Chapter 6
Chapter Six
ELLA
Ten Months Ago
Greenhouse, Lloyd Commons Residence
"Iwant to know what it's like to kiss you."
I don't know what came over me, but there was just something about him, his quiet confidence. The proud way his shoulders squared when he spoke of his time in the Marines—not that he said much.
Heat hovered in the air, and I was positive I was as red as his potted sweetshrubs.
Those grey-blue eyes turned to look at me, and I became aware of every muscle in my body—as I fought to keep still. His brow pinched into a small frown. "Depends."
I blinked and took another sip of my water.
I'd seen enough of large muscles and sculpted physiques.
He was leaner than most of the football squad Ash hung out with, but still powerful-looking.
And yet, the gentle way he handled the bundle of flowers with their "root emergency" made him seem… different.
My chest warmed just to look at him. The urge to touch him, kiss him buzzed through me. I needed it in a way that I shouldn't. Couldn't. Except…I told Ash to go to hell when I saw him—my stomach squeezed and tumbled over—with her.
Maybe I should. Maybe I could, for the first time in more than two years. “On what?"
His eyes narrowed and he moved closer. The heat from my chest hit my veins. It sparked and popped, like it could catch fire. Like I could.
"Do I get to kiss you back?"
Dear God, yes. I managed to keep the commentary locked inside even as I could've sworn the room temperature spiked. He ducked his head, messy strands of dark hair shifting over his forehead. Those eyes focused, intense…I burned inside his look.
"If you want to,” I breathed as I slid my hand over the back of his neck. Soft pieces of hair curled between my fingers. My heels gave me the bit of height I needed to reach him.
His eyes slipped closed as his breath hitched. If there was a moment a person could choose to fall in love, that would have been mine—with him. So proud and strong. Lips parted, eyes closed, and waiting for my kiss.
I pressed closer, his clean, spicy scent overtaking the earthy smell of the greenhouse. I took a breath, gripped his arm to steady myself—leaning up to touch, then nibble at his bottom lip.
Soft, plump, and just a little sweet, the corners of his mouth lifted. He caught and pressed his lips against mine. His hand brushing, warming the exposed skin on my lower back.
Heat rippled through me like soft streams of water from a rain shower. He wrapped his arms around me.
The stubble along his jaw pricked my chin even as his lips mouthed thick and slow against mine. I liked it. His kiss. Him. It proved that I could feel something for someone else. And, maybe, in time, find that "one" someone else who would be worth a lifetime.
As the gentle kiss broke, a last brush of his lips, whisper soft, struck a shower of sparks. They fluttered through me.
His hand at my waist, the puff of his breath against my cheek. I wanted to open my eyes and look at him, but was afraid I’d break this…connection.
And then he was back. His mouth settling over mine. I caught his lower lip, flicking my tongue against it. The pressure at my back pushed me closer and I craned my neck as I fit against him. My stomach simmered, tiny heated bubbles rising, pulling at something that had been cold and deep and still.
I smiled into his kiss even as an emptiness panged all the way through me, reverberating a strange feeling of loss. I opened my eyes as I pulled away.
"Thank you. That was—" I lost my voice when I met his gaze. Dark irises stared down at me, and everything in our world stopped.
"My turn."
His mouth came down hard over mine. His hands gripped my waist as he hauled me up onto the worktable. I clung to him, my skin on fire everywhere he touched. I bit into his lower lip as a different kind of heat took root, changed shape…and finally ignited.
I clutched and pawed, desperate to be closer. His mouth left mine to brand kisses into my neck. He pressed me backwards, and I pulled him with me, arching against the hard planes of his chest.
The bulge in his jeans pressed into the space between my hips. I whimpered as a dull ache beat feathery wings into that part of my body, thirsting for his attention.
I pulled at his belt. His calloused hands scraped, scratched, and scored my skin to life as it pricked into bundles of living nerves.
My bra loose, my back against the table, he hovered over me.
His tongue swept inside my mouth at the same time his fingers bit into my thigh.
I wrapped my leg around his waist and was rewarded with a thrust.
I gasped as something like thinking and thoughts poked my brain. But then he kissed me again, stealing my breath and all I could feel and know and see was him.
His shirt began to peel off in my hands. And his voice was a husky rasp against my ear. "Your name?"
I whispered kisses into the crook of his neck, licking, lapping as I went. I trailed and mouthed a path to his jaw. Pulled at him, threading my fingers into his hair.
He stilled over me. Those deep blue eyes, his strong jaw, his dog tags dangling—free, now, from being tucked inside his shirt. I don’t know why, but I brought them to my lips. Then glanced at the name, his name: Maddox McBride. "Maddox?"
He growled in reply. But his eyes flicked away as a loud bang! sounded in the room. A feminine giggle rang out followed by the overly loud "shhhh" of someone shushing.
Maddox hardened into stone.
"Ash?" A pouting lilt, a woman’s voice.
My blood turned cold. I shut my eyes and held my breath. Oh God oh God oh God.
"The fuck, Drakes?" Maddox barked.
"Oh, hey, Mick. I was just—oh, honey let's let—ah, baby that feels so—"
I clenched my eyes tighter as a wave of nausea broke over me. Maddox pulled me upright, his thumb tracing hair over my ear. I couldn’t look at him. My heart hammered and the cold, empty pit returned. I hoped to God I could disappear.
