PENALTY

by Jacob Chance

  My fingers curl into the back of his neck. “Kiss me, dammit.”

  He smiles only a sliver of space between our lips, before pressing into them more urgently. My mouth parts beneath his and his tongue slicks along the inside of my lower lip before biting it with his sharp teeth. “Fuck. We need to stop. You’re getting me hard. I don’t want to be arrested for carrying a concealed weapon in my pants.”

  Snorting, I whack his chest.

  “Let’s walk some more. There’s a lot you haven’t seen.” We continue to wander around the park. Brady points out various features to me and entertains me with amusing stories of his youth, before the conversation takes a turn for the more serious.

  “I’m sure you noticed the tension between my dad and I.” He rakes a hand through his hair. “I’m not sure why, but we’ve butted heads for as long as I can remember. No matter what I do it’s never good enough for him.” He shakes his head and runs his hand over his chin. “It’s like his sole purpose is to critique everything I do and tell me how it could be better.”

  “I’m sorry things are so strained between you guys,” I offer, feeling sympathetic. I’m in a similar situation with Cindy.

  “He’s not like that with Trevor and I’m glad. My brother will never have to feel like he’s constantly disappointing the one person he’s always wanted to impress the most.” He steers us to an empty park bench and we sit down. He turns to face me. “I’ve recently realized that I no longer worry what my father thinks and that’s a huge load off my shoulders. Now, the only person I care about impressing is you. I want you to be proud of me. Your opinion is the one I value most. You’re the most important person in my life, Harlow and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

  It feels strange to be back at school and not spending every moment with Brady. This past weekend was the best of my life. The two days we spent in New York City were a blast, but now we’re back in the daily grind of school, and final exams. I miss him. At least with football season being done, I see him more than I used to. No matter how much time we spend together, I never seem to tire of him. He’s an addiction I never wanted, but now that I have him, I don’t want to ever be without.

  Class lets out and I’m pleased with how well prepared I was for the exam. Filtering into the crowd of students in the hallway, I make my way toward the front exit. My ear buds are in and I’m silently singing along to Kings of Leon when I feel a hand grab my ass. My head snaps over my shoulder, my mouth open, ready to lay into whoever had the audacity to put their hands on me. The only person I find within groping distance is Brady and he has a giant smile on his face. His hands are up in front of him in a gesture of helplessness. “Don’t hit me,” he jokes.

  Slowing my pace, he slides in next to me, wrapping his arm around me. I poke him in the stomach. “You’re a jerk. I thought you were that Cameron dude.”

  Brady’s steps stop, halting me at the same time. He pulls me to the side of the hallway. “Why did you think I was Cameron? Does he grab your ass?” he asks, a muscle in his cheek tensing.

  I chew on my bottom lip, already regretting the words that came out of my mouth. “He grabbed my ass one night when Raine and I were out. It was before you and I were together.”

  He rolls his neck and clenches his fingers. “He what?” he asks, leaning toward me. His voice is deeper than I’ve ever heard and his expression is darker than I’ve ever seen.

  “He grabbed my ass, but I took care of it.” I place a hand on his arm, running my fingers up and down his tricep muscle. “I told him to knock it off and called him an asshole,” I explain, hoping to calm him.

  “I don’t think your words packed the same punch my fist will.”

  “Brady,” I pause, gripping both his arms. “I don’t want you to do anything to Cameron. Please don’t turn this into a big thing.”

  “It is a big thing. He put his hands on you.” He cups my face in his large palms. “He put his hands on my girl.”

  “I wasn’t your girl then, Brady.”

  He peers down into my eyes, his expression earnest, his blue eyes more serious than I’ve ever seen them. “You’ve always belonged to me; we just didn’t know it yet.” He places his forehead against mine and my arms wrap around his waist. My fingers burrow under the bottom of his sweatshirt and grip the soft cotton of his t-shirt while I inhale the masculine scent of his cologne.

