Kicked

by Celia Aaron

  She rolled to her side. Then, after only a few moments, she rolled to her other side and faced me. I couldn’t see her well in the dark, but I could sense her eyes on me.

  “Trent?” Her voice was thick with tears.

  I sat forward to get a better look at her. “Yeah?”

  “Do you really think he’ll be okay?”

  I stood and walked around the bed to her. Kneeling next to her, I stroked the soft strands of hair away from her face. “I don’t know, but I’m going to hope for the best.”

  She trembled as she searched my eyes, looking for reassurance.

  I ran my thumb along her soft cheek. “But I can promise you that I’ll be here for you. No matter what. Whatever it takes. Okay?”

  She nodded, never breaking eye contact.

  “Get some sleep.” I kissed her forehead, lingering for a moment as I took in the scent of her hair. When I rose, she took my hand.

  “Stay?”

  I stilled.

  “I mean, could you, um, sleep here with me?”

  She already possessed my heart, and I would never deny her any comfort I could give.

  “Sure.”

  She scooted all the way to the back of the small bed, giving me just enough room to lie down beside her. It wasn’t the most comfortable spot, but I would have lain on a bed of hot coals just to be close to her.

  “You have enough space?” I put one hand over my heart and the other behind my head.

  “Yeah.” She tossed the blanket over me.

  She shifted next to me, her body grazing mine. I wanted to pull her against me, but it wasn’t the time or the place. She seemed to find a comfortable spot and let out a sigh, her breath tickling the hair on my arm.

  “Good night.”

  “Night.” I glanced at her, but her face was shadowed.

  “And, thank you.” She placed her hand on my bicep and gave me a soft squeeze. “For staying. It means a lot.”

  “I’m happy to do it.”

  She let her hand fall so that it only just touched my arm. After a few deep breaths, she began to relax. Fifteen minutes later, she was asleep.

  I finally spoke the words I’d wanted to say when she’d thanked me. “I love you, Cordy. I’d do anything for you.”

  It had been a long morning of doctors, tests, and bad results. Cordy’s father had been awake and lucid the entire time, though his mood soured more each hour he went without a drink.

  “I just want to go home.” He sat up and pulled the heart rate monitor off his finger.

  “That’s not a good idea, Mr. Baxter.” Dr. Edgars shook his head. “Your liver function is so low that any further alcohol is only going to cause more permanent damage.”

  “I won’t drink. I just don’t want to be here.” He put his feet on the floor, but paused before standing. “Where are my pants?”

  “Dad.” Cordy put her fists on her hips. “You aren’t going anywhere until the doctor says so. Lie down and listen to what he has to say.”

  “But Cordy, I don’t need him to tell me to quit drinking. I get it. I’ll quit.”

  She shook her head, clearly not believing a single word he said. “No, you need help. Real help.”

  He gave a harsh laugh. “From where? I can hardly afford to eat, much less go to some goddamn rehab or whatever you and that doctor have been cooking up all morning.”

  “Dad—”

  “I need my pants.” He was just as stubborn as his daughter.

  “Lie down right this minute!” Cordy’s voice had changed from cajoling to commanding in a second.

  “You’d better listen to her, Frank.” Mrs. Trapper had been sitting in the comfortable chair, watching the scene just like I had.

  He scowled, but when faced with the brunt of Cordy’s anger, he caved and sat back in the bed. “Women always telling me my business,” he grumbled and snapped the heart rate monitor back onto his finger.

  Cordy sighed and sat next to him. “What am I going to do with you?”

  I leaned closer to Dr. Edgars. “Doctor, can I have a word?”

  He clicked his pen and placed it in the pocket of his white jacket. “Sure.”

  “Hey, Cordy, I’m going to get some snacks. Want anything?”

  “Cheetos.” Her answer was decisive.

  “Puffy or crunchy?”

  She smiled. “Surprise me.”

  The doctor and I walked into the hall as Cordy and her dad talked.

