Neon & Nets (Venom Next Gen #1)

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Knight

On Saturday, I show up at Sofia’s place at ten with two travel mugs in hand, smiling so hard my face hurts. Dante was right about the magic. My game is getting better by the day, and not just on the ice. This is the perfect date. Sofia’s going to lose her mind.

I can’t wait to see her reaction.

She answers the door looking frazzled and half-ready. Only part of her makeup is done, including one smokey eye that manages to make her right eye look twice as big as her left. “Sorry!” she exclaims. “I was exhausted after the livestream last night, and then I was up late fretting over my thesis, and I didn’t think I’d need to set an alarm for an event that started so late, and then—”

“Whoa.” I hold up both hands, gesturing with the mugs for her to pump the breaks. “Slow down, Sof. Breathe. It’s fine.”

“But I don’t want to keep you waiting…” She wrings her hands.

“I promise you, it’s okay. I’m good. Finish up. Take your time. We’ve got hours.”

She ushers me in, eying the tumblers longingly. “I don’t suppose there’s caffeine in either of those?”

I pass her the one I haven’t sipped from, and she takes a sip. Of course, she ends up puffing out her cheeks. “Hot! Hot!”

“That’s the point of the tumbler, babe.” I tap one fingertip against the metal wall .

Sofia blinks a few times. “Knight, what’s in here? This is… this is… wow.”

“Coffee.” I grin. “With a little cocoa powder, a teaspoon of honey, steamed milk, and a dash of cinnamon.”

“It’s amazing.” She clutches the tumbler in both hands and lets out a contented sigh. Then she shakes her head. “Sorry. Sorry! I’m so out of it this morning!”

“Stop apologizing,” I insist. I settle onto the sofa while she flies around the cramped space. “What’s the deal with this live you were talking about? Is it for school?”

“No, I…” Something clatters against the bathroom sink. “Crap. Oh, wait, it didn’t break! False alarm.” Wood scrapes against wood as she opens a drawer. “Uh, so I do live jewelry-making on my account sometimes? And I wouldn’t bother, with the thesis and all, but I got a whole bunch of new followers lately, and people are buying my pieces faster than I can make them… My parents would probably say that it’s a waste of time, but it’s nice to have something I can do to zone out. And it’s bringing in money, which is nice.” She emerges from the bathroom with her makeup finished and her hair pulled back into a loose braid. She plants her hands on her hips and surveys the room. “Shoes…”

I point to her sneakers.

“No, I want…” Without finishing the sentence, she wanders into the bedroom.

I chuckle into my coffee mug. It’s too bad she didn’t rest properly, but sleepy Sofia is absolutely adorable. “The live thing sounds fun.”

“I mean… it is?” More clattering ensues. I can tell her general position in the bedroom based on the sounds of chaos coming from the next room. “At least, it’s fun when people aren’t being dicks. But it really drains my social battery. So metimes when my brain short circuits, I just put on music in the background, but I’m still hyperaware of being on camera.”

“Ah, right. You can’t get too comfy and accidentally pick your nose on camera.”

She snorts. “Or pull my boob out of my bra to scratch it.”

“Or let out a really loud belch.”

“No, I can pull off a belch.” She hops out of the bedroom, one boot on, the other still clutched in one hand. She collapses into one of the breakfast nook chairs and gives the boot a few tugs. “A solid belch can buy you street cred. What you really don’t want to do is let your bare feet show up on camera. That’s how your holoscans end up on Wikifeet.”

“Is that still a thing?” I ask.

“It’s perversion stored on the internet,” Sofia reminds me. “Of course, it’s still a thing. Now, all I need is my purse… ooh, and the coffee you brought.” She takes another sip.

“Hey, Sof…” I scoot toward her as my earlier excitement fades. “If your social battery is burned out, are you sure you want to do stuff today? It’s not going to be too much?”

“No, it’s fine.” She gets up and reaches for her purse. “I’m going to go with the flow for now, although I reserve the right to head out early if I can’t take any more excitement.”

“Promise?”

She looks up, her lips parted in surprise. She must be wearing a new color of lipstick, because it makes her mouth look even redder than usual. It looks like it tastes like cherries. I want to press my lips to hers to find out.

“Promise,” she says at last.

“Good. Now, we should get going.” I pop up from the sofa and offer her my arm. “Just wait until you see what I have in mind.”

* * *

I was pretty sure that this was a good date idea when I came up with it, but I was not prepared for the depth of Sofia’s excitement. She stands in the middle of the expo center, eyes bulging as she spins in place. “Where do I even start?” she cries.

