Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
When my eyes open, I find Conrad standing next to the bed with a tentative smile. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“What time is it?” I ask, curling up tighter under the warm covers.
“Early.”
“Did you go for a run?” I ask as I take in his T-shirt and sweatpants and the light sheen of sweat on his forehead and neck.
“Yeah. I couldn’t sleep.”
“Me either.” I tossed and turned half the night. After I found out about Victor’s game misconduct against the Wildcats, I spent hours trying to get ahold of him. His phone is off, and several voice messages and texts went unanswered. I check again now, but still nothing.
Conrad gives me a reassuring smile. “Get some rest.”
“I think that ship has sailed.” I sit up and stretch. “What are your plans today?”
“I’m all yours until three.”
It’s a rare Saturday that he has any amount of free time, so I push away my worries about my brother for now.
“Let me take you to breakfast.”
“Like a date?” He grins.
“Exactly like that.” I stand and drape my arms over his shoulders. “And then we can go back to my place and . . .” I trail off and press my mouth to his.
He hums against my lips. “Sounds like a very solid plan.”
I chuckle softly. “But first I need to shower.”
“Done.” He picks me up and carries me into the bathroom, kicking the door closed behind us.
Conrad sets me down, then proceeds to strip me out of his big T-shirt that he gave me to sleep in last night. I’m naked underneath, and as the cool air hits my skin, goose bumps dot my arms and legs and my nipples pebble.
He steps back and turns the shower on, then undresses himself. He steps into the spray first, as if testing it, then tugs me in with him.
We soap up, wash our hair, brush our teeth, all the while stealing kisses and letting our hands wander. His dick juts out proud and thick as he rinses off. When he catches me gawking at him, he lets one corner of his mouth hitch up.
I have every intention of dropping to my knees and tasting him, but before I can, Conrad lifts me into his strong arms and presses my back into the wall of the shower.
I cling to him around his neck and wrap my legs around his waist. The head of his cock presses against my core, and I let out a needy moan.
“I forgot to grab a condom,” he says, grazing his teeth along my collarbone.
“It’s okay.” I start to tell him I’m on the pill and I’m never reckless when it comes to sex, but he must just sense what I’m going to say because when I push down on him, taking just the head into my pussy, he doesn’t stop me. In fact, he grips me tighter and moves deeper inside me.
“So tight,” he mutters, pulling out and thrusting back in. “So beautiful.”
Another thrust.
“So perfect.”
I’m high on his words and the way my body soars. He’s hitting all the right spots. I had no idea it could feel this good.
“Gonna come, baby,” he warns as he gets close. “Are you there?”
Instead of waiting for my answer, he dips one hand lower, and his fingers rub circles over my clit.
I cry out as my orgasm hits me with no warning.
Conrad moves faster, continuing to tell me how good I feel until the only thing out of his mouth is a deep groan.
We keep holding onto each other as we come down from the release.
My eyes are closed, but I feel him trail kisses along my arm and up to my shoulder, then on my mouth.
I smile, and when I look at him, his expression mirrors how I feel—hopelessly, deliriously happy.
“Can we stop at the high school?” I ask as I dig through my bag. I’m sitting in the front seat of Conrad’s truck, freshly showered—for a second time. “I think I left my laptop in Grady’s office.”
“Sure.” Conrad nods and takes the next turn toward the school.
The parking lot is deserted when we arrive. He parks at the curb and kills the engine.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” he offers.
“No. It’ll only take a minute.” And I want to try to call my brother again. I get wanting some time to himself, but he has to know I’d be worried and want to check in on him. I need to get Alexis’s number. I bet she could track him down for me.
I unlock the side door to the rink and head down the dark, quiet hallway to the locker room. They cleaned after I left last night, and it smells of disinfectant and dirty socks—the latter never quite seems to dissipate.
I flip on the light and start toward Grady’s office, but my steps come up short when I spot Landon lying on the floor. His eyes are heavy with sleep but widen in fear as he sits up. There’s a pile of pads behind him like he was using them as a pillow. His shoes are off and his hair is mussed.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, heart racing from the shock of seeing him. I’m having a hard time processing the scene, even as it’s so blatantly obvious he was sleeping.
“Sorry. I . . .” Instead of trying to explain, he gets up and pulls on his shoes quickly. His gaze is at the floor as he picks up the pads and puts them in his locker.
I’m too stunned to know what to say, but when he heads for the door, I snap out of it.
“Wait,” I say.
He does, but it looks as if it pains him to do so.
“You aren’t in trouble.” I move to stand in front of him. “Well, not with me, anyway. What are you doing here? Are you hurt? Did something happen?”
I can’t figure out which question is the right one.
His throat works, and he still looks as if he might bolt at any second.
“It’s okay. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.”
“I didn’t have anywhere else to go, so I snuck in before you left last night.”
“You’ve been here all night?” I can’t help the surprise that creeps into my tone. All night?
He nods slowly.
“Did something happen at home?” I don’t know much about his parents except that I’ve never met them.
That isn’t totally abnormal. There are some overly involved parents, the ones who want to talk about why their kid isn’t playing more or offer advice on coaching, but the majority show up for games and drop off and pick up and that’s pretty much it.
Landon gives me another nod.
I am so far out of my depth here. I need to call Grady and probably the school counselor, but most importantly, I want to put him at ease and make sure he’s okay. If he runs off now, where will he go? At least while he’s with me I can make sure he’s safe.
“Have you eaten breakfast?” I ask.
His brows tug together in confusion.
“I don’t know about you, but I can’t think straight until I eat in the morning. How about we get something to eat and then if you feel up to it, you can tell me what’s going on?”
He considers it, glancing away again.
“Landon, I can’t leave you here,” I say softly.
He looks ashamed for reasons I can’t comprehend but it breaks my heart all the same.
“Okay.”