Pass Interference

by Natalie Brock

  Sara knew it would have been a very different story had they been alone.

  There were moments in the past couple days when her head advised her to keep her guard up. That nagging voice warned her he was going to drop her like a rock when they returned to campus and he was back among his entourage. But her emotional side didn’t care. Even if this relationship—or whatever it was—lasted for only a week, it would be a week she’d never forget for as long as she lived. It would be worth risking the heartbreak, because she was having the time of her life.

  Sara squeezed her eyes shut at that thought. How could she be so cavalier and think about what a great time she was having when Philip was fretting about his future as a football player? Of course he’d be worried! How could he not be?

  She was glad he shared his feelings with her tonight and she had the opportunity to be supportive. She typically kept her walls up nice and high, and it was good to know she could also lower them at the right moments. She smiled, thinking about how he seemed to bring out a softer, more nurturing side of her personality, a side she wanted to explore.

  Her thoughts were broken by a knock at the door. Before she could answer, the door opened and a beam of light cut through the room. “Sara? You still up?”

  Philip didn’t wait for an answer. He walked right into the room and closed the door. Her heart began to thump at a medically impossible rate when he sat down on her bed. She instantly scooted herself into an upright position, with her legs still under the covers and her back leaning against her pillow.

  “Why’d you leave like that?” he asked, as he rested his hand on top of hers.

  Her fears told her to pull away, but she didn’t. She liked the warmth of his hand holding her hand on top of her thigh. “Oh, um.” She nervously tucked her hair behind one ear with her free hand, self-conscious about the way she looked. No makeup. Just a thin sheath of a nightshirt covering her body. The room was dark except for the moonlight coming through the window, so she hoped he couldn’t see her very well. “I just wanted to give your family some privacy.”

  “You’re sweet,” he said, removing his hand from hers and touching her cheek.

  She looked into his eyes, which were the only things glowing in the room, except, perhaps, for her own. “You might be the first person who’s ever called me sweet.”

  Her gaze traveled downward, and for the first time, she became aware that he wasn’t wearing a shirt, only pajama shorts. She’d never seen him shirtless before and she found herself staring at his extremely muscular chest as her eyes re-adjusted to the level of light. “Um.” She blinked and tried to concentrate on something else. “Um. Did you talk to your sister?”

  “Yeah, we all talked to her,” he answered, dropping his hand back to her thigh. “She texted pictures of the boys. Jarrod and Jackson.”

  “Cute names. I’m so happy for your family, Philip.” She really was. “Who do they look like?”

  “Who does who look like?” She noticed he was focused on her scooped neckline instead of on the conversation.

  “The babies,” she said, chuckling nervously.

  “Oh. Right. I don’t know.” He looked away and shrugged his shoulders. “They look like newborn babies.”

  Sara laughed. “Did you expect them to look like adults?”

  “Nah…Hey, move over a little.” Nudging her toward the wall, he didn’t wait for Sara to react. He climbed onto the bed next to her, physically pushing her toward the wall as he got comfortable. His body remained above the covers, and hers was beneath them.

  Sara wasn’t exactly sure what to do or what he thought was going to happen, but the heart rate that couldn’t go any higher just did. He didn’t make a move to touch her, though, and she wasn’t sure if she was glad or disappointed about that. He merely laid next to her, sharing her pillow, his hands folded on top of his stomach and his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

  “So, um.” She followed his gaze upward toward the ceiling and searched for something to talk about, but she kept drawing blanks. His bare chest was exceedingly distracting. So was his scent, so fresh and clean, like…“Citrus.” She turned her head toward him. “You smell like citrus fruit.”

  “Orange grapefruit soap. You like it?”

  Sara leaned closer until the tip of her nose touched his shoulder. She closed her eyes to inhale him. “Mmmm. Yes. I do,” she whispered, letting her lips graze his skin.

  “We sell it in the store. I’ll get you some before we go back to school.”

  He apparently didn’t know that his mother had already gifted Sara with her own assortment. Forcing herself to lean away, she looked up at his face. He was no longer staring at the ceiling. Now he was watching her intently. If she didn’t think of something to say soon, she’d be in deep trouble. “Um. Are you going to go see them?”

  “See who?” Philip was apparently equally distracted.

  “Your sister and the twins. In Texas.”

  He looked away. “Oh. Right. Um. My parents already booked a flight for tomorrow.”

  “You’re leaving tomorrow?” She tried to show no reaction, but the panic in her voice probably gave her away. She hated the thought of him leaving.

  “No, not me. Just my parents. I’ll see the twins another time.”

  Even though she was relieved, she couldn’t imagine why he wouldn’t be going with his parents to see his sister. “But why?”

  “I don’t feel like navigating airports on crutches,” he answered flatly.

  “But they have those carts you sit in and somebody drives you to the gate.”

  Philip turned his head and looked at her quizzically. “You trying to get rid of me?” His tone of voice told her he was teasing, but there’s always a hint of truth tucked inside the humor.

  “No, of course not,” she assured him. She quickly refocused on the ceiling to keep from staring at his body. “I just thought you’d want to be with your family at a time like this.”

