“What’s on your mind?” I asked, hoping that it wouldn’t take long for him to talk to me about whatever was on his mind.
He didn’t immediately answer and instead it seemed like he was raking his gaze over me, taking me in. But that was crazy. There was no way Dax would give me a second look.
“I’ve been thinking.” He paused, and I waited to see what he would say. “I’ve been thinking about us.”
My eyes widened and my palms grew sweaty. “Us?” I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right.
He nodded. “Yes, us.”
He lapsed into silence again, and I looked at him with confusion. When it was obvious that he wasn’t saying anything else right then, I cleared my throat and said, “What about us? There isn’t an us.”
“There was at one point.”
My face drained of color before it rushed back as I blushed. I glanced away from him before looking back.
“I’m guessing based on your facial expression, you know what I’m referring to.”
I could only nod. I didn’t trust myself to speak right then.
“I remembered, after I initially spoke with you, that the two teams usually hung out during the season and sometimes outside it.”
I nodded, unable to form words, and he continued. “I then wracked my brain for why you were so familiar. It wasn’t that you were a soccer player like me, though I remember going to some of your home games. You were a great goalie.”
If it was possible, my face heated more. Dax continued, “But that’s not what I knew you from. I had your face in mind from something completely different and it didn’t involve a soccer ball or a net behind you. It’s from an entirely different setting.”
I swallowed thickly. My heart was thudding in my chest as I waited with bated breath to see what else he would say.
“We’ve slept together.”
I didn’t do anything at first. Eventually I said, “We technically didn’t sleep together. Just some heavy petting.”
He sighed, seeming to deflate a little. “Why didn’t you say anything?” He was now looking at me with hurt in his eyes.
I could only shrug. I still didn’t trust myself to say anything. Considering the circumstances of that night, I couldn’t believe he was asking me why I hadn’t said something.
“If you’re not going to say anything, then I’ll say something.” He paused and cleared his throat, looking very uncomfortable. “I’m sorry.”
My eyes widened at his admission. He continued. “Really, I am. That entire situation sucked all around, but I gave up on trying to explain that night to you.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “No offense, but I didn’t want to talk to you about it then. I still don’t, if I’m being honest. Just remembering…” I shuddered as I flashed back to that night.
He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, the only indication that he was uncomfortable besides the little bit of pink on his cheeks. “That’s just the thing. I know what you’re thinking, and it just isn’t true.”
He trailed off and I waited expectantly. I had no idea what was going to come out of his mouth, that much was obvious since I had no idea he’d remembered what had happened between the two of us. And now he was claiming the entire night wasn’t what it was? I was calling bullshit.
He sighed and dropped his gaze from mine, leaning forward in his chair and clasping his hands between his knees while he concentrated on the floor.
“I know it probably doesn’t seem like it to you, but I knew who you were back then.”
I barely kept myself from scoffing. “Wow, way to really compliment me. You knew me when we were in college.”
It seemed I’d finally found my voice again.
Dax looked at me and winced. I was certain my face was a sight. “That came out wrong. I meant that I followed your career on the team…”
He trailed off and huffed. “I’m fucking this up, aren’t I?”
I nodded. “Yep.”
“Well, in for a penny, in for a pound…” he muttered to himself. “I liked you back then.”
My brows were in my hairline. “You liked me back then?”
He nodded. “Yeah. You were this badass goalie and the captain of your team as a sophomore. You were one of the only female athletes to be awarded a full athletic scholarship to the school from the NCAA. You were a legend to me and the guys. Add in your mysteriousness because you didn’t hang with us as much as your teammates… I became intrigued.”
I blinked at him. I didn’t even know what to say after that confession. He’d liked me? Like I’d liked him? He’d known who I was? And what did that even mean? Was I supposed to be flattered?
“Why’d you act like you didn’t know me that first day?” I finally asked.
“I didn’t make the connection on who you were until later. You didn’t go by Pru then.”
He had me there. I hadn’t shortened my name from Prudence until I graduated from college. Only a few people still called me by my full name and almost all of them were family.
“Because you know so many Prudence Sheridans?” I was giving him a hard time and I knew it. But I couldn’t bring myself to care too much. He’d surprised me and I was still trying to figure out what I felt about this entire thing.
“No, I don’t. I just couldn’t reconcile everything right then. The two halves didn’t make a whole, in my mind.”
We lapsed into silence and I tried to figure out what to say or to do after this particular revelation from Dax.
“Why are you telling me this?” I finally asked.
He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I wanted a chance to apologize. And I wanted a chance to take you out to dinner.”
The shocks kept coming it seemed. “You want to take me out to dinner?” I managed to ask after forcing my mouth to form the words.
“Yes, I do.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Is this your way of trying to ‘apologize’ for all those years ago so I don’t hold it against you or something?”
Dax snorted. “I have a feeling that I could apologize until I’m blue in the face, but it wouldn’t make a different with you.”
“You got that right.”
