Chapter 33
CHAPTER 33
TAHEGIN ELLINGSWORTH
“Congratulations,” I murmur in Hendrix’s ear as I wrap my arms around his bare torso. Warm water rains down on us from the showerhead, quickly soaking into my hair. I’m not sure how long Hendrix has been in here—it’s late, and I rolled over in my empty bed to hear the sound of water running in the bathroom—but his blond hair is already dark and thoroughly saturated. The Super Bowl was a few days ago, and save for a quick rendezvous in a supply closet at the stadium after the game and before the interviews, I haven’t seen Hendrix since we faced off on the field. He has texted here and there, but it’s basically been one huge team party at Aleks’ for the last few days—everyone crashing in his spare rooms only to wake up and party on. I was invited, but it didn’t feel right to go. It was a Rubies win. So, this is our first spoken conversation since the play clock hit zero on Sunday. “Busy day?”
“Busy few days.”
I rest my chin on his shoulder, enjoying this moment with him after having to sleep without him. “All partied out?”
“It was more than I could handle, honestly. I only lasted one night at Aleks’, and then I went to the other house—I didn’t want to disturb you,” he adds quickly. “We had to be at this team thing, and there were pictures and kids. I made friends with this one who is hearing-impaired. The, uh, press had a field day with that. Recorded us signing back and forth. Aleks convinced me to come back to his place after. Did you know he was going to have strippers? There were a lot of strippers.”
I smile to myself because, yeah, that sounds like Aleks.
“We customized our Super Bowl rings today.”
My stomach drops because of course I wanted to have a second championship ring of my own. I am still happy for him, though. “That’s exciting.”
“I think,” he says after a moment’s consideration, turning his head to face me. “I would have preferred being with you.”
“Really?” I stifle my giddy grin into his shoulder. “Not the strippers?”
“Depends. Are you the stripper?”
We both laugh, and Hendrix spins in my arms to face me. His arms lock around my waist as I throw mine over his shoulders. Our bodies press together, bare chests to abs to growing erections.
“If I’m being honest, winning the Super Bowl was great.”
I roll my eyes playfully. “Rub it in, why don’t you?”
Hendrix tightens his embrace. “Buuut, all I could think about these last few days was how much I wanted to celebrate with you . Everything else dulled in comparison.”
“Sap,” I tease, but my heart isn’t in it. If I am being honest, he is all I have wanted these last few days, too.
“I’m glad the season is over.”
“Really?”
“Mhm.” He plants a kiss on my nose, making me wrinkle it. “Now, we can plan how we are going to come out to the entire country.”
My heart stutters, stops, then flies away. “Are you serious?”
“I’m rarely ever not.”
I pull him into a kiss that is more smiling teeth than lips, chuckling happily against him. We kiss and kiss, hands roaming over skin we haven’t touched in too long, until he grabs my ass, lifting so I can wrap my legs around his waist. I shut off the water using my foot, and he walks us out of the shower and into the dark bedroom before crawling onto the mattress with me stuck to him like a koala, our wet bodies soaking the sheets.
“I considered staying at the other house tonight,” he pants as I suck reckless hickeys on his neck. “Because I didn’t want to disturb your sleep. But I couldn’t stand another night without you.”
“You should have woken me up,” I admonish between kisses.
“I was going to after I showered. Though about waking you up with my mouth on your dick.”
“There’s still time.”
Hendrix pauses, looking at me with one eyebrow slightly quirked.
Warmth blooms across my cheeks at being called out on my dumb statement. “You know what I mean.”
“Do I?” he whispers playfully against my lips, but as he begins to lower himself, lips trailing down my neck, my chest, my abs, my navel, I know he knows exactly what I meant—and he is about to give it to me.
? ? ?
A ringing phone wakes me too early the next morning, and I feel around blindly for my glasses on the nightstand. My elbow slips and lands on Hendrix’s side, but he’s so deep under that he doesn’t even notice.
After slipping on my glasses, I stumble out of bed in search of Hendrix’s phone because mine is sitting silently on the charger beside the bed. I follow the ringing to the bathroom, the phone forgotten on the counter.
Coach Mathis’ name flashes across the screen.
I carry the phone into the bedroom with me and shake Hendrix’s shoulder to wake him. “Hey.” I use my most assertive whisper, knowing he is sleeping like the dead. The soft snores are evidence enough. “Are you late for something? Mathis is calling you.” One glance at my phone display reveals that it is too early for anything team-related. What does Mathis want?
The phone in my hand goes dark, then immediately begins ringing again. Same caller.
“Rix, wake up!” I hiss.
He jerks up with a start. “What? I’m up.”
I wiggle the phone in front of his bleary eyes. “Are you late for something? Mathis is—” A new ring cuts off my words, and I look over to see my phone alight with my coach’s name.
Both our coaches? Calling us at the same time?
Not. Good.
Flinging Hendrix’s phone at his confused face, I grab mine and step into the hallway so our coaches won’t overhear either of us talking in the background. “Hello?”
“Oh, good. You’re up,” Coach Sullivan says, sounding too awake and pissed off. “We need to meet.”
“Um, okay. Can I ask what this is about?”
“No, you cannot.” He gives me the address for a coffee shop in the city, tells me to be there in thirty minutes, and hangs up without any explanation.
I stare at the dark phone in my hand, confused and dreading what this unofficial meeting will entail. Maybe he is giving me a heads-up that the Treasures are dropping me before next season. It could be a coincidence that our coaches called us at the exact same time.
Right?
Returning to the bedroom, I find Hendrix already stumbling into a pair of jeans and a hoodie. “Mathis wants to see me ASAP. Wouldn’t tell me what it’s about, but it sounded important.”
“Are you wearing that?” I ask, pointing at his chest.
“Yeah. Why?” He looks down at the golden-colored hoodie. “Oh.”
“Hey, if you want to meet your coach in a Treasures hoodie”—I shrug with a smirk—“by all means, go ahead.”
Hendrix yanks the hoodie off, leaving his messy blond hair standing up with static, and I take a moment to admire his naked torso. Snagging my hand in the front of his waistband, I pull him against me.
“Mm. Are you sure you have to rush off so fast?” I purr.
Desire flares in his grey eyes, and between us, I feel a twitch against my groin. He blinks, and it disappears. “I do,” he says, groaning in frustration. “But after, I’m all yours.”
I lift an inquiring eyebrow. “All mine, huh? Does that mean I get to tap your amazing ass again?” My palms cover his denim-clad cheeks and squeeze to emphasize my point.
He scoffs, trying to scowl, but I spy the cute blush blooming across his face. Oh, yeah. He wants this D again. “I gotta go.” He pecks my lips. “Love you.”
This kiss is so quick I’m stunned for a moment. When I blink to clear my lust-fogged mind, he is already walking away, scooping his team hoodie off the floor and pulling it over his head. “Aren’t you going to brush your teeth?” I call to his retreating back. He doesn’t respond, and I roll my eyes to myself. He’ll be asking to use some of my whitening strips tonight, mark my words.
His car is gone by the time I’m dressed and ready to leave. I climb in my truck and head for the coffee shop, definitely not speeding to make up for lost time.
Arriving only five minutes late, I jog to the door, open it, step inside, search for Sullivan . . .
And feel my heart sink to my feet.