7. Eden
EDEN
“What do you want to happen now?”
Bree had asked me a similar question the other day.
“Girl, you know the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else,” she’d said when I’d admitted I was eager to forget Greg.
He’d ended things in early May simply because of our crazy schedules. I was heading to California once school got out. The week I was coming back to Orlando, he was traveling to the NHL draft to support his little brother, and then spending the rest of the summer with his family in Minnesota.
So it didn’t end badly, but now that I returned to Orlando, I was ready to move on.
“I don’t know about all that.” I’m not exactly a sex-on-the-first-date type of person, let alone into one-night stands. “But it would be fun to have a distraction.”
“Who’ll be at the party that you would be into?”
“That’s the problem. No one.” The few guys who were coming from our Tolliver circle were already taken or not my type.
“Well, who else can we invite then? Maybe someone has a friend they can bring?”
“I don’t really want to be set up with a stranger.”
Bree’s face lights up. “Even that guy Shane brought last year? From Princeton? You had melty eyes for a week after that night.”
I wish I could deny that, but she’s right. I’d secretly been bummed Shane wasn’t around this year, since it meant there wasn’t a chance Connor would be his guest.
“Shane’s not coming though.”
“We can get Connor’s number from him.”
“Actually, we follow each other on Instagram.”
Bree looks gleeful. “Perfect. Let’s DM him. I mean, you message him, and I’ll make sure you follow through.”
“Haha.” I think about it. What do I have to lose exactly? The worst he can say is no.
So I send the message, after she gives me some edits “to make it seem more casual.”
And the rest is history, leading us to this conversation, where Connor asks that pointed question.
I sit up a little straighter in the lounge chair, as he waits for an answer.
What do I want? Nothing that’s going to happen in front of the snooping eyes of all these Tolliver friends.
“Do you want to go on a walk? If we pick up the path behind the house, it leads to a small park.” Bree had taken me there to kick a ball around another time I was hanging here.
His eyes dance across my face. “Yes.”
I lead him out the screen door, and we start down the path. He’s so tall, and it’s much more noticeable now that we’re walking.
Of course, that triggers the memory of him standing over me in the laundry room last year, barely separated by a breath. Though, the muscles popping out of his light blue collared shirt are more defined now. A year is a lifetime for a college athlete. It’s not surprising he’s packed on more girth.
I bet he could throw me around like a rag doll…
“Do you come to Bree’s house a lot? I mean, other than for the Fourth?”
His question snaps me back to the moment.
“Me more than the rest of the team. We’re rooming together for the coming year on campus, and I’ve known her for years…”
“Through the national program?”
I nod. “We met at a U14 camp. It’s kind of convenient that her family has a house right here in Orlando, though her parents are constantly on the go with their business based in New York. They own Triumph.”
“The clothing brand? No shit—my brothers do ads for them.”
I’ve definitely seen the campaigns. His brother Landon’s one with Rori Reilly was notorious because the pictures were so steamy, and it was before they’d confirmed they were dating.
“Yeah, so she and I have lots of free clothes.”
“Hell, I stole this polo from Rawley’s dresser, and I’m pretty sure it’s a Triumph one he was gifted too. Though interestingly, they seem to keep him shirtless in most of his actual ads.”
His tone is dry as a bone, and I can’t help but laugh, because, yeah, true.
“Are you living with him now?”
“Yup, until I leave for Princeton in a few days. Football training camp is coming up, and I’m moving into a new place for senior year off campus with some friends. We’re getting there early before camp starts to set up the house.”
Just a few days? Ugh. So this is truly a “now or never” thing with Connor.
Maybe that’s good. It keeps things simple, anyway.
We reach the park, and the sun is dipping below the skyline. The fireworks must be starting soon.
I come to a stop as we get near the sycamore tree that marks the beginning of the grassy field where Bree and I had played. Not surprisingly, given the holiday, it’s completely empty.
“This is our destination.”
Connor looks over the field, such that it is. “It’s...nice.” He clearly had to search for a word to use.
“Don’t say that just to please me. It’s a pretty basic park. Nothing to write home about.”
He turns his attention back to me. “No, but I’m glad for the privacy.”
His hazel eyes hold a hint of heat, and breathing suddenly feels hard. “Oh, yeah…”
He swallows, and then takes a step closer. “Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?”
Now breathing feels harder. “Are your glasses foggy?” I whisper to deflect my way out of my growing nerves.