I squeezed my eyes shut against the onslaught of memories.
“So, what do you say? Can I take you out to dinner?” he asked, breaking through my thoughts.
I blinked my eyes open and looked at him, really looked at him.
He seemed sincere. And everyone deserved a second chance. Who was I to deny him that?
“Yes, I’ll go to dinner with you.” I sighed after saying the words, already dreading it.
“What’s with the long face? I don’t think I’m that terrible to spend time with,” he joked, pulling a smile from me.
“You’re not. I just have a lot on my mind.”
I forced myself to stop speaking. I didn’t want to reveal too much about myself or my thoughts right then. I needed to get them in order.
“What do you say we go out tomorrow night?” he asked, pulling my attention back to him. “The day after is an off day and we don’t have to worry about getting to work early the next day.”
My eyes narrowed. Was he trying to imply that he was going to get me in bed?
His eyes widened and he held his hands up. “I didn’t mean that how it sounded, I swear. I just meant we wouldn’t have to worry about ending the date early because of work.”
I arched a brow and he winced. “That sounded even worse than before. I’m just going to leave. I have your number since it’s on the roster, so I’ll text you to get your address. I’ll pick you up around seven?”
I could only nod in response. My voice had deserted me again.
I watched as he walked from the room and I was finally alone again. It was at that point that the panic set in. What the fuck was I thinking?
5
Alone again, I couldn’t help the thoughts flitting through my mind. I was thrown back to the night in question and my heart clenched and my
stomach rolled at the memories.
Eight Years Earlier
“I can’t believe you agreed to come to this party,” my roommate and teammate Heather said as we waited in line at the keg. “You always cite some excuse.”
I remained silent, not wanting to admit the only reason I’d come was because of Dax Stephens, the star player for the men’s soccer team.
We’d run into each other earlier at the student center and exchanged pleasantries. Dax then told me I should come to tonight’s party.
I knew it was stupid to let a guy dictate something like that with me, but I couldn’t help it. It was Dax Stephens. He was one of the hottest guys on campus and a star athlete.
I was trying to carefully look around the party to find him without Heather noticing. So far, I hadn’t seen him. It was a big party and a lot of people were outside trying to soak up the last of the summer warmth before the cooler fall temperatures came in.
“Here.” Heather thrust a full solo cup into my hands, beer sloshing over the sides.
Heather took my other hand and led me through the throng of people inside and out a side door.
I sighed in relief once we were outside. The amount of people inside were insane, and I was thankful there was more room to move outside, though there were a lot of people out here too.
I followed Heather to a group of our teammates standing to the right side of the yard. As I walked, I kept checking to see if Dax was nearby.
I didn’t know why I was looking, since it was unlikely he’d want to talk to me. But I wanted to find him, even if it was just a glimpse.
I tried to concentrate on the conversations happening around me while sipping my flat beer, but was unable to. Every guy that walked out the door and every male shout had me looking around to see if it was Dax.
When I finished my beer, I told Heather I was going to the bathroom and headed inside. I tossed my empty cup into the trash and pushed through the people inside.
If it was possible, there were even more people stuffed inside than earlier. There were so many people it surprised me the cops hadn’t been called yet.
I sighed when I saw the line for the bathroom. There had to be at least twenty people waiting. I thought about trying to hold it and head back outside, but knew it wasn’t likely to get better, so I turned so I could lean against the wall.
I pulled my phone from the back pocket of my shorts and opened up a game to play while I waited.
The line slowly inched forward.
“Hey, you came,” a voice said from in front of me.
I glanced up and my eyes widened as I saw Dax standing there, leaning over me.
“Yeah.” I wanted to slap myself with that asinine response. Clearly, I had. No need to state the obvious.
“Waiting for the bathroom?” he asked, moving closer to me so someone could pass behind him in the narrow hallway.
“Yeah.” I was racking up the witty responses tonight.
He nodded. “Follow me.”
He grabbed my hand and started tugging on it, making me stumble slightly as I worked to regain my balance.
He led me to the stairs, and up we went, walking past several closed doors. We paused at the one at the very end of the hallway and I watched as he dug a key from his pocket and used it to unlock the door.
“I don’t like people messing with my stuff or someone trying to use my room as a sex spot,” he said as he opened the door. “Since I’m the president, I can lock my door.”
I nodded and stepped inside.
His room was neat, but I didn’t have time to study it. “I have a bathroom through here. I’m the only one that uses it.”
He opened a door, and I saw that he had a small attached bathroom.
“Thanks,” I said with a smile, slipping into the small room and shutting the door behind me.
As I took care of business, I couldn’t help but wonder why he was being so nice to me. We’d only talked a handful of times and it was only this year I’d started seeing him more. So for him to urge me to come to the party and then bring me upstairs was odd.
Though maybe not so odd, I thought as I washed and dried my hands. Maybe he was just being a nice guy since we were both soccer players.
