The wind nipped at Blake’s cheeks, nose, and ears. Did he have ears anymore? He couldn’t tell. All sensation had left his body.
He deeply regretted his decision to stroll through Tianzifang one last time before the semester ended. The artsy enclave was one of Blake’s favorite spots in the city, and its labyrinth of alleyways, shops, galleries, and restaurants made it the perfect place to while away an evening…unless it was winter.
They should’ve gone to laser tag like Luke suggested. At least they would’ve been warm.
“Let’s go inside.” Farrah squeezed his hand. “You’re freezing.”
“I’m fine.” Blake’s breath steamed in the cold air.
“Told ya we should’ve done laser tag. Told ya you should’ve worn a hat.” Luke rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. His own beanie sat snug on his head, that bastard. “I’m always right.”
“You didn’t tell me I should wear a hat.”
“Well, I would’ve had I known you weren’t going to.”
“What happened to spoiling the birthday boy?” Blake grumbled.
“You said you wanted something low-key. No presents, no party,” Courtney reminded him.
“Doesn’t mean I want you guys ganging up on me.”
“I’m on your side.” Farrah kissed his cheek. “Always.”
A surge of love flooded Blake’s veins and warmed his cold skin. He turned his head so he could give her a proper kiss.
Their friends groaned and made faux gagging noises.
“You guys are giving me a toothache,” Kris said. “First Court and Leo, then Liv and Sammy, and now you two. I’m the only sane one left in the group.”
She turned her attention to a rare Visa sign posted on a vendor’s stall. Even in a tourist-friendly marketplace like Tianzifang, cash reigned supreme. “Ooh. They accept Visa?” She tossed a navy-blue beanie at Blake, who caught it in mid-air. “Don’t say I never got you anything.”
“Uh, thanks.”
Kris swiped an armful of jewelry and handed her card to the vendor, who looked like he couldn’t believe his luck.
Normally, Kris wouldn’t touch fake silver with a ten-foot pole, but Blake suspected she was still trying to get back at her dad for marrying “The Red-Headed Monster,” as she called her soon-to-be stepmother.
The credit card machine beeped. The vendor’s forehead creased. “Your card was declined.” He returned the Visa to Kris with noticeably less enthusiasm.
“That’s impossible.” Kris shoved the Visa back into his hand. “Try again.”
He did. Declined.
“Try this one.” She fished another card out of her wallet.
Also declined.
“It’s ok,” Blake said. “I can pay for the hat.”
“There’s something wrong with the machine,” Kris snapped. “It’s fine. I have cash.” She dumped the jewelry back into their bins and slapped a fifty kuai note on the counter. “Keep the change.”
“Thanks for the gift.” Blake pulled the hat over his head. Instant warmth. Amazing what a bit of wool can do.
“Yeah, whatever. Wait until my father hears about this.” Kris flipped up the collar of her fur-trimmed coat. “Our accountant is going to be in so much trouble.”
Beside her, Olivia let out a huge yawn. Her third of the night.
“Why don’t you head back to the dorm?” Blake suggested. “You have an early flight. No need to stay up late for me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Farrah and I are going to hang out here a little longer.” Blake wanted some alone time with Farrah before they left.
“I can take a hint. Happy birthday.” Olivia hugged Blake and Farrah. “If I don’t see you before we leave, have an amazing Christmas.”
“You too.” Farrah squeezed her friend tight. “Love you.”
The rest of the group said their goodbyes and dispersed, leaving Blake and Farrah alone.
“Finally.” Blake wrapped his arms around Farrah’s waist. “I thought they’d never leave.”
She laughed. “They’re our friends.”
“Yeah, and they were cramping our style.” Blake’s stomach growled. “Are you down for a second dinner? I’m getting hungry again.”
Walking around in the cold really burned off the calories.
“I’m always down for food.”
“Great. There’s an amazing Vietnamese place around here somewhere.”
It took a few wrong turns, but Blake finally located the tiny restaurant he’d stumbled onto a few months ago when his friends were in Thailand. The unassuming spot was tucked into a side alleyway across from a trinket shop. Leather booths lined the walls; wooden latticework, lush green plants, and amber wall sconces emphasized the intimacy of the small space, which despite the late hour buzzed with activity.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to seduce me,” Farrah teased. She slipped off her coat and hung it on the wall peg near their table.
Blake’s dimples flashed. “Is it working?”
“Oh yeah. Wait till we get back to the dorm.” Farrah’s smile turned sly. “I have another birthday present for you.”
Blake’s blood heated. Despite his “no presents” request, Farrah had gifted him a beautiful monogrammed business card holder at dinner, “because every successful business owner needs one,” she explained. He loved the card holder, but at the moment, he was far more interested in the carnal possibilities flashing through his mind.
“Forget a second dinner.” Blake tossed his napkin on the table and stood up. “Let’s skip to dessert.”
