Worth It

“First base is just kissing,” she started, more than willing to explain. “French included. Second is anything above the waist, and third is anything below without going all the way, and a home run is...well, you know.”


When I turned to blink at her, she blushed. “I have two older brothers,” she rushed to defend herself. “And they talk openly with their friends.”

“Okay.” I blew out a breath. “It was definitely second base, then.”

Her mouth fell open. “You went up her shirt?”

“Uh...well...she took the shirt off, so there was really no, you know...going up it.”

“Did she take off her bra too?”

Wow, did my shoes suddenly look interesting, and shit, they were scuffed all to hell. I really needed a new pair of sneakers.

“Knox?” Her low voice made me clench the back of my teeth. Damn it, why did I feel this unavoidable need to confess everything to her?

“Yeah,” I muttered, digging my toe through the hole at the end of my sneaker. Yep, I really needed to buy a new pair...someday. “She took her bra off too.”

When she went stiff in my arms, I immediately looked at her, panicking. “City—”

She held up a hand and started breathing funny. “I’m sorry, but I just don’t like it. I don’t like knowing you’ve touched some other girl’s boobs. Her nipples...and you’ve never even seen mine.”

“I...” When her words finally unscrambled themselves in my brain, I blinked, completely baffled. “What?”

Hugging herself, she moved away. “I’m sorry. I’m jealous. I know, it’s stupid, but I can’t help it. I just... I hate learning that you knew some other girl more than you know me.”

With a sudden laugh, I shook my head and reached for her. “Trust me, City. I know a hell of a lot more about you than I ever knew about her. Hell, I didn’t even know her name until the next day at school when I heard one of her friends call to her...right after she walked right past me, completely ignoring me because she probably didn’t even remember me.”

City gnawed on her lip, scowling thoughtfully as she stared into space. Then she focused on me. “I still don’t like it. I can’t handle you knowing the color of her nipples and not mine.”

I grinned. “So does this mean you’re going to tell me the color of your nipples?” I liked where this conversation was headed.

Her jaw hardened with a determined, almost angry bent. “No. I’m going to show you.”

And she pulled off her shirt. Just like that. When she was left in nothing but a bra from the waist up, I gaped, my mouth falling open. “Uh... Jesus, City. Are you sure about this?”

“Yes. Do you want to take the bra off?”

“Hell, yes. But...I probably shouldn’t. We—”

She set her warm, soft hands over mine, which for some reason made my tongue stall out.

“Please help me get over this jealousy. Give me more than you ever gave her.”

From that point on, I was a goner. The girl I loved was asking me to do this for her, so I would. And I’d love every fucking second of it.

“Okay,” I whispered. When I set a hand on her hip, she beamed at me.

Her flesh was warm and so freaking soft. I didn’t know skin could be this soft. And when I smoothed my palm up all that naked, soft skin it gave me goose bumps. She was just as smooth and warm all the way up. When I reached the back of her bra, I paused, but decided not to go there. I’d heard too many horror stories about guys fumbling too long with a bra clasp, so I skipped it entirely and moved to the thin, silky strap on her left shoulder.

I met her gaze and hooked my finger under it. Then I smiled as I slowly dragged it down her arm. The top part of her bra cup sagged, revealing the uppermost swell of her breast.

Breathing in through my mouth, I studied them in dazed wonder before I lifted my gaze to make sure she was doing okay.

Grinning at me, she caught my cheek in her palm and said, “You look excited yet worried.”

Bingo. “I don’t want to mess this up,” I admitted.

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