Battling Beckett

by T Christensen

  She felt the heat return thinking about the kiss. “I’m not embarrassed!”

  Beckett just raised his eyebrows.

  “That wasn’t just a kiss!”

  “What was it then?”

  His cool reply and casual posture were working her nerves and she retorted with the first thing that popped in her head. “It was a hot kiss!”

  “Yes, it was,” Beckett agreed with a lower timbre. Finally, some emotion. Her blood pressure lowered, until he said, “It was still just a kiss.”

  She narrowed her eyes and decided she was done talking about this. Unbuckling her seat belt, she brought her knees up on the seat and leaned over to brush her lips against Beckett’s neck. A rush of satisfaction lit her up when she heard his hiss and the tensing of his body. Upping the ante Greer slid her tongue under the hem of Beckett’s crew-neck t-shirt to give him a small bite between the area where his neck and shoulder met.

  She smirked when Beckett’s hands gripped the steering wheel and seemed to be holding on for dear life. Alternating small kisses and brushes of her tongue up his neck to his ear, her hand cupped Beckett’s hardness and when he let out a hiss she whispered.

  “Why are you so worked up Beckett? It’s just a kiss.”

  And she plopped down in her seat and clicked her seat belt back in place.

  Beckett growled, “You will pay for that, Greer.”

  Greer smiled serenely at him and pretended his words didn’t send anticipation running through her. Instead, she concentrated on their surroundings. Based on the number of cars surrounding the house they were approaching, they had arrived at the party.

  They parked and with linked hands, Greer followed Beckett. The small touch was enough to chase away some of the knots that had formed as soon as Beckett had put the truck in park.

  When they turned up a driveway, Greer slowly came to a halt. The house looked like a castle. Beckett paused a step ahead of her.

  “What?”

  Greer gestured with her hand toward the house. “Look.”

  He turned his head, looked at the house, and then turned puzzled eyes back to her.

  “Beckett.” She knew she sounded exasperated but come on. “It looks like a castle.”

  The whole exterior was white-grey brick highlighted by shining lights that were in strategic spots around the landscape. There were three towers, the middle tower being the biggest and entrance into the house. Each tower had its own pointed roof and corbels.

  “I guess it does.”

  Greer rolled her eyes and followed the tug on her hand to keep walking toward the front door. Beckett walked in without knocking and breezed by the twenty-foot ceiling in the foyer and white marble under their feet.

  She could hear bass thumping somewhere distant in the house. Greer tried to calm her racing heart and swallow the rock resting in the pit of her throat. She tightened her grip on Beckett’s hand and engaged him in conversation to distract herself.

  “Have you been here before?”

  Beckett’s confident stride made her think he had been.

  He shrugged. “Yeah. A couple of times. They have a kick-ass theater downstairs.”

  “You have a kickass theater, Beckett.”

  “Not like Henderson.”

  They reached the kitchen and Beckett stopped. Presumably to see who was here and figure out where everyone else was. Greer kept hold of Beckett’s hand but slid partway behind him. The white, gleaming kitchen was filled with Oak High Students getting drinks and digging through cabinets for food.

  Her anxiety ratcheted when she didn’t see Lexi, Pepper, or anyone from the team. She tried to step back in the hallway, but Beckett tightened his fingers and tugged her closer. She came up to his back but stayed behind his large arm.

  “Hi, Beckett,” One of the immaculate blonds called out, and then her gaze flicked to her and she braced herself for the dirty look, but it never came.

  “Hi, Greer.”

  It wasn’t said enthusiastically, but she didn’t sense any malice. Greer gave her a tight smile. “Hi.”

  “It’s good to see you again.”

  “Thanks.”

  The conversations in the kitchen turned to murmurs and Greer knew she was once again the focus of everyone’s attention. The anxiety was crawling its way up her throat, making it hard to breathe. She could feel her body stiffening up. Luckily, Beckett seemed to sense this.

