He’s not entirely sure when it happened. After all, he had been home for Christmas a mere six months ago and she had still been just his little sister’s friend. He looked at her in the same light, as he had always seen her. Young, innocent, a little annoying the way she used to follow him around like his own shadow. Stella had been best friends with her since preschool and the two of them had been pains in his ass ever since. How many hours had he been left in charge of them during sleepovers and playdates? How many times had he been deemed chauffeur and chaperone over the years? He always did it with a smile on his face, even if he found them to be typical, annoying little girls. He would never admit it, but he didn’t mind big-brother duty that much.

Now they had just finished their senior year of high school. It was why Simon had come home for the summer. One last chance to spend some time with his baby sister before she started her life. She was moving to southern California for college, but Camila was off to Boston where she’d been accepted into MIT, to nobody’s surprise. This meant the girls were on a mission to spend as much time together as they possibly could. That’s how Simon found himself spending a long weekend at the Anderson family cabin surrounded by newly minted high school graduates who had come to swim and sunbathe.

It seemed silly to him. Both Stella and Camila were a week past their 18th birthdays. They hardly needed Simon to babysit them, but Graham, Delilah, and Caitlyn had been adamant so here he was. As it turned out, his presence was needed after all - he’d had to put the kibosh on a rather rowdy situation on the third night when a group of boys from the local college had shown up with beer and caused a scene. Simon had put on his growly grown-up voice and put the fear of God into them until they took off, and the rest of the guests had quickly followed suit. It left Stella glaring at him with her arms crossed when he shut the door on the last of the troublemakers.

“You’re such a dick, Si!” she’d yelled, accenting it with a foot stomp before storming off to her room and slamming the door for emphasis. Simon pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed before heading to the game room to begin cleaning up the mess the partygoers had made.

“Need a hand?” came a voice from behind him about ten minutes into his mission. He turned to see Camila watching him with a shy smile on her face. Simon shrugged and she started picking up cans and bottles, tossing them into the bag he held. “Sorry about that. I think the Facebook event got made public by accident,” she explained.

“It happens,” he said. “Stella can just be such a brat sometimes.” Camila chuckled softly and nodded her agreement as she fluffed the pillows on the couch.

“I think she’s really taking it hard,” she said thoughtfully, righting the books on a shelf that had been tipped over. “Me deciding to go to Boston, I mean.” Simon gave her a sympathetic smile.

“You’ve been best friends for fifteen years. I get it.”

“Yeah,” Camila sighed, sinking down onto the sofa. Simon crossed to her and sat down beside her. They hadn’t spent a ton of time by themselves over the years, but Camila being an only child meant she’d taken a shining to Simon early on. It wasn’t uncommon for the two of them to end up chatting or watching a movie together long after Stella had gone to bed. They shared a unique friendship and Simon had always enjoyed her company. She had always been so much more mature and focused than his sister, but the two of them were a perfect pair. Camila inspired Stella to work hard and do better in school and Stella helped Camila loosen up and have fun once in a while.

“Are you excited?” he asked her. “New city, new friends, new life?” Camila nodded and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

“Nervous,” she admitted. “But yeah, excited too. I’ve always wanted to go to school at MIT and now I get to. All my hard work paid off.” Simon beamed proudly at her.

“I always knew it would,” he told her. “What do you have to be nervous about? You’ll do great!” Camila blushed a light shade of pink and bit her lip.

“I’m not worried about school at all, I just…I spent so much time studying and working in high school that I never really had much time for a social life and I—“ she cut herself off and shook her head like she’d decided against explaining herself. Simon tilted his head at her and put a supportive hand on her back. She looked up at him and cleared her throat. “Sorry, it’s dumb.”

“You can always talk to me,” he insisted.

“I’m nervous because,” she tried again, and then she dropped her voice to a whisper before continuing. “I never got around to dating anyone and now I’m going off to college and I’m sure I’m going to be this dorky, awkward virgin whose never been kissed and - ugh—“ she closed her eyes tightly and covered her face with her hands. “Oh God, I can’t believe I just told you that.” Simon chuckled in amusement at her confession.

“You’ve never been kissed?” he asked incredulously. He couldn’t understand why. It’s not as if he’d ever had the urge to kiss her, but again, she’d been nothing more than Stella’s nerdy friend. He had to admit, however, that seeing her all weekend in a bikini with her glasses off and her usually pulled-back hair down in waves had awakened feelings he’d never expected to have for someone like her.

