36. Gwen
thirty-six
Gwen
Present
“Please, not the emu story again.” Nico shakes his head, covering his ears with his hands.
“Oh, be quiet. It’s funny,” Talia scolds her brother as Cam wraps his arms around her shoulders and kisses her head.
I was a little surprised Lance asked me to join him for a late dinner with his friends and their significant others. In public.
Nervous energy buzzes along my body as I glance around the bar, looking for any familiar faces. There’s no one here who would tell my dad they saw me with Lance.
At that relieving thought, I look around the room. The Clubhouse is the same as I remembered. Tons of Evaders’ memorabilia cover the walls, and the old black-and-white checkered floor and red leather booths remain, a throwback reminiscent of another time.
Once, when I was a kid, my father brought my brothers and me here after an Evaders game for fries and root beers. I had fun then, but it was nothing like this.
Eating dinner, surrounded by Lance and his teammates, is an experience. I can sense their strong bond in the way they talk and joke. They are more than friends. They’re family.
“Funny, my ass,” Nico grumbles.
“The emu thought his ass was funny.” Blake chuckles.
I listen as Cam tells me about how an emu chased him, buck naked, around a farm during Christmas. I’d normally be laughing my ass off—because Cam is a funny guy—but tonight, I can barely concentrate.
Not with Lance sitting beside me, so close I can feel his body heat through my clothes, as he mindlessly twirls my curls around his fingers.
Bliss, sweet and erotic, makes my scalp prickle and my core throb. He’s got me simultaneously needy and content.
“How about the time Nico got told off by an eight-year-old?” Reed teases.
“What? I don’t know that story.” Savannah looks at Nico, then at Reed.
The sparkle in her eyes begs for the story to be told, and Reed is happy to oblige.
The table roars with laughter at the end of the story, and even I manage a small laugh. Turns out the eight-year-old was Cam’s nephew.
“Enough, please,” Nico groans.
Savannah laughs, running her hands through her boyfriend’s hair. “Don’t worry, baseball boy, I still love you.”
Lance digs his fingers into the hair at the nape of my neck and tugs, making my breath hitch in my lungs. I’m on the verge of hyperventilating from the scorching desire swirling through my veins from just his simple touch.
I’m putty in his hands. He’s turning me on so badly I’m about five seconds away from jumping him right here.
Oh god, I need a minute to pull myself together.
As I attempt to stand, Lance grasps my waist, digging his fingers into my flesh. His hot grip sears me to the bone.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he whispers into my ear, giving the lobe a little nip.
Rearing back, I look deep into his cornflower eyes. The unbridled lust reflected at me has my thighs clamping together in search of friction and relief.
“I-I need to use the bathroom,” I sputter as my eyes bounce around the table.
Lance smirks, holding my gaze. “Are you sure it’s the bathroom you need?”
My clit pulses as I gape at him.
“Did I hear ‘a bathroom’? Because I could definitely use a break,” Talia says beside me, cutting the tension between me and Lance with a knife.
“Me too,” Grace adds.
“That’s girl code for a bathroom chat,” Savannah tells Nico as she leans in to lay a kiss on his cheek.
“Don’t take too long.” Lance squeezes my side and pecks my lips.
“Okay.” Confusion and lust swirl in my belly.
When did we upgrade our relationship to the PDA level?
Are you really complaining?
Yes. No. I don’t know.
I need five minutes to figure out where my head is because sitting so close to Lance is not helping.
“I promise to bring her right back,” Talia tells Lance, gripping my wrist.
“You better,” he grouses, reluctantly letting me go.
Talia salutes Lance, pulling me out of my chair and leading me, Savannah, and Grace away from the table.
I can feel Lance’s eyes on my back the entire walk to the bathroom. His gaze is a heat-seeking missile chasing its target.
Ever since I walked in on him taking care of business, our dynamic has changed. Not in a bad way. While he was gone, we talked and texted every day, really getting to know one another. When he came back, we slipped into the routine we had before.
But something is different about him. He’s doing things he didn’t before. Not bad things, just … different.
