by SJ Bishop
"Now?"
"Yes. Now."
"Good. I'll see you tonight."
6
Treena
Jon and Buddy's was jumping. A healthy mix of teens and adults saturated the place from wall to wall. The teen crowd chowed down on nachos and stuck mostly to the newer arcade games like Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, while the adults mixed it up, eating full meals inside the restaurant portion that held a full view of the arcade, before heading off to play Pac-Man or Frogger.
"Got you!" I cried out triumphantly as I sank Clarissa's puck. The air hockey table we were at rattled as the scoreboard declared me the winner. Clarissa's mouth dropped open, and her eyes got a crazy look.
"Oh my God," she cried.
"You don't have to look so surprised," I told her. I turned to Emily, "Clarissa always thinks she's gonna win. It never happens."
"It's not that," Clarissa said. She was looking over my shoulder. "Is that who I think it is?"
Emily and I turned to see where my sister was looking. I felt the breath instantly choke in my lungs. It felt like I was being strangled.
"Oh my God," I said, echoing Clarissa, "It's Jax." I would have recognized him anywhere, even after seven years. I tried not to panic as the man I'd lost my virginity to sat in the front of the restaurant section engrossed in deep conversation with another man. "Of all the places in New York, what the hell is he doing here?"
"He's on the Jets," Emily promptly said. "He's the quarterback. He lives in New York."
"I know," I said, trying not to sound irritated. "He's... Jax is the one I mentioned earlier at lunch."
Emily's eyes widened. "The high school sweetheart?" I nodded. Her lips tightened, and her whole face turned white. "We should go," she said.
Clarissa swung her purse over her shoulder and started walking. "I second that." She and Emily were six feet away before they realized I wasn't following. Clarissa walked back over to me. She was talking, but it was like I was in a tunnel. All I could see was Jax. He was sitting at a table with a good-looking guy with bronze hair and eyes almost as blue as Jax's. My heart had stopped. I counted the seconds until it would start again, uncertain that it ever would. This was the moment I had both longed for and dreaded.
Suddenly, Jax turned in my direction. There was nowhere to hide.
"Shit," I murmured. "You're right, let's go." I spun away from him and hurried toward the door, almost sprinting. I was almost to the exit when I heard the familiar deep voice. The one I never thought I'd hear again.
"Treena."
I stopped, trying to get control of my breath. I plastered a smile on my face and turned to face Jax.
"Hi," I said, much too brightly.
"Hi," he replied. We stood staring at each other. He looked good. Real good. I licked my lips and tried not to picture his naked body. The memory of our first and only time together was still as fresh in my mind as if prom night had been one week ago instead of almost a decade.
"How are you?" he asked.
"Fine."
Clarissa and Emily stood staring. I could see Clarissa's mind whirling. She was an actress and a singer, and I'd accepted long ago that meant her emotions were always turned on and ready to express themselves. She did not approve of this meeting with Jax. Of course, she was the one who'd had to listen to me cry myself to sleep every night after he left.
"We were just leaving," Clarissa finally said, grabbing my arm and spinning me back toward the door.
"Wait," Jax said. "Please!"
I stopped and forced Clarissa to turn back around.
"Can I talk to you a minute?" Jax asked.
"No," Clarissa answered for me. I glared at her.
"You remember my younger sister, don't you? Miss Bossy, also known as Clarissa. She's only gotten worse since she became a big Broadway star," I stuck out my tongue at her to let her know that I was only half serious. "And this is my friend, Emily."
Jax's eyes shifted to Emily, and I saw something register on her face. Recognition? It was probably because Jax was an NFL superstar, but I could have sworn I saw the same recognition on his face too. Jax opened his mouth, but Emily cut him off.
"Nice to meet you," Emily said, then turned quickly to me. "I'm sorry, Treena; I have to go. I just remembered that I, uh, need to finish some paperwork before work in the morning."
