Chapter 11 #2
She braces herself with one hand on the ground beside my head, the other on my chest. Can she feel how hard my heart’s beating?
Will she just chock it up to the run down the field?
Because that has nothing to fucking do with it.
I tell myself not to move a muscle, but that doesn’t work for shit, and a second later my hand flies to her hip.
It takes all of my self-control not to reach out and slide my other hand to her nape, to tug her down and press my lips to hers, to use my grip on her hip to pull her body hard against mine, letting her know just how fucking much I want her…
Her eyes are wide, pupils expanding while I watch. She’s breathing hard, but I’m not sure that’s all from the run either.
“Melody,” I rasp, and I don’t know if I’m asking or begging or praying.
Our faces are close. Too close. Not close enough.
Her gray eyes blaze as they dip to my lips, and she inhales softly.
Does she want to kiss me as badly as I want her to?
Not fucking possible. I’ve never wanted anything so badly in my life.
It’s a terrible idea. It’s a fantastic idea.
And if she doesn’t stop looking at me like that, my self-control is going to disappear completely and I’m going to fuck her right here in the grass in front of half of FOS.
“I…” She licks her lips and my hand flexes on her hip, that small movement of her tongue having a direct line to my cock. Her shirt rides up and my fingers brush her bare skin. Fuck. She gasps quietly and I groan low in my throat.
“It’s touch, Mel! Not tackle!” Landry calls, and she blinks, like she’s suddenly remembering where we are and what we’re supposed to be.
Or not be, I guess. Just like that, the spell is broken and she scrambles away, rolling off of me and bounding to her feet.
She clears her throat but to my surprise, reaches out to offer me a hand up.
I take it and quickly release her grip as soon as I’m upright.
Her eyes meet mine and just like that, the fire is back again, whatever had been burning between us before blazing to life again just below the surface.
Before either of us can say or do anything else idiotic, Landry bounds up and bumps her shoulder with his.
I force myself to smooth everything away, smiling and acting like nothing had happened at all. Her eyes narrow a fraction and I know she’s noticed the change. Does she believe it?
“Johnson says that’s game for today. A few of the guys are due to start their rotations on patrol soon. And not that anyone is surprised, but my team won,” Landry says, cocky and grinning.
“And now you need a shower,” Mel says, shoving him playfully and wrinkling her nose.
He hooks his arm around her neck and ruffles her hair in a very playful, big brother kind of way.
She laughs loudly, shoving at his stomach, and I blink in surprise.
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard her laugh, not really.
She straightens when Wynn releases her, and I catch her eye, quirking a brow.
She hikes a shoulder but thankfully doesn’t put the wall back up, her easy smile remaining on her face.
Fuck it’s a good one. It’s one of those smiles that would have gotten her out of any speeding ticket, no matter how fast she was going.
The kind that would have gotten her free drinks at any bar in the world.
One that would bring grown men to their knees.
“Aw, don’t be a sore loser, Mel,” Landry teases her.
“Better luck next time,” I say with a smile, letting the words hang in the air, making it clear that I’m hoping there will be a next time. She eyes me for a long minute but then nods.
“Next time.”
I stare at the door that connects my room to Melody’s.
I’ve almost knocked on it at least half a dozen times since I got back from my rounds and showered.
I keep talking myself out of it, reminding myself that I’m supposed to let her make the decision, that I’m supposed to wait for her to come to me.
What if she never does? The thought makes me clench my jaw and push myself off of the arm of the couch where I’ve been leaning and take a few determined steps to the door. Again.
“Just fucking do it,” I mutter to myself.
I stop in front of the door and raise my hand, but again, I stop myself before I knock.
I scowl and pace back across the room. “What the fuck is wrong with me?” I groan quietly, running a hand through my damp hair.
A knock at the main door has me whirling, my heart thundering in my chest. Finally.
I cross to the door quickly and throw it open—only to find Destiny on the threshold.
Oh.
Right.
