by Kara Jones
I raised my glass as well. “To Joel,” I said. “The craziest, best man I ever knew, and the man who saved my life.” We clinked glasses, and I took a sip.
Lexa looked at me, shocked. “He saved your life?” she asked quietly.
I cocked my head. “He never told you?”
She shook her head at me.
I chuckled, looking down at my glass. “That’s just like him,” I said. “Saved a man’s life and never cared about the credit.”
Then, I told her the story—about how me and some guys were under fire, and Joel pulled it away long enough for us to escape. I told her how after he miraculously made it out untouched as well, he had acted as if it was just another normal day at the office. He’d come back after we’d chased the insurgents off, covered in dirt, and started cracking jokes to us. I told her about all the stupid practical jokes he used to play, and about the time he jumped out of the convoy as it went through a village, so that he could help some kids inflate their soccer ball. I told her how he was the best man I ever knew, and I struggled with the idea that one roadside bomb was enough to kill him.
For the first time ever, I talked and Lexa listened.
Lexa
We were both very drunk… well, I was. I’d done the math, and Slade should have been very drunk too, but he seemed more or less unaffected, or maybe, that was his drunk face. I couldn’t tell.
We got a cab back to the motel, and he helped me as I swayed up the stairs to our room. His hand on my back was electric, and I ached for him deep in my bones. There was nothing in the world that I wanted at that moment as much as Slade Ronan.
When we got in the room, I turned to him, doing what I hoped was an alluring smile.
He laughed. “Get into bed, Ginger,” he commanded, pointing.
I swayed toward him, keeping my eyes on his as best as I could. “Make me.”
It was a poor attempt at seduction, I admit. My drunken arsenal never really consisted of much more than that. And anyway, it was certainly having some kind of effect. Slade’s eyes grew dark with lust, and I saw his fingers twitch as if he was itching to reach out and grab me.
“You’re drunk, Ginger,” he said. “I might be an asshole, but I’ve got some morals.”
I pouted, doing my best to look innocent and seductive. “Don’t you want me?”
In a flash, I was pressed against the wall. Slade’s arms fenced me in, and his face was lowered toward mine. His eyes were hot. God, everything about him was hot. Was he actually going to kiss me? I didn’t know if I could handle that kind of searing heat.
“Believe me, Ginger,” he murmured. “I want you.” He pushed away from the wall and strode toward the bed. “But, I’ll not have you when you’re shitfaced.”
I sighed, feeling my body throbbing everywhere. I was so turned on that I didn’t know if I’d be able to sleep; still, it seemed like that was the only thing to do.
I got into bed and turned off the light, not bothering to change into pajamas. I was going home tomorrow anyway, and I wasn’t sure I could manage taking off my pants without falling over. I tried to ignore the desire to sneak over to Slade’s side of the bed. I didn’t think I could take any more rejection.
Chapter Six
For the second morning in a row, I woke up in Slade’s arms. The first morning, all I’d had to do was pretend to be asleep while he extricated himself. Today, it seemed that would not be the case. I wanted to get up and go get us some coffee, and apologize for how I’d been the night before. I couldn’t remember an awful lot, except being turned down by Slade after making a right fool of myself.
I slowly began to shimmy away under the sheets, hoping the drop of his arm to the mattress wouldn’t wake him up. I never even got that far.
His hold tightened and dragged me back, his chest against my spine. “Where do you think you’re going?” he purred into my ear.
With just those words, my body came to life; heart racing, blood pumping, heat flashing everywhere.
“To get us some coffee?” I squeaked.
He laughed darkly against my neck, securing his hold around my middle. “You tested my restraint last night, Ginger,” he said, his lips fluttering against my skin as he did.
The sensation ran through me and I sighed, leaning back against him. I could already feel him hardening against my butt. Oh God, did his body feel good against mine. It was like being locked in a steel cage.
“Did I?” I asked innocently.
His lips moved against my skin again. “That wasn’t very nice of you.”
I arched back into him and he growled. “What are you going to do about it?” I asked.
He spun me around so quickly my heart stopped. His lips crashed down on mine, pulling me against him as his mouth devoured me. I was breathless, speechless. My heart hammered in my chest as I returned the kiss hungrily, tasting him… feeling him. His hands pressed against my back, pushing me closer… tighter. Our bodies were one under the white cotton sheets.
I felt so secure. I felt so alive. My whole body tingled as I kissed him, and the rest of the world just slipped away. His lips moved to my neck, scraping stubble against the sensitive skin of my throat. I moaned and dipped my head back, giving him full access and full permission to do what he wanted, and what he wanted was very clear.
I reached my hand down and cupped him through his pants, feeling how hard and heavy he was. He sighed against my neck, sending shivers through me.
“Are you sure you want this, Ginger?” he asked.
“Yes.”
His hands found the bottom of my shirt, ripping it off and tossing it away. My bra followed. As the cool morning air hit my nipples, another shiver wracked my body. I was both hot and cold, each sensation fighting for dominance on the battlefield of my body.
His hands moved to cup my breasts as he kissed me again, rolling on top of me and grinding his hips into mine. I arched up, offering my body to him. His rough hands on my skin were divine, his lips on mine exquisitely sinful. I felt heat pool between my thighs, and I rubbed against the friction of my jeans.
Slade pulled away to look at me, his eyes dark as they had been last night. How could I remember that, but not that he wanted me too? Then, he pulled his shirt off and dipped down to kiss me again.
My hands roamed his back, feeling the sinuous muscle flex under his skin. God, he was hot. I could have touched him all day.
His hands moved to my zipper and pulled my jeans and panties off in one elegant jerk. It was clear that he’d done this before, many times… fine with me. It wasn’t like I was a virgin. His pants soon followed, and then we were naked together. When I felt his cock on my stomach, I had to glance down and look at it. It was impressive.
When I looked back up, he was smirking; the cocky bastard. I opened my mouth to chastise him for being so cocky, but the next second, he was filling me. All that came out was a low moan instead. He slid in slowly, shuddering when our hips met. Then, he pulled back, and began to thrust.
I was on another plane. As our hips rocked back and forth, the bed could have been on fire and I wouldn’t have noticed. Who was I kidding? The bed probably was on fire. That was the only explanation for the amount of heat between us.
His mouth sought mine, nipping and sucking on my lips as he grunted with his thrusts. I kept rhythm, pushing my hips up off the bed to meet his. The tension within me grew until I was so close that I could taste the sweetness of release on my tongue. I wrapped my legs around his hips, and he began to thrust harder, faster. The change of pace sent me spiraling over the edge, and I screamed as pleasure buffeted me, dragging me out of my skin.
Slade’s body continued to pound against mine, and he latched his teeth onto the top of my shoulder as he slammed home again, then again. Then, with a shudder, he held my body to his, tensing everywhere.
He sighed and rolled off of me, pulling me up and draