The next week flies by in a blur of finals, turning in last minute assignments, and of course, taking care of Ryder. He and I had spent almost every day together, something we didn't always do because we were both so busy, but he needed the help and I wanted to help him. Being there for him, like he'd been for me in the past, felt necessary.

The only bump in the road between finals and Ryder's injury was that I'd nearly forgotten about the correct time I was supposed to be on campus to take the exam. I did make it and I ended up doing okay on the test itself, but still, Ryder didn't like that I'd almost missed something important because of him. 

I had reassured him, telling him it was fine and showing him that's I'd still passed the class with a 94%, which all things considered, is something of a miracle for me—especially because school had fallen to the wayside far before we ever started dating. In fact, I'd passed the semester with straight A's which meant my dreams of medical school for psychiatry weren't totally dashed. 

Then, once finals were over, we were both able to relax a bit more. Friday night we hung out at my apartment, watching movies, and eating popcorn, cuddled up under a thick, warm blanket. We'd both be going home for the holidays soon, and I think we both knew we were going to miss each other.

Now, it's Saturday morning, and my body feels warm as I wake up, one arm laid gently across his chest, the other tucked under my side as I curl myself closer to him, stretching my legs out. His breathing is slow and steady, his uninjured arm wrapped securely around my side to keep me tucked next to him.

My eyes open carefully, the late morning sunlight illuminating the room in a soft glow through the closed blinds on the windows across from my bed. Part of me wonders then if I should get up and make us breakfast while he's still sleeping, we'd spent nearly every night since he got out of the hospital together and I knew the pain meds the doctor gave him kept him knocked out. I was used to being awake first by now.

But then I feel the arm he has wrapped around me shift, his hand tightening across my middle before his arm moves and his hand runs up and down my side gently.

"You awake?" his voice is raspy and tired.

"Yeah," I say softly, sitting up and looking down at him. He smiles sleepily at me.

"How'd you sleep?" he asks, and I shrug.

"Pretty good." My gaze moves to the thick white bandages still wrapped around his shoulder, the strap of his sling a bit tangled. My fingers reach out absentmindedly, smoothing out the kink so it lies flat across his chest. "How are you feeling?"

"Awake." He says, something glowing behind his eyes as he watches me, smirking a bit.

"Oh," I giggle. "What does that mean?"

"It means now that finals are over," his hand travels up my side again, fingertips skimming below the edge of the large t-shirt I'd worn to bed. "We have the whole morning to lay in bed, and I wanna make the most of it."

"You have to let me do all the work though." I say slowly, understanding what he wants and wanting the same thing. We hadn't had sex the entire week we'd been together, something of a novelty for us, and I could tell Ryder wasn't interested in letting that go on any farther without rectifying the situation.

"So, I shouldn't do this then?" he asks playfully, his free hand maneuvering around me as I turn my body to face him. I bite my lip as his cool fingertips travel up my body, grazing against my nipples before gliding down my stomach to the top band of the lace thong I'd gone to bed in.

"I—I just want you to be careful." I sigh, my words stuttering together a bit as his fingertips slide beneath the band and reach my center. I gasp when his index and middle fingers circle my clit, rubbing gently at the soft skin there before dipping farther down.

"I don't feel like being careful this morning." He hums, leaning up as I catch on to what he wants and meet him, our lips brushing together before he deepens the kiss and gently strokes my entrance.

It feels nice, my body waking up to his touch almost instantly. The almost more than a week's absence of being together had left me more pent up than I realized until this moment.

I know I'm already wet, his fingers beginning to move against me with more ease, dipping down and then pulling back again to circle my clit.

"Ryder." I whisper against his lips, his tongue taking the opportunity to slide against mine and I hear a low groan echo in his throat.

"You're already fucking soaking." He murmurs, rubbing his fingers harshly against my clit, picking up a bit of pressure and friction that leaves my body shuddering with pleasure. My inner walls squeeze, one of my hands tightening in the covers as the other on his chest moves down.

The soft fabric of his t-shirt passes easily beneath my hand, my fingers reaching out of the thick band of his boxers and then further down, I palm his erection gently.

"Uh, yeah." He sighs, voice hoarse and dry. I pull back, admiring his handsome face as his eyes close while I trail kisses across his jaw and then down his neck. He smells good, like the body wash we'd used in the shower last night. Fresh, alpine, ocean.

"What do you want?" I ask slowly, my own voice low and sultry as I increase the pressure of my hand. His fingers follow suite, moving rapidly now against my clit and I stifle a moan against his shirt.

"I wanna feel you around my cock." He murmurs, hand suddenly leaving my center wanting as it rises and massages one of my breasts gently.

"Right now?" I gasp, the desire pooling between my legs intensifying.

"Yeah."

My head rises again, meeting his gaze, the blue color of his eyes dark and lustful. I lean forward, capturing his lips with mine in a hot kiss. I cry out gently when his hand grabs my thong, pulling the material tight over my clit, the friction sending a wave of pleasure through my body.

