Page 19 of Adoring Fletcher
I took the stairs two at a time, my heart thumping almost erratic. Everything inside of me screamed to go back. To press my body to his. To kiss him and swallow any questions he might’ve had.
No.
My wolf paced, snarling and clawing at the edges of my control.Mate,he insisted, whining low.Ours.
But how could that be? Fletcher wasn’t even a wolf.
Feeling unsteady, I retreated to my bedroom and sank down at the desk, dropping my head into my hands.
Damn it.
My cock was half-hard in my slacks, pulsing with the want I was trying so hard to ignore. My body reacted to Fletcher. My soul reacted to Fletcher.
It could be just sex,my mind taunted me, spurred on by my needy dick.Your parents don’t ever need to find out.
But deep down, I knew better.
I wanted more than sex.
I liked Fletcher—his curiosity, his bright-eyed outlook on life, his sweet-as-cinnamon personality.
It wouldn’t simply be a hookup. It wouldn’t even be casual. My feelings were already tangled up, and if I let this happen, I’d have a mess on my hands. I’d be torn between duty and…love.
I paused, lifting my head.
Love?Could I love Fletcher?
What if… What if Ididwant to date him? What then? Could we keep it quiet? Could I keep something like this a secret from my parents?
With a deep, frustrated sigh, I buried my face in my hands once more, my skull starting to pound with the beginnings of a headache.
Damn it all. Why did feelings have to be so hard?
I knew how I felt, but I didn’t know if Fletcher felt the same way. He was so young, still clinging to threads of his innocence despite the months spent on the street. This wasn’t something I could rush headlong into.
I pushed up out of the chair and raked a hand through my hair. Maybe what I needed was a shower…and a little relief.
I moved into the adjoined master bathroom and stripped out of my clothes, tossing them into the hamper next to the pedestal sink. I grabbed a plush blue towel from the cabinet and set it on the hamper lid, then turned the water as hot as I could stand it.
I hissed when I stepped beneath the spray, the heat scalding my slightly-sunburnt skin. I’d spent a lot of time outdoors with Fletcher this summer and, admittedly, wasn’t the best about remembering sunscreen. You’d think I would’ve tanned by now, but fair skin tends to burn and peel.
I shampooed and conditioned my hair, letting it rinse clear, before moving to the bar of soap. I made quick work of latheringup my body. Once I was clean, I leaned back against the shower wall and let the hot water spray over me.
My cock, still half-hard, gave a twitch at the memory of what Fletcher’s body had felt like, pressed up against mine for those few moments. The way his breath had caught, the way his heartbeat had picked up, pattering at his throat. How I could’ve sworn he’d arched back into me, like he’d wanted it too.
I stroked myself, letting myself imagine an alternate reality—one where I didn’t turn and walk away. One where I slowly flipped Fletcher around, caging him in against the countertop with my arms. One where I rocked our bodies together as I leaned down and captured his lips in a sweet, tentative kiss. Just until I was sure he wanted me back.
Images flooded my brain, sparks shooting through me as if I’d been short-circuited. God, I wanted him. I’d wanted him for weeks, but I just couldn’t wrap my head around what might happen to our hearts when things ended. Not because we wanted them to, but because of my duty.
Because of my parents.
Did I dare start something with Fletcher? Did I let it burn hot and fast like a wildfire, even if it meant we burnt out at the end and went our separate ways?
Emotion caught in my throat at the thought. He’d become so ingrained in my everyday activities that I couldn’t imagine him leaving. I wanted more than just this friends-slash-roommates situation, though.
I wanted him. All of him.
I was just scared.