  “What can you do for him?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing if he’s unwilling. The cirrhosis will eventually kill him, and quickly, if he doesn’t stop drinking.”

  “Is there a rehab you know of that would work?”

  “There is one I’ve had some success with, but what he said was pretty much true.” He adjusted his glasses and frowned. “It costs money. Mr. Baxter doesn’t have any insurance, and I suspect he doesn’t have the income to cover it.”

  “But if he did have the money, you know a good place, right?”

  “Well, sure. There’s a place about an hour from here. It’s in the woods on a lake. Serene, isolated. A perfect place to kick any habit. They specialize in drugs and alcohol, but take all kinds.”

  “Get the paperwork going. Do whatever you need. I’ll cover the costs. But don’t tell him or Cordy, okay? Just make something up like”—I tapped my foot—“like it’s a scholarship or something like that. I don’t know.”

  He quirked a smile. “You’ve won an all-expense-paid scholarship to rehab. Like that?”

  “Sure. Just make it believable.”

  “I can do that. At least, I think I can.” He put his hands in his jacket pockets. “But why can’t I tell them you’re paying?”

  “They wouldn’t accept it, and I’m not doing it for me. I’m doing it for her.”

  “Right.” He nodded. “For love. I can certainly tell a lie about a rehab scholarship for that cause.”

  “Thanks, Doc.”

  “No, thank you. Anytime someone saves a life around here, I appreciate it.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CORDY

  TRENT DROVE US BACK to Billingsley late that afternoon. I tried to convince him to let me handle the drive back so he could rest, but he wouldn’t have it. I dozed as we left the hill country, the sun setting behind the treetops.

  Dad had managed to luck up on a spot at a local rehab. He wasn’t too happy about it, but agreed to go and at least give it a try. I would be able to visit him in a month, and Trent had volunteered to come with me. As the world darkened, my sleepy thoughts focused on the man next to me.

  He was so different than what I’d thought for so long. I believed him to be selfish and heartless. But the way he cared for me over the past day showed a depth of kindness and warmth that rocked my assumptions off their foundations. Maybe I’d been wrong about him.

  His words at the restaurant flitted around my mind—about how he’d stopped seeing me because of his family. It hurt, but now that I was looking at it from a distance, I realized he’d never said that he believed I was beneath him. I’d stormed out before giving him a chance to explain. I reached over and took his hand.

  He shot me a smile and laced our fingers together. My heavy lids closed again, and the stress of the day pulled me down into sleep.

  “Cordy?”

  I turned over and buried my head under a pillow.

  Deep laughter and his voice again. “Cordy? We’re going to miss practice.”

  Practice? Something was off. My dorm room bed didn’t have enough space for me to roll over and stretch out. I pulled my head from beneath the pillow and blinked against the sun streaming into the room. Not my room.

  “Shit!” I clutched the blanket to me and blinked the sleep away.

  Trent stood at the foot of the bed, his hair wet as if freshly showered. And, sweet baby Jesus, he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Dark hair dusted his broad chest, ran down the center of his hard abs, and disappeared into his athletic shorts.


  I swallowed hard.

  “Want me to take you back to your dorm so you can get ready?”

  “I, uh.” I looked around at the room—dark wood floors, high ceilings, and a wall of windows looking out onto the city park. Elegant and understated, it was easily the nicest bedroom I’d ever been in. I still wore the sweater dress, but my boots were sitting by the door, and my belt was draped over a dresser. “How did I get here?”

  “You were out by the time we got back. I figured it would be easier if you slept here.”

  I glanced to the other side of the bed. It was still made.

  He followed my gaze. “I slept in the guest room next door.”

  “Oh.” Was that disappointment in my voice?

  He walked around and sat next to me, his golden skin and light eyes making tension swirl in my stomach. “I called the doctor first thing. Your dad is doing better and is set to be released this afternoon. He’ll be transported straight to the rehab. It’s all taken care of.”

  “Thank you.”

