The Gray Effect - Chapter 53: Chapter 53

S O P H I A H O N E Y
Theo doesn't say a word.
He simply steps into the room and closes the door behind him with a soft click that sounds louder than it should. Like a promise.
And then he turns to me.
His eyes meet mine-and stay there. No glance around the room, no awkward shuffle. Just... me. His gaze doesn't just look at me-it pins me in place, like he sees every filthy thought running through my mind. Every breathless moment I'd replayed in the dark, every time I imagined his hands on me again when I couldn't sleep.
My mouth goes dry, but my body?
My body reacts like he's already touched me.
My skin heats instantly, flushing beneath the thin satin of my nightwear. My nipples tighten so hard beneath the fabric that the air against them feels like a tease, and I know-I know-if he touched me there, he'd feel them. Notice them. Groan for them.
God, he should.
My legs squeeze together instinctively, a failed attempt to tame the ache growing between them. But it only makes me more aware of how wet I am. How empty I feel.
The room suddenly feels hotter. Smaller.
My heart pounds so loud I swear he could hear it.
"I'm sorry." he says, voice low. Almost breathless as he stops at the edge of the bed. "I'm really sorry, Soph... "I didn't mean to ignore you. It's just..."
He trails off as he reaches the edge of the bed. I haven't blinked once-I can't. My eyes are glued to his. Watching every twitch of his jaw, every rise and fall of his chest. He's breathing hard. Like he's been holding back for way too long.
He climbs onto the mattress, one knee sinking in beside my hip, then the other. His hands-God, those hands-settle on my thighs, hot and heavy.
I suck in a breath. My legs tense under his palms.
But he doesn't stop.
He slides them up, slowly, deliberately, dragging them over my skin and pushing my thighs apart like he knows he belongs there. Like he owns this moment. His thumbs brush the inside of my legs, making my breath hitch, making my head spin.
And all the while, our eyes stay locked. I've never felt so seen. So bare. So wanted.
"I really really wanted to touch you, Soph." He murmurs, sounding pained as he leans closer. His face is inches from mine, but he doesn't kiss me. Not yet. "You can't imagine how many cold showers I've taken this week just thinking about you."
The words land like a shot to my core. My fingers clench the sheets beneath me, and I try to hold still, but I can't.
I almost bite my lip to stop the whimper building in my throat. His hand is already under the hem of my nightshirt, warm and slow, trailing up and down like he's memorizing the feel of me.
""A-and... whose..." I gasp, feeling his hand glide higher, grazing the underside of my breast "Whose fault is that?"
Theo's lips twitch into a small smile, the kind that could undo me. "Mine. I'm at fault."
"Good."
"I'm sorry, Soph." His voice softens again as he leans in, lips brushing just near mine, so close I can taste the heat of him. "How do I make you forgive me?"
My heart is slamming in my chest. I feel it everywhere-between my legs, in my stomach, in the way my breath catches like I'm falling.
"Say what you want me to do to you, love."
"I want you," I whisper, trembling. "I want you to kiss me."
"And..." he says slowly, pulling his hand from beneath my nightwear. His fingers graze the delicate strap of my satin robe, and with agonizing slowness, he slips it off my shoulders. The fabric glides over my skin, falling open to reveal the clingy satin nightwear underneath.
He stares.
And god, the look on his face-pure, unfiltered hunger. His eyes drag over my chest, to the way the fabric hugs my curves, to where my nipples are so stiff beneath the thin satin he'd only need to brush them to know how desperate I am.
He swallows hard, jaw tight, eyes dark. "Fuck, Soph..."
"I've thought about you," I whisper. "I-I'd touch myself and imagine it was you. Your fingers. Your mouth."
A sound breaks from his throat-somewhere between a growl and a groan.
"I want you to fuck me." I breathe, voice shaking, "I need you to fuck me. Hard."
That does it for him.
He crashes his lips into mine and I open for him without hesitation-Finally! I've been waiting all damn week for this. His tongue slips inside, tasting, claiming, and I melt. My back hits the mattress as he follows me down, his body warm and heavy above mine.
My fingers tangle in his hair, clutching tight as his hands roam-my waist, my hips, the soft swell of my thighs. Everywhere.
He groans into my mouth as he grabs hold of my legs and spreads them even wider, settling between them like it's where he's meant to be. His hips press down, and I can feel him, hard and hot even through our clothes, grinding into the very center of me. I gasp into his kiss.
"You smell so good, Soph," he mutters as he pulls away from my lips. His nose trails along my cheek, down to my jaw, and lower-pressing light, warm kisses into the side of my neck. The contact sends tingles across my skin, and I shiver beneath him.
One of his hands moves between us, his fingers sliding beneath the hem of my satin nightwear like he already knows what he'll find there. When his touch finds the soaked heat between my legs, he groans-low and rough-against my throat.