  He moved his arm up over her head and stroked her hair. “There’s someplace I’d rather be.”

  Sara turned to look at him, his face so close to hers. Staring at his lips, she felt her heart rate slow to a complete stop. “Where?” she asked in a barely audible whisper, even though she knew the answer.

  His lips parted as if he were going to answer her, but he hesitated for what felt like an eternity.

  “Right here,” he whispered, as he rolled onto his side and leaned closer. “With you.” He searched her eyes for a moment, like he wanted to be sure his reply didn’t scare her. It didn’t. It was, in fact, exactly what she was hoping to hear. Her heart rate immediately sped up again.

  Her small smile was all the encouragement Philip needed. He leaned closer until their lips met. Again. And again. He placed a hand over her ear and stroked her cheek with his thumb as they continued to kiss. The soft kisses quickly intensified when his tongue swiped her lips, requesting entrance to her mouth. She parted her lips, consenting to the deepening kiss, and let her hand touch his bare chest.

  His hand began to travel from her ear, down her neck, to the front of her night shirt, resting on her breast for a moment, testing her. When she didn’t stop him, he stroked her breast through the fabric with his thumb while deepening the kiss further still. She felt dizzy with emotion. Gliding her hands up over his shoulders, she urged him closer.

  His hand dipped downward under the covers until he reached the hem of her nightshirt, gripping it briefly as if he were planning to pull it off of her. Instead, he released the hem and ran his fingertips up and down her bare thigh. She tingled where he touched her and she shifted closer. Before she knew it, he was heading for higher ground. Slipping a hand underneath her shirt, he journeyed upward from her thigh, skimming her torso on his way to her breast.

  She knew where he was heading, but the way he touched her came as a surprise. He cupped her left breast and squeezed it lightly, almost like a hug.

  She had hoped to keep a level head, to not get caught up in the mom
ent, to retain her composure, but her involuntary reactions took over. She squirmed with pleasure when his fingertips eased their way toward the center of her breast, where he gently twisted the tip of her nipple between his fingers. Then he opened his palm and swirled it over her breast in a circular pattern again and again.

  The combination of sensations nearly brought her to orgasm. She’d never felt like this before. Philip was touching her in a way that no man ever had. The entire sex act with Kevin wasn’t anywhere near as arousing as these few minutes with Philip were.

  Her soft moans were muffled by his kisses. Her fingers gripped his hair as she kissed him harder, pulling him closer still. He groaned when his erection made contact with her body through his pajama bottoms. He began to ease her nightshirt upward to expose her breasts. But when he started to roll on top of her, Sara forced herself to pull back. She pressed her hands on his chest and could feel his heart beating as fast as hers. “Wait,” she said, breathing hard. As much as she wanted him to make love to her right here and now, his parents were a few doors down and she just didn’t feel right about this.

  Leaning away, he slid his hand out from under her shirt. “You’re right. You’re right. Sorry,” he said, catching his breath. “I’m sorry.”

  Sara looked into his eyes, but wasn’t sure what to say. What was the appropriate response? That’s okay? No problem? Maybe some other time?

  He ran his hand through his hair. “I’d better go,” he added, without taking his eyes off of her or making any move to leave. Sara nodded weakly.

  Acknowledging that their sensual encounter was over, he murmured, “Okay.” With that, he threw his legs over the side of the bed, hesitating for a minute. Even without seeing his face, she could tell he was wincing.

  She placed her hand on the center of his back. “Can I help?”

  “I’m good,” he said without turning around. He rose to his feet. “See you tomorrow.”

  She watched him limp out of the room and close the door behind him.

  Plopping back down onto her pillow, she covered her mouth with both hands. She couldn’t believe what just happened. She couldn’t believe Philip came to her room. She couldn’t believe she just made out with him. Mostly, she couldn’t believe she let him leave.

  She was probably the first girl who ever kicked Philip Mason out of her bed. It would have been so easy to just let things progress. In fact, she had wanted him so much in the moment that it would have been way easier to say yes than to say no. But again, they were in his parents’ home and it just didn’t seem right. Or maybe that was just an excuse and she wasn’t quite ready to make love. Could she trust her feelings for him? More importantly, could she trust his feelings for her?

  She stared up at the ceiling, knowing that the chances of getting any sleep tonight were pretty slim.

  Chapter Sixteen

  As expected, Sara barely slept all night. Before getting out of bed the next morning, she waited to hear activity in other parts of the house. Then she took a shower and started to dress.

  She looked in the mirror as she buttoned Kelly’s blouse. Ugh. Dark circles. That’s attractive, she thought. But the blouse was pretty and just a little lower-cut than she normally wore. It flattered her shape too. The pink and blue flowers melted into the fabric and looked like a Monet watercolor.

  She stood in front of the mirror thinking, procrastinating. She was a little nervous about seeing Philip this morning. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she rejected him last night. That wasn’t her intention at all. She had fretted half the night, worried she gave Philip the wrong impression, so it was crucial to find some time alone with him this morning to make sure he understood.

