CHAPTER 15
REESE
Reese traced her fingers over the tiny flowers tattooed across Jette’s collarbones.
Jette’s dark brown eyes had drifted closed some time ago, giving her the chance to memorize every tiny detail up close.
Her breathing was shallow and even as Jette lay in her arms in the early morning light of the still hotel room.
Reese held her so closely she could see Jette’s faint pulse through the almost translucent skin of her eyelids.
The sky was already beginning to lighten along the horizon but Reese couldn’t bear to look at the clock.
She would’ve given almost anything to freeze time and simply exist in this moment forever.
It didn’t matter that she’d already fought sleep for hours, Reese was content to lay here quietly holding Jette to her chest in a way that left her feeling simultaneously exhilarated and calm.
Heartbeats rhythmically thrummed in her throat as her fingers skated over the stippled black ink on Jette’s shoulder.
Jette flinched as her eyes struggled to open and focus in the dark.
“Sorry,” Reese mumbled quietly, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Tired brown eyes simply stared at her for a few moments and the sight made Reese’s heart race.
Wordlessly, Jette moved closer. Tangling their legs in the disheveled sheets, a tiny yawn escaped Jette’s mouth as she pressed her lips to the hollow of Reese’s throat.
Reese’s head tilted back at the soft contact.
The casual intimacy of the moment left her speechless.
She didn’t need to fill the sacred space with words.
Not when Reese felt so small and safe in Jette’s arms. She could scarcely believe that this was the same person she found wildly intimidating just a few months ago.
The same person she’d thought about nearly every single day since that first night. It seemed like another lifetime ago.
In the end, it didn’t matter how hard Reese had tried to stay away, to keep her feelings buried deep.
She knew now that she had just been delaying the inevitable.
It felt like they were drawn to each other on a cellular level, like two magnets.
Every furtive glance or chance encounter only proved that nothing could have stopped this.
Call it fate, or divine intervention, but in this quiet liminal space, Reese knew she would always gravitate towards Jette.
“Did you sleep at all?” Jette quietly rasped. Reese shook her head in silence as Jette pulled away to look up at her. “Are you okay?” Her voice was tinged with concern.
Reese smiled as their tired eyes met. “Perfect,” she said simply. “How’d you sleep?”
Jette nuzzled in close again. “Wonderfully,” she said, stifling another yawn.
Heat radiated off her in waves. If the room hadn’t been so drafty, Reese would’ve overheated.
Jette’s fingers lazily drifted over her back.
Reese let out a sound of contentment and let her eyes close as Jette’s hands ran over her back, down to her hips, and up her ribs.
Her thumb grazed Reese’s breast and Reese inhaled sharply.
Jette trailed her hand down Reese’s stomach and caressed her hip bones.
She circled through countless times before her attention drifted further south and Reese reached for her hands.
“Easy,” Reese chided, keeping Jette’s hands chastely on her waist even as every part of her swelled with affection. “I have to get up in a little bit,” she explained as Jette chuckled.
“I can make sure you’re wide awake,” Jette’s voice was full of suggestion as she lifted her lips to Reese’s.
Reese smiled into the kiss and let herself be pulled closer.
Her shins clumsily knocked against Jette’s and she winced.
She’d forgotten about the tender bruises there.
Jette paused and pulled away, “What was that?” Her voice was still gravelly from sleep.
Reese shook her head absentmindedly, “Nothing. I forgot about the bruises on my shin.” Jette traced tiny patterns along Reese’s arms. Reese struggled to focus on anything except the feeling of Jette’s hands on her.
“Sorry,” Jette murmured and gently extricated her legs from Reese’s.
Reese squeezed her arms around Jette, keeping their bodies fused together.
“You don’t have to apologize,” she chuckled.
“Just wait til you see me after the game. Then I’ll really be bruised,” she joked.
In the dark, Jette’s lips found hers again.
Her soft lips moved painfully slow and Reese swiped her tongue across Jette’s bottom lip, silently begging for access.
A voice in the back of her head reminded her of the time but she pushed the thought from her mind as she gently rolled on top of Jette.