“No,” Camila said, sounding absolutely mortified. “I know it’s so stupid. I just never really went to parties or put myself out there, you know? I’m not Stella. I’m not as outgoing as she is or as confident. I’m not as pretty as she is - “

“That’s ridiculous,” Simon interrupted. “You’re beautiful.” The words were out of his mouth before he even realized he’d said them, and it caught them both off guard. Camila looked absolutely stricken as she gaped at him.

“You - you really think so?” she asked. Simon shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed for saying such a thing aloud.

“I mean, yeah…You’re cute.” It sounded lame even to his own ears and he could see Camila begin to spiral into self-doubt again, so he doubled down. “You are. And I can’t believe you’ve never been kissed,” he added, and Camila blushed a deep pink that he noticed matched her lips. And since when did he notice her lips? What was that about?

“Well, I haven’t,” she said. “And now I have to go off to college with absolutely zero experience and what happens when a boy tries to kiss me, and I just sit there like a dead fish? Like - where do my hands go? How do I breathe? What do I do with my tongue? Why do people even want someone else’s tongue in their mouth anyway because honestly that just sounds like an invitation for all kinds of illnesses but if I don’t is he going to think I’m an idiot or - “

Simon couldn’t give an excuse for why he did it, except that her babbling was a bit overwhelming, and he needed it to stop. All he knew was that suddenly his lips were on hers and she was frozen. The kiss was timid and gentle and eventually, he felt her melt into it, feeling a small surge of pride when she sighed out a sweet, adorable little moan before she pulled back just slightly. He gave her one, then two lingering pecks before touching his nose to hers and held back a chuckle at the look on her face when they parted.

“There,” he said simply. “That wasn’t so scary, was it?” Camila didn’t answer, but he noted the way she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and realized he’d very much like to do the same.

“You kissed me,” she said, blinking. Simon nodded, absently running his tongue over his lips. He could still taste her there, and it didn’t escape him the way she tracked his tongue with her eyes as she added, “Can you do it again? I wasn’t ready.”

Simon fought the amused grin spreading over his face. Had she always been this adorable? Camila pushed her glasses up her nose and explained,

“I just didn’t get to practice hand placement, is all.” He didn’t even try to hide his chuckle that time. Instead, he reached for her hands and moved them, placing one on his neck and the other against his chest, holding it in place with one of his own hands. His free hand moved to cup her cheek and he had to suppress yet another laugh at how intent and focused she was on his every move. She was studying him (Of course she was. She hadn’t gotten her scholarship to MIT by not being a studious, fast learner).

When he saw her eyes dart back to his lips, he leaned in, leaving just a breath of space between them and allowing her to close the gap, meeting him where he was. At first, she was hesitant. Her fingers on his neck were nervously stroking the hair there, and he slid his own hand into her hair, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss. She made the sweet little moaning sound again, much to his delight. Even better, the hand on his chest was gripping his shirt and the one on his neck was now pulling him closer.

He ran his tongue experimentally along the seam of her lips and she accepted his invitation, letting her own dance with his. Something about that suddenly emboldened her, and out of nowhere she had pulled him down on top of her, so they were both lying on the couch, Simon cradled between her thighs. It was about the moment that her hips started to undulate beneath him that the sweet, innocent girl he’d only meant to help with a little confidence boost suddenly became an irresistible woman he needed like air.  

“Jesus, Camila,” he groaned as she arched beneath him. He pulled back for a moment to look at her - her hair was a mess, and her lips were deliciously swollen.

“I’m sorry,” she gasped, scrambling to move out from under him. “I didn’t - was that⁠—“

“Hey, it’s okay,” he said soothingly. “I just don’t want to - “

“I do,” she interrupted. Simon stared down at her, his mouth agape. He stole a glance at the door, considering the consequences of his sister finding them like this. “Simon?” Camila prodded, pulling him from his thoughts. He looked back down at her, taking in the way his stubble had left little red burns on her skin and the way her chest was heaving from the way he’d kissed the breath out of her. Who cared what Stella thought anyway?

Simon put his weight on his forearms and leaned down to capture her mouth again, soaking in the sounds she made when he experimentally thrust against her. If she’d never been kissed, she’d certainly never done any of this before either, and while he didn’t want to push her past her comfort zone, she was the one who had begun the search for friction. Who was he to deny her?

