There was something there, under her voice, but she hid it too well for me to tease it out of her.
“Why would I do that, when I’ve already hit the jackpot?” I asked.
With a low groan, she brought a hand to my head and pulled me back to her, our tongues dancing and playing, revving each other up higher and higher.
Over only one day together—one long, blissful day in the sun—we’d clicked in every way. I’d never been with a woman without at least one small mismatch between kissing styles or sexual preferences. Some women liked to suck on their partner’s lips and tongue as if making out was an epic battle, and others were so gentle, they may as well have been kissing a priest.
Sexy and I occupied the same spot on that scale and every other one, our bodies always in sync as though they were made for each other.
Our minimal clothing disappeared as we rolled on the bed, taking turns claiming dominance on top. Such an easy partnership felt so natural, like we’d been dating for years.
“Lay back,” Sexy whispered in my ear. “It’s time to see if I can handle how cocky you are.”
Her face disappeared past my chest. A curtain of long hair trailed down my body, glistening in the moonlight streaming through the window.
Sexy’s breath was hot around my cock, and even more blood forced its way into the swollen member, more than I thought possible. I was harder than I’d ever been.
The long lick up one side felt better than it should have. No tongue had ever evoked sensation like that, and I’d experienced enough of them—playing college football was a ticket to more ass than most men could handle.
But most men weren’t me. Girls usually struggled to handle what I was packing.
The woman between my legs took her time, exploring my cock as though it was the first one she’d ever seen. With both hands wrapped around my shaft and her mouth on my head, I was in heaven. It didn’t take long before she had me gripping the sheets, struggling to hold back the impending load, in disbelief at how quickly she’d tipped me over to the inevitable.
“Fuck, Sexy, I’m coming.”
I warned her again, but she didn’t remove her mouth or her hands, picking up the pace until the universe exploded from the tip of my cock, a blast of pleasure that blinded me for a full ten seconds.
By the time I regained my senses, Sexy had crawled up my body and pressed her breasts against my chest, running her hand along my side.
“How’d I do?”
I stared at her. “I don't understand how you did that, but I have to pay you back. That was incredible.”
“Good,” she said. “I was worried I wouldn’t be good enough for you.”
I kissed her hard on the mouth, ignoring where it had just been so I could show her my full appreciation. “You’re perfect.”
PRESENT
Juliette’s eyes were hungry. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from my chest and abs.
All the hard work I’ve put into my body over the years is worth it to see her look at me like that.
“What… ah, what are you doing?” She could barely get the question out past the lip biting she couldn’t control.
I’ve got her.
“Don’t you remember?” I asked. “Loser of the hand has to strip a piece of clothing off. Keep going until they’re naked, and then each hand lost means you have to do whatever the winner wants.”
It had been a fun way of changing things up when we’d been on spring break. While spending every waking moment over the course of a week devouring each other, it helped to make sex spicier now and then.
“We can’t play by those rules anymore,” Juliette said. “Not right now, Travis.”
I put my arms above my head and stretched, letting my muscles ripple as I exposed myself even further for her eyes.
“Come on, Juliette,” I said, keeping my voice low and raspy. “We both know this will happen eventually. We may as well enjoy ourselves now instead of this torture.”
She shook her head and swallowed in a loud gulp. “I can’t. The study is too important. Way too important to risk. We have to wait.”
“Wait?” I pounced on the word. “We need each other, Juliette. Admit it. Why wait?”
She sucked in a breath like she’d faint if she didn’t get the oxygen. “I want you. I want you so badly that I’m going out of my mind. Every second I spend around you, it takes every fraction of my willpower to keep from jumping all over you. I need to feel you inside me again, and the thought of it won’t go away.”
Those were the words I’d been wanting to hear. Waiting to hear. My one-sided pursuit of Juliette had been frustrating beyond belief. Not hearing her admit her own feelings had forced me to doubt everything.
“So do it. Stop denying us both.”
“I can’t. I want to, but I can’t, Travis. Not yet. Once the season is over, the contract is done and we can do whatever we want. We just have to make it to the end of the year.”
The season had barely started. Three games in, and we had to wait until the end?
“That’s too long. I need you, Juliette. I need all of you, all the time. I’ll explode if I have you so close but untouchable.”
Her next breath was long and shuddering, and her eyes were heavy with lust. The way she kept biting her lip, it would be bloody before too long.
She stood.
I rose and took a step to take her into my arms, but she put out a hand. “No. You have to go, Travis. This has gone far enough.”
The words may as well have been a physical slap.
It would take more than that to stop me.
I walked forward until her hand rested on my chest. Neither of us said anything, but we stared into each other’s eyes.
I took another step. Her elbow bent and let me close the distance.
Another step. We were inches apart.
Her hand felt hot on my skin, like she was on fire from within.
I bent my head to hers, leaving only a fraction of an inch between our lips.
For five seconds, we stood together, the tension building between us in throbbing waves until my pulse pounded in my ears.
