by E. M. Moore
Worry opens a hole in my stomach. There are so many things he could do. He’s already shown he’ll literally resort to anything, including physicality. “You know, I think he tried to doctor my drug test last year,” I tell Ryan.
Ryan’s head turns toward me, his eyes wide. “You’re kidding?”
I shake my head. “Coach made me take it twice. The second with Miss Lyons right there practically in the stall with me. You didn’t know about that?”
He looks away, a sweep of clouds covering his face. “We’ve been helping him with the drug tests. One of us usually pees in his cup for him. I guess it makes sense that he would try to screw you over by using his own urine for your test.” His jaw locks down tight. “I had no idea, Tess. I know I did some other shitty things, but I wouldn’t have tried to get you kicked off the team for that.”
“At least it didn’t work. Does Coach know about him though? About the pills, I mean?”
Ryan shakes his head. “No way. Coach Bradley is good, but we’re sneaky. Lake’s also gotten great at hiding it, and he’s been good at not letting it interfere with basketball.”
A hard knock comes on the door. I gasp and pull the covers up over myself.
A voice thunders out, disjointed and low. “Hey, is that my daughter in there?”
For a second, I almost fall for it except at the end of the sentence, Sloan dissolves into a fit of laughter. Asshole.
“Fuck off, man,” Ryan says.
“Dude, let me in.”
I chuckle. “Good morning, Sloan,” I call out.
“Aww, baby. Let me in, please?”
“Jealousy doesn’t suit you, man,” Ryan says, a wide smile on his face.
“Can you blame me? Don’t act like you haven’t been stomping around ever since Alec—”
Ryan picks up a shoe that’s by his side of the bed and chucks it at the door. The shoe slams into the wood and then thuds to the carpet.
Sloan laughs on the other side. “Territorial dick.”
I pat Ryan’s chest, but then get out of bed, trying not to be the shy girl I was when I got up this morning. My clothes are still a little wet when I pick them up, but then Ryan says, “Here, try these.”
He throws me a pair of his shorts, which I know are going to be too big, but I pull them on and roll the hem. Then, he gives me one of his RHS ball shirts. I yank that down over my head, too. Once Ryan has on a pair of shorts, I go to the door, unlock it, and pull it open. Sloan is leaning up against the doorjamb. When he sees me, his eyes widen. His gaze travels over my head, then down the clothes I’m wearing. “The only thing that would be better is if you were wearing my clothes. Sex hair suits you.”
My face heats again. I don’t know how I’m going to go downstairs and face the rest of my Ballers when they know what Ryan and I did. Will Hayes be hurt? What about Alec? Shit, Alec. He’s probably already gone. He has a baseball game this afternoon.
Sloan moves forward before I can ask. “Daddy’s Girl.” His hand tangles in mine. “Will you go on another date with me tonight? I meant to ask you yesterday, but someone stole you away.”
I smile, my stomach clenching. “Sure. I’d like that.”
Ryan clears his throat behind me. “Now that that’s settled. What’s the damage like downstairs?” He seems to be all business now, but when he passes by me, he kisses my shoulder, and his hand grazes over my ass.
“Not terrible,” Sloan answers. We watch as Ryan heads out into the hallway. “I don’t think Hayes could sleep, so he’s been picking stuff up.” We follow after him, and on the stairs, Sloan holds up my cell phone. “It’s been going off a lot.”
My stomach drops, hoping it’s not my mom. I could be in big trouble.
“Don’t worry. It’s Dawn. I think she’s pretty much insinuating that if you don’t tell her every single detail about what you and Ryan did last night that you’re no longer going to be friends.”
I smile at that. “Sounds like her.”
He squeezes my arm. “If it was your mom, I would’ve given it to you earlier.”
I toss him a smile. “You’re a good man, Ivy.”
It might be me, but it looks like he’s looking at me in a different way this morning. His gaze slides over me, and even though I know he’s always been attracted to me, he’s almost enthusiastically checking me out, staring at my clothes as if he could wish them away. I kind of wish they would disappear too.
