Unsaid Things (Players of Marycliff University #4)

by Jerica MacMillan

  He sat next to her, his long, calloused fingers lifting the iPad out of the box. “I know. But I want you to have the best, not just fine. You wouldn’t let me buy you one just because. So now you get one for Christmas.”

  She stared up at him, at a loss for what to say. It had been hard for her to tell him no when he’d tried to buy her one before, but it had been so soon after they’d moved in together, and he’d already bought a bunch of new stuff for their apartment and wouldn’t let her pay for anything. Not that she could afford the electronics and new dishes that he’d insisted on. And they weren’t thrift store dishes or something cheap from the dollar store either. No, he’d taken her to Bed, Bath, & Beyond and outfitted their whole kitchen in one trip with new dishes, cookware, bakeware, and towels. It had cost as much as Abby made in a month. She’d tried to talk him out of it, but every time she protested, he’d interrupt her with a kiss and drag her to the next aisle to pick out something else. So she’d stood firm on her insistence that her Kindle Fire, which she’d just gotten at the beginning of the summer, was just fine. She didn’t need an iPad. Even if she’d really wanted one.

  He’d obviously seen through her front. Blinking back a tear, overwhelmed by the torrent of emotions that had been flooding her since Megan’s phone call and now Lance’s unfailing sweetness in the face of her intransigence, she lifted her face to his, kissing him softly. “Thank you. I love it.”

  He smiled. “That’s more like the response I was hoping for.” She let out a quick laugh, and he slid the box out of her lap. “I’ll get this set up for you so you can use it tomorrow.” He took out the charger and walked over to the small desk in his room to plug it in.

  Abby stood and followed him, her hand reaching around to cover his. “Leave it for later.”

  He set it down and turned to face her, and she let her hands run up his chest over the soft fabric of his T-shirt, his muscles firm and hard beneath.

  He let out a breath. “Okay.” Then he tugged her closer, one hand wrapping around her waist, the other tipping her face up to kiss him, his tongue sliding along her lips before entering her mouth. He took his time, his hands traveling over her body, cupping, gripping, caressing. She mimicked his actions, her hands sliding under his shirt, over his abs and around to his back, feeling the indent of his spine surrounded by thick columns of muscle, the way his shoulders rippled and flexed as his hands moved over her body, reaching down to grip her ass with both hands and grind her against him.

  Breaking the kiss and taking a step back, he stripped off his own shirt, and she did the same. Before she could do more, he had his arms around her again, his hands now caressing her bare skin, his fingers rougher today after working on cars all afternoon. She arched against him, annoyed that her bra was still in the way, but not wanting to break their connection long enough to take it off.

  Lance solved that problem for her, his head dropping to trail kisses down her neck and over her shoulders, while his hands undid the clasp of her bra. He backed them up until he could sit on the bed, pulling off her bra as he did so, his hands going to her breasts as soon as he was at eye level with them. His rough fingers pinched and circled her nipples, bringing them to attention so his tongue could worship them one at a time.

  She clutched at his dark hair, holding his head in place. God, she loved when he took his time like this, paying attention to all his favorite places, which had become her favorite places too. She’d always thought her breasts were too big, especially in relation to her petite frame. But Lance loved them, and now she did too. Loved the way he devoured them with his eyes when she wore a low-cut top, with his mouth when she was topless. The way his tongue flicked her nipples, his lips and teeth tugging on them made her knees go weak.

  “Lance.” His name came out a gasp, and she felt him smile against her skin, but he didn’t let up. Instead, his hands moved to the button of her jeans, which he undid before she registered what he was doing. He tugged her pants down along with her panties, his hands now going to her ass, his fingers reaching between her thighs, teasing and stroking, but not where she wanted. She tried to widen her stance, but her jeans around her knees wouldn’t let her, and she whimpered her distress.

  The low chuckle that came from Lance’s throat told her he knew exactly what he was doing. But he didn’t torture her for much longer. Wrapping his arms around her, he lay back, taking her with him onto the bed, rolling them so he was propped over her, kissing her mouth again, his hands caressing every inch of naked skin he could reach.

