Read After Midnight for Free Online Page B

you.”
    “I thought it took guys a while to recover after sex,” she said.
    He shook his head and laughed. “Some guys. Some of the time. I think it depends on the woman and man. It’s not taking me any time with you.”
    “Why do you think that is?” she asked curiously. “Is it back to me being special?”
    He caressed her side, starting at her shoulder and working his way slowly down to her hip. “I don’t know why. It’s not something I’ve ever analyzed. Why would I? Sex is supposed to be fun, not figures put in a spreadsheet.”
    “Is it?” she mused. “That hasn’t always been my experience, but then I haven’t done the amount of experimenting you have.”
    “Gorgeous, you’re pushing me. I’m not sure why.”
    “I’m scared,” she admitted. “This seemed like fun in the bar, but now that I’m up here, I don’t know how to act or what to do next. I’m not used to that.”
    He sighed. “There is no right or wrong action here. We make up our own rules, okay?”
    He wanted her to be different, and she was. She made him feel alive in a way that only snowboarding had before. Something he’d never found in any of his personal relationships. Maybe it was just the novelty of sleeping with a girl he’d wanted since he was seventeen. Or maybe it was just the place he was in at this moment in his life.
    But he didn’t want her to think they had to behave in a certain way. With other woman he’d been different—happy for the sex, but not wanting anything more. It had been casual and friendly with no feelings getting hurt. But this was Lindsey, and he needed more.
    More? How much more, he had no idea. This was all new to him, too.
    “Okay, so what kind of rules should we have?” she asked. “Are we going to do this again?”
    “Um...I thought that was obvious,” he said, gesturing to his erection.
    She laughed, and the sound washed over him like a warm bit of sunshine on a cold day.
    A moment later she reached for him, stroked her hand up and down his cock, and then leaned down to kiss him. “Okay, so after that—then what?”
    “We’ll figure it out. This is one thing we don’t have to train for or have a rigorous schedule about.” She nodded, and he saw that something was going on inside her head, but he had no idea what it was. What was it she was thinking? He thought maybe he shouldn’t let himself get distracted, but for tonight he’d had enough conversation.
    He had a naked Lindsey in his bed and he intended to enjoy her.
    * * *
    T HEY FELL ASLEEP in each other’s arms after making love the second time, and when Lindsey woke, it was to the soft snores coming from Carter. He was turned on his side, facing her, and their fingers were linked together. She was riveted by the sight of him, but had a little bit of a headache and was thirsty.
    Really thirsty.
    She carefully pulled her hand from his and made her way quietly across the bedroom into the bathroom, where she closed the door, letting just the illumination from the night-light break the darkness. She saw herself in the mirror, but avoided eye contact as she filled a glass with water and slowly drank it.
    Lost in thought, she closed the lid on the toilet and sat on it.
    She was no closer now to knowing what to do next than she had been six hours earlier. She noticed she had a little bit of razor burn on her neck, remembered the feel of him in her arms and shivered. Carter Shaw. Who’d have guessed?
    She finished her water and then stood to lean in over the sink.
    Her previous sexual experiences had been less than stellar. Did she look different now that she’d had an orgasm with a man rather than by her own hand? She searched her face for some sign, but there wasn’t one. She still looked like Lindsey. Like herself. But inside something had awakened. Something was changing, and she had no clue what she was going to do next.
    She bit her lip. Staying here and waiting for Carter to wake up sounded like a bad idea. She knew that