“The worst,” she whispered, her mouth hovering just in front of mine.
I wanted to close the distance between us, but I also wanted to leave this next move in her hands.
“You really love me?” she asked.
I pulled back slightly so she could read the truth of my words on my face. “I love you more than I thought it was possible to love someone. I’m sorry I almost ruined everything. Walking away from you was the worst decision I ever made. Thank you for coming to me even though I hurt you. I didn’t deserve it.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t make decisions about what anyone deserves anymore either.”
I smiled. “I’ll take it under advisement.”
“Good. And for the record, I love you too. Now hurry up and kiss me, dumbass.”
Who was I to ignore a directive like that?
Chapter Seventeen
D R E W
I’d convinced myself I’d never have this again. And as I took in the way her body fit perfectly against mine, I was happy to have been wrong.
We had to unfuse our mouths so I could hobble down the hallway toward the bedroom. But that didn’t bother me much because we’d finally found a common page in this misadventure we’d been on.
There was no getting around the fact that I still had my doubts about how long this would last—how long it would take for her to move on to someone more in her league—but those thoughts were quieter now. They thrummed low in a background that was overwhelmed by want and need. With enough time, I hoped they’d disappear completely.
The desire I felt for her was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, which perhaps explained why I’d been rudderless in life for so long. If this was what passion felt like, then I’d need to work harder to find it in all aspects of my life. But for now, I was going to focus on what was in front of me.
We hurried through the slightly ajar door of the bedroom, and I stumbled a bit as she backed awkwardly to the bed, obviously caught between wanting to help me and wanting to leave my pride intact.
It made our dance strange and off-balance but somehow all the more perfect for it. I leaned in to kiss her quickly before our lips broke apart so we could each breathe a short laugh before we dived back in, tasting each other as our tongues tangled.
I belatedly thought about how Brody would not appreciate walking in on this and that we should probably at least have locked the door, but I quickly dismissed the concern because it wasn’t even in the same stratosphere of importance as getting Sophia naked and under me.
I eased her back on the bed, giving her space to scoot up a bit before I somehow hauled up after her, blanketing her clothed body with mine. Thank God I’d gotten clearance to put some weight on my leg, though I did my best to angle my body enough to accommodate it.
I was desperate to get her naked, but I also didn’t want this to be over too soon. I wanted to savor the fact that I could kiss this girl—my girl—again. Despite the brace on my arm, I was able to prop my upper body on my elbows so I didn’t crush her.
But I did let my hips fall to make contact with hers. My sweatpants did little to hide my excitement, and I was glad for the give in the extra material.
She pulled her mouth away from mine on a gasp, her fingernails digging into my biceps in a way that was grounding instead of painful. With her eyes closed, she began to writhe and whimper beneath me.
“Please. Drew, please.”
“I got you.”
Her eyes opened, and she looked at me intently. “You promise?”
I knew she was asking about more than the here and now. It wasn’t about getting off—well, not only about getting off at least—but about having her back for as long as she’d let me be there. It was about not running when things got complicated and messy. It was about loving her even when I didn’t think I deserved her love in return.
“I promise.” It was the easiest, and scariest, oath I’d ever made.
She pulled me back down for a kiss as if we were searing our pact. But she quickly let go, letting her hands drop to the bed beside her head.
“Show me.”
Challenge accepted.
There was no finesse to what happened next. My only mission was to get us both naked as quickly as possible, and with a bum leg, it was sadly not the sexy strip tease I’d hoped for.
Thankfully, she shed her own clothing while I struggled with mine, because time was of the essence. For better or worse, as hot as she looked laid out for me—the flush that ran down her neck and spread over her chest and the way her toned belly rose and fell with every breath—I wasn’t going to last long.
We were going to have to go for slow and sensual another time. Right now, it was all about satisfying a carnal need.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.” The words came out of my mouth almost harshly, my voice raw with how turned on I was. Settling down on my side, I took in her body.
I skimmed my fingertips down her perfect skin, enamored by the goose bumps that popped up in the wake of my touch.
A small, serene smile spread across her lips, and as my fingers ghosted over her pelvic bone, she arched her back a bit, clearly preparing herself for the pleasure that was about to jolt through her body.
Unable to help myself, I leaned forward and began kissing her skin wherever I could reach.
She slid closer to me so I had better access, and I took full advantage.
I was torn between wanting to move things along and drag them out forever. But it wasn’t long before need won out.
“I’m not sure of the best way to do this,” I admitted, my voice a bit more vulnerable than I intended. There was nothing I wanted more than to climb on top of her, but I was limited by my injuries.
I’d never felt more like the idiot Sophia claimed I was than in this moment. What type of man jeopardized his ability to have sex because he thought it was okay to ride a motorcycle in a snowstorm?
She smiled sweetly. “What do you think would be easiest on you?”
“Get over here and we’ll find out.”
“I’m not sure if that’s incredibly cheesy or incredibly hot.”