There are beads and gems and jewelry in every direction, as far as the eye can see. This isn’t my area of expertise, not by a long shot, so I just stand back and wait for Sofia to make up her mind. Normally, you have to be a jewelry wholesaler to attend since this expo isn’t open to the general public, but I pulled some strings.

She freezes for a moment, and then her hand whips out to grab my arm. “Can you read that sign from here?”

I follow the line of her finger. “Um, Queen of—”

“Queen of Bead!” Sofia takes off, dragging me behind her. “That’s Nancy Morrigan! She’s, like, oh my gosh, she’s one of my favorites. She’s the one who got me into jewelry-making in the first place. I love her work! Do you think she’ll be there?”

“Well, I mean—”

“Oh, no.” Sofia cuts me off and turns away, even though we’re only paces from the booth. “That’s her. Oh my gosh. What do I even say?”

“You could start by telling her that you like her work,” I suggest.

“I can’t just say that!” Sofia hisses. “I’ll seem like a stalker!”

I pat her back. “Fine. Watch and see how it’s done.”

“No, Knight, get back here!” She tries to haul me back, but I’m already striding over toward the table and flashing this Nancy lady my PR-photo grin.

“Hi, there.” I sidle up to the table. “Are you Nancy…”

“Nancy Morrigan.” The woman smiles back. “And you are?”

“My name’s Knight, and this…” I wave over my shoulder. “Th is is Sofia. She’s a big fan.”

“Hi,” Sofia squeaks. She hunches her shoulders up to her ears and keeps glancing at the floor. “That’s me.”

“She makes jewelry, too,” I explain.

Nancy smiles. “Really?”

“Not like yours!” Sofia rushes to clarify. “I’m not that good, and you do all this amazing silverwork. It’s just a hobby for me.”

The jeweler leans over the table. “Did you make the piece you’re wearing?”

Sofia presses a hand over her cleavage. “I did, yes…”

“It’s beautiful. You have a good eye.”

Sofia’s face turns tomato-red. I’ve never seen her this embarrassed, but she’s also grinning at the compliment. “Thank you.”

Someone at the other end of the table asks a question, and Nancy waves to us. “Take a look around and let me know if you have any questions about the pieces. I’d be happy to talk more.” She walks away to make a sale, and Sofia collapses against my side.

“That was amazing,” she murmurs. “I’m glad she’s so nice. It’s the worst when your personal heroes end up falling off their pedestal.”

“Tell me what you like about her work,” I say.

Sofia walks me through the pieces, pointing out techniques and materials that she likes. When we reach a display of one-of-a-kind rings, she points to one in the back set with a small fossil in between two gems that change color in the light.

“See, this is gorgeous.” She wiggles the ring free of its display case. “It’s got character, it’s unique, and it means something. Imagine it as a wedding ring. Instead of some boring diamond, it suggests that your love is built to last. It’s long-lived and beautiful.” She lets out a happy sigh as she slides the ring onto her ring finger. It’s a perfect fit. “If I ever find the right guy, this is exactly what I’d want.”

She returns the ring to its place and leads me onward. After another brief conversation with the jeweler, we move on to the next booth. Sofia is hesitant to buy jewelry, but she gets excited when we reach a booth with beads and stones that she wants to work with. While she digs through the options, I make an excuse to go to the bathroom and circle back to the Queen of Bead booth.

The ring is still there. Sofia was obviously dropping hints earlier, and I want to surprise her later. Despite the large price tag, I slip Nancy Morrigan my card.

I’m going to need this ring someday soon.

* * *

“Are you okay?” I ask Sofia.

She’s been staring out the back window for a solid ten minutes, holding her drink in one hand, not saying a word. It’s barely nine o’clock, and she already looks worn out.

“Sorry.” She rubs one eye. “I’m just peopled out. I think I bluescreened for a minute there.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” I pat her knee. “Want me to take you home?”

“No, it’s different when it’s you.”

I feign offense. “Do I not count as people?”

“Of course not. You’re Knight.” She snuggles up to me. “You’re in a category all your own.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” I wrap one arm around her. “Do you want to watch a movie or something, then?”

“I think I’d like to go to bed. I need to unwind, or I’ll be too drained to do my live event tomorrow night. ”

I kiss her forehead. “Aw, you’re cute when you’re sleepy.”

Sofia looks up at me with a small smile. “Who said anything about sleeping?”

Oh. I cup one of her cheeks in my hand and brush the pad of my thumb across her bottom lip. “Did you have something else in mind?”

“Well, now that you have real furniture…”

I take the mostly empty glass from her hand and set it on the side table. “Want to see my bedroom?”

“Please.” She takes my hand and lets me help her up from the couch.