  “That was the sweetest, most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

  He smiles, our foreheads still touching. “Bet you didn’t think I had it in me.”

  “Nothing surprises me about you, anymore.”

  He straightens up, gazing down at me. “Can I surprise you with lunch? I was thinking we could grab a Gino’s pizza and head back to my place for the afternoon.”

  Licking my lips, already anticipating the delicious taste of the pizza, I enthusiastically nod my head.

  Thirty minutes later, we’re kicking back on his sofa, happily holding a slice of pizza in one hand and a beer in the other - it’s five o’clock somewhere. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

  “I’ve never drunk during the daytime hours before. Does this mean I’m developing a drinking problem?” I ask Brady before I drink down another large sip of the beer.

  He chuckles. “You’re the last person who has to worry about that. I think I’ve seen you drink a total of three times.”

  “How did your exams go?” I ask winding the extra cheese around my finger and then tugging it off with my teeth.

  “I think it went okay.” He shrugs.

  “I bet if you didn’t have a football scholarship you’d be more concerned.”

  “You might be right, but I do have it,” he says tickling my side. I squirm to escape his fingers, giggling.

  “Stop, I’m going to choke on my pizza,” I sputter. His fingers leave my side and I sigh in relief.

  “When are we having dinner with your stepmom?” he asks out of the blue.

  “I’ve told you like three times now, Brady. Are you messing with me?” I huff.

  “Yep. I like to see you get all worked up, kitten. Your cheeks get flushed like when I make you come.”

  “Brady,” I shout. “I can’t believe you just said that to me.”

  “Did you decide what you’re doing for the winter break?” he questions.

  “I’m going home.”

  “And?”

  “And then I’m coming back here to spend the last two weeks with you.”

  He leans over and brushes his lips against mine. “I’m glad you decided to come back early.” He runs his index finger down my nose and then steals the piece of crust from my hand without me noticing until I watch him push it into his mouth. “Hey, that’s my favorite part. You’re a thief.”

  He winks, chewing at the same time and then takes a large gulp of his beer to wash it all down. “I was only thinking of your safety.”

  Raising a brow at him, I ask, “What are you talking about? I’ve been eating pizza for years now.”

  He turns to face me his shoulder leaning against the back of the couch. His hands grip my hips, pulling me toward him. I end up flat on my back, the cushions soft under me as his fingers dig into my sides. I shriek and kick, trying to wiggle away from the savage tickling, but I can’t escape.

  “Brady - stop. I - can’t – take - anymore,” I choke out.

  His fingers begin to slow down, switching from tickling on top of my shirt, to caressing my skin underneath it. His eyes gleam mischievously as he hovers over me. “It’s time for dessert.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  BRADY

  Pausing in front of the door, I run a hand through my hair. Shifting the bouquet of flowers and bottle of wine into one arm, I take a breath. This is the house Harlow grew up in and it’s time to meet her stepmom. I’m not sure what to think of her. What I’ve heard doesn’t paint her in a favorable light, but Harlow hasn’t really told me too many details about her. I get the impression they’re not close.
I’m hoping to know more after dinner tonight.

  I knock and it’s only a few seconds before the door swings open. A breathless Harlow answers with a large smile. Her eyes shine brightly with excitement and I hope I have something to do with how happy she seems. “Hey,” she squeals and throws her arms around me. Yep, I do. Wrapping an arm around her, I do my best to avoid crushing the flowers and dropping the wine.

  “Hi. It’s so good to see you.” I squeeze her tight, placing a kiss on top of her head. “I missed you.” We haven’t seen each other for two weeks now and have only talked on the phone. I’m not a fan of phone calls, but I’ve learned to make an exception for Harlow. I needed to hear her voice as much as she wanted to hear mine.

  I went to New York for a week and then to my mom’s for Christmas. We both agreed I’d come here for dinner tonight and then Harlow will return to Boston with me. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve.

