CHAPTER 17 BENNETT
BENNETT
Bower: We’re in the back. Be prepared: Your sister is drunk and very handsy. She’s been shoving her tongue down Ryland’s throat every chance she gets. I might throw up.
Chuckling as I ride down the streets of San Francisco in a professional car service, because I knew we would be hanging out after the game and I wanted some drinks, I stare down at the picture that Bower sent me before the game.
The picture of her wearing my number on her back.
It made my gut clench, because fuck, it looks so good on her. Too damn good. And all it did was remind me that I want her, don’t have her, but if I did have her, that is what my life could be like.
Bower in the stands, cheering me on, wearing my number…eating a hot dog.
It made me long for something I so desperately want, something I’m hopefully working toward, despite fucking Cougar being in the way.
The entire game, anytime I thought about her being there, watching me, my mind kept going toward what I talked about with the guys. Does she like him? Have they kissed? Are they getting serious?
All things I don’t know.
All things that fuel the rage that lives deep inside me.
But maybe I could get some info from Gabby, because there is no doubt that they’ve talked about it. I just need to unearth the truth.
The car pulls up to the side of the street, in front of the bar that Gabby and Ryland chose. I tug on the brim of my hat, attempting to hide my face. It’s dumb, because I’m easily recognizable in a hat, and then I thank the driver before getting out.
I keep my head down as I enter the bar and then walk all the way to the back, where a rope closes off the rest of the place to the public.
The security guy protecting the area gives me one look and nods before saying, “Great game.”
“Thanks, man.” I pat him on the shoulder as he lets me in. I finally look up and the first person I see is Bower. She’s sitting up on her knees, in the booth, holding up a shot and looking me dead in the eyes.
Her Bombers shirt clings to her, highlighting her breasts while showing off about two inches of her stomach.
Her hair is wild, curled and falling over her shoulders.
The lights bounce off her glossy lips, making them look irresistible, and the expression of utter happiness when she spots me creates a sense of mine in my head.
“Bennett!” she shouts, keying Gabby and Ryland into my arrival.
Gabby flies out of her seat, completely drunk, and wraps her arms around me, giving me a huge hug.
“My baby brother, the game winner.” She sloppily kisses my cheek and then grips my shoulders as she pulls away. “You’re amazing.”
“And you’re drunk.” I laugh.
She pats my chest. “I am, but you’re catching up. We have drinks ready for you.”
She tugs me toward the booth and Ryland, also looking lit, pulls me into a hug and pats me rather aggressively on the back. Whispering in my ear, he says, “I love your sister so much.”
Chuckling, I reply, “Good thing since you married her.”
“Very good thing.” Then he lets go. “Good game.” He then grabs Gabby and pulls her into the booth and starts kissing her, which she obliges, tongues and everything.
Jesus.
I glance at Bower and she mouths Told you so.
I walk up to her and to my pleasure, she gives me a hug as well. My hand briefly skims her bare skin before she pulls away and winks at me. “Hell of a game, laying off that curveball only to take the fastball yard for a walk-off game-winning home run.”
I raise one brow. “Did my sister tell you to say that?”
“I memorized what she’s been repeating in between making out with Ryland. Did I do a decent job?”
“Very good,” I say.
She smirks and with a flirtatious wink, she says, “It was a really good game.”
“Did I impress you?”
“Tremendously.” Then she tugs on my hand and has me sit right next to her. Ryland and Gabby are still going at it, so Bower turns toward me, holds up a shot glass to me and says, “Bottoms up.”
“What is it?”
“Does it matter?”
“I guess not.”
And with that, I tip the liquid back and swallow.
“Never have I ever…uh…licked ice cream off a person’s body,” Gabby says with a giggle and then turns to Ryland, who rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his beer.
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
“Ryland Rowley, that wicked tongue of yours strikes again,” Bower says. “So far we’ve learned that you have licked Gabby—”
“Don’t need the recap,” I say, holding up my hand. “For the love of God, no recap.”
Bower bumps her shoulder with mine, her hair brushing up against me, the sweet scent of her shampoo so goddamn intoxicating. It smells sweet like coconut with some sort of rich musk, fuck if I know, but I’m going to tell you right now, if I ever see a coconut in person, I’ll probably get hard.
“Okay, your turn,” Gabby says, pointing to me as she waves back and forth.
Finally. I swear she and Bower have been going back and forth for the last ten minutes, not letting me or Ryland say anything, not that Ryland would, he’s just over there, feeling up my sister every chance he gets.
It’s weird, not just because that’s my sister, but because he’s my former coach as well.