He had some creative ideas involving whipped cream and chocolate he’d like to put into action.
Farrah’s silvery peal of laughter caused the other diners to turn their heads. “Oh no. Sit down,” she said. “You can’t tempt me with pho without following through on it.”
Blake pouted. Damn. “I can’t believe you’re choosing noodle soup over me.”
“To be fair, I’d choose noodle soup over almost anything. Except you.” Farrah reached across the table and interlaced their fingers. “You know I’d go anywhere with you.”
His heart melted into a pile of goo. It was scary how much power she had over him. “And you know I can’t deny you anything.” He brought her hand to his mouth and brushed a kiss along the back of it. “Especially not food. You’re scary when you’re hangry.”
Farrah grinned. “I’ve trained you well.”
“What am I, a dog?”
She patted his hand with her free one. “A very hot dog.” She giggled. “See what I did there? Hot. Dog. It’s funny,” she said when Blake raised his eyebrows.
“Be glad I love you so much. Jokes that bad should be banned.”
Farrah stuck out her tongue. “I’m only letting that slide because it’s your birthday.”
A harried waiter approached their table. They hadn’t looked at the menu yet but after a quick scan, Blake and Farrah placed their usual orders for Vietnamese food—pho with brisket and eye of round for her, grilled pork banh mi for him, and two summer rolls to share.
“I’m glad we could celebrate your birthday before we left.” Farrah rubbed her thumb over Blake’s knuckles. “I hope you enjoyed it.”
“Today is the best birthday I’ve had in ages. Because it’s my first birthday with you.” A year ago, Blake would’ve choked on the amount of cheese in those words. Now, he didn’t care. It was the truth.
Blake’s birthday wasn’t until next week—lucky him, his birthday fell two days before Christmas—but Farrah insisted on celebrating before they returned home for the holidays. He’d nixed a big party, much to Courtney’s disappointment, and settled for a group dinner at one of Olivia’s fancy-schmancy restaurants. Blake would’ve preferred beer and pizza at a casual joint, but the girls would’ve killed him.
Farrah sucked in a breath. “Who knew you were such a cornball?”
He smiled, trying not to think about the fact he wouldn’t see her in person again until late January. He couldn’t believe the semester was over. Three and a half months had passed in the blink of an eye. If his life hadn’t changed so much, he would’ve thought he’d just arrived in Shanghai. “Corn with extra cheese, that’s me. Do me a favor and don’t tell anyone.”
Her eyes sparkled with emotion. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
The waiter returned with their food. One bite told Blake it was as good as he remembered.
“9/10 on food recommendations.” Farrah slurped the broth from her spoon. “I’m impressed.”
“9/10?” Blake was insulted. “What’s the missing one?”
“That pizza place you took us to.”
“Which—oh.” Blake grimaced when he remembered the stale pizza crust and funky toppings from a few weeks ago. “Fine. I dropped the ball on that one. But this should be good enough to make up for it.”
“Mmhmm.”
They ate the rest of their meal in comfortable silence. This was one of Blake’s favorite things about his relationship with Farrah. With his past girlfriends, he had to put on a show and be as lively and charming as everyone expected him to be. This was true even with Cleo, whom he grew up with. With Farrah, he could breathe.
It took them less than 20 minutes to polish off all their food. By the time they finished, Blake’s stomach strained against his pants. He was so full he couldn’t move.
Maybe a second dinner was a bad idea.
“I’m going to freshen up.” Farrah scooted out of the booth. “I spilled soup on my shirt.”
“It’s ok. We’ll get you out of that shirt soon enough.” Blake laughed as Farrah whacked him on the arm.
While she used the restroom, Blake paid the bill. No tipping culture in China, which took some getting used to but which he now appreciated.
After weeks of struggling to adjust to China’s unfamiliar customs and way of life at the beginning of the semester, Blake had finally settled into a comfortable Shanghai routine. The noise and pollution didn’t bother him so much anymore, and he even liked some of the foods he swore he’d never try. Turned out stinky tofu was quite delicious, once you got past the stinky part.
It was going to be weird going back to the States. Blake was already bracing himself for reverse culture shock, though it would be nice not to have to deal with squat toilets for a while.
After Farrah came back from the restroom, they shrugged on their coats and walked to the nearest metro station. It was so cold their breaths fogged around their face every time they breathed.
“Our last night.” Farrah sounded wistful. “It’s been a wild ride.”
“Our last night in Shanghai this semester,” Blake corrected. “We have next semester.”
He couldn’t wait. He missed his mom and his sister, but he wasn’t looking forward to seeing his father. He liked his old man best when he was more than 7,000 miles away. Besides, a month without seeing Farrah was going to be torture.
Sure, they had Skype, but it wasn’t the same.