"Okay," I said, worried that she was upset by Jax's intrusion into our evening.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
She ran out of there like the place was on fire. "Thanks for scaring my friend off," I spat at Jax.
"Listen," he said. His friend lingered behind him, watching us with an odd mixture of curiosity and caution. "I'm not trying to butt into your night, I just... this is Caden Scott. He's a friend of mine and... my AA sponsor." Jax motioned to his friend who stepped forward, his hand outstretched.
"Nice to meet you," Caden said. "I've heard a lot about you."
I raised one eyebrow. "You have?"
He nodded assertively and glanced at Jax.
Jax took a deep breath. "I don't know if you know, but um, I'm in this twelve step program..."
I knew exactly what Jax was talking about. Even without following sports too closely, it had been impossible to miss. Jax's alcohol addiction had been plastered all over the internet and tabloids not long ago. Including a messy divorce to some bimbo model. I pushed the thought away before it could sink its teeth in.
"I know," was all I said.
"Well, part of the program includes apologizing to people you've hurt because of your drinking. And making right any wrongs where I can."
I nodded, not quite getting his point.
"Well, that includes you," he said. "In fact, you're the only one I haven't apologized to yet."
I couldn't hide the surprise on my face. When I knew Jax, he hardly ever touched alcohol. I wasn't sure what his drinking could possibly have to do with me. "Please," he said again. "Can we talk alone? Just for a few minutes?"
I glanced at Clarissa and saw that she was accurately reading my expression. "I guess so," I said. A range of emotions were snowballing inside me. I couldn't decide whether I was happy, sad, or too confused by this whole situation to know how I felt.
Jax said something to Caden, and I leaned into Clarissa. "It won't hurt to give him a minute. I'll call you later."
She whispered back to me. "If he breaks your heart again, I'm killing him."
I smiled reassuringly and tried to suppress my giggle. "That won't happen. He just wants to talk."
"Fine. I need my beauty sleep anyway. I have a show tomorrow night, and they're making a live video recording of it." Her eyes gleamed brightly.
"Go then. I'll be fine."
Caden and Clarissa walked out together, leaving me and Jax alone for the first time in seven years. I hoped I hadn't just made a huge mistake.
7
Jax
I couldn't stop staring at her. I kept looking away, but it was no use. Every time I glanced to the side and pretended to stare at one of the arcade games, Treena's hair would shift or her arm would scrape against the table, making it wobble. Something kept drawing my attention back to her.
I moistened my lips and tried to think of a way to keep her from leaving. I couldn't believe how strong a pull she still held for me all these years later. I guess you never forgot your first time.
"So, what do you think?" I finally asked her.
"You mean do I accept your apology? For cutting me out of your life without so much as a word and acting like a selfish jerk?"
"Uh, yeah..." I said, my heart flopping in my chest like a dying fish. I attempted a smile, but it fell flat.
"Sure," she said, a little too quickly. "The past is the past."
"Do you mean that?" I asked, careful not to get too excited.
"Why would I lie?" She blew out a long breath and started searching for a waiter. "Don't they have any alcohol in this place?"
"Uh, I don't think so. This place just
has food and arcade games. If you want alcohol, food, and arcade games, that's Dave and Busters." She shot me a scalding look, and I knew I was blowing this.
"I'm not stupid," she snapped, pushing her chair back.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm a police officer now, remember? That means I can't stay out late listening to fake apologies from bullshit sports stars."
"Wait," I said, jumping out of my chair.
"I've already waited. I've heard what you had to say. I have work in the morning." She turned to go, and I grabbed her hand. Instant warmth spread up my arm, flushing my face and making my head feel like I was standing under a heat lamp.
"You should let go before I arrest you," she snapped. I tried to suppress a chuckle. She'd always talked about becoming a cop, but I still couldn't believe she'd gone through with it.
"I don't want you to go," I told her, still gripping her hand.
"Why not?" She was still angry, but at least she had stopped moving. I knew I had one chance to keep her here. If I blew it now, I'd never get this chance again.
