9. Bruno
CHAPTER NINE
Bruno
I stand rooted to the spot, every nerve on edge as I watch Thomas and Rowan devour Jinx with an almost animalistic hunger.
She’s so beautiful in these moments: her lilac hair, freshly dyed, seems to capture the light overhead, shimmering with a surreal glow as she convulses in blissful abandon.
Yet even as desire coils within me, I remain frozen in place.
Half of me aches to step forward, to join in and show them how to really fuck a woman when she wants it, how to bring Jinx to her knees and make her come to heel in a whole new way.
But another part of me, weighed down by a painful truth, refuses to act.
The more I watch, the harsher the realization: I’m tangled in emotions far deeper than mere lust. I’m beginning to love her, to crave more than these short-lived moments of ecstasy.
My inner turmoil intensifies as I witness Thomas’s passionate reverence, his attention lavished upon her delicate, inviting body. Arousal tears through me at the sight—a throbbing pulse that is quickly undercut by a surge of guilt as I picture my babi?ka’s stern, traditional disapproval.
I can almost see the disappointed crease forming on her furrowed, wrinkled brow when she hears that I am risking my future, that I am allowing myself to care deeply for a girl that my roommates and I have been casually sharing, as one might slices of a pizza.
Do we really cherish her as a person to be loved, or is she simply an indulgent, gourmet dessert—a glittering, gold-foiled ice cream sundae or even the most extravagant wedding cake, reserved only to be ravaged by three athletes?
My mind races with uncertainties. Can I really turn my back on how I was raised?
What if she grows closer to one of us than the others, and all of this completely explodes? What if my feelings drive a wedge between me, Thomas, and Rowan, my teammates and best friends?
With each kiss, each fuck, my mind reels at these thoughts, running in the background constantly.
In the final, tender moments, they break away from each other with a few lingering kisses, and Jinx gasps out shallow, uneven pants. Our eyes meet for a heartbeat; hers filled with quiet concern, mine with a tumult of emotions.
Unable to face the storm raging within me any longer, I turn away and make my way up the creaking staircase toward the solitude of my room, leaving the intoxicating scene behind.
I don’t want to talk about it, but of course, she’s not one to let things go unnoticed. A few minutes later, she knocks on my door and lets herself in.
“Come on, big guy,” she says, nudging my arm with playful insistence. “You’re gonna help me feed the babies.”
I frown, confused. “The babies?”
She flashes a mischievous grin. “My scaly children,” she clarifies with a wink.
With a resigned sigh, I trail behind her to the spare office, a space now filled with the quiet hum of heating lamps and the faint rustling of reptiles shifting in their glass enclosures.
I breathe in the warm, earthy scent of mulch mingling with the fresh aroma of chopped vegetables as she starts preparing meals for her pets.
She hands me a bundle of leafy greens, and I crouch down in front of the iguana’s enclosure. The massive creature with a leathery, emerald-green hide eyes me with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.
Its tongue flicks out, snatching a leaf from my grasp with a swift, precise movement. Jinx chuckles beside me, crouching to join my level.
“See?” she teases, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Even the iguana trusts you.”
I let out a small chuckle, but the laugh quickly fades as an invisible weight settles on my chest once more. If only trusting myself were just as easy.
I watch the iguana chew, its peculiar little jaw working through the fresh greens with precision. The leaves crunch with each bite.
“He eats like Thomas,” I mutter under my breath, recalling my teammate’s methodical way of eating.
Jinx lets out a snicker from across the room. “He really does. You should see him when I give him fruit,” she says, a playful flicker in her eyes as she tends to her other pets, checking water bowls and adjusting heat lamps.
I continue feeding the iguana, feeling the rough texture of its scales under my fingertips. It’s surreal, this hands-on experience with such an exotic creature.
I shake my head, half in disbelief, as the iguana looks up briefly, its beady eyes meeting mine.
Jinx glances over her shoulder, curiosity in her expression. “You ever had pets growing up?” she asks, sounding genuinely interested.
I shake my head slowly. “No. Not with my grandparents,” I reply, my voice steady, though the words carry a weight I seldom share.
She pauses, her movements stilling as she watches me, sensing the gravity of what I’ve just said. With Jinx, somehow, the words come easier than they usually do.
“My parents died when I was a kid,” I admit, my tone even as I focus on the iguana’s rhythmic chewing. “Car accident. It was just me and my grandparents after that. My grandpa passed a few years ago, so now it’s just my grandmother.”
