Discovering Us (True Love Trilogy)

by Harper Bentley

  “So when he goes to LA, go then. USC has, like, the top physical therapy school in the country. You could transfer there easily. And you’d only have two years left since you’re on the fast track to graduating already.”

  “I don’t know if it’d be a good idea,” I said.

  “I think it’s a great idea. Why don’t you spring it on him?”

  “I’m sure he’d love a springing of that nature.” I rolled my eyes. Oh, by the way, Jag, I’m coming with you. You don’t mind, do you? Ugh.

  “When’s he coming home?”

  “He said in a couple days. His dad’s renting a trailer and they’re loading all his stuff and moving him back here until he has to go to Albuquerque. He said he’s taking me to Everest when he gets home.”

  Rebecca squealed. “Oh my God! I’ve wanted to go there forever! Lucky!”

  “I know. I’ll bring you a doggie bag shaped like Mt. Everest. You think that’s what they do? I have no idea why the place is named that. But, I mean, I guess I can shape the damned thing into a peak myself. Wouldn’t take a whole lot of talent.”

  “Yeah, they probably train some poor idiot for weeks making sure he gets the summit just right.” We burst out laughing at that.

  “Thanks, Bec. I needed to laugh right now.”

  “It’ll be okay, El. Promise.”

  Between her and Jag always promising me that everything would be okay, I felt that things actually would be okay. It was just getting to the place that they were okay that got to be a little tedious at times.

  “Thanks, Bec. I love you, you know?”

  “Yeah. I know. What’s not to love?” She chuckled. “And I hope you know I love you too.”

  She’d been my best friend forever, and I couldn’t help thinking that even though I wanted things to work out with Jag, I’d still hate leaving her.

  “Wow,” I breathed out looking out at the Chicago skyline.

  Jag and I sat at a window seat at Everest, which was located on the fortieth floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange Building, and the view was literally breathtaking.

  “Nice, huh?” he said with a smirk. I knew he was very pleased to have been able to take me here now that money was really no object for him since his signing bonus had been deposited into his checking account the day before.

  “Very,” I agreed grinning back at him. He was looking pretty cute in all his smugness, I thought. He wore fame well, as I always knew he would.

  He and his dad had just come in from South Carolina the night before and he’d called en route to let me know we’d be dining out tonight. It hadn’t given me a lot of time to get someone to cover me at work or to get an outfit together, but I’d managed to find a cocktail dress that was pretty kickass. It was an LBD that had a section of lace at the midriff then another that went up from the bodice to the collar. The kickass part was my whole back was bared to my waist. I topped the outfit off with thigh highs that had a back seam, black stilettos, all of which made me feel damned sexy. The “Fuck me” that Jag had mumbled when he’d first seen me let me know I’d chosen well.

  Sitting there at the table, he was looking damned good himself wearing black slacks, a black button down shirt with no tie, the top two buttons undone, and a charcoal gray sports coat. His hair was longer than normal and I liked the way it looked, arranged all messily on his head. Funny how when you haven’t seen someone on a regular basis you notice things you normally wouldn’t and all of it looked great on him. As I sat across the table looking at him, I realized that although he’d been a very good looking teenager, he was now a stunningly handsome man.

  He quirked his mouth up on one side. “What?”

  I came out of my mini daze with a start, unaware that I’d been staring at him. Ogling, really. “You’re so handsome, Jag,” I blurted then blushed. But my mouth wasn’t finished. “You look so sexy in that shirt and coat. And, God, your five-o’clock shadow is freaking hot!” I snapped my mouth shut quickly. It wasn’t that I didn’t mind giving him compliments. God knew that what I said was true, but I hated that he could make me ramble on like that.

  He smirked even more at that before he leaned over the table toward me, which made me lean toward him. “You’re gonna think it’s really hot later when I’m rubbing it against the inside of your thighs.” I pulled back to look at him in surprise and saw that his eyes were navy. “I can’t wait to be inside you, El.”

