by Claire Adams
I held her close parting her lips with my tongue. Maybe I'd leave more often if she was this happy to see me when I got back. I could get used to this.
"Hey, how was your flight?" she asked me shyly, pulling away. I kissed her again, one more time, soft on her lips.
"It was good. Definitely better being back, though," I said. She giggled.
"We should go inside," she said, looking up and down the hallway. She took my hand leading me inside.
"Are you about ready to go?" I asked, then stopped. Her dining table was on the right when you walked in, usually covered with school stuff. Tonight, instead of books, it was covered in food. I noticed the two opposite place settings and looked at her.
"Are you expecting someone?" I asked her.
"I wanted it to be a surprise, that's why I didn't tell you."
"You cooked us dinner?"
"I wanted to stay in with you tonight. I thought you'd like it," she said, wrapping her arms around my waist. "Are you hungry?"
We had never lived together, but something about coming home and finding a home cooked meal just for me was suddenly making me think we had to try it out.
"Starving," I said, checking out the spread.
"Great. I'll be right back. Sit," she said, turning and disappearing into the bedroom.
One of the dishes was full of bacon-wrapped chicken breasts. Other had mashed potatoes in it. One was full of salad, and the last was cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots in a creamy sauce. She had asked me to wait, but would she be upset if I started without her?
She popped back out of her bedroom, in a t-shirt and shorts and her hair down.
"Ready?" I asked.
"One more thing?" I sat as she disappeared into the kitchen then came back out with a bottle of wine.
"This all looks amazing, babe," I told her.
"Good," she said smugly, smiling at me. She handed me the dish full of salad. "If you taste it and it isn't great, don't tell me." I took the wine and opened it, pouring us both glasses. She loaded my plate with food as I did that, obviously confident that I'd love her cooking. I was excited to try it, especially if this spread was going to be half as good as the breakfast we’d had before I left.
"So?" she asked, watching me taste a piece of the chicken. She knew it was delicious; she just wanted me to say it.
"It's amazing. When did you start cooking like this?"
"I invested in a few cookbooks. I eat in all the time already. I wanted to try to have some fun with it."
"You cook like this every night?"
"I wish," she said, taking a sip of her wine. "It's just me usually, so nothing this grand."
"Tell me when you're feeling domestic. I'll eat anything you put in front of me," I said. "I was getting sick of the hotel food."
"Hotel food's great."
"Not for five days straight. I ended up at this barbecue spot three nights in a row."
"What else did you do? Besides play football and eat barbecue?" she asked.
Talking to her now, I wished that I had done more. I hadn’t really been thinking about seeing the city or exploring, anything like that, while I was gone. Besides showing out at the combine, I was focused on getting back home, mostly.
I thought about telling her what happened at the airport back in Houston. I mean, getting notice by a team was what I had gone there to do in the first place. She wouldn’t have been surprised by it. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t feel another way, though. If I got into it I’d have to tell her that the team that hinted at wanting me was in Miami. Why would I ruin the night bringing up that shit? All I had gotten from that Richardson guy was a hard maybe, not a yes.
I helped her clear the table off when we were done. She emptied the leftovers into Tupperware containers and put them in the fridge while I started on the dishes.
"You don't have to do that, Rome," she said, putting a hand on my back.
"You cooked, I can clean up. Have some wine, this won't take long."
"Leave them there, I never even remember to wash them at night anyway," she said. Her hand crept up to my shoulder. "Come to the living room with me."
"Ten minutes," I told her. "Have some wine. I'll be right out." Her arms wrapped around me from behind.
“You think this is what I want you to do the first time I’ve seen you in a week?” she asked. She came around from behind me and hopped up onto the counter on my right. Then, casual as hell lifted her shirt up over her head.
“Ron,” I said, trailing off.
“I don’t know why a dirty pile of dishes is more interesting to you than I am. I know what I’d rather be doing right now.” She hopped off the counter and started on her shorts. She pulled the zipper down, and they fell to the ground. Her underwear was white. I turned the faucet off and grabbed her, pulling her into me.