His khaki shorts were the only substantial barrier between them since she was wearing a light summer dress, the skirt of which was hiked up around her hips, and the feel of her underneath him was enough to make his eyes roll back. She seemed to be enjoying herself just as much if her little gasps and pants were any indication. Simon trailed his lips over her jaw and down her neck, the new sensation causing her to arch up against him again.

“Simon,” she sighed, and he stilled his hips.

“You, okay?” he asked. She nodded breathlessly and wrapped one leg around his waist to pull him even closer to her, causing him to hiss in pleasure. “Tell me if it’s too much. I want to respect you,” he said with the utmost sincerity. Camila rolled her eyes.

“I’ll tell you when you’re not respecting me,” she insisted. He chuckled at that, raising an eyebrow at her. “Seriously,” she told him. “I don’t think it’s any secret that I’ve totally had a crush on you since I was about twelve.”

“Oh, I knew,” he teased her, and she flushed an even brighter shade of pink. “But still, I don’t want you to get ahead of yourself here.” Camila pushed herself up on her elbows to look at him, regarding him with a bit of annoyance and indignation.

“I’m not a little girl, Simon.”

“I know that I just⁠—“

“So, I will decide for myself what is too far, thank you very much.” Her tone was firm, her voice a bit dark and husky with arousal and it went straight to his dick.

God damn it when did she become sexy?

Her usually sky-blue eyes were dark as she stared up at him and just like that his self-control is gone. He pressed a sloppy kiss to her lips and then continued on the trail he’d begun earlier. Back down her jaw and neck, across her collarbone, and then back up the other side. All the while she sang his praises, her fingers twisting in his hair to pull him back up to her mouth.

When they met again, their tongues began the battle for dominance (so much for her fear of that, he thinks to himself when she forces her way into his mouth) as their hips began to roll again.

It was no secret to anyone that Simon was rather experienced in the art of physical affection. His first kiss was in kindergarten under the slide on the playground. He had made out with a girl for the first time at his seventh-grade dance. He had mastered the art of dry humping by age fifteen. And now, as a second-year senior in college, it had been quite awhile since he had kissed someone like this without it spiraling very quickly into something else.

Not tonight, he thought to himself. No matter what Camila said she was ready for, the idea of sleeping with his sister’s best friend - of being her first - was too much for him. But that didn’t mean there weren’t other, more innocent ways of having fun. He shifted, pressing himself against her in just the right way. Her mouth fell open on a moan and she bucked against him even harder.

“Oh my God,” she cried, and her hands flew to his waist, her fingernails digging into his bare skin where his shirt was riding up. “Simon, please.”

He pressed his forehead to her shoulder and thrust against her again and again, drawing out more moans and gasps and pleas for more, harder, please. The wetness of her arousal soaked through her panties, letting him feel just how ready she was as it left a stain on his shorts. He couldn’t even bring himself to care about the mess, all he could do was focus on her.

“Camila,” he whispered harshly against her ear. “I want to see you come for me.”

That was all the encouragement she needed, apparently. She went stiff as her pleasure peaked - her body shuddered against him, her back arching as her mouth fell open on a silent cry. He continued his movements, drawing the orgasm out of her and prolonging it, riding the aftershocks with her. Ever so slowly her breathing returned to normal, but Simon had been right there on the edge with her, and he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He didn’t want to stop himself.

“Oh, wow…” she breathed out, almost reverently like she was completely overwhelmed by the feelings he was making her feel.

It was the sudden realization that he was the first person to share in this with her - the first person to make her come - that made him lose control. The thought brought on a painful, overwhelming wave of arousal and it was all it took to bring him over the edge. He chuckled as he came down - it had been years since he’d come in his pants during a makeout session - and it didn’t escape Camila’s attention.

“Did you just - ?” she asked, trying to sit up. Simon buried his face in her neck and hummed his affirmation. “Oh, wow,” she repeated.

“I’m definitely going to need to clean this up,” he mumbled, moving so he could rest his head on her chest. Her heart was beating quickly, as though she had just run a marathon, but it began to even out as they rested there together. His eyes fluttered closed as her fingers began to card through his hair affectionately. “And we should probably not mention this to Stella.”

“Oh my God - she would kill us,” Camila whispered in horror.

“Mmmhmm,” Simon agreed.

