Chapter 50
FIFTY
DYLAN
SIERRA HASN’T LET me move in four days. Today, she’s handcuffed me to the bed. Any other day, this would be my ideal situation, but right now my girlfriend is changing in front of me, and I have to sit here.
I tug on the fuzzy pink handcuffs again.
She caught me making her a grilled cheese in the kitchen after she came back from soaking in the hot tub with Summer and Scarlett—and Kian, because he’s got nothing better to do than mock me by joining them.
She lured me back to bed with false promises that I will definitely make her follow through on later.
“Don’t look at me like that, you did this to yourself,” Sierra says right before pulling the string of her bikini.
I can’t help but feel proud of how confident she is in her body.
She doesn’t hide her scars anymore. After the Grand Prix, she sat with me as I elevated my leg and shopped online.
She’d ask if I liked a dress or a skirt, but then she’d get quiet, and I realized she was hovering over the crop tops. I bought her every one she liked.
“What did you say? I can’t hear from all the way over there. Come closer,” I say.
She crosses her arms, and it doesn’t help the predicament in my pants. “You really think I’d fall for that again?”
“Yes.” I grin, and she gives me one of those looks I love kissing off her face.
“I’m sorry,” I say for the eighth time today.
They gave me a boot to wear to make sure my ankle is immobilized.
By skating on my sprain, I’ve added a few weeks to my recovery, so I’m not too happy about that, because Sierra’s taken her task as my nurse very seriously.
Which would be hot if she agreed to dress up. Instead, she just scolds me.
“I’ll get on my knees. You liked that before.”
“You did that in the middle of the doctor’s office. They probably think I torture you.”
My head falls against the headboard. “This is torture.”
“Good,” she says. “If you ever keep anything like that from me again, I will cut you with my skates. That’s a promise.”
“Is that supposed to deter me? You could carve my heart out and I’d still come crawling back.” Her eyes narrow to slits. “I promise, I’ll never hide anything from you. You know that.”
She nods, going back to change into the tiniest shorts I’ve ever seen.
“You’re seriously going to lock me in here, and strut around in those?”
She stares at her outfit. “What’s wrong with them?”
“Unlock these handcuffs and I’ll show you exactly what’s wrong with them.”
“Nice try,” she says. “Take this as your punish—”
I yank my hand, and the handcuffs scuff my bed frame until the chain breaks. The smile on my face turns devious, and Sierra’s mouth falls open. I spring from the bed and stalk toward her. She’s still blinking at me, staring at the broken handcuff dangling from my wrist.
“What were you saying about that punishment?”
“How did you—? Summer’s going kill me for breaking her handcuffs.”
I chuckle, “We’ll blame it on Kian.” I kiss down her chest, just the way she likes.
When I lift her, she gasps. “Your ankle! Put me down right now, Dylan!”
“Okay.” I drop her on my mattress, and she glares at me.
“You’re supposed to be resting,” she complains. “Lidia would not approve of this.”
“Lidia wouldn’t approve of anything we do in my bedroom.”
She laughs and my heart feels like it’s detached, floating somewhere higher. When I move down her torso and take the waistband of her shorts between my teeth, someone knocks.
Why do I have roommates? I immediately grab a pillow and cover Sierra, expecting them to just walk in. But we wait, and nothing happens.
“Kuzum? Are you in there?”
Sierra gasps, pushing me out of the way and pulling on one of my sweats. She fixes her hair and goes to open my door. “Leyla. Ada. Hi!” My mom and sister give Sierra a tight hug.
“I didn’t know you were coming over.”
“We’re only stopping by. I made a tray of borek, some pide with sucuk, and kofte. Kian’s already eating it, but there’s enough for everyone.”
All my favorites. “Mom, you didn’t have to do that.”
“We saw your fridge. Pretty sure that bread loaf has its own ecosystem now,” Ada adds. “Besides, you decided to sprain your ankle, so that’s all Mom thinks about.”
“How long is the recovery? I want to come to all your competitions when you’re better,” my mom asks Sierra.
Instead of getting updates from me, my mom has decided to text Sierra, and Sierra’s mom texts me.
Mom and Ada don’t stay long—Mom’s got new furniture being delivered.
I offered to help, but all three of them shut me down with a synchronized glare.
“Back to bed,” Sierra commands, clapping her hands together. Both of us wince. Lidia’s claps elicit a trauma response at this point.
“Guys, the hot tub is on fire!” Kian yells from the backyard.
I roll my eyes. I gave him one job.
Sierra gasps, then pulls me gently to the back porch.
The cold air is sharper tonight, but the glow from the backyard makes it feel warm.
Blankets and pillows are sprawled across the deck in front of a white sheet, the projector aimed at it.
Aiden’s next to Summer, Cole and Seb are cuddled with pillows, and Scarlett is holding Whiskers while tossing popcorn into Kian’s mouth.
Sierra’s gaze snaps to mine. “What’s this?”
“We never got to watch that movie.” I guide her toward the mess of pillows and sink into them. Without missing a beat, Sierra grabs a pillow to prop under my leg, but she doesn’t sit.
“Come here, Sierra,” I say, tugging at her wrist.
“But your leg—”
“Will be fine. Now sit.” I pull her down, and she lands right in my lap. When the projector lights up, Kian shushes everyone. The screen lights up with Shrek: The Ultimate Edition.
“Aw, come on!” Sebastian shouts.
“Who let him pick?” says Cole. “He’s banned for making us watch this twelve times.”
“Sorry to break it to you, but some of us have high standards,” Kian says.
“You just ate popcorn off the ground. What standards?” Summer chimes in.
“That was off the ground?” Kian stares at Scarlett.
Scarlett gives a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I didn’t want to waste food.”
Kian starts sputtering. Aiden reaches for the remote and plays the movie. We watch our friends bicker, and every time Sierra chuckles, it soothes my heartbeat.
She burrows farther into me, inhaling deeply before meeting my gaze. “This doesn’t mean I’m not mad at you.”
“Of course not, baby.” I smile, letting her body find its place in my arms.
“I mean it. But thank you.” She says it with her nose scrunched up.
“Anything for you.” I bring the blanket over both of us, wrapping my arms around her. When I bury my head in the crook of her neck, I let myself breathe in her cherry scent.
And this, right here, it’s home.