Getting Played

by Mia Storm

  I’m happy with the way I’m built, but I’ve always wondered if I’d feel differently the first time a boy saw me naked. But as Marcus unhooks my bra, and it drops away from my chest, I know the answer is no.

  He’s staring at me, his eyes trailing over every inch of exposed flesh. My nipples harden to peaks under his scrutiny. He lifts a hand and cups my left breast as if it’s a precious, breakable thing.

  His eyes find mine. “You are so fucking perfect.”

  His voice is a low purr, full of hunger and lust, and everything below my waist contracts hard in response. He thumbs a circle around the nipple, and the next second I’m moaning as he takes it into his mouth. His tongue dances over the hypersensitive skin, forcing a gasp from me. I realize I’m clawing at his shoulders, pulling him closer. He lifts his head and this mouth finds mine again. His kiss is deep and desperate, as if he hopes to inhale me right inside him.

  And, God, I wish he would. I can’t get close enough. I crush him to me and feel the heat of his bare chest against mine. He’s got a fistful of my hair, and I grab his in both hands and devour his mouth. He grinds his erection harder between my legs and suddenly I can’t breathe. It doesn’t seem to matter that we’re both still fully clothed from the waist down, this is the most intimate thing that’s ever happened to me. I feel totally naked and exposed. I move to his rhythm and an intense ache builds low in my belly. Sounds I’ve never made before are forcing their way up my throat. I lift my knees higher and press against him as hard as I can, and sensations explode through me that never existed in my universe before this moment.

  I throw my head back and cry out, a long, “Ahh!”

  He stops moving and buries his face in my neck. We stay here for a long time, catching our breath.

  “That is the most perfect thing I’ve ever heard,” he finally says, low, mostly breath. “Did you come?”

  Did I? “I think so,” I breathe.

  He pulls away and smiles. “You think so?”

  I feel my face scrunch into an embarrassed grimace. “I never have before, but that was…something.”

  He leans in and plants a soft, sweet kiss on my lips. “You have no idea how incredible it feels to be your first, Addie.”

  I want him to be my first for everything, and I know that’s still possible. I can see his hard-on straining against the fabric of his gym shorts. I reach for him and stroke his length, surprised at how hard it feels under my hand. He closes his eyes and a slow breath hisses out of him. But just as I curl my fingers around to grasp him, he backs away.

  “I honestly don’t know what I’m doing,” he says with a shake of his head, his eyes still a little glazed over and dark with want. “I don’t seem to have any control around you. I’m not going to say this was a mistake, because it sure as hell doesn’t feel like one, but I need to wrap my head around what this means before we go any farther.”

  He scoops our clothes off the floor and hands me my bra and shirt, then tugs his on. There’s so much I want to say, but I can’t untangle coherent thought from the chaos in my brain. For a long minute he just stares at me before taking my shirt from my hand and pulling it over my head. He gives me one last kiss, then turns for the door.

  “Lock up,” he says as he opens it. “And I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  And then he’s gone.

  The door clicking closed seems to release me from his spell. I go to the window and watch Marcus spirit up the walk to his truck. He climbs in and pulls away.

  I watch him disappear up the road knowing nothing will ever be the same. Because Marcus just rocked my world.

  Chapter 17

  Marcus

  “Hello, Marcus,” Deanna says when I pass her in the hallway on my way to the staff room for my paycheck. I realize now how much she had been playing up the Texas drawl for me when, today, her voice is clipped and short. It’s Friday, and every day I’ve walked onto school grounds since I first kissed Addie at the pool Monday night, I’ve braced for the backlash. But so far, nothing. Deanna’s kept her mouth shut about me being here alone with Addie.

  Which means I can’t piss her off or that could change on a dime.

  “Deanna,” I say with a nod. “How’s it going?”

  This is probably a stupid question. I’m opening myself up to all kinds of abuse by asking. I’m already jumpy. All I can think about is what happened last night with Addie. Right there, in her kitchen, kissing her felt like the most natural thing in the world. Today, in her high school, I’m not so sure.