"Because I haven't beaten you at skee-ball yet," I finally told her.
As soon as it was out of my mouth, I knew it had been the right thing to say. Treena's face registered surprise which quickly turned into a slow, wide grin. Her cheeks colored slightly.
"Last time we played, I beat the hell out of you and made you dance with me." I let go of her hand, and she didn't fly for the exit.
"Last time we played, I let you win so I could dance with you at prom without looking like a fool in front of my friends."
"That's what you claim," she said, the smile finally lighting in her eyes. "Bet I can whoop you again."
"What are the terms?" I asked, falling into a familiar and oddly comfortable repartee with her.
She screwed up her face, thinking. "If I win—when I win—I want you to get up on one of these tables and tell everyone here that you're a giant buffoon and don't deserve my forgiveness."
"You don't have to win for me to do that," I said, making a quick decision. I turned and jumped onto the table we'd been sitting at a moment before. Treena's eyes widened to saucers.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Attention please, can I have everyone's attention?" At least fifty sets of eyes all turned toward me. "I am a buffoon. I don't deserve Treena Walker's forgiveness." Treena smacked my leg with the palm of her hand, her face red, but she was laughing hysterically.
"Get down!" she cried through her giggles.
"Treena Walker," I continued. The group of people who were watching us started to giggle now, too. I saw some of them with their phones out and knew this would be all over YouTube later. My face was too damned recognizable, especially since I was still wearing the jersey I'd left practice in. I wished now that I'd taken the time to change out of it, but I'd been frantic to get to Penny's. After Penny's, I'd been frantic to get to a meeting. I'd come straight to Jon and Buddy’s afterward to meet Caden.
"Treena Walker," I said again, "can you find it in your heart to forgive me for acting like a complete jackass?"
"Yes!" she cried. "Yes! You're forgiven! Now get down before we get thrown out!" She was trying hard to sound serious but failing miserably at it. Her laughter didn't falter for a second. I took her hand and stepped off the table to a cheering crowd.
"I can't believe you did that," she said.
"I still haven't told you what I want if I win our game."
"What do you want?" she asked carefully, arching a perfectly plucked eyebrow.
"You'll just have to wait to find out," I said winking and pulled her toward the skee-ball games.
8
Treena
Jax's lips were like fire as they pressed against my mouth. His hands felt their way under my shirt, and I was glad I'd worn the black lace push-up from Victoria's Secret instead of the cheap Walmart bra I'd been prone to lately.
It was a good thing my key finally slipped into the lock because I was ready to tell Jax to break my door down if we weren't inside my apartment in the next five seconds. As soon as my door shut, our clothes were flying through the air. We were all hands and skin and hot breath panting against each other as Jax carried me to the bedroom.
I half-jumped, half-crawled out of his arms as I wiggled my way onto the mattress, squirming under him as his bare skin pressed against my body. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt this strong of an urge to have a man inside me. His breath smelled like tropical fruit punch, and I had to bite my tongue to stop from laughing as I thought of the twenty virgin cocktails we'd shared until I'd finally conceded that he was a better skee-ball player.
I still didn't know who’d kissed who first, but the second it had happened, I'd known I was a goner. There was no way I could tear myself away from Jax now that he was back in my life. I nipped at his ear as he pressed his core to me. His golden skin was salty-sweet as I moved my mouth to his chest, kissing every inch of his tight muscles. The hard V of his abs was like a fucking wall that I wanted to knock down with my tongue.
His cock pushed between my legs, and I felt myself swell with excitement. My labia pulsed with each fast beat of my heart as Jax tapped the tip of his cock against my opening. I spread myself wide for him, and when he finally sank into me, I wrapped my legs around his muscular back and squeezed as tightly as I could, locking us together.
His cock filled me from side to side as he pulsed his hips against mine. I rose to meet every thrust, feeling my throat run dry and my fever grow out of control as he sank into me again and again. I opened my eyes, and the world was nothing but a blur rolling by me at racecar speed. My heart felt like it might explode at any second. I gulped for breath, tasting our sweat on my tongue as Jax pounded into me.