When we get downstairs, Hayes is at the table with a bowl of cereal in front of him. As soon as he sees me, his gaze locks on mine. As usual, I can’t tell what he’s thinking only that he’s watching me like a hawk. Sloan’s right about the house not looking that bad. There are several huge garbage bags next to the door though, so obviously someone’s already been cleaning the place up. Ryan walks over to Hayes, leaning down and saying something into his ear and then clapping him on the back. When he stands, he says, “Thanks, man. You didn’t have to.”
Hayes doesn’t say anything. He’s making me almost nervous to approach him. I don’t feel bad for seeing all of them but taking it a step further with one of them has definitely changed the dynamics between us, whether it’s only in my head or not. I sit across the table from Hayes and hold my hand out to settle on his. “Good morning,” I tell him.
“Morning,” he says.
We just stare at one another. His cereal bowl is forgotten in front of him. His blue eyes are like ice chips, and I can’t stand the tension. I get up from my chair and move around the table. I settle into his lap, putting my arms around him. He welcomes me easily. There’s no stiffness or brush off that I was half expecting. But there’s this little niggle that makes me think Hayes might need this—me—this morning. His parents pretty much abandoned him because they like drugs more than they like him. I don’t want him to think that I like Ryan more than I like him. That’s not the case at all. I like them differently. Different parts of Hayes call to me, while different parts of Ryan call to me, too. In Hayes, I feel like I could get lost in a sea of feeling perfectly protected. He puts his arms around me, and I settle in, kissing his neck once that makes his breath hitch. “Don’t be mad,” I say.
“I’m not.”
I believe him. Hayes wouldn’t lie to me. He may be a master of his emotions, but when it comes to him and me, he wouldn’t lie.
“Damn, I don’t even get the breakfast cuddles,” Sloan says. “I got you cereal.”
I smile into Hayes’s neck before turning my head to face Sloan. He’s having too much fun with all of this. I think he’s more apt to share me than the others. It doesn’t seem to be fazing him one bit that I slept with his friend last night. In fact, he’s teasing the others. Instead of answering him, I ask, “Alec is already gone?”
He nods. “Yeah, we only have about an hour before we have to head out to the game.”
Sloan sits my cereal bowl in front of me and Hayes. Hayes turns me around in his lap until I’m facing it and able to eat. His arms sit lazily around my thighs while his hands clasp just inches away from my stomach.
Sloan sits across from us with his own bowl of cereal. “So, how was it?” he asks, eyebrow piqued.
A cupboard in the kitchen slams. “Unless you want us asking you the same thing when you guys finally do it, which I hope isn’t for a very, very long time,” Ryan calls out as he comes toward the table. “Then I suggest you shut up.”
“So… bad then?” Sloan asks, his lips curving mischievously.
I can’t help but laugh. “Do you guys seriously talk about stuff like this?”
“Are you kidding?” Sloan asks. “It’s my favorite pastime.”
“Not anymore,” Ryan says, sitting down next to Sloan and sending him a warning look. “Trust me on this one. You’ll want to keep it to yourself.”
Hayes’s hot breath passes over the back of my neck. I don’t know which makes goosebumps sprout first: Ryan’s words or Hayes’s soft caress, but either way, I’m spending breakfast in a heightened state again. I f
eel every breath Hayes takes, every time he moves his hands, and every time he shifts me on top of him.
By the time breakfast is over, I slide away from Hayes to deposit my bowl in the sink. “Do you need me to help pick up a little?”
Ryan shakes his head. “You’re not helping me pick up, Tessa. You didn’t even want me to have the party, remember?”
“I may have had a change of heart,” I tell him. If that’s what happens when he has a party, I’m all for it.
His eyes glass over. We both know what I’m insinuating, and so does everyone else.
“Shit. Is this going to be Tessa all the time because I swear I’ll never want to leave her side,” Sloan says.
