by K. A. Linde
“It’s one end.”
“But you’re my beginning, so it doesn’t feel like anything is ending.”
“True. We didn’t make a championship game this year, but I have you, so I’d say it all worked out.”
“I have to agree.” She tugged him closer. “Maybe you could show me how much it all worked out.”
“It sounds like you want to skip Posse tonight.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Not a bit.”
He grabbed her hand and dragged her off the field. The locker rooms were packed with players and coaches. Eric quickly veered away from them, looking for a place that wasn’t going to be a madhouse. The likelihood of finding somewhere quiet was slim, but he seemed to know where he was going.
He opened a door to the workout room, and Bryna walked in after him. It was dead quiet. The only problem was that the building was all glass on three sides. People streamed by the room from the stadium back to their cars, completely oblivious to the fact that they were inside.
Eric ignored the crowds. It was dark outside, and the interior lights were out. So, hopefully, if anyone saw any movement, they wouldn’t put two and two together.
He pulled her against him, and their lips joined together again. The kiss wasn’t hesitant. He couldn’t care less about the chances of getting caught.
It was just them. Here and now. And in the moment.
This was all she’d wanted. Eric was all she would ever need.
The fact that she had ever contemplated wanting something else felt like a dream, as if she had been living someone else’s life for so long. Being with Eric was like coming up for air.
Speaking of coming up for air…
She pulled back and took a deep breath. Her fingers worked at the button on his khaki pants, and she slipped them down his legs. She dragged his boxers off as she slid to her knees in front of him. His eyes were wide as saucers and ravenous for her.
She grabbed his dick in her hand and massaged it up and down. It lengthened in her hand, and she ignored the hard floor digging into her knees. She would wear her bruises with pride tomorrow. For now, she just didn’t care.
She slipped the head in her mouth and swirled her tongue around him. He groaned and put his hands into her hair. At one time, she would have thought that was controlling…that the guy wanted to take charge of what was going on, even as she held all the power in her mouth. Now, she knew it was a sign of affection. He was in love with what her mouth could do to him. He always came undone at the way she worked him, and she loved it when he showed his appreciation.
Her tongue licked up and down his cock until he was wet, and then she bobbed her head forward and back. Unless she opened up the back of her throat, he wouldn’t fit all the way, but he didn’t complain. As she stroked him, she could feel him tensing up. If it were possible, he might have even gotten bigger.
“Fuck, Bri,” he grunted. “You feel so fucking good.”
She smiled at his pleasure and felt herself getting worked up. She wanted to masturbate while she was at it, but she focused all her attention on him. He would reciprocate tenfold later, she was sure.
She sucked him off like a champ. He was so close. She could feel it. He would come any second if she kept going.
“Bri.” Eric tried to pull her back.
She licked him again.
“Fuck, Bri. Fuck. I still want to fuck you.”
She groaned as she sucked him and then stepped back. “You make it seem like a bad thing that I want to get you off.”
“I fucking love it.” He lay back on a bench press with his arms over his head. “Now, get on my dick.”
She smirked. “How about I ride you like a cowgirl, Cowboy?”
His eyes lit up. “By all means.”
Bryna removed her bloomers and then straddled his body, facing away from him. She slowly eased his cock inside of her. She was so wet from giving him a blow job in full view of half of the stadium that she easily sank all the way down to the hilt.
“Oh God,” she moaned.
He gripped her hips. “I could get used to this sight.”
His hands guided her up and down on top of him. Soon, she was bouncing. He was hitting the perfect spot over and over again. She couldn’t even think. Her mind was lost on the feel of him inside her. Her body superheated, and she felt all the tension wash off her. She was close.
God, he’s so amazing.
Her body arched as he thrust into her, pushing up and meeting her as she slammed down on top of him. She jerked a few times and then felt her body give out. She clenched all around him, and wave after wave shattered her calm.
She must have been loud because Eric clamped a hand over her mouth and pulled her backward against him. He jackhammered a few more times inside of her before coming hard.
They both relaxed, completely spent. After taking a minute to gather themselves, Eric pulled out, and they both put their clothes back on in euphoric silence.
He pulled her close and kissed her tender lips. “You know I love you, right?”
“You’d better.”
“How could I not with that attitude?”
“Exactly. We’re too perfect for each other.”
“I mean, how many other girls are going to let me fuck them in the weight room after a football game with thousands of people on the other side of the glass?”
She arched an eyebrow. “Probably a ton of dumb sluts.”
He laughed. “Fair. But I only love one of those sluts.”
“Ouch. Such nice words behind that barb.”
“All in jest, my love.” He leaned down and dropped his lips on hers again.
“It’d better be because I love you, too.”
“You are everything to me, Bri. Everything. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Three Weeks Later
BRYNA STOOD IN FRONT OF THE SPRAWLING MANSION her mother considered home on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Her mother had only moved forty-five minutes away from her father’s house in the Hills, and Bryna realized that the last time she had seen her mother was the summer before her senior year of high school. That was two and a half years ago. It made her heart ache.