  Abby kicked off her jeans, spreading her legs for him, sighing in relief when he rubbed her there at last, dipping inside her and spreading her wetness around her clit in lazy circles. Sometimes things started out slow and languid, but by the time they got naked, it turned into fierce, driving hunger. Not tonight. This was about connection and love, reassurance that they were still okay in spite of all the outside forces currently conspiring against them. One shining moment that Abby knew she would hold inside her to keep her grounded when things with her family got overwhelming. And they would. Soon.

  She pushed that thought away, focusing on Lance, the pleasure building inside her, and the pleasure she wanted for him. Reaching for his belt, she undid it without breaking their kiss, her hand reaching inside to stroke him. In response, his fingers speared inside her, rubbing against her favorite spot of all, his thumb still circling her clit, her arousal ratcheting higher until she thought she’d come on his hand in a matter of seconds. But that wasn’t what she wanted. She needed him over her, inside her, around her, his body blocking out everything else. “Lance. I need you. Now.”

  His hand slowed but didn’t stop, and he pulled back to look at her, his dark eyes full of love and lust examining her face. He nodded once, letting go for long enough to get rid of the rest of his clothes, climbing over her, his knees nudging her thighs further apart, spreading her wide to make room for him. He rubbed the head of his cock all over her, teasing her with it, then he leaned over her and kissed her deeply as he thrust inside her in one stroke.

  Her breath hitched at the sudden intrusion, her legs wrapping around his hips to hold him tightly to her. He moved slow, so slow, his forearms planted on either side of her head, surrounding her and giving her the feeling of safety and protection she longed for.

  She clung to him, her hands in his hair, her legs around him, never wanting to let go. He kept up his pace, each withdrawal a slow glide, each thrust hard and punishing, hitting her just right until all she could do was moan into his mouth. “More. Oh God, more.”

  He nipped at her lips, his hips moving faster, more sinuous, and he reached one hand down between them, his thumb circling over her clit. She gasped at the contact, and he moved more, harder, faster, the withdrawal still slow, but driving home with more force.

  Arching underneath him, her muscles grew tighter, her fingers now clawing at his shoulders, her thighs squeezing him as tight as she could. His hand moved faster, and his mouth sealed over hers as she cried out, swallowing her sounds, his rhythm never faltering, wringing her orgasm out of her until she lay limp beneath him. His hands went under her, lifting her up as he sat back on his heels, pulling her upright and onto his lap, her legs still wrapped around his waist, his hands under her ass moving her as he drove into her faster and harder and deeper, until he pulled her down frantically, losing the rhythm, burying his face in her neck, stifling his groan of ecstasy as he shuddered beneath her.

  They stayed that way while they both caught their breath, maintaining their connection for as long as possible.

  Tomorrow would be their first night apart since he’d come back to Spokane in August. Abby wasn’t looking forward to it, and she knew Lance wouldn’t be either. So she pushed away thoughts of tomorrow and what waited for her at home, choosing to stay in the moment with him while she could.

  Chapter Ten

  Lance tossed his mom’s car keys on the kitchen table, slumping into a chair. The thought of spending the rest o
f this trip without Abby didn’t sit well with him. Which, of course, was why he’d already rescheduled his flight for the next day. He hadn’t told anyone yet. Abby would argue with him, and he didn’t want to fight with her about it. Megan would pick her up when she got in tonight, so his car would still be in long term parking. He’d surprise Abby, even though he knew she didn’t like surprises.

  What frustrated him more than her leaving without him, was her facing her brother for the first time in two years on her own. The fact that he wouldn’t let her talk to their mom made him nervous. Abby tried to explain it away, saying her mom didn’t like to talk on the phone much anyway, and that was probably all it was. But he could tell that she said it to convince herself as much as him.

