Chapter Twenty-three Lacey
Chapter Twenty-three
Lacey
Monday night after practice, Austin has some of the guys over to his house, plus Claire, who invites me.
My best friend walks into the Keller household confidently, making a beeline for her boyfriend in the living room.
I follow behind, waving hello to the guys sitting around the TV and fighting off the butterflies in my stomach.
They’ve been ever present since lunch when Vaughn and I kissed again.
Rowan grins and the Whitlock twins, Eddie and Eli, lift their hands in a quick wave.
A couple other guys from the team are here too.
Hunter and Blake, juniors like us, and the senior goalie Barrett.
I look toward the kitchen for the one soccer player I hoped would be here tonight. But there’s no sign of him.
The TV is on a Premier League game, and everyone is glued to the action. Rowan is the only one who looks like he wants to be distracted. I walk over to sit next to him on the couch.
“Hey.” He bumps his knee against mine. “How are you?”
“Good. You?” I have this nervous feeling I can’t shake.
“Good.” Rowan eyes me carefully, then a slow smile lifts the corners of his mouth. “He’s not here.”
“Who?” My cheeks heat as I play dumb. I don’t know why I thought Vaughn would be here. He’s never been big on social activities, and even though he passed his last algebra test, he’s been studying hard to maintain the progress he made.
“Vaughn was still on the field messing around when we all left. Not like he needs the practice. I think he’s just feeling the pressure.”
“That sucks.” I think back to Coach Collins catching us on the soccer field.
I hope Vaughn didn’t get in trouble. We didn’t get a chance to talk the rest of the afternoon, but he didn’t seem any more stressed than usual.
In fact, I think I was freaking out more about his dad catching us than Vaughn was. Or maybe he’s just good at hiding it.
“Yep,” Rowan says. His grin widens. “I bet he’ll be sad he missed you, though.”
“We’re not…” I’m not sure how to finish that statement.
We’re not together. It’s not like that. Both are true.
We’ve kissed now on two different occasions, but it isn’t like we’re a couple.
Vaughn doesn’t want a girlfriend. He’s been very clear on that.
And I’m not sure he’s someone I want to date.
I just want to kiss him again. I’ve never felt this spark with anyone else.
The few guys I’ve kissed or made out with were fine. I didn’t really see what the hype was about, but now I think I was just doing it with the wrong people.
Thankfully I don’t have to finish that sentence because the front door opens, and everyone’s attention moves to it. Or rather the person stepping inside.
“Captain!” Eli and Eddie greet Vaughn enthusiastically.
The rest of the team seems just as happy that he’s here.
And by the immediate racing of my heart, I think it’s safe to say I’m happy too.
My body warms, and I’m smiling so big that if anyone’s paying attention, they’d know I have the biggest crush on this guy.
His blond hair is wet on the ends, making it look slightly darker. Despite the cold temperature outside, he only has on a T-shirt with his black joggers.
He tips his head at them, scanning the room. When his gaze lands on me, my stomach turns back into a tornado of butterflies. One side of his mouth hitches up at the corner and there goes my pulse, speeding right along.
The rest of the room goes back to the game, but I can’t look away. Was he always this hot? His cheeks are red from the cold and his blue eyes are brighter than I can ever remember.
Shit. I think I might really like him. I definitely want to run and jump into his arms and kiss the crap out of him.
Instead, I stay seated, my pulse hammering in my ears. Vaughn strides toward me, his gaze steady, and I force myself to take slow, deliberate breaths. Holy crap. I can’t believe this is happening.
“Surprised to see you here.” Rowan’s grin is full of playful tease as he makes room for Vaughn. “I didn’t think you were coming.”
“You either,” Vaughn says, putting himself between me and Rowan.
“Eh, I didn’t really feel like going to Amanda’s without my wingman,” Rowan says.
Vaughn grunts and then silence falls between the three of us. I rake my palms down over my thighs.
“All right, well, I’m going…somewhere.” Rowan gets up, leaving us alone on the couch.
Vaughn shifts over a little, giving me more room. I’m usually good at small talk, but I can’t think of a single thing to say. Maybe I could just ask him to meet me outside so I could stop thinking all together and kiss him until my brain turns to mush.
“Hey.” Vaughn’s stare drifts to my mouth.
“Hi.”
“How are you?”
My heart feels like it’s trying to beat right out of my chest. “Good. You?”
“Better now.”