Like walking around without a shirt. Sleeping in just a pair of boxer briefs. Kissing me on the forehead and cheek any chance he can get. Gentle touches of my hand and body in passing. Playing with my hair or brushing it off my face.
The four of us enter the bathroom and quickly take care of business. When I exit the stall, Talia is waiting at the sink, a grin on her face and a twinkle in her silver-gray eyes.
“What’s that look for?” I ask.
“Nothing. I just noticed how you and Lance have gotten a little closer since the last time I saw you. Care to tell us how it’s going?”
“That’s the thing; I don’t know. But he’s been different lately,” I admit.
“What do you mean, different?” Grace asks.
“I don’t know how to describe it other than he’s more affectionate. Our relationship isn’t what I thought it would be.”
“What did you think it would be like?” Talia asks.
“I don’t know. More platonic, maybe?”
“The way that man is looking at you is anything but platonic,” Savannah says.
“Totally.” Talia nods in agreement.
“He definitely has hungry eyes for you. Lance looks at you the way Nico looks at me,” Savannah says with a shiver.
“You think?” I ask, gnawing on my lip.
My conversation with Juju pops into my head. I shake it off. Just because Lance has been looking at me differently lately doesn’t mean he’s in love with me. He could just be horny.
Savannah notices my reticence. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I sigh. “I think I’m just really confused.”
Savannah nods, reaching out a hand and gripping my arm in comfort.
“I totally understand what you mean. It was really hard for me to get out of my head and take a chance on Nico. I don’t know if you know this, but Nico dated my sister in college, and it was a point of contention for us.
Especially for me. I didn’t want to hurt my sister, so I fought my feelings for him for so long.
But when I realized what Nico and I had was so much more than a college situationship, I finally gave in to my feelings.
And it was the best decision I ever made.
Nico is my person. I’d do anything for him, and I know for certain he feels the same way. ”
“Same here,” Talia says. She leans against the sink and sighs with a wistful look on her face. “When Cam and I first started, I was so scared to try with him. Mostly because I knew my brother would react badly, but in the end being with Cam was worth it. And my brother eventually got over it.”
“I don’t think it took you as long as me to decide.” Savannah chuckles.
“Definitely not. I mean, have you seen Cam?” Talia fans her face. “That man is fine as hell, and he’s the biggest teddy bear. It took me about two days to decide I was ready to date him. And now he’s my husband.”
“Aren’t I starting this all backward?” I ask.
“So what?” Grace grabs my hands. “It doesn’t matter how you start, just how you get there.”
“Do you think I should go for it with Lance?” I’m barely getting to know these women, but I know in my gut they wouldn’t steer me in the wrong direction.
“I think you should do what feels right for you, and I’m sure Savannah and Talia can agree there.” She looks at Talia and Savannah for support, who both nod in agreement. “See. Do what your gut is telling you to do.”
“I don’t think it’s my gut that’s doing the talking,” I mumble.
My cheeks flame with embarrassment as my newfound friends break out in a fit of giggles.
“I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” I groan.
“You’re safe here, girl.” Grace pats my back.
“Gwen, I think we can all relate to that,” Savannah says, hiding her laugh with her fist.
“Amen.” Talia laughs.
“Our men are hotties.” Grace grins and winks at me. “Push past that lust haze for a second and think about how you feel when you’re with him.”
How do I feel when I’m with Lance?
Amazing. Happy. Strong. Like I can conquer anything. Lance sees me. He listens. I hate when he’s gone and look forward to his return.
“Like it’s right,” I mumble.
“You have your answer,” Savannah says, rubbing my arm in support.
Is my relationship with Lance really this simple?
As usual, I roll over to find Lance’s side of the bed cool to the touch.
The sound of water splashing forces my eyelids open. Like I do every morning, I climb out of bed and make my way to the patio door.
Through the glass, I watch Lance swim laps. His long, muscular arms rip through the water as he glides across the pool, elegant and strong, looking like an Olympic swimmer.
