Glitch (Next Level Book 1)

Two days. It’s only really been like two days with Glitch, but I swear it feels like a year. We’ve fucked, talked, and shared so many deep thoughts with each other it feels like a truth or dare speed date.

I’m sad his parents died when he was so young. I miss my mom every day, but it doesn’t hurt like it used to. Death is weird. We all process it differently. I keep hoping I’ll get this big job I put a bid in for with the Elementary schools so I can create something I know my mom would love. I was twenty-one when she passed, and I’m grateful for the time we had. We were close.

She’d go crazy for a guy like Glitch. I can just imagine the conversations between them now—especially if she’d seen his shop with all the graffiti art and anime, knowing a senior did it for his portfolio to get into college.

“You’re being really quiet, Kitty. What’s going on in your head?” Glitch is shaving while I watch. I haven’t showered yet. I should, but I don’t want to. I’m not ready to wash him off me.

“I’m thinking that my mom would have adored you.”

He pauses with the razor to his jaw and stares at me through the mirror. To busy myself, I grab the razor from him. Then I prop my ass up on his vanity and wonder if he’ll yell at me for it.

He doesn’t.

Jason would have told me the sink would crack from my weight. Asshole.

“Can I?” I wiggle the razor.

“Go for it.”

I’ve never shaved a man’s face before. It’s scary and exciting. “Full disclosure, I’ve never done this before.”

Glitch grins. “We’re just popping all kinds of cherries this weekend, aren’t we?”

I bite my lip and drag the razor along his face, following the same direction he’d gone with on the other side. We don’t talk and the silence is… peaceful. My head’s turned off again. The amount of peace Glitch brings me is surreal. I’ve never felt so calm around anyone before.

When I’m finished, I pat his cheeks with a warm, wet cloth. “How did I do?”

“Perfect,” he says, but he hasn’t looked at his reflection at all. He’s also bleeding in four spots because I did a terrible job. But Glitch hasn’t taken his eyes off me since I sat in front of him on this sink.

“You didn’t even look.”

“Don’t need to.” He leans in and kisses me.

I’m so in love with this man, it’s terrifying. I didn’t want to fall this far this fast. But it’s too late. I’m already a goner.

“I have to go into work for a while,” he says. “Do you want to come with?”

I place the razor on the counter and tuck my hair behind my ears. I haven’t brushed it at all. It’s a knotted hot pink mess, and I can’t seem to care. Not when Glitch keeps looking at me like I’m the prettiest work of art he’s ever seen. “Can you maybe drop me off at my studio instead? You can take my car to work, then maybe pick me back up and we can go to my house after that. I’ll shower and change and then we can go to Erin’s for tacos? Your car’s still at my place, so you can grab it then and we can go together or drive separately, or whatever.”

I hope he followed that. My brain just skipped around a bit because Glitch looks and smells delicious and I really, really want to come again. But I also really, really, really want to get back to my studio because inspiration has sparked, and I want to fan these flames.

“Sounds good to me.”

“Really?” My request is completely out of the way and a lot of zigzagging around town.

He runs his hand over my tangled hair. “Why is it whenever I say the right thing, you look at me like I’m crazy? What the fuck did the assholes in your life do that make you think you can’t have what you want?”

Nailed it.

“That’s a lot of driving. I mean, my studio is on the other side of town. It’s so much back and forth.”

“So? It also means we get to spend more time together. I fail to see a problem here.”

I’m going to love this man until the day I die. Fuck that. I’m going to love him even when I’m a shriveled-up corpse in the dirt. Unless I really am immortal, in which case…

“Thanks for always leaving the door open,” I say, surprising both of us. “I mean it, Glitch. With Discord… you always kept that chat available.” And private. “It felt like you were leaving a way open for me.”

“I was.” His voice is soft. “Which was the coward’s way. I should have just asked you to dinner or something.”

“No.” It wouldn’t have worked like that. “I think it was meant to work out like this.”

He lifts my chin with his finger. “I could have saved you from dating that twatwaffle Jason, though.”

“I needed a pure asshole to compare you to.” That came out wrong. “I mean I—”

“I get it,” he says, almost laughing.

