Eyes Turned Skyward

“I wouldn’t want you to do that. We can find a hotel,” I protested. Paisley was going to snap in half if she went any more rigid.

“It’s Christmas,” Ember argued. “Take the freaking guest room.”

“What, you’re not going to offer to go all girls one room, boys another?” I joked with Josh.

He shook his head, rubbing circles on Ember’s back. “You’re hot and all, Jag. But I think I’ll stick with Ember. She’s softer.”

She smacked him with a pillow. “Last door on the right, Paisley. If you need anything, just ask.”

“Thank you so much for having me,” she said, manners in effect.

I grabbed my bag from the corner and threw hers over my shoulder, walking to the guest room as she followed. She entered the room and stared at the bed, crossing her arms in front of herself and holding her elbows.

Ah. Gotcha. I shut the door, set both bags down near the dresser, and tugged my shirt over my head. Her breath hitched, but the lust-filled haze that usually came over her eyes wasn’t there. Oh, no, that usual appreciation had been replaced by apprehension.

“Aren’t you going to get undressed?” How far would I have to push?

“Wh-what?” she stammered.

“Well, you aren’t going to sleep in your clothes, are you?” I unbuckled my belt, and her eyes grew impossibly wide, like a deer caught in the headlights. Teasing her was too damn fun.

“Clothes?”

I went for the kill and dropped my jeans, kicking them off so I stood in only my boxer briefs. “Well, sex is kind of impossible in your clothes.”

She took three quick, gasping breaths. “Oh, I…maybe… Um…”

She turned to the door, ready to bolt, and I made it to her just in time to keep it closed, pressing my arm to hers but nothing more. “Relax, Little Bird, and tell me what’s on your mind.”

She turned in my arms, still in full runaway mode. “Jagger, I love being with you, but I don’t think I’m ready to…be with you, if you follow.”

I feigned a look of shock. “You mean you didn’t just drive to Nashville for me to strip you down and worship your body until we were both limp from orgasms?”

A spark lit in her eyes, and she raked her gaze down my abs before retreating, only to be blocked by the door. “Well, I mean…”

“Don’t people have sex the first day they decide to be in a relationship?” I tried, but couldn’t hold out, and laughed. “Paisley, come on.”

She turned as red as the bow she’d been wearing, which was now tucked away safely in my bag. “You’re joking.” She took a deep breath. “Sweet heavens, you’re teasing me!”

I wrapped my arms around her. “It took you long enough to realize it.”

“I feel like an idiot.”

Barefoot, she didn’t reach my collarbone, but I could smell her apple shampoo from here. “I just wanted to see when you’d push back.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You were testing me.”

“Yep.” I moved my hand to her face, brushing over her smattering of freckles before running my thumb along her porcelain cheekbone. “No matter what, we don’t lie, right? That’s always been our deal.”

She covered my hand with hers, leaning into it. “Right. No lies.”

“I’ll never push you into anything you don’t want, especially not sex. But you have to be open with me, or this is going to be impossible.”

She smirked. “Jagger, I would like to not have sex with you tonight.”

“Well, there went my evening plans. Guess I’d better go watch some TV.”

“Ha. Ha. You’re funny!” She pulled out her pajamas, and then we took turns in the bathroom, readying for bed.

I’d never been in such a domestic scene with a girl. She even borrowed my toothpaste.

Lights out, we climbed into bed, and I pulled her into my arms. She was so tiny, yet fit beside me perfectly.

“You know I’ve slept with Will—”

“Yes,” I bit out, refusing to think about Carter’s hands on her skin, his body over hers. Nope, that would earn him a busted face when we got back to class, which wasn’t exactly fair.

“He’s it, Jagger, and it wasn’t exactly…thrilling.”

Not thrilling. Hell, yes. I was good at two things: fucking and flying. I’d wipe away the memory of that asshat one orgasm at a time, or two. Sex was easy. I’d been doing it since I was fifteen. But with Paisley? That was in a different realm, a different dimension. Shit, I was going to give myself performance anxiety, just thinking about it.

“So, I’m a lot less…experienced than you are. It’s not something I treat lightly. I know you think of it a little differently, and I don’t want to disappoint you.”

Her admission sliced away my bravado, and for the first time, I wished I hadn’t slept with so many girls, that I’d come to her a little less experienced. A lot less experienced.

“I’ve never been in a real relationship.” My hand spanned across the curve of her waist, reassuring myself that I was in one now. “Sex, sure, but I don’t know what it’s like to really trust a woman, or to make love to one. There are some things you are way more experienced at.”

“We’ll figure it out.” She brought my hand to her lips for a kiss.

“Just clue me into what you’re thinking, Paisley. I promise I won’t let you down.”