  He took my hand. “You’re welcome.” He stared down at me for a few beats, and something in his look had my body buzzing. His gaze darted to my lips, and he stilled. The longer he looked, the more it seemed my lungs couldn’t get enough air. But he pulled his hand away and stood. “I, um, I’ve already set out some breakfast we can grab and go.” He walked into a large closet next to what looked like an en suite bathroom. He snagged a team t-shirt and pulled it over his head as he walked out of the bedroom. “I’ll wait in the living room.”

  All the heat he’d stoked inside me dissipated and left me on edge.

  I rose and took a tour of his marble bathroom with clear glass shower and soaking tub, then walked out the door and into the sunny living room. He leaned on the granite bar in the kitchen. A bagel, already slathered with cream cheese, sat at the ready along with a travel cup of orange juice.

  “You can eat on the way.” He finished his coffee and placed the cup in the sink.

  I snagged the food and the juice. “I love bagels.”

  “Yeah?” He dropped his gaze.

  I took a big bite as I followed him to his front door. “And this is my favorite flavor of cream cheese.”

  “Good to know.” He walked around the kitchen island and toward the front door.

  I took in his spacious apartment. The living room was full of leather furniture, a big-screen TV, and a plush rug that I wanted to run my hand across.

  He opened the door and led me out, then closed it behind him and locked it. We rode the elevator down to his car, and the drive to my dorm was less than ten minutes. I ate my bagel and downed the last of my juice as he parked.

  “I’ll wait here for you and drive you to practice. It’s faster that way.”

  I opened the door, a blast of cool air whipping into the warm car, then turned to him. “Come on up. I don’t mind.”

  The corner of his mouth twitched into a smile, and he killed the engine. “Sure.”

  Brandy waved us through and gave Trent a wink. I pretended I didn’t see it and climbed the two flights of stairs to my floor. Trent walked behind me, his presence making my skin warm and my mind wander. I fumbled with the keys, but managed to make it into my room without dropping them.

  Trent followed and closed the door behind him. Ellie was out, but had left a half-eaten piece of peanut butter toast on her bed, crumbs and all.

  I walked to my closet and picked out a t-shirt, athletic pants, and fresh underwear. Ellie’s dress had served me well over the last day and a half, but I was ready to be rid of it.

  “Just make yourself at home.” I turned as Trent sat at the foot of my bed. He watched me, never taking his eyes from me as I strode to the bathroom. “I’ll shower and dress right quick.”

  “I’ll be here. We’re making good time. Practice doesn’t start for another forty-five minutes.” He lay back and tucked his hands under his head, his broad back taking up almost all my double bed.

  A shock of need shot through between my thighs, and I scissored my legs to fight the sensation. He followed the movement and licked his lips.

  “I’m just going to shower. Yeah.” I hurried into the bathroom and closed the door behind me.

  “What are you doing?” I whispered to myself, though the scolding did nothing to chill my need for Trent. He’d looked like a jungle cat lounging on my bed.

  After peeling off the dress, I took a short shower to wash off the stress of the past few days. Halfway through, my fingers dipped to my pussy as I thought of Trent laid out on my bed. God, why did he have to be so gorgeous? I stroked myself a few times before forcing my fingers to stop. He might hear, and I couldn’t bear the thought of him busting me touching myself in the shower.

  I dried off, put on fresh clothes, and wrapped my towel around my wet hair. When I opened the door, he was in the same position, but his eyes were trained on me.

  “Better?” He let his gaze travel the length of my body.

  “Much. Thanks.” My nipples tingled and hardened. “I just need to get some socks.”

  I walked past Trent to my bedside table and opened the bottom drawer. He shifted on the bed, and when I turned around, he was sitting up.

  My heart raced at his nearness, but I tried to play it off by sitting next to him and pulling on my socks. I could sense how focused he was on me, and the knowledge sent a tingle over my skin. I finished and pulled the towel from my hair.

  “I think I’m ready.” I met his eyes, our arms lightly touching as we sat beside each other.

  “Are you?” He leaned in and kissed me.

  I trembled as he put one palm on my cheek. His mouth was hot, and he used his tongue on my lips, seeking entry. I closed my eyes as he snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me close.

