"We're supposed to be studying," I protest in between kisses.

Jack chuckles, "Nope. I've had nonstop practices the last couple of days and I've been dying to get you alone. I'm willing to sacrifice a little tutoring." I don't have a chance to respond because he's pressing his lips against mine again.

My willpower is slowly waning because I have an entirely unfair weak spot for him. Jack leans me back on his bed, the papers crinkling beneath me. I giggle slightly as his scruff rubs against my cheek. He needs to shave.

"If it makes you feel better, we can call this a different kind of studying." He murmurs and I smile.

I run my hands through his hair and Jack bites down on my lower lip, causing me to gasp allowing him full access to my mouth. He positions himself over me, trapping me in place; not that I had any plans on moving.

He shouldn't be allowed to kiss like this. It's really not fair because it makes it really hard to say no when I really want to say yes.

And this?

This is really something I should have said no to when he showed up in the middle of the night last week. But dammit. Saying no to Jack is something I don't think I'm capable of.

I wasn't going to say yes, but laying there with him? I felt safe. And maybe he'll eventually get to the point where he feels like he can be in a relationship. That little spark of hope has grown into a small flame.

Jack trails his lips down my neck, sucking and biting at the sensitive skin. My hand sweeps over his broad shoulders, feeling the strength and power in him. "Jack," I breathe out softly and he grunts in response. "Seriously, we should be...studying."

"Don't want to," He mumbles against my skin. Jack reaches for my hand to slip it under his shirt and I trace the hardened planes. I don't like Jack for his body, but goddamn I sure do appreciate it.

I tug his shirt up, relenting to the fact that we're not going to get any studying done. He pulls away with a grin to yank his shirt off in one fluid motion. Wow. I smile up at him and brush his tousled chestnut colored hair out of his face.

We're having fun so I should just enjoy this.

I sit up, pulling my own shirt off, willing my nerves to disappear as Jack's eyes go straight to my bra covered chest. "Al, fuck. You have a great body."

My cheeks start to flush with embarrassment, "You don't have to say that."

"No, I do. You have no idea what you do to me." He says, meeting my eyes again. It's the sincerity in his voice that gets me and I don't know how to respond so I lean forward and kiss him again.

Jack pulls me closer to him and I end up straddling his waist, feeling his erection dig into my thigh. What the fuck have I gotten myself into?

I rest my hands on his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin seeping into the chill always plaguing my hands. And then Jack surprises me by grabbing my ass, resulting in me letting out a short squeal.

Jack laughs, "You're going to have to be more quiet or they're going to figure out that we're not really studying in here."

"You caught me by surprise!" I say, trying to defend myself because I literally don't know how I could face any of them if they figure out we're hooking up now. Well, going to hook up. We've both been so busy the last couple of days that I really haven't gotten to see Jack, let alone make out with him.

The anticipation has just about killed me.

He just smiles at me and my heart melts at the sight of his dimples. I like him. Fuck, I like him. This time when Jack kisses me it's soft and tender. More intimate than anything. We continue at a slow pace, content with just getting to know each other in a different way.

His erection is getting pretty hard to ignore though and I roll my hips to create more friction that I'm desperately craving as Jack releases a low moan that hits the back of my throat, vibrating through me. His reaction causes me to smile and I repeat the movement when Jack grips my hip tightly, holding me in place. He pulls away, resting his head in the crook of my neck, breathing heavily.

"Al, if you keep doing that I'm going to be really embarrassed by the mess I'll make in my pants."

I laugh lightly as he presses his lips against my collarbone. "Who knew it was that easy?"

He lets out his own laugh, "Let's see how you like it." He slips his hand under my bra, palming my breast and I arch into his touch. "Can I take it off?" Jack asks, looking up at me for permission and I'm having a hard time processing his words as he holds me. I dip my head in approval and he quickly removes it, tossing it to the side. Then I'm laying back down in our original position, giving Jack all the control.

Jack's hand quickly resumes the spot it had previously been occupy, kneading the soft flesh sensually. He gives me a wicked smile before latching onto my other breast with his mouth. I bite my lip, trying to hold back a moan because this feels fucking great.

Not to compare them in the slightest, but Grady had no fucking idea what he was doing with his mouth. And the guy before him? No clue either. Just wham bam thank you.

Jack, however, is making me feel like I'm the only thing that matters right now. He switches back and forth but the other is never without attention, his hand always picking up right where his mouth left off.

"Jack," I moan and he tugs a little with his teeth causing waves of arousal to flood through me.

"Alondra," He murmurs against my skin. I arch into him as he slips his hand down the front of my pants, teasing the sensitive area. Jack slips a finger in, testing the waters, and I turn into a puddle of mush. "You're so tight and—fuck—it's only my finger." He adds, sounding kind of pleased as he moves it in and out of me before adding another.

With all the stimulation, it's only another minute or two before I clutch his arms, nearly crying out which Jack smothers by kissing me.

"I thought I said we had to be quiet?" He teases, flipping us to where I'm laying on top of him.

"Shut up," I mumble back, kissing him softly.