“No, they are not.” His voice amused, but firm.
He brings his hand under my chin, tilting it up. His eyes dip to my lips, then land back on mine. Amusement gone, determination present instead.
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
“Okay,” I respond softly, as he closes the gap between our mouths.
At first, he brushes his lips over mine, one, two, three times. The featherlight grazes of his warm mouth are just enough to run shivers down my body.
“So soft,” he murmurs. As our eyes meet again, a small smile rises on his face. “You don’t even want to know how long I’ve thought about this…”
What—
Before I finish the thought, his mouth comes crashing down on me, his lips moving with earnestness. His hands grip my hips, and the motion pushes my back into the tree.
Welcoming the support, I lean my body weight against it, while the kiss consumes the rest of my awareness. His tongue pushes in, tasting me.
Kiss him back. My mind finally connects with my body, and I press my lips against his with intention, matching the passion he’s bringing. I’m rewarded with a little whimper from him as my tongue slips into his mouth.
He’s in control again soon after, guiding the give and take of our kiss with his movements. I don’t even know how long we continue, or at what point our bodies end up bridged so closely that I feel him harden under his khaki shorts. Thanks to his height, his erection hits against my waist.
I’m distracted from that observation as a hand slips from my hip into my hair, threading through the section behind my ear. Impossibly, he pulls our faces closer, without missing a beat of our kiss. I need all of you, and I’m going to take it, his actions scream.
How is this so intense when we barely know each other?
Stop thinking so much, I tell myself, before darting my tongue back in his mouth. Right after he lets out another whimper in return, a bang echoes in the sky.
The fireworks.
He brings his head back, turning to look up at them.
“I guess we should return to Bree’s,” I say with a sigh. That was over too quickly.
He returns his gaze to me. “We could watch them here, together.”
The suggestion is appealing—moving from this spot is the last thing I want. Having this one night with Connor continue longer sounds like a better option.
Another cluster of fireworks goes off above us, and our heads swivel back up. After the four bangs are done, we lock eyes again.
“Okay.”
He grins and gives me a quick peck on the mouth. “I’m going to rearrange us.”
Pulling me gently away from the tree, he slips in between, standing against it as I’d been. Then he brings my body along his, my back to his front. Once I’m where he wants, he wraps one of his arms across my waist, caging me in.
“There, now we can both watch the fireworks…” His breath brushes my ear.
The warm strength of his body is even more apparent in this position. Not to mention that arm he has spread across my stomach? It’s got that sexy forearm vein thing going on.
Thank God Bree made me send that DM.
A pretty rainbow explosion hits the sky, and we’re both quiet as we take it in. Then, the night is silent for a few moments.
“It can’t be over?” I ask. It’s only been a couple of minutes long.
“Nah, they must just be reloading or something.” I feel him lean his face down behind me. “Which gives me time to do this.”
And suddenly, he’s nipping at my ear, gentle tugs accompanied by his pleased hum.
“Oh…” I exhale, pleasure shooting through that side of my face, my neck.
A warm, hot sensation hits behind my ear next, as another set of booms goes off. Whoa—he’s licking there with the tip of his tongue. A soft growl follows, and then he does it again.
With the onslaught of his attention, I’m overwhelmed by the compulsion to get closer to him, and the space between my legs is throbbing with need. The urges too heady to fight, I press my ass into his thigh along where it’s resting.
Connor chuckles, clearly sensing me shift. “That feel good?” His voice is husky, and his dick is a solid ridge against my back, a sign he’s enjoying himself too.
“Yes, I want…” I don’t know exactly how to finish that sentence.
“Say what you want. You can say anything to me.”
Only one word fits. “More…”
“Uh-huh, I got you.” One more nip at my ear, and he straightens. “Keep your eyes on the fireworks.”
Okay?
Not feeling any pull to protest, I do what he asks, trying to focus on the flash of lights instead of the sweeping tingles that signal my body’s desire.
A split second later, the arm around my waist swings up to my collarbone, pinning me lightly against him. His other hand comes to a rest on my stomach before reaching down to the hem of my skirt.
I can only feel the heat of his hand there, since I’m watching the fireworks, like he requested.
“I’m going to touch you and make you feel good.” The intent in his voice is palpable.
He doesn’t move yet, though. He’s waiting for me to agree.
“Yes,” I gasp out.
“I’ve got you,” he repeats.