Chapter Seven

            This might be the longest five-minute car ride of my life.  Jackson has his hand resting high on my thigh and he keeps looking at me every chance he gets.   I am so nervous my heart is racing and I feel almost buzzed from the high of being with him.  He is gorgeous, dark hair framing his ruggedly handsome face, and his blue eyes standing out against his tanned skin.  I am still trying to figure out what his tattoo is because it only peeks at me from under his sleeve. 

            We pull up to a small four-plex on the back of Frat Row.  Clearly his spot in the driveway is kept open for him, which is wonderful given that the street is overcrowded with cars, many pulled partway into driveways parked three cars deep.  There are a few college students walking home from bars and I notice that there has been some partying taking place here as a couple kicks one of many red Solo cups back and forth between them. 

            I know better than to try to open my own door, so I wait for Jackson to make his way around the truck and open it for me.  He reaches up for my hand and I hold his tightly and scoot myself to the edge of the seat.  I think it might be impossible to exit this truck gracefully, wearing heels and a short skirt; as I think about where to put my legs so that I minimize my exposure, I notice Jackson smiling up at me. 

            “What’s the problem, Rookie?” he asks very mischievously. 

            “I am just taking a minute to pray to God that my pantie choice for this evening is appropriate since you are about to be acquainted with them real quick when I try to get down from here.”

            “Amen.” Jackson says enthusiastically and I roll my eyes and then laugh as I conclude that indeed I am going to flash him.  Our interactions are so playful and full of heat that I can’t get too wrapped up in what I am supposed to say or how I might look.  With Jackson, I am the real me and it feels amazing. 

            “Come on, Rookie, nothing I haven’t seen before.”  Jackson winks at me and I remember dangling from a trellis above him.  I give up and let him wrap his hands around my waist and help me down. 

            “See, Rookie, I can be a gentleman.” Jackson says in reference to the way his eyes never left mine as my legs flail about on the way down from the seat.    He grabs my hand again and we walk up a staircase to one of the top apartments.  There is music playing inside and I feel nervous seeing his friends on top of being jittery about spending time with him.  Jackson opens the door and we walk into a small living room housing two mismatched couches, a broken coffee table and various athlete and swim suit model posters taped on the walls.  There is also a pretty impressive collection of beer tops nailed to the wall around the door. 

            “Sorry about the mess, Rookie.  We are all on the team and don’t have a lot of time to keep things tidy. “  I recognize his two roommates from the bar and give them a small wave as Jackson pulls me past them on the way to his room. “Hey guys you remember, Maddy.  Maddy, you remember Trevor and Aaron.”  We all exchange some mumbled hellos and I stumble behind Jackson as he pulls my hand relentlessly to his room.  “Now say goodnight to Maddy.” Jackson says over his shoulder as we approach his room.

            “Goodnight, Maddy,” Aaron and Trevor say in unison, turning their attention back to the TV and their beers. 

            The second we are in Jackson’s room he closes the door and locks it behind us.  It may seem childish, but I feel a thrill being locked in a room with him.  I have never been allowed to have boys in my room or even be alone near a bed with one.  My father and brothers would be having a fit if they knew where I was right now.  Jackson closes the distance between us and lightly kisses my lips.  His hands rest on the sides of my face and my body begins to heat up again with his touch. 

            Slowly Jackson guides us to the edge of his bed and I freeze when my calves touch his comforter.  Jackson breaks our kiss to look me in the eyes, “Relax, Rookie.  Tonight is just for you.  We will stop whenever you want to stop and only do the things you are curious about.  Slow and steady.”  He kisses me again and I reach up and put my hands on his biceps.  The muscles are tight beneath my hands and I can feel that electricity ride up my arms and into my core.

            Jackson moves his kisses down my neck and across my shoulder.  I close my eyes at the sensation and pray that he keeps going.  His hands are now at the hem of my shirt and his fingers are touching the soft skin where it peeks out.  I can feel his rough fingers making slow circles and inching up under the fabric.  I feel so wanted and feminine, soft under his calloused touch.  He firmly grips the hem and begins to pull it up my body slowly, waiting for me to stop him but I won’t.

