LOGINI had just crawled under my blanket, and the cozy warmth of my bed didn’t do much to ease my racing thoughts, when I suddenly heard a knock at the door. And before I could respond, Mom’s voice came through, gentle but firm.
"Atlas, sweetheart, we need to have a family meeting."I groaned into my pillow. "Can it wait until morning?""No, it can’t," she replied, her tone sharpening. I could practically feel the mom glare coming from behind the door.With a siWhen Frank finally pulled into my driveway, the sky had already started to shift into that soft bluish hue that comes just before night takes over. The porch light was on, casting a warm golden glow over the front steps, and for a moment, neither of us made a move to get out of the car.The engine ticked quietly beneath us, cooling off in the stillness, and everything felt like it was on pause like the world was just waiting to see who’d break the silence first.Frank was tapping his fingers nervously against the steering wheel, a habit he always seemed to fall back on when he was anxious. I caught a glimpse of his profile in the dim light, noticing how his jaw would tighten and relax, like he was struggling to find the right words.Finally, he took a long, slow breath and spoke."Hey... Atlas," he said softly, turning to face me. "About what happened earlier. In the changing stall." His cheeks turned a light shade of pink as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I know I might have gotten
I just wanted the ground to swallow me whole. Frank laughed—a nervous, guilty laugh—and pulled me behind him like a human shield."Tori, I’ll pay you actual money to never speak of this again," he said in a hiss."Too late!" she sang, already pulling out her phone. "This is going in the group chat. Caption: ’Winter ball prep: Phase One—complete.’ Millie’s going to flip!"I buried my face in Frank’s back and whimpered. In the distance, Millie’s triumphant shout echoed from the register. At least someone was having a normal shopping day.We barely took three steps before Tori finally calmed down enough to straighten up, but the smirk on their face let me know we were definitely not out of the woods yet.Frank muttered under his breath, "I knew we should’ve waited two more minutes before leaving.""You mean until Ainsley was three stores away," I whispered, still hiding behind him. "Or until Tori got distracted by a mannequin.""Hey," Tori retorted lightly, though their grin didn’t fade
We’d just stepped out of the boutique, our new jeans making that familiar rustle, when Millie came charging at us like a lavender whirlwind. Tori was right behind her, arms full of shopping bags, looking kind of amused but mostly exhausted."Atlas! Frank! Check this out!" Millie twirled around, her dress swirling around her thighs—soft and short, pale lavender with tiny white flowers, the kind you’d expect to see in a spring meadow, not in a mall. "It’s perfect. Flowy but not frumpy, cute without being too baby-doll. I’m totally obsessed."She hugged the hanger to her chest, her eyes sparkling. "Only issue? It cost more than my rent. Seriously, way more. I thought about putting it back, but then I remembered... winter ball. One night. Memories." She let out a dramatic sigh. "But still. Rent money."If only I hadn’t spent most of my allowance on a box of new fantasy novels to fill my bookshelf, I would’ve offered to help her out.Millie deserved that dress... and honestly, probably wha
My lips found Frank’s again, urgent, as I swallowed the soft moan he let out. I pressed harder, whispering "shh, shh," thinking maybe a kiss could hush us both.Every thrust of his hips sent a shock through me, denim rubbing against denim, the thick outline of him moving over mine in slow, motions. I could feel my own cock pulsing, trapped and leaking, the friction maddening—yet it still didn’t feel like enough.’God, it’s too much, but not enough.’Frank’s hands were all over me. One slid under my shirt, flat against my spine, tracing each vertebra as if he was mapping me out. His fingers were warm, and when one dipped to the small of my back, pulling me closer, I couldn’t help but arch into him, shuddering. The other hand went lower, cupping my ass, guiding our rhythm... up, down, circling, until I was instinctively rocking against him, my thighs trembling.I bit down on his lower lip to muffle the whimper rising in my throat. In response, he inhaled sharply, his hips bucking agains
Frank’s hands found their way to me, slipping under my shirt, his warm fingers spreading across my stomach. I inhaled sharply, every nerve igniting as he traced my waist, his touch slow and respectful."Atlas," he murmured, his voice low enough that I could feel it against my skin, "look at you." His thumbs brushed just below my ribs, teasing the top of my jeans. "So fucking pretty."I could feel heat rushing to my face. I wanted to protest that we were being too loud, too close, and that people were just outside, but Frank kept speaking, his lips grazing my ear. "You blush so beautifully... and I love how you tremble when I touch you..."His hands moved higher, exploring the contours of my chest, thumbs circling my nipples through the fabric of my shirt until I arched toward him with a muffled gasp. "So gorgeous."Desperately, I searched for something to steady myself against. Brittany’s voice floated in from outside. "Emerald or jade?"I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood, but Fr
I pulled the curtain shut as quietly as I could, trying not to slam it into him. "Shh! Just... just hide!" I hissed, pressing myself against the wall, hoping they wouldn’t notice.Frank blinked at me, still baffled. "Hide? Atlas... are you scared of them?"I waved a hand vaguely, forcing a laugh even though my heart was racing. "No! Not scared. I just... don’t want to deal with their nonsense right now, okay?"He raised an eyebrow, but a grin crept onto his face. "Ah, so it’s panic-mode, not fear. Got it."I wanted to playfully smack him for teasing me, but then I realized just how close we were in the cramped stall. My chest was almost pressed against his, and the warm scent of him hit me all at once woodsy cologne, soap, and a hint of Frank’s natural musk and my face heated immediately."Okay... maybe we’re a little too close," I murmured, trying to step back, but the small space and his broad frame meant there wasn’t much room to maneuver.Before I could move any further, his hands







