Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
HAVEN
In a booth at the local coffee shop, Isla, Gigi, Lilly, Harley, and I sit, tucked away in the corner, all sipping on our drinks.
Isla’s the only one drinking something iced, while the rest of us are gripping our cups tightly because it’s the beginning of October, and the weather seems to have shifted overnight, making it damn cold outside today.
I’ve been in New England my whole life, and every single year is different when it comes to the changing of the seasons.
Sometimes, it seems like summer drags on clear to the end of September, and when the first cold front moves through, it’s as appreciated as it is shocking.
Others, it’s a gradual drop of the temperature each day—allowing our minds and bodies to get ready for what’s to come.
Never-ending winter.
This fall has been a lot of back and forth. In September, some days would be hot enough to wear shorts, while others I’d be in a hoodie and leggings with high socks on and I’d still be cold. But even though we’ve been having little tastes of the more frigid air, today feels like a shock.
Isla drinks her iced coffee unfazed, but she also just came from practice at a freezing hockey arena. She’s built differently than me.
Meanwhile, practice for us softballers was inside the dome today, where it’s temperature controlled, and I still can’t wait to take a nice hot bath. Definitely with lots of Epsom salt because my muscles are aching.
I glance across the table to find Harley watching me. Just one look at her expression and I know she’s about to ask me something.
“So …” she drawls, keeping her hands cupped around her coffee. “Rumor has it you were at the football game this weekend.”
I feel everyone at the table looking my way, but I know Harley isn’t trying to put me on the spot to be mean. She’s grinning now, and obviously she’s happy about whatever it is she’s been told.
“I go to most of the games,” I say, widening my eyes. “My dad is sort of the coach, ya know? And oh wait, who else? Oh, right … my brother is the wide receiver.”
She sits back slightly, relaxing in her seat like she’s about to go in for the kill.
“Yeah, but the thing is, we all heard you didn’t have the name King on your back.” She cocks her head to the side. “I heard it was a name that involves water.”
Rivers. I’m busted. I mean, it isn’t like I was keeping it a secret or anything like that. I just haven’t had a chance to talk to the girls. They know what happened to my car, but not because I was around to tell them. Cowardly, I had my brother deliver the news because I was embarrassed.
“Please tell me you were off this weekend, having hot, brothers-best-friend sex with Dallas Rivers,” Gigi squeals, letting her romance-book-obsessed self out to play.
Her eyes are wide, and her grin is huge.
I don’t want to give details about what we did—that’s disrespectful to Dallas.
But I know he wouldn’t mind if I shared a little …
“You all are nosey bitches!” I scold them, trying to contain my smile. “You know I don’t kiss and tell.”
That makes them all stare at each other before they burst into laughter. They know that’s bullshit—I always kiss and tell. I’m an open book, but with Dallas, it feels different. I guess because for so long, it seemed forbidden, the feelings I had.
“Girl, get out of here with that!” Isla laughs. “You do realize it’s you we’re talking about here.” She nudges me. “Give us the deets.”
“Yeah, the dirty, dirty deets …” Gigi giggles, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Gigi Jacobs! You need to get laid,” I blurt out, grinning so much my face hurts. “And no, I’m not talking about your spicy books and your slutty little toys. I’m talking real, actual dick. Preferably a nice veiny one.”
She’s beet red now, but still giggling and almost falling over in her seat.
“Wait! Gigi reads spicy books?” Isla asks, her mouth hanging open.
“Gigi has slutty toys?!” Lilly adds in, covering her mouth. “Girl, I did not see that coming.”
Harley just looks around the table, probably unsure how the hell this conversation has taken such a hard turn. But eventually, she shakes her head and laughs, putting a hand over her mouth.
“Okay, I didn’t see that coming,” she utters. “Anyway, back to you and the hot, mysterious, slightly grumpy QB.” She takes a sip from her coffee, sighing thoughtfully. “Are you guys a couple, or …”
My eyes sweep the table, and my cheeks fill with heat even though a smile spreads across my lips with so much intensity that my cheeks hurt.
“Fine, you vultures,” I say, rolling my eyes. “We’re a thing. Whatever.”
Within seconds, our booth erupts into cheers, and if I was anyone else, I’d probably want to crawl under the table from embarrassment when I notice practically everyone staring at us. But it’s me, and I don’t give a shit. So instead, I wave.
“I had good sex. Everyone clap for me,” I say, nodding. “Go on.”
Instead of clapping, everyone eventually goes back to minding their own business and returns to their laptop or conversations. Not my table though—they continue to smile and giggle at me.
“You’ve been in love with him forever, so literally, this is the best news I’ve ever heard,” Harley gushes, widening her eyes. “Oooh, we can double date.”
“Easy girl, this is all new,” I insist, still not wanting to get that excited about it because I’m terrified the rug is going to get pulled from under me.
I wish I could be an optimist right now, but it’s easier said than done.
“Wouldn’t want to scare him away with how disgustingly happy you and your baseball boy are. ”
Harley’s mouth hangs open, but before she can say anything, Gigi elbows her. “Speak of the devil,” she mumbles, and from the slight pink in Harley’s cheeks growing deeper and the smile stretching across her face, I know her boyfriend Cane just walked in.
