“We think a partnership would be mutually beneficial,” the young woman tells me. Her name is Jandy. “These days, brands are looking for partnerships that already have a captive audience. And you definitely have that. Your Instagram is killer, by the way.”
“Thanks.”
“And of course the views on your YouTube channel are insane. You have such authenticity with young people. So much…cachet. That makes you a perfect brand ambassador.”
“Well, that’s great to hear. But…you said mutually beneficial…”
Jandy smiles. “Right. Our brand is one of the top luxury brands this year. We’re not up there with Louis Vuitton and Hermès, but we’re getting to be very well known, and we’ve been expanding our digital reach. We believe it would expand your brand as well, to upscale urban consumers.”
I nod, trying not to chew on my bottom lip. That’s a fair point.
“What we’d love to see is you as the face of our new denim line.”
“Oh.” That’s not what I’d been thinking. Tryst isn’t known for jeans.
She tells me more about the line and their plans for it, and the dude with her, Dorian, shows us a presentation on the screen on one wall. Very slick, very glamorous. I like the jeans.
The next day we meet with Genuine People. They don’t have to sell me on their fashion; I already know and love it. But they try anyway. I actually meet with the founder of Genuine People, Janaya Wright, who’s not much older than me, and her marketing VP.
“We aim to create timeless clothing that balances modernity with femininity,” she says. “We use luxury fabrics and expert craftsmanship. Our clothing is luxurious and yet very wearable and fluid, allowing you to really make a statement. We’re also passionate about sustainability and local production. We’ve launched a denim recycling program that encourages customers to bring their old jeans back to a brick-and-mortar store. We recycle and transform the denim into insulation for homes.”
My mouth drops open but I quickly close it. “I actually did not know that. I love it.”
“We’re really proud of it.”
“I have your Belvedere skirt. It’s one of my favorite pieces.”
“Oh! Thank you! See, you’d be such a great fit! You’re so cool! Gen Z is really moving away from dressing for other people and embracing their own style. Quirky and unique.”
I could definitely see myself wearing pretty much anything they make.
Of course we don’t commit to anything, and Harper and I talk about things over dinner that night at a restaurant near the hotel. She has notes about our meeting with Monrovia in New York, which I also really liked.
I’m impatient with all the analysis, though. She has lists of pros and cons for each of them. It’s overwhelming, and I get bored with it. Finally, I say, “I just need to think about it, okay?”
“Of course.” She closes her tiny laptop computer and smiles. “Do you think we could have a decision for them by Monday?”
Today’s Thursday. I nod. “Okay.”
We talk about some other business things and then what to do tomorrow on our last day in L.A. We debate Universal Studios over shopping or the beach. In the end, we spend the day in Beverly Hills, and I blow a ton of cash on clothes and makeup. I even buy Josh a designer necktie travel roll and a tie to go in it. I don’t know if he has one, but he travels a lot and they have to wear suits, so maybe it’s something he can use.
I miss him.
Yes, we text. Yes, we sext. We even talked on the phone this morning.
Geez, it’s not like we see each other every day, even in New York. But…I’d like to. I’m falling deeply in like with him. And even though I’m going home tomorrow, I won’t see him until Sunday because he has another game Saturday night.
I’m super happy to be home when I roll my suitcase into my condo on Saturday. I kick off my shoes and toss my jacket onto a chair, then throw myself down onto my couch. “Home.”
I have so much to do. I didn’t do much work while I was gone. But what I really want to do? Make popcorn, pour a glass of rosé wine, and watch the hockey game in my PJs.
So that is what I do.
* * *
—
Sunday, I get together with Lilly. We decide to have lunch, so I meet her at a place near her, which is the same building Josh lives in. We’re going to plan a night out at the Fine Fox, and then I’m going to Josh’s place.
I walk into the Cheerful Rhino a few minutes before noon and search the room with my eyes. There’s Lilly, waving at me from a small table against one wall. I make my way over to her, unzipping my jacket.
“Hi!” Her smile is bright. “So nice to see you again.”
“You too!” I hang my jacket on a nearby coatrack and take a seat. “This is a cute place.”
“It’s close to Easton’s place and mine, so we come here a lot.”
“Oh, you two don’t live together?”
She shakes her head. “We’ve been talking about moving in together. My roommate just moved out so I’m on my own now. But that’s okay. I’m kind of enjoying being self-sufficient.” She makes a face. “It’s been a long time since I was.”
I’m not sure what to make of that, but the waitress comes and asks about beverages. I ask for a coffee and Lilly requests the same.
“So what is the name of this place you two went to?” Lilly asks.
“The Fine Fox.”
“It sounds fun. There’s a place my friends and I go to sometimes to play Skee-Ball. Hungry Dog Lounge.”
“Do you want to go there instead?”
“No, no! The Fine Fox sounds amazing. I was looking at it online and we can make reservations for a big group.” She pulls out her phone and reads off prices for renting tables by the hour. “I think we should get Layla to help also.”
“Okay.” Do we need three people to plan a casual outing? Yikes on bikes.