Juliette’s restraint broke, and she pushed her mouth onto mine, attacking my lips. With eager hands that had waited far too long for this reunion, she ran fingers up my abs and chest and around my shoulders, hanging on as I pulled her firmly against my hard body.
The curves of her body felt incredible under my hands, like a homecoming. The silky material of her clothes did nothing to hide the pleasant firmness of her flesh and the way it responded to my touch, welcoming me. I ran my hands over the contours of her ass, grasping her cheeks and squeezing, using the grip to pull her hard against my stiffened cock.
The scent of her overwhelmed me, drowning me in memories.
Her gasp rang out in the room as our lips broke apart. With urgency, her hot mouth found its way to my shoulder, latching on and biting hard as electricity sparked between us.
Juliette ground her body against my own, seeking relief from the devastating need within. I knew how she felt—the fire within me needed quenching and wouldn’t be satisfied until it found refuge in her.
“Oh, Travis,” she moaned.
It was the first time she’d said my real name with such passion, such heady desire. The sensuous whisper of it was enough to send a rush of blood coursing through my veins, swelling my cock even harder.
Her pajamas were sexy and smooth, but they frustrated my need to see all of her. I’d replayed memories of her naked body nonstop over the past five years, but they couldn’t compare to the immediacy and the allure of the flesh and blood woman in my arms.
I pulled away only enough to get my fingers on the buttons holding her top together, regretting every moment our bodies were apart. Once the final button loosened, the garment spread open to reveal the firm and perky breasts I’d spent years trying to find again.
“You’re so gorgeous, Juliette,” I murmured into her ear as I slid my hands up her ba
re skin. “Exactly as I remembered.”
She stiffened in my grasp.
“Travis. We can’t. Not yet.”
The way her eyes looked up into my own and pleaded with me to understand nearly broke my heart. She stepped back out of my arms and wrapped her top around herself.
“Don’t shut me out, Juliette.”
“I have to. Please go.”
The fiery, wanton nymph from moments earlier had disappeared into the meek, shy woman now in front of me. She still breathed heavily, but her body language was all wrong.
I clenched my hands into balls to keep from screaming my frustrations. That wouldn’t solve anything.
“This isn’t over, Sexy. If I have to wait a year to have you, I will. But I won’t leave you alone. I can’t.”
She said nothing. She just stood there with her big, round eyes.
I growled and turned away, shutting her hotel room door with a careful precision no matter how badly I wanted to slam it. I needed to express the frustration that threatened to boil over.
It’s a good thing we have a game tomorrow. I have some fucking aggression I need to work out.
Chapter 11
~Juliette~
PAST
“Are you kidding me?”
Heather’s voice was loud enough that I had to pull the phone away from my ear, but she was more exasperated than angry. I’d been friends with her long enough to tell the difference.
I looked at the phone before putting it back to my ear. “Relax, Heather. You’re the one who told me to find a place to sleep. I have, so what’s the big deal?”
“Places to sleep, Jules. Places. Plural. You aren’t supposed to come to spring break and hook up with the same guy all week. That’s just a waste.”
I rolled my eyes even though she couldn’t see it.
“Can you let me have this one, Heather? I found a guy, and we’re having mind-blowing sex. I thought you’d be happy for me.”
That piqued her interest. “Mind-blowing? Sorry if I don’t believe that, miss almost-virgin. You don’t get to use adjectives like mind-blowing when you’ve only slept with two guys.”
“I’ll admit I’m not nearly as experienced as you are, but I know that this guy is special. His cock is huge, and his tongue is even better. This has to be about as good as it gets, because if the sex could get any more intense, then I think I’d explode.”
“Hmm. Sounds like you need to spread the love around, Jules. Let me have a night with him. I could use a great lay. And you need to sample some of the other wares out there.”
I laughed. “You basically just said that you haven’t slept with anyone great while here, so why would I go take my chances when I can keep having this fantastic, ridiculous, scream-my-lungs-out sex?”
Heather snorted. “Now you’re just rubbing it in. Fine, suit yourself. Just make sure you don’t get yourself tangled up in another long-distance relationship. You know firsthand how brutal those are. Doesn’t matter how great the guy is or if his dick is bigger than the Washington Monument. If he’s across the country, then it won’t work—especially not during college.”
She had a point. “I promise. No relationship afterward. He’ll just be my spring break boyfriend, and then we’ll both go our own ways and get on with our lives afterward.”
“There you go. Have you got enough condoms?”
I flushed, glad she couldn’t see it. “Um, we started off using them, but we’re both sure we’re clean, and I’m on the pill, so…”
Not to mention how much better it feels.
“You dirty slut! I’m so proud of you. What’s his name?”
“Cocky. At least, that’s what I’ve been calling him. I didn’t want to exchange names when we first met, and now, it’s just kind of a thing we have.”
“Ooh, brilliant! That’s a great idea, Jules. It’ll make it easier to let go when we have to leave.”