I shake my head at him, then turn my attention back to Ryan. “If you’re sure, I’ll walk home and take a shower to get ready for Alec’s game.”
“I’ll drive you,” Ryan offers, standing from the table.
I look at him like he’s crazy. Not only is it stupid to drive three houses down, but there’s also the fact that my mom thinks I’m at Dawn’s. Ryan can’t just bring me home if I’m supposed to be at her house. “I’ll be fine,” I tell him.
I go to walk toward the door, but Sloan stops me. “Um, babe. Don’t you think you should change out of Ryan’s clothes? That might be a big tip to your mom.”
I look down. Shit. I wasn’t even thinking about that.
I smile brightly at them and then run up the stairs to head back to Ryan’s room where my clothes are. His door is still wide open, so I walk in, and close it behind me. Downstairs, I hear Sloan laughing. I pull on the still damp shorts and shirt, hoping my mom won’t notice or I’ll have to make up something on the spot.
Ryan’s cell phone vibrates on his dresser. The noise catches my attention, so I look over. Lake’s face blinks on the screen. I swallow hard. He’s getting a call from him. I ignore it, then walk right back downstairs, saying goodbye to them before walking home.
Ryan’s right about Lake. Lake will be the one who feels like he got the shit end of the stick despite the fact that he’s not the one wondering if he’s even going to play Rock basketball this season. Unbelievable.
All I know is, he better leave me and my guys alone.
14
Alec and his teammates win their baseball game. Afterward, we all hang out for a little while, including Dawn and David, who’d just had a football game that morning. Sloan ushers me home, though, telling me he’ll pick me up at six p.m. for our date. Dawn keeps sending me looks because as of yet, I haven’t texted her about what occurred between Ryan and me. I know everyone can read it on our faces, and I’m sure the guys told her what was happening yesterday when they asked her to cover for me.
So, when I get to my house to dress for a night with Sloan, I send her a text telling her that Ryan and I had sex, and that it was everything I imagined it would be. Her response: If you think that’s going to get you off the hook, you don’t know me very well. I expect an essay Monday morning.
You’re ridiculous.
Noooooope. When something like that happens, you need to spill. And don’t think just because I’m dating David now that I won’t want a full description of sex with Alec when that happens. I mean it. Every little detail. If you can get a picture of his dick, even better. Tell him I won’t share it if that makes him feel better.
I don’t even bother responding. There’s no way I want her to have a picture of Alec’s dick to drool over. Not to mention that I’m sure David wouldn’t be very happy at all if he found out I gave something like that to her. Nope. Not touching that with a ten-foot pole.
Mom’s out with her friends again, so instead of getting clothing advice, I’m forced to figure out what to wear on my own. I wear a similar dress to the first one I wore, something tasteful, yet a little showy. Since my mom isn’t here to do my hair, I just make sure to straighten it and leave it down. I’m just staring at myself in the mirror double checking that everything is situated when the front doorbell rings.
I head downstairs, pull open the door, and am surprised when Ryan is on the other side. He swallows when he sees me, then he moves forward, kicking the door shut behind him. He pulls me to him, automatically forcing my lips open for a kiss that steals my breath. He yanks my hips forward and groans when we connect. He’s hard, grinding against me. He growls in my ear as he rolls against me again and again. “Fuck.” He pushes himself away from me while I grab onto the wall to keep myself steady. “I’m sorry,” he says. He runs a shaking hand through his hair. “I’m jealous. I can’t stand it.” He looks me over with a tortured look. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you,” I say, still breathing hard against the wall.
He closes his eyes. “I’m driving myself crazy, wondering what you’re doing, if you’re more excited about spending time with Sloan than you are with me. I’ve never felt this way before. It’s fucking me up.”
I step forward, but Ryan holds his hand up to stop me.
“I need to leave before Sloan gets here. I’m not going to ruin his night for him, I just wanted to see you. Pretend you never saw me. Pretend I’m stronger. I have no fucking restraint when it comes to you.”