Luckily, her father was at her side. She didn’t want to admit that she was scared and thought about walking away right then and there. Not that she could. They had called ahead to let her know that they were coming, but she still thought about it.
“Are you ready?” her father asked.
She nodded and then reached forward and rang the doorbell. A minute later, her mother pulled the door inward. She was every bit as beautiful as Bryna remembered her. She was a classic Hollywood beauty with shoulder-length blonde hair, bright blue eyes, a porcelain face like a goddess, and a slender figure. She was dressed to the nines in a cherry-red dress with a narrow waist and high heels. Her makeup was subtle and perfect.
This was the Olivia Bendel that Bryna had grown up with.
She startled as if she were surprised that they had arrived even though they had called to say they were coming.
“Lawrence,” her mother said. Her voice crisp.
“Olivia.” He smiled even though Bryna knew this was hard for him. “Good to see you.”
“Likewise.”
“Hey, Mom,” Bryna said. She was dressed more casually in a tight-fitting chambray button-up tucked into white shorts and brown fringe booties.
“Bryna, come in. Come in.”
Once they were inside, her mother reached forward and tentatively hugged her. Her mother actually seemed to have more substance to her than the last time Bryna had seen her.
She seemed a little nervous herself about what was happening. “I have lemonade in the sun room. Lawrence, you still like a whiskey and Coke, I assume?”
“Lemonade is fine with me for now,” he said.
Bryna knew it had taken a lot of strength for him not to bite back.
“All domestic-like,” she muttered under her breath.
>
Bryna and her father shared a look. They both smiled at the same time. This was the relationship she was completely used to.
Her mother busied herself with pouring lemonade and then taking a seat. She played the part of the entertainer well. Bryna would never have guessed that her mother’s life wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. Last she had heard, her mom was banging the cabana boy, drinking heavily, and on coke.
“So, how can I help you?” she asked politely. “This visit is most unexpected.”
“You don’t have to pretend with me, Mom. I’m your daughter.”
Olivia pursed her lips. “What’s all this about?”
Bryna looked at her dad, and he nodded his head.
“I want a relationship with you, Mom. I’ve had a rough couple of years. It was hard, not having you around.”
“Well, if you’re here to guilt-trip me—”
“I’m not,” she interrupted. “Things are finally good with Dad again, and I want that for us.”
“Of course,” Olivia said slowly. She glanced between the two of them. “I’m not surprised you reached out to your father first. You always were a daddy’s girl.”
“Olivia, it’s not a competition,” he said sternly.
“Of course not. You’ve already won. Hotshot directing job. Big house in Beverly Hills. Harmony Prep. How could she say no?”
“Stop!” Bryna cried. “It’s like I’m back in high school. I can’t stand you arguing, and that’s not why we’re here.”
“Then, why are you here?” her mother asked. She’d lost all her poise in that question.
She looked like Mom again. It made Bryna smile.
“Dad wants me to have a relationship with you. In fact, this was his idea.”
“Lawrence?” Olivia asked, surprised.
“I don’t want her to grow up without a mother, Olivia.”
“And…your wife?” she asked.
“Celia is not her mother,” he said flatly. “She’s her stepmother.”
“I see.”
“I want to have a relationship with you, Mom. It comes down to whether or not you want to have one with me,” Bryna told her.
Olivia sighed heavily and let a hesitant smile come to her face. “Of course I want to have a relationship with you.”
Bryna took a deep breath. This was the tricky part. “I love you, Mom, but I hate to see you hurting yourself. I’ve been let down a lot, and I want to move forward with my life. I don’t know if I can do that with your…lifestyle.”
Olivia colored and looked away. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do. You’re a great actress, but you can’t hide drugs from people who have lived in your house for most of their lives.”
Her father frowned and looked away. Bryna hoped he realized his part in all of this. He had never stopped her mother. Maybe he wouldn’t have been able to, but he hadn’t tried either.
“I’m not judging you. You can live your life however you want. I’ve made mistakes, but I don’t want your mistakes, too. I want a mom,” she whispered.
“I’ve been getting help,” Olivia whispered. Their eyes met. “I had a bad accident a couple of months ago, and I’ve been trying to be better, for me and for you, even though I didn’t think you wanted me in your life.”
“I’ve always wanted you in my life. I just want someone who isn’t self-destructive. I was self-destructive enough for the both of us.”
Her mother wiped a tear from under her eye. “I can’t promise it will be better today or tomorrow or next week. I’ve been battling this for years, but I took the first step. I’m going to therapy and drug and alcohol counseling. I’m trying.”
Bryna broke out into a smile. “That’s what I want. I want us to be a family again…even if our family is different.”
Olivia rushed across the room and wrapped her daughter in a hug. “I’m so sorry for everything, Bryna. The absence was my fault. I want to be better. I will be better.”
“I know. Me, too, Mom.”
