Moving Forward (Chloe Pov)

Time was a contradiction, each day passing agonizingly slow yet simultaneously blazing past in a blur. It felt a lot like being trapped in a traffic jam on your way to the whole speeding off a cliff experience. A strange feeling: having fun and being so happy yet at the same time feeling overwhelmed, almost paralyzed with anxiety. It wasn’t just the new relationship with Alexis. Graduation was a looming giant, a monster of stress that breathed down my neck. The end of my academic career and the routine I’d been used to for years was closer than ever.

Just my luck. I’d finally made it to a place I was comfortable and happy in, and it was all about to end. Poof. Back into the unknown.

The ticking clock of adulthood that had once seemed so distant was now deafening in its proximity.

The start of... everything, really. The future I was somehow responsible for shaping, even though figuring out what I wanted for dinner often lead to crippling paralysis.

It didn’t help that Mom was starting to ask about colleges. I might have told her I had sent out applications, and she was starting to question if I got responses back. To be fair, at the time I had been considering it. But ‘considering’ turned into ‘avoiding,’ which turned into ‘actively pretending the future didn’t exist.’

“Any news from Meridian Institute? They have an excellent Gift Development program,” she’d asked over breakfast yesterday, that hopeful gleam in her eyes making my stomach twist. I’d mumbled something about “still waiting” while shoveling cereal into my mouth to avoid further conversation.

Fuck, I felt bad hiding things from her—well more than usual. What could I actually do though?

‘Hey, Mom! Meet my girlfriend, Alexis. Oh no, things with Jake are fine. I’m dating him too!’

Maybe that would be survivable. Mom always seemed... open minded. The news would likely only cause a minor stroke or something.

‘Hey, Mom! About college… I didn’t actually apply to anything. I know, I know, I’m tossing out a guaranteed acceptance to a prestigious institution, but I have great news. I’m going to be a prostitute! Oh, it’s no big deal. I’ve basically been doing that all of high school. Surprise!’

Yeah. That’ll go great. My future guaranteed to end in a ****-suicide headline.

I was going to have to tell her eventually, she deserved that much. Still, that was a future problem to be put off as long as possible. Until then, I was going to borrow a time-tested technique Alexis used: strategic denial!

“This is supposed to relax you.” Jake’s voice cut into my thoughts.

I didn’t open my eyes to answer. “I am relaxed. This is me relaxing.”

“Your noise suggests otherwise.” This time, I did open my eyes a sliver. Lifting my foot that was previously resting in his lap, I wiggled it, giving him a playful smile.

“That’s because you aren’t working hard enough.” He took the offered foot without complaint. His strong thumbs found the tender arch, pressing with just the right amount of pressure to make me groan softly. A breath left me as he used those wonderful fingers of his in the second best use for them.

“You’re spoiling her.” That was from Alexis, whose chest I was currently using as a pillow. She had her arms around me, holding me in place against her. I could feel her heartbeat against my ear, slightly faster than normal—a subtle reminder of how new this still was for all of us. A nervous tension still bled through thanks to her Gift.

“I deserve this much, at least.” Was I being spoiled? Absolutely. And I was soaking up every indulgent second. It was heavenly, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Besides, I’d had a tough day today and needed some stress relief.

A heated breath tickled my ear as Alexis’ teasing voice filled it. “Mm. I’m not the type to do the bare minimum…” At the same time, I felt her hand slide between my legs.

I reacted without thinking, body tensing from her teasing touch. A flash of want quickly followed by a cold wave of panic. It was only for a moment as I **** myself to relax, but it had been enough.

I felt a wave of guilt hit me as she withdrew her hand, instead kissing at my cheeks and neck. She didn’t say anything, but that only made it worse. Alexis was doing her best to match my pace, but patience was never her thing. I knew she wanted to do… more. This time, it was me holding us back.

“Sorry,” I whispered, though I wasn’t entirely sure what I was apologizing for. My body’s reaction? My inability to simply enjoy what was being offered? The complicated mess of emotions I still couldn’t untangle?

“Don’t be,” she murmured against my skin, but I could feel the careful restraint in her touch now. The slight hesitation before each caress.

I still hadn’t worked through my feelings for the first date, and that was a problem that only grew the longer time passed. Things were no longer stagnant at least, but that didn’t mean there weren’t roadblocks. Sex was one of them. I don’t know why that of all things messed with my head. It was dumb. Stupid even. On some level, I knew I was attracted to Alexis. I wanted to be with her. Kissing and touching seemed fine, but once things started to heat up and move to the next level, it was like my brain short circuited.

