After (The After Series)

Why am I giggling? I can’t sleep in his T-shirt, I will feel too naked.
“I’m fine sleeping in this,” I tell him
He eyes my outfit. He hasn’t made a single rude comment about my long skirt
or loose blue blouse, so I hope he doesn’t start now.
“Fine. Suit yourself; if you want to be uncomfortable, go ahead.” He moves
toward the bed in only his boxers and begins to toss the decorative pillows onto
the floor.
I walk over and open the chest, and just as I had thought, it is empty. “Oh,
don’t throw those down. They go in here,” I tell him, but he just laughs and
tosses another onto the floor.
Groaning, I gather the pillows and stuff them into the chest. He again chuckles
and pulls back the comforter before plopping down onto the bed. He crosses his
arms behind his head, then crosses his feet and gives me a smile. The words
tattooed on his ribs are stretched because of the position of his arms. His long,
lean body looks exquisite.
“You’re not going to whine about sleeping in the bed with me, are you?” he
asks, and I roll my eyes. I actually wasn’t going to. I know it’s wrong, but I want
to sleep in the bed with Hardin more than I think I have ever wanted anything.
“No, the bed is big enough for both of us,” I say with a smile. I don’t know if
it’s Hardin’s smile or the fact that he is wearing only boxers, but I’m in a much
better mood than before.
“Now that’s the Tessa I love,” he teases and my heart lurches at his choice of
words. I know he doesn’t, and would never, mean it that way, but it sounded so
nice coming off his lips.

---

I climb onto the bed and scoot to the edge, as far away from Hardin’s body as
I can. Any farther and I’ll fall off. I hear him chuckle and I roll over on my side
to face him. “What is so funny?”
“Nothing,” he lies, and bites his lip trying not to laugh. I like this playful
Hardin; his humor is contagious.
“Tell me!” I pout and pucker out my bottom lip. His eyes go straight to my
mouth and he runs his tongue along his lips before hooking his lip ring between
his teeth.
“You’ve never slept in a bed with a guy before, have you?” He rolls onto his
side and moves a little closer to me.
“No,” I simply answer, and his smile grows. We are only a couple of feet
apart, and before I know what I’m doing, my hand reaches out and pokes the
little dimple on his cheek. His eyes dart to mine in surprise. I start to pull my
hand away, but he grabs it and puts it back against his cheek, then moves it up
and down his cheek slowly.
“I don’t know why no one has fucked you yet; all that planning you do must
help you put up a really good resistance,” he says, and I gulp.
“I’ve never really had to resist anyone,” I admit. Guys in high school found
me attractive and hit on me enough, but no one ever tried to actually have sex
with me. They all knew I was with Noah; we were well liked and were both
voted onto Homecoming Court every year.
“That’s either a lie or you went to an all-blind high school. Your lips alone are
enough to make me hard.”
I gasp at his words and he chuckles. He brings my hand to his mouth and runs
it along his wet lips. His breath is hot against my fingers, and I’m surprised
when he bares his teeth and gently bites the pad of my index finger, somehow
making me feel it in the pit of my stomach. He moves my hand down to his neck
and my fingertips trace the swirl of an ivy branch tattoo on his neck. He watches
me carefully but doesn’t stop me.
“You like the way I talk to you, don’t you?” His expression is dark but so
sexy. My breathing hitches and he smiles again. “I can see the blush in your
cheeks and I can hear the way your breathing has changed. Answer me, Tessa,
put those full lips of yours to use,” he says, and I giggle—I don’t know what else
to do. I will never admit the way his words turn something on deep inside of me.
He lets go of my hand but wraps his fingers around my wrist and closes the
gap between us. I am hot, too hot. I need to cool down or I will start sweating
soon.
“Can you turn the fan on?” I ask and he furrows his brow. “Please.”
He sighs but climbs off the bed. “If you are hot, why don’t you change out of

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those heavy clothes; that skirt looks itchy anyway.”
I had been waiting on him to tease me for my clothes, but this only makes me
smile, since I can see his true motive here.
“You should dress for your body, Tessa. These clothes you wear hide all of
your curves. If I hadn’t seen you in your bra and panties, I would never know
how sexy and curvy your body actually is. That skirt literally looks like a potato
sack.”
I laugh, even though he is insulting me and somehow managing to
compliment me at the same time. “What do you suggest I wear? Fishnets and
tube tops?”
“No, well, I might love to see that, but no. You can still cover yourself but
wear clothes your size. That shirt hides your chest, too, and your tits are nothing
you should be hiding.”
“Will you stop using those words!” I scold him and he smiles.
Rejoining me on the bed, he scoots his practically naked body close to mine. I
am still hot, but Hardin’s odd way of complimenting me has given me a new
wave of confidence. I climb out of bed.
“Where are you going?” he slurs, his voice panicked.
“To change,” I say, and walk over to grab his T-shirt from the floor. “Now turn
around and don’t peek.” I put my hands on my hips.
“No.”
“What do you mean, ‘no’?” How can he be telling me no?
“I won’t turn around. I want to see you.”
“Oh, okay.” But I just smile, shake my head, and turn the light off.
Hardin whines, and I smile to myself as I unzip my skirt. It pools at my feet
when another light clicks on.
“Hardin!” I hurry and pick the skirt back up. Hardin is leaning up on his
elbows to look at me, and he isn’t shy about his eyes moving up and down my
body. He’s seen me in less clothing before, and I know he isn’t going to listen, so
I take a deep breath and pull my shirt over my head. Not that I won’t admit that
I’m enjoying this little game we have going right now. I know deep down I want
him to look at me, that I want him to want me. I’m wearing a plain white bra and
white panties, nothing fancy or special, but Hardin’s expression makes me feel
sexy. I take his T-shirt and pull it over my head. It smells so good, just like
Hardin.
“Come here,” he whispers from where he lies. I ignore my subconscious
telling me to run away as fast as I can, and walk toward the bed.

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chapter thirty-three
H
ardin’s blazing eyes don’t leave mine as I make my way to him. I prop my
knee up on the bed and push myself onto it. At the same time, Hardin lifts
himself up so his back is against the headboard and holds his hand out for mine.
The second I place my small hand in his, he wraps his fingers around it and pulls
me onto him. My knees go around his sides and I am straddling his lap. I’ve
done this before with him, but never wearing so little clothing. I hold myself up
using my knees so we aren’t touching, but Hardin isn’t having it. He positions
his hands on my hips and gently pushes me down. His T-shirt bunches at my
sides, baring my thighs completely, and I am suddenly glad that I shaved my legs
this morning. The second our bodies touch my stomach begins to stir. I know
this happiness that I feel isn’t going to last, and I feel like Cinderella, waiting for
the clock to strike and end my blissful night.
“Much better,” he says and gives me a crooked smile.
I know he’s drunk and that’s why he is being so nice—well, nice for him—but
right now I will take it. If this is truly my last time around him, then this is how I