  I’m looking forward to two weeks of uninterrupted time with her. My roommates are all spending the rest of the school break with their families so we’ll have the whole apartment to ourselves.

  “Give me those lips, kitten. I’ve been too long without them,” I growl, my face against her neck. She tips her face up and my hand grips the back of her hair tugging her head back. Her eyes flare with surprise and then desire as my lips move closer. The first contact is whisper soft. My mouth moves over hers, barely making contact, teasing us both. Her warm breath fans over my lips in a soft sigh and all thought of teasing her is gone. Pressing my lips to hers, my tongue tastes her plump bottom lip before diving inside to become reacquainted with hers. She moans into my mouth and leans every inch of her tight body into me.

  Our kiss quickly grows heated and my body responds to her touch. I want to fuck her hard against the front door, the rest of the world be damned. I want to - but I can’t. Tearing my mouth from hers, I rest my forehead on hers and wait for my breathing to slow.

  “To be continued later,” I say with a chuckle.

  Her hand slips between us and she grips my cock through my jeans. “Are you sure?”

  I groan and briefly enjoy the pleasurable sensation of her fingers roaming up and down my hard length, before I pull her hand away.

  “You need to behave, kitten. I want nothing more than to slam you into this door and take you hard and fast, but now is not the time.”

  Her eyes gleam with desire and it’s all I can do to keep myself in control. I clench my teeth together and glance away from the temptation she presents with her shiny lips and the tight white sweater she’s wearing.

  Releasing her from my hold, I take a step backward. I need some space between us. It’s been too long since we were together and I missed her even more than I expected. “Let’s get inside so I can get you back to my place sooner.” I wink.

  “I like the way you think.” She winks back and I grin at how adorable she is. She spins around and I follow her inside. My eyes scan the open entryway of the typical New England Colonial style home, while she pushes the door closed. There’s a tall stairway almost directly in front of us and a railing running across the second-floor balcony.

  “Here, give me your coat,” she says holding out her hand. Maneuvering the wine and flowers I’m holding, I manage to shrug it off. She hangs it in a closet near the front door. Taking me by the hand, she says, “Cindy is in the kitchen preparing dinner.”

  I can hear the sounds of her cooking and the delicious aroma has my mouth watering. The water from the faucet is running. The clanging of pots and the sound of dishes being put away, all register in my ears as we’re only a few steps from the doorway.

  My stomach feels a little unsettled and I’m not sure why. I’ve never worried about making a good impression on someone when I meet them, but I’ve never been in love before. I’ve never had a reason to care until now which changes everything. I run a hand through my hair and glance down at my black untucked button down shirt. This is as good as it’s going to get. Hopefully, she’ll think I’m a good fit for Harlow.

  The kitchen is large and brightly lit with maple cabinets running the length of the room up to a large sliding glass door. Harlow’s stepmom is at the sink with her back to us.

  “Brady’s here,” Harlow announces over the sound of water running. We stop about five feet from her and wait for her to finish what she’s doing. She wipes her hands on a dish towel before turning around. “I’m Cindy,” she says.

  My eyes scan over her taking in her deep red hair and the bright pink of her lips. My heart feels like it stops and then pounds against my chest when I see the rest of her face. My throat feels like I’ve swallowed a boulder. No, this can’t be fucking happening.

  Her face briefly registers shock and then moves to a smile as she walks toward me.

  No. No. No. I shout inside my head with every step she takes, moving closer. She holds her hand out and I don’t want to touch her, but I know it’s inevitable. When our skin touches, she smirks and I feel nauseous. I know my whole world is about to implode in the worst fucking way possible.

  “Brady, huh? We never exchanged names that night, did we?” The scent of her floral perfume dredges up unwanted memories. My stomach clenches and rolls. I feel sick.

  I don’t say anything. All I can think of is the hurt this is going to cause Harlow.

  “Come on, don’t be shy now, sugar,” she says.

  “Do you guys know each other?” Harlow asks, glancing back and forth between Cindy and me.

