Chapter Twenty
Razor jolted awake and immediately grabbed her ribs in pain. She got her bearings and noticed that the white sandy beaches had been replaced by a loud circular saw cutting wood.
“Oh, hell no.”
She looked around and saw the remote at the end of the bed.
How the hell did it get down there? She leaned forward, but the pain was too much.
Carefully, she swiveled her legs off the edge of the bed and rocked herself into standing.
She took deep, purposeful breaths until the pain subsided, then shuffled across the carpet to grab the remote.
She turned off the TV and sighed in relief when the sawing stopped, but a sharp knock at the door reversed that.
A quick look at the clock said it was nine p.m. Who could it be this close to curfew?
The only person she could think might be on other side was Summer.
Did she forget her key? Razor groaned and slowly turned around.
Another knock, this one more demanding. She was halfway there. Did Summer forget she’d been injured?
The third knock pounded against the wood, and Razor’s irritation flowed over.
“I’m moving as fast as I can,” she yelled. “You shouldn’t have forgotten your key.”
She yanked the door open, ready to unload, but the quick movement pulled on her sore muscles. She crumpled to the ground and curled into a ball of searing pain.
“Oh my God, Razor.”
There was a gentleness to the hand on her arm that belied the aggressive knocking. What really surprised her was that it wasn’t Summer’s voice. She slowly opened her eyes and found the concerned gaze of Ashton Sharpe.
* * *
Ashton was out of her mind with worry. She’d come to give Razor her meds and caused more harm.
“Are you okay?”
Razor gasped for air. “No, I’m not. Didn’t you hear me call out?”
“I heard somebody say something, but I thought it was Summer.”
“Nope,” Razor said. “She’s gone off to a study session. It’s just me.”
“Why the hell were you answering the door in your condition?”
Razor’s face was beet red from the exertion or the irritation, Ashton wasn’t sure which. “You just said you couldn’t hear me. What was I supposed to do? Let you keep banging until someone called security?”
Ashton huffed at Razor’s common sense. “Let’s get you back to bed.”
She wrapped her arm around Razor’s back and slowly picked her up. She closed the door, and they made the slow trek back to the bed. Ashton got Razor settled back in, then focused on getting the ointment ready.
“So, how does that stuff work again?” Razor asked.
“It’s supposed to speed up the recovery time.”
Razor sat up and removed the bandage clips.
“Let’s get started. The sooner I get back out there, the better off we’ll be.”
The wrap slid down Razor’s torso, dropping the ice bag onto the mattress.
Razor’s abs twitched at the loss of contact, and with every breath they constricted, rippling underneath her skin.
Ashton’s mouth went dry. She liked what she saw…
a lot. What she didn’t like were the angry bruises tracking down Razor’s left side.
“Ashton?”
She shook her head. “Sorry? Did you say something?”
“I asked if you could help me get the bandage off.”
“Oh. Sure. No problem.”
She swallowed, then reached for the fabric, and her fingers grazed Razor’s skin, which was cool to the touch but responded with small twitches.
She unwound the bandage, which brought Razor’s face close to hers.
Hot breath caressed Ashton’s cheek, and she exhaled a long breath when the bandage came completely free and Razor settled back against the pillows.
Razor tossed the bandage to the floor, then raised her left arm above her head, muscles flexing.
Ashton reached for the ointment and concentrated on squeezing a dollop of the cream on her fingertips. Then she looked at Razor intently.
“Ready?”
Razor nodded. Ashton kept her touch light and started a gentle massage.
“Is this okay?”
Razor winced, then smiled. “Yes. I think you found your rhythm.”
Razor’s breathing found the rhythm, too. She inhaled when Ashton’s fingers passed over the bruises and exhaled when she skirted the edges. Ashton looked up from the injured area and found Razor’s gaze focused intently on her.
“What’s wrong? Too hard?”
Razor shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I was wondering what made you look so sad?”
Ashton shook her head. “I’m not sad. Just worried.”
Razor gently pulled her chin up with two fingers. “What, or who, are you worried about?”
Ashton sucked in a ragged breath. She felt tears, but she’d done enough crying tonight. She didn’t want to do any more. She roughly wiped away the wetness with her sleeve and looked to the ceiling. “I’m worried about you, obviously.”
“I’m fine,” Razor said.
“I know that, but it’s hard to see someone you care about get hurt, you know?”
“Yeah. I do.”
“Especially when it’s someone you realize you care about deeply”—her eyes returned to Razor—“maybe have cared about for a long time.”
A slow smile formed on Razor’s lips. “I care deeply for you, too,” she whispered.
“I’ve come up with every reason why we shouldn’t do this. Why we shouldn’t pursue this, but seeing you unconscious on the field, it just…”
“Drove home that anything can happen?” Razor continued.
Ashton grabbed the discarded bandage and wiped the excess ointment off her hands. “I’ve had a lot of what-ifs where you’re concerned, and while I know the situation isn’t ideal now, I can’t let another day go by without at least knowing if you feel the same.”
Razor’s eyes were pensive. Slowly, she sat up and cupped Ashton’s cheek. “I do feel the same as you. You don’t have to doubt that.”
Ashton smiled and closed her eyes, leaning in to the touch. Then she turned and placed a light kiss on Razor’s palm. A sharp gasp caused her eyes to open. There Razor sat, straighter, alert, her eyes so dilated there was no doubt what was on her mind.
Ashton raked her nails gently up and down Razor’s stomach. They’d been building to this for weeks. Slowly, Ashton leaned in and was surprised when Razor stopped her.
“Are you sure?”
Ashton nodded, and Razor’s gaze intensified. Desire grew, and a fire ignited in Ashton’s core, exploding outward and propelling her to take Razor’s mouth in a searing kiss.