Jinx leans against the door, her expression easing with empathy. “I’m sorry, Bruno,” she says quietly.
I shrug, keeping my eyes on the iguana. “She’s great, though. My grandma. Toughest woman I know,” I say with a hint of pride, thinking of her resilience and the warmth of her kitchen on Sunday mornings.
Jinx smiles, and there’s a depth in her eyes—understanding, perhaps. It’s as though she knows the feeling of loss, of being left with fragments of what once was.
For some reason, that shared understanding makes me feel less alone, like a small bridge has formed between us, spanning the quiet spaces of our pasts.
Jinx straightens up, stretching her arms over her head, the fabric of her sweater rising slightly to reveal a sliver of her tattooed midriff. She rolls her shoulders, releasing a small sigh.
“You know,” she muses, her eyes reflecting a twinkle of mischief, “life’s about having adventures.”
I snort, skepticism lacing my words. “Is that what this is? An adventure?”
Her lips curve into a grin, though her gaze grows introspective. “Yeah. And you don’t always know how an adventure is gonna turn out. That’s kind of the point.”
I glance at her, observing how she casually tosses a sliced up apple and banana in the enclosure for her lizard. She moves with a relaxed confidence, like she’s completely at ease in her skin. I wish I could feel that way, like it’s okay to let go.
“We love our families, but we have to live our lives for us, not them. If you want something, you should pursue it for you, not because you’re afraid of what someone else might think.”
I scoff lightly, shaking my head, doubt settling in my stomach. “You say that like it’s easy.”
She shrugs, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “It’s not. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.”
Her words land solidly in my chest, heavy but not unwelcome, like a warm stone in a stream. I know she’s right. I just don’t know if I’m ready to take that step.
I sigh deeply, rubbing my hand over my face as if trying to wipe away the confusion.
“I get what you’re saying, but…” My voice trails off, and I search the air for words that seem just out of reach. “I don’t trust easily. And this? It feels like it’s moving at lightning speed.”
Jinx tilts her head, her eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity. “You think so?”
A dry chuckle escapes my lips, tinged with disbelief. “Yeah. I mean, one minute, we’re just teammates, exchanging high-fives on the field. The next, we’re entangled in something I can’t quite define.” I gesture between us, my hand moving through the space as if it could capture the confusion swirling within me. “I just—I don’t do things like this.”
She watches me with an intensity that makes my skin prickle, then steps closer, her warmth radiating as her hand gently rests on my forearm. “What are you actually afraid of?”
I swallow hard, my gaze dropping to the floor as if the answer might be etched there.
“Someday, I want to take a woman home to my grandmother. Introduce her over tea and cookies. Tell her this is the person I love.” My voice lowers. “I don’t want to struggle to explain what this is.”
Jinx nods, tucking a stray curl behind her ear with a delicate flick of her fingers. “I get it,” she says in a gentle murmur. “My parents are pretty traditional, too. Well, at least compared to me and my brother.”
I arch an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “Jack? He seems pretty… normal.”
She shrugs, a rascally look on her face. “That’s because you don’t know the half of it. He’s got his ‘good ol’ Canadian boy’ act down pat, but he’s just as much of a mess as the rest of us. There was this one time he got so plastered after a game that he stumbled into the wrong hotel room, crawled into bed, and ended up spooning the other team’s coach. Buck naked.”
I blink in disbelief, then burst into a short, surprised laugh. “No way.”
“Swear on my lizards,” she says, raising two fingers in a playful oath.
The mental image of Jack, tall and always so composed, tangled up with some poor, unsuspecting coach leaves me grinning from ear to ear. Jinx watches my reaction, a pleased little smirk playing on her lips.
She leans against the counter, crossing her arms casually, the buttery fabric of her sweater bunching at her elbows.
“My point is, I care about all of you, but I don’t think we need to stress so much about what this is. Labels, definitions, explanations… they don’t really matter as long as we’re happy, right?”
I hesitate. Part of me wants to argue, to insist that some things need definition, clarity. But another part of me—the part that’s been anxiously grappling with how fast everything is moving—wonders if maybe she’s onto something.
Maybe, for once, I just need to let go.
Standing with her in the dark office, the clatter of my anxiety fades away, leaving just the two of us.
I pull her into my arms, our lips meeting in a gentle, sensual kiss that speaks of more than just lust; it holds a caring, doting consciousness. My hands glide across her legs, moving up to her thighs as I lift her onto the cool, empty desk.