We make our way to the second floor, finding little opportunities to brush up against each other. My room here is so different from the one in my parents’ house, with the familiar twin bed and all my old crap strewn around. Knova’s right: I’m an adult now, with a place of my own, and I want to take care of it. Even more than that, I want to make this place appealing to Sofia, so I’ve laid everything out in a way that encourages me to actually throw my damn laundry in the basket and ensure that everything has a place.

Sofia gasps when she sees the bed. “It’s huge.”

“Just what every guy wants to hear,” I tease.

“Seriously, this is amazing.” Sofia collapses onto the bed and lets out a contented sigh. “And it’s so comfortable. I’m jealous. Between the dorm and living at home, I’ve never had a mattress this nice.”

I settle down beside her, leaning up on one elbow. “You’re welcome to use this one anytime.”

She rolls her eyes. “Smooth, Knight.”

“I thought so.” I lean over to kiss her.

Sofia makes a soft sound against my lips and pulls me closer, until my chest settles against hers. After a moment, though, she turns away with a groan. “I smell like the convention center.”

“Do you?” I sniff her hair as obnoxiously as I can.

“Oh my God, stop.” She wards me off, cackling when I fight back. I wrestle her for a bit until it occurs to me what she’s saying.

“Hey,” I ask, “want to take a shower?”

“Together?” she asks.

I kiss her ear and neck until she shivers. “We are two reasonable, consenting adults. Surely we both know that shower sex is… tricky. So much possibility of slipping.”

“Not if you do it right. Come on.” Sofia gets up and pulls her dress over her head. She lets it flutter to the floor, but I’m more focused on the matching underwear set she’s wearing. It’s black, printed with a cascade of bright red roses.

I didn’t know I was a flower guy, but damn. I scramble up after her.

Sofia walks backward to the en suite bathroom door, grinning at me as she goes, shedding her bra and panties along the way. I nearly trip over my own feet as I shimmy out of my things too. I know I don’t look half as sexy as she does, but judging by the way her eyes light up, she’s happy with what she sees.

“See, your shower is plenty safe,” Sofia tells me. “There are handholds, and nice tile with grips on the bottom.” She steps in and closes the clear door in my face, grinning at my consternation. My attitude changes when she turns on the dual showerheads and reaches for the foaming body wash.

This isn’t a shower, I realize. It’s a one-woman smoke show.

I have to hold onto the bathroom vanity for support with one hand. The other reaches between my legs before I even realize what I’m doing. The sight of Sofia, dripping wet and washing her curves, is… inspiring .

“Hands off,” she says, narrowing her eyes at me. “You’re still dirty, remember?”

“Yes, ma’am.” I whip my hand away.

She rinses the suds from her breasts, then crooks a finger at me. I step into the steam and grab the safety bar in one clenched fist. Immediately, Sofia’s hands glide over me, washing me, curling around my dick and stroking, then gently cupping my balls.

“That’s better,” she says. “But I think you’re right. I wouldn’t want to slip.” She lowers herself onto her knees.

“Fuck, Sof,” I whisper.

She keeps her eyes down as she draws me into her mouth. With the water falling around us, it’s hard to look at her without getting droplets in my eyes. I grip the safety bar for dear life and rest the other hand on top of her head, stroking her wet hair as she sucks me, working her hand along my shaft. She’s so fucking hot. So goddamn beautiful. I think of the ring I bought earlier today and wonder… could every day be like this? Could this be our future?

I feel pressure at the tip of my cock and realize just how deep she’s taken me this time, swallowing me until she can’t take any more. Her tongue works along my shaft, and when she hums, I swear I’m going to lose my fucking mind.

“Sofia, stop, I’m gonna…” I suck in a breath. “I’m gonna…”

She pulls back, but her hands keep working over my length. One of her fingers finds a sensitive spot just behind my balls, and it’s too much. Too good. I shudder and cry out as my cock jerks, spilling cum across her breasts in spurts. Within seconds, the pounding water begins to wash it away.

“Damn.” Sofia pouts. “I guess I’ll have to wash all over again.”

“Maybe I can help with that,” I pant .

In the warm spray of the shower, we’re wrapped up in each other, skin slick and muscles relaxed. Our bodies glisten with a mix of sweat and water as we navigate the slick tiles beneath our feet. As I cup her full breasts, the water cascades over our hands, creating a symphony of sounds that only adds to the dreaminess of this moment. Shower sex is a first-rate experience. I’m going to have to lure her in here more often. Then again, this time, she lured me in.