“It was nice though,” she added meekly, bringing a dopey grin to Simon’s face. “Maybe we can have another lesson later?” Simon didn’t reply, but the idea certainly sounded tempting. He let his hand trail down Camila’s side and come to rest on her waist where her dress had ridden up. The skin there was so smooth and pale, and he had an overwhelming urge to taste her.

“Definitely later.”

“Seriously?” Simon deadpanned from the doorway of the expansive family room. Camila jumped, startled by the intrusion, and dropped the heavy book she held. It missed her bare toes, and Simon swooped in to pick it up off the floor and hand it back. He read the title - or attempted to - and tilted his head at her.

“Design and Fabrication of Micro… electrical…”

“Micro Electric Mechanical Systems. Yes,” she interrupted, seizing the book and hugging it to her chest, tucking a rogue curl behind the ear that also held a pink highlighter.

“You know school doesn’t start for another month, right?” Camila nudged her glasses up her nose and squared her shoulders.

“Well, some of us like to be prepared,” she retorted. He grinned in amusement at her and fell onto the couch, taking up half of it all on his own.

“It is your eighteenth birthday and you’re studying while my sister is…where? Exactly?”

“Passed out in her room while Henry watches a movie. Thankfully, she agreed to come home with us before passing out,” Camila told him. Her tone told him she wasn’t at all impressed with Stella’s antics. Simon sighed and ran a hand over his face.

“How did she even⁠—”

“It’s Stella. She’s had a fake ID since freshman year, Simon.”

“So she got wasted and passed out and left you to celebrate with a textbook?”

Camila shrugged, nonplussed.

“And you,” she added with a shy smile. “I could do worse.” Simon grinned back.

“I’d like to think your grad party wasn’t a total bust because of me,” he teased with a wink. Camila blushed a bright red at that and looked back down at her book without responding. When she refused to meet his gaze, opting instead to open the book and try her hardest to focus on the page it fell open to; Simon stretched his arms. “Well, you have fun with your book,” Simon told her, rising from the couch and nudging her foot with his own.

“Goodnight, Simon,” she mumbled, still not looking up at him.

“If you’d rather enjoy your birthday, I’ll be upstairs watching a movie. You’re more than welcome to join me if you get bored.” Camila glanced up at that, her eyes narrowing behind the frames of her glasses as she considered him.

“In your room?” she questioned. He nodded at her.

“Yes. In my room.”

“Why wouldn’t you just watch one down here? The television’s bigger,” she insisted.

“Yes, but the door doesn’t lock,” he said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, a devilish glint in his eye. He held her gaze for a long moment, enjoying the way the blush in her cheeks spread down her neck and chest. Once he was satisfied with the way she was squirming in her seat, he gave her a wink, then turned on his heel and left the room.

Simon made himself comfortable on his bed, leaning back against the fluffed pillows with his feet crossed and his arms behind his head. The previews were rolling for the next big superhero film when his bedroom door creaked open. A smile spread across his face as Camila peeked in, and he sat up to make room on the bed next to him.

He joked as she shut the door, saying he thought there would be another ten minutes of resistance.

“Your house is scary at night,” she explained. She lingered by the door, fidgeting and shifting from one foot to the other, like she was waiting to be invited in the rest of the way.

“Come here,” he said, patting the bed next to him. “I hope you’re okay with action movies.” Camila hesitated, glancing back at the door like she was reconsidering her decision to join him. She took a breath and bit her lip before crossing the room and climbing up onto the edge of the huge four-poster bed. She made herself comfortable while still maintaining a respectable distance from Simon.

“Thanks for the invite,” she told him. Simon scooted closer.

“I don’t bite, you know,” he whispered. “Unless you like that sort of thing,” he added with a shrug and another wink like the one he’d given her in the family room. Camila blushed again.

“You don’t have to do this, Simon,” she sighed in frustration.

“Do what?” he asked.

She spoke in a breathy voice, making a gesture with her hands, “Just play this game or whatever.”

“Are we playing a game?” he asked, and Camila sputtered.

“Look, I appreciate what you - did for me at the cabin and all, but you don’t need to pretend to be interested just because you feel bad for the poor, pathetic virgin.” Simon sat up and stared her down.

“Is that what you think I’m doing?” he asked. “Pitying you?”

Camila shrugged, a frown on her face. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them.

“I can’t think of any other reason,” she told him.

“How about ‘I enjoy hanging out with you’?” he suggested. “I didn’t invite you up here because I feel sorry for you.” Camila regarded him with suspicion.

