Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Are you ready to come for me, baby?” I whisper against the hollow of her throat. Seeing her like this shreds every ounce of my control. “I want to watch you fall apart.”
Somewhere nearby, the equipment manager curses before finding what he needs and then moving toward the exit. Even though Rina’s trying to hold back, she can’t quite manage it. Just as he steps through the door, the dam breaks, and she falls apart.
The sound that tears from her is half sob and half moan. My other hand settles loosely around her throat, holding her to me as her body convulses against my fingers. The door clicks shut behind Chuck as her hips jerk and she cries into her own palm, quivering so hard I feel it through bone and muscle.
I work her with the exact rhythm that will keep her flying, matching every shift of pressure and speed to the tremors racing through her. Her muscles seize around me, release, then seize again.
Each contraction is a reluctant confession she doesn’t want to give.
Rina can deny it all she wants, but her body tells me the truth.
Every single time.
When she finally collapses against me, spent and shaking, her blouse falling open, I pull my fingers free and lift them to my mouth, tasting her, claiming the proof of the pleasure I gave her.
“Mmm,” I groan. “I’ll never get enough of how creamy you get for me.”
Her dazed eyes widen right before my mouth crashes onto hers, forcing her to taste her own arousal on my tongue. She moans when I deepen the kiss. It’s a raw sound that has my cock stiffening even more as my fingers find her breasts and pluck at the stiff little buds again.
I know the exact moment the fog clouding her brain clears and fury rolls in like a tidal wave. Her whole frame trembles as she shoves at me. The anger in her eyes contradicts the way her body continues to cling to mine.
She’s fucking gorgeous like this.
All wild and righteous.
Impossibly alive.
I kiss her one last time before pulling back, every inch of me aching to take her and make her mine in a way she can’t deny.
“Oliver, we really need to talk about this.”
Talk.
The word slices through my own haze. Doesn’t she ever get tired of pretending we’re something she can reason her way out of?
God knows I do.
If she thinks for even a second that I’ll let her break this off, she’s out of her mind.
“Sorry, babe. Wish I could, but I’ve got a meeting with Coach in five.”
Her expression flickers with a mixture of sorrow and resignation before it’s quickly masked as I turn away. Leaving her here feels like I’m tearing something out by the roots, but there’s nothing else I can do.
Other than giving her more time, I don’t know how else to get through to her.
The hallway feels cold and much too bright as I step through the doorway.
The worst part is that I can still smell her on my skin. It’s a ghost of everything I shouldn’t want.
For just a second, I almost stop and swing back around.
Almost.
Instead, I force myself to keep walking. Once I’ve turned the corner, I yank my phone out of my pocket and type.
Me: So… just out of curiosity, how’d you convince Ava to give you a chance?
It takes less than ten seconds for my older brother to respond.
Hayes: What makes you think she needed convincing?
Me: Because I know you, dickhead.
Hayes: Fair enough. I made my intentions clear so she understood I wasn’t messing around.
His reply burns behind my eyes long after I pocket the phone.
Rina thinks she can make our relationship about rules and rationality as she draws lines in the sand. She’s yet to realize we blew past those lines a long time ago.
What she doesn’t get is that I’ve spent years wanting her. Ever since the first time she walked into the media room as the Railers’ new PR manager.
And now that I’ve finally had a taste of what it’s like when she comes undone in my arms?
There’s no going back.
It’s not just about desire anymore.
It’s a bone-deep need.
One that drowns out everything else until she’s the only thing left.
5
Rina
The second I have a free moment, I fire off a message in the group chat.
Me: Any chance we can meet at Lakeshore Sweets? It’s urgent.
Lilah: On my way.
Callie: Already here. Coffee and carbs waiting.
Sloane: Consider my interest piqued.
My legs are still unsteady by the time I leave the arena.
Damn Oliver for pulling me into the equipment room and touching me until I came apart and pretty much forgot my own name. And then he’d just sauntered out the door like it was nothing.
I should hate him.
But the truth is, I don’t.
What I actually hate is the way my body hums with the memory of him.