Chapter 16: More Endorphins, Please

NADIA

If that’s what sex is like each time, I’d missed out on years of excellent stress relief. Theo was thoughtful and tentative, almost to the point of annoyance, but he took care of me.

The way he cleaned me and drew me a bath said a lot about him. None of the other girls I knew talked about their significant other doing this.

“Theo?”

“Hmm?”

We were still sitting in the warm bath. Theo was holding me, and his head was leaning back against the tub.

“Thank you for being sweet.”

“You don’t have to thank me. Can I ask you something personal?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Were the guys your mother brought home that big of a jerk?”

“If there were an award for the most outstanding douche, they would all be nominated.”

“Remember, not all guys are like that. You don’t need to thank me for being respectful or for treating you well; you should expect that everyone treats you that way.”

I turned around to face Theo, straddling him to get into a comfortable position. “I bet your parents were amazing.”

“They were.”

Theo kissed me, and I moaned. This man really knew how to kiss.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me. I loved the sensation my body experienced when it was close to Theo’s.

Theo was already hard, and I could feel his cock twitching against my opening. I adjusted my hips and allowed him to slip in, and I started sliding up and down.

I’d never done this before, but by the way he was grunting, I could tell I was doing it right. I enjoyed being in control; I liked controlling his pleasure, and this position allowed my clit to get the friction it needed to build my orgasm.

Before I knew it, I was enjoying the bliss that came from having an orgasm.

“Fuck,” Theo groaned out as his body tensed.

“Shit.”

I realized Theo didn’t look happy. “Did I do something wrong?”

He cleared his throat. “No, it’s just… We didn’t have a condom.”

“Don’t freak out. We can get the morning-after pill.”

“You’re not worried?”

“No, I’m not because I’m not ovulating at the moment, and the morning-after pill is effective when taken correctly.”

Theo eyed me for a second. “This has never happened to me before, and it scares the shit out of me. I love children, and maybe I want them one day, but I’m not ready for them.”

“Hold up,” I snapped. “So, what would you do if I got pregnant?”

“You mean if we got pregnant? I would support you and the baby. Just because I don’t want them right now doesn’t mean I won’t take responsibility.”

Theo got out of the tub and handed me a towel before helping me out. I was on the verge of tears because Theo refused to look at me.

***

We stopped at a pharmacy and picked up the Plan B pill, and the most excruciating thing about the process was Theo not speaking to me. Even as we sat here watching the sunset from the Ferris wheel, he was silent.

“Are you not going to talk to me ever again?”

“I don’t know what to say. I’m afraid I’ll come across as a dick.”

“Too late,” I mumbled.

Theo let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. Today really freaked me out. All I could think about was, what if you got pregnant? The child would be so fucked up because of me. I don’t even have a home; I live out of Airbnb places. I could financially support a child, but my lifestyle would drastically need to change because I don’t want you to resent me for not being there.”

“The child would not be fucked up because of you, and you are freaking out for nothing. We will not get pregnant. The chances are pretty slim. I’m not even ovulating.”

“I’m sorry. You’re probably thinking I need to grow the fuck up.”

I felt terrible for Theo; he was beating himself up over this. I took his hand and held it as we continued our ride on the Ferris wheel.

“Come and spend the weekend with Nathan and me. He will enjoy the visit.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I enjoy having you around, and Nathan thinks you’re cool.”

“How about next weekend? That way, it won’t feel like a pity invite.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Theo removed his hand from mine and placed his arm around me, then kissed my head. “I’m sorry about today, and thank you for being the reasonable one.”

“Don’t apologize. I’m glad you talked to me instead of walking away.” It was the truth.

I wouldn’t have been too understanding if he had walked away. I deserved better than to be ditched when things got complicated.

“You really are amazing, Nadia,” he said.