“You can’t tell me you enjoyed yourself… last time?” she said, her voice a whisper. Simon snorted out a laugh at that.

“The load of laundry I had to do that night kind of says I did,” he chuckled. He didn’t know it was possible, but Camila’s cheeks turned even redder at that, and she buried her face in her hands.

“Hey,” Simon prodded, running a hand from her shoulder down her arm. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. If you want me to drop it and pretend it never happened, that’s fine. I can do that. But I don’t want you to think that I want to pretend it never happened.”

Camila raised her head, and he caught her eye with a gentle smile.

“You don’t?” she asked, like she couldn’t dare to believe him. Simon shook his head.

“Nope. In fact, I wouldn’t mind if it happened again, honestly.” Camila gulped at that.

“Oh.”

“Oh,” he echoed, a grin back on his face.

The two locked eyes for a long, tense moment before Simon leaned forward ever so slowly, leaving just a few inches between them. Camila’s breath caught in her throat at the blatant invitation, but she only hesitated a moment before closing the gap. Her lips met his as her eyes fluttered closed, and she shivered when his arms slid around to pull her closer.

It only took a moment for her to open for him in invitation, and he let his tongue dance with hers in a slow, sensual rhythm. She whined into his mouth and he responded - a deep, guttural groan resonating from his chest as her hands explored.

She was timid, her touches feather light and unsure. He couldn’t help but smile into the kiss and she felt it, pulling back self-consciously.

“Is this - am I?” she mumbled, moving away from him in embarrassment. Simon didn’t let her go too far - his hands fell to her hips and pulled her back in, trailing kisses over her jawline and down her neck, delighting in the way she shivered beneath him again.

“You don’t have to be shy. You can touch me, Camila. Anywhere you want.” On his word, one of her hands flew to his hair, grasping the strands and pulling him back to her lips in a way that made him hiss in pleasure and pain simultaneously. Her other hand found its way under his shirt and she pushed up, caressing his abs.

The hum she gave him made him smile again, and he nipped at her bottom lip, letting his own hands come up to frame her face.

“What about you?” he asked, his voice low as he whispered against her ear. “Can I touch you?” Camila nodded with fierce enthusiasm.

“Please,” she whimpered. Simon kissed her neck again, enjoying how she squirmed when his scruff tickled her skin. His hands traced a path down her arms and back up again, working towards his goal.

She was wearing a ribbed tank top with no bra underneath, and it did nothing to hide the stiff, peaked nipples beneath. He leaned in and pressed kisses along her collarbone, then doubled back to trail down to where the slightest bit of cleavage peeked out. He felt her pulse quicken as her grip on his hair tightened, urging him for more, pleading for him to continue. He obeyed, pulling down the collar of her shirt so he could wrap his lips around one of the dark pink buds. He flicked it with his tongue before sucking her breast into his mouth, and she yelped at the sensation. He released her nipple through his teeth and moved to give the other breast the same treatment, rolling the abandoned nipple between his fingers.

“Oh God, Simon,” she cried, her head falling back against the pillows. He released her breast with a pop and looked up at her. “Why - why are you stopping?” she asked. He chuckled and leaned up to kiss her lips.

“I have something better in mind,” he promised. “But these need to come off.” He slipped his fingers under the waistband of her too-adorable and very-Camila panda bear pajama pants. Her eyes went wide at him and she just barely choked out a response.

“Kay.”

She lifted her hips to help him in his mission and her pants landed behind him on the carpet. He couldn’t help but chuckle when he noticed her panties.

“It’s not Wednesday, Camila.”

She threw an arm over her face and groaned, which just made him laugh harder.

“In my defense, I wasn’t expecting this to happen…like…ever again,” she said, looking embarrassed. “I was going to study like a good girl, maybe write some code, but no. You had to lure me to your bedroom and seduce me, and now I’m in your bed on a Saturday night in the wrong underwear.” Simon bit his lip and let her rant, waiting for her to be done. She hazarded a glance from where she was hiding under her arm to find him resting on his elbow and staring up at her.

“You know it doesn’t matter what kind of underwear you have on because I was planning on taking them off of you anyway, right?” For the umpteenth time that evening, Camila turned bright red and once again, Simon took great pride in being the reason for it. “Can I do that?” he added. She gave him a jerky nod and returned to hiding under her arm, holding her breath in anticipation.