“It’s just that she knows everyone better than I do.” Lilly wrinkles her nose. “I’ve only known Easton since October. She’ll know who to invite.”
“I thought we’d invite everyone.”
“That would be a huge group, but we could totally do that.”
Like, who would we leave out? What do I know, though.
We order our lunch. Lilly has a salmon and spinach salad, and I order chicken dumplings, which is actually an appetizer but looks like enough for me. We talk a bit more about the get-together. Then she says, “I wish Easton and Josh would talk more.”
I give my head a mental shake. Where the hell did that come from?
“They used to be such good friends,” she says with a sad dip of her lips. “And now it’s like they hate each other.”
I sit silently. Then I say, “They used to be friends?”
She nods. Then seeing my expression, she closes her eyes. “Oh no. I’ve done it again.”
I still don’t know what the hell she’s talking about.
She opens her eyes and fixes her gaze on me. “They played hockey together as teenagers. For the Warriors.”
That sinks in and my mind makes the connection and…my jaw nearly smacks the table. “Oh my God. Really?”
“You didn’t know that.” She states it in a resigned tone.
“No! I mean, I know about the Warriors, and the bus crash…Easton was on the bus too?”
She nods slowly. “Yeah.”
I stare at her. Then I press the fingers of both hands to my forehead. “Holy shit.” I take a moment to process all this. “How badly was Easton hurt?”
“He wasn’t.”
I blink. My breath is coming in quick, shallow rushes. I feel hot all over. Why didn’t Josh mention this? “That was lucky.”
“It still affected him,” she says, her tone a little prickly. “His brother died, his dad died, so many fri
ends died.”
“Oh no.” I touch my fingers to my mouth. “His dad and his brother were on the bus?”
“Yes. His dad helped coach the team and his brother played too.” She drops her eyes. “It was pretty traumatic for him. Plus, his mom didn’t deal well with it after.”
“I’m so sorry. That’s terrible.”
“That whole thing was such a tragedy for so many people.”
I nod. “Josh doesn’t even remember some of what happened right after. He had a head injury. Then they didn’t know if he’d ever be able to play again. He spent almost a whole year going through rehab.”
Lilly blinks. “Oh…I knew he’d been hurt, but I didn’t know that.”
I look around the restaurant, then back at her. “I don’t think either of these guys has totally opened up about what happened.”
After a short pause, Lilly says slowly, “Yeah…I think you’re right.”
Some things Josh has said run through my mind. His coach telling him to communicate better with the power play team…one of whom is Easton.
And my stomach clenches remembering him telling me about a friend who betrayed him and how he’s never talked to him about it.
Lilly and I talk a bit more about the evening we’re planning, then other things. She tells me more about her dog daycare that she’s just about ready to open. But all the while, thoughts about Josh and Easton are running through my mind.
“Hey,” I say, striving for a casual tone. “Do you know if Easton had a meeting with his coach yesterday?”
Lilly frowns. “Yeah…he did.”
I nod. “Did he say what it was about?”
“He was annoyed, but he wasn’t very specific.”
“I think I know what it was about. It all sort of just clicked together. I think Josh and Easton aren’t talking to each other and it’s affecting their game.”
Her forehead still furrowed, Lilly says, “Huh.”
“Coach told Josh he needs to communicate better. I didn’t connect it with Easton until now, when you said they used to be friends but don’t talk anymore.”
“When Easton heard Josh had been traded here, he wasn’t happy. I don’t really get it…”
“There’s stuff they’re not telling us.”
She meets my eyes. “I think you’re right.”
“We need to get them to talk.”
She bites her bottom lip. “Oh. I agree. But I don’t know if we should get involved.”
“People always tell me that.” I sigh. “They don’t seem to be doing it on their own.”
“Maybe they will, now that their coach has talked to them. Better he pisses them off than us.”
“You’re very reasonable.” I sigh again.
Lilly laughs. “I try. Let’s see what happens, okay? If they don’t sort things out themselves, maybe we can give them a little push.”
“Okay.”
I so want to fix Josh’s problems for him…this is obviously something that bothers him, a lot. Why does he feel Easton betrayed him? It can’t just be that Easton wasn’t injured and he was. Josh isn’t that small. Unless I’m totally off base and have put two and two together to make five hundred. But I’ll butt out for now. I just can’t stand to think of him hurting.
Chapter 23
Josh
Sara still has a key to my place, but she knocks on my door anyway. I go let her in and it’s kind of embarrassing how much I missed her. I grab her as soon as she walks in, slam the door closed, and push her back up against it to kiss the breath out of her.
“Wow,” She blinks up at me long moments later. “I missed you too.”
I smile. “You were busy melting your credit card on Rodeo Drive.”
The corners of her mouth tilt up. “Guilty as charged. But I bought something for you.”
“Well, okay then.”
I let her come in and take off her jacket and boots. She pulls a small package out of her messenger bag and hands it to me.
I open it to find a leather tubular…container. I don’t even know what it is. I look up at her.
She grins. “It’s a tie holder. For when you travel. You roll them up and put them in there, and they won’t get creased.”