Sex had never been complicated before. With men, it had always been straightforward: an enjoyable transaction, never this confusing tangle of desire and hesitation. With Jake, it had evolved naturally, fun growing into comfort, shifting into intimacy without the weight of questioning my own sexuality.

The few times we’d been intimate caused a huge knotted ball of issues that needed untangling. Some of it was being with her instead of Jake. Conceptually, I knew he was ‘okay’ with it, and I felt we were doing a good job of balancing things so far. Emotions were a bitch with their own rules, and often ignored what logic said otherwise.

Jake’s fingers continued their steady rhythm on my foot, a grounding counterpoint to the whirlwind in my head. His touch had always been an anchor, steadying me against emotional storms. But this particular tempest seemed beyond even his calming influence.

Alexis was… passionate—in a good way! There was something endearing about how open she was, considering the massive wall she’d maintained around her heart. Once inside, she was an open book and that could get intense. She was shameless in her desires for me, showering me with affection when we were together.

Her love was like a spotlight—brilliant and direct, impossible to ignore and sometimes overwhelming in its intensity. When she looked at me, it was with a focus that made me feel like the only person in the universe. I found I rather enjoyed that, even if it was overwhelming.

It was a roller coaster of extremes. Jake had been my first true relationship, and there was a quiet comfort to him. Sure, he might be ‘cold’ emotionally, but being with him was like cuddling in a warm blanket next to the fire on a winter night. There was a peaceful serenity of just… being me. No expectations. No judgments. Just contentment in the shared company.

Alexis was a firework. Bright. Loud. Explosive. She was a chaotic bundle of energy that both excited and terrified me. She made me feel special in a way that was hard to put into words. There was never any doubt about her feelings towards me, and that had a weight to it that I wasn’t used to.

Jake was the anchor. Alexis was the spark.

And I was somewhere in between, trying to navigate both gravity and wildfire.

Things were moving, but it was an exhausting slog instead of a steady march.

Maybe it was time to stop waiting for the perfect moment.

Maybe it was time to start making one.

I took a deep breath, feeling both their touches—Jake’s methodical massage and Alexis’s gentle caress against my neck. Different as they were, both felt right. Both felt like a place I wanted to be in.

Turning my head, I reached back to Alexis and pulled her into a kiss. The first thing I felt was her surprise. Her lips tensed, hesitating for a moment as if not sure of the invitation. I pushed harder. She needed to know I wanted this. That I wanted her. It wasn’t long until I felt her resistance melt away. I tilted my head, deepening the kiss and allowed myself to enjoy the moment.

She kissed me like she did everything else—with passion. Her hand slid under my shirt, slowly trailing along my stomach, and for once it didn’t make me nervous. The gentle strokes of her fingertips against my skin sent a tingling sensation through my body.

The kiss lasted longer than I intended, leaving us both breathless when we finally parted. Jake, bless his soul, had continued working my foot without interruption. He simply watched, eyes focused on our noise rather than on us. I pursed my lips, feeling a bit put out. His sexy girlfriend was over here making out with our equally sexy girlfriend, and he didn’t even have the decency to pretend to get hot and bothered? He wasn’t even looking at us! His eyes moved around us, studying something only he could see.

Fortunately, I knew just what would get his attention.

I turned into Alexis, moving so I could face her more fully. It meant I had to give up the foot massage. The sacrifices I made...

She wasn’t one for subtleties. A light touch against her cheek and a hungry look in my eyes was all the invitation she needed, chasing after my lips without a moment of hesitation. I leaned in, guiding the kiss, the heat of her body as warm and welcoming as her mouth. Her lips were soft and demanding, coaxing mine to respond in kind.

But as enjoyable as this was, it wasn’t what I had been seeking. A few kisses for good measure, I pulled away to gaze into Alexis’ eyes. My voice had a breathless quality. “Do it.”

“But—”

My forehead found hers. Taking a deep breath, I released it slowly. “Please.”

A slight pause was all I got before I felt the vague connection of her Gift. I welcomed it, opening myself to her. The presence I knew was her formed within me. A small pressure. It was not forceful or invasive, just a gentle brush against my soul. The presence of it was a comforting weight now that I knew what to expect. Before I could even start to think of something, my lips were already being claimed with a hunger that hadn’t been there moments before. The deep, sensual kiss that followed set every nerve in my body aflame. An overwhelming tide of affection mixed with desire flooded through me, seeping into my skin like water on parched soil.

I embraced it. All of it, pulling it deeper into me while pushing myself against her. I didn’t care who was feeling what, only that this incredible, intoxicating blend of emotions was being shared between us. Everything started to blur as her emotions mixed with mine. My pulse quickened, skin warming from the swirling mixture of both our desire and affections. If there was a part of me still hesitant about this, it was gone—washed away by the tidal wave of emotions.