"Jesus, Soph. You're dripping."
He pulls his fingers back, and suddenly he's shifting away. I whine softly at the loss, dazed and breathless.
"I'm coming, love," he says as he slides his hoodie over his head and tosses it somewhere behind him. Then I hear the thump of his shoes hitting the floor, and the soft clink of his belt buckle.
"We need condom." He says, about to leave the bed and perhaps head to his room to get one but I stop him.
"I..." I start, but he pauses and looks back at me. Waiting.
"It's in my drawer," I say quickly. "The lower one."
He quirks a brow, pausing mid-motion. "How-"
"I bought some. On my way back home," I lie smoothly, though my pulse stutters in my chest. He doesn't need to know Blair shoved them into my bag with a smirk and a wink.
Theo grins as he moves toward my desk, but then he spots the dildo on the floor-half-forgotten beside my bed.
His eyes flick to it, then back to me, dark and playful. "You're definitely not what I thought, love."
I bite my lip, heat flooding my cheeks-and everywhere else. "You were too slow."
He chuckles low in his throat, shaking his head. "Yeah?" he murmurs, grabbing the condom and
stepping back toward me. "Well, I'm here now."
He climbs back into the bed and drops the condom pack at the side of the bed. His eyes drags down the length of my body, slow and hungry, lingering on every inch like he's committing me to memory. My breath catches.
"Fuck," he murmurs, voice thick with awe, "you look stunning right now. Absolutely stunning."
I feel my chest rise with the heavy rhythm of my breathing as he moves closer, hands trailing up my thighs, the warmth of his palms chasing goosebumps across my skin. Then he grips the hem of my satin nightwear and slowly begins to push it upward, baring my stomach, then the swell of my breasts.
"Did you dress like this for me?"
"Uh-huh..." I moan, my voice breathy, as I feel his fingers brush over the peak of my nipple through the fabric. My body tenses, desperate for more. "But... you didn't want to touch me then."
"I did." His lips find mine again, this time with a softness that catches me off guard. "I fucking did, Soph. I'm so sorry for ever making you feel like I didn't want you."
His eyes meet mine, and for a split second, I swear I see guilt flash through them-before it melts into something raw and tender.
Then he lowers his mouth, dragging the thin satin up over my chest, baring my breasts. His tongue flicks out, licking my right nipple slowly, deliberately, and my entire body jolts. At the same time, his hand cups my other breast, fingers teasing over the nipple until I'm writhing beneath him.
"Oh fuck!" I cry out, my hips arching off the mattress as my back curves, offering myself to him without even thinking. One hand flies above my head, gripping the sheets, while the other tangles tightly in his hair.
"Please..." I whisper, breath hitching, body trembling beneath his touch. "Please, Theo..."
He frees my breasts completely, and I gasp as the cool air brushes against my heated skin. Then, without a word, he lowers himself between my thighs, his strong hands sliding underneath to lift and part them even wider.
Before I can even process the moment, I feel it-his mouth on me.
A warm, slow lick.
"Ugh-fuck!" I cry out, my entire body jolting. My back arches off the bed, hands fisting in the sheets. That first touch of his tongue sends electric pulses through my core, and I'm already trembling.
No matter how many times he does this, I can never get used to it. The way he devours me like he's starved. Like I'm the only thing he's ever wanted.
My hips try to lift again, instinctively chasing his mouth, needing more-but he pulls back.
And I almost sob.
His hands tighten on my thighs, pinning me down. "Move one more time," he growls against me, his breath hot and teasing, "and I'll stop."
The threat makes me freeze-makes me whimper.
I nod, desperate, eyes squeezed shut.
But he doesn't move right away. Instead, he waits. Watching. His lips just hovering, his grip like steel on my thighs, and it only makes me ache more. My body's on fire, and he knows it.
"You gonna behave?" he asks, voice sinful.
"Yes," I pant. "Please. Theo, please..."
He groans low in his throat, like the sound of his name on my lips does something to him, and then-finally-he presses his tongue back against me.
"Fuck-fuck!"
I need this. I really do.
His mouth returns to me with even more hunger than before, licking slow at first, then deeper-rougher. His tongue moves in circles, his mouth closing around that sensitive spot like he knows exactly how to unravel me.
"Fuck," he groans against me, the vibration making me cry out again. "You taste so fucking sweet, Soph. So sweet."
His tongue flicks again, and I moan uncontrollable. I'm gasping now, every breath coming out ragged. My fingers sink into his hair, holding on like it's the only thing keeping me grounded while he devours me like I'm his last meal.
"Oh my god... Theo-"
But just as the pressure in my stomach tightens, I suddenly feel him withdraw. A sound of protest escapes me, sharp and desperate, until-
"Ah-!" I choke on my breath as a finger slides deep inside me. And then another. "Theo!"