“Had to reach a low point before skyrocketing to the next planet, you know?”

“If you call me Uranus, I’m spanking you.”

“Uranus.”

He growls at me, and I swear my lady bits swoon. This guy turns me into a ball of fire with one sound, one touch, one look. I’m so fucked.

And that makes me so damn happy.

He helps me hop down from the counter and spins me around. I can’t wait to feel his hand crack my ass cheek. But it doesn’t happen. Instead, Glitch kicks my legs apart and shoves his fingers into my pussy. “How are you so fucking wet every time?”

“Have you…” God, that feels good. “Have you seen yourself, Glitch?”

“You’re all I see,” he rumbles against the shell of my ear. “You know, I’ve imagined you in so many ways, and not a single one of them compares to the real thing, Ara.” He shoves another digit inside me, and I go up on my tiptoes.

“What…” Oh God. Oh God. “What was your favorite version of me?” And how do I compare in real life?

“They were all my favorite. And none of them compare to the real thing. You’re the most gorgeous creature to grace this earth. Do you even realize that?”

Hardly. But it’s nice to hear. When Glitch works his magic on me, I almost believe it.

“Take a shower with me.” He glares at me through the mirror. I gotta admit, we look like a dynamite couple. His dark hair and inked, muscular body make one mighty backdrop for my soft curves and bright pink hair. I don’t have any tattoos. Shocking, right? I’d like to get them one day, but want to work on the piece myself, which I haven’t been inspired to do at all. Plus, that shit costs money and all my dollars go to paint and rent.

“I don’t want to shower.”

“Why not?” He doesn’t back off. Instead, he runs his knuckles along my rib cage, making my belly flutter.

“I don’t want to wash you off me yet.”

“Fuuuck, Ara.” He drops his head back and his chest expands as he breathes. “Take a shower with me and I’ll make you a mess again afterwards.”

“Promise?”

“Swear it.”

I give in and let him wash me and he even shaves my legs. It’s sensual and methodical. Just like Glitch.

When I step out of the shower, he’s ready with a towel and starts drying me off, even though I tell him I’m perfectly capable of doing it myself.

“Just shut up and let me take care of you, Kitty.”

I groan when he dries me off and rubs my hair until it’s all tangled. “You’re giving me knots!”

“You’ll survive.” He slaps my ass and makes me squeak. “I like you all tussled and wild looking.”

“Ugh.” I start finger-combing it. Okay, it’s not too awful. And he has really great shampoo and conditioner, which helps.

As I fix myself up, Glitch watches in the mirror. Then he bumps my ass with his thigh, nudging me closer to the counter. “Spread your legs for me, Kitty.”

I obey. My heart kicks up, and I hold my breath. Glitch squats down, and I look back at him. He cracks my ass with a hard slap. “Face forward and look at yourself.”

Glitch spread my ass cheeks apart and my immediate reaction is to tense. I don’t even know what it might look like back there.

“Relax,” he growls, his hot breath heating my flesh. “And enjoy.”

That man spreads my ass cheeks obscenely and licks me. There. Like right… right there. Sooo right there and holy fucking shit balls on a stick. I bend forward, grunting like an animal about it. It feels insanely good. And when he reaches between my legs and rubs my clit while his tongue circles my tight hole, it feels even better.

My hands press against the mirror.

I come until my eyes cross.

When he rises, I’m still trying to catch my breath. I gawk at my steamed over reflection. He bumps into my backside and reaches over me to swipe his big hand across the condensation and stares at my reflection. “Mine,” he growls. Then he spits into his palm and starts to jerk off behind me.

I can’t move. I can’t breathe. I can’t do anything but watch my man get off and when he spurts his cum all over my backside, I swear to fuck I nearly purr about it. I wanted to be messy from him all day and he’s delivered.

With a satisfied smirk, he slaps my ass again. I turn and catch his wrist. There’s a bit of his cum on his palm and there’s no way I’m letting it go to waste. I bring his hand to my mouth and lick it off.

“Fuuuuck, Ara.”

“It’s Kitty to you.”

He smashes his mouth to mine and carries me back into the bedroom.

At this rate, we’re never getting back to work.

I think I’m okay with that.