No idea how long it lasted, but we were both panting for breath when we separated. A temporary lull in the inferno. I still felt her, knew her thoughts and feelings as well as she knew mine. It was why I wasn’t confused when her eyes shifted away from me. I joined her, twisting to look at where Jake was staring. His fingers were frozen in midair, task forgotten as his gaze was focused on us. Was he breathing faster? His eyes were darting around us, as if wanting to see everything but not having the ability to look in more than one place at once.

“Maybe we should let him join in,” I whispered, words dripping with a purr as I pulled at her shirt. There was a brief pulse in our connection, her anxiety running against my need. Just like she pulled me into her passion and lust, I too pulled at her. My certainty, my need for Jake poured from me, and like an river meeting the ocean, a balance was achieved within us. I watched, feeling as well as seeing as she didn’t fight what her Gift was sharing, accepting the desire I felt for Jake as much as I accepted her desire for me.

“You think?” she breathed, arousal giving her words a husky tone. “Not sure I want to share.”

I pressed my lips against her jaw, then neck, then teased her collarbone through her shirt. “Liar.”

“Okay, I’m willing to share a little,” she relented, her grin playful.

A glance over my shoulder showed Jake was still in his trance. Shifting away from Alexis, I rose from the couch. That seemed to do it, Jake’s attention snapping to me with the same intensity Alexis was.

Perfect.

“First one to join me...” I let the sentence linger as I headed towards the bedroom. Let them fill in the blanks. I gave a little wiggle to coax them out of their stupor. Some motivation to get them going.

Alexis, of course, burst from the couch without hesitation. The hunger in her eyes paled in comparison to what I felt through our connection. I let out a yelp at the speed and emotional wave, picking up speed or else I wouldn’t make it to the bedroom before her. I nearly tripped when I felt a sharp spike of surprise and fear—turning just in time to see Jake finish pulling Alexis down onto the couch. The shock was echoed through the connection, Alexis clearly coming to grips with Jake hovering over her. My thoughts mirrored hers as I expected him to lean down to kiss her. She had lifted her head, ready to meet his lips—only for him to promptly abandon her on the couch. My eyes widened as he surged towards me.

“Sonva—”

I didn’t hear Alexis finish as I squealed at the sight of him rushing after me. Giggles spilled out of me as I **** my legs to move. He was already on me before I knew it. Strong hands found my waist and lifted me before I could flee, or before Alexis could catch up, carrying me to the bedroom. Another squeak of surprise slipped out of me as he unceremoniously dropped me onto the bed, a wild tangle of limbs and disheveled clothes.

By the time I untangled myself and was propped up on my elbows, he was leaning over me, capturing my lips with his. I moaned into the kiss, my body arching instinctively to press against him. His arms found me, the warmth of his embrace soothing as his tongue caressed mine. There was a difference to the kiss. An... energy? Passion? Maybe I was just projecting my own feelings, the connection with Alexis making it hard to think with the rush of two separate tides of emotion surging through me.

Whatever. I liked it.

Alexis joined us a moment later, already having shed her shirt. When she tried to sneak a kiss while Jake nibbled at my throat, he pushed her away. I felt her shock and hurt—only for it to be washed over with relief and desire as he wrestled her to the bed. I could see her chest rise and fall and I swore I could feel her heartbeat as my own as she looked up to the stoic Jake hovering over her.

“I believe I was first.” His voice was still monotone, yet... soft. Leaning forward, I heard him whisper. “Going to have to teach you patience.”

Oof. I felt the moment his lips hit hers, a surge of desire slapping my mind through the connection. If there was any jealousy, I sure as hell didn’t feel it.

He pulled away, pausing as his eyes slid from hers. It took longer, his eyes... searching. Whatever he was looking for, he seemed to have found it. He turned to me as he **** the smallest of smiles. “A little help? I’ll hold her.”

I grinned.

Giggles and laughter followed as Jake and I proceeded to tease, torment, and punish our poor Alexis. I knew exactly what to do, knew just the right ways to touch her to elicit the best responses. The connection was a two-way street and I used that to our advantage. Alexis played at struggling, her laugher joyful as we removed her bra. She made the softest moan of pleasure and surprise as I kissed at her neck and shoulders, nipping lightly at her skin while Jake kissed his way down to her breasts. That was nothing to the gasp we both made as his tongue teased at her sensitive nipple. Our shared comfort in the moment allowing ourselves to slip deeper into her Gift as I started to get weak echoes of what she felt.