Olivia cried into Bryna’s hair, and they both held each other like that for a while.
Then, her mom pulled back and wiped her tears. “We’ll make this work,” she promised.
Bryna looked to her dad, and he put a protective arm around her.
This was her family—a broken dad, a broken mom, a new stepmother, a jerk stepbrother, withdrawn twin stepsisters, and a brand-new baby halfsister. It wasn’t perfect, far from it, but it was hers.
“We all will.”
When Bryna got back to her house, her father had to rush off to work. He was a busy man, even two days before Christmas. Luckily, Eric was waiting for her when she arrived.
“Hey,” he said. His whole face brightened when he saw her. “How did it go?”
“Bad.”
He frowned. “I’m sorry.”
She laughed. “Just kidding. It went great.”
“Geez. Fucking freak me out!”
“You’re too easy.” She giggled. “I mean, not everything was fixed today. But it will work itself out. I’m a persistent bitch.”
“I have no doubt it will work out.”
“Me, too.” She smiled up at him and drew him in for a kiss. “I hate that you have to leave today,” she groaned.
“I know. How can I leave?”
“I have an idea. Don’t. Just stay here. Have Christmas with me.”
He rubbed his nose against hers. “You know I would love to do that, but my parents miss me, too. Have to spend some time with them.”
“Maybe…I could meet them someday.”
He smiled. “You will definitely have to meet them. They will love you.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Good.”
“I’m glad that you’re going to have a real Christmas with your family though. Last year, you told me you hated Christmas, and I don’t want that to be the case anymore. New memories to replace the old.”
She slid her fingers around his waist and held him close. “Memories with you.”
“For many years to come,” he said, punctuating the sentence with a kiss. “I do have a Christmas gift for you though.”
“You do?” she asked with excitement. “I didn’t know you were getting me anything!”
“Gifts are a trigger for you, so I didn’t want to raise your expectations of me,” he joked.
“You’re crazy. I already have high expectations for you.”
“In that case, I’m screwed.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it. What is it?” she asked. She looked at his hands and then down at his pockets. All seemed to be empty.
“Come on. I’ll show you.”
She was intrigued. She had never gotten a present from Eric. She understood where he would be worried though. After a house, jewelry, a key to a penthouse suite, and lots of clothes, it would be pretty intimidating to pick out a present for her. Not that she needed anything. She was happy with Eric. That was what mattered.
With L.A. traffic, it was a solid half an hour before they reached their destination, which turned out to be a small ice cream shop in West Hollywood.
“Oh my God.” She laughed hysterically.
She had heard of this place before, but she’d never been here. She couldn’t believe he was taking her to get ice cream. It was going to turn into a Christmas tradition.
“I was going to take you to the Sugar Factory,” he said as he stepped out of the car. “But then we came to L.A. to be with your family.”
“The place doesn’t matter when I’m with you.”
“I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
He took her hand, and they walked across the parking lot.
A hostess met them inside. “Just two?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Eric confirmed.
“This way.” She walked them over to a booth in front of the windows and then handed them two menus. “Enjoy!”
“Welcome! Do you know what you
want to drink?” a waitress asked when she walked over.
Eric plopped the menus down on top of each other and handed them to the waitress, unopened. “We want the biggest banana split you have.”
The woman’s eyes widened as she wrote their order down. “For just the two of you?”
Eric nodded.
“Good luck,” the waitress said before disappearing.
Bryna gave Eric a curious look. “Why am I suddenly frightened by her reaction?”
“Because I picked this place with the guarantee that it had one of the biggest banana splits in the city.” He laughed. “And you’d better eat every last bite.”
Bryna leaned forward in her seat, all business. “All right. What are the terms?”
“If you finish the whole thing by yourself, then I’ll pick up the tab.”
“What a horrible Christmas present,” she joked. “And if I don’t finish it?”
“Then, you’re going to have to hang out with me again.”
The words were so familiar, reminiscent of their first time really hanging out. This was where it had all started. Just like this.
She stuck her hand out. “Deal. You’d better be ready to pay up.”
Eric shook her hand with laughter in his eyes. “Oh, I always pay up.”
A couple of minutes later, an enormous banana split was set down between them. Bryna’s eyes were huge when she saw the size of the ice cream. It was maybe double the size of the one at the Sugar Factory. How the hell did anyone finish this? They would need a large class of hungry fifth-graders to even give it a go.
Bryna took the two spoons that the waitress had left for them. She arched an eyebrow and then handed one over to Eric. “Eat up, Cowboy. We’re going to be spending a lot more time together.”
“I hoped you might say that.”
They smiled at each other and then started in on their banana split.
Much like her family, she and Eric weren’t perfect. They argued. They made fun of each other. They teased and joked and sometimes even ridiculed one another. But underneath it all was bottomless love and understanding.
Bryna didn’t need the money or riches or trips. She didn’t need any of it.
It’d turned out that the only thing she really needed to make her life better was Eric. With him, everything else seemed to fall into place.