Simon took his time, pressing kisses across her abdomen on the bare strip below the hem of her tank top. He felt the muscles there tense up the closer he got to the waistband of her panties, so he took one hand and linked his fingers with hers to calm her. When she relaxed, he moved lower, placing a kiss right at the apex of her thighs and drawing a moan from her lips. Her free hand flew to his head, her fingers twisting in his hair once again. Simon let out a hot, wet breath against the fabric.

“Is this okay?” he asked, lifting his head to see her watching him. She nodded and gave his hair a little tug to encourage him. With one hand still entwined in hers, his other hand pressed on her thigh to get her to open up for him. She obliged, and he ran one finger along the edge of her panties before pushing them to the side and tracing a line through her folds.

“Simon!” she gasped, and his eyes didn’t leave her face as he leaned in and slid his tongue from her entrance up to her clit. Her back arched up off the bed, her hips chasing the sensation, and Simon moved to pin her back down before doing it all over again. His tongue swirled in her wetness, taking a moment to slip inside her before finding her sensitive clit again and tracing circles around it. Camila's voice rose in a desperate cry, calling his name with fervent moans.

His lips wrapped around her clit, humming against her, and he was rewarded with a loud keen as she fell apart against him. Her body shuddered, her eyes closed and her fingers holding his head still as she bucked against his face. As she came down from her orgasm, she moved to push him away; the sensations overwhelming her, but he fought her, continuing to lap at her, drawing it out. He traced her entrance with his index finger, penetrating her. It was just enough to push her into another, smaller climax, and he felt her walls flutter as she came again, causing him to groan against her with need.

Her next moan was laced with a bit of pain, so he pulled back and allowed her incredibly wet panties to fall back into place, covering her sex. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand as he watched her come back to herself, her breathing returning to normal. She opened one eye to peek down at him, a sheepish grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Simon returned the smile and climbed back up, leaning in close, but letting her decide if she wanted a kiss or not. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in, tracing his lips with her tongue. Simon’s cock twitched when he realized she was trying to taste herself on his mouth. He pressed against her and she moaned again.

“How was that?” he asked, and she giggled.

“Happy birthday to me.”

Camila lifted her glass in a toast, “To new experiences and long-time friends!”

“To blowing all my student loans on pizza and beer!” Henry countered, clinking his glass against hers. Stella joined the others, and she chuckled, “To Camila, finding a cute nerd and finally getting laid!”

In an instant, Henry and Simon were choking on their drinks. 

“Stella!” Camila all but shrieked at her best friend, slapping her on the arm. Stella roared with laughter, slinging an arm around Camila and hugging her close, pressing a sloppy, affectionate kiss to her cheek.

“I only tease because I love you, you know.”

Camila rolled her eyes and pouted, “Yeah, real funny.”

“Someday you’ll meet a guy just as smart as you. And you’ll have lots of nerdy sex - probably in the library - and eventually you’ll make brilliant babies who will call me auntie and live happily ever after.” Stella pressed her face against Camila’s shoulder and Camila glared at her with a frustrated sigh.

“No way,” Henry said. “My money’s on our girl nailing a TA.” He nudged Camila’s knee with his own and she buried her face in her hands in mortification.

“Ooh!” Stella squealed. “Definitely! A hot, older man - that’s perfect! Someone who knows what he’s doing already. That’s what you need, girl.”

“Oh my God, can we not?” Camila lamented.

“We’re just excited for you to get out there and live a little,” Henry insisted. Camila just shifted her glare from him to Stella and back again.

At last, Simon spoke up, saying "Okay, you guys, leave her alone.” Camila’s eyes darted to him for a mere second before she dropped her gaze again, her face flushed. Simon was certain it was because she had just recalled the evening of her birthday and everything that had happened since that night.

“What about you?” she asked, somewhat breathlessly. Four mind-blowing, body-numbing, white hot orgasms later and she was spent. The exhaustion was real and all she’d done was lie there while Simon used his fingers and his mouth to bring her to the edge over and over, time and time again. Never in her life had she felt so relaxed. So satiated, while still yearning for more. She wanted to give him just as much as he’d given to her.

“What about me?” he asked with a devilish grin. The kind that made her knees weak and her belly fill with that coil of fire all over again. He pulled her against his chest and held her tightly, humming when he kissed her head sweetly. Camila melted against him, feeling secure in a way she never had before. This feeling was definitely something she could get used to. A little voice in the back of her head warned her that could be dangerous, but she ignored it in favor of answering Simon.

