Chapter 16
Erin glanced at the clock for the hundredth time.
Time seemed to have slowed since she’d left the restaurant, and with every second that ticked past, she wondered if Lia had changed her mind and wasn’t coming after all.
Erin wasn’t sure how to cope if she didn’t.
Never before had she put herself out like that, admitted such a weakness as not being able to get someone off her mind. But at the same time, it was freeing. To stop hiding, to stop denying, to reach for something that she wanted even if there was a chance she wouldn’t get it.
Because she couldn’t carry on the way she had been without at least trying to make something work.
Couldn’t keep watching Lia at training, day in and day out, and craving her.
Their entanglement couldn’t possibly be any more distracting than that—not if they were both on the same page about what it meant.
When Erin had left the restaurant—the first of the team to slip away—Lia had been ignoring some of the girls’ attempts to drag her out for drinks. Had they been successful? Had she chosen to spend the evening with them rather than with Erin?
The knock came before Erin’s thoughts could spiral further, exactly seventy-two minutes after she’d arrived home. She wiped her clammy palms on her black sweatpants before crossing her living room to open it.
“Sorry,” was the first word out of Lia’s mouth, a smile on her lips. “I couldn’t get away until I’d had at least one drink with them.”
“It’s okay,” Erin said like she hadn’t spent the last hour panicking she’d scared Lia away. “Come in.” She waved Lia past her, watching her shrug out of her jacket and hang it on the rack beside her front door.
She admired the muscles in Lia’s shoulders, the way her high-waisted black jeans were moulded to her skin. Erin was hoping she could peel them off.
Lia turned, visibly taking in Erin’s appearance as she leaned against her kitchen island. “You got changed.”
“You expect me to sit around for an hour in jeans? Those come off as soon as I walk through the door. What’s the matter? Don’t like me casual?”
Biting her lip, Lia’s gaze traced over Erin’s arms, bared by her tight white tank. It lingered on her hips and the sliver of skin left bare by the sweatpants. “I’d like you in anything. But I particularly like you naked.”
“Is that how you would have preferred me to answer the door?”
“Mm, now there’s an idea.” Lia drew closer until her arms bracketed Erin’s hips, but still held herself a few inches away. “That would have been a good birthday present.”
“Not sure what the neighbours would have to say about it, though.”
“That’s true. Wouldn’t want that to be in the next news cycle. What would the fans say?”
Having Lia so close was utterly intoxicating. Thinking she could deny this pull had been madness—Erin had been powerless to resist it ever since the moment their lips had met for the first time.
“Oh, I bet they’d love it,” Erin said. “They’d come up with a name for us.”
“Fincroft?”
“Ashnch doesn’t have the same ring to it.”
Lia laughed, pressing closer, but she had a serious glint in her eye. “That’s not what this is, though, is it? It’s just sex?”
“I didn’t realise that was a question. That’s not what you want, is it?” Her heart thudded, panicking that Lia might have read more into things than Erin had intended. “Because I’m not cut out for a relationship. I thought you—”
Lia pressed her finger to Erin’s lips, the glint in her eye turning to one of amusement. “Calm down. After my last attempt, that’s not exactly something I’m after right now. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. Maybe make some ground rules?”
“Ground rules?”
Lia trailed her finger from Erin’s lips to her jaw, then down the side of her neck.
It made Erin shiver, her train of thought temporarily forgotten. “Do you want a written contract? Signed by both parties?”
“You are so…” Lia blew out a breath, shaking her head. “I can’t believe I’m attracted to you.”
Erin gripped Lia’s hips, tugging her close and erasing the scant few inches between them. “But you are.”
“I am.” The words were murmured against Erin’s neck, with Lia’s lips against her skin. Then she leaned back, turning narrowed eyes onto Erin. “That’s payback for the kiss you gave me in the bathroom. Do you have any idea how much that turned me on?”
Erin palmed Lia’s ass, making her groan. “I’m hoping I’m going to find out.”
“I’m serious about rules,” Lia said, though her hips arched against Erin’s thigh. “Last time things went sour because we didn’t communicate properly.”
“Fine.” Dropping her hands, Erin gripped the counter instead. “It’s just sex. No feelings. We don’t tell anyone on the team—they won’t understand, and I don’t want anyone other than you in my business. We don’t let it affect anything on the pitch. Anything to add?”
After a moment of worrying at her bottom lip with her teeth, Lia shook her head. “No. I think that covers all bases.”
“Good.” Erin reached for Lia, this time spinning the two of them around so she was pressed against the counter, pinned by Erin’s hips. “Because I think we’ve waited long enough, don’t you?”