I’d almost forgotten that she was coming by. I don’t really want her here. Don’t get me wrong, I have a good time with all of the girls, but now that I’m feeling more and more for Melody, I don’t want anyone else.
“Hey, you,” she says, giving me a sultry smile and leaning forward to run her hands up my chest. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”
I should tell her to leave. I think about Melody next door, knowing she can hear pretty much everything that happens in here…
and wonder if she even cares. I think back to the look in her eyes when she was on top of me on the field earlier, the unmistakable desire, but also the longing, like she wanted me for far more than just something physical.
Was it really there? Or am I just reading into shit because I want it to be there so fucking badly?
Well, it might make me an asshole, but I decide to do a little experiment. I pull Destiny forward and her body slams into mine.
“Oh!” she says, breathless, and giggles loudly. I nuzzle my face into her neck.
“Tell me how much you want me,” I command quietly. “Make it loud.”
She groans. “I want you so bad, baby. I’ve been aching for you.
” I press her back into the wall with enough force to make a loud thud reverberate through the room.
“Hmmm, yessss, Traeger,” Destiny moans again, digging her hands into my hair.
I grab her wrists and pin them above her head.
Not because it’s sexy but because I really don’t want her touching me.
Even kissing her neck right now feels wrong.
I want someone else in front of me. I want my lips on someone else’s skin.
I want someone else’s moans ringing in my ears.
Come on, Melody. Come on…
I hear her stomping across her room and out into the hallway and I smile, relived that I won’t have to turn Destiny down outright tonight.
I’m going to have to figure out this whole “Trager’s Girls” situation soon enough though.
I have no desire to do anything with any of them at this point and so I need to tell them the arrangements are over.
They won’t mind, I don’t think. I mean, we have fun and I know they like the imagined title, but really, everyone knows it was all just fun and escape.
A second later there’s a loud bang on the door.
Destiny pouts as I step away and give her an apologetic look.
I open the door and cross my arms over my chest. I smile at Melody and she narrows her eyes.
I’m ninety percent sure she knows exactly what I’d just done, that I’d been trying my level best to make her jealous and make her storm over here like she’d just done.
It only makes me smile wider. I have a feeling this might get very, very fun in a few minutes.
“Can I help you, Melody?” I ask innocently.
“I need to talk to you,” she snaps.
I hold her gaze for a second and then call over my shoulder, “Raincheck, Destiny. I need to speak with Melody.”
“Seriously?” Destiny says indignantly, but then presses her lips into a thin line.
She knows it won’t do any good to argue or beg.
I’m a little surprised when she glares daggers at Melody as she squeezes past me through the doorway though.
When the door to the stairs slams shut behind her, I step back and throw my arm wide, inviting Melody to enter.
She storms in, seeming to avoid touching me at all costs.
I close the door and follow her further into the room.
She stops in the middle of the living room and whirls.
I wait expectantly, silently begging her to finally say what she’s really thinking and feeling, to finally tell me what she wants.
Or better yet, to fucking show me. Come on, tell me I’m not crazy, tell me you feel it too, show me that this is fucking real.
“I want to be moved to a new room.”
I keep my face smooth, barely smothering the smirk. Oh yes, she’s definitely pissed that I had Destiny here.
“Why’s that? Is the suite not to your liking?” I ask. I’m going to make her say it.
“The suite is fine, it’s the ridiculous low budget porno happening next door every night that’s the fucking problem,” she snaps.
“I’m so over hearing your girls,” she rolls her eyes so hard at the term that I’m surprised they don’t get stuck, “vying for Day Time Emmys, so clearly faking orgasms just to stroke your ego. It’s pathetic—and loud. ”
“Think they’re faking, huh?” I ask, taking one stop closer to her.
She takes a step back, but not in a way that makes it seems like she wants me to stay away, more like we’re starting a slow, dangerous dance.
I can feel that sweet tension in the air, electricity practically sparking between us, my entire body lighting up like a live wire.