“Day didn’t go so well then, I’m guessing by the look of you, Pip.”
“It was horrible, Cass,” Pippa replied mournfully, kicking off her shoes and tucking her legs up underneath her body. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold the emotions and hurt at bay, to keep them from tearing her in two.
“How ’bout I make a pot of chamomile tea? I think we could both use a cup. Then you can tell me all about your day. In the meantime, Pip, sit back and take a few moments, try and relax. I’ll be right back,” Cassie soothed. Then she headed off into the kitchen, leaving Pippa to her own thoughts—thoughts she didn’t really want to deal with, especially not on her own.
Shutting her eyes and letting her head fall against the back of the couch, Pippa listened to the sounds Cassie was making in the kitchen, familiar sounds. She heard the rumble of the kettle boiling and the chink of crockery as Cassie made the tea. Pippa hoped that if she concentrated on those sounds around her, her thoughts would refrain from making her relive the drama of the day.
“Here you go, Pip.” Cassie handed Pippa a steaming cup of the aromatic tea and sat down beside her.
Pippa sipped at her tea for a few moments, but it did little to help her mood. Finally, she spoke.
“You should have seen the confusion in Rook’s eyes when he recognised me and then realised who I really was. His whole expression changed. He looked hurt, Cassie. I nearly blurted out the whole sordid truth to Brodie James right there and then.”
“You didn’t though, honey, did you?” Cassie’s serious tone momentarily distracted Pippa from her tale of woe.
“No, I didn’t, but I don’t feel good about it. You should have heard the glowing endorsement Brodie gave me. I feel like such a fraud. I’ve let everyone down. “
Pippa was fighting back tears as she spoke and trying to ignore the ache in her chest. Occasionally, she rubbed absentmindedly at that painful spot over her heart with her closed fist.
“Did Rook say anything?” Cassie quietly asked. “Did he talk to Brodie, give you up?”
“Before I could talk to him, maybe apologise or something, he was gone. One minute he was there and then the next…” Tears started to roll down Pippa’s cheeks.
Cassie wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.
“Don’t do this to yourself, Pip, regret and ‘what ifs’ aren’t going to change what happened. Move on. Eating yourself up won’t help. What’s done is done, sweetie. You really need to concentrate on your career now… Your future,” Cassie said.
“I just feel so guilty, Cassie, and then to top it all off I had this weird conversation with Brodie about Rook being my teenage crush. It was so humiliating.”
“Let it go… You have wanted to work for the Jets for a long time, and now you have that chance. Grab it—whatever happens with Rook will happen. Just let him have some time to get over the shock. Look, sweetie, he’s a man. His ego took a bit of a hit. But he got his end in. He will get over it, probably just as soon as he finds another conquest.”
“Do you really think so, Cass?” Pippa asked, trying to garner strength from her best friend’s words.
“Yeah, hon, I do. Just give it some time.”
But just as quickly as the hope began to surface that Rook might forgive her, the idea of him with another woman broke Pippa’s heart all over again.
“Maybe…” Pippa sounded less than confident even to her own ears as she sipped at the cooling tea. “I’ll try, Cass. In fact, I have to start pretty soon. JT invited me to a get-together at his place. He said it would be a good chance for me to mingle with some of the team, let them get used to having me around. And on the positive, it will be great to catch up with Caitlin and Mandy again.”
Pippa remembered how the two senior members of the Jets squad her father had coached had fallen hard for their respective wives. Both men had met their other halves a matter of weeks apart from one another, and to top it off, both women had lived in the same apartment building.
Pippa, only fifteen at the time, had loved the romantic—but quite public—wedding proposal JT had made to Mandy. Most people had thought that JT was too tough or macho to make such a romantic gesture. He had proven to be very much in love with his woman, and had retired at the end of that season so as not to be away from his new family.
Pippa had spent a lot of time hanging out with Caitlin’s brother, Riley. Caitlin had been the sole carer for Riley back then, as their parents had been tragically killed in a car accident. Riley had been quite a lot of fun, for an eleven-year-old boy. The fact that Rookie had seemed to have a soft spot for Riley and had spent time with him had also worked well for Pippa. It would be great to see the now grown-up Riley again.
