by Muse, M. W.
She slowly turned her head toward River while she cleared her throat to make sure she could speak without her voice cracking. “When do you want to head back?”
He turned toward Legacy. “Whenever you’re ready,” he said like nothing was going on underneath the table, but he stared at her for a few seconds longer while he gave her leg a gentle squeeze.
She was happy her hair was down because she just knew her ears were flaming red. She hoped she wasn’t actually showing any signs on her face, but the slight smile River flashed, which disappeared as quickly as it had formed, was confirmation that she was, in fact, blushing.
Legacy picked up her water and guzzled half of it down. She peered at Calli. “Are you ready?”
“Yeah.”
On the way back to school, River didn’t say or act any differently than he had before the pass he’d just made. It was as if it hadn’t happened.
Except it had.
During the pep rally, Legacy sat with Kate, Ellen, and Thad. Alex and Laos sat a couple of rows behind them, but their bickering couldn’t be ignored. If the two of them hated each other as much as it seemed, she had no idea why they tortured themselves by hanging out all the time. Whatever. Ellen and Thad were pretty much in their own little world, so Legacy and Kate chatted amongst themselves while the festivities were underway and cheered for River and Seth when their names were called.
Afterward, they all walked to the parking lot. Calli invited her to stay the night at her house, so Calli was going to follow her home so she could get a change of clothes. When everyone disbursed to their respective rides, River opened Legacy’s door for her—like he had ever since school started—and hugged her before she got in—just like he always did when she hadn’t been enforcing the no physical contract rule that started at the beginning of the school year. That seemed like a lifetime ago.
Calli followed her home, and then she ran upstairs to get some PJs, her toiletries, and clothes for tomorrow, after explaining to Lissa she’d be staying over at Calli’s. She threw her bag in the backseat of Calli’s BMW as she got in. They gabbed on the way to the game about River’s under-table moves at lunch, which Calli found a little too comical. By the time they reached the gym, the game still had about thirty minutes before it’d start, so spectators were only slowly trickling in. Legacy made her way up the bleachers while Calli retreated to where the cheerleaders were supposed to meet. She watched the opposing team warm up, but caught herself glancing over to the varsity locker room, waiting for their school’s team to come out.
A few minutes later, they did.
She watched one-by-one as they exited the locker room until she found River. He was hamming it up with Seth, but as soon as he hit the court, he scanned the bleachers. She smiled when their eyes met, and he winked back before starting to warm up.
Legacy was surprised how well he looked out there. The little instructional session they’d had helped because she wasn’t completely clueless—only slightly. Though, he looked much more efficient right now than he had the other night. While she watched, Kate came up to join her. They talked about how little they knew about basketball and watched the guys practice while other students, parents, family, friends, and faculty filled the stands. Calli came up and chatted for a few minutes before the game actually started, and then the buzzer sounded.
River was right. This was very fast-paced.
Legacy and Kate were the diligent little cheering section for their friends, both getting really excited whenever River or Seth made a basket. Before they knew it, it was halftime.
Calli did a fantastic job with their new routine. She had explained earlier how they had to save this routine for basketball season since the movements were too small to really standout on a football field.
The rest of the game finished quickly, and when the final buzzer sounded, they had won by a rather large margin. She and Kate whooped and hollered while Calli and the cheerleaders cheered more gracefully at their victory.
Legacy and Kate ran down the stands and onto the court, mimicking the other fans. Kate leaped right into Seth’s arms, and he swung her around. Calli had already given River a quick hug since she was right by the players during the game, and then she started gathering her gear. Legacy walked up to River while he was celebrating with some of his teammates.
“Congratulations!” she said as she approached him from his side. He turned to face her.
He closed the distance between them with one step and picked her up in a bear hug while she laughed.
“Our little basketball lesson was worth it. I actually understood most of what happened,” she said as he put her down.
“I already thought it was worth it,” he said with a glowing smile. Of course he would because she’d kissed him.
“I have to go change. Can you wait for me?” he asked as he started to turn around.
“O-okay.” He didn’t give her a chance to explain she had ridden with Calli, but she figured her BFF wouldn’t mind waiting. River followed his teammates back into the locker room. Legacy heard several chants once they were all inside and rolled her eyes at the amount of testosterone that was being embraced in there.
She walked over to Calli and tried to tell her about River asking her to wait for him, but Calli was clearly distracted. “Did you see who showed up tonight?” she said with a crooked smile.
“Er, no. Who?”
“Paul. One o’clock.”
Legacy looked in the direction she was indicating, and there was River’s cousin, Paul. “I guess he came up to watch River.”
“Uh-huh. Anyway, I heard some of the players talking about going out to celebrate. Want to go?”
“Oh, umm, sure.”
“Good. If you go, then River will go, and if River goes, then maybe Paul will go.”
“I thought you weren’t interested.”
“I’m not. He’s just eye candy. Nothing wrong with having a little distraction.”
Legacy chuckled and rolled her eyes. Then she helped Calli lug her things to her car. They made it back just as the basketball team was disbursing. Paul was talking to River when they walked over.