I open it and find…a tie. A gorgeous silk tie in a bright print that’s a little wilder than I usually wear, but hey, lots of the guys dress in way crazier stuff than that.
“Thank you.” I hold up the tie. “Nice.” On closer inspection, I see the small print on the tie is palm trees. “A California tie.”
“Yep.”
“I’ll wear it on our next trip to California. For luck.” I give her a big smooch. “Although it may not be until next year. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Come on in. How was lunch?”
“Good! We looked at the schedule and we picked a date to get everyone together before the playoffs start.”
“Great. It’ll be a last chance to party before shit gets real.”
She curls up on my sectional. “Playoffs are serious stuff, huh?”
“Oh, hell yeah.” I sit next to her, then shift her and lay her down and move on top of her.
She laughs breathlessly, her hands on my back. “You could buy me dinner first.”
“Ha ha. You just ate.” I nuzzle her throat. “And I want to eat you.”
“Ohhhh.” Her eyes close. “I’m always in favor of that.”
“Thought so.” I suck on her neck. “I’ll be a gentleman and offer to take you to the bedroom…”
“That’s okay…”
I kiss her again, and again, my hard dick pressing against her pussy. I slide my hand under her sweater to cup her tit through her bra and gently squeeze. Her hips lift against me, and after long moments of heated kissing and petting, she’s writhing and panting beneath me. I smile and place one last kiss on her mouth, then shift up to my knees.
I study her with avid eyes as I help her off with the sweater. A purple lace bra with low-cut cups barely covers her nipples. “Nice.” My voice is rough. I open her jeans and ease them down her hips, revealing high-waisted purple lace panties.
“I bought them in L.A. You like?”
“I like. A lot. Sexy.” I bend down to press a kiss between her breasts, then finish working the jeans down her legs. I drop them to the floor and start to take off her socks.
She kicks her feet. “No, leave my socks on. My feet are cold.”
I roll my lips in, studying her—purple lace, smooth pale curves, long bare legs…and pink-and-purple-striped socks. “Okay.”
“Don’t laugh at me.” Her eyes twinkle. “Cold feet are not sexy.”
“Can’t argue with that.” I reach behind my neck and pull my long-sleeved Henley over my head. I undo my jeans, which are painfully tight, but I leave them on as I slip my arms beneath her thighs and yank her down on the couch. “These panties are pretty, but not as easy access as a thong.”
“I should have thought of that,” she says, breathlessly. “We’ll just have to take them off.”
I nuzzle the front of them, inhaling the sweet, musky scent of her arousal. “I guess we will.” With my fingers hooked in the waistband, I draw them off too, and her knees fall apart, giving me a beautiful, yielding view of her gorgeous pussy. I drag my fingertips reverently over soft flesh, my other hand sliding inside my boxers to grip my aching cock.
“So pretty,” I murmur, probing with my thumb. “So wet…”
“God, you make me wet. I just have to think about you, and I get wet.”
“I like that. I get hard thinking about you. Fuck, I missed you, Sara.” I bend to kiss her, softly, chastely at first. Then I part her pouty lips and delve deeper, licking her up, savoring her taste, circling her swollen clit with my tongue, then finally dragging the flat of my tongue
over it.
Her body twitches hard and her hands slide into my hair. She lifts her inside foot up onto the back of the couch. Christ…her legs spread like this, her hands in my hair, her tits pushing up…she’s so fucking hot I could come just from the visual.
I lick at her, slide my tongue through her pussy cleavage, then suck her sensitive bud and she comes apart, fingers tugging my hair, her body shuddering, sexy cries filling the air. Jesus, I love this, love making her feel so good.
Breathing hard, I lift my head and peer up at her. Her chest and face are flushed, her lips parted. She lets out one more soft sigh of pleasure.
“Hold on, honey.” I rise. “I don’t have a condom.”
My jeans sag on my hips as I book it into the bedroom to grab one. I leave the pants there, rolling on the condom as I stride back, totally naked now. Sara’s limp and quivering on the couch.
The first thing I do is tug the little lace cups down under her tits and dive in to devour her sweet nipples. I taste and tease, suck and nibble, then lick all over. My stiff cock is prodding her entrance and she’s the one who reaches down to guide me inside, lifting her knees as she does so.
“Aw fuck…” Fiery sensation builds, racing up my spine.
“I love it,” she whispers. “Love having you inside me. So big and full…so deep.”
“I fucking love it too.” I bury my face in the side of her neck as I slide all the way in.
* * *
—
We don’t bother getting dressed after, because we both know we’re not going to be able to keep our hands off each other. I give her a pair of flannel pants that are huge on her and a sweatshirt. She looks adorable. I pull on sweats and a T and we cuddle up on the couch and catch up on the last week.
“So the people at Tryst were super complimentary to me,” she says. “And I liked their jeans designs.” She talks a bit about the other businesses. “Harper wants a decision tomorrow.”
“Huh. That’s not much time.”
“Well, I’ve had since Thursday.”
“So you’ve been thinking about it?”
You Had Me at Hockey (Bears Hockey) Page 19