Behind Closed Doors Read Online Free Page A

“Get under before you get cold. In a minute, it’s going to feel like the arctic in here.”
     
    I scramble under the sheets. “Why do you set the air so high?”
     
    “My landlord does it. I can’t change the setting. Like I said, the unit is old and it doesn’t exactly work well. It’s either too hot or too cold, and being that it’s summer, I prefer the too cold.”
     
    He joins me under the sheets, but he doesn’t touch me and I can’t help wondering why.
     
    “Did I do something wrong?” I hope I don’t sound my age by asking.
     
    “Not at all. I don’t want to do something wrong. You said you don’t normally do this.”
     
    “You said you don’t either.”
     
    He smiles. “Then I guess we should take this slowly.” He reaches for the button on my shorts.
     
    “Slow is good.” Since both guys I’ve been with only knew one speed, fast, I’m more than willing to take my time and make this last.
     
    Darren kisses me as he slips my shorts off. Even though I’m lying naked in his bed, he doesn’t make a move to remove his pants. Instead, he focuses on me. For the first time ever, a guy just wants to please me. I get lost in his touch, savoring every moment and how it sends my blood coursing through my veins. And when Darren finally does remove his jeans, I can barely hold off any longer. But he makes me wait while he gets a condom. I don’t even have to ask or to remind him why he should wear it. And the moment our bodies connect, it’s like they were meant to be together.
    ***
     
    Darren strokes my hair as we lay side by side in his bed. There are no words to describe what being with him was like. I’ve never felt this way after sex. Never felt this satisfied and content. All I know is I don’t want to give this up. This feeling, Darren—but I’m lying to him. He thinks I’m his age, that I’m attending Timberland as a grad student. If he finds out, this will all be over. We’ll be over.
     
    I look at the clock on his nightstand. “I should go.”
     
    “Do you have an early class?”
     
    “Eight a.m. My roommate is a morning person.”
     
    “Your roommate’s in the same grad program? That should come in handy for studying.”
     
    I smile, not wanting to add any more lies to the heap. “Um, I should text her to come pick me up.”
     
    “I can drive you home. It’s really no problem.” He sits up and pulls his shirt over his head.
     
    “No, it’s fine. She doesn’t mind.” God, I can hear how lame I sound. I pull my clothes back on in a hurry before he can protest too much. “Can you just give me the address so I can tell her?”
    “Sure. It’s 114 Sherman Place, but are you sure about this?”
     
    I text as quickly as my fingers will move. “Yeah. Already sent the text. I don’t live far from here, so she should be here soon.”
     
    My phone chimes. You went back to his place?!
     
    Just hurry up and get here, I reply.
     
    “She’s already on her way.” I cringe, knowing I’m lying again.
     
    “Do you want to maybe get dinner tomorrow?” He fidgets with the bottom of his shirt, and I get the feeling that he’s wondering what our little get together means.
     
    “I’d love to.” I smile, relieved that he wants to see me again and isn’t looking at this as a one-time thing.
     
    We exchange numbers, and Darren says he’ll text me when he gets off work. My phone chimes. I’m here.
     
    “That’s my roommate. I guess I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
     
    Darren walks me to the door and kisses me goodbye, his lips lingering on mine in a way that makes me melt.
     
    “Night,” I say.
     
    “Night.” He opens the door and watches me walk to the car. I give a wave before I get in, and Noelle hits me with a very reproachful stare.
     
    “Just don’t,” I say as we pull out of the driveway. “It’s no different than how you and Andy got together so I don’t want to hear it. Look at you two now. You’re driving his car like it’s your