Rise Up (A Coach's Love Book 3)

by Alison Mello

  “We’re going to need a squad this year, between the baby and the team.” Trystan rolls his eyes.

  “It’ll be fine. Your son will grow up at the ball field watching a sport you love.” Stella shoos him with her hand and turns back to us. “He acts like he’s not addicted to coaching now.” The girls all giggle. “It’s all he’s talked about.” Trystan tries to deny it, but it’s no use.

  “I’m just glad I get to sit with you ladies for this season. I enjoyed coaching, but it will be nice to relax and enjoy the games.” Amber smiles at her new friends.

  “Me too,” Misty says. “You’re now a part of the mom squad.”

  Amber’s cheeks turn slightly pink as she bows her head. “I’m not a mom, though.”

  “Stepmoms are welcome too,” Stella tells her.

  “I think I like that title.” She glances my way. I wink letting her know I agree. It’ll make a great title for her. She blushes even more but stays quiet.

  The waitress saves her, coming back to take our order and then rushes off to get it going. There are a lot of us, and they’ll have to deliver the ice cream in waves, or the sundaes will melt.

  “Listen, Amber. You have to be part of the mom squad. We have fun, we cheer, and we help with the fundraisers,” Lori tells her.

  She smiles. “Okay. I guess I’m in then.” The women all clap excitedly.

  “Besides, my bestie over here is going to need some added help since she’s toting a baby this year.” Misty nudges Stella.

  “She’s so sweet, isn’t she?” Stella shakes her head. “Toting a baby.” She looks at her friend. “It’s your godchild.”

  “I know,” she says like duh.

  The first round of ice cream comes out. They place a sundae in front of Stella. “I figured you’d want to get started.” The waitress winks at her.

  “Bless you.” Stella grabs her spoon and digs in while the waitress serves the kids.

  When the boys are done with their ice cream, Ethan, DJ, and Mason all come over. Mason looks at his mom. “Mom, can DJ and Ethan sleep over tonight?”

  She looks at Briggs, who shrugs an I don’t care. “Sure, why not. We have nothing going on.”

  Ethan looks at me. “Please, Dad?”

  “Sure.” I’m not going to turn down a quiet evening with Amber.

  Kids leave as they finish up their treat. When everyone is just about gone, the waitress gives me the check. I square up with her, and we all agree to meet at Misty’s house in an hour with the kids.

  Ethan had just enough time to shower and pack an overnight bag before it was time to leave. By the time we get there, DJ is already there and the boys are waiting on Ethan to dive into some games. Misty teases me. “So what are you two up to with a kid-free night?”

  “Not one hundred percent sure, but I guarantee you it requires us staying home.”

  Misty laughs. “Good for you.”

  “Yeah, great for them. I won’t be seeing any of that action with a house full of kids,” Briggs jokes.

  “We owe you one.” Vincent slaps him on the arm. “We’re going to go before you change your mind.” He points at Briggs.

  “Like Misty would let that happen. Her boys are happy.”

  “All but one.” Misty puts her arm around Briggs who is far taller than she is. They’re actually quite funny together. He’s a tall, muscular man and she’s a small petite thing. “You two have a nice night.” Misty winks at me as Vincent pulls me out the door.

  “What would you like to do tonight?” he asks the second we’re in the car.

  “Chill at home with a movie.”

  “Okay. I can handle that.” He pulls out of the driveway practically squealing his tires as he rushes to get home.

  “In a hurry?” I ask him.

  “Yes, I have plans.”

  He has a huge grin on his face the entire ride home. The wheels are spinning as he plots the night out. I’m not sure if I should be turned on or scared out of my mind. I’m going to say the first, but I have to admit I’m a bit nervous.

  When we pull into the garage, he’s a complete gentleman. He comes over to my side, opens the door for me and takes my hand, leading me into the house. “You pick a movie. I’ll be right back.”

  “Okay.” I kick off my shoes and grab a seat on the couch with the remote. We have Netflix and OnDemand, so I have a bit to choose from. I scroll through trying to find something appealing, but nothing is jumping out at me. I chuckle as I come across Magic Mike XXL. I click on it and press play. Vincent comes into the room. “Really? We’re watching Magic Mike?”