  “You know, it’s funny you should ask, because I just got a text that you’re going to love.”

  I’m suddenly frozen in place, sure someone saw Addie and me last night. My mind starts scrambling for a plausible excuse for why I would be spending time at her house and comes up dry.

  “I was just starting to talk to a realtor about listing Grandma’s place,” she continues when I remain silent, “and she already has a full price offer.”

  Every muscle in my body unclenches. “So you decided not to stay in Oak Crest after all?”

  “I love the house, but that’s not enough to keep me here all by itself.” She tips her head and gives me a sideways look. “There’d have to be a bigger reason.”

  The rush of relief isn’t just that she’s not onto Addie and me. It’s also that my job just opened back up. If I don’t blow this, I could still have everything I want. “I’ll be sorry to see you go.”

  She blows out a laugh. “No you won’t.” She glances over her shoulder toward the office door. “I haven’t told them yet, so don’t say anything, okay?”

  “I think they might figure it out when I apply for your job,” I jab.

  Her expression softens. “You really should have gotten it this year,” she says. “They’re not going to bypass you twice.”

  I smile. “Not after their last choice screwed them over.”

  She steps closer and gives me her full-on bedroom eyes. “I know this probably makes me a glutton for punishment, but…would you want to get together tonight to celebrate?”

  I feel my face quirk before I can stop it. “Nothing’s really changed, Deanna. I don’t want to jerk you around anymore. It’s probably better if we just stick with the friend thing, okay?”

  “It was worth a shot,” she says with a shrug, then moves past me up the hall. “See ya around,” she adds over her shoulder in full drawl, so maybe she’s over it.

  I head into the staff room to grab my paycheck from my mailbox. On the way to the pool, I pull it out of the envelope, hoping the number on it has somehow miraculously multiplied. No luck. Since I put my entire gym check toward Addie’s hospital bill, I’ve got to stretch this…which is going to be tough since my gas tank’s nearly empty.

  When I get to the pool, I swim my laps and am pulling myself out of the water just at the final bell. My team straggles in and Corinne saunters my direction. Her flirting has gotten progressively bolder this week, and I’m a little nervous about what’s triggered the change. Principal Monroe said there were rumors, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Corinne was behind them, but I’m not really in a position to make accusations at the moment. So I’ve done my best to dodge her advances and to pretend Addie is just anyone else at practice. Anyone watching us would never know I’m dying inside every time I look at her.

  And, despite all my efforts, I look at her a lot.

  Up until the moment I saw Addie on the sidewalk in front of Sam Hill after our game last night, I’d done okay pretending the kiss on Monday never happened. Business as usual. But after last night, I’m not sure how to keep pretending. Every fiber of my being sings for her.

  “Hey, Marcus,” Corinne purrs.

  She lifts a hand to touch my arm and I sidestep to reach for my clipboard. “I’m moving you back to left wing.”

  I glance at her in time to see her wipe the scowl off her face. “Because Addie’s coming back?”

  “No. Because I need you on left wing.”

  “M
aybe we could talk about Saturday? You’re going to make Melanie’s party, right?”

  “I’m not going to Melanie’s party.” I didn’t totally succeed in keeping the repulsion out of my voice.

  “Why?” she asks, all doe-eyed innocence.

  “For starters, I’m really not interested in losing my job at the moment.”

  “Over me,” she says, folding her arms over her chest. “But the rules are different for Addie?”

  An earthquake rocks the ground under my feet and I nearly go down. I want to ask what she’s heard, but even that would only be ammunition. “Of course not.”

  “So…you were at her house last night helping her with, what? Homework?”

  I hope I don’t look as stunned as I feel. “Why would you think I was at her house?”

  She gives a coy shrug. “Just a hunch. Plus…” She turns her phone for me to see. “Melanie took this.”

  On the screen is a picture of my truck parked in front of Addie’s house.

  Fuck.