Kissing Razor was as delicious as she’d imagined.
Her lips were languid yet possessive and left Ashton feeling delirious.
Razor’s tongue swept across her bottom lip, seeking permission.
She pulled away and smiled at this injured, wonderful woman and giggled when Razor grabbed the back of her head and pulled her back.
They took their time, savoring. Ashton leveraged herself up and over until she straddled Razor’s thighs.
She felt the taut body sink deeper into the bed as the sensuality of the moment consumed them.
She skimmed her fingers over Razor’s trembling abs.
God, she had great abs. Razor groaned, and Ashton deepened the kiss, demanding total submission.
Suddenly, two hands pushed against her shoulders.
The haze of desire cleared long enough for her to realize Razor’s groan had turned from desire to pain. She pulled back, panting.
“What’s wrong?”
“My ribs,” Razor said breathlessly. “You’re hurting my ribs.”
Ashton looked down. Her hand was on Razor’s side, right over the bruised area.
“Oh shit. I’m so sorry.” She quickly scrambled off.
“It’s okay. I was lost in the moment, too.”
Ashton composed herself and tamed her hair, and when she looked at Razor, she couldn’t help but laugh. She said, “Not the reaction I was hoping for, but it could be worse.” Then she bit her lip at how delicious Razor looked, spread out on the bed, and sighed in regret. “What do we do now?”
Razor pushed herself up on the pillows. “Well, we could figure out how we’re going to navigate the rest of the season with this latest development. Or…”
“Or…what?” Ashton asked.
“Or we could kiss some more.”
She reached for Razor but was stopped with a hand on her chest.
“Just keep your hands to yourself, woman. I can’t do anything more than kissing right now.”
“I can’t promise anything.” Ashton’s voice dripped with longing.
“God, I hope not.”
She leaned in and guided Razor’s mouth back to hers.
Yes, they needed to discuss what this meant and how it affected other areas of their life.
But Ashton didn’t want to be rational right now.
She wanted to kiss and be thoroughly kissed.
They didn’t rush, but the hunger was still palpable.
She cupped Razor’s face, pulling her closer, devouring her mouth, exhilarated to feel so much in such a simple act, as the entire world melted away, and all that mattered was them.
At a loud cough from the doorway, Ashton scrambled off the bed, breathless and somewhat disheveled.
“I’m sorry,” Summer said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“No, it’s fine. Really. I need to get back to my room anyway.”
Ashton wiped her hand across her mouth and moved toward the door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said.
“Yes, you will,” Razor replied.
Ashton said a quick good-bye to Summer, then escaped into the hallway.
She was thankful the elevator was empty because she couldn’t stop smiling.
When she arrived at her floor, she fished her room key out of her pocket and ran her tongue over her bottom lip, savoring the remnants of Razor’s lips.
She saw her door and squinted at a familiar figure standing outside.
All warm feelings fell away when Nancy pinned Ashton with her gaze.
* * *
“Sorry I interrupted,” Summer said. “I didn’t see a sock on the doorknob.”
Razor snorted. “It’s okay. What you saw was totally not planned.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” Summer mumbled.
Razor examined her as she walked to her bed. Her eyes were red, cheeks flushed.
“Are you okay?”
Summer wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Did you get all your studying done? With Harper?”
“Yes, we did. If you don’t mind, I’m tired. I just want to get cleaned up and go to bed.”
“Of course.”
Summer walked toward the bathroom, but Razor called her back.
“Hey Summer? I just wanted to make sure that what you saw earlier, between Ashton and me? I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“You can trust me,” she whispered, then closed the door.
Razor leaned back and smiled.
They had kissed, and it was everything Razor expected. Even though her injury put the brakes on going further, there was no doubting her body’s reaction said she was willing. In time she would heal. Too much time, as far as Razor was concerned.
* * *
“You said you’d meet me in the bar. When you didn’t show up, I got worried.”
Nancy’s challenging tone caught Ashton off guard, and she stumbled to answer as she tried to unlock her room. “I’m sorry. Razor was in a lot of pain, and I wanted to make sure she was settled, resting comfortably, before I left.”
“Uh-huh. And that took forty-five minutes?”
The accusation hung unspoken in the air, and the anger in Nancy’s eyes made Ashton wish for a quick exit, but her door wouldn’t open.
“Well, as long as that’s all it was.”
Ashton’s ire grew. “I don’t appreciate your insinuation, Coach Inglewood.” The formal title caught Nancy’s attention, and she flinched. “Razor Mitchell is a student athlete who was injured today. I went to help her with her meds and check she wasn’t suffering any concussion symptoms.”
Nancy bowed her head and mumbled, “I’m sorry. I know you’re a smart woman. That’s why I’m worried you’re romanticizing all hearts and rainbows with Razor without considering any consequences or the possibility of getting hurt. You have so much to lose if you pursue this.”
Ashton laid a hand on Nancy’s shoulder. “I appreciate you looking out for me. And I’ve thought about everything you’re alluding to. And so has Razor. Neither of us is willing to put anything in jeopardy right now.”
Ashton hoped she wasn’t lying. They’d both been too caught up in the physical to worry about consequences. She’d need to have a conversation with Razor soon.
“Okay,” Nancy mumbled and hung her head.
Ashton turned back to the door, and miraculously, it opened. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some research to sort through before I go to bed.”
She moved to shut the door, but Nancy’s hand prevented it.
“I care about you, Ashton. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“And you think Razor is going to hurt me?”
Nancy didn’t answer. Instead, she turned and walked down the hallway. Ashton leaned against the solid frame. The euphoria of Razor’s kiss was gone. Now she hoped she hadn’t lost a friend in the span of forty-five minutes.