  I remain silent. I can’t get past the lump in my throat to find the words to answer.

  “Oh you could say that,” she replies looking like the cat who just ate the canary.

  “I don’t understand,” Harlow frowns, tucking her hair behind an ear.

  Cindy opens her mouth to answer and I interrupt. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” I gesture with my head that I want to leave the kitchen.

  She nervously chews on her bottom lip. “Sure. We’ll be back in a few minutes,” she calls over her shoulder as I tug her along with me. Once we reach the entryway, I stop and turn to face her. Taking a deep breath, I study the way her hand fits in mine.

  Please don’t let this be the last time I’m ever this close to her.

  “I need to tell you something and you might hate me after you hear it.”

  She shakes her head. “I won’t. Just tell me.”

  “I had sex with your stepmother,” I blurt out, ripping the band aid clear off.

  She gasps, dropping my hand and rubbing her palm along her thigh as if it burned her. “No,” she whispers.

  “I didn’t know who she was,” I quickly spit out. “I met her at a bar and we went back to her hotel room. We…”

  “Stop,” she shouts interrupting my hurtful words. Her eyes are tear filled. “I don’t want the play by play. When did this happen? Were we together?” Her voice cracks and her hand covers her mouth as the tears begin to fall.

  I grip her upper arms and stare down into her sad gray eyes. “No, it was before school started. It was meaningless. We didn’t even exchange names.”

  “Well that makes it all better,” she says, sarcasm dripping from her tone.

  “I know it doesn’t make it better.” I shake my head. “I know nothing I can say will make this any easier for you. All I can say is I’m sorry. I wish I had made better decisions before I met you.”

  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” She takes a step back, breaking my hold on her. “I think it would be best if you left now.”

  “Harlow, no. I…” My words freeze in my throat when I take in her stricken expression. Nothing I can say at this point will matter. She needs time to process what she just learned and come to grips with the horrible truth. If that’s even a possibility.

  This might be the last time we speak. “I love you,” I grit out. My teeth clenching to keep from losing my shit. I want to punch a hole in the fucking wall.

  She shakes her head, tears running down her pink cheeks before whirling a
round. Running up the stairs, she disappears from my sight.

  I resist the urge to follow her. Instead, I grab my jacket, not bothering to put it on and as my hand closes around the metal doorknob I hear Cindy’s voice.

  “I’ve thought about you often since our night together.” She moves up close to my side. I stare straight at the door.

  “Did you ever think about me?” Her fingers seek my arm, tracing along my bicep.

  I shrug her hand off and turn my head in her direction. I’m going to make my answer crystal clear so there’s no chance of her getting the wrong impression.

  “No. I never thought of you again. You were just a meaningless fuck and the minute I walked out the door you were forgotten. I never thought about you again until you approached me outside of the lecture hall a few weeks ago. I was only being polite when you came over and hugged me. I’m in love with your daughter. She’s the only woman I want - the only woman worth remembering.”

  My hand turns the knob and I slip outside. I breathe a sigh of relief as I pull the door closed behind me putting some space between me and the biggest mistake of my life. I head to my truck, but then veer off toward the garage when I catch sight of the trash barrel. Flipping open the cover, I drop the flowers and bottle of wine inside and then slam the top shut. I don’t want any physical reminders of this night. The ache in my chest is reminder enough.

  Chapter Sixteen

  HARLOW

  After throwing myself on my bed, I break into gut wrenching sobs.

  How can this be happening?

  When did they even meet?

  My mind rolls back to the end of August. That was the last time my mother stayed at a hotel in Boston. She helped me move my stuff into my dorm and she stayed overnight to take care of some business in the city the next day. I can’t believe when she left my dorm she met Brady in a bar. With all the fucking places to go out in Boston, they just had to pick the same one. If only I had asked her to stay longer or if I’d gone with her back to her hotel, then they never would’ve met and none of this would have happened.