“My turn?” I ask, trying to play it off as if I haven’t been waiting for this goddamn moment once I figured out what I wanted to ask. “Uhh…never have I ever…kissed someone on the lips in the last three weeks.”
Gabby and Ryland both groan while Gabby says, “You did that on purpose to make us drink.”
Yup, that’s exactly why I did that.
Please note the sarcasm.
As they both drink, my heart beats wildly in my chest as I turn to Bower, waiting for her to take a sip.
But when she remains still, joy erupts through me because that means she hasn’t kissed Cougar.
“You’re not drinking?” she asks me.
“Nope,” I say. “Haven’t had the time. What about you?”
She shakes her head. “Sad day for me, no kisses.”
“And no dick tickles.” Gabby laughs.
“Dick tickles?” I ask.
“She’s right. No penis has been inside of me for a while. More sad news, I know.”
Clearing my throat, I say, “Not even with Cougar?”
“Dry as a bone,” Gabby announces. “But she’s going to try to make it work with him, right? Because there’s potential.”
And then Gabby just fucking pisses all over my joy.
“Are you?” I ask.
Bower shrugs. “You went through all that trouble to set things up for me, might as well give him another try. We might be getting to a place where things move along.”
Not what I wanted to hear.
“‘Might’ being a strong word,” Gabby says as Ryland kisses her neck. Jesus, slow down, dude. “She said when she’s near him, she feels nothing, as if she’s broken inside.”
“Okay, okay,” Bower says, waving her hand at Gabby. “We don’t need to talk about my lack of sex life or the fact that my ability to be aroused has fallen off the face of the earth. Back to the questions.” She turns to me and says, “Never have I ever come in my pants.”
I roll my eyes and take a sip of my drink as Gabby says, “Ewwwwww.”
“Oh please,” I shoot back. “As if you’ve never.”
“I haven’t.” Gabby tilts her chin high in indignation.
“Bullshit,” Ryland says. “All those times I fingered—”
“For the love of God, we’re done,” I say, ending this godforsaken game. I down the rest of my drink and then let out a deep breath. “I have to get to bed or else I’m not going to be able to play tomorrow.”
“Why, will you be in trouble?” Bower cutely asks.
I shake my head. “No, just can’t function when I’m extremely hungover.”
“This coming from the guy who doesn’t have an ounce of a hangover the next day,” Bower says.
“That’s what being twenty-four will do to you,” Ryland says and finishes his beer as well. “We need to go anyway.” He wraps his arm around Gabby and whispers something into her ear that makes her giggle.
Fucking gross.
I pull my phone out and order up the car. I turn to Bower and ask, “Want to catch a ride with me?”
“Obviously.”
“Good, he’s right around the corner.” I stand and then help Bower out before giving Gabby and Ryland a hug goodbye. They need some time alone.
Because the bar is so crowded, I take Bower’s hand and weave her through hordes of people, not stopping when I’m noticed, but keep moving forward until we’re outside and my driver pulls around just at the right time. I open the door for her, let her in, and then follow in behind.
“That was very quick,” she says, surprised.
“He was waiting for me.”
“How nice.” She yawns and leans her head against my shoulder. “I’m exhausted.”
“Same.” I put my arm around her and she snuggles into my chest, and that’s where she remains until we reach our apartment building.
For a moment, I think I’m going to have to carry her up, but she stirs awake and takes my hand as I walk her into the building and to the elevator.
“Can I just come to your place?” she asks on another yawn.
“Sure,” I say, welcoming the idea.
“Thank you.”
When the elevator doors part, I help her to my apartment, where she heads straight to my bathroom.
“Let me grab you a shirt. I, uh, I grabbed a few things the other day for you in case you ever decided to stay the night. There’s face wash and a toothbrush and anything else you might need in there. Drawer on the right is yours.”
“I adore you,” she says right before she shuts the bathroom door.
Excited but also exhausted, I grab a Bombers shirt she can borrow and then quickly change out of my clothes, leaving me in just my boxer briefs. I plug my phone in and then once she opens the door, the bathroom smelling like fresh toothpaste, I hand her my shirt.
“Thank you,” she says as she goes into my room and starts to undress.
Jesus.
I quickly shut the door to the bathroom, because I might be infatuated with her, but I’m not about to take a peek when I’m not offered a show.
So I get ready for bed while she gets changed. I take a few extra minutes just to calm myself before I exit the bathroom, where I find her already in bed, curled up.
That’s what I want.
Right there.
Her, in my bed, no one else’s. Just the sight of her under my blankets, sleeping on my pillow, gives me fucking hope.