“You’ve got my attention, happy now?” I asked. She trailed her hands under my shirt, up my abs.
“Almost,” she said, smirking. Her hand went down to my pants, squeezing my cock through the fabric. I held her by the back of her head and kissed her. I had wanted to at least get her to the bed first but the girl was desperate. Who the hell was I to say no to that?
Chapter 26
Veronica
"Fuck me," I heard him mumble behind me. His tongue touched my lips and I shut my eyes. He groaned, lapping me up. I spread my legs to give him better access. His hands pulled my ass cheeks apart, smacking me playfully. His tongue ran over my entrance, sliding in and out before he sucked on my clit.
"I love the way you taste," he said, sliding his tongue between my folds. I felt wanton, desperate as his mouth slid over my intimate flesh. He trailed his tongue up to my asshole, rimming me while his fingers slid into my pussy. I pushed back into him, feeling my legs quiver. His fingers were relentless, plunging into me with merciless speed. I moaned, glad I was against the counter and didn't have to hold myself up. I felt him twist them inside me, pull them apart so I stretched around him.
"Roman, I'm going to come," I gasped. He didn’t slow down. I exploded, squeezing tight around his fingers as I came. He didn't stop till my body stilled. I felt his lips kiss the cheek of my ass softly before I heard him stand. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me against his chest. I turned my head so I could kiss him, tasting my own tang on his tongue. His hands freed his cock, and I felt it pressed between us.
"I missed you so fucking much," he whispered harshly.
"Roman, please," I begged. He pushed me gently onto the countertop so I was facing away from him. My body buzzed with anticipation as my breath caught in my chest.
I shuddered as he slid smoothly into me. I wanted to weep, it felt so fucking good. I would have been embarrassed about how much I wanted him if it wasn’t obvious that he wanted me back just as bad. I hardly knew who the hell I was, it had hardly been a week. Sex with him was all I had had for almost three years before he left, but now I was throwing myself at him after a week apart.
He had never left me wanting more, but now, I couldn't get enough. The fact that he was behind me and I couldn’t see him just made it hotter. He pulled out almost all the way, sinking into me with shallow, pulsing strokes. I moaned his name, trying in vain to grip onto something on the smooth countertop.
"Hang onto something," he said suddenly. I was about to ask him what, but one of his hands was already on my hip, steadying me, and the other around my leg. I leaned forward into the counter as he lifted my leg up. I straightened it, holding myself up to get better footing with my other leg. I felt his thick, round tip press into me again and his breath on the back of my neck.
"Don’t worry, I’ve got you," he said, holding my hips and thrusting powerfully inside. I screamed. He was deep, deeper than I'd ever felt him. I flattened down onto the countertop and whimpered, feeling him sink into me. Slow and shallow or hard and deep – I was a sweating, panting mess because of him. A growl rumbled in his chest as he came, thrusting hard through his orgasm. He finally slowed an
d gently pulled out of me. He kissed the back of my neck as he helped me back upright. I wobbled on my feet, dazed.
"You okay?" he asked, kissing my temple. I hugged him around the neck and kissed his lips. Standing there in my kitchen with nothing but my bra on, I felt incredible.
"Do you have to go home tonight?" He shook his head. "Stay here?" I asked. He didn’t say yes or no. He just kissed me.
We ended up in the shower. He pressed me up against the wall and fucked me, slow and hard till I was almost crying for release. When we finally made it to the bed, I was exhausted. If he had another round in him, I had no idea whether I'd be able to match him.
"Are you asleep?" he asked me. His body was turned to face me; I was on my back. His hand was playing with a bit of my damp hair that I knew I'd regret not blow-drying when I woke up tomorrow morning.
"Almost," I sighed, looking over at him. He slid closer, kissing my forehead.
"Go to sleep," he said, tucking me into his chest.