            When my shirt reaches the bottom of my bra, Jackson rubs his thumbs across the underside of my breasts, it’s an erotic feeling that makes me arch into his hands.  Jackson looks up from the kisses he is scorching across my skin and waits for me to nod an approval for him to remove my shirt.  I inhale a big breath and release it as he pulls my shirt over my head, causing my hair to fall across my shoulders.  At first Jackson doesn’t move, he just looks at my breasts, bare except for the delicate lacy cups of my bra.  He studies me for a moment and then places his hands gently on my breasts and leans in slowly to begin the softest of kisses. 

            “What next, Rookie?  It’s your move.”  So many things run through my head and I take a minute to just feel the sensation of his hands on my body.  I want to see him, want to know where this tattoo leads.  I put my hands on his waist, just above the top of his jeans and I hear his sharp intake of breath as I move my hands under his shirt.  His body is warm and hard beneath my fingers.  I slide my flat palms up his stomach, feeling the ripples of his abs as I make my way up to his chest.  His shirt is gathering up my arms and when I finally feel the muscles of his pecks beneath my palms, he reaches behind his back and brings his shirt over his head in one swift movement.

            It is my turn to look and I trail my finger back down over his chest and abs.  I can see his tattoo now and it is an amazing piece of art that curls around his arm and stops just short of his neck.  I kiss the place where his tattoo stops and then run my tongue up his neck and suck his earlobe into my warm mouth.  Jackson pulls me close to him and I love the way it feels to have my bra be the only thing separating our chests.  Kissing along his jawline, I work my way back to his mouth and suck in his bottom lip.  When I release it, Jackson’s tongue meets mine and while it feels so out of control, the pace he sets is steady and gentle.  He drifts his hands up my back, releasing the clasp of my bra so quickly I almost miss it.  His fingers coast under its straps and he pulls back to watch as my bra falls smoothly down my arms and drops to the floor.

            I am exposed to a man for the first time but it doesn’t feel naughty like I thought it would.  It feels invigorating.  My libido has roared to life and the surge of need it has brought with it causes a high I can’t even explain.  Jackson caresses my naked breasts and I begin to ache with the need for him to touch me all over. 

            “So beautiful.  You’re unbelievable, Maddy.”  His tongue travels from my ear down my neck and I arch into him as he drops lower, grazing my nipple before he sucks it into his mouth.  The ache is building and building and I am beginning to feel desperate for friction.  I wonder if he is feeling the same way, or if this is something he has done so many times it doesn’t affect him any more.   When my nipple is erect and warm from his mouth, he moves to my other breast, and I run my fingers through his hair as he takes it into his mouth.  Just when I think I can’t take it anymore, Jackson releases me and, in between kisses, teases, “Your move.” 

            “Jackson, it all feels so good.  I want you as desperate for me as I am for you.”  My hands are on his chest and our kisses are deep and anxious now.  Jackson takes my hand in his and glides it down his body.  As our hands travel lower and lower my heartbeat begins to race again.  Guiding my hand, Jackson cups his hard length through his jeans and I understand he is showing me that I am having the same effect on him as he is on me. 

            “I think you had me past desperate about ten minutes ago, Rookie.”  His hand leaves mine to return to my breasts, but I let my hand rest where he has left it, curious about what is under his zipper. 

            “It’s my move, right?” I ask playfully and Jackson’s chuckle is so sexy the ache grows with each vibration of his voice. 

            “Your move, but if you don’t make one soon I am going to make one for you.”  Jackson drops his hands to the bottom of my skirt and starts trailing his hands underneath the fabric and up towards the ache.  I know what I want now; I unbutton my skirt and shimmy it over my hips until it is loose enough to drop to the floor.  Stepping out of it I look up to Jackson and watch as his chest heaves with the breaths he is taking.  He wants me as bad as I want him. 

