Cruz wants us to stay together?

For good?

I breathe out in awe, "You really mean it?"

He nods. "I do."

I clutch at my chest. "Please don't fuck with me. My heart won't be able to take it."

"I'm dead serious about this shit."

Cruz's confession fills me with amazement. I'm rendered speechless. I can't believe that he's willing to apply to colleges on the east coast for Persie and me. I'm stunned that he cares so much. Fuck, it feels impossible that anyone would ever care this much about me. Yet, Cruz has somehow made the impossible—possible. The warmest, sweetest glow envelopes my heart. He has sent me over the moon with his words, and I don't ever want to come back down to earth again.

I can't contain my joy.

Feelings of celebration and happiness burst out of me as I practically pounce on Cruz, wrapping my arms around his shoulders to kiss him with everything I've got. I pour all of my gratitude and admiration and adoration into this one kiss. Our lips and tongues can't seem to get enough of each other. He groans and pulls me flush against his chest, deepening our connection. My mind spins with pleasure. My heart hammers away. We kiss until the world fades out, and our troubles become no more. We kiss until everything feels good and right and perfect between us.

When I finally pull away to catch my breath, I whisper in faint, emotional tones, "Thank you so much, Cruz. You came into my life when I needed you most, and I started liking you without even trying. With you, I feel at peace with everything that hurts inside. I don't deserve you, but I'm gonna fight for us, and, together, we're gonna get away from assholes like your dad and Chrissa and Brody and live out our best lives after graduation. Okay?"

"Sounds like a plan," Cruz murmurs with a smile.

Our eyes lock in the dark. I've never felt closer to another person.

Emotionally.

Mentally.

Physically.

Heat flares between our bodies. Desire seethes like a slow burn boiling over. Suddenly, more than anything, I want to finish what we started in my room.

Right now.

On his bed.

I start raining kisses along Cruz's jawline, down the slope of his neck, across his bare muscled chest. Small, sensual details flood my senses. The feel of his skin on my lips. The scent of him. Clean, woodsy, fresh.

Then, I go lower.

Lower.

Lower still.

My gaze doesn't waver from his eyes in the dark. Cruz remains silent, but he doesn't stop me. My guy looks as though he's holding his breath, watching my every movement with keen anticipation.

I position myself between Cruz's legs and smile at him, tugging suggestively at the waistband of his joggers.

Softly, I hum, "Did you wanna go to sleep or⁠—"

He doesn't let me finish.

"Or," Cruz chooses right away as he pulls off his pants and boxers. "Sleep is fucking overrated."

I bite back a giggle at his eagerness. I don't feel as apprehensive about what we're about to do. Not like before. I know where I stand with Cruz now. I know I matter to him.

I know I'm ready to make him lose his fucking mind.

As Cruz tosses his boxers aside, his dick rises to greet me. Lightly, I wrap my fingers around the base, coaxing a happy grunt from Cruz, and give him a few slow, unhurried up-and-down tugs along his solid, heavy length. Then, I lean over to kiss my way down the left side of his V-line. Then, the right side. Cruz's breaths quicken. I'm teasing him like he teased me. His cock pulses in my hand. It doesn't take long for a tiny dew of precum to appear at the tip.

I lean down to lap it up like a kitten. The moment my tongue touches the head of his shaft, I feel his ab muscles tense beneath me.

"Damn, Athena," Cruz curses softly. "Sure you've never done this before?"

"Never."

"Then I'm one lucky motherfucker."

His eyes are glazed over now. Cruz's handsome face is drawn taut with desperation and lust while his fingers dig into my scalp, and I can tell that my guy needs more from me.

Much, much more.

I don't hesitate this time.

In one swift motion, I dip downwards. My lips close around him, sinking down the first few inches of his dick. Cruz gasps as I slip him inside my mouth. He feels thick, warm, and hard. My heart pounds with fluttery excitement. It's a weird sensation—giving head for the first time. I'm not quite sure what to do next. To experiment, I swirl my tongue around the rounded head of his cock. Cruz moans appreciatively.

I think he likes it?

I do it a second time.

And a third time.

Then, I use my cheeks to create a light, gentle suction around him. Cruz's hips jerk in response as his fingers tighten around my head.

"Do that again," he rasps, "please."

Oh, my guy definitely likes that!

I alternate between swirling and sucking motions until his eyes roll back. Little by little, Cruz starts pumping himself into my mouth with quick, shallow thrusts. He's panting now. Sweat slicks his skin. I don't stop. I keep sucking, keep swirling with my tongue. I try to move my head in time to his rhythm. Sliding up and down his length with my lips.

In strained, tight voice, Cruz gasps, "Oh, baby, I'm close, I'm so fucking close..."

His words send a flare of delight through me. My jaw is getting a bit sore. Cruz is such a big boy, after all. But I can sense his pleasure rising, rousing, readying for release. I soldier through the discomfort for several more minutes, doing everything I can to push him over the edge. Cruz's movements increase with speed and force. He's beginning to lose all sense of tempo. Every push in grows more erratic. Every pull out becomes more frenzied.

A moment later, a deep, low, guttural groan escapes Cruz as his muscles clench up. He seems to lose control at last, shoving his cock roughly into my mouth one last time. Not hard enough to make me gag, but the suddenness of it catches me by surprise, nonetheless. Cruz's hands grip me in an unrelenting hold. I become his anchor while he loses himself completely. His shaft pulsates and throbs as he spills in my mouth. He tastes hot, salty. I decide to swallow.

When his climax finally comes to an end, all the tension seems to melt from his body, his muscles relax into the mattress. Eyes shut, Cruz's expression looks peaceful. Happy as hell. I scoot up the bed to snuggle him, resting my cheek on his chest. I can hear his heartbeat. The steady thud-thud-thud of it calms me like a lullaby.

With his eyes still closed, Cruz smiles and whispers to me, "Thank you."

I peck him on the cheek and murmur back, "Not bad for a first timer?"

Cruz opens one eye and peers at me, chuckling sheepishly, "You sucked the soul outta me, baby. I don't deserve you."

He reaches over to clasp my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. The gentleness of his touch contrasts his roughness from moments ago, and it wreaks a bit of chaos on my heart. I hold on tight to his hand.

"Don't say that. I'm the lucky one," I argue quietly. "You're gonna have to give up so much to be with me."

"What am I giving up?" he teases good-naturedly. "If I'm on the east coast, I'll be even further away from my dad. That's a win. I'll still be going to a school of my choice. That's a win, too. And, most importantly, I won't lose you after graduation. That's the biggest win. I dunno if you can tell, but I'm not being selfless here, Athena, I'm actually being selfish because I'm trying to have it all."

My eyebrow rise up. "Is that how you see our situation?"

Cruz nods. "Mm-hmm."

My heart glows with bliss even though I know he's just saying this shit to be sweet. To make me feel better. Less guilty.

Despite my happiness at the moment, I'm worried. I hope Cruz has a genuine idea of what he's about to get himself into. Once I adopt Persie, I'll be more of a single mom than a big sister. Cruz is young, hot, and smart as fuck. He'll have so many better options than me in college.

Does Cruz really want to chain himself to someone like me?