  Holy shit. The hungry look on his face literally made me gulp. My legs involuntarily came together in a clench as I wriggled in my chair, the butterflies inside me dancing around like crazy as I felt my panties dampen. “Jag,” I whispered, my eyes practically bugging out as I looked around surreptitiously to make sure no one had heard him. “You can’t talk like that here!” I said, still whispering and still looking around.

  But my eyes were only on his when he reached over and took my hand, pulling me back toward him again. “I can say whatever I damn well please, El, and I mean it when I say I can’t wait to fuck you.”

  If my mind were a keyboard, it’d be typing out all kinds of those symbol things because he was scrambling my brain with what he was saying. It was all I could do to keep from using my napkin as a fan. Our waiter decided to show up just then with the amuse-bouches, and Jag reluctantly let my hand go. I still felt his eyes on me as the waiter explained what each item was, and at first, I was so damned hyperaware of Jag that I couldn’t even concentrate on what our server was saying, but as he continued describing it all, I became so enthralled, even asking him questions, that I moved away from my previously unsettled state. When he left the table, I looked up to see Jag still watching me, his dark eyes still boring into mine. Whoa.

  “Maybe we should’ve skipped dinner,” I whispered. When Jag had picked me up at my apartment earlier, he’d given me a kiss to end all kisses, but I’d stupidly insisted that we stay on schedule, reminding him that he’d made the reservation at Everest several days in advance, we were already dressed and that we didn’t want to be late. Besides, Rebecca and Ross had been there (she’d promised that they’d be gone for the night, though) so it wasn’t like we could just jump in bed and get down to business, right?

  He reached across the table again and took my hand again, smoothing his thumb over the backs of my knuckles as he continued giving me the look. “Maybe. But I do like the anticipation.”

  Dear God. I was gonna spontaneously combust with all the damned heat that was running through my veins. I took a deep breath then focused on the hors d’oeuvres before that happened, offering him a taste of my lobster even though he had his own. Hey, I was flustered! But as he leaned forward, his eyes on mine, and took my fork in his mouth, his gorgeous lips so sexy as they closed around it, I was done for. “Wa—wanna leave?” I stammered.

  His lips twitched as he sat back and shook his head, his eyes still on mine while he chewed, the muscles in his jaws bulging with each bite. Then his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. Then he licked his lips. He definitely had this seduction thing down, and I don’t even think he was trying. I closed my gaping mouth and crossed my legs for what seemed like the fiftieth time. How could he be sitting there all cool and calm while I was a veritable horny mess?

  The waiter brought the next course, the second out of seven. After this, only five more stages of foreplay to go. Jeez, this was sweet torture. What made me feel better was when I got up to use the women’s room after the third course had been delivered, Jag had nabbed me by the wrist, pulling me to him for a quick kiss and I saw that he was sporting a huge boner. I looked at him in surprise as he narrowed his eyes at me. Well, at least he had to suffer too, I thought with a chuckle as I walked away from the table.

  “Oh, my God, Jag…” I breathed out.

  We’d made it home from Everest and had barely made it in the door of my apartment before we’d stripped each other naked, though I’d kept my heels and stockings on at Jag’s insistence. He now had me pinned against the door, one hand splayed across my stomach a
s he knelt in front of me. He’d thrown one of my legs over his shoulder and was now languidly dragging his tongue up the inside of my thigh, his scruff brushing against my skin just as he’d promised. My fingers were laced in his hair, and when his other hand moved up and he slipped a finger inside me, pressing it in the right place, I gasped then clutched his hair hard as my leg buckled and I teetered on my five-inch heel.

  “Easy, baby,” he muttered, looking up at me, his dark eyes brimming with lust. Oh my.

  His lips eased their way higher as he kept watching me, and when they landed on my softest parts, he sucked me inside his hot mouth. I lost it then, scorching waves of pleasure radiating throughout my entire body, and screaming his name, I came harder than I ever had before. He didn’t stop until he was sure he’d wrung as much of my climax out of me as he could and my body was near collapse. Wow. He gently took my leg off his shoulder with a kiss at my knee then stood slowly, running his tongue over my stomach, kissing and nipping here and there, stopping to suck in each nipple, making my breath catch when burning spasms rippled through me once again.