  “I stopped by to find out why she wasn’t at the game.”

  Her eyebrows raise. “So, just checking why the captain of your team blew us off?”

  “That’s between me and Addie, Corinne. This conversation’s over. I suggest you head to the locker room and change out.”

  “If that’s how you want to play this,” she says, slipping her phone into her pocket and turning for the locker room. “But it would be a shame if that picture went viral.”

  Her teammates gather by the pool and start setting up the goals, but at two thirty, even Corinne is suited up and ready for practice and there’s still no sign of Addie.

  I hate that she doesn’t have a cell phone, but if money is as tight as it seems, I’m not surprised. It’s near the end of practice when she finally arrives. Instead of changing, she sits on the bleachers and watches the last few minutes of scrimmage.

  I finish up and send the team to the locker room, then go to Addie. “Hey,” I say, my voice low. “Everything okay?”

  She nods. “I got a job.”

  My stomach bottoms out. “Where?”

  “When you found me at Sam Hill last night, I was there to ask if they needed any help. Vicky called me today. She needs a prep cook, so I’ll be working Tuesday through Saturday from four to eight.”

  I feel blood rise to my face. If I called Vicky, I know she would tell Addie it was a mistake, that she doesn’t need her after all. But I can’t do that to Addie.

  “So, that’s it? You’re quitting?”

  Her lips press into a line as she lowers her lashes. “I don’t have a choice.” Her gaze lifts to mine. “For a lot of reasons.”

  I see it clearly in her eyes. They’re full of regret. This is because of last night.

  I grasp her arm in desperation and I know in my gut my reaction has nothing to do with the team losing her and everything to do with me losing her. “Don’t quit. Just come to the first hour of practice.”

  She gives me a slow shake of her head. “That wouldn’t be fair to the rest of the team.”

  I pull her closer and lower my voice. “Please don’t do this, Addie.”

  Her eyes connect with mine and the jolt nearly takes me to my knees. “You don’t want me here, Marcus.”

  She releases me from her gaze and backs away, and that’s when I see Corinne and Melanie, standing near the locker room door with their heads together, watching us. Corinne’s phone is out, and my mind goes into damage assessment mode, replaying every second of my interaction with Addie.

  I know she’s noticed our audience too and she’s playing it totally cool, like there’s nothing to see and no reason to be suspicious. She gets what this could mean for me, which is why she’s quitting. I should just let this happen.

  “Thanks for the chance, Coach,” she says, hiking her bag onto her shoulder and heading out the gate.

  Melanie splits off and follows Addie to the gate as Corinne slinks my direction. She slows as she nears.

  “Is there something you needed, Corinne?” I ask, hiking my bag onto my shoulder in a clear indication that I don’t have time for her.

  Her eyes follow Addie as she disappears around the corner of the gym. “Stopping by her house again tonight?”

  I look her square in the eye. “Is there a point you’re trying to make?”

  She shrugs. “I would just hate to lose the best coach we’ve ever had because word got out he was a little too into one of his girls.”

  My insides are cement. “Corinne, this team is my priority. I’d hate for a silly misunderstanding to create a problem for all of us.”

  “I’m sure we can work something out to our mutual benefit,” she says, slipping her hands into her front pockets and straightening her arms—a move designed for the sole purpose of enhancing her cleavage. “I mean, if you hung out with more of us than just Addie, no one could say you were playing favorites.”

  “I’m not playing favorites, Corinne. If there’s something that you’re trying to get at, please do it so we can both go home.”

  “All I’m asking for is equal time, Marcus.” She steps right up to me and starts to run a finger down my chest, but I step back, out of her reach.

  “I value every member of this team equally. If you want to continue this conversation, I suggest we do it in the principal’s office Monday morning.”

  She quirks an eyebrow, questioning me. “That’s what you want? Because he might be very interested in what I have to say.”

  “I’ve got nothing to hide,” I say, holding my ground even though my lungs are seizing.