His mouth is back on my clit, tongue circling while his fingers move with a steady rhythm, curling just right. I grip the sheets. I can't think-I can't breathe.
"F-fuck... please-"
That's how he does it. He fingers me with just the right amount of pressure while his mouth sucks and licks and teases until I'm a mess. Until I'm shaking. Until I can feel it-feel myself coming close, so fucking close-
"Oh god, Theo, wait-stop!" I gasp out, hips jerking.
He freezes, pulling back immediately, breathless. His lips glisten. His fingers still inside me.
He looks up, confused. "You okay?"
I nod, barely.
"I don't want to come like that," I pant. "I want to come when you're inside me."
His pupils blow wide. I watch as he pulls his fingers from me, still glistening, and sits up slowly like he's trying not to lose control. He licks his lips slowly-and then reaches for the waistband of his shorts. In one swift motion, he yanks them down and tosses them to the floor like they were offending him just by being on.
My eyes stay glued to the size of his dick, he's fucking huge. I watch him strokes it slowly and grabs a condom, tears it open with his teeth, and rolls it on, not once breaking eye contact.
Hot. How the hell was that so hot?
"You ready?" he asks, voice husky as he leans over me again. I can feel the heat of his body, the hardness of him sliding right between my folds, nudging me without entering. My hips twitch, desperate, but I force myself to stay still.
""Y-yes." I nod, my voice a breathy whisper as every nerve in my body aches for him. I reach out and take his hand, guiding it to my throat. His eyes widen slightly, like he wasn't expecting that, and when his fingers curl gently around my neck, his breath hitches.
"You drive me absolutely nuts, Soph," he murmurs, voice rough as he slides into me slowly. A deep groan falls from his lips as he lowers his face to my neck, his grip firm but careful, like he's holding something delicate and precious.
"Faster, Theo," I whisper, wrapping my legs around his waist and pulling him in. My arms wind around his neck, desperate to anchor myself as pleasure builds.
And then he listens-God, he really listens. His hips snap forward harder, deeper, and I bite down on my lip to stifle the sounds escaping me.
His pace quickens until I'm gasping, moaning out, "Yes... oh God, yes," and before I realize it, he's sitting up, hands on my hips, driving into me with a rhythm so precise it feels criminal.
My mind spirals, dizzy with the heat, with the way my body arches off the bed to meet his, and I don't even notice I've slapped my hand over my mouth to stop myself from crying out loud.
But he notices.
He drags my hand away from my lips, pinning it above my head with a firm grip, his other hand sliding down to anchor my hip. "I want to hear you."
"But-somebody might hear..."
He smirks, eyes glinting with a wild kind of hunger. "That's the point, Soph. I want them to hear how good I make you feel."
My reply is swallowed by the way he suddenly shifts, lifting my legs higher, pressing my feet into the bed as he thrusts even deeper. My head falls back into the pillow, mouth open in a silent cry as waves crash through me, shattering any remaining thoughts.
"Let go, baby," he growls. "Scream if you need to. I've got you."
And I do. I scream.
The sound rips from my throat before I can stop it, echoing off the walls of the apartment. My back arches, my fingers digging into the sheets as his name falls from my lips like a desperate prayer.
"Yes, baby," Theo groans above me, his eyes locked on mine. "Just like that. Scream for me."
My entire body trembles as he drives into me again, deeper-so deep it feels like he's touching every part of me I didn't even know existed. I whimper when his hands slides to my breasts and cups them at at the same time.
"Theo-"
He groans at the way I say his name and squeezes, his fingers molding around the soft flesh before his thumb plays with my nipples.
"Oh my god," I gasp.
Then he pinches it-just enough to send a sharp jolt through my chest-and my cry turns into a high, needy moan. My hips buck up on instinct, chasing more of that overwhelming friction.
"You feel so good, Soph," he breathes, voice tight. "So fucking good."
His lips crash onto mine, muffling the next scream as he swallows every sound I make, devouring me with the same intensity his body is giving. My mind goes hazy. I can barely think, barely breathe, all I can do is feel.
I tear my lips from his, gasping, my forehead pressed against his. "I-I'm close," I whisper, breath catching in my throat.
His eyes lock with mine, dark and blown wide, and he slows his thrust just enough to press a soft, lingering kiss to my lips.
"Then cum, Soph," he murmurs against my mouth. "let go."
That one sentence-so tender, so demanding-unravels me completely. My body arches beneath him, thighs trembling as the tension inside me coils tight and then bursts.
"Oh-oh my God, Theo!"
He groans low in his chest, driving deeper as he feels me fall apart around him. "That's it," he growls. "Just like that, baby. That's a good girl."
I writhe beneath him, my fingers curling against his back as waves of pleasure crash over me. My legs tighten around his waist, trying to pull him impossibly closer. I can barely breathe, barely think-only feel.