Her fingers find their way beneath my shirt, lifting it over my head, exposing my skin to the chill of the room. She feels delicate in my embrace, her petite frame pressing against me with a fevered desire, her breath a warm whisper against my neck as she kisses it and gently sucks on my earlobe.
My hands move under her sweater, exploring her breasts, feeling their supple weight as I bounce them gently in my palms, my lips moving to taste hers, licking and savoring the sweetness.
“Fuck me,” she breathes into my ear, her voice sultry and laden with urgency. “Please, fuck me, hard.”
The sound of her plea sends a shiver down my spine, my arousal already straining, her words nearly tipping me over the edge. We fumble eagerly with each other’s clothing, the fabric parting with a rustle as we peel open our pants.
She shifts forward, and I drop to my knees, taking in the surprised look on her face.
“Let me show you how it’s done. I saw those two idiots trying their best, but I’m sure you’ll find I’m better than either of them…”
With an open mouth I take her lower lips, sucking and licking them as if they were the lips on her face. She shudders against me, her hand falling to the back of my head and her head falling back against the wall.
Her knees curl over my shoulders, and I nearly pull her off the counter. I can’t get enough of her, her smell and taste.
I suck her clit into my mouth as I fuck her with my fingers, pressing them into her and pulling them out with a hurried motion that makes her squirt all over my arm.
“Bruno, I love when you do that,” she sighs, a hiss escaping between her teeth. Our eyes lock, and I bite my lower lip.
“I love the way you sound when you say my name.”
I drop my head, sucking up her fluids, licking against her wet, trembling skin before making her come again. I can’t help it, the way I am around her, the way I lose all self-control and self-judgment.
Jinx makes me feel like I can live for me, for pleasure. Not for the expectations of others or to fulfill some unknown standard I put on myself.
Looking at the way she’s sitting in front of me, I feel myself being called toward her, like a ship at sea following the beacon of a lighthouse.
My throbbing cock is exposed and pointing straight at her. She smiles, her cheeks red and her bright eyes wide as I center myself between her legs.
“You were right,” she whispers. “You are the best.”
Her legs wrap around me, pulling me in, her body welcoming me with an intoxicating warmth as I press into her, the sensation overwhelming.
Instinctively, I begin to move, sliding myself in and out, her fingertips digging into my skin with every thrust. She moans my name as I drive deeper, her backside fitting perfectly into my hands.
I lift her from the counter, pinning her against the wall, feeling her shudder around me as she climaxes, her release a flood of warmth nearly pushing me out.
I kiss her hard, and she nearly whimpers when I nibble maybe a little too hard on her lip, but she returns the favor, giving me a love bite that nearly leaves my lip swollen. I love it.
I pound into her harder, a part of me kind of worried we’re about to leave a giant hole in the wall, but ultimately I don’t care. I’ll fuck her through this wall if I have to. Right now, all that matters is her and I, our bodies intertwined.
She presses into me, lifting herself forward with her shoulder blades against the wall. Her thighs are tightly gripped around my hips and it drives me insane.
I lower us down to the ground and let her ride me on top. She props herself up, grinding down on me as she kisses and sucks my lips and neck, her lips trailing to my ears.
“Your huge dick feels so good, Bruno. You’re going to make me come again.”
“Do it, then,” I whisper back, a grit in my voice as I suck and bite against her neck. I feel her tighten down on me, a pulsating vibration escaping her again, and I suspect I’m getting addicted to the feeling of her orgasming.
She flops forward on me but I push her back, my hand against her chest as I press her backward. Slowly, it traces down between her perfect tits, down the slight hump of her lower belly, and between her legs.
I find the small pearl of her clit, and she sucks air through her teeth at my touch. Slowly, I work circles over it, growing faster with each rotation. She brings a delicate hand to her mouth, setting one perfectly manicured nail between her rigid teeth.
“Please, don’t stop, Bruno. Don’t stop and I’ll make you come so hard.”
Obediently I up the ante, each pass ramping up in speed, until my hand is just forcefully gliding back and forth across her, stimulating her until she can’t take anymore and literally bursts. I feel her push me out with a force, soaking us both with her excitement.
She lowers her face to my dripping cock, sucking me in with one motion. I gasp, feeling the culminating pressure, the pursuing climax that I’ve been chasing and staving off with each position.
Finally, I crest over that mountain, feeling the giddy rise of fluttering joy ripple through me as she drinks me down. I spill into her as I gently moan, and she rises back to my face, sealing the moment with a lingering kiss.