The nerves along my skin prickle and I grind against him, needing more. “Take it out and fuck me.”

He removes his fingers. “Nah, baby. You gotta earn this dick.” Shifting, he lowers himself on top of me. His agitated breath tickles my ear as he tugs on my ponytail. “Spread your pussy.” He nips my earlobe and my body jolts in response. “I’m in the mood to eat.”

Warmth rushes through my veins as I step out of my jeans and kick them to the side.

With a grunt, he wedges his leg between both of mine, nudging them apart as far as they’ll go.

A flush creeps up my cheeks when he kneads my ass, exposing me. “Much better.”

Pushing my t-shirt past my ribcage, he nibbles and bites his way down my spine, striking his tongue ring along each vertebra he passes until he’s on his knees.

Another flash of lightning zaps across the sky and he makes a low hum in the back of his throat. “Look at you, all pretty and pink for me.”

Jesus. His mouth is a weapon in more ways than one.

I hiss when his stubble prickles my flesh and he inhales me.

It’s so intimate. So dirty and illicit.

My breath comes out in quick, short pants as his face settles between my thighs and he licks the length of my slit.

A low, strangled grunt leaves him. “Fuck, that’s good.” His tongue plunges inside and he proceeds to eat me like a filthy, ravenous animal.

He’s so gluttonous, so perverted. So…

“Oh, God.”

I’m growing lightheaded with every wicked stroke. Falling faster into his abyss.

Adjusting his hand, he massages my clit with his fingers as he coils his tongue, flicking the metal against my wetness.

“Jace.” I’m wound like a slingshot, preparing to launch wherever he wants as he works me to the edge of oblivion. “Fuck, that’s it.”

Reaching behind me, I grip his head, keeping him there. “Don’t stop.”

A guttural sound rumbles in his chest and his movements speed up. The sensation that whips through me is so intense, it vibrates through my bones as I shudder and shake around him.

Snarling, he laps at my orgasm. “That’s all you got for me?”

“I—”

He rubs a slow circle around my clit, causing aftershocks that have me jerking and thrashing. It’s like being on a non-stop roller coaster.

I’m so sensitive, I can’t take it. A pained groan rips from my vocal cords when he flips me over and sinks two fingers inside me…right before fastening his mouth on the spot that makes my toes curl.

My thighs tremble around his head as I whimper and squirm. It’s too much. Too intense.

Emotion clogs my throat as I choke out his name.

It’s a struggle to draw in air as my body seizes and I fall apart again, only unlike the last time, this one is quick and raw. Pleasure tinted with splatters of pain.

I feel so vulnerable, like I just shared something private and sacred. Until now, I was the only person able to make myself orgasm, but I’ve never had such a visceral response before.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he stands up. His eyes rake over me like two hot coals, making me feel even more naked than I am.

I open my mouth to speak, but I don’t get the chance…because he takes off.

Chapter 31

Dylan

Almost two weeks have passed since Jace left me half-naked on the hood of his car and took off without a word.

It’s the same as before, except now he goes out of his way to actively dodge me, even going so far as to avoid stopping in the hallway to talk to Oakley if I’m around.

The only bright side to all this is that he won’t talk to Britney either. According to the RHA rumor mill, she’s already moved on. And if those rumors are right…it’s with Cole.

Which is the reason for the scowl on Sawyer’s face while she visits me at work.

“I don’t understand,” Sawyer huffs. “What in the world would Cole see in her?”

Same thing Jace did.

“Her double Ds?” I offer as I wipe down the counter.

Then again, my friend’s rack is pretty spectacular. Not to mention, she has a way better personality.

Cole is a straight-up dumbass for not pursuing her.

“I thought…” Shaking her head, she looks down. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter.”

Oh, man. She might not realize it yet, but she’s got it bad.

“You thought what?”

“That maybe, just maybe he was different from all the other jerks in the popular crew.” She shrugs. “I don’t even know why. But, obviously I was wrong and he’s not.”

Her disappointment is tangible.

I wish I could tell her something positive, but I’ve got nothing. Boys suck. Especially the Covington boys.

“I’m sorry, Sawyer.”

“Oh, dearie. He didn’t lick it off a stone,” Mrs. Dickinson declares as she removes a tray of croissants from the oven.

The look on Sawyer’s face tells me she’s as mystified as I am by my boss’s statement.

“I don’t know what that means,” Sawyer says. “Why would Cole lick a stone?”

Mrs. Dickinson sighs. “It means that people’s personalities and actions are always influenced by someone.” She opens the cash register and slips some bills into an envelope. “Perhaps he’s involved with this lass because he feels like it’s the kind of girl he’s supposed to date.”

As much as I hate to admit it, my boss may not be too far from the truth. Cole is the star quarterback…and as of now, Britney is the head cheerleader. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Or rather, peanut butter and some artificial gelatinous substance with no calories, because Britney.

“She’s right. I highly doubt Cole’s actually into her. He’s just keeping up appearances because of his social status.”

Mrs. Dickinson nods. “Like my mother used to say—if you lie down with dogs, you’ll rise with fleas.”

“Exactly.” I give Sawyer a smile. “But the big flea graduates this year, so she’ll be gone soon.”

Sawyer frowns. “So will you.”

“It’s not like I’m going away to college.” Heck, I couldn’t afford it even if I wanted to. “We’ll still see each other on weekends and talk on the phone.”

“Promise?”

I hold out my pinky. “Swear it.”

She wraps her pinky around mine and waggles her eyebrows. “Does this mean you’ll tell me what happened with Jace?”

I go back to cleaning the counters. “I told you. He was drunk, it was his birthday, we hooked up…and now he’s back to pretending I don’t exist.”

She purses her lips. “Did you ask him why he’s so mad at you?”

“I tried, but he didn’t want to talk about it.” I scrub the counters with more vigor. “I’m beginning to think I’ll never find out. And to be honest, I’m starting to care less and less. Screw Jace Covington, I’m over him and his games.”

I heard if you repeat the same thing over and over, sooner or later you’ll start to believe it.