He stopped all of a sudden, setting his drink on the carpet. He fished his wallet from his back pocket and held out a room key.
I released his hand, flipping the plastic over in mine. "What is this?" I asked dumbly.
He nodded at the door behind me, and what he was trying to tell me clicked. I looked from the door to the key and back. "You got us a room?"
"Yup. Before you say no, just come in and look around." He swiped they key, and the door opened with a click. He turned his blue eyes on me. "I know you weren't expecting this, so there's no pressure, Lake."
I peeked into the room, more out of curiosity than anything. It was smaller than the suite but just as nice. Nicer, even, because there wasn't music blasting or people everywhere. I spotted a bottle in a bucket of ice. "There's champagne," I said.
"I know. I put it there."
"When?" I asked. "You've been with me all night."
"Earlier." He opened the door wider to reveal a white bedspread dotted with red rose petals. "I know it looks romantic, and that's because it's supposed to be." He crooked a corner of his mouth. "But it doesn't have to be if you don't want."
"Oh."
"You all right?" he asked. "You're a little pale."
I touched the doorframe. "It might be the alcohol."
He laughed. "It might be the sex."
I smiled despite my apprehension. It was so easy with Corbin. Easy to talk to him-like Val, he actually listened when I spoke instead of trying to one-up me like my other friends. Easy to laugh with him, to be around him. Easy to love him. I did love Corbin, so why couldn't it be easy to fall head over heels for him? To get butterflies? Maybe it would be, if only I gave him a chance. After all, Manning seemed to be doing that for Tiffany. He'd taken her hand earlier tonight. I downed a courage-bolstering sip of my drink and entered the room.
The door closed behind me as Corbin dimmed the lights. He followed me in and lifted my drink from my hands to set it on the nightstand with his. Tucking some of my hair behind my ear, he said, "We can take it slow. Talk for a while, even." Then, he kissed me again. I forced myself to focus on his lips, his breath, him. I wasn't doing anything wrong. A lot of girls in my class had either had sex or were planning to tonight. None of them had someone as sweet and fine as Corbin, I was pretty sure.
Corbin deepened the kiss, and my body pressed into his of its own accord. Feeling how solid his chest was, my nipples hardened. Doing this didn't necessarily have to mean we were official or anything. I wasn't sure I could ever be official with anyone, not as long as my heart belonged to someone else. Was that fair to Corbin? Maybe. He'd had sex before and hadn't made anything official with anyone. He'd always been a gentleman to me, but I knew that wasn't the case with other girls.
Corbin circled my waist and walked me backward to the bed. The thought of lying down with him pulled at something deep in my belly-the something I was pretty sure I was supposed to feel about sex. He slid his hand down my lower back and over my ass, pulling me against him. As his hardness pressed against my belly, I couldn't help my small gasp.
He groaned. "I've wanted this for a long time, Lake. This is so perfect."
"I don't know if I want to do this," I blurted.
"Why not?" He kissed my temple. "Give me one good reason."
Manning.
"I've never . . . I don't think about you like that."
He lowered my hand to his pants, right over his zipper. "Like what? This?"
I was touching Corbin's penis. I might've laughed, except that it felt very serious. "This could change our friendship."
"I hope it does."
Corbin could have college girls, but he wanted me. My existence didn't anger him. He didn't keep things from me, not even his feelings. He didn't hate me or my clothing or my choices. He took my face in his hands and kissed me harder, sweeping my desire up to the next level. I slid my hand along him. I didn't know what to do, except that I knew I was doing it right, and not just by the pained moans coming from him. I was the one touching him, and yet my tummy was fluttering.
He grazed his fingers down my spine and I moved against him. Cupping my ass, he squeezed me from behind. My knees buckled, my body going limp as a rag doll. Holding me up, he laughed into my mouth. "I've barely touched you."
A deep, ache-y sensation throbbed between my legs. How was it possible someone I'd never even thought to fantasize about could make me so warm and squirmy? I had the confusing urge to pull him closer, to push his hand under my dress.