Neon & Nets (Venom Next Gen #1)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

Sofia

The last thing I remember is curling up with my head on Knight’s shoulder, full of delicious carbs and slightly tipsy, while we watched a series of old B-movies. I must have drifted off at some point, because when I open my eyes next, I’m in Knight’s deliciously comfortable bed, wearing only the Venom jersey I sported at the game yesterday and a pair of boy shorts.

“Did you carry me up here?” I ask with a yawn.

Beside me, Knight squirms closer. “No. You were really tired, but I managed to convince you that your back would hurt if you crashed on the couch.”

I squint at the ceiling. “Oh, yeah, that… sounds familiar.” I smother another yawn.

“And we didn’t do anything,” he adds. “You just seemed exhausted, and I thought you’d feel comfortable here. And it’s a really big bed…”

“Knight. It’s fine.” I roll onto my side to face him. “I trust you. You’ve been great about my need for more time, and I really appreciate it.”

His expression is enough to make me swoon. As if I wasn’t already crazy about him. The fact that he’s taken my need for space so seriously and handled it so well melts my heart. He hasn’t even pouted once. “I’m glad. Because I would never do anything to hurt you.” Something flashes across his features, and he turns on his stomach with a groan. He speaks into his pillow. “Dammit, I just remembered that Viktor moved in across the road. What’s with that guy?”

“It won’t be that bad,” I tell him. “It’ll be like when we were growing up.”

“Viktor was a terror when we were growing up!”

I chuckle. “True.” I clear my throat. “Hey, Knight? I’ve made a decision.”

“About what? Sabotaging Viktor’s condo? I’m thinking we should ding-dong-ditch him twice a day until he gets mad and moves out. We could totally TP his balcony and egg his sliding glass door too.”

“That’s weak. You’ll need to do better than that. And, actually, I was talking about us.”

“Oh?” Knight sits up. Worry furrows his brow. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, you goof.” I jab his shoulder with one finger. “Why would you assume that my answer is no? Although, actually, dating you would mean being across the street from Viktor again, so maybe I should rethink this.”

“Wait.” He scoots up against the pillows. “Are you saying that you want to be my girlfriend?”

“I’m circling yes. I… want to be with you.”

Knight cackles and flings himself closer, wrapping his arms and legs around me. “Yes, yes, yes! Sofia, I…” His words dissolve into happy noises as he squeezes me tight.

“You’re a goober.” I snuggle even closer, intertwining our limbs.

“Well, I was going to say thank you, but that sounded weird.”

“It would be weird!”

“Last night, you were talking about your thesis and what happens next. I just want you to know that no matter what happens, we’ll figure out a way to make things work. I have some ideas— ”

I moan. “Can we please not talk about this right now? I know it’s important, but until my paper is turned in and out of my hands, I’d rather not think about it if I don’t have to, period.”

“Fair. I was just going to say that if we end up going long distance for a while or something, I’m okay with that. I’ll wait for you.”

“I know.” I trail my finger over his chest, tracing the outline of his muscles beneath his thin tee. I realize that he’s still wearing the necklace I gave him. The one I made for him. “You shouldn’t sleep with this on, you know.”

“Oh, yeah.” He twists his neck around to get a better look. “I usually take it off, but I was kind of out of it last night.”

“Does that mean you were wearing it during the game?”

“Sure.” Knight’s hand closes around mine, clutching it to his chest. “It’s my lucky charm. Who surpassed Viktor Abbott as the Venom number one goal scorer this season?”

I chuckle at his eyebrow waggle. “Not that lucky, or you’d have gotten into the playoffs.”

“I’d argue that I’m a pretty lucky guy. After all, my childhood crush just agreed to be my girlfriend. We’re official and everything. And maybe, if I’m really lucky, she’ll let me kiss her.”

“In that case, maybe you should see how far that luck takes you.” I trail my hand down his chest until I find the hem of his shirt and tease the sliver of skin that peeks out over the waistband of boxers briefs.

Knight sucks in a breath, and his muscles tense under my touch. “Sofia… my dick misses you so fucking much.”

“Can I take these off?” I wiggle my fingers beneath the elastic.

“Only if I get to see all of you this time.”

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” I tug his boxers down .

Knight obliges, shifting his weight around until I can remove his underwear, then shucking off his shirt. When I try to remove my clothes, he stops me. “Let me. Even though I love seeing you in my jersey, I love taking it off you even more.”

He undresses me like I’m a wonder and lets his hands trail over my skin. Something is different this time. Rather than just going for the parts that feel best, he caresses me everywhere, letting his palm trace the soft outside of my thighs and his fingers skim the sensitive skin on the inside of my arms. It isn’t explicitly sexy, not in the way that I’m used to. It’s like I’m an unmapped territory that Knight has longed to visit for years. He hasn’t come anywhere near my clit, and I’m already melting beneath his hands.

His hips are spread around one thigh, and the hard jut of his erection tells me that he’s enjoying this as much as I am. I want to return the favor, to touch him with as much affection and care as he’s touching me, but I can barely move. It’s like I’m caught in his spell. I gasp when he finally runs the back of his hand along the inside of my thigh, and then his fingers are on me, in me, spreading me open.

His thumb slides through my wetness. “You’re so beautiful like this, Sofia. Slick. Swollen. Mine.”

I’m ready. I want him. I’ve wanted him for so long, but all the previous times we slept together, I always held something back. Not this time.

Using only touch to guide him, I spread my legs and rearrange my limbs until he can settle his hips above mine. He brushes his length against the warm wet heat of me once, twice, three times, until I change the angle of my hips and he slips inside. It stings a little, since I’m not quite ready, but he moves slowly. So slowly that it soon becomes exquisite torture.

I’ve never felt as connected to someone as I do to Knight: not on a physical level and certainly not on a spiritual one. The necklace I gave him dangles between us, and Knight lowers his forehead to mine. We’re a closed loop, a perfect feedback of pleasure and love. I never want this to end.

I’m so lost in the sense of belonging that my orgasm sneaks up on me. One minute, I’m perfectly at peace. The next, I’m gasping and panting and clinging to my boyfriend, lifting my hips to urge him deeper.

He groans and adjusts his angle. The movements of his hips become sharper and less even. I’m still riding the high of my release, but when he comes, I fall apart all over again. Knight, my Knight, is inside me, finding pleasure with me, treating me like I’m irreplaceable.

This was never just a hookup. I can’t believe I almost threw what we had away for good. I was almost too scared to accept that I deserved something that feels as good as his love does.

But I do. We both do.

“Sofia?” Knight pants. “Are you okay?”

I let out a throaty laugh and tighten around him, shocking another growl from his throat. “I’m amazing. I’m wonderful.”

“Give me ten minutes and some coffee, and I’ll make you feel even better,” he promises. “Unless you have someplace to be?”

There’s a thesis that needs work, and Mom’s probably texting me to make sure I’m still alive, but there’s no rush. I have time. I kiss Knight’s cheek. “I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” I promise.