  She left the bedroom and headed toward the kitchen where Philip’s father was standing near the coffee maker. “Coffee,” Joe offered, holding up the pot.

  Yes, and lots of it. “I’d love some, thanks.” She scanned the surroundings.

  “He’s not here,” Joe said, as if he was reading her mind. “He went to the gym for physical therapy and to work out some kinks.” He poured her coffee and handed her the mug.

  Or some frustration, Sara decided. Closing her fingers around the warm mug, she stared into the dark brown liquid. She had a million questions—like when did he leave? What was his mood like? How far away is the gym? When will he be back? But she didn’t feel comfortable asking any of them. She set her cup down to add some milk when she heard a set of footsteps approaching.

  “Good morning, dear,” Diane addressed her as she entered the room. “Sleep well?”

  Sara nodded slowly.

  Diane took Sara’s hands. “I feel terrible leaving you like this dear. We’re going to be heading for the airport in about an hour, but I want you to make yourself right at home. There’s cereal and yogurt and English muffins.”

  Sara smiled. “That’s very nice, thank you. You’ve been such amazing hosts, both of you. I’m really glad I—” She was about to say she was glad she came, but the words that came out were, “—met you.”

  “We feel the same way, so don’t be a stranger. We said goodbye to Philip before he left for the gym and I told him that you’re welcome here any time.” Diane hugged her, and this time, Sara was more prepared than the first time. She returned the affection.

  “Do you need a ride to the airport?” Sara asked.

  “No,” Joe answered. “We’re taking our own car and leaving it in long-term parking.”

  And within an hour, they were gone. But Philip wasn’t back yet. Was he staying away because he was angry? Upset? Feeling rebuffed? Was he working off some steam? Or sexual tension? Was he afraid to face her?

  If it were Kevin, she’d say maybe. But Philip knew his way around women. Sara wasn’t naïve. She knew Philip had girlfriends before, so she doubted he was avoiding her just because they almost had sex last night. Come to think of it, he didn’t seem upset when she pushed him away. Disappointed, sure, but he didn’t force the issue. He was a true gentleman.

  After eating breakfast, Sara went into the backyard. There was a lovely in-ground swimming pool with a screened enclosure. It looked so inviting. She bent down to dip her fingers in the water. It was colder than she expected, considering this was Florida. She shrugged, figuring the pool wasn’t heated or that the heat wasn’t turned on.

  With her nervous energy working overtime, she went back inside the house. She picked up her cell phone from the chest of drawers in Kelly’s room. Touching the screen, she tapped the contacts list and hovered her finger over Philip’s phone number. “No,” she said, putting the phone back down. She was not going to be one of those women who needed to know their boyfriend’s every move.

  Boyfriend? Is that what Philip was to her? They had never even gone out on a real date yet. But a guy wouldn’t invite a girl to meet his parents and spend Christmas together without it meaning something deeper. The way he looked at her lately, the way he kissed her, the way he couldn’t keep his hands off her, and the fact they almost made love—even Sara couldn’t downplay it. This was big.

  She left her room and walked into the room right next door—Philip’s room. This was her very first time setting foot in here, and it looked like his parents hadn’t touched the room since he left for college. There were trophies and pennants and framed pictures of a young Philip with his high school football team and another picture of him wearing a baseball uniform. Typical sports fanatic’s room, just as she suspected. Oh yeah, and there was also a desk in case the jock chose to sit down and do some schoolwork. And just like in his sister’s room, the full-size bed was pushed up against the wall opposite the window.

  As she reached for one of the trophies on a shelf against the wall, a pair of arms encircled her waist from behind. She nearly jumped out of her skin until she realized what was happening.

  She leaned her head backward against Philip’s shoulder. “I missed you,” she said, surprised to hear herself say the words out loud.

  Pressing his l
ips to her neck, he mumbled, “Missed you too.”

  Her eyes fluttered shut, enjoying the little shiver his kisses were triggering. His now-familiar citrus scent was so comforting. “Mmm. You always smell so good,” she told him.

  “I showered at the gym.” He turned her around and softly kissed her lips. But the kiss was over too soon. She wanted more. “Did you sleep well?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “No, I slept horribly.” She laced her fingers behind his neck. He started to lean in for a kiss, but there was something she needed to say first. “Philip, I want to explain about last night.”

  “It’s okay, you don’t have to explain.”

  “Maybe I don’t have to, but I want to. I just want you to know that I wasn’t rejecting you.”

  “I know that.”

  She looked into his eyes, a little puzzled. “You do?”

  “Yeah, you just felt weird because we’re in my parents’ house.”

  So he really did understand. She let out a sigh of relief. “Right. With them right down the hall and everything.”

  “I get that.” He took a step closer to Sara, holding her waist and closing any gap between them. “They left. We’re alone now.”

  Suddenly Sara felt flushed and clammy, like she was running a fever. She took a step backward, out of Philip’s embrace. She could see this wasn’t the response he was expecting. It wasn’t what she was expecting either. Normal girls didn’t back away from Philip Mason.

  He was right, though. They were alone now. His parents were gone and so was any obstacle—except for her own insecurities. She turned away so he couldn’t see her face.