"Can I ask you something?" I asked.
"What?"
I absently ran my fingers over his chest. Football training and lifting had made him hard and broad. His strength never scared me, though, it comforted me. I trusted him enough to know that he would never use his size and strength to intimidate me. It didn't exactly hurt, too, that he was good to look at.
"What would happen if you got signed to a team?"
"I'd go play for them."
"You'd have to relocate, right?" I asked. His chest filled and he exhaled heavily.
"That’s usually what happens. Yeah. Unless I refused the offer."
"What if you took it, hypothetically, and this team is in San Diego or somewhere far like that?"
"Since the team and scenario are hypothetical, I'd hypothetically move over there and sign a hypothetical ten million dollar contract." His arm tightened around me.
"What about in an actual scenario? An actual team in San Diego wants you to play for them."
"I don't like this game," he sighed.
"It's not a game, Rome," I said, wriggling out of his hold. "There is a chance you'll have to make a decision like that, isn't there?"
"Yeah, eventually, but I'm thinking about other things right now."
"So you'd say no?" I blurted out.
"I'd decline if it clashed with something that was important to me." I frowned, sitting up. "What is it, babe?" he asked, putting his warm hand on my back.
"I don't know," I said shaking my head. "It's everything. I feel so close to you, but then every time I think I have you back, I have to remember that I have to share you."
"Please don't be upset, Ron," he said, sitting up, as well.
"It's dumb. I'm being dumb. I'm sorry," I said, feeling embarrassed. He pulled me into his lap where he was sitting up against the headboard. We were both naked, but all I felt was comfort in his arms. I buried my face in his chest. "I know this is not your only priority. I just wish I could be selfish."
"Right now, fixing what I did and making it work between us is all I'm trying to do."
"Don't say that if you don't mean it," I told him.
"I swear, Veronica," he said, rubbing a reassuring hand over my back.
I didn't want to cry, but I felt like I might. I hadn't felt like this when he had said it to me last week before our date. I had heard him and known he wasn't lying to me, but now I felt it. He loved me.
"I really want to make it work, too," I whispered.
"Then we will," he said. "Can we go to sleep?" We did. I fell asleep pressed against his large, warm chest, our fingers laced together.
Chapter 27
Roman
I woke up and checked the time. A little while before six, typical. I shut my eyes, rolling over, pulling Ron into my chest. She had spent the night after coming over Saturday. It was Monday today. Out of the last two weeks, I'd say maybe I'd woken up alone four or five times?
Veronica's apartment was nicer, I'd admit to that, but she hadn't said no once when I had asked her to come over. I hadn't when she had asked me, either. I didn't know whether that meant we were living together or what. All I knew was it was great. Really great.
Her alarm started ringing. She buried her face in my chest with a groan. I chuckled. I had tried to get her to bed at a reasonable time last night, but she had had other ideas. As a result, we were both still naked.
"What time is it?" she asked, not moving.
"Time to hit the snooze button," I said, kissing her forehead. She sighed heavily and sat up, reaching down to the floor for her phone. Whenever she did that I'd tell myself I had to get nightstands, but I hadn't gotten round to doing it yet. She stopped the alarm and fell back into the pillow.
"You alright, babe?" I asked, brushing her messy hair off her forehead.
"It's too early," she grumbled.
"You're right. It is. Stay here."
"Huh?" she said, looking at me. Her lips were swollen, pouty from sleep, and her brows were furrowed like she was upset.
"Stay," I said again, simply. I leaned over and kissed her. She moaned, running her hand over my chest.
"I have to get ready to leave. It takes longer to get to school from here than it does from my place."
"You can miss your early class, right?" I asked lightly. She giggled as I kissed her neck.
"With the amount of debt I'm going to owe, I need to get my money's worth," she said.
"It's one class," I insisted, kissing down her chest. I cupped her tit, rolling her nipple between my fingers. She moaned again, pushing her chest into my hand.
