The Game

by Natalie Clarke

  “Oh Nate, you're so dramatic, it’s not like you fell from the top, you fell from five feet up.” We all join in laughing.

  She flicks through the album, pointing out different photos of their family, Kyle, and Luke as children, all of them together on vacations in a number of different places around the world.

  “Oh! There's Kyle in that mud puddle,” Ellen laughs.

  “He’s so cute.” I glance up at Kyle who shakes his head, a small smile touches show lips.

  My eyes land on a photo of a young girl with long dark red hair, smiling next to another girl with the same coloured hair. “Who’s this?” I ask.

  Ellen sighs softly. “That’s me and my sister, Sara.”

  I look up at Kyle whose face has hardened, his eyes boring into mine. “Is this...?”

  “My mother, yes.”

  “Kyle told you about my sister?” Ellen asks, surprised.

  “Yeah, he did.”

  She turns toward Kyle and smiles softly. “We adopted Kyle when she died, wanting to keep him with his real family. My sister was always smiling, a little ray of sunshine, she could light up a room just by being there, she was funny, and she was so kind.” Ellen smiles while she remembers her sister. “You remind me of her, Hayley.”

  I touch the photo of her gently with my fingers. “She seems nice.”

  “She was, which is why it came a such a shock when we heard the news. She always seemed so content, her outlook on life always so positive. I still wonder what could have made her do such a thing, why she didn’t feel like she could talk to me.” The pain she still feels for her sister is evident in her voice, her eyes become glassy with tears.

  Kyle gets up from the couch suddenly and storms out of the room.

  “Kyle,” I call after him as he leaves the room.

  I chase after him, following him through the house and out the back door which is wide open and out into the huge backyard that is lined with trees that overlooks the ocean.

  It's gone dark now, the sun just setting on the horizon.

  I find him sitting on a chair to the right of the swimming pool, his head in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees, rocking back and forth.

  I reach him, coming to a stop between his spread legs, looking down on him. He doesn't even look up at me before he winds his arms around my waist and burying his face into my belly. He holds on to me tight, bringing me closer to him. I run my fingers through his hair, massaging his head.

  “Are you alright?” I ask.

  He looks up at me, his eyes red and raw. “I’m sorry for walking out. It just hurt too much, to hear my mom talk about her, remembering her. I never had that, I can’t remember her at all, I was too young, just a baby when she died. He robbed me of that, stole my mother away from me before I even got to know her.”

  “I know, I'm sorry, I was the one who pointed her out, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “Hey, don't be sorry. Don't ever think you can’t say something because you’re scared of how I’ll react. I love that you care enough to want to know about her, about me.”

  “You’re important to me, you mean more to me than you know.” He looks deep into my eyes as I speak, hanging off of every word.

  He takes my hands and begins to say something when his dad joins us.

  “How are you?” Nathaniel asks.

  “I’m alright.”

  “You coming back inside?”

  Kyle looks up at me, asking me with his eyes. “I'm good with whatever you want to do,” I say softly.

  “Think we're going to call it a night, dad.”

  “Okay. Well, get some sleep and we’ll see you in the morning.” His dad pats him on the shoulder. “Good night then, both of you.”

  “Good night,” I say.

  “Night, dad.”

  Nathaniel turns and heads back towards the house leaving Kyle and I alone.

  “Shall we go in?” I ask. I begin to pull him up when he pulled back slightly.

  “In a minute.”

  “Okay.”

  We stay in silence for a few minutes, with me standing between Kyle's spread knees and he holds my hands, pressing them to his lips.

  “I love you, Hayley,” he says, his eyes boring into mine.

  And just like that, with those three little words, my heart stops beating.

  “W-what?” I stutter.

  He pulls me down so I’m sitting sideways on his lap, his face inches from mine. “I love you,” he repeats. “I should have said it before now, but I chickened out like a coward. My love for you terrifies me, I'm terrified of screwing up and hurting you, I'm terrified you're going to turn around one day, realise what an asshole I am and leave me. But now, I'm even more terrified of you not knowing how much I love you.”

  I take a moment to process his words.

  He loves me.

  He loves me.

  I sob, tears stream down my face. “I love you too, I can’t even put into words how much. I started falling the second I saw you through that dress store window, I was falling for you even when I should have hated you. No one has made me feel the way you do. My heart beats for you. Only you.”

  He wraps his arms around my waist and stands up, lifting me off the ground. “Say it again.”

  My arms wind around his neck. “I love you, Kyle.” In a split second, his mouth is on mine, his kiss deep and hungry it’s almost aggressive. He sets me back down on my feet, but only to pick me up and throw me over his shoulder, my ass next to his face. “Kyle, what are you doing?” I squeal.