On the other hand, Blake had always wanted to try cybersex…
“You’re right.” Farrah shook her head. “I didn’t mean to get all maudlin on your birthday. Let’s talk about something else.”
“Like what we’re going to do once we’re back in the dorm?” Blake wiggled his eyebrows. Fantasies of all the dirty things he and Farrah could do over video transitioned into fantasies of all the dirty things they were going to do in person.
Fuck cybersex. Nothing beat actual sex. Skin against skin. Mouth against mouth. Mouth against…other parts of the body.
Blake hardened until it was almost painful as a surge of lust rocketed through his veins. He eyed the overhead map telling them how many stops they had left before they reach SFSU.
Four.
Fuck. That was four stops too long.
Meanwhile, his arousal didn’t go unnoticed. Farrah’s eyes darkened with desire, and she stepped closer until her chest grazed his. Even though there were several layers of clothing between them, Blake’s body reacted like she’d stripped naked.
If they didn’t get off this damn train soon, he was going to lose it. Literally.
It didn’t help that Farrah started whispering things in his ear—things that had him ready to throw her on the floor of the train and take her, right then and there, onlookers be damned.
Fortunately, they arrived at their stop before he did something that’d have them arrested for public indecency.
Farrah laughed as Blake grabbed her hand and pushed his way off the crowded train with the urgency of a man on his way to the emergency room for a life-threatening situation.
In his case, the situation was blue balls.
“You think this is funny?” Blake growled.
Farrah’s eyes sparkled with lust and amusement. “It’s pretty funny.”
The dorm came into view.
“Let’s see about that.”
They made it to his room in record time. Blake kicked the door shut behind him and threw Farrah on the bed, eliciting a small cry of surprise. He didn’t waste any time shedding both their clothes.
She watched, eyes bright with excitement, as he rolled on a condom and then—he was inside her, driving deep with one hard stroke.
Jesus. She was so damn tight and wet it drove him out of his mind. Control became a distant memory. Blake pounded into her, driven by mindless need and insatiable lust.
Their first time had been long, sweet, and gentle. It was making love. This? This was fucking. Fast, rough, carnal. There was nothing gentle about it.
Farrah gave as good as she got, her hips slamming up to meet his, her nails raking down his back until they left red marks in his skin.
Blake hissed in pleasure. He thrust harder, driven by lust and a desire to bury himself so deep nothing could ever tear them apart.
White-hot lashes of sensation whipped through his body, burning him, enveloping him in their heat until he felt her muscles tighten around him. He slowed his thrusts and chuckled at Farrah’s frustrated growl.
Blake lowered his head to nip at her bottom lip. She whimpered in response. “This is for laughing at me earlier.”
Farrah grabbed his hair and yanked his head back up so they were eye-to-eye. Pain and pleasure washed through him. “Blake Ryan, if you don’t fuck me as hard you can right now, I will never give you a blow job again.”
Blake didn’t think it was possible, but he hardened even more. Normal Farrah was sexy. Aggressive Farrah was a whole other level.
Blake braced himself on the bed and resumed his thrusts. Partly because he liked having blow jobs in his future, partly because he was going to come from her words alone.
He increased his pace and force until he slammed into her so hard the headboard banged against the wall. Farrah stiffened. Her nails dug deeper and she cried out, a long keening wail, as she exploded around him. Pain and pleasure mingled until Blake, too, came with so much force stars speckled his vision.
When they were finally sated, they collapsed, boneless, in each other’s arms.
“Happy birthday,” Farrah gasped.
He muffled his laugh against her neck. “I think I lost a few brain cells, I came so hard.” Blake mustered the energy to remove and dispose of his condom before sinking back into his admittedly lumpy bed. But with Farrah beside him, it felt like heaven.
“You—”
“I know.” Blake shook his head. “I set myself up for that one.”
Farrah grinned and flipped over to straddle him. He was exhausted, but he perked up all the same. “Out of respect for your twenty-second year on earth, I won’t make the joke. I do, however, think we should have one more session. Since it’s your birthday and all.”
“That’s the best idea I’ve ever heard.”
Farrah’s hair spilled over her shoulders like black silk. Her sweat-slick skin glowed in the moonlight filtering through his curtains. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
Blake rested his hands on her hips. “I’m going to miss you so fucking much.”
“The break is only a few weeks.” The tips of her hair brushed his chest as she took his mouth in a sweet kiss. “Like you said, we have next semester. It’ll be like we never left.” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as Blake.
“You’re right.” He rubbed his thumb over her warm satin skin, trying to imprint the sensation in his mind.
“I’m always right.” Farrah fished a fresh condom out of his drawer and rolled it on before slowly guiding him inside her. Blake hissed out a breath. “Now, where were we?”
She started moving, and Blake forgot all about tomorrow, yesterday, or how the hell he got here. The only thing that mattered was that he was here, right now, with her.
