He rolls over, removes the condom and heads for the bathroom. He returns with a cloth in his hands and crawls between my legs. My body tenses as soon as he starts to clean me but relaxes when his gaze meets mine with a troubled look on his face. “You must be sore.”
I nod. “I am. It was worth it.”
He heads back to the bathroom and returns minutes later with the same wash cloth. He cleans my tender skin and I just lie there enjoying the warmth and the way he is taking care of me. My eyes start closing. I feel him leave the bed. The sound of a toilet flushing in the distance. The bed sinking beneath me and then hands gently turning me to my side. His body drapes on my back, then he pulls me flush to his chest and wraps his arms around me.
I wake up to the feel of heat on my breast. I peel my eyes open to find Cole sucking my nipple while languidly rolling the other between his fingers. I sigh, move my hands down and sink them into his hair. His head comes up and his mouth drops from my breast in favor of my lips.
“I wish we could stay here forever,” I say when we come up for air.
He flashes me a sexy smile. “Me too.” He glances at the clock on the bedside table. “It’s almost midnight. I promised your mom I would get you home by eleven. Come on, lazy bones.”
COLE PULLS UP IN FRONT of my house at almost one in the morning. He turns off the engine, climbs out of the car and opens the door for me. The porch light comes on as soon as we hit the first step. He walks me to the door the proceeds to kiss me until my lips feel raw, loved, used by him.
“See you tomorrow?”
I nod, grinning blissfully. “Tomorrow.”
He starts to walk down the porch steps, but abruptly turns back. He grabs me around the waist and kisses me, dipping me backwards until I feel drunk with everything good in this world.
He swings me back up, steps back and tucks his hands inside his pocket.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better Formal. Thank you for giving me that.”
My chest hurts just thinking he’d never gotten a chance to enjoy his own prom because he couldn’t find a girl who would go with him. At the same time I’m glad I was the one who gave it to him. His first. My first.
“Thank you for giving me my everything,” I tell him.
As soon as I step inside the house, I’m so high on my perfect night that I fail to notice the hunched form on the couch. I jump and shriek when the lamp is suddenly turned on, momentarily blinding me. I blink several times to adjust my eyes to the lighting.
I clutch a hand over my chest and stumble back. “Dad!” Of all the nights for him to come home, today had to be one of them?
He unfolds himself from the chair then staggers upright. Or sideways. He’s still wearing his uniform, which makes me wonder when he came home and how long he has been lying in wait for me to come home.
“Did you have fun?” he asks, taking a step forward his hands on his hips.
I swallow hard and lick my lips. “It was okay.”
“Hmm. What time did you tell your mother you’d be home.”
My heart is beating so hard I can hear the thumping in my ears. Gosh, what time did Cole say he’d bring me home?
“E—eleven,” I stammer.
He exhales through his mouth. “WHAT TIME IS IT NOW?!” He shouts so suddenly, I shriek and back away from him so quickly that I drop my purse in the process. “ANSWER ME!”
I dart a look at the clock although I already know the time. “One in the morning.”
I hear a whimper coming from the stairs and glance over quickly. Elon and Elise are peeking through the bars on the stairs.
Crap. They shouldn’t be seeing this.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here on time,” I whisper, eager to appease him so he can let this go.
“You promised your mother you’d be here on time. She was worried.”
As if he cares about my mother. This is all about him, throwing his weight around.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper again, keeping my head low so that he doesn’t think I’m confronting him.
“Were you with him?” He slurs the words, moving closer. “ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTION!”
I nod, tears instantly forming. Elon or Elise, I don’t know which one of the two, wails.
“Daddy please. You’re scaring us.”
He whirls around, his drunk gaze searching the source of that voice. He lifts a hand and points up. “Upstairs. NOW!”
“What’s going on here? Stephen?” My mom appears from the top of the stairs. When my father doesn’t answer, she climbs down the stairs. She sees me huddled on the wall, then glances at her husband. “What is the meaning of this, Stephen?”
My dad narrows his eyes on her and jabs his index finger at her. “Your whore of a daughter came in a few minutes ago. Did you know she has been sleeping with that. . .abomination?”
My heart ceases to beat. Everything in me locks in place. I take a step forward. “He is not an abomination, Father.” I grit my teeth. “You are so judgmental you can’t see anything beyond your prejudices. You hate everything that reminds you of your brother. You make me sick. Sick to my stomach.” My body is on fire, my hands curled into fists at my side.