  After coming to his full height, he wrapped a hand in the hair at the nape of my neck, grasping my butt with his other hand and kissed me deeply. Then it seemed as if he couldn’t wait any longer and he grabbed me, turning me roughly to face the couch, bending me over the back of it. He nudged my legs apart with his foot pushing at my foot, then his hands came to my hips, I felt his knees bend slightly behind me and he slid his length up inside me, going so deep I cried out his name again, my fingers clutching the cushions.

  “Told you…” he murmured between thrusts, “couldn’t wait… to fuck you… El…” He drove up hard inside me, digging his fingers so hard into my hips I’d probably bruise, but I couldn’t have cared less. Oh, I liked this side of him, wanting me so badly that he was almost blind with desire. “Jesus,” he rasped as one of his hands smoothed up my spine and into my hair where he twisted his fingers, fisting his hand in it and pulled my head back. His leaned into me, his scruff brushing against my cheek as he huskily said, “You like me fucking you, El? Like my cock inside you?” His other hand had wound its way around to my stomach and down where his fingers went between my legs, rubbing over me, which made my core spasm a little around him and I sucked in a breath as the burn inside threatened to explode throughout my body.

  “Oh, my God, Jag…” I panted.

  He yanked my hair, pulling my head back again and hissed in my ear, “Answer me.”

  Oh. He’d asked me a question. Right. “Yes, Jag. Yes. I love you inside me. God, yes.” And I loved this. Loved it. I never thought his being a little rough with me would turn me on, but holy shit did it ever.

  Driving up inside me, he kept both hands where they were, one with his fingers rolling over me threatening to drive me mad, the other balled in my hair turning me on like nothing else.

  He pulled out then, turning me to face him, his mouth coming down hard on mine as one of his arms went across my lower back and the other dipped down under my bottom to lift me up. My legs wrapped around his waist, arms going around his neck, and he walked us to my bedroom, his lips never leaving mine. After sitting down on the edge of my bed, he lifted me at the hips and slid his length inside me again.

  “Oh, shit,” I gasped. He was so deep this way. I put the toes of my stilettos between the mattresses for leverage and grabbed his shoulders as I moved myself up and down on him.

  “Fuck,” he said with a groan, his voice all sexy and hoarse and gravelly as he looked down at where we were joined, his hands sliding up my thigh highs then going back to my hips as he watched me roll them to take him deeper. “Touch yourself, El,” he growled. Wow. I stopped moving on him and with my eyes big, looked into his dark eyes as they glittered with lust back at me. I’d never done that before in front of him and it’d taken me a little off-guard. At my hesitation, he commanded, “Do it.”

  Although I loved this macho, alpha side of him that came out during sex, I sat still, unsure of doing that in front of him. He jerked his hips up hard, impaling me so deep then said in a warning tone, “El.”

  Oh, God. I licked my lips as I slowly moved a hand from his shoulder down, still reluctant to do what he’d ordered while he watched. He leaned in and kissed me hard, his lips bruising mine as he took my hand in his, placing it where he wanted it, his fingers over mine, guiding them to move in circles just above where we were connected.

  Oh, damn. This was completely hot and so sexy. Feeling more confident at the satisfied smirk on his face, I took over and he gripped my hips again, moving me up and down on him.

  “Fuck yeah,” he growled.

  It didn’t take long until I was there, and I threw my head back as I cried out his name. He joined me not long after, holding my hips tightly to his as he plunged up inside as deep as he could go. We were both breathing heavily, our bodies misted with sweat when he leaned in and kissed my forehead, his arms wrapping firmly around me. “You’re beautiful, El,” he said between breaths. “So… fucking… beautiful.”

  “I love you,” I murmured against his neck, nuzzling into him, my body completely sated.