Then I'm scrambling with his boxer band, pushing the material down until his dick stands between us. His lips move to my jaw now, lifting myself over him and closer as my eyes drift down. He's already hard, firm, a circle of precum dotting the tip and I know then he's as desperate as I feel.

One week was too long.

I know neither of us will last.

My leg lifts over his lower waist as if on instinct, his body turning at an angle to fit with mine and I close my eyes when his lips meet that spot behind my ear, gasping as they suck harshly at my skin.

His hand pushes my t-shirt up, and I follow his lead, sitting up slightly to pull it off my head and his lips meet one puckered nipple instead, teeth grazing against me, and I moan softly, fingers running through his hair.

"Your body is so beautiful baby." He hums happily, moving to the other breast and then his hand presses at my back, easing me back down so he can kiss me again. Then he goes to work, fingers sliding over my thong and pulling it to the side, I feel him against my thigh then. Hips thrusting up to graze over my center and we both moan into each other's mouths.

"Fuck." I gasp, hooking my leg farther over him, widening my stance and thrusting down so I can feel the tip resting just at my entrance.

"So close." He groans and we break off from the kiss, unable to help laughing together.

"Here," I giggle, pushing him onto his back again and sliding on top of him gently. I support my own weight, careful of his shoulder, one hand propped on the mattress by his side, the other reaches between us to hold his dick.

Even though I want this so bad I can barely think, I don't want this to hurt him. I need to do all the work. I adjust my legs, looking down to watch as I guide the tip to my entrance again and then sink down.

We both groan loudly, not caring that we're not the only ones in my apartment right now.

"Oh fuck," He curses, his free hand gripping my upper thigh tightly. "I've fucking missed this."

"Me too." I sigh, moving down until we're skin to skin and he's so deep inside me that he's the only thing I know, or feel. It feels so right, pleasure and euphoria coursing through me instantly.

"I'm not gonna last." He manages, his expression pulled tight, head lifting off the pillow to glance down to where we're one. He lets out a deep sigh, groaning again as his head falls back into the pillows, eyes shut tight.

"Just hold on." I sigh, supporting myself with both my hands on his lower abdomen as I begin to rise and fall, gliding up and down on him slowly at first, but I know he wasn't lying when he said he wasn't going to last long.

"Fucking hell baby." He moans loudly, grip on my side tightening even harder as I continue moving. "Oh god, you feel so nice."

"You wanna cum baby?" I ask, surprised by my own voice as I watch him unravel beneath me. There's something beautiful about it, the vulnerability of having him completely under my control.

"Shit," he mutters, eyes opening again to look up to me, moving from my breasts to where I continue to rise and fall over him and then back to my eyes again. "Yeah, oh fuck, yeah I'm gonna cum."

"Cum for me baby," I whisper, moving faster, and trying to squeeze him harder, tightening my walls around him before his body begins to shake. I feel him inside me, his eyes shut again as his face works up with pleasure, jaw dropping open.

"I fucking love you Jourdan," he rasps, warmth spreading inside of me. "So much."

I moan, throwing my head back and continuing to move faster, rolling my hips forward, my body draining him of everything he has. He groans, hips thrusting up gently below me, the soft sounds he makes as he releases soothing my ears. Slowly, I draw out my movements, tilting my head back down to watch him as he begins to relax.

I move up and down one last time, flexing my muscles tightly, enjoying the sensation and the pleasure of it all. Even if I didn't finish, watching him like that was a new high in and of itself.

Then I stop, dragging my nails gently up and down his chest as he opens his eyes again, expression sated and happy.

"Holy shit." He mutters, his gaze one of awe as he looks up at me.

"That was amazing." I whisper, looking back and feeling like I can see every inch of his soul in this moment.

"We're not done yet." He tells me, helping me with his free hand as I ease off of him and fall next to him in bed. I'm barely there a few moments before he's sitting up, moving around me and turning my body.

"Ryder." I hesitate, not wanting him to support himself over me with one arm, but before I can stop him, I see what he's doing. He slides off the bed, turning my body so that my hips sit just as the edge of the mattress as he kneels in front of me. His free hand pulls my thong off, tossing it to the carpet of my bedroom floor.

I moan, my legs falling open on either side of his head as his lips meet my clit, sucking harshly, his teeth grazing gently against the hard bundle of nerves. One hand fall to his curls instantly, gripping them as he works me over with his tongue, movements swift and purposeful as I begin to shudder against his face.

It doesn't take long, not when his fingers join in, sliding in and out of me meticulously until I am crying out and tightening around them. Pleasure floods my body, my hips rolling against his face until I'm certain there's' nothing left for my body to give. The orgasm makes me shake, my eyes shut and my free hand making a fist in the covers as I convulse gently and then sigh.

"Oh Ryder," I gasp, my free hand now running along my own body as the pleasure subsides and I feel myself float back down to earth.

"Was that good?" I hear his voice, his hand joining mine as it runs up and down my body. Intertwining with my fingers with his.

"Yeah." I sigh, opening my eyes slowly and looking down to see him still kneeling in front of me.

"Give me a few minutes and we'll go again."