  I bat my lashes. “Is that a problem?”

  He smirks. “Not at all.” He pulls off his shirt, kicks off his shoes and joins me on the couch. We’re not all that far into the movie when I begin my flirting. My fingers scroll over his abs. My hand rubs up and down his leg. His cock stiffens in the constricting space. He gets up from his spot on the couch and closes the blinds and the curtains. He goes to the other room and comes back a moment later. He lays a blanket on the floor.

  “Get down on the floor,” he demands. This looks like fun, so I do as he asks. He slips a blindfold over my eyes and ties both of my hands to the legs of the couch. I’m instantly turned on. I can hear the music from the movie. My body begins to squirm.

  I hear his feet as he steps into the living room. “Are you ready for some fun?” I arch my back, begging for his touch.

  “Yes.”

  His fingers make quick work of unbuttoning my top and then he pulls my breasts from the cups of my bra. I whimper when I feel him roll ice over my hard nipple. “Shh, beautiful.” His tongue laps up the dripping water. His breath warms my nipple. I can hear him fumbling with some things beside him. He straddles me and then sprays whipped cream on both my breasts. “That sundae has me wanting more,” he whispers.

  “It’s so cold.”

  “I’ll take care of that.” He sucks and licks at my nipples until he manages to get every last drop of whipped cream. “Mmmm. Such an amazing combination.” He licks his way down my stomach. Hooking his fingers into my leggings and slips them down my legs.

  As soon as he’s rid me of my pants, his face is between my legs. He feasts on me to the rhythm of the music, and it makes me giggle. My hips grind against his face, begging for more friction. “Stay still.” He hooks his arms over my hips to pin me down. “I’m enjoying this.”

  He parts my folds and sucks my nub into his mouth. I fight to move my hips, but he’s too strong. He pulls away just as I’m on the verge of spilling over the edge. He presses an ice cube to my sex, causing me to squeal. “It’s cold!”

  He licks and sucks at me, warming me up. “Are you going to lay still?”

  “Yes.” I pant.

  “Good.” He drops the ice cube and settles himself between my legs. I’m soaked with desire. All I want is some relief. He starts the process over again, licking and sucking on me. Again, I want to grind my hips, but I fight to stay still, not wanting him to stop. I’m so close.

  “Are you ready?”

  “Yes,” I growl. He laughs. “Wait until you untie me.”

  “Who says I’m untying you?” he jokes.

  “Not funny, Vincent.”

  He slips two fingers inside me curling them as he licks my nub hard and fast. My body shake, and my legs stiffen as an orgasm tears through my body. I’m panting. “Yes, Vincent.” He finally let’s go of my hips, but he hasn’t stopped lapping up my essence. I’m so sensitive, and I need a break. “Vincent, stop.”

  “What do you need, beautiful?”

  “You, inside of me,” I demand.

  He grabs my legs behind my knees and presses them to my chest. He lines up and slams himself balls deep inside of me. But then stops when Feel It by Jaquees from the movie plays. He lifts my mask and looks me in the eye. The sexiest smile slowly slips into place as he moves his hips to the music. He presses his lips to mine. His lips glide up my jaw. He licks down the vein in my neck. It’s on
e of the sexiest things I’ve ever experienced. I roll my hips, meeting the steady rhythm of his thrusts. My muscles tighten around him. He knows I’m about to explode, so he slams himself inside me one last time, sending me spiraling into an intense orgasm as he empties all he has inside of me. He exhales a deep breath trying to calm his breathing. “I love you so much.” He presses a kiss just below my ear.

  “I love you too.” I press my lips to his.

  “Shall we pick another movie?” he asks.

  “Yeah, can I clean up first?”

  “That depends. Are you going to pick another move that’s going to have you rubbing my cock?”

  I burst into laughter. “No, we can watch a different movie. I just wanted to see what you would say.”

  “Are you happy with my response?”