“Definitely hot,” I replied as my hands went to her hips.
“Do we need protection?” she asked.
I darted my eyes up to hers and let her see the truth written there. “I haven’t been with anyone else.”
“Me neither.”
I couldn’t stop a smirk at hearing that. It made me supremely happy.
Her slapping me on the chest ruined my moment though. “Stop looking so smug,” she ordered.
I scoffed. “I have the hottest girl in the city sitting naked on my lap. I’ve earned the right to be smug.”
“Such a sweet talker.”
“One of my many talents.”
She put her hands on my chest and began to grind down. “I’m hoping not all of those talents involve your mouth.”
I wagged my eyebrows. “Some definitely do.”
She moaned. “Okay, God, you can show me those later.”
I gripped her hips to anchor her on top of me.
“Mm, I almost forgot how good you feel,” she whispered.
“Glad I could remind you.”
“Me too.”
We kept it slow and lazy at first, me doing my best to make her feel as good as she was making me feel. Though I was limited, I was determined to do as much as I could.
But soon, the passion between us could no longer be contained, and we both dissolved into madness as we let ourselves be consumed in the feeling of getting to know each other’s bodies again.
S O P H I A
Drew and I hadn’t had a ton of sex before he’d left. Our relationship had been too new to put in any serious sexual mileage. But despite how relatively new things had been between us, I’d missed sleeping with him instantly.
Drew Nolan, even with a broken leg and a host of other injuries, was still a spectacular fuck. And while I’d initially gone slowly because I’d been afraid I’d
hurt him, it hadn’t taken long for my concern to fade.
“That’s it,” Drew said, his voice low and raw as he gripped my hips so he could control my movements. “Fuck, you feel amazing.”
I preened at his words, letting my head fall back and pushing my chest out as I became almost frantic in my need to make it good for him.
He touched me in all the right places, lighting up my insides as if I were a pinball machine. I was nearly overwhelmed by the feeling. My mind was consumed with thoughts of faster, harder, deeper, and I let those thoughts drive my actions until I was a writhing mess atop him.
If the look on Drew’s face was anything to go by, he had no objections. He looked just as ravenous for me, with his eyes blown wide, his jaw set, and the muscles in his arms straining to keep me from bucking off him.
The sex was frenzied and wild and spoke to the primal level with which we’d missed one another. And while I knew that this was likely not an intensity we’d be able to maintain forever, I was more than happy to revel in it for the time being.
“I’m getting close,” he gritted out, as if he were angry at the words.
“Me too.”
Drew growled, his gaze locked on where I was playing with my breast. He slid one hand around so his thumb could toy with me.
I couldn’t help the cry that escaped me. I hadn’t thought this union could get much better, but he’d proved me wrong.
“Come for me,” he ordered.
This time there was no question: the words were undeniably hot, as was the man beneath me. My vision nearly whited out as I did as he’d said, my body quaking and convulsing.
I was still tense with release when he rocked into me one more time. His muscles bulged as he finished, his upper back rounding and causing his shoulders to lift off the bed with the force of his orgasm.
His whole body went limp, and he plopped back onto the mattress.
I let gravity take me as well, letting my body hunch forward so my skin brushed against his without applying any more pressure to his body.
His hands roamed over my back as we caught our breath.
“Wow,” he said.
I lifted up my head so I could look at him. “Yeah.” I shimmied around a bit, shifting my weight off him. I was instantly disappointed at the loss.
We looked at one another for a moment before he ran a hand through my hair.
“I’m sorry.”
I narrowed my eyes at him playfully. “I’m pretty sure it’s a bad sign if you have to apologize after sex.”
He laughed at that. “Smartass.” Then he sobered. “Seriously, though, I’m sorry for not talking to you. For letting your dad prey on my insecurities. For not being…better. Smarter. I almost cost us this, and—”
I had to put my hand over his mouth because we didn’t need to rehash all of this. He’d already explained and apologized. That was enough looking backward. From now on, I was only interested in moving forward.
“You’re ruining my afterglow with words.”
He smiled widely, transforming his already handsome face into something even more breathtaking.
“We don’t want that.”
“Nope.”
“Though I guess if I ruin the first one, I can always give you a second afterglow.”
“Oh yeah? You think you’re up for that?”
He smirked. “Parts of me are definitely up for it.”
“Thank God you didn’t hurt your penis in the accident,” I told him solemnly before leaning down to kiss him.
He laughed against my lips.
I guess he thought I was kidding.
Chapter Eighteen
S O P H I A
I had to give Drew credit. Despite how busted his body was, he could still fuck like a champ.
Whenever we could find time alone, we made the most of it. Part of me thought we should slow down and talk more about…whatever people who weren’t having amazing sex talked about. But since that part was clearly a deranged lunatic, I ignored it.
One thing I couldn’t ignore, though, was the shit my dad had pulled with Drew. While I knew Drew was a grown man in charge of his own life and choices, I couldn’t help but be livid at my parents for trying to buy off one of my boyfriends. Who did that?