We managed to get her pants off, my giggles joining hers as we piled on top of her. She was only in her panties and socks. To keep things fair, Jake and I decided to lose some clothing as well. My shirt was shed, as well as my shorts and bra. Jake kept his shirt, but lost his pants when I pulled them off. Like Alexis, his underwear stayed on—for now. Jake’s hand trailed down her body, exploring and learning her sensitive spots. The closer he got to her hips, the louder her anticipation became. As if sensing the intensity, Jake slowed. Even I felt pissed when he started working his way back up.

“Patience,” he said. His voice was firm, but soft.

Alexis was having none of that, hand dropping in a flash between her legs when he released it to tease at the breast his lips weren’t toying with.

Uh-uh. I was faster, snaking a hand around her wrist and pulling it away. Alexis almost vibrated with the energy of her desire, her body wiggling in his grasp as I pulled her arms up over her head. I grabbed the other one for good measure, pinning them both. Her eyes pleaded with me, even as I felt the same agonizing craving she did. I was tempered in the fire and heat of Jake’s teasing, knowing full well how agonizing it could be. Poor Alexis had none of that experience.

Was it mean that I wanted her to suffer as I had?

I distracted myself by kissing her neck, enjoying the heat radiating off her skin. She leaned into the caress, using her only means of release—her mind sending a fresh tide of emotions and desire to try and overpower my will.

“Nice try, but it’s not going to work.”

“You’re evil.” She wiggled more under Jake’s steady pleasure and my teasing. As enjoyable as it was, the need was there and growing. Our bodies felt like they were on fire as her desire seeped into me.

“Jake,” I groaned, my hand sliding between my legs.

I closed my eyes, gasping as I touched myself. My other hand remained on Alexis’ wrists, holding them up above her head. The pleasure was just what I needed, a jolt shooting through me and settling in a wonderful throbbing ache between my thighs. Alexis’ voice joined mine as my fingers brought some ease to the ache we were both sharing. We fed off one another, my hand working quickly as I pressed my forehead against Alexis’ shoulder.

Jake had stopped, eyeing the air around us. “You’re cheating.”

“No, we’re not,” Alexis replied, though it sounded like the words were punched out of her. She had squeezed her eyes shut, head tilted back. Her chest rose and fell at a rapid pace. Her breath hitched as a finger slid inside. “Faster, Chloe. I’m dying here!”

She was dying? I wasn’t used to this level of desire, body feeling like it was going to pop. I shifted my fingers, teasing at my clit. Alexis moaned, thrashing gently on the bed. I flopped forward, body burning as my fingers moved with purpose, lost in the throbbing pleasure. Everything started to coil within me, the pent up heat from Jake’s prolonged teasing rising fast. Just a bit—

Jake’s tongue hit like an electric shock, both Alexis and I crying out as he finished working his way down her body. Our connection was close to overload, our emotions bouncing back and forth without control. We shared the pleasure, the desire, and the euphoric feeling of release as it mounted higher and higher. To feel this incredible and not even have my Gift involved... I groaned louder, grinding against my hand. Fuck, I was close. We were close.

“Mmmore.”

He complied, his tongue doing things to her that made us both cry out in pleasure. My free hand found her breast, groping and kneading the soft flesh. I placed sloppy, open-mouthed kisses against her neck as my own fingers sped up their motion.

Fuck, I—we—were going to come. He had barely started and the combination of sharing our pleasure was going to—

The torrent hit. I felt her climax a split second before mine hit, but I wasn’t spared any of the blinding euphoria that followed as she cried out in pleasure. Wave after wave crashed through us. Each powerful pulse of mine was chased by one of hers, doubling the sensation. Again and again. My hips jerked and bucked, riding out the pleasure that was running through us, feeling every ebb and flow as if it was my own. It wasn’t anywhere close to the level of my Gift, but it hit different with a potent mix of emotions, and the intensity left me a gasping, shuddering mess.

My head rested on her chest, both of us panting as the aftershocks rolled over us. Holy shit. Her hand came down, lazily playing with my hair.

“Well, that was fun.”

I giggled, trying to catch my breath.

Jake’s voice cut into the moment. “What are you talking about?” Both of us shifted to look at him. His face was the same passive expression, yet my heart thundered against my chest as I saw him shift my way. My eyes widened, exhaustion and excitement dueling through the connection I still had with Alexis as I realized what he intended. Unfortunately, she seemed to pick up on it at the same time.

I felt Alexis’ arms snap up, holding me in place as Jake’s hands reached for me.

“We are just getting started.”