Maybe Cassie was right—she should just move on, make the most of her opportunities, get on with her life. Forget Mitch Harris.
Easier said than done. Like I haven’t already tried that one!
“Hey, can I be your plus-one to the party? Wouldn’t mind getting up close and personal with some prime Aussie beefcake, and I don’t work for the Jets,” Cassie said, wiggling her eyebrows at Pippa.
Pippa was very thankful to have such a supportive friend. Everything Cassie had said made sense.
“Sure you can, Cass. Hey, I need all the moral support I can get. And thanks for the pep talk.”
“Don’t even mention it, Pip, that’s what we do for each other. I’ve got your back, partner.” Cassie spoke the last words in a deeper voice, trying to imitate a Western gunslinger. It was such a bad impersonation that Pippa could not deny the smile that forced its way to her lips.
* * * *
After the day she’d had and the emotional replay of it to Cassie, Pippa was wiped out. She could not face the thought of food and so—after making excuses to Cassie about being tired and needing a good night’s sleep to face the next day, and after a quick shower—she took herself off to bed.
She tried to not obsess over Rook, but every time Pip closed her eyes it was his face she saw. First the face that had hovered over her during their mating, those silver eyes hungry for her, which was quickly replaced by today’s Rook—the look of horror on his face and in those eyes as she had been introduced to the team and he’d realised her deceit. So it was not surprising that he filled her dreams.
As was the usual case, Pippa’s dreams began back in the garden of her childhood home, the place where she’d discovered what true humiliation felt like. Although in Pip’s dreams, the story sometimes changed.
“Rookie, it’s me, Phillipa. Where are you?” she whispered in the darkness, until Rookie’s form stepped out from the shadows.
“I’m over here, beautiful. I’ve been waiting for you all night.”
Pippa raced to him and threw her arms around his neck, and Rookie lifted her up and swung her around, like in some cheesy movie scene. “Kiss me,” he said. His lips closed in on hers and the feeling was so good, so unbelievably sweet that Pippa melted in his arms.
The dreams always started this way…
Rookie’s hands roamed over Pippa’s body, warmth radiating from his touch, leaving her skin burning with desire. She always wanted more. He cradled her breast, rubbed his palm over her now distended, sensitive nipple. “My God, I want you so much…every time I see you, I just want to have you,” he whispered in her ear. The words she longed for him to say, the words that made her want to give him everything.
“Take me, Rookie. I’m yours…always,” she replied breathlessly, panting.
Rookie laid her gently down on a blanket that seemed to miraculously appear from nowhere. “Take your top off for me, beautiful. Let me see those lush breasts of yours.”
And Pippa did. She bared her breasts for him to see—only him.
“They are the most beautiful breasts I’ve ever seen, and the feel of them is so fucking amazing,” he said.
Rookie touching her was heavenly as an arc of pleasure raced from her nipple down past her clenching tummy, making her pulsating labia fe
el moist and swollen, evoking sensations throughout her body that up until now she had only reached from her own hand. She moaned, made little noises that made Rookie squeeze harder, pinch and caress more frantically.
“Let me touch you too. Take off your shirt, Rookie,” Pippa whispered self-consciously, almost begging, pleading. She was not sure of what she should be doing, what she needed to do to satisfy Rookie. To make him hers.
He did as she asked, and she stroked her hands over his chest. It was firm, muscled, not an inch of fat to mar his perfect form. She played with the few curls of hair that adorned his chest, feeling the softness of them. She tentatively touched the small buds of his nipples with her fingertips, marvelling at the feel of him. Her sigh was loud as she enjoyed touching him, finally, after having spent so long wanting him to notice her.
“Can I touch your pussy?” he asked politely, and although Pippa felt nervous, her mouth drying in anticipation, she nodded in assent.