“You going to Beef’s with everyone else?” Calli asked River.
“I was thinking about it. I’m not sure if Paul wants to go, though,” he said, giving his cousin a slanted looked.
“Oh, sure you do, Paul,” Calli said. “We’re going. I can keep you company.” She put her hand around his arm as to lead him away.
“Oh, well, then, that changes things,” Paul said, laughing.
Legacy looked at River, and he was glowing, riding the high of winning with the prospect of getting to celebrate that victory with her, no doubt.
He stepped up to her and put his hand on her back to guide her, and they following Paul and Calli out of the gym.
She and Calli followed River and Paul to the restaurant, and they all had a blast hanging out with their classmates, but after about an hour, it was getting a little tedious. It was only ten o’clock, so not really late for a Friday night, but they had already had such a full day. Calli looked at Legacy and gave her that are you ready look, which Legacy responded with a slow nod.
Legacy looked at River and said, “I think Calli and I are leaving.”
But then Calli leaned over her to look at River. “You two can come over and watch some movies if you want. Legacy’s staying over with me tonight.”
What the…? What was Calli doing? She knew her BFF liked hanging out with Paul, but as far as she was concerned, the day was already a success. No need to press her luck with River. She tried not to think about it, in case her energy faltered. Instead, she thought happy thoughts about hanging out at Calli’s house. Because she knew exactly what this was going to be.
An impromptu date.
Chapter Eight
“Sure,” Paul answered for River a little too enthusiastically. That sealed it. Legacy’s night wasn’t over. They said their goodbyes to their fellow classmates, and the
guys followed them to Calli’s house.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” she muttered to Calli once they were alone.
“Oh, c’mon, Legacy. I’m entitled to a little male companionship too. I need the practice. I’ve been doing really well putting Zach behind me, but I know I’m not ready to date. I think spending time with Paul will help speed up that process.” She seemed a little amused when she said this, though. What was Legacy missing here?
Legacy sighed. “You’re right. You’ve been helping me with all my problems, and I’ve been totally lacking in my best friend duties. I suck.”
“Nah. I’m a big girl. Besides, we help each other.”
They pulled into Calli’s estate and saw River park his car at his house. Calli changed out of her uniform, and Legacy put on a pair of leggings and a long t-shirt. She wanted to be comfortable if they were going to be lounging around, watching a movie. Calli got the movie ready while Legacy nuked the popcorn. After about twenty minutes, the guys knocked on the door.
Calli answered since Legacy was still tending to the microwave. She had her back to the door as she heard someone walk in. “I’m almost finished,” she said as she pulled the second bag out of the microwave, shaking it as she turned around.
It was River in different clothes. He was still in athletic pants, but these were a personal pair, not part of his basketball uniform, with a fitted t-shirt. Not only had he changed, but his hair looked slightly damp. He must have jumped in the shower to freshen up before coming over.
“Do you need any help?” he asked.
“Nope. Unless you want to grab some drinks.”
She poured the popcorn in the second bowl while River got some drinks out of the refrigerator. He held the door open for her while she carried the two bowls. As she passed by him, she could smell the freshly applied cologne on his body. It wasn’t strong, just a subtle hint of the same pleasant but manly scent he wore on his birthday.
He followed her to the media room where Calli and Paul were already plopped on the couch. It was a small media room. Calli’s parents didn’t really like the movie theater feel of home theaters that were popular of late; rather, they wanted to be comfortable and cozy while watching movies on the state-of-the art flat screen with surround sound system. Instead of oversized recliners, the Rhodes had a custom overstuffed couch and ottoman built to fit in the back part of the room. Legacy and River had to climb onto it, and it was big enough that several people could spread out in several different directions without touching each other.
She passed Calli a bowl of the popcorn, and River handed them their drinks before he and Legacy scooted into place. They sat right beside each other, their legs touching. When the movie started, the lights automatically dimmed in increments until the only light radiating in the room came from the screen. As soon as it was dark, she felt as if she was alone with River in this room. Even though it was small, Calli and Paul seemed to be far enough away that they might as well have been in another room entirely.
When she lifted up slightly to grab her drink, River gently stroked her back. As she eased back against the couch, he slowly slid his hand up and across her back so that his arm was wrapped around her shoulder and she was up against him rather than the couch. They both munched on the popcorn while they watched the movie, their hands brushing against each other every now and then in the bowl.
But no way was she actually watching the movie. It was some action flick that Calli had picked, thinking the guys would like it. Legacy was too focused on every move and every sound River made to even think about paying attention to the screen. She was obsessing about River, analyzing everything. He’d been careful the first time he’d put his hand on her knee, just like he had been again today. But if he was keeping what happened between them private, did he feel that way about showing affection in front of Paul and Calli? He did put his arm around her, which either meant he didn’t care what they thought, or it was too dark and they were too self-involved to care about the likes of them.