  “See you later Ashley. We’re going to check out the back.”

  Greer pasted a smile on her face and followed Beckett to the open sliding doors that led to the pool. The only lights were the ones in the pool and a string of crisscrossing lights above the pool. Music flooded the area, and there were people everywhere. Greer took a deep breath when no one seemed to notice their entrance and relief flooded her body when she spotted Lexi coming toward them with an awed look on her face.

  Finally, someone who got it. She let go of Beckett’s hand and threw her arms around her best friend like they hadn’t seen each other in years, instead of just a half-hour ago. Lexi grabbed her hand and led her down a path to a U-shaped wicker couch with white cushions. It sat in front of a blazing gas fireplace, complete with a stone surround and rustic wood mantel.

  “Holy shit, Greer, we are in a castle!” Lexi whisper-yelled.

  Lexi felt more of the anxiety slip away, but she still made note of where Beckett stood, talking to some teammates. “I said that! Beckett just shrugged when I made him stop and look. Every house I have been in is amazing.”

  With wide eyes, Lexi was still taking everything in. “I get your reluctance to go back to Oak High. The girls all look like they came straight off of a runway. Every car parked around here was some foreign luxury car, and this house is just…”

  Lexi seemed to run out of words. It was a huge relief to have Lexi voice all of her thoughts. Sometimes she felt like an oddity, feeling uncomfortable with so much wealth. She knew these people were not better than her, but she was never sure how to fit in.

  “Beckett said the theater room is amazing.”

  Lexi’s eyes bugged out. “They have a theater room?”

  Greer nodded her head. “I know, right?”

  Lexi and Greer continued to ooh and ahh over everything. When the guys joined them, Greer tucked herself into Beckett’s side. The conversation was light-hearted and fun.

  Eventually, other groups started drifting toward the fire. No one came directly to them until Caroline, Harrison, and three other couples approached them. Caroline looked at Greer.

  “Mind if we join you?”

  “Sure.” Greer didn’t hesitate.

  The guys did most of the talking, but eventually, the conversation flowed, and everyone was joining in or having side conversations. Greer found herself having a good time.

  It was Beckett who broke the party up, “Are you ready to go?”

  When Greer looked at her phone and saw it was midnight, her eyes bugged out. “I’m supposed to be home at midnight.”

  She sprang up and Beckett chuckled. “Relax, I texted Dad and told him to tell Vivian we will be there by 12:30.”

  Their parents were waiting up and Greer apologized to her Mom for being late. After a couple more minutes of telling them what they had done, Beckett and Greer said goodnight.

  When they were standing in front of Greer’s bedroom door she turned and wrapped her arms around Beckett. “Thanks for texting, otherwise I would have been in trouble.”

  She felt the kiss on top of her head and her stomach turned to goo. After squeezing him a little tighter she reluctantly dropped her arms and stepped back ready to enter her room.

  “You’re coming back, right?”

  “Just have to assure the parents that I am in my room for the night.” Beckett dropped a kiss on her lips and sauntered to his own room.

  After Greer was in bed her mind replayed the night and she was surprised that she’d had fun. The game had started out stressful, but by the end, her nerves disappeared. She h
ad fun with Lexi and Pepper, but when Beckett joined them, she felt complete. Geez, that sounded so cheesy, but it was true. She didn’t even know she was missing him until he was with her and something in her just clicked in place.

  She had bantered with the guys from the team and she missed that. She had been so focused on the bad things that had happened at Oak High she had failed to recognize there had been good times as well.

  She was drifting off, promising herself she’d talk to her mom tomorrow, when she felt the depression of the mattress next to her. Beckett pulled her back to his front, kissed her cheek, and murmured, “Love you. Sleep well, Greer.”

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  Chapter 38

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  “Why can’t I take you to school?”

  Beckett studied Greer as she flitted around the kitchen avoiding his gaze. Something was off.

