Chapter 15 – Beau
BEAU
“That was incredible.” Scottie’s lips split into a huge grin as he wipes his forehead with the bottom of his shirt.
His friends have already left, matching smiles on their faces. Mine too. It was pretty incredible. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun on the football field.
Don’t get me wrong, winning with my team is satisfying in a way I can’t describe. But this, just goofing around, having a good time, it’s been too long since I’ve done it.
I walk with Scottie to the sideline where we left our stuff. He pulls on a hoodie while I drain what’s left of my water.
“Is she your girlfriend?” His gaze is across the field where Stella still sits.
“Yep,” I say, proudly.
“She’s so hot. What’s she doing with you?”
Laughing, I hit the brim of his hat. “I have no idea.”
Together, we walk to her. She stands and smiles when we get close.
“Hey. All done?” she asks.
“Yep. Just had to show Scottie here how it’s done.” I tap a fist on his bicep. “Scottie, this is Stella.”
“Hi,” he says, his voice suddenly going quieter than it’s been all morning.
“It’s nice to meet you, Scottie.” Stella smiles at him. “Nice arm. You have a real poised presence out there too.”
His brows rise, like he can’t believe a girl as hot as her knows anything about the sport. Ah, he has so much to learn.
“Stella’s brother plays QB at Valley U.”
“Your brother is Felix Walters?!”
“Yeah.” She nods, laughing lightly. “You’ve seen him play?”
“Are you kidding? He’s one of the best college quarterbacks in the country.” He shoots a quick glance in my direction. “Dad said you guys have been playing against each other since you were my age.”
“He’s right.”
“Oh, man. Maybe next time, he can come too. My friends would shit themselves.”
I laugh. “Now there’s an image.”
Scottie takes off happily toward the car.
“He seems sweet,” Stella says.
“He’s a pretty cool kid. Thanks for not telling him that me and Felix aren’t best buds. Might break his heart.”
Stella leaves her Jeep, and we pile into my vehicle to drop off Scottie at his house, where I promise to practice with him once more before I head back to Colorado, and then we go back to my parents’ house. They’re both gone for the day. Dad’s golfing and Mom went shopping with some of my aunts.
“Relax. They aren’t here,” I say as I open the door for her.
“Oh, thank god.” She lets out a breath. “I mean, I’m dying to meet them, but I need more warning.”
“Noted.”
I show Stella my old bedroom. She smiles as she looks around the small space, then comes back and hugs me around the waist. Peering up at me, she asks, “Do they know about me?”
My lips twitch with amusement. “Maaaybe.”
“Oh my gosh. Really?”
“Not all the details, but they know I’m talking to someone. You haven’t told your parents about me?” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I nod. Of course, she hasn’t. After the way Felix reacted, makes sense.
“Not yet.” She lifts up on her toes to kiss me. “But I will, and they’re gonna love you.”
I lift both brows. I think she’s overestimating my ability to win people over.
“Eventually,” she adds.
“I love your optimism.” I scoop her up and toss her on my bed.
We make out until her lips are puffy and her hair is disheveled. Damn, she looks good all mussed. I lift her T-shirt and place a kiss on her stomach. She sucks in a breath and looks down at me with a playful, naughty glint in her eyes.
I wiggle down her body, dropping more open-mouth kisses on the sensitive skin below her belly button. Slowly, I pop the button and then drag the zipper of her jeans down. She helps me get her pants off and then I settle between her smooth legs.
“I like these.” I run a finger along the red, silky material of her panties, then hook a finger under the band and pull them down an inch.
She squirms under me. “You should take them off.”
“Don’t rush me, baby.” I push her legs farther apart and hook an arm around one to hold her in place. Lightly, I rub her through the satin at a pace that has her casting a frustrated yet sexy stare at me.
I nip at her inner thigh and then glide my nose along her slit, breathing her in. Her panties show off how wet she is for me and it’s the hottest thing. She’s gorgeous and perfect and all fucking mine. I can’t get over it. This stunning girl is mine.
I get it now. I understand why people do the relationship thing, want to spend all their time with one person, and are perfectly happy to shut out the rest of the world. Nothing feels better than being with Stella.
She’s panting when I finally shove the damp material to the side and run my tongue from her ass to her clit, lapping her up along the way.
“Oh my gosh!” She threads her fingers through my hair and then gives the strands a tug.
It doesn’t take much of me licking and sucking before her hips lift to create more friction. I hold her tighter and increase my efforts until she’s saying my name and nearly ripping my hair from the scalp.
I pull every last bit of her orgasm from her and then her body goes limp, and she starts to giggle.