But then again, he’d put his arms around her plenty over the last six months. Ugh! She didn’t need to think about what he might do. She just needed to let go and enjoy—truly enjoy—this time with him.
About thirty minutes into the movie, she turned to River. “Please move the popcorn so I’ll stop eating it.” She chuckled.
He laughed lightly and set it on the other side of his legs. Then he lifted the hand that was dangling off her shoulder and gently stroked her hair while he went back to watching the movie. He lightly ran his fingers through her hair, grazing her scalp every few strokes, making it prickle. She tilted her head in his direction, her breath hitting the crook of his neck with each exhale while she breathed in his scent—a scent she was finding more and more pleasant—with every inhale.
River’s breathing spiked a few seconds after she’d started breathing against his skin. He slowly slid his other hand onto her leg while he turned his head in her direction, resting his cheek against her forehead, knotting his hand in her hair.
She wondered if he was peeking at their company. She didn’t really care at this moment if they noticed what was happening. What did that mean? She immediately blocked that worry and placed her hand on his chest. A soft gasp escaped his lips. Then he moved the hand he’d just placed on her leg up to the hand that was on his chest. He gently caressed it.
Legacy pulled her hand away, just slightly, and River continued to rub it until their palms touched. He rubbed his palm against hers, lightly grazing his fingers against hers. That light touch tingled throughout her hand, making her move her hand more eagerly against his. Then he clasped his fingers with hers. He turned his head as he brought their joined hands to his mouth, and he kissed the back of her hand.
She eased her head against the cushion to get a better view of what he was doing. She watched his face as he kissed her hand a second, third, fourth time. He had has eyes closed, taking in the sweet smell of her skin with each kiss.
While she watched, his eyes opened and flashed to hers, and then he looked over her head at Calli and Paul for a tiny moment before gazing into her eyes again. He slowly pulled her hand back to his chest, and she could feel his heart thudding. She took an unsteady breath while she watched his eyes watching her.
Shallow breaths was all either of them could muster. By the way he looked at her, she could tell he wanted to make a move—a more serious move. She saw him steal another glance at Calli and Paul, and then he leaned closer. His gaze flashed in the direction of their company one more time as he closed the distance between them.
A muted noise from another room startled her, and she twisted in Calli’s direction and dropped River’s hand. Calli had her back to them, and Paul was fixated on the movie.
“Calli, is that your phone?” Legacy asked.
“Huh?”
She heard it again. “That,” she said, pointing in the direction of the sound.
“Crap. This room has a sound barrier, so noises outside are muffled,” she said, pausing the moving and getting up. “I’ll be right back.”
“I’m going to take a leak,” Paul said, standing up.
After Paul and Calli left the room, Legacy and River sat in semi-darkness with the glow of the stilled movie casting light across their faces. Alone. He stared at her just as intensely as before the interruption, maybe even more so now that they had no audience. He picked up the hand he was holding and put her palm against his cheek, his eyes hungry. That was the only warning Legacy got.
Seizing the opportunity, River crushed his lips to hers, moaning as he kissed her. She slid her hand up his face and tangled it in his soft, dark hair. He wrapped his free hand around her body, pulling her against him as he shifted in his seat to feel her completely pressed against him. His body was hard everywhere and she had to force herself not to whimper. They kept kissing until muffled footprints came toward the room. River pulled away right before Calli and Paul walked in.
Legacy realized she,
too, needed a bathroom break, not so much for the relief on her bladder, though. She put her hand on River’s knee to stand up, but looked at Calli. “I’m going to the restroom. You can go ahead and start the movie without me.”
“You sure?” Calli asked while River watched her intently from his seated position.
“Yeah. I’ve seen this before.”
She left the media room and went straight to the bathroom. She stayed for a few minutes staring at herself, trying not to think about what she was doing because if she did, she didn’t know if River could feel the change in her energy. She didn’t know what her energy range was or if she even had one. After she felt somewhat composed, she opened the door. She stepped out of the restroom, and saw River waiting to use it. But he stood at the other end of the hall, giving her some privacy. “All yours,” she said with a smile as she walked toward him.
“Not yet,” he murmured.
Not yet. She felt the blow to her chest. She knew what he meant, and there was no doubt he realized she wasn’t talking about herself when she said that. He’d once said he was a good player when they were at the fair during the fall, and she knew then what he’d meant by that too. He was a player.
A good one.
She stared at him as she stopped walking. He was the one to take the last remaining steps in her direction.
“Let’s get some fresh air,” he said softly.
Legacy nodded and headed outside, seeking the privacy of Calli’s backyard. She walked over to the outdoor fireplace and sat on the lavish patio couch, which was nice enough to be a settee in a formal living room of an upper-middle class home.
River sat beside her but not as close as before. She shivered as the cold night air hit her uncovered arms, and she lightly chafed them.
“Maybe fresh air wasn’t such a good idea,” she said with a chuckle.
River stood up and turned on the fireplace.
“Well, that was easy,” she muttered, rolling her eyes playfully.
“I know how to start a real fire too.” He laughed.