Rookie’s touch was light at first, exploring her, testing, but before long she was riding his hand. “That’s right, beautiful, take what you need. Let me make you fly. Let me show you pleasure that you never imagined was possible,” he said as she slid back and forth on his fingers—two now—trying to find what she was striving for, what her body signalled that it needed.
She felt the moisture build where Rookie’s fingers explored. She was about to reach that glorious peak as her body tensed and arched towards him, the final goal that would ease the ache, the longing. But just as it seemed attainable, he removed his fingers, leaving her adrift and feeling as if she might die from the unattained release.
“I need to be inside you now,” he said, his voice sounding so desperate.
Rookie slowly slid her underwear from her. Still dazed from what his talented fingers had nearly done for her, the summit she had nearly reached, she submitted, unsure of the emotions that rode her. Not sure if the tears that she felt building were from frustration or happiness.
Rookie crouched over her, his silver eyes—the ones that made her heart skip and her breath catch—gleaming with some emotion she did not understand. A hunger, a fierceness that was almost enough to frighten her but also thrill her. This was Rookie, and she loved him—had loved him for almost three years, from the time she’d first seen him at the age of fifteen. So she lay still as he spread her thighs and adjusted himself. Pippa couldn’t see between them, but she could feel the hardness against her. Felt herself parting, allowing him entry. It was a strange sensation as her virginal muscles fought his entry. She tried to relax, inhaled a big breath to calm her fear. She wanted him to see her as a woman—his woman…
Pippa awoke with a start, her body saturated in sweat, her chest heaving, her pussy wet, throbbing with need. Her frequent dreams of Rook Harris took many turns—some where he rejected her, the way he had when she was seventeen. Other dreams were fantasies where he made love to her tenderly, bringing her to orgasm in crashing waves of pure bliss, drawing out every ounce of passion as he whispered sweet nothings in her ear, manipulating her body to evoke such pleasure in her it was almost unbearable.
Then there were the dreams that left her wanting, when something would disturb her sleep and awaken her too early.
Of course, it would be this kind of fantasy tonight. Pippa cried into her pillow, refusing to sate her own needs—the needs of her unsatisfied body—as she might have done in the past, believing that she deserved this kind of torment for what she had become. Her torrent of tears finally ebbed enough that emotional exhaustion claimed her.
Chapter Ten
Pippa was nervous as she and Cassie arrived at JT and Mandy’s Cabarita home. Cabarita was a lovely inner-western suburb of Sydney, situated along the Parramatta River, a waterway that fed into Sydney Harbour. The old federation-style home, typical of the area, was large and spacious, perfect for entertaining. The backyard was shaded by enormous gum trees and landscaped with many native Australian plants—kangaroo paw, red waratah and grevillea. Lavender shrubs and yellow wattle scented the air, as well as the pretty white sweet-smelling flowers of the flourishing frangipani trees.
Pippa couldn’t believe how much JT’s children had grown. When she had left Sydney nearly five years ago for university, Elaina had been a shy three-year-old and Mandy had still been expecting their second child. Now Elaina was a smiling, confident seven-year-old with curly black hair and big, brown, owlish eyes. JT’s son, Jay, was a little tank just like his father, and was happily kicking a footy around the yard.
Mandy and Caitlin looked different as well—both women were absolutely radiant. Married life obviously agreed with them, Pippa concluded. She was amazed at the radical changes in Mandy’s appearance. When they had first met, Mandy had been a little scary-looking, dressed in all black, a bit like a goth. It was hard to believe this was the same woman, now wearing a pretty yellow sundress, her long, curly hair adorned with frangipanis.
Caitlin, who had always been a natural beauty, was still stunning, but now quite rounded. Pippa guessed that the beautiful redhead was probably at least seven months pregnant. And as they came rushing up to hug her, her nerves disappeared. Pippa was quite overwhelmed by the genuine warmth of the welcome she received, but finally remembered to introduce Cassie to the women.
“Mandy, Caitlin, I hope you don’t mind but I bought a friend along. I was a bit nervous and Cassie is good backup.” She laughed. It wasn’t long before the women were all chuckling and reminiscing, regaling an enthralled Cassie with stories about the old days.