  He squeezed me in a deep hug, kissing the top of my head, and I fell asleep in his arms with him still inside me, knowing I was right where I belonged.

  Chapter 14

  I was twenty-one when Jag and I were finally going to begin our life together.

  We were only able to spend a week together after our night at Everest. The baseball season was well on its way and Jag was to report almost immediately. He planned to fly to Albuquerque and stay in a hotel until he found an apartment or condo to stay in, maybe room with one of the other players.

  We’d talked before he left, though, and cleared up so many things that by the time he left, I felt a kabillion times better than I had since he’d gotten drafted.

  “Um, so you’ll be in Albuquerque for a year?” I asked.

  “That’s the plan. I mean, it could be longer, but I hope I get called up before then.” I’d made crab and ricotta cannelloni, his favorite, and we sat at the little dining table in my apartment.

  “You will,” I said with a smile, taking a drink of wine. “You’re an amazing pitcher. They’re crazy not to take you now.”

  He laughed. “Yeah, well, that’s hardly protocol. I mean, it’d be cool, but most guys spend a year in the minors, so that’ll be me.”

  “Then on to LA, huh?” I asked. Ugh. I was afraid to bring this next part up. What if he said no? I took another drink of wine, trying to get my nerve up.

  “Hopefully.”

  “So…”

  He looked up at me as he took another bite. “God, this is good, El. I love when you make this.”

  “Thanks. I know you do. I wanted to do something nice before you leave.”

  He leaned over and gave me a quick kiss. “Well, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  We continued eating in silence. Well, he continued eating while I drank trying to build courage. After a few minutes, he took a drink then looked at me until I finally met his eyes. “All right. What’s going on?” he asked after taking his last bite.

  “Nothing.” Crap. He’d caught me off guard and my deer in the headlights look at his question just gave me away.

  “Yeah, whatever. What’s up?”

  “Well…” I got up and started clearing dishes from the table. “I, uh, was talking to Rebecca the other day.”

  Jag sat back turning his chair so he could see me in the kitchen. “You want some help?”

  “No, no, I’m good. Stay there and I’ll bring you some cake,” I replied.

  I got a knife and forks out of a drawer along with plates and pulled the chocolate cake I’d made toward me on the counter. I looked over at him seeing that he was intently watching me, waiting to hear what I had to say. I turned away to cut two pieces then carried them to the table, putting his in front of him before I sat down.

  “Good?” I asked after
he’d taken a bite.

  “Delicious,” he mumbled, mouth full.

  More silence filled the room except for our forks scraping on the plates as we ate. I guess he got fed up with waiting because his fork clanked down on his plate loudly making me jump in my seat.

  “What the fuck’s going on, El?”

  Great. Now I’d pissed him off while trying to make him happy by making all of his favorite foods. The intense look on his face told me that I needed to get this discussion rolling sooner rather than later. Taking a deep breath, I began. “You’re gonna be in Albuquerque for a year, right?”

  “Mm hm.” He’d crossed his arms at his chest as he looked at me.

  “So it’d kinda be like you were in your senior year anyway, right?”

  “Mm hm.”

  “So it’s not like we’re losing any time ‘cause if you were at SC, it’d still be the same.”

  “El…” He was losing patience.

  “My point is that this year wouldn’t really be any different from the past two.”

  “Okay.”

  “But when you go to LA…”

  I guess he could see how really nervous I was because he leaned over and grabbed me by the arm, pulling me out of my chair to sit in his lap. “What’s on your mind, baby?” He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

  I swallowed roughly. Jeez. Why was this so hard to ask? I guess because if he said no, it’d hurt me big time. “Well, the University of Southern California has a really great physical therapy school. It’s rated the best in the nation, actually.”

  Putting a finger under my chin, he turned my face toward his. “You wanting to come to Los Angeles with me, El?”

  I raised my eyebrows, looking at him hopefully. “Yes?”

  He chuckled then kissed the tip of my nose. “I’d love that.”