I winced. “That’s right, Heather. I have to run, though. He’s almost finished changing, and then we’ll walk along the beach.”
“Okay, call me later.”
“Sure.”
I stared at the phone after hanging up. Talking with Heather had forced me to put things into perspective and take a step back from the infatuation that had grown over the past couple of days.
Just the thought of leaving at the end of the week sent pangs through my heart. My poor, beaten and bruised heart.
I wasn’t supposed to get too entangled.
Cocky’s door opened, and he stepped out. “Hey Sexy, ready to go?’
I smiled. “Sure am.”
Our hands linked and fingers meshed as we strolled down the path to the beach.
I’m fine. It’s only been two days—not like we’ve fallen in love in two days. I’m in control. I can end things whenever I want. I’m just enjoying this for the moment.
PRESENT
The difference between the first practice of the year and this one was remarkable. Dr. Kent and I monitored the sensors from the sidelines as usual, now a familiar routine.
Men sprinted down the field, executing plays and maneuvers with breathtaking precision, looking for all the world as though they were a premiere team in the league.
Their record backed it up.
After winning their first three games at home, Los Angeles had taken to the road and continued the streak. After barely winning a single game the previous year, they were the proud owners of an undefeated record through seven games, one of only two teams in the league to remain without a loss.
Travis had been sensational, picking up the team and putting it on his back. In response, the men had risen to the challenge he’d set before him, following his example and coming together in a way no one had thought possible.
No one except Travis.
He had come to Los Angeles with one goal—to become a legend.
With the eyes of the nation on him and the efforts of his team, he was succeeding. There was no hotter sports star in the country at the moment than Travis King. And in every national talk show that hosted him, he credited one thing to his success.
Frustration.
When I watched his interview with Jimmy Fallon, I’d choked on my glass of wine.
“Well, Jimmy,” Travis had said, “the real secret to everything is that there’s a woman out there who I can’t have. And it’s burning me up inside. The frustration would kill me, so I use it as fuel to attack the other teams on the field.”
I can’t believe he said that.
It had become the national pastime—guess which model or actress was the subject of Travis King’s unrequited romance, and why she spurned his attentions. The speculation hit a new flavor each week, and no one was off limits. From Beyoncé—older and married to Jay-Z—to Lorde, who was way too young for him.
As long as Los Angeles kept winning, the scrutiny grew more intense.
I’m lucky it hasn’t landed on me yet. There are benefits to being a nobody.
The research study had been going well. The data revealed useful trends about how practices differed from game situations and gave a clearer picture of the cumulative impact sustained across a season than ever previously documented. The medical device license had just been approved by the regulatory body. That meant the coaches and team doctors could use them to make medical decisions now.
After practice, the professor and I made our way back to the empty lab.
“Five through thirteen reported an abnormally high level of impacts this practice,” Dr. Kent said. “We should double-check the calibration to verify the data is correct.”
I nodded and made a note on my tablet. “Anything else?”
He looked at me with a half-frown. “I overheard a few of the trainers in the lab this morning talking about how Travis King is completely smitten with you.”
“Excuse me?”
The blood drained from my face. I’d been trying to shield the professor from the attention Travis paid me, and I thought I’d done a good job
. The last thing I needed was for him to pull me off the study when nothing was happening between the quarterback and me.
“They used different language.” Dr. Kent coughed and turned red. “But it’s not something I can repeat to a woman.”
I turned toward the doctor, no longer pretending to pay attention to my monitor. “Sir, I swear nothing is going on between us. I’ve pushed him away and made it clear I won’t get involved with him.”
“I’m not concerned about your conduct, Juliette. It’s the perception of the situation that is important here. If the league catches a whiff that you’re the woman Travis King has been mooning over on every late night show in the country, they’ll detonate this entire study.”
“But nothing’s happened!” I forced back memories of the card game so he couldn’t see the truth on my face. “Any investigation would show that. Hell, Travis is saying he’s frustrated because I won’t sleep with him.”
Dr. Kent put down the spare sensor he’d been fiddling with. “We have to be careful. They don’t care what’s right. They will do anything they can to shut us down. It doesn’t matter if the accusations are baseless.”
The door to the lab opened, and the professor stopped talking as two trainers walked in with Ricky. The new arrivals crossed to a performance testing station and hooked Ricky up with electrodes.
Dr. Kent glanced over at the training personnel and spoke with a lowered voice. “Just remember, be careful. All it will take is the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, I’ve got to leave to make my meeting on campus. You’re okay to wrap up here?”
I nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll be fine.”
The only work left for the day was to log the practice data and load it into the school’s servers for analysis. It took only half an hour, and then I was ready to go. By that point, the performance testing had wrapped up and Ricky was the only other person in the lab, cooling down on an exercise bike.
I ignored him and grabbed my bag as I hurried to the door. Not wanting to face any drama, I’d avoided Ricky all season.
Extracurricular Page 20
