate it. To appreciate her.

With a smile at each other he lined up to her warmth, ready to slide into her. He touched her wet heat and then… resistance. He pulled back slightly, and tried again with the same result.

He looked down in confusion. Was he in the wrong place? He was a little buzzed, but not enough that he couldn’t get Tab A into Slot B.

“I’m sorry,” he said. Maybe he was nervous? He didn’t feel nervous anymore, he felt determined. He wanted to be inside her. More than anything.

“It’s okay. I’m fine.”

He kissed her neck and then took his time making sure he was lined up at the exact spot. Pushing in again, he was faced with the same problem. It was as if he didn’t fit, but he pushed on, unable to do anything else.

He heard her panting change from rapture to whimpers of pain and started to pull out again.

“No, please. Just do it. Please? Don’t stop,” she was begging him. Kenley Carmichael was in his bed begging him to have sex with her. He would not fail her.

When he pushed harder she cried out, and not in a good way. It was only when she relaxed, that he began to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Was she a virgin? No, it wasn’t possible. She was twenty-eight years old. Women who looked like Kenley weren’t still virgins at twenty-eight. There had to be a law or something.

She kissed him and pulled him closer. All the emotions, mixed with this new possibility, and the physical sensations were too much for him to stop to ask questions. He looked down, seeing the trust in her eyes and the necklace he’d given her against her bare skin, and was overwhelmed.

“Don’t stop,” she said again. He had no intention of stopping.

He whispered her name and pushed into her fully, the heat almost too much to bear. The tightness around him was glorious. He continued and she began moving with him like she’d done this with him every night. He must have been mistaken about her inexperience before. He cast the thought aside, so he could concentrate on what was happening now.

Her tiny cries and moans were now from pleasure. He was making her feel good and that thought had him getting too close to the edge. He kissed her again as he rocked into her harder. Her orgasm came on quickly, and seemed to surprise her. But her moans of satisfaction continued louder, as he thrust into her those last few times that ended him.

He felt almost dizzy when he rolled off her and stared up at the low ceiling. He pulled her close to kiss her head and play with her hair. He’d been out of the game for a few months and now he felt energized. Not only had they had sex, but it had been mind-blowing sex at that.

People over-used that term. He was guilty of it himself. But this had truly been amazing. No exaggeration needed.

As his body calmed, he realized he was happier than he’d ever been after sex. He wasn’t second guessing anything. There were no regrets. It was just her and happiness.

He’d had sex with the amazing woman in his arms, whom he respected and cared about. She was more than the physical part.

She was every part.