He runs a hand through his hair again, takes one more look at me, then leaves. The door shuts behind him with a resounding bang. I’m still using the wall to hold me up, so I stare at the back of the door, my chest tight. When the doorbell rings again, pulling me out of my funk, I call out, “Be right there.” Then, I run back up the stairs, check my hair, redo my lip gloss to make sure everything is perfect just the way I wanted it to be for Sloan.
With a deep breath, I walk back down the stairs in my dress and open the door once more. This time, the guy who I thought was going to be on the other side of it the first time, is on the other side of it. Sloan’s eyes are less predatory than Ryan’s were. His hazel eyes sparkle when he sees me. He moves forward, picks up my right hand with the cast and kisses the tips of my fingers. A tingle shivers down my spine.
Sloan can be sweet. He doesn’t always act like it in front of the others, but he might be the biggest romantic out of all of them. He’s the only one to ask me out on a date twice now. “You are…” He takes another deep breath. “…breathtaking.”
“You’re such a softie, Ivy,” I tease.
“Don’t tell anyone,” he says.
I shake my head as I move into his embrace. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I want this part of you all to myself.”
He hugs me to him briefly before stepping back and leading me out the door. I grab my small purse from the table by the door, lock up behind me, and then follow him out to his Jeep. He opens my door for me, and I get in. After he moves to his side of the car and gets behind the steering wheel, I ask, “So, what kind of party is going on at the Ivy household tonight? What am I in for?”
Sloan turns toward me, his head cocked. “Oh, we’re not going to the Ivy’s tonight. We’re going out, just you and me.”
“Seriously?”
His mouth tilts up. “I want you all to myself.”
I sit back as Sloan drives away from my house. I chose a black dress tonight because almost every other dress I have clashes with my purple cast. I certainly wasn’t thinking my wardrobe through when I chose purple for my cast color. Not that Sloan cares what I wear. He keeps sneaking glances over at me. Enough so that I close the distance between us with my hand and grab his thigh. He sets his own hand on top of mine and squeezes.
After about fifteen minutes, Sloan pulls into the Rockport Country Club. I look over at him. “We’re eating here?”
He nods. “My family and I are members.”
I know my dad had a membership once, too, but golf isn’t his thing. There are other things here, too, like tennis and a pool, but we already have a pool, and my dad is shit at tennis, so we opted out of it years ago.
Sloan shuts the Jeep off, then comes around the side to help me out. Other couples walk hand-in-hand toward the front door as well. They’re all older an
d cast smiling looks our way like we’re cute little kids who are trying to behave like adults. It bothers me until Sloan takes my hand, and then I’m not thinking about anything else but me and him.
He gives our name to the woman at the front of the club. She checks his name on the reservations list, then smiles politely up at him. “Right this way, Mr. Ivy.”
With his hand still securely wrapped around my own, we move through the restaurant. The smells of expensive dinners tease my nostrils as we pass through the center of the room. Almost every table has several glasses of wine on the pure white tablecloths. The hostess stops at a two-person table at the very edge of the room. This side of the dining room is all windows that open up to a beautiful view of the golf course. At this time of night, no one is playing, so it’s just miles of green fairway and arching trees. Several of the trees down the fairway are decorated in strings of white lights that give off an almost magical feel. “I’ve never eaten here before,” I admit, smiling at our view.
The lady places a cloth napkin in my lap when I sit. “To drink?” she asks.
Sloan and I both order water, and then he sneaks his hand across the table to grab mine. I feel like I’m an adult in that moment, sitting at a table in a restaurant, staring at the guy who’s taken my heart. My mom was thrilled when I told her I had a date with Sloan Ivy. He’s certainly charmed her, and he’s done the same to me. “Thank you for bringing me here,” I tell him. It’s not as if I’ve never been to a fancy restaurant before. I have. But the ones I’ve been to, I’m usually surrounded by other basketball players or team managers along with my parents. Sometimes even the children of other basketball players.