Her arms braced on the pillow under Jette’s head and her hips softly rocked forward, just barely brushing against Jette’s legs.
Reese couldn’t get enough of the feeling of Jette’s lips on hers, Jette’s hands holding her face like she was the most precious thing.
“I have to get going,” Reese muttered quietly but made no effort to move away.
Jette whined under her breath and Reese could've sworn the sound reverberated between her own legs. She was dangerously close to ignoring everything else and instead focusing solely on the beautiful woman under her. Reese felt Jette’s legs shift under her and a soft groan escaped her own throat. “I have to—” her voice faded out.
“Mhm, I know,” Jette’s words were muffled against her mouth. Reese pulled away to catch her breath.
“I have a game in a couple hours,” she explained breathlessly. “I have to go back to my room and get ready. But I’ll see you tonight,” she quickly pressed her lips to Jette’s.
Jette whimpered, “You’re such a tease,” as Reese climbed off of her.
“You have no idea.” Reese’s voice dripped with suggestion.
She leaned in for another peck when Jette softly grabbed her jaw, holding their lips together.
“I have to check on Lida,” Reese protested softly but Jette only nodded against her mouth.
“I have to get back before she wakes up and realizes I was gone all night,” she continued.
Jette acquiesced as Reese let out a quiet yawn and stretched her sore back while rolling to the edge of the bed.
The sky was light enough to cast a bluish glow over the room.
The alarm clock had yet to sound, but Reese was anxious to sneak back into her room before Lida awoke.
She tentatively stood and glanced around the room for her belongings before scooping her clothes off the floor and furniture like some sort of sexual scavenger hunt.
Jette slid out of bed and watched Reese pull her unruly waves into a messy bun before sauntering across the room.
The sight of her naked body silhouetted by the dim morning light left Reese’s heart racing all over again.
God, she was fucking gorgeous. Reese felt an ache between her thighs as Jette reached for her face and pulled her into a heartfelt kiss.
Her lips moved slowly this morning, drawing out the moment for as long as possible.
Reese struggled to keep her legs steady underneath her.
When she finally pulled away, Jette asked, “See you tonight?” Reese nodded and spotted the tickets.
She swept them off the counter and made a show of tucking them into her pocket.
“Can’t forget these,” she teased breathlessly
“Maybe you should. Then I’d have another excuse to invite you back to my hotel room,” Jette quipped.
“You don’t need an excuse to invite me back,” Reese admitted with a grin of her own before pressing her lips to the corner of Jette’s mouth.
. . . .
Reese tiptoed into the dark room and slipped into the bathroom before silently closing the door behind her.
Bracing her hands on the counter, she stared at herself in the mirror as the overhead fan hummed to life.
Loose strands of hair hung limply in front of her ears and dark circles outlined her tired eyes.
She hadn’t slept at all last night. She had wanted to spend every possible moment studying each curve of Jette’s body, feeling the soft skin at her waist, down her neck, between her thighs.
Reese swallowed with difficulty as her eyes drifted closed from the vivid flood of memories.
A quiet noise came from the other room and Reese’s eyes darted to the door.
She flicked the shower on and peeked into the dark hotel room to see Lida stirring.
“Hey,” she said quietly, not wanting to disturb her. Lida let out a loud groan and reached for the water bottle on the nightstand. Reese chuckled and looked down at her phone. “We gotta leave in thirty minutes. Are you gonna be okay?” she asked.
“Fucking hell, who let me drink that much last night?” Lida groaned. “I’ll be okay, I just need some advil.” Her face was illuminated by the light from her cell phone. “And a redbull,” she added, “And a cheeseburger.”
Reese chuckled, “Breakfast of champions.” Lida laughed out loud before groaning and lying back down. “Don’t fall asleep again. I’m hopping in the shower.” With the door firmly closed behind her and hot steam filling the tiny room, Reese took a deep breath and mentally prepared for the day.
. . . .
The sun was setting over the Vegas strip by the time Lida and Reese were finally done getting ready for the concert.
Reese swiped mascara over her eyelashes while Lida fidgeted with the buckles on her boots.
Even after their afternoon naps, they were both exhausted from the day.
Not to mention the night before, in Reese’s case.