  “I’m taking the girl I love to bed, where I can show her just how much I love her.”

  Chapter 26

  Kyle

  I carry her through the house and up to my bedroom, the room that used to be mine when I was younger.

  I place her carefully down in the center of the bed, her legs fall open for me as I climb in between them, hovering above her.

  “Won't you parents hear us?” she asks.

  “No. We’re at the far end of the house, even if you screamed at the top of your lungs they couldn't hear. You’re all mine, no one can save you now,” I say possessively, my lips curved into a smirk. Her face falters, her chin beginning to tremble. “Baby, are you alright?” I search her face.

  She nods slowly. “Sorry, it’s just… he said something like that… when he…”

  Shit. “Hayley, I’m sorry, I had no idea.” I lean down and cover her body in mine, my weight resting on my elbows as I hold her close, my hand cradling the back of her head, my face level with hers.

  Her arms wrap around my back, squeezing me tight as trembles beneath me. “Kyle, I need you, show me how much you love me.” I pull back, watching as she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, her pupils dilated, and even through the dim light, I can see that she's flushed. Her hair is scattered across the pillows, creating a halo around her head. She looks up at me, with a shy smile but with hunger in her eyes.

  She looks so beautiful like this.

  I dip down and take her mouth, hard. My tongue invading her mouth. God, she tastes so good. Her tongue darts out to meet mine. I suck her bottom lip into my mouth, giving it a gentle nip for good measure.

  She moans.

  Fuck. She will be the death of me.

  Every sound she makes shoots right to my dick. I’m hard as as a fucking rock, so hard it hurts, I need to be inside her.

  But I can’t rush this, I need to take my time.

  Holding myself up on one arm, my free hand traces down her body, my fingers tracing lightly down her neck, sending a shiver through her. My fingers travel over her chest, across her stomach until I reach the apex of her thighs. My finger runs over her clit, through her panties and she bucks her hips.

  “Kyle,” she moans against my lips.

  I smirk against her mouth, loving how responsive she is, how much she wants me, needs me.

  My finger travels to her opening, rubbing my finger over her gently through her panties, I c
an feel her wetness seeping through the thin fabric.

  I need to see her.

  I pull back and reach for the hem of her dress. Hayley sits up to let me slip the dress over her head before it’s tossed on the floor, leaving her in just a matching set of black lace panties and a bra that I’ve never seen before.

  Yep, this girl is trying to kill me. How can any man resist this?

  I run my finger over the thin, lacy fabric, dipping my finger into the waistband of her underwear.

  “These are new.”

  She bites her bottom lip, self-consciously, a shy giggle escapes her lips.

  “I... I just wanted to look good... for you.”

  A wide smile spread across my face. “You always look good for me, baby. But, fuck, are you trying to kill me?” My lips crash to hers before moving down her neck to her tits.

  I reach around her and unhook her bra before peeling the straps down her arms, throwing it to the floor, revealing her beautiful breasts, plump and round and the perfect size for my hands. I dip down to taste them, sucking on her hard, rosy pink nipple, nipping it gently while I work the other with my hand, teasing the hardened tip between my fingers. Her hands fly to my hair as she writhes beneath me, pressing me closer to her, tugging gently at my hair.

  Fuck, If I don’t love it when she does that.

  A deep moan leaves my throat while her fingers work their way through my hair.

  I turn my attention to her other breast, doing the same with this one.

  I move on down her body, pressing gentle kisses and licks over her stomach as I make my way down even further.

  I glance up at her, her eyes watching me intently, her chest heaving with her heavy pants. What a beautiful sight, her lying on my bed, open for me, watching, waiting.

  I trace my tongue along the waistband of her panties, she squirms underneath me, her legs shaking.

  As much as I love the fact, she bought lingerie especially for me, I need it gone.

  I peel her panties down her legs, they land on the floor with the rest of the clothes, leaving her completely naked.

  She’s soaked.

  I reach for the bottom of my shirt and pull it off too.

  I lean down and kiss my way up the inside of her thighs before my mouth lands on her.

  I lick, suck, nibble and explore her, my tongue tasting every inch of her perfect pussy.

  Once again, her hands fly to my hair, clinging on tight as if she’s scared that if she lets go, I’ll stop.

  Not a chance in hell of that happening.

  My tongue dips inside her, she’s so wet and warm, fuck, she tastes so good.

  “Always so wet for me, baby. So wet.”

  She moans and whimpers as her thighs tighten around my head, her orgasm building with rampant speed. I lick her one more time before she comes apart, her back arching off the bed as she shakes. I climb up and kiss her mouth while my finger rubs her clit as she rides or the last of the waves of her climax.

  I pull back and her eyes slowly begin to open. When her eyes land on me she smiles.