  I bite my lip. “Very. That was incredibly sexy.” He unties me and takes the stuff back to the kitchen while I run to the bathroom to get cleaned up and put on some clothes. Little does he know there will be a round two. But this time, I’m in charge.

  The car is all packed, and we’re ready to go. We have our clothes for the weekend and a cooler packed with snacks to hold us until we get there. It’s about a five-hour ride from our house to the hotel we are staying at for the weekend, and we’re beyond thrilled. It’s going to be an amazing weekend away, just the three of us. Ethan doesn’t know some of the extra fun things we have planned, and I can’t wait for him to find out.

  It’s Friday afternoon, and we’ve just pulled Ethan from school so we could hit the road. He only had one exam today and it was first thing this morning. His other teachers gave him his classwork and told him he could turn it in when he got back. All he has been able to talk about is the basketball game we’re going to see. We each have our Celtics jerseys packed and we’re ready to cheer on our team.

  It takes us longer than expected to arrive at the hotel thanks to evening traffic, which we expected. That’s why I packed us a cooler so we could eat in the car and not worry about trying to find a place to stop along the way.

  I glance in the back as Vincent is pulling up to the hotel. It’s getting dark, so the hotel is fully lit up and looks really cool. Not to mention it’s in walking distance of the arena. Some say you can see it from parts of the hotel if you’re up high enough.

  “Is this our hotel?” Ethan is amazed.

  I smile. “It is. Are you excited?”

  “It’s so cool looking.” His eyes go wide, and his jaw drops.

  Vincent filled me in that Ethan hasn’t traveled much because his mother would never step away from work. This is his first real vacation in a long time. I’m glad he told me, or I would have been confused by his level of excitement, but now it makes sense.

  “It is a pretty cool hotel, bud. Wait until you see our suite.”

  “Suite?” he asks.

  “Yup. We each have a room, and there’s a living room to watch TV.”

  “That is so awesome!” His excitement is infectious. We’re thrilled to be pulling up to the valet. Vincent gives him the keys and pulls our stuff from the car.

  “Your name, sir?” the gentleman asks.

  “Vincent Wilder.” He nods, writes it down.

  The bellhop loads our bags onto the cart and says, “Mr. Wilder, we’ve been expecting you. Right this way please.” He escorts us to the counter where we are given the keys to our room. The bellhop then leads us up to the top floor. As soon as the he leaves, Ethan runs through the room with excitement.

  “Ethan, please calm down.”

  “Dad, this is going to be the best weekend ever!”

  “Did you finish your work in the car?”

  “Yeah, I couldn’t believe my teachers gave me so much.” He rolls his eyes.

  “That’s because you’re missing Monday too.” Vincent finally fills him in.

  “I am?”

  Vincent nods. “We are going to see the White House tomorrow before the game, and then on Sunday we’re touring the U.S. Capital, but it’s an all day tour, so we’re not leaving until Monday morning.”

  “We have to be up early tomorrow, so you should shower and get ready for bed. We need to be at the White House by nine for our tour,” I tell him.

  “Why is our tour so early?” he asks, making a face of disgust.

  “It was the only time slot available that worked with the game. We’ll do the tour then come back for lunch. Hit the pool and relax a little before the game,” Vincent tells him.

  “Cool.” He runs to grab his stuff and hits the shower.

  It’s going to be a very busy weekend.

  We arrive at White House this morning, and to my surprise the line is much shorter than we thought it would be to get in. However, security is top notch, and we have to go through multiple security points, and that takes a while. We enter into the East Wing where we discover it is a self-guided tour. We’re given instructions to stay out of the rooms on the main floor, but we may enter the rooms on the second floor.

  The first thing we see are walls decorated with pictures of past Presidents. As we continue on, we discover the Library and China Room. Ethan is blown away by the guys in suits standing outside each room. Some look incredibly scary, but some look very friendly.

  Ethan approaches one of the men who is smiling and looks friendly. “Wow, are you Secret Service?” he asks.

  The man smiles. “Yes. All the men you see in suits are Secret Service.”

  “That is so cool. Does that mean the President is here?” Ethan peeks into the China Room, hoping to get a glimpse of the president.