  They were eating breakfast when he had said he was going to take her. Coach had texted the team this morning and told them to run instead of coming to practice. Greer never turned down a chance for him to take her to school.

  Today her eyes had widened before she said, “Oh, not today.”

  He proceeded to watch as she almost dropped the peanut butter jar in her haste to put it away. She gathered her backpack, hugged it to her chest, and fidgeted with the zipper. Finally, she turned to him, fluttered her eyes up to his and then looked back down at her backpack, then mumbled, “Mom is taking me.”

  Then she scurried out of the kitchen. Beckett grabbed his backpack and followed behind her. He stepped outside and saw Vivian’s Honda, but no Vivian. Greer stopped by the Honda and Beckett stood in front of her.

  “Greer, what is going on?”

  Her head jerked up. “Nothing.”

  “Greer,” he couldn’t help the growl that escaped him.

  As soon as she put her hand on his chest and her earnest eyes met his, he relaxed. A little.

  “Beckett, she asked if she could take me to school today and I agreed.”

  Greer held his probing stare, for a few seconds, and then stepped away. She wasn’t telling him everything. He started to ask more questions, but Vivian came out.

  “Ready to go, Greer?”

  Greer looked a little too relieved for his peace of mind, but he didn’t have much of a choice except to figure this out later. And he would. There had been too many secrets and deceptions between them. He wasn’t going to let another fester.

  “I’m still picking you up after school, right?” he called to her right before she got in Vivian’s car.

  Her dazzling smile released some of his worries. “Yes. You are.”

  When he got to school and walked in the front door Jason, Mark, and Pepper besieged him with questions.

  “I know she had fun at the game and party. Why isn’t she here?”

  “Did you convince her to come back?”

  “When is she coming?”

  Jesus, these guys were worse than he was in their determination to get Greer back to Oak High. All three of them were looking at him expectantly.

  “I don’t know.”

  They stood there expecting more, so he went on.

  “I tried to talk to her this weekend but she didn’t want to discuss it. Then this morning something was off. Tonight, I am going to find out what is going on in her head. Once and for all.”

  “What do you mean, she was off?” Pepper’s face was concerned, and she looked down at her phone like Greer would have texted if something was wrong.

  Mark and Jason had their brows furrowed silently telling him to explain more. He threw his hand up to his neck to massage away the worry.

  “I can’t explain it. I just feel like she was keeping something from me.”

  The bell rang, indicating they had five minutes to get to class. They all split up, but not before Pepper said, “You better be ready to explain this at lunch.”

  He sat down in his usual spot for his first-period class and let Mr. Grisky’s voice drift over him. He replayed the weekend over in his mind. Nothing unusual had happened. Friday night had gone well and he knew Greer had a good time.

  Saturday and Sunday, they had hung out and made out. Shit, he couldn’t let his mind go there. He was getting a hard-on just remembering what had happened in the theater. Wrenching his mind out of the gutter he knew nothing was off, until this morning.

  Maybe he should text her? Then he threw that idea out. It was too easy to avoid his texts or lie. She was a terrible liar when forced to do it face to face. He forced himself to put his phone down and pretend to pay attention to his Government teacher.

  The buzz of his phone vibrated on his desk, he looked down at saw the incoming text from Greer.

  ‘You look too deep in thought for Government.’

  He stilled and slowly raised his head. Slowly, meticulously, he looked at all the heads in front of him. None of them had long chestnut lengths belonging to Greer. His phone buzzed again.

  ‘Behind you.’

  He whipped his head around and there she was, sitting in the back corner looking like the cat that ate the canary. The dazzling smile she was wearing made him suck in a breath.

  As he stood up, her look quickly morphed into panic as she silently begged him to sit down. Not a chance.

  He grabbed his phone and backpack, strode to Greer, and put his hand under her elbow, encouraging her to stand. She pulled it closer to her body and hissed at him.

  “Sit down, Beckett. You are embarrassing me.”