In response, Lia reached her arms behind Erin’s neck to drag her into a kiss, needy and frantic, her hands running through Erin’s hair. Erin’s own hands slid to Lia’s thighs, encouraging her onto the kitchen island and then stepping between her open legs.
Unlike last time, she wasn’t injured, didn’t have to worry about jostling her hamstring, and planned to take full advantage. Tomorrow was a day off—so if Erin only managed to snatch a handful of hours’ sleep after a night of making Lia breathe her name, there’d be no harm done.
* * *
Boneless, Lia collapsed onto Erin’s mattress.
Sweat beaded at her temple, her heart still racing and the taste of Erin sweet on her tongue. Beside her, Erin stretched out, the sheets bunched around her waist as she struggled to catch her breath.
Despite spending the last several hours exploring every inch of Erin’s lithe body, Lia couldn’t help but enjoy the view. How she’d ended up back in Erin’s bed, she wasn’t sure.
It might be her best birthday yet, though.
Lia brushed her thumb across the tattoo inked on Erin’s ribs. Her lips had traced over the elegant black lines of the bow and arrow earlier, but she didn’t think Erin would have appreciated Lia asking what it meant when she had three fingers deep inside her. “You a big archery fan?”
“Hmm?” Erin turned to her with a frown of confusion, her eyes widening with understanding when Lia gently tapped her ribs. “Oh. No, it’s the symbol for Sagittarius.”
“Didn’t peg you as a star-sign girl.”
“It’s not mine. It’s Maisie’s. Jessica wanted to get a tattoo when Maisie was born, but she wouldn’t go on her own.” A smile played at the edges of Erin’s lips, fondness creeping into her tone. “So I went with her, and we got matching ones.”
“That’s cute.”
Erin wrinkled her nose and brushed Lia’s hand away from her ribs. “Do not call me cute.”
“Why?” Lia refrained from pointing out how her expression made her look even cuter.
“That’s a word you use to describe puppies or kittens, not the woman who just gave you four orgasms.”
“Oh, counting, were we?”
Erin’s expression morphed into that self-satisfied smirk Lia was rapidly developing a fondness for. “Is that a problem?”
“No. Though we are uneven.” By Lia’s count, she’d made Erin come three times—once with her fingers, and twice with her mouth before she’d been tugged away.
“Mm, that’s okay. I like winning.”
“I can see that.” Lia stared toward the rather impressive trophy display covering one wall of Erin’s bedroom. Her own collection was growing, but Erin’s was immense. If Lia could finish her career with half as many accolades, she’d be happy. “A little self-serving, don’t you think?”
“You’re the one that called me an egomaniac.
” Erin tucked one of her arms behind her head, eyes on her bedroom ceiling.
“Where else would I put them? This place doesn’t have the biggest square footage.
And putting them in the guest bedroom would be worse.
Or in the living room for everyone to see. Isn’t this less self-serving?”
“Oh, so the only people that see them are your conquests?”
“No. I don’t bring anyone in here. Well.” Erin tilted her head. “Until you.”
“Wait, what?” Lia leaned on one elbow, her gaze on Erin’s face. “What do you mean?”
Lazily, Erin leaned her cheek against her pillow, meeting Lia’s gaze. “I meant what I said, Lia. I usually do.”
“You don’t bring women here? Ever?”
“I don’t really do this.” Erin waved between the two of them, a faint edge of discomfort to her voice.
“I’ve told you a thousand times, I don’t do distractions.
And sex is a big one. I don’t sleep around.
Not until the off-season, and then I’m usually in Spain, where there’s no chance of anyone knowing who I am. ”
“Oh.” Lia didn’t know what to say to that. Not while she was lying splayed out on Erin’s cotton sheets.
Erin shot her a warning look. “Don’t be weird about it.”
“I wasn’t going to be!”
Hazel eyes narrowed.
“I wasn’t.” Lia’s gaze was drawn to the base of Erin’s throat. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Little late for that, don’t you think?”
“I’m serious, Erin.”
Sighing, Erin curled a hand around Lia’s hip and tugged her closer. “So am I. Do you think you’d be here if I hadn’t thought things through?” Her lips ghosted across Lia’s, and then she kissed her, hot and hard. “I want this. Okay?”
“O-okay.”
“I do draw the line at you staying the night, though.” Though her eyes sparkled with mirth, Erin’s tone was serious. “I value my sleep too much to be kept awake by your snoring.”
“Excuse you, I do not snore. But I wouldn’t dream of it.” As intimate as they’d been with one another, waking entwined around one another would be a different level entirely. “I’ll go now so you can get your beauty sleep.”