"Oh, God," I groaned as my thighs clenched. Beads of sweat ran between my legs, sizzling on my skin.
I ran my hands up and down Jax's chest as he hovered inches over me. His skin was hot to the touch and smooth except for the soft patch of hair spread across six inches of his width. I ran my fingers through the velvety, dark curls and felt Jax's erection grow inside me. He bent his elbows, bringing his mouth close to my chest. His tongue flicked in and out, lapping at my hard, round nipples. He never broke his rhythm.
"I've thought about this for so long," he said, moving his mouth from my breasts to my ear. He kissed my earlobe, tickling it, before shifting to my mouth. Our tongues twirled together in a rollercoaster of excitement.
"I still can't believe this isn't a dream," I whispered back to him when I had a chance to breathe. I hoped that didn't sound too clichéd. Jax's blue eyes fixed on mine, burning me with the intensity of his stare.
"I know what you mean," he said, then rolled his hips forward once again. Our hips slapped together loud enough to wake the neighbors, and I moaned loudly, not caring who heard us.
"I'm gonna cum!" I shouted. My words instilled a fresh fervor in Jax. His cock moved deeper into me. I unlocked my legs from behind his back and opened myself as wide as I could for him. I felt every inch of him inside me, sailing deep into my pussy as my body suddenly exploded.
Tremors ripped through me from head to toe as my orgasm took hold, possessing me. My legs quaked and my back arched. A wave of pleasure rippled through my core like a tsunami. I opened my eyes just in time to see Jax's baby blues rolling back. His body stiffened, and I watched his own orgasm grip him. Finally, he collapsed next to me. We lay together, panting like we'd just run a marathon, before Jax rolled over and threw one arm over me. I started laughing.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"This time," I said, a teasing glimmer in my eye, "I let you win."
His eyes widened. "No way. I'm reigning skee-ball champion."
"Whatever you need to tell yourself."
Jax grinned at me. "Rematch tomorrow night?" he asked. "No holds barred. Winner takes all."
"You're on."
9
Jax
My phone rang, makin
g me jump. I slipped quickly out of bed before it could ring again and wake Treena too. It was still in my pants pocket out in the hallway. I couldn't believe how fast we'd ripped each other's clothes off. This night had been wild and unexpected... in all the right ways.
It started to go off again, and I grabbed hold of it just in time, turning and looking back at Treena through the open bedroom door. She was still asleep.
"Hello?" I whispered. I hadn't even bothered to look at the caller ID.
"Jax?"
"Penny?" I glanced at a clock. It was after three. "Do you know what time it is?"
"I just wanted to say goodbye," she said. Her voice was throaty, and it sounded like she'd been crying. Penny usually cried when she was drunk, though, so it wasn't exactly a surprise.
"Listen—"
"I should never have left. You're the only decent guy out there. I know that now." She let out a long sob, and I moved farther down the hall, away from Treena's bedroom. "The last guy I was with... oh, Jax... I made a huge mistake."
"Penny, I don't want to hear about 'the last guy,' alright? If you need help, real help, then I'm there for you, okay? I've told you that. I'll drive you to rehab, I'll help you find meetings, but these late-night drunk calls have to stop. I'm not gonna take them anymore."
"They'll stop. It's all gonna stop. That's what I wanted to tell you."
Something suddenly clicked in my head. "What did you mean before when you said, 'goodbye’?”
"I'm done with this life, Jax." Her words slurred together, but her meaning was clear.
"Penny, don't do anything stupid. Don't do something you can't take back."
"It's too late," she said.
My heart fluttered. For all of the shit Penny had put me through, she wasn't a bad person. When I'd first met her, she'd been fun, a ball of laughs. It was only as she'd sunk—as we'd sunk—down into the depths of addiction that she'd changed. I'd never heard this level of desperation in her voice before.