I checked myself in the mirror to make sure my hair hadn’t frizzed before opening the door and entering his bedroom once again.
He was seated at the foot of his bed, looking at the floor with a thoughtful expression. When I stepped on a creaky board, he glanced up at me and smiled.
“All good?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, all good.”
He nodded too, and we lapsed into silence. Since he wasn’t ushering me out the door, I took the chance to look around his room. I doubted I’d get the chance to do it ever again and was curious what the best athlete in school had in his bedroom.
Besides the school issued furniture, he had a small bookshelf next to his desk with textbooks. There wasn’t much on his walls, but he had a few framed photos of his family along with some posters of famous soccer players.
I leaned toward a framed photo on his wall, looking at a teenaged Dax with whom I assumed was his parents and siblings when I froze at the feeling of a hand on the small of my back.
I held my breath as I waited to see what Dax would say.
“Is this okay?” he asked.
I’d lost my voice, so I could only nod.
Emboldened by my assent, he wrapped both arms around my waist and pulled me into him. He groaned and said, “You in these shorts leaning over…” He trailed off and groaned again.
I gulped as I felt his hard length pressed against my ass.
When we’d come upstairs, I hadn’t ever in a million years thought this would happen.
He drew small circles on my stomach underneath my shirt, making my skin quiver. His hands slowly inched higher until he stopped just below my breasts, which were now heaving because I couldn’t seem to catch my breath.
“Okay?” he asked again.
“Yeah.” My voice was rough, and I barely recognized it. It had everything to do with the guy behind me.
Sure, I’d had sex before. But none of those guys had come close to awakening the feelings I had inside me with Dax touching me.
He took one of his hands and brushed my hair to the side, pressing kisses against the side of my neck, raising goosebumps and making me shiver at the sensation.
His other hand continued its upward journey and cupped my breast through my bra.
I had died and gone to heaven. That was the only thing I could think as he kneaded my breast and pressed kisses against my neck and shoulder.
My nipples were tight from his ministrations and I wished he’d do something, anything, to ease the ache building between my legs.
Dax stepped back and turned me around so we were now facing each other. I licked my lips as I took him in. His eyes were half-lidded and considering what I’d felt pressing against my back, I knew that he was just as aroused as I was.
He took my hand and tugged me to him, dipping his head to press his lips against mine lightly. I froze momentarily, shocked that he was kissing me in his bedroom while a frat party raged outside it. Talk about the cliché college experience.
But I quickly got over that and pressed myself closer to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and opening my mouth so our tongues could touch and the kiss could deepen.
He groaned and his hands skimmed my sides before grasping my ass in both of his hands.
I honestly felt like I might combust if something wasn’t done soon.
Dax pulled back and looked at me. “What do you say we move this to the bed?”
I nodded and walked the few steps over to it. I toed my shoes off, as did Dax, before crawling on to the bed.
“We won’t do anything tonight if you’re not comfortable,” he said to me. It surprised me to see a pink tinge to his cheeks. Was he embarrassed about something?
“Okay.”
He pulled me back to
him and kissed me. That first kiss was amazing and had sent my heart into overdrive, but this kiss was more consuming. He was more demanding with the slant of his lips and how he plundered my mouth.
I loved it.
One of his hands snuck under the hem of my shirt and quickly dragged it up my body, exposing my little bralette. Much like before, he squeezed my breasts and plucked my nipples, making them into hard points.
He pulled back and pulled his shirt over his head and I couldn’t help but stare at the perfection that was his torso. I’d never seen a soccer player that was this built. Usually they were lean with some muscle, but Dax was stacked.
I reached out and brushed my fingers over his nipples before raking my nails down his chest.
He claimed my mouth again and the next thing I knew, we were both naked on the bed with Dax’s hand between my legs, lightly caressing me, and my hand wrapped around his hard dick.
“Fuck,” Dax said, pulling back. He pressed his forehead to mine, and we both watched our hands, which were working in tandem.
I felt wanton as I watched Dax finger me. Then my gaze moved to my hand and the pleasure I was giving him with it. It was too much. It was an overload of sensations, and my entire body was a live wire at this point.
“You almost there?” he asked as he pressed kisses against my neck.
I couldn’t form words; I could only nod my head.
Dax increased the pressure on my clit and my entire body seized as the first waves of pleasure rolled through it. My hand tightened around Dax’s erection and I tried to keep my rhythm going, but I knew I probably wasn’t doing much.
As the pleasure ebbed, I paid more attention to Dax and I could tell that he was close to finishing as well. A few more firm strokes and he exploded all over his stomach and my hand, groaning throughout.
Dax rolled away and grabbed some tissues from his nightstand before rolling back over and cleaning my hand off before wiping himself down. He tossed the tissues into the trashcan by the bed before pulling the covers to his bed down.
“Get in,” he said, nodding toward the space between the sheets.
I slid in and Dax followed, gathering me into his arms to cuddle.
Hearts Penalty Page 3