My hands travel down to where his sweatpants are tied and that's when I falter. I haven't had sex with anyone since Grady. Never got any glowing approval from him and here's Jack who literally just blew my mind in ways that Grady never did. I mean seriously, we always had sex whenever he wanted and there was never foreplay of any kind unless it was for him.

Most of our foreplay involved carefully laid hits where he could decorate me in bruises like a work of art until I was begging for forgiveness.

He used sex as a form of manipulation, not pleasure.

I'm getting in my head.

Jack isn't Grady.

"Darling, don't pull away and put up that wall from me. What's wrong?" He asks and I can hear the worry in his voice.

"I haven't had sex with anyone since..." I trail off, burying my face in his chest to hide.

His arms wrap around me, holding me tight. "It's okay. We don't have to do that until you want to. There's no expectations here. We're just having fun."

Fun. I hate that word.

"I want to, I just-" I groan in frustration and Jack presses a short kiss to the top of my head.

"Not today. Decision made simple; it's not a big deal."

I lift my head up to look at him, "Jack, it is because you just made me..."

His lips tilt upwards in a smirk. "I made you orgasm? That doesn't mean you owe me one or sex. Believe me, I care more about getting you off than I care about getting myself off and I enjoyed that plenty."

I feel some of my anxiety that had slowly started to churn in my stomach start to fade away. He has a way of doing that for me. "Thank you." I say softly, and Jack starts trailing his hand up and down my bare back.

"So is it cocky of me to assume I get at least an eight for that?" He asks, trying to relax me further.

"Not at all."

We're still us. That relieves me more than anything.

*********

"So how'd it go with your parents the other day?" Pritchett asks and I resist the urge to scowl. It was pretty terrible. Dad asked all the questions he's supposed to ask as a parent and then the conversation shifted to hockey. Jack was brought up quite a bit.

"Just fantastic." I say shortly and she gives me a sympathetic smile from her bed across the room. We're studying for a bit before going out for margarita's. Ruby is coming with because her other friends have a chapter meeting for their sororities.

Honestly I'm really looking forward to some girl time. I feel like I hardly see Pritchett anymore because she's always with Eli these days. I can't really talk though; I'm usually at Jack's.

We've agreed for the sake of our friendship that we won't discuss Eli because I think she's an idiot and she wants me to give him a chance.

"I'm sorry Al."

I shrug nonchalantly, "It is what it is. How are your parents?"

"Thrilled that it's almost the holidays because then we'll be back home for an entire month."

"Don't remind me." I groan, flopping backwards on my bed. That sounds like hell.

"Have you told your dad about your friendship with Jack?"

I give her a quick look, "Do you think I want him to lock me in my room and never let me leave? Of course I haven't told him that I'm friends with Jack."

Pritchett grins, "Then how are you going to tell him that you guys aren't just friends?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask, letting her comment roll off my shoulders. She doesn't know. How could she know?

"Your hair is up."

My hand goes immediately to the hickey that Jack left on my neck after yesterday's fun. I'd been hiding it all day with a turtle neck sweater and my hair down.

"So? Am I going to have to pry details out of you like pulling teeth?" She asks, tossing aside her assignment, giving me her full attention.

"How do you know it was Jack? Could have been someone else," I try to protest and Pritchett rolls her eyes.

"Because yesterday was Tuesday and you were tutoring at Jack's, but I guess he was the one tutoring you." She teases and my cheeks flush bright red.

"It's nothing Pritchett."

She shakes her head, "Nuhuh. You don't make out with Jack or whatever you guys did and expect me to just shut my mouth about it and take that as an answer."

"Pritchett there's nothing to tell! We're just having fun or whatever. I don't know." I say, looking back down at my paper.

I don't think I'm ready to tell her how great yesterday was. How easy everything with Jack is.

He didn't pressure me. Jack let it be my choice and that meant the fucking world to me. I don't think I realized that it could be like that.

Jack is...Jack.

I don't know.

"Seriously? That's it?"

I roll my eyes, "Seriously. I think it's what I need after Grady. I'm not...I'm just trying to figure out who I am now after all that. I don't know if I'm ready for anything more than fun." I really don't know. I love my friendship with Jack and I really don't want to lose him.

Her face softens. "And how's that going?"

"I'm skating again." I say it quietly, daring to take a quick glance up at Pritchett. Her jaw is wide open in shock.

"You're skating?" I nod slowly, watching as tears well up in her eyes. "That's incredible Al. I'm so happy for you." Her voice breaks and I feel my own tears start to make an appearance.

When I quit, Pritchett tried talking to me about it for weeks trying to get me to change my mind. There was no changing my mind because I didn't want to hurt Grady even though it was hurting me. It got to the point where I refused to talk to Pritchett because she brought it up every time I saw her.

After the night in the hospital, I told her everything. She was horrified, but when I explained why I quit skating, Pritchett broke down and cried with me. She told me it was okay if I never skated again; only to do it if it would make me happy because that's all she wanted for me.

"I'm happy Pritchett. I really am and I know the thing with Jack could end badly, but I'm finding my way back."

Nothing worth it is ever easy.