Theo doesn't slow down. If anything, he grips my hips tighter and thrusts deeper, chasing his own release now. "You're so tight, Soph... fuck-so perfect."
His lips trail down my jaw, kissing, biting, breathing me in like I'm the only thing that matters.
My name falls from his mouth like a prayer, rough and desperate. "Soph..."
I tilt my head back, whimpering when he mouths at my neck, then gasping when his hand comes up and cups my breast again, thumb brushing over my sensitive nipple.
"Say my name," he pants, voice thick with heat. "Say it when you come again."
"I can't," I gasp, on the edge already, my body shivering under him.
"Yes, you can," he groans, pressing his forehead to mine. "Come on, baby. Let me feel you again."
And then he does it-he rolls his hips just right, hits that spot deep inside that makes my toes curl and my body go limp except for the trembling.
I scream. Loud. No filter. No shame.
"Yes, baby," he groans, a feral sound in my ear. "Just like that. Scream for me."
His hand slides back down, between us, and when his fingers find my clit and start rubbing fast, purposeful circles, I'm gone again.
My body jerks and I moan his name, over and over, the pleasure so blinding I can't hold it in.
Then I release for the second time in seconds, and my body almost gives out. My vision goes white as I feel him pull out of me, and then I hear him groaning like he's trying to release too.
"Fuck!" he shouts, and then his heavy breaths are the only thing I can hear. I wish I could see how he looks right now, but my eyes are too weak to open, and my body feels completely drained.
I feel his hand tug my nightwear back down gently, and then he leans in and whispers by my ear, saying he'll be back.
He leaves the bed, and for a moment, everything feels quiet for a minute or two.
Then I feel something cool and damp-like a towel-as he cleans me up. A second later, I feel him cover me with a sheet that smells just like him.
It goes quiet again, and I assume he left. A pang of sadness spreads through my chest. Maybe he doesn't want to stay with me. Maybe he's going to avoid me again like before. If he does, there's definitely going to be a serious argument in the morning.
I manage to move and shift my body to the other side, opening my eyes and staring out the window.
I feel so lonely.
The door creaks open slowly, and I see him step in wearing a fresh set of clothes. I guess he went to take a shower.
So he didn't leave me.
He went to take a bath.
The realization makes my chest ache in a good way, and I feel my heart swell. He climbs back into the bed, his hand finding my waist as he slides in behind me and rests his head gently on my shoulder.
"Am I too cold?" he asks in a worried tone, and I shake my head, trying to lean closer-but my body won't let me.
"Uh, no," I say softly, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my back. It makes mine race in response. "It's nice."
He hums, then pulls me in even closer until I feel the soft brush of his nose against the back of my neck. When he breathes in, my heart threatens to jump right out of my chest.
All these feelings-new, unfamiliar feelings-I never expected to have for the guy lying behind me. But they're growing, stronger each day, and as much as I might want to deny it... I can't anymore.
I like him.
I like Theo Gray.
How insane does that sound? And yet... it doesn't.
Not in a crush-type of way. That feeling happened with Scott then vanished before I even knew it was gone.
That how crushes work. They are not permanent.
But this...
I wonder if he feels the same way.
"What are we doing?" I ask quietly, needing to understand what this is-what we are.
He exhales a sigh. "What do you want it to be?"
"I..." I pause, not sure how to word it. "I don't really know."
"I see..."
"But," I add quickly, reaching down to hold his wrist where his hand rests on me, "I like this. I like how we are right now."
"You mean when we're not annoying each other?" he teases, and I can't help but laugh.
"But I get what you mean," he says after a beat, his voice softer now. "I like this too-love it, actually."
I find myself smiling so hard, grateful he can't see it-especially since we're not facing each other.
"So... no avoiding me then?" I murmur. "Tomorrow morning, you're not going to hit me with dumb small talk and pretend like we didn't have sex again? We're actually going to have a real conversation and act normal?"
He chuckles, the sound deep and warm, and I swear it vibrates right through me. "You noticed that, huh?"
I scoff. "Who wouldn't? You made it so obvious. You're lucky I didn't fight you about it."
"I was kind of hoping you would."
I blink. "Why?"
"So I could maybe kiss you while you were busy throwing dagger eyes at me for being a complete idiot."
I pause, stunned-and then let out a laugh that's way too giddy for my own good.
"Let's sleep," he murmurs, pressing a gentle kiss to my shoulder before nuzzling his face into the back of my neck. "I'm tired-and I think you know why."
I laugh softly, then feel a yawn coming on. "Good night, Theo," I whisper, my eyes already fluttering shut.
"Good night, love."
He says, and it doesn't take long before I hear him fall asleep. My heart feels content in this moment.
I like him, my thoughts say, and then they repeat it.
I like, like him.