"Ah gawd, babydoll, let’s go back to my…"
And all the whispered rumors from the past few months raced on repeat in my brain.
"You can’t expect someone like him to be with just one. Can you imagine?"
"Get ov-er yourself."
"Poor little deluded Bree."
"You ok?" Maddox’s deep voice broke through. He ducked his head, his arm kept me near.
I hid my face in his shoulder. "Let’s get out of here."
A soft grunt and he moved aside, allowing me to slide from the table. My shoes clacked against the concrete. I brushed my hands over my skirt.
"The fuck? Bree?" Ash’s voice stabbed daggers into my back. I didn't want to turn around. I tried to hide behind Maddox.
"Let's just go someplace else." Ash's "date" rose from her knees and grabbed his arm.
Ash shoved her away. He advanced toward me. My fingers clutched the sleeve of Maddox's T-shirt as I tried to gulp down air.
"What the hell are you—"
Maddox stepped forward, directly into his path. Ash froze, frowned at him, then looked back at me. Red streaked his face. "So, what, you’re fucking him? He's practically practice squad, a fucking nobody. Are you serious right now?" He reached for me. Maddox's arm pressed me behind him.
"Get away from me," I hissed. "I told you, we’re done. I don’t care what—or who—you do. Not anymore."
Maddox glanced at me out of the side of his eye. His jaw tight, a scowl on his features. A sick feeling pulled at my stomach. I'm sorry, I wanted to say. I hoped he could see it in my eyes.
"This doesn't concern you." Ash moved to step around the brick wall of Marine, but Maddox pivoted again.
"She said to leave her alone." His voice was quiet, steady.
Ash stilled. He swept blond hair from his eyes and glared at Maddox.
A moment passed and then Ash's shoulders lifted; he took a step back, arms wide like he expected a hug.
"Bree, baby, this isn’t a big deal." He forced a chuckle from his lips.
"Just doing a little celebrating. I told you, you have nothing to worry about. You’re the one I chose to come with me. "
He gave me his stupid, fake, megawatt smile. It was all I could do not to kick him in the balls.
"And I told you no."
The smile faded. "You’d think you’d be grateful."
Red hazed over my vision, and I considered shoving Maddox aside so I could punch Ash in the nose. "Grateful? Uh yeah, I'm done with this."
I spun away from Maddox and found the door on the opposite side of the greenhouse with my eyes. I moved, heels clicking rapid-fire as I power walked out of this nightmare. Rage burned and seethed beneath my skin. I’m such an idiot.
I shoved the glass door aside, but before I could escape, a hand clawed at my arm.
"You don't get to walk away from me."
Three Days Earlier
Lloyd Commons Residence
“There’s my special girl.” Ash’s arm around my shoulder didn’t feel warm as he pulled me close—just awkward and bulky. The minty apple smell of his aftershave assaulted my nose.
"You're in a good mood." I tried to shift away, but he held tight. My insides squirmed. "Must've gone well."
"It was awesome, Bree."
I cringed and ground my teeth together. I pulled out of his grip.
"The competition, the lights. So many of those dudes were wicked salty of all the attention I was getting." He settled his arms around me again. Bleary green eyes met mine and he pecked my lips with whiskey-flavored breath.
My heart sunk and took my stomach with it. “You’ve been drinking.” I pushed him away.
“Just a little celebrating. I’m gonna be in the first round of the draft! Can you believe it?” He threw his head back and laughed. “The mother fucking AFL, babe. It’s what we’ve dreamed of!”
We? The room squeezed a few inches smaller. I shifted toward the door. “I think you should lay off—"
“I even got you something. So you could celebrate too.” He dug into his jacket pocket and those hazy eyes finally relented.
Still feels distant, even when he's here. I sighed. How long has it been this way?
“God, you’re fucking gorgeous. With that red hair that just drives me wild.”
I swallowed against the burning lump in my throat. The hair on the back of my neck rose and a shiver ran through me. This doesn't have to be a thing. He's moving on. I'm on the road for softball season…
“You were close with that All-American shit too,” he said with a nod. "Sucks you didn't get it."
Can just tell people that we grew apart. “Some of us don’t have the option to make millions as an athlete.” I said the words before I could stop myself.
“Hah. But our kids’ll be ballers, babe.”
My lungs forgot how to breathe air. What?
His overly large hand lifted from his pocket, a small item hidden in his palm. He fake coughed into his fist. “First thing I bought with my signing cash.”
He flipped open a ring box, and everything inside me went cold.
“She’s not really his type.”
“Just a nepo baby who thinks she's got aura.”
“Ash?” My hands trembled. The gold ring presented a round, electric blue sapphire surrounded by yellow-tinted diamonds. It didn’t bother to glitter as much as lay there like a lump.
“Blue and gold. You know, Mountain Lions’ colors.” His arm circled around me again.
“Thought you’d love it.”
I shuddered and pulled away. Don’t touch me. The room pulsed at the edges of my vision.
“Bree, what the hell, babe?"
Don't call me Bree. I hate it. I've always hated it. You never listen.
"I’m willing to let you finish out your softball season, but that'll be it. The wife of a pro quarterback can't still be in college."
The room froze, and I turned to ice.
“You should be happy, babe. I’m taking you with me.”