"Kiss me first." I murmur, pulling him towards me. He lifts himself up slowly, moving over me and meeting my lips. I taste myself there, but don't care, not when he kisses me like there's nothing in the world he'd rather be doing.

Sure enough, we spend the entire morning in bed. Kissing and fucking. Fucking and kissing. Making up for the past week until neither one of us can keep our eyes open. I don't know what time it is when we fall asleep, but it's nearly 3 pm when I wake up again. It's takes me a second to adjust, eyes blinking slowly at the time staring back at me on my phone. Ryder is still passed out cold beside me, face peaceful as he rests. No doubt the past week and this morning, along with the pain medication he's on, have finally caught up with him.

I smile, running my fingers through his hair gently, pushing a few curls back before I slide slowly out of bed and stretch my hands above my head. I grab a bathrobe then and a towel, heading to the bathroom that Andee, Bex and I share. There I shower quickly, gathering my hair on top of my head in a bun and rinsing my body off.

Back in my room, Ryder is still sleeping, and I have a feeling he will be for a while, so I get dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and a sweatshirt, deciding to let him sleep as I leave my room and head for our kitchen.

"Well, look who finally decided to get up today." I hear Andee's voice the second I enter the kitchen, stifling a laugh as I turn to where she's seated at the counter in one of our barstools. Her laptop is in front of her, large glasses perched on her nose, a plate of pasta with a salad half eaten next to her.

"I was sleepy." I protest, unable to help the smile on my face and we both laugh.

"Uh huh," she laughs. "Sure, sounds like you two were doing a whole lot of sleeping in there."

Even though it is funny, I can't help the blush in my cheeks as I move to our tea kettle, switching it on and grabbing a green tea bag with one my mugs.

"Was it too loud?" I ask sheepishly, and Andee shrugs.

"I mean," she pretends to think. "It definitely wasn't quiet, but I don't really think I have room to talk."

We both laugh again, my eyes glancing to her plate of food again and realizing, I hadn't eaten yet today. I move to our pantry then, opening the door and gazing in at the shelves, hoping for some magical dish to appear that would be easy to make.

"What day are you going home?" she asks, and I glance to her, shutting the pantry door and moving to the fridge.

"Monday," I tell her. "You wanna drive together?"

"Yeah," she nods. "That's perfect actually because my mom has some sort of dinner planned that she wanted me home for Monday night."

"I was planning to leave around 3 or 4, does that work?"

She nods, opening her mouth to say something else but just then the front door slams loudly. Andee jumps, glancing behind her towards the entry way and I feel my eyes widen, hearing a soft thud in the living room before Bex appears in the kitchen. I know instantly something is up, her demeanor is radiating something negative, though I can't quite tell what it is.

"Hey dude," Andee start slowly, glancing to me. I know she can also tell something is off. "You good?"

"Yeah," Bex shrugs, moving across the kitchen and grabbing a glass for water. She fills it at out sink, taking a long sip before turning back to me. She's dressed in the same pair of jeans and red top I saw her in yesterday, indicating that wherever she went last night, she must have spent the night there. "He still here?"

"What?" I ask, confused and then I know what she means. "Oh, I mean, yeah, he's sleeping."

"Damn," she shakes her head, turning to set her water glass down and I glance to Andee again, feeling as concerned as she looks.

"Is something wrong?" Andee prompts and Bex shakes her head, glancing to the ceiling before looking back to us.

"No," She starts, shaking her head again. "It's just, I mean, look at us." She gestures between the three of us. "What the fuck happened? We all used to be so independent and then . . . one above average dude comes along and what, that all goes out the window?"

"I still feel like I'm pretty independent." I tell her.

"Jourdan, you and Ryder have been attached at the hip nonstop for weeks now. This past week especially, I don't think I've seen one of you without the other."

"Hey, that's not—" Andee starts but I glance to her shaking my head slightly, indicating I got this one.

"He's injured Bex," I say slowly, unsure where these comments are coming from. "I'm helping him, I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

"And weren't you just helping Miles?" Bex fires back, something in her eyes that I don't recognize. "I just—I don't like watching you dedicate your life to some guy again who you probably won't be with for long anyways."

"Miles was different." I say, tone changing as my jaw sets. "Also, both you and Andee pushed me towards Ryder, don't you remember that? Telling me he's actually a good guy and I should give him a chance?"

"That was before I knew better." Bex shakes her head. "Plus, I thought you'd just have fun with him. I didn't think you'd jump into another full-blown relationship before you even had a chance to breathe on your own."

"Bex, what is this about?" Andee jumps in then. "You're not making sense."

"I'm just sick of watching my friends throw themselves at the mercy of fucking twenty-year-old men who don't even know what they're doing with their lives, much less being in a serious relationship." She sighs, throwing her hands up and then crossing them across her chest. "I mean, Andee, what about grad school? I haven't heard one peep from you about those plans since you got together with Tristan. And Jourdan, you—you were literally spiraling, doing drugs every other night with . . . with," she pauses, mouth open as she stares at me, almost like she was about to name a specific person before she continues onward.