“Well, I thought the point of these exercises was to teach me what to do so I don’t go off to school and embarrass myself. And I’m pretty sure I’ve got the receiving part down pat.”

Simon went from looking adoringly to mischievously.

“I’d say you’re nailing it,” he told her with a wink. “So, what should our next lesson cover? Talk me through the syllabus, Miss Harvey.”

She shivered when his fingers trailed up her spine, which just made him hold her even tighter.

“I just want it to be mutually beneficial,” she explained matter-of-factly, looking up at him. Her chin rested on his chest and he smiled down at her before pecking her lips and brushing their noses together.

“I promise you, I’ve enjoyed this almost as much as you have,” he assured her.

“As noble as that sounds, Simon, I can feel how hard you are against my hip right now.” Her tone made him bark out an appreciative laugh, and he couldn’t help but kiss her again.

“So what exactly did you have in mind?” he asked. Camila bit her lip, gathering her courage before sliding down the bed and reaching for the waistband of his flannel pajamas.

Without preamble, she yanked them down, gasping when his length sprang free before her eyes, straining with arousal.

“Umm…” She gulped, glancing up at him, her big blue eyes wide in confusion. “Do they - are they all so...big?”

Simon laughed again, loudly, and reassured her, “I'm a bit more talented than most,” I've been told. She tentatively ran her thumb through the wetness, and Simon gasped. Camila kept her eyes on him as she wrapped her fingers around his shaft, giving him a few light strokes. A smiled ghosted over her lips when his hips jerked of their own accord into her warm palm. With her eyes full of concentration, she leaned in and ran her tongue over the tip tentatively, her hand continuing to jerk him off.

Simon watched, unable to take his eyes off of her, turned on to the point of pain as he watched her explore his body. She was focused in a way that would have been laughable. Had he not felt so desperate for her to continue? She gauged every minute reaction to her ministrations. When she blew him off and he hissed, her eyes darted to his face and she did it again before pulling back to ask, “Does that feel okay?”

Simon couldn’t even choke out a dignified response to that. Instead, he nodded frantically and reached to thread his fingers through her blonde curls. His hips yearned towards her and she obliged, bending forward to take him in, even deeper than before, her cheeks hollowing out with the suction she was giving him. When his cock met the back of her throat, she gagged a little, causing her throat to tighten around him in the most delicious way that had him crying out her name in ecstasy. She pulled back and began to twirl her tongue around the head, twisting her hand at the same time. The combination of sensations was incredible.

“Jesus, Camila,” he moaned, his hands grasping at the quilt beneath him and holding on for dear life - he had to hold on to something to keep from thrusting into her mouth. He wanted her to take the lead. He gasped again and swore when he felt his climax in reach, pushing at her shoulders to warn her. She glanced up at him, her eyes burning with desire, but she kept going. Instead, she sucked harder, taking him deeper and moaning in a way that vibrates through his body, causing him to come undone at the seams.

“Camila - I’m going to - you should probably - oh, shit!” His head fell back, hitting the wooden headboard with a loud thud, and then there it was. He exploded - a white hot wave of pleasure coursing through him - and Camila just kept going, swallowing down every drop he secreted.

When the ringing in his ears went away and he could breathe again, he opened his eyes, glanced down at her, and laughed.

"That was something else," she said, making a face, looking like she hadn't seen that coming. She said she didn't expect it to come out so fast.

“I tried to warn you,” he said. “There’s mouthwash in the bathroom.”

Camila nodded and jumped off the bed, making a beeline for the sink. When she came back to the bed, she was wearing his bathrobe.

“Did I do okay?”

“I’m not sure I believe that was your first time doing that,” he said.

“I read a lot of fan fiction,” she admitted. Simon tilted his head in confusion. “Don’t ask.” Simon studied her; pretending to think hard.

“I’m giving you a B+,” he told her. “But practice makes perfect, Miss Harvey.”

“You know we’re right, Si,” Stella huffed. “She’s so straight-laced, and she works so hard. She needs a good orgasm once in awhile. She’s earned it.” Stella patted Camila on the back. Camila groaned as though she was in pain.

“I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, Stella Demi Anderson.”

“You love me, Camila Louise Harvey. And you’re going to miss me. Who’s going to be your wingman in Boston? Who’s going to make sure you don’t die in your dorm of boredom? Who's gonna drag you out and make you have a good time?”