            “Your move,” I whisper seductively and Jackson grabs my ass and lifts me, causing my legs to instinctively wrap around his waist.  The friction of his jeans against my core causes a small gasp to escape my lips.

            “Fuck Maddy, that was the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard.”  He presses me tighter against him and I rock my hips to feel the friction I need so desperately.  I hold tightly to Jackson’s neck as he crawls up the bed and lays me back against the pillows.  My legs are still around him and he grinds into me while claiming my mouth again.  I have been missing so much; this feeling is so euphoric it is almost too much.  I spread my legs and put my feet on the bed to give me leverage to push up against him.  Jackson runs his hand down my leg, hooking his hand under my knee and raising my leg so that our bodies fit tightly together. 

            After a few minutes of nibbles and gasps, Jackson shifts to my side and I can still feel his need as he presses against my hip.  His hand is at my breast again, only this time he isn’t kissing me, he is watching me closely, studying the way my breath catches and the rise and fall of my chest.  As Jackson leans in to kiss my breasts, he softly trails his hand down my stomach and then slips one finger under the top of my underwear, traveling across the top from hip to hip.  Gazing up at me through hooded eyes Jackson whispers, “Your move, Rookie.”   I reach down to undo his pants, but he places his hand on top of mine and shakes his head no. “Maddy, I need to leave my pants on, they are the only thing keeping me from taking this all the way.  Touching you and watching you experience all of this is killing me.” 

            I watch him for a minute as I try to understand what he just said.  Jackson runs his hand over my hip and then down over my mound, cupping my core and applying just enough pressure to increase the ache instead of relieving it.  His fingers slip beneath the side of my panties and I close my eyes with the pleasure of his fingers in my folds.  I tip my hips up and lock my thumbs under the lace of my panties, pulling them down my legs and tossing them to the floor. 

            Jackson claims my mouth again and presses his hand over my core circling his fingers against me in a relentless rhythm that build and builds until I am pressing myself up against his fingers.  I’m on the edge of orgasm and I close my eyes wanting to focus on the intensity.  When my legs begin to shake, Jackson slips his finger inside me and I shutter all around him as my orgasm tears through me.  I hear Jackson groan besides me as he presses against me, pulsing and warm.  It was amazing and we both gasp in air, kissing each other in between breaths until we have calmed down.  Jackson kisses my lips one last time and then jumps from the bed. 

            “I’ll be back in a minute, Rookie, don’t move.”  He grabs something out of his dresser and walks into the bathroom that is in his room.  He smiles as he closes the door behind himself and the thought that I am laid out across his bed completely naked enters my consciousness.  I put my panties back on and grab his shirt from the floor.  I breathe in deep as I pull his shirt over my head and relish the way the warmth from his body is still in the shirt. 

            I hear the water turn on for a few minutes as I sit on the edge of his bed not sure what to do next.  Jackson opens the bathroom door and emerges in only a pair of tight boxer briefs.  He shuts the light off and climbs into bed on the opposite side from me.  Throwing the covers back, he pats the sheets next to him and flashes me a big smile.

            “I should go, Jackson, it’s late and…” I try to stand but Jackson grabs my wrist and shakes his head no. 

            “It’s my move, Rookie, and I say you are staying the night.  Now get over here and let me show you how good it feels to fall asleep cuddled against someone.”  I smile and nod, climbing under the covers.  Jackson folds himself around me, my back to his chest.  He pulls me so close to him that there is not a place where my body isn’t touching his. 

            “Maddy, tonight was amazingly hot.  It might have been the most erotic thing I have ever seen watching you come apart against me.  Go to sleep, Beautiful, we have a lot to accomplish in just three weeks.”  Jackson kisses my forehead then rests his head on the pillow behind me. 

            “Thank you for tonight, Jackson,” I say as I pull his arm that is draped over me close to my chest.

            “Don’t thank me yet, Rookie, we’re just getting started.”

****Don't forget to vote for the first chapter so I have a chance at Rookie in Love being published by Harlequin!  Also, find me on pinterest at SarahWhiteWrite so I can see what you are imagining while reading.  Thank you!