  This unexpected appearance of one of the men who’d abandoned her made him fidgety and restless, needing to expend his energy somewhere, since he couldn’t do what he wanted, which was show up and pound the guy’s face in. He might be Abby’s brother, but that only meant they shared DNA. He’d never abandon his sisters like that, leaving without a word, expecting them to shoulder the responsibility of a disabled parent. Abby’s brother and father were the reason she always pushed him away when he tried to help. And that pissed him off. So, yeah, her brother needed some education in brotherly duties. Lance would be more than happy to provide it for him. Free of charge.

  He ran his hands over his face and through his hair, threading his fingers behind his head and pulling against them. Standing, he grabbed the car keys again and headed out. He’d go to the shop and work with his dad for a while. If he sat here by himself, he’d go crazy. His mom wouldn’t welcome his help with the preparations for dinner, and she and Gabby were at the store. She’d texted to let him know what they were doing while he was driving back from dropping Abby off at the airport.

  His mom and sisters had been disappointed that Abby had to leave, but said they understood with the situation being what it was. His mom had hugged Abby for a long time, and when they broke apart, Abby’s eyes were bright with tears. It killed him to see her cry, but she blinked a few times, clearing away the moisture, and offered him a tight smile. “Okay. I’m ready. We should go so I’m not late.”

  He’d taken her in time to make the nine o’clock flight, just in case she could get a seat on standby. On Christmas Eve it seemed like a crap shoot. There might be tons of people trying to get where they were going in time for Christmas Day, or it could be light, everyone already where they planned to spend the holiday.

  He’d insisted on parking and going in with her, waiting in line at the check-in counter, and again in the security line until she got to the front. He’d kissed her thoroughly, provoking grumbles and catcalls from the people around them. Abby’s cheeks were pink when he let her go, and the TSA agent gave him a wry smile when he took Abby’s ticket.

  “I’ll see you soon.”

  Abby smiled, taking her ticket back, and giving him another quick kiss before going through to the scanners. “See you soon. I love you.”

  “Love you too.” He stood and watched until he couldn’t see her anymore, then turned and went back to the car.

  He hated the idea of spending the night without her. But at least it would be just one night. And he’d spend as long as he could at the shop with his dad, doing whatever he could to keep himself busy until tomorrow.

  His dad came out to greet him when he pulled into the shop’s parking lot. He stood by the open bay doors, watching Lance get out of the car and pocket the keys.

  “Come to slum it with me again, huh?”

  Lance shook his head, walking past his dad into the garage. “Got anything for me to do?”

  His dad gave him a pointed look. “There’s always something to do around here, you know that.”

  Lance didn’t say anything, just waited for his dad to delegate something for him. Instead, his dad just stared at him for a minute. “She’s gone, then?”

  “Yeah. She’s at the airport, anyway.” He checked his phone. “She didn’t get the earlier flight that she was on standby for, so she’ll be leaving in a couple hours.”

  His dad snorted and shook his head, walking past Lance to the key box on the wall. He pulled down a set of keys, tossing them to Lance. “And you didn’t bother to go with her?”

  Lance ground his teeth, but kept his voice even. “She wanted me to stay and spend Christmas with my family. She thought you and mom would be mad at her if I left with her.” Clenching his jaw, he left off the fact that she preferred to keep her family issues private and didn’t want him along for her first meeting with her brother in several years. He didn’t think his dad would understand that part. Hell, he didn’t understand it very well himself. He was ready to marry her, but she barely let him help her with anything. He loved her, couldn’t imagine life without her, but it still seemed like she kept him at arm’s length. Not with everything, but definitely where her family was concerned. And with anything money related. He hoped that if they got engaged, that might change. That she’d see that he was in this for the long haul. He wouldn’t abandon her. He was committed to her, to them.

  “Think you can handle running a diagnostic on the transmission over there?”

  “Of course.” Lance hooked his finger through the key ring.

  “You know,” his dad scratched his chin, keeping his voice casual, “it seems to me that a man ought to go with the woman he loves if she’s having family problems.”

  Lance stiffened. “Oh, yeah? Even if the woman asks him not to?”