  He looked around, and sure enough, everyone was staring at them, including the teacher. All of the looks were either surprised or trying to withhold their laughter.

  “Then you shouldn’t have surprised me with your delectable self.”

  Her mouth hung open, and the red crept up her neck. He used her stunned state to pull her to her feet, just as Mr. Grisky said, “It looks like Ms. Smith needs some assistance to the office, Beckett.”

  “It does look like she is having some problems with the heat, Mr. Grisky.” His wicked grin made Greer shut her eyes and groan. He turned an unresisting, red-faced Greer to the door amongst calls.

  “Welcome back, Greer!”

  “Make sure she stays this time, Beckett!”

  “Good luck, Beckett!”

  As soon as they were in the deserted hall, he took her fingers and tugged her down the hall.

  “Where are we going?”

  Greer’s voice was bewildered, but also held a tone of amusement. He didn’t answer her. His head was busy swiveling looking for a place to get her alone.

  “I can’t believe you did that, Beckett. I’m going to be the talk of the school, again.”

  He listened closely to her tone, and it didn’t hold fear, so he continued his search. There was a solid wood door that didn’t have the window that all of the other doors did, so he turned the knob. When it opened under his touch, he tugged a sputtering Greer in with him.

  “What, where…”

  He locked lips with her and roared when her body immediately molded itself to his. When her hands snuck under his button-down and started exploring his back, he locked his hands to her cheeks and reluctantly pulled his lips from hers. He only allowed a few inches between them.

  “Is this why you were acting so weird this morning?”

  The low-wattage bulb allowed just enough glow to see her face. It allowed him to see her soft smile. “Yes, I wanted it to be a surprise that I was coming back.”

  His relief flowed through him, but he needed to make sure. “Nothing is wrong?”

  She looked up into his eyes and her sincerity shined through. “Only that I love you and I was tired of being away from you.”

  He processed the words in his brain and examined the sincerity on her face. “I love you too and I am ecstatic to see you, but only if this is what you want.”

  Her hands came up to his face. “I’ve been very selfish Beckett.”


  He had to stop her. It was the most ridiculous thing she had ever said. She was the least selfish person he knew. “No, Greer, you haven’t.”

  He could see the doubt in her face. “You were harassed by everyone in the school, including me, never complained, and attacked at the dance. You have NOT been selfish.”

  Tears welled in Greer’s eyes and it killed him. He tightened his grip and forced her head up to meet his eyes. He was determined she not think of herself as selfish. “You have given us a chance, even after I didn’t deserve it. I love that you are here, but only if it is truly what you want.”

  Greer didn’t look away and said just as fiercely, “I did need time away from Oak High. When I went to the game and Caroline asked us to sit in the student section, I was terrified. Then I saw how Pepper and Lexi wanted to sit closer.”

  Greer paused, trying to find the right words. Beckett bit his tongue from interrupting.

  “I realized that if I couldn’t even sit in the student section, I was letting the fear win. I was letting her win.”

  It was Beckett’s turn to cup her face in his hands. “You are not a coward. I know it took a lot for you to even go to my games, but I was so happy you did. To look up and see you fueled my desire to win. If you could face your fears, then I could give you something to see.”

  Greer gave him a soft smile. “I don’t think you realize how magnificent you are when you step onto the field. I can almost feel your brain analyzing everything around you. The crowd, the other team, your team—and the way you move is a piece of art. You glide just out of your opponent’s reach and you always know where the open man is.”

  “Greer,” was all he could say. He was stunned. No one had articulated his love of the game quite so spectacularly.

  Greer reached up and brushed her lips across his. “I wouldn’t miss your games for anything. And when I sat in the student section everyone was nice to me.” She shook her head like she was still amazed.

  “I mean, not everyone said hi to me, but no one glared at me. No one snickered. I didn’t trust it, but then when we went to Henderson’s it was the same. Even when I wasn’t around you, or one of the guys, everyone treated me…with respect.”