Caitlin also filled Pippa in on the latest gossip. Pippa found out that Caitlin and Brodie already had a son.
“Luke Patrick is two, and just between you and me, Pip, be glad he is inside taking a nap. He is quite the handful. And as you can probably imagine, Brodie spoils him rotten.”
Pippa loved the melodic sound of Caitlin James’ voice. No wonder she had made a living singing.
“What a load of rubbish, Cate,” Mandy said with a laugh. “Don’t you believe a word of it, Pippa—Luke is an angel compared to Jay. If Jay isn’t destroying something, then he is thinking about ways to destroy something. My boy is just like his daddy, steamrolling over everything in his path!”
Pippa was having fun catching up with Mandy and Caitlin. She and Cassie had fit in easily and all four women were clearly enjoying each other’s company and their conversation. Pippa was pleased to have some familiar female company around the Jets club to help settle her in.
Distracted, she nearly jumped out of her skin when a large hand fell on her shoulder and a very deep, husky, but unfamiliar voice said her name.
“Pipsqueak, what the hell did you do to your hair?” the male voice growled.
“Riley Walters, you watch your mouth. That is no proper way to greet Pippa. You might be big, but not too big for me to clip around the ear, especially if Brodie or JT are around to give me backup,” Caitlin lovingly chastised her now very grown-up brother.
Pippa nearly fell out of her chair as she gazed up—then up some more—at the giant of a man who had once been her gangly-limbed, red-headed young friend.
“Riley Walters! What happened to you? Did you take illegal growth hormones, or is just being around Brodie and JT enough to make you become enormous too?” Pippa said as she jumped up and threw her arms around Riley’s neck.
Riley took advantage of the situation by picking Pippa up and swinging her around a few times before setting her back down to her feet gently.
“So, it’s Pippa now, is it?” he said with a broad grin. “Yeah, you don’t look much like a pipsqueak any more… You look mighty fine actually, if you don’t mind me saying. And by the way, who is this gorgeous babe with you?” Riley added cheekily, and he took Cassie’s hand, bringing it to his mouth to give it a quick kiss.
“Oh, my God, Riley, you have definitely changed.” Pippa chuckled. “This is my best friend, Cassandra Davies. Cassie, this is Riley—remember the little kid I used to talk to you about?”
“Ouch, that hurt, Pipsqueak!” Riley turned his smile in Cassie’s direction as he spoke. “Nice to meet you, best friend Cassandra. And I would just like to point out that nothing is little about me anymore!”
“Riley!” Mandy and Caitlin both chanted in unison, trying to curb any future risqué comments from the very forward young man.
“I’m honoured to meet you, Riley. Pippa has spoken of you often. And yes, I can see that you are all grown up, big and strong.” Cassie seemed to be enjoying the conversation immensely.
Riley was indeed all grown up—in fact, he was gorgeous. Pippa guessed him to be about a hundred and ninety centimetres tall. His swimming had helped produce a set of incredibly wide shoulders and a broad chest that tapered down to what appeared to be a flat stomach and slim waist. His legs seemed to go on forever, and while not as thick with muscle as a rugby player’s, they certainly looked fine in the tight-fitting jeans he was wearing. She couldn’t see his butt, but guessed it would be fine as well! But what really gave Riley his sex appeal were his eyes and that sinful curve of his mouth.
Pippa could not believe she could even think such a thing. Riley was only eighteen, but he oozed sex appeal, possibly generated by his confidence, but also helped by those big, emerald-coloured eyes—they made Pippa melt, and it seemed to Pippa that they had the same effect on Cassie. To top it off, his lips just seemed to beg to be kissed—they were quite full, and the sort of lips a woman could really nibble on. Riley’s strong jaw was covered in just a hint of ginger stubble. He wore his hair cropped very close to his scalp and it made him look all the more masculine.
Pippa was very impressed with how her friend had grown into such a hunk.
“Well, Riley, I bet you’re just breaking hearts all over the place,” she said teasingly.
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