  Shrugging, his dad turned back to the car he’d been working on. “If she loves him as much as he loves her, why would she do that?”

  With a deep breath and a supreme effort of will, Lance didn’t yell at his father or punch him in the face like he wanted to. “What are you getting at, Dad? Just say it and be done.”

  “Nothin’. Just that it seems strange to me that you’d move back for her, go back on your word to me and turn your back on your family—“

  “Turn my back on my family? Are you kidding me?”

  Hard blue eyes met his. “No, son. I’m not kidding. Everything was all planned out. You were home—hell, we threw you a welcome home party. And you end up hiding out in the office for hours, and when you come down your mom announces the party’s over and tells me you’re moving back to Spokane. For some girl. And then you shack up with her. What am I supposed to think about all that? That my son cares more for some girl who’ll run off at the first sign of trouble, but lets him pay for her house. And you’re working for someone else instead of taking over your own business like I raised you to do.” He scoffed, shaking his head and turning back to the car.

  “You’ve only ever heard what you wanted to hear. Otherwise, you’d know that I never wanted to come back here and take over the shop. I like my job. And I love Abby. She didn’t run off at the first sign of trouble. She went home to look after her mother, like she’s been doing for years. Since family’s so important to you, wouldn’t that be a good quality in her? Not something to pick at? And I’ll be joining her tomorrow. I changed my flight to tomorrow afternoon. I’ll get in late, but I’ll still get to see her on Christmas.”

  “I never heard you object when you worked here all through high school.”

  Lance’s mouth dropped open. Leave it to his dad to only focus on the shop and ignore everything else. “I wasn’t exactly given a choice. You informed me that I would be working here after football season ended my freshman year. And it’s not like it was a big change from before that. All three of us were here as much as at home since we were old enough to know to stay out of the way. Gabby could probably do the diagnostic on the transmission here, and God knows that Marissa would happily take over running the shop when you’re ready to retire. Not that that’s likely to happen any time soon. You’ll probably work until you drop dead in the middle of the garage.”

  His dad shook his head. “Of course I teach all my kids their way around a car. Even the girls need to kno
w the basics like how to change a flat, jump a car, or change their oil. That’s not rocket science. It doesn’t mean Marissa should take over the shop.”

  “What? Why not? She knows more about cars than me. And she’s the one who always wanted to be here. Why do you think she works in the office? Doesn’t she help when you guys are short-handed?”

  “Marissa doesn’t need to get her hands dirty that often.”

  “Does she ever complain?”

  His dad eyed him in silence for a moment. “Sometimes she gets irritated about the paperwork, but I remind her that paperwork keeps a business going.”

  “Yeah. Which makes her think that you trust her with your business, that maybe someday you’ll hand it over to her now that I’m not going to take it over.”

  “Now hold on—“

  “Dad. I’m not going to come back and take over the shop. Even if I were to move back here—which is a big if, because Abby’s not going to leave her mom behind—even if I did come back, I’d work at a marketing firm. My own or someone else’s. I’m not interested in fixing cars for ten hours a day for the rest of my life. I don’t want the shop. Marissa does.”

  “I always planned to work with my son. That’s been my plan since you were a baby.”

  Lance let out a sigh. “So because Marissa’s a girl, she can’t hack it? Are you serious?” He shook his head. “Plans change, Dad. You need to learn to adapt and quit taking out your anger at me on everyone else. Marissa deserves to run the shop, and if she wants to work on cars more, you need to let her. She helps Peter after you go home more often than not.” His dad opened his mouth, but Lance held up a hand to hold him off. “Not because Peter needs the help, but because Marissa wants to. She loves cars like you do. Why can’t you see that?”

  His dad was silent, working on the car. Lance waited, almost turning away to get to work, but his dad’s quiet words stopped him. “I do see it. It’s just hard. For me. She’s always been my princess, and she loves to get her hair and nails done and wear fashionable clothes. I’m glad she knows her way around a car, but I never wanted her to be a grease monkey.”