“That was . . . oh wow.”
I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and move up to lie beside her. She curls up on her side and nuzzles next to me. “I’m never leaving this bed.”
“All right.” I crook a hand behind my head. “Makes my plans to kidnap you and keep you with me easier.”
She giggles again and then sits up quickly and straddles me, still wearing only her T-shirt and her sexy red panties with a giant wet spot.
I stare at her, wondering how I got so damn lucky. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Oh, yeah.” Her brows lift and she moves so that she’s rubbing against my dick. Oh, damn that feels good.
As much as I don’t want to, I lift her off me and grab my laptop. She sits cross-legged on my bed while I pull up the movie. The look on her face when she sees what I’ve chosen is priceless.
“Home Alone 2. That’s my favorite.”
“I know. I remembered.”
“Holly likes the first one better, but there’s just something about this one.”
“I still haven’t watched it.” I hit play, and we sit side by side, leaning our backs against the headboard.
“It’s so good,” she promises and drapes a leg over mine.
I spend as much time watching her reactions to the movie as I do watching it myself. I don’t get to observe her like this, in the little moments just living life and going about her days, and it tugs at something in my chest.
We get about halfway through before her phone starts buzzing. The first two times I don’t say anything when she silences it, but I hit pause when it goes off the third time.
“I’m sorry,” she says. “It’s Holly.”
“You have to go?”
She nods. “Maybe I can duck out early.”
“Nah. Don’t be silly. It’s your yearly tradition.”
“What are you going to do tonight?”
“Not sure. I’ll probably call a buddy from high school. Better than sitting around here waiting for my dad to get on my case about not going to the gym enough over break.”
“You haven’t talked to him yet?”
I shake my head. By the time I got up this morning, both mom and dad were already gone for the day.
Not that I probably would have brought it up anyway.
It’s hard because, on the surface, things are fine.
If my dad notices that I grind my teeth every time he offers up advice on upping my game, he hasn’t mentioned it.
And it’s just easier not to start a fight when I’m only home for a couple more days.
“He means well,” I say to defend him. I don’t want Stella to think either of my parents are bad people – they aren’t.
“I’m sure he does, but their actions are affecting you in a real way. You need to talk to them.”
“We don’t do that.” I give her a half-hearted grin and then concede. “I know.”
“They can’t read your mind. You love football, don’t let them make you hate it.”
“I love it, huh?”
“I saw how happy you were out there today with Scottie. Cute, too. I can’t wait to watch you in a real game.”
“That was different.” As soon as I say the words, I wonder if that’s true. And if it is, why.
Her phone buzzes again.
“Come on. You’re going to be late.”
She sighs and sits up, then pulls her jeans back on. Before she stands, I duck my head under her T-shirt and give each boob one more kiss. I’m gonna miss those. I’m gonna miss the woman attached to them.
“Okay, but this isn’t goodbye. I’m going to see you again before you go back.
We’ll figure it out.” She scrambles off the bed, adjusting her clothes and smoothing a hand over her hair.
She hits me with a sad smile and holds out her hand to me.
“Don’t you dare leave Arizona without seeing me first, Beau Ricci. ”
“I promise,” I say, getting to my feet and following her down the stairs and outside.
We don’t speak as I drive her back to her vehicle.
When I pull up beside it, she lunges for me over the console, kissing me like that isn’t what we did all afternoon.
Not that I’m complaining, but she’s seriously going to be late, and her family already doesn’t like me.
I hold back a groan as she opens her door to get out. “I could stay here for New Year’s Eve.”
“I thought you were celebrating Felix’s birthday that night too.”
“We are, but we’re barely speaking to each other.” She lifts one shoulder and lets it fall.
“You have to go. You know you do. He’s your brother.”
“And you’re my sexy boyfriend who is leaving in two days.”
“Baby, no.”
“Do you not want to spend New Year’s Eve with me?”
“Of course, I do.”
“Then what’s the big deal? Felix’s actual birthday isn’t until the third. Plus, I’ll see him all semester, but who knows when I’ll see you again.”
“He already hates me. I don’t want to give him another reason.”
“So, you’re going to miss spending time with me to try to make up for everything else? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“It’s his birthday, Stell.”
She’s frustrated. Hell, I am too, but I know I can’t let her skip that party. I slide a hand around the back of her neck and press my lips to hers once more. “I promise I will see you again before I leave town, okay?”
She nods her head ever so slightly.
“You better go. I’ll call you later.”
Without a word, she gets out and into her Jeep. I watch her drive off and then finally let out a long breath, letting the forced smile fall from my face. Fuck. This sucks.