  “No, son. Secret Service is stationed along the entire tour route. We ensure guests are following the rules of the building.”

  “That’s a lot of dishes,” he says, making the Secret Service guy laugh.

  “It’s called the China Room because it’s full of China that were chosen by past First Ladies.” He looks at me puzzled. “It’s a term for fancy dishes,” Vincent explains.

  When we get to the second floor there are a few more rooms. I’m not sure why but we can enter these rooms versus the first floor we could only look inside. We enter the Green Room which is set up much like a formal parlor. Next is the Blue Room. “Ethan, did you know that this is where the President and First Lady receive guests?” I tell him.

  “We’re guests. Why isn’t he here?” he says like it’s common sense.

  “He’s probably working,” Vincent tells him.

  Our last stop is the state dining room, which is rather large. I hear one of the men explaining that this room can seat over a hundred people. It’s insanely large.

  We’re shocked when we realize that our tour is over and that it only takes us about forty-five minutes.

  “Dad, what about the President’s office?” Ethan asks with disappointment. We explain that it’s not part of the tour because the Secret Service would have a hard time keeping the President safe. Not to mention he’d never get any work done with all the interruptions.

  We decide to grab a bite to eat on our way back to the hotel. We stop at a small food stand and grab some hot dogs and chips. I’ve heard from friends that the stands have the best hot dogs, and they weren’t kidding. They are amazing.

  When we get back to the hotel, we go straight to the indoor pool for a swim. We’re there for about an hour when we convince Ethan that we should go to the room to get some rest before tonight’s big game.

  I can’t believe I’m going to see the Celtics play tonight. I’m so full of excitement for the game I can’t sit still. This is going to be one of the best nights of my life, and I just want to get there already. “Come on, Dad!”

  “Ethan you need to put a jacket on. It’s cold out, and we’re walking.” I throw my jacket on. “Okay, ready.” My father shakes his head.

  “You’re going to be the death of me tonight, son. It’s still early. If we leave now, the doors probably won’t even be open yet.”

  I shrug. “I’m just excited. Just think, we can si
ghtsee on the way.” I’ve been taking pictures of everything we’ve done. My history teacher told me if I put together a small slideshow presentation with what I learned, he’ll give me some extra credit. I messed up on a test so it’s now the only class that I have a B in, and I’ve been working hard to bring it up to an A. I told my dad I wanted to work on it as soon as I got home so it is all fresh in my head.

  My father finally says we can leave, so we head over to the elevator and take it down to the main floor. The second we step outside, we see fans heading to the arena for the game. “See Dad? Everyone is heading over there!”

  He takes Amber’s hand, and the three of us begin our short walk. The lights outside the arena are lit, and you can see them from quite a distance away. I’m proudly wearing my Celtics hat to support my team.

  When we get to the steps of the arena, they are packed with people all waiting to get in. “Do you folks need tickets?” some random guy asks my dad.

  “Nah, we’re good.” He walks away.

  “Why did he ask you that, Dad?”

  “He has tickets and wants to sell them,” he explains to me, but I don’t get it. Why would anyone come here and hang on the steps if they don’t have tickets?

  “But, Dad, if you’re hanging here waiting to get in wouldn’t you have tickets?”

  “Some people come here hoping someone will be selling them or that there will be tickets left unclaimed inside. If they’re local, it’s no big deal to come and try to get last minute tickets.” That makes sense.

  The doors finally open, and we all rush inside. My father grabs ahold of me from behind, so we don’t get separated. Luckily, we have our tickets, so we get to go straight to security, but some people are waiting in other lines. The place is so cool, there’s Wizards gear everywhere, and if I wasn’t such a Celtics fan, I’d be begging my dad for some out of pure excitement that it’s available.

  We’re finally in our seats, and I can’t believe how amazing our view is. We’re at center court and there are actually a bunch of Celtics fans around us, making this even more fun. When my father told me to pack my jersey, I asked him if that was a good idea. I told him we were the away team and would be surrounded by Wizards fans. He laughed and told me there would be a ton of Celtics fans here, and he was right.