“I’m sure she’ll be okay,” Simon said. “Besides, I’m sure Camila can, uh... handle herself just fine.” He took a drink of his beer, but kept his eyes on Camila as he did, suppressing a smile at the way she finally tore her glare from Stella in his direction.

“I don’t know, Si. She made it a goal to at least make out with a guy this summer and that hasn’t happened yet. Someone needs to hold her accountable.”

“What makes you think she hasn’t?” Simon asked. Camila sucked in a breath and held it.

“I’m her best friend. It’s a requirement to tell your best friend when you fool around with a boy. Especially when it’s the first time.” Simon shrugged.

“Well, since you’re all entertained by theorizing about my sex life, I’m going to bed,” Camila announced. She pushed herself up off the couch and stalked away from the rest of them, Stella, Henry and Simon calling after her as she went.

She let herself into the guest room that had pretty much been hers and hers alone since Stella had had Henry spend the night and slammed the door behind her. It was only seconds before it was opening again, Stella peeking in, looking apologetic.

“I’m sorry,” she said sheepishly. Camila shot her a dirty look from where she sat on the bed, but Stella was undeterred. She crossed the room and climbed up next to her, wrapping her arms tightly around her best friend. “I’m a bitch because I’m upset. I’m losing my best friend tomorrow.” Camila sighed and put her arms around Stella.

“You’re not losing me, Stella,” she said.

“You’re moving to the other side of the country. No more sleepovers. No more Big Belly Burger dates after school. I can’t hug you whenever I want or see your face every day. It sucks, Camila. And I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

“I’m going to miss you too, Stella. But you’ll always be my best friend. You know that, right?” Stella sat up and wiped her sleeve over her eyes.

“You too,” she mumbled. The girls embraced again, both of them crying, and they just sat there holding each other for a long while.

“Get some sleep,” Camila told her. “I’ll see you in the morning. And we’ll have one last day of you trying to get us into trouble and me stopping you before I leave.” They both giggled and gave each other one last squeeze.

“I’ll have Karina make your favorite breakfast,” Stella promised, heading for the door.

“Goodnight, Stella,” Camila told her. “Love you.”

“Love you too, Camila,” Stella responded with a smile.

Camila sighed when the door closed again, falling back onto the bed and staring at the ceiling above her. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she glanced at it.

Simon: I’m sorry…

Camila: You should be

Simon: Please don’t hate me

Simon: Come up here and I’ll make it up to you.

Simon: Last chance before you leave tomorrow.

She stared at his message, contemplating and weighing the pros and cons of taking him up on his offer. On the one hand, he was right - she had under twenty-four hours left before her flight left for the East Coast. And even though she knew the whole situation was just supposed to be a fun, casual thing, she had really enjoyed spending time with him over the last few weeks. The night of her birthday had been the first of several evenings when Camila would wait until Stella was in her room before sneaking off to Simon’s. They’d kiss and explore each other and lie in bed for hours, talking afterwards. Camila felt a pang in her chest at the idea of leaving him behind, and not just because the fooling around was fun, either. He had a way of making her feel special and convincing her he really cared. It almost felt... real. Her phone’s vibration pulled her from her thoughts again, and she bit her lip when she read his message.

Simon: I am sorry, Camila.

Simon: I get if you don’t want to do this anymore, but if you’re up for it, I’d love to spend one more night with you next to me before you go.

Simon had waited nearly an hour after sending his last text before finally calling it and shutting off the lights. He climbed under his quilt and pulled his pillow in close. It still had a lingering scent of Camila’s fruity-smelling shampoo from the last time she’d spent the night. He let it wash over him, feeling the knots forming in the pit of his stomach at the idea that she’d be gone tomorrow. In typical Si Anderson style, he’d messed things up. Of course he had. He wondered when their casual fling had turned into this. This thing that was causing him to pine over a girl and feel sick to his stomach at just the thought of losing her. It was never supposed to be serious. Never meant to go on past the summer. Soon she would be in Boston, starting her new life. And it would undoubtedly be only a matter of time before she met someone more her speed. Someone on her level with her intelligence and drive.

He had just started accepting that it was for the best when he heard his door creak open and then close again with a soft click. A second later, he noticed the blankets stirring and someone hopping into the bed with him. Arms snaked around his waist and held on tight and a smile ghosted over his face when he covered her hands with his own and interlocked their fingers.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” he murmured into the darkness. Camila hummed and pulled herself against him more closely, her nose pressing in between his shoulder blades.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she said.