She looks up at me with those huge eyes filled with mischief and a hint of desire. Her wet hair clings to her flushed cheeks in thick strands, which only accentuates her natural beauty. I take a step closer to her, my body pressing against hers, as I position my hips to align with hers. With gentle care, I begin to wash away all the last traces of my release, starting from her collarbone and slowly moving downward.

Her skin is like velvet under my fingertips, and as I trace patterns on her torso, she releases a soft moan that resonates throughout the steamy shower. At this point, I’m not sure if I’m marking her with my cum or cleaning it away. I make sure to cover every inch of her body, taking my time with each curve and contour. There’s something incredibly sensual about being able to touch her in this way—it feels intimate and connecting. And we both know that this intimacy only brings us closer together.

As I finish with one final stroke, I look up and find Sofia staring at me. There’s something incredibly vulnerable yet powerful about her in this moment, and it only serves to bring my dick roaring back to life.

I reach out and gently cup her face in my hands, feeling the water cascading over our intertwined fingers. Our lips meet, tongues dancing together as we explore each other’s mouths.

Pulling away slightly, I whisper into Sofia’s ear, “My turn. ”

As I begin to gently kiss my way down her neck, her eyes flutter closed and soft moans fall from her lips. Once I reach her breasts, she gasps at the sensation of my tongue tracing the outline of each stiff peak before taking them into my mouth. She arches her back slightly as I pay attention to each one, making sure she is enjoying every second of it.

Moving farther down her body, I take a moment to appreciate the way the water dances across Sofia’s skin as it flows over the curves of her hips. My hands trace the lines of her body as I continue my descent, finally reaching her glistening pussy.

My fingers brush against her mound, and she lets out a soft whimper, her hips moving instinctively against my touch. Without hesitation, I devote myself to giving her the pleasure she deserves. My tongue darts out to taste her, savoring every drop as I delve deeper between her folds.

I could stay here all day and night, on my knees, worshipping this woman. It’s like she was made for me, and us coming together like this was written in the stars.

The water pours down upon us, a symphony of sounds and sensations as I devour my sweet girl. My hands cradle her ass cheeks, pulling her closer to my mouth as I explore every inch of her. Sofia’s moans grow louder, her body trembling with each flick of my tongue and thrust of my fingers.

The feeling of being completely submerged in this experience is overwhelming—the warm water cascading down from the multiple shower heads, the scent of our combined desire filling the air, and the sound of our moans echoing off the tiles around us. It’s like being lost in a dream where nothing else matters but this moment and this connection.

“I’m getting close,” she pants out, her body beginning to tense. “Don’t stop, Knight. ”

Her breaths become shallower, her mewls more urgent—a sure sign that she’s on the brink of an explosive release. With all my might, I focus on driving her over that edge.

The moment I insert another finger into her warm channel, Sofia’s body convulses beneath me, her moans turning into an unintelligible plea as she comes all over my tongue.

But I don’t stop. I keep going, my mouth and fingers working in tandem to bring her to even greater heights. Her body shakes violently, her grip on my hair tightening as she rides the wave of pleasure crashing over her like a tidal wave.

Before I want it to, Sofia’s body collapses against me, shuddering with the aftershocks of her climax. I wrap my arms around her, holding her upright as we catch our breaths and recover from the intensity of what just happened.

As the water continues to cascade down around us, we stay there quietly for a moment, basking in the afterglow of our incredible connection.

Finally, I stand up and extend my hand to Sofia. “Wow, that was intense,” I say softly, helping her rise to her feet. “And we are very, very clean.”

Together, we step out of the huge shower and onto the heated tile of the bathroom. As I turn off the water, I can’t help but marvel at the sight before me—two glistening bodies, standing naked and vulnerable in front of each other, their eyes locked in a stare that communicates everything they need to know about how much they mean to each other.

Even if I haven’t said the actual words, she has to know. She has to.

“Come here.” Gently toweling off Sofia’s body, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of tenderness toward this incredible woman—not only for what she just experienced but also for everything else she has brought into my life since we first met.

With the final part of her body dry, I give myself the same treatment as she watches me from underneath her sooty eyelashes. Once I’m done, I lift Sofia effortlessly into my arms and carry her back to the bedroom. Setting her gently down onto the soft mattress, I watch as she sinks into it, her eyes still shining with the afterglow of our encounter in the shower.

I crawl onto the bed beside her. Sofia looks up at me with a smile. One that speaks volumes about how much she enjoyed what just happened between us. “I’ve never felt more alive,” she whispers, reaching up to trace her fingers across my cheek.

Her touch sends shivers down my spine, causing my heart to race with anticipation for what’s to come next. “Then let’s make sure you stay that way,” I say, leaning down to capture her lips in a tender kiss.