  He took my breath, and I clutched at his shoulders as he slanted his mouth over mine. When I opened for him, he groaned and sank his tongue inside, licking and tasting me as he slowly lowered me to the bed. So many thoughts tried to barge their way to the forefront of my mind—what had happened two years ago, what he’d said two nights ago, and everything in-between. I pushed them all away and focused on him.

  He broke our kiss and stared down at me. “Cordy.” His voice was drawn tight, and his pupils dilated until only a sliver of light green remained. “I don’t think I can stop if we start this. Understand? I want you so bad it hurts. But I don’t want to do anything you don’t want me to.”

  My heartbeat thundered in my ears, and I made a decision. It was foolish, reckless—especially given our past and my inexperience. I didn’t care. I leaned up and kissed him. It was a light caress of my lips against his, but it set off a tidal wave of need from him. He crashed down on top of me, pinning me beneath him as he settled between my legs.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck as he kissed me hard, his tongue demanding, and his hands roving down my sides. I shivered beneath his touch. He claimed me with each swirl of his tongue, each delicious taste. I had never been kissed like this. He didn’t hold back; there was no tentative opening salvo, only pure possession. I reveled in it and ran my hand through his hair, tangling my fingers and tugging softly as he deepened our kiss. My blood was on fire, and my core tightened as his big body pressed down against mine.

  He broke our kiss, and I gasped for air when he trailed his mouth down my neck. I squirmed as he licked and sucked along my throat. It verged on a tickling feeling until he sucked my skin between his teeth and bit lightly. The sensation jolted down my body and landed between my thighs.

  When he grabbed the hem of my shirt, I froze. What if he didn’t like my body? He’d seen my breasts, but not the rest of me.

  “I want to feel you. All of you.” His voice was gravelly. “Here. I’ll go first.” He stripped his shirt off, showing me the golden expanse of skin and rippling muscles that made my mouth water. “Your turn.”

  I gripped his wrists as he tugged at my shirt. He stared down at me with a heated look, his face flushed and his eyes fixed
on me.

  “Do you trust me?” He ran his fingertips along my stomach, my flesh quivering at his touch.

  Everything in our past screamed at me to say no. Instead, I told the truth. “Yes.” I relaxed my grip and lay my hands to the side.

  He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and lifted my shirt. He peeled it off, then hitched his fingers beneath my sports bra. Without taking my eyes from his, I lifted my arms, and with a swift tug, he pulled it free. I lay beneath him, my breasts on full display, my nipples hard and jutting to the ceiling.

  “Fuck me.” He stared. “Perfect. So fucking perfect.”

  My cheeks heated, and my hands itched to cover my bare skin. I forced myself to stay still. And the longer he stared, the more erotic the moment became. The look in his eyes was predatory, dark, and full of a desire I was desperate to taste.

  He eased his hands up my stomach and cupped each of my breasts. When he squeezed, a moan lofted from my throat.

  “Jesus, Cordy.” He ran his thumbs across my nipples. Back and forth several times, each swipe was a new flame added to the fire raging between my thighs.

  He bent his head to my left breast. When his tongue hit my stiff peak, my back arched, and I gripped his shoulders. He wrapped his lips around my nipple and sucked while squeezing both breasts with his hands.

  “Trent, oh my God.” I writhed as he sucked and nipped at first one breast and then the other. His tongue was wicked, flicking and licking until the tension between my thighs had me writhing.

  When he relented and kissed to my mouth, I sighed and ran my hands down his chiseled back. He settled his hips against me for the first time, his hard length pressing against my thigh. Fear erupted in my mind, but it was quickly quelled by the passion of his mouth, the all-encompassing pleasure of his kiss. My breasts pressed against his chest, the skin-on-skin contact sizzling every nerve ending.

  He kissed down my chest, between my breasts, along my shuddering stomach, and stopped at the edge of my pants. I gripped my blanket and closed my eyes as he tucked his fingers in my waistband.