We just stare at each other, smiling, while everyone around us is talking and laughing. My face is so warm that I know I must be blushing. There are so many things to say, but words feel inadequate right now. I’m not sure I could eloquently string a single sentence together anyway.
Vaughn bumps his knee against mine, and I glance down at that simple connection. Yeah, somehow that feels right.
Eventually, he’s pulled into conversation with his teammates, and I follow along, offering smiles and occasional replies I hope make sense.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so distracted by someone, but Vaughn has all my attention.
His smile, his scent, the way his leg continues to press against mine, his deep voice.
The memory of his hands in my hair. I don’t know why, but that in particular really does something for me.
I’m not sure how much time passes before people start talking about heading out. The Whitlock twins are the first to go, saying they need to get home for dinner.
“My mom ordered pizza,” Austin says. “You’re more than welcome to stay.”
I love that about the Keller household. It’s the most welcoming home I know.
“We can’t,” Eddie says. “My mom’s sisters are in town. If we don’t show up, they’re likely to tear the town apart to find us.”
“And embarrass us,” Eli adds.
“That I would like to see.” Austin stands and gives each of them a fist bump. “See you guys tomorrow.”
“I should get going too,” Hunter says.
It snowballs from there, everyone making their excuses.
“You guys are staying, right?” Austin asks Rowan and Vaughn.
“Did your mom get ham and pineapple?” Rowan looks hopeful.
Austin nods his head. “Of course.”
He rubs his hands together. “I’m in.”
Austin looks to Vaughn who glances briefly at me. I’m not sure what he sees in my expression, but he shakes his head and says, “I actually need to head home too. I have some studying to do.”
Austin nods. “I’m glad you stopped by.”
“Me too.” Vaughn stands, and I feel a sting of disappointment until he looks to me. “Did you drive?”
“No,” I answer while trying to figure out why he’s asking. “I rode with Claire.”
“Are you heading out? I could give you a ride.”
“Yes.” I jump to my feet embarrassingly quickly, then take a breath. “I mean, yeah, that would be great.”
Claire is giving me a knowing smirk when I look her way. Best friends are the worst. I can practically hear her silently taunting me.
“I have a lot of homework,” I say, not quite meeting her eyes.
“Sure. Homework.” She hugs me and whispers in a singsong voice, “Have fun!”
As soon as we’re outside, Vaughn takes my hand, and we hurry to his SUV parked along the curb. He opens the passenger side door for me, and I climb in, fingers still tingling from his touch. He gets in and starts the engine. Cold air blows from the vents.
“Sorry. It’ll warm up quick.” He turns the fan down. “You didn’t want to stay, did you?”
“No, not really.” Not if he wasn’t going to be there.
“Good.” He reaches for me, and I’m moving toward him in the next breath.
Our lips seem to have figured out exactly what to do because there isn’t a single thought in my head as I climb over the Range Rover’s center console to get into his lap.
My right knee bangs against the inside of the door, but I barely feel it.
Have I ever climbed into a guy’s lap before? Not that I can ever remember, but all I can think about is getting closer.
“Are you okay?” he breaks away from my mouth just long enough to ask.
I nod. “Fine.”
Vaughn groans as my weight settles on top of him. His hands move up my back to my hair. He likes running his fingers through it while we kiss. And I’m obsessed with him doing it.
I have a thing for his stomach. It’s really mind-blowing to me that anyone has muscles like he does. When my fingers slide under his shirt, he sucks in. “Ahhh. Your hands are cold.”
“Sorry.” I pull away at the same time as he chuckles.
“Don’t be.” He leans into my touch.
While I trace the lines of his abs, he pulls my coat off my shoulders. I move only to help get it completely off and toss it into the passenger seat, then return to adoring his body.
His hands slip under the hem of my T-shirt, and goose bumps spread across my skin as his fingers glide around my stomach, his palms flattening over the curves of my waist. He moves them slowly up to my bra, letting the pad of his thumbs brush over my nipples.
I’m really glad I changed out of my sports bra after cheer practice today. The thin, lacy material provides very little barrier from his warm fingers.
My body feels like one big nerve. It feels amazing but also like it isn’t enough. I can’t catch my breath, and I have an overwhelming desire to get somehow even closer to him. I arch into his touch, rolling my hips in a way that grinds down into him.
Vaughn lets out a low guttural sound that’s so sexy I want to hear it again, so I move my hips again the same way. A deep ache forms between my legs, and all I can think about is more.
Our kisses are more frantic until even that feels like not enough.