  I back off the bed and stand at the edge. I reach for a condom from the back pocket of my jeans before unbuckling my belt and ridding myself of my jeans and boxers.

  Hayley moans on the bed when my cock springs free from the constraints of my underwear. I tear open the condom wrapper and slide it down my length, I shudder when I look down at Hayley, seeing the lust in her eyes.

  I climb my way back up the bed, Hayley’s legs fall open wider, making room for me to nestle between them. I bring the head of my cock to her opening, her breaths becoming heavier in anticipation. I grip her thighs and she locks her legs around my waist. I run the tip of my dick over her opening, through her warm, wet folds, up to her clit and back, where I take her in one, solid thrust.

  She cries out, her eyes screwing shut.

  It takes everything within me to hold back, to take it slow. I move in and out of her slick heat, revelling in the feel of her beneath me.

  Before her, sex meant nothing, just a way to pass the time and feel good in the process, and women were all too eager to get a piece of me, they were nameless, faceless. Hayley could never be that. Hayley means more to me than a quickie in a bathroom or a one-night stand in some shitty hotel room.

  She is it.

  She is it for me.

  Her hands roam over my body before settling on my ass, pulling me harder against her.

  “Kyle, harder.”

  I adjust our position, spreading her knees wider apart allowing me to go deeper inside her. She matches each and every one of my thrusts, the sounds of our bodies slapping against each other mixed with my moans have my orgasm growing closer and closer. I growl when she sinks her nails into the flesh of my ass, spurring me on to drive harder into her.

  I roll us over so that that I’m on my back and Hayley straddles me, her legs tight at my waist. I grip her hips and begin to move her on top of me, she finds her rhythm and begins to ride me, rocking against me, this new angle has me so deep inside her.

  She peers down at me, her eyes never leaving my face. She takes her bottom lip between her teeth to stifle a moan.

  My hands travel up to her tits, massaging them, rubbing my thumbs over her hardened nipples, causing her to whimper at my touch.

  “Fuck, I love you so much, baby,” I pant through jagged breaths.

  “I love you, too.”

  My hips thrust upwards into her, making her gasp.

  “Say it again,” I command.

  I need to hear her say it again, and again for the rest of my life.

  “I love you.”

  I sit up so her chest is flush with mine and crash my lips to hers, my hand grips the back of her neck, keeping her to me, deepening the kiss. My tongue skims the seam of her lips and she opens for me, allowing me access. Our tongues dance together. She moans against my mouth as her hands find my face, holding me to her. Our new position allows her clit to rub against my pelvis, seeking the friction it so desperately needs. She comes hard, her head falling back, her moans echo around the room, I follow her over the edge, the sound of my own release mixing with hers.

  We slowly come down, a few more shivers roll through her body as the last of the aftershocks of her orgasm subside. We stay in the same position for what feels like hours, Hayley straddling me, my cock slowly softening inside her, not wanting to break the connection, her head against my chest.

  This feels like home.

  Nothing has ever felt so right.

  “Never let me go,” Hayley says softly, almost in a plea.

  “Never.”

  ∞∞∞

  Sunlight streams through the window the following morning. Memories of last night flood my mind.

  She loves me.

  She loves me.

  After she fell asleep in my arms last night, I lay awake, watching her. She looked so beautiful, peaceful in her dreams. I could stare at her all day and all night and be the happiest man on earth.

  I still cringe when I think back to how we met, what an asshole I was to her and her father, no wonder he hates me after what I did. I just can’t understand how Hayley found it in her heart to forgive me, to look past it, to give me a second chance. But that’s just who she is, she’s the kindest person I’ve ever met.

  I don’t deserve her, but I’ll damn sure I never disappoint her, never fail her, never give her reason to regret her decision to stay with me, never make her regret her love for me.

  I never expected to fall for her, but now I think it was inevitable. It snuck up on me and took me by surprise, wrapping me up tight and now I never want it to let me go.

  I reach over expecting to find Hayley’s soft, warm body next to mine, but instead I find it empty. I squint my eyes against the harsh light and search the room. Her clothes from the floor are no longer there.

  I jump out of bed and pull my jeans and shirt from yesterday back on.

  Did she leave?

  Did she finally figure
out what a fuck up I am and get out while she still could?

  I head out of my room and down the stairs.

  Faint laughter echoes through the house.

  Hayley’s laughter.

  I breathe a deep sigh of relief.

  She stayed.

  I go in search of where the voice came from when I finally reach the kitchen, I stand in the doorway, leaning against the frame, watching as my mother and Hayley cook breakfast. Eggs sizzle on the stove, along with bacon and sausages. They laugh together, making me smile. I love that they get along it seems so natural for Hayley to be here, as a part of my family.