"Not now, babe," she said, running a hand through my hair.
"I'll be quick," I said, disappearing under the covers. She laughed, pressing her thighs together so I couldn't get to her. I kissed the back of her thigh, nipping lightly with my teeth. She squealed.
"Roman," she whined. I laughed, doing it again. She scooted away from me, pushing herself up so she was sitting with her legs hanging off the bed.
"If we do this, I'm gonna end up falling asleep again," she complained.
"You say that like it's a bad thing," I said, coming up behind her. I kissed her neck wrapping my hands around her waist.
"I can't skip class for you," she whispered. I tried to cop a feel, but she moved my hand. "I'll be back in a little while."
"What am I supposed to do till then?" I asked, kissing her neck again.
"Wait for me," she said, turning and kissing me on the lips. I let my hands drop as she stood. I knew she wouldn’t let me convince her to stay, but it had been worth a shot. Maybe one day it would work, and I was going to make sure that when that day came, it was the one when I asked her.
I checked her out as she walked away into the bathroom. She never really got a lot of color, but her pale skin was soft and creamy. Her body was tight and toned. I didn’t really get those exercise videos she liked to do online, but they worked for her. Fuck, she was sexy, waiting would be worth it.
I got out of bed and pulled on some underwear before leaving the room. I brewed some coffee in the kitchen so it would be ready by the time she came out. I was just pouring in the almond milk when she walked into the kitchen.
"For me?" she asked. I handed her the cup. She took a deep, long sip. She was still in the clothes she had been wearing yesterday, so she'd have to pass by her place to get changed before getting to campus.
"I don't know why I'm being nice to you. You won’t even spend one morning with me."
"You know I can't, babe," she said. I sighed dramatically, pretending to be hurt. She came up and kissed me again. "How about you come over tonight? I'll cook."
"You have to make whatever I want," I said, smirking. "Then I get to have you for dessert." She giggled and kissed me. We finished our coffee standing in the kitchen before I walked her out to her car. I thought about breakfast, but figured I might as well hold off till after the gym.
I had been keeping up with my workouts trying to bulk back up again and last w
eek even started practicing again. Coach Fitz didn't let me join every practice, but it was something. My phone started ringing on the bed as I packed up my gym bag. I didn't know whose phone number it was, so I hesitated before finally picking up.
"Hello?"
"Roman Blake?" It was a man's voice. Clipped and scratchy, but not a wrong number if they knew who I was.
"Yeah. Who is this?"
"Lawson Hayes, the Miami Hurricanes coach. We never met, but I saw you at the NFL combine a couple weeks ago. I have to say, we were very impressed." I was standing already, but suddenly, I felt like I had to start moving. I started pacing around the room.
"Thank you, sir. That's always good to hear."
"That's why I'm calling you today. I don’t know if you’ve gotten a lot of calls like this already, Roman. Honestly, we hope you haven’t. We're very interested in signing you and we want to make you an offer." I stopped cold and suddenly, I had to sit again.
"Sorry?" I asked.
"You're our first pick for this upcoming season, son," he said. For a second I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing.
"Uh, thanks. You were right about me not getting a lot of calls like this."
"Does that mean we have you?" he asked.
"I couldn't tell you today, sir. This is...unexpected."
"I understand," he said, laughing a little. "Take a little time to get back to us. Sleep on it, whatever you need. This type of offer doesn’t last forever, though; I hope you understand that."
"Of course. Just give me a few days. I'll get back to you in a week."
"You have until Friday," he said in a way that wasn't really mean, but sort of sounded like a threat. I thanked him anyway, and he said that he would be looking forward to hearing from me.
I didn’t know what happened for the ten, maybe fifteen minutes after the phone call. All I know was I realized I had been sitting on the edge of my bed, staring into space when my phone accidentally dropped out of my hand, hitting the floor.
Did this mean... Was I in? Were they recruiting me? What the hell was going to happen on Friday if I told them yes?