“Speaking of a few devils,” Harley whispers back, and before I can even turn to look, Cane, Hendrix, a hockey player named Jameson, and none other than Dallas stand at the end of our booth.
For a girl who usually tries to appear confident, right now, it feels like someone took a match and set my cheeks on fire as I look at the man who became my boyfriend a few days ago.
“Wow, an athlete from each sport,” Lilly says, looking up at them. “Hey, big bro. You came to see me, right?”
“Yeah, totally.” Hendrix smirks, knowing damn well that he came to see his girlfriend, Isla, and probably not Lilly.
Lilly knows it too. Looking at Isla, she laughs. “That was the most bullshit answer I ever did hear.”
While everyone else continues to talk or goof off with each other, I look at Dallas to find him staring at me with a big grin on his face. “Where’s Noah?” I ask, surprised he’s not here too. “You leavin’ my little brother out, QB?”
“No, don’t fight me, Short,” he drawls. “He had to go talk to the professor or something after practice about a missing assignment he had.”
“I see,” I utter, nodding toward the counter. “Go get your caffeine fix because we have a session in like …” I stop, looking at my Apple Watch. “Twenty-five minutes, big guy.”
“Damn, I was hoping you’d forget about that.” He winks. “Doesn’t a movie or dinner sound better?”
I pretend to think about it before dipping my chin down. “No,” I say sharply.
“Damn you’re a hard ass.” He sighs, throwing his head back before he heads toward the counter.
Gigi wastes no time, lifting her brows up and down.
“Big guy, huh? Why I am I not surprised.”
“Gigi! Go find your own wiener to fantasize over!” I whisper, fighting a laugh and making sure no one else hears me. Jameson is single, but he’s a player. The other three are luckily taken but would have a field day if they heard our conversation.
I turn to watch my man at the counter as he likely orders some sort of energy drink. My mouth waters when he leans against the counter, so damn hot that it’s not even fair.
We need to study tonight. He has to keep his grades up. But damnit, now that we spent the weekend in every sexual position imaginable, with him making me come more times than I can remember, studying is going to be hard.
But just because we’re a thing now doesn’t mean I can let that distract either of us from what brought us together in the first place. I can’t let my needs affect making sure he stays on track in school.
Even if all I want to do is climb him like a motherfucking tree.
DALLAS
I walk into my bedroom, Haven close behind me. After leaving the coffee shop, my bossy girlfriend demanded we come back to my room to study. I’ll be honest though, I’m not entirely sure how to do that when all I want is to slide my dick between her lips.
Setting her bag onto the floor, she stretches her arm around a few times before she moves her neck from side to side gently.
“All right, I have a bath calling my name, QB,” she says, sitting down on the bed. “Let’s get to it.”
Walking to my desk, I grab my computer but frown. “The bathtub at The Nest is small, isn’t it?”
She scrunches her nose up. “And the one here is probably disgusting,” she blurts out. “So I hope you’re not about to suggest I go in there. I’d prefer not to bathe in whatever is growing in your tub.”
I cock my head to the side. “Short, you know me.” I wave my hand around the room. “Look around my room. Do you really think I’d let my shower be dirty?” I take a seat on the other side of my bed. “But our tub isn’t bigger than the one at your place. So no, I wasn’t suggesting that.”
She relaxes slightly. “Oh, okay.”
A grin tugs at my lips, knowing that I loved being at my parents’ house alone with her this weekend. It left endless possibilities for us to fuck wherever we wanted.
“My parents aren’t back until next week. And you know the bathtub there is the size of a jacuzzi.”
That’s the good thing about my parents living close; I can go there whenever I feel like it. And right now, the thought of her in that bathtub, the jets on, making her tits jiggle in the water?
Yeah … now I have a semi.
She flips onto her stomach, tapping a pen against her lips thoughtfully. She wants to say yes—I know she does. But she’s also trying not to get distracted, I’m sure.
“You’re just trying to invite yourself into my bath, aren’t you, QB?” she accuses, narrowing her eyes. “You think you can distract me from tutoring you with promises of your parents’ sweet jacuzzi tub.”
I lean back, propping myself up on my elbow and looking down at her.
“Oh, if you’re naked and wet in there, fuck yes, I’m coming in too.
” I wink, but when I’m met with an aggravated stare, I sigh.
“Fine. What if … I get all my work done? Then will you let me take you to my parents’ house?
” I lean down, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
“I’ll be a good boy and work hard, I promise. ”
Something about my words has her pupils dilating and her lips parting slightly.
“Fine,” she utters, biting down on her bottom lip. “But if you don’t lock in and take this seriously, no bathtub for you. And no sex.”
“You have a deal,” I say, quickly sitting up and opening my laptop. “Let’s get working. Jesus, what’s taking you so long.”
She smacks my back and shakes her head at my smartass comment. The last thing I want to do right now is type an assignment when images of her in the bathtub are assaulting my brain. But here I go. Knowing as stubborn as she is, she means what she said. I have to get my work done.