I slide open the door, tiptoeing my way across the deck and grass, taking a seat on the smooth bricks that surround the pool’s edge. I dip my feet into the warm water and watch.
It doesn’t take long for Lance to notice me. He swims in my direction, slowing as he approaches so as not to get me wet, and takes off his goggles, tossing them to the side.
Saliva pools in my mouth as Lance stands before me, water dripping down the thick, corded muscles of his chest and abs. He’s a real-life, sexier version of Michelangelo’s David.
My tongue tingles with temptation, daring me to lick the water droplets covering his hard body.
Lance slides his hands up my legs. His thick thumbs dig into my inner thighs as goosebumps pimple my skin.
“Good morning,” he exhales as he catches his breath.
“Morning.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes.” I have a feeling it has something to do with the six-five baseball player sleeping beside me.
“Are you ready for today’s game?” I ask. Lance plays midday and afterwards will fly to Detroit for the first part of their away series.
That sinking feeling in my gut returns, sending my stomach into a tailspin. As if I had just ridden a roller coaster backward and gone through five loops.
Get a grip, Gwen. The man has to work.
Lance squeezes my knees. “Ready as usual. I’m used to traveling. It was hard when I first started, but I’ve grown to enjoy it.”
An unwanted feeling of rejection steals my breath and forms a lump in my throat. I force the words past the tightness, doing my best to sound neutral. “That’s good.”
“I will admit, it’s getting harder to leave home these days.” Lance spreads my knees apart and steps between my legs.
Water rains down on me as he tilts my head back, forcing my gaze to meet his. He’s so close our noses touch and I can see the baby blue striations in his irises flicker.
“It is?”
“Yes. Incredibly hard. I’d much rather be home with my wife, watching some deranged unsolved crime.”
I smile. “You would?”
“Absolutely.”
“I prefer that too.” I place my cool hands on Lance’s heated chest, making him shudder and his pupils dilate. “Lance?”
“Hmm?” His rumbly hum vibrates against my breasts, making my nipples tighten with anticipation.
“What’s happening between us?” I whisper.
“I think you know, little witch.”
“I do?”
“Yeah, you do.”
He runs his thick thumb across my bottom lip, then snakes his arms around my back, closing the gap between us, caging me in. My heart races as his lips graze mine.
“Kiss me,” he whispers, pleading with me to give in.
My heart, my gut, every cell in my body screams for me to give in. To push aside my fear and let go.
For the first time in months, I listen and press my lips to his. Like I knew it would, the world falls away as we come together.
There is no easing into this kiss with Lance.
He devours my mouth like a starving man, hungry for all of me. A fierce need rushes through my veins as our lips part and our tongues twist and twirl, ravenous for one another.
Blistering hot, liquid lust rushes to my core as Lance cups my ass in his large palms.
No kiss has ever tasted so good. Like cotton candy laced with desire, so addictive I’ll be left craving for more.
I slide my hands up Lance’s chest and over his shoulders, reveling in his strength as I melt into him, not giving a damn that my pajamas are getting soaked.
All I want is for him to be closer.
Lance does what I want, pulling me flush against his chest, my ass precariously close to the edge of the pool. Pleasure-filled groans fill the air as his hard cock bumps my aching, wet core.
For fear I might float away, I dig my fingers into his hard flesh and hold on as I grind my pussy over the veiny ridge of his hard dick.
Lance brings our kiss to a close and rests his forehead on mine, moving his hips away from my aching core with a groan. “Not like this. I need you to go inside right now. Please.”
The delay between my ears and brain is significant as I try to make sense of his demand.
He’s sending me away?
I don’t begrudge Lance pulling back and stopping us. I’m not ready, and we both know it. Our relationship is growing, mutating into something meaningful and life changing. And for some reason, I can’t get over my fear of falling.
No matter how badly I want Lance, doing anything physical with him before I’m ready isn’t the right thing to do.
“Okay.” I release my hold on his shoulders and, on wobbly deer’s legs, I stand and turn to go back inside.
“Gwen?”
I glance over my shoulder at him. “Yeah?”
“I’m still waiting to catch you.”