And it was the desire for an answer to that question that had prompted me to borrow Carter’s car and make the hour drive home to my parents’ house after my last class Thursday afternoon. I had a late start Friday and wanted to spend the weekend with Drew, so it made the most sense to get it over with.
I’d contemplated calling ahead and letting my mom know I was coming, but they hadn’t let me know they planned to bribe my boyfriend, so I figured I didn’t owe them the courtesy.
Pulling into our driveway, I saw my mom’s car through the open garage door, but my dad’s was absent. I looked at my watch and noticed that it was still a bit early for him to be home, which would maybe work to my advantage. I could reason with my mom before adding him to the mix.
After I climbed out of the car and shut my door, I stood there for a second and took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.
I climbed the two stone steps to the matching path that led to the side door that opened into the kitchen and was the one we used most often.
“Mom? It’s me,” I yelled as I shrugged out of my coat and hung it on the hook behind the door.
“Sophia?” I heard my mom call from another room.
“Yup,” I replied as I walked over to the island and took the lid off our Cookie Monster cookie jar.
For as long as I could remember, my mom had kept it stocked with some form of homemade cookie, but today I found it empty. When she entered the room, I glared at her accusingly, my hand still inside the jar.
“How could you?”
She rolled her eyes and moved to a cabinet and withdrew a bag of Oreos. “I only fill that when you kids are home.” She slid the package across the island to me, and I snatched it up like Gollum grasping for his Precious.
“That’s sad. What if Dad wants a cookie?” Not that I particularly cared if my father ever had another cookie in his entire life after the stunt he’d pulled, but still. It threw me a little to hear that my parents lived different lives when I wasn’t looking.
“Then he can open a cabinet and get one.”
“But…they’re better when they’re in Cookie Monster.”
She sighed. “As happy as I am to be having this inane conversation with you, do you want to tell me what brings you home unannounced?”
“Is that another new thing happening here now? I have to announce my intentions to come to my own home? Should I start calling you Kate instead of Mom?”
My mom tilted her head and regarded me. “You and your brother’s brains work so strangely.”
“It’s a curse and a gift,” I said before pulling apart my Oreo and eating the side with icing on it.
She leaned forward so she could put her forearms onto the counter and looked at me with green eyes that looked exactly like my own. In fact, with her olive skin and pronounced cheekbones, she was basically me in thirty years. If I aged half as well as my mother, I’d be set.
“This was a long way to come on a school night. What’s wrong, Sophia?”
As crazy as my mom drove me sometimes, when she looked at me with genuine concern, it made me melt a little. This woman really loved me. Which made it even harder to understand why she’d want to make me so unhappy by chasing off Drew.
I looked at her for a second, trying to figure out how to phrase my feelings delicately.
“Why would you think it was a good idea to ruin my life by offering my boyfriend four hundred grand to leave me?”
Okay, so maybe that hadn’t been the most tactful phrasing, but at least it was honest, which was more than I could say for her.
She’d comforted me for the duration of winter break with small, thoughtful actions: buying me my favorite candy, making me delicious breakfasts, letting me pick movies to watch—al
l the things a mom did to make their heartbroken daughter feel better. Granted, I hadn’t told her much about what had gone down with Drew, but she wasn’t stupid. What kind of sociopath soothed their daughter after a breakup she caused?
She froze for a moment before standing up slowly. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, come on. Don’t pretend you don’t know. I saw the check. I can’t believe you guys would do that. I mean, I knew you were snobs, but this is low even for you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t have a single idea what you’re talking about. Start from the beginning. What check?” She put up a finger and wagged it in my direction. “And don’t think I’m going to let that snob comment slide either.”
I watched her, trying to figure out how she could possibly not know what I was talking about.
“The check Dad gave Drew,” I said uncertainly. “Dad told him he wasn’t good enough for me and then wrote him a check for four hundred thousand dollars to leave and not come back.”
Her eyes widened, and genuine surprise was written all over her face.
“You really didn’t know?” I asked.
“No,” she said coldly. Just then, we heard the garage door opening. “But I’m going to get to the bottom of it right now.”
We stood there silently until my dad came in, dropping his briefcase by the door and hanging up his coat before he looked up and saw me.
“Sophia. What a wonderful surprise.” He came over and kissed my temple before walking around the island to where my mother was and pressing one to hers as well. But he must have noticed how rigidly she was holding herself because he pulled away slowly. “Something wrong?” he asked, his gaze darting between the two of us.
“That depends.” My mom’s voice was unnaturally bright in that way she had that let you know she was about to enjoy eating you alive. She turned toward my dad before continuing. “Do you think it’s wrong to not tell your wife that you offered her daughter’s vagabond boyfriend hundreds of thousands of dollars to disappear into the ether?”
Truth or Dare You (The Love Game Book 2) Page 13