  She pulls out her phone. “I can make all this go away,” she says, jiggling it. “All you have to do is take me home with you.”

  I back away another step, my heart racing. But not as fast as my mind. I move through the gate. “I need you to leave, Corinne. I will be in Principal Monroe’s office Monday morning before school. If you have anything more to say, I expect you to do it there. Otherwise, this conversation is over.”

  She pouts, but follows me through the gate. I lock it and turn for the faculty parking lot without looking back. I get in my truck and force myself to drive at a reasonable pace out of the lot, but once I’m a block away, I gun it and don’t slow down until I’m back at my apartment. I fold my arms over the steering wheel and rest my forehead on them, working to slow my whirring mind. Because if Corinne calls my bluff and shows up in Principal Monroe’s office Monday morning with pictures of me and Addie, I’m screwed.

  Chapter 18

  Addie

  I wake up at dawn to the pound of a fist on the front door. My first thought is Becky’s home, but it’s Saturday and she’s not due until Wednesday.

  I jump out of bed and grab yesterday’s shorts out of the pile of clothes on my floor. I tug them on and run on my toes to the door, trying to be quiet. I peek through the peephole and my heart skids to a stop.

  Marcus is standing on my porch with a hoodie pulled over his head.

  I yank the door open and he lifts his head. An unsure smile plays over his mouth. “What’s your schedule today?”

  “Well…” I say, shaking off the shock of seeing him on my doorstep at six AM, “my general plan was to be sleeping right now. Beyond that, not much.”

  “Good.” He nods at the door. “Mind if I come in while you get dressed?”

  I step back and open the door wider. “What am I getting dressed for?”

  “Can’t tell,” he says, stepping through and swinging it closed behind him. “It would ruin the surprise.”

  “I don’t like surprises,” I grumble.

  “Well, you’ll like this one if we don’t miss it because you stood around bitching and moaning about not liking surprises for too long.”

  The challenge in his threat makes me want to test him, but I’m dying to know what he has planned. “Do I have time for a shower?”

  “If you’re fast,” he says, tapping a finger to his wrist, where there is no actual watch.
/>
  “Fine,” I say, spinning for the hall.

  I am quick in the shower, but the whole time, I’m picturing what would happen if Marcus walked in right now. I dry off and scrunch some gel into my hair to tame my curls, wrap my towel around myself, then pad to my room. It looks like it’s going to be sunny, but there’s a definite fall chill in the air this morning, so I decide to match Marcus: jeans and a hoodie. When I come out, he’s in Dad’s chair channel surfing.

  He clicks off the TV and stands when he sees me. “Took you long enough.”

  I throw a hand at the hallway. “That was, like, ten minutes.”

  “Whatever,” he says, stalking toward the door. “Come on. We’re late.”

  I hurry across the room and just as I catch up to him at the door, he spins. I smack right into him and he catches me in his arm.

  “And also, this,” he says before his lips lock onto mine. He kisses me as though I was his beginning and his end. I feel myself coming back to life in a way I only am when I’m with him.

  “What was that for?” I ask when he lets me go.

  “I need a reason?” he asks with an amused glint in his eye.

  He lets me go and pulls open the door. I lock it behind us and he guides me to his truck, half a block up and across the street. We climb in and he peals out of my neighborhood.

  “Not even a clue?” I ask.

  “I already gave you one. I said you were going to like it.”

  “That’s not a clue. That’s a prediction. And it might not even come true.”

  He turns for the highway and we start heading across the valley. When we climb over the Altamont Pass into the Bay Area, I start to get nervous this has something to do with my old life. But then he heads up 680 toward the North Bay. When he finally exits the highway, I can see the loops and twists of the roller coasters at Six Flags.

  “An amusement park?” I say.

  “You sound disappointed. What were you thinking?”

  A hotel? Some alone time? “Not disappointed, just surprised. Didn’t know roller coasters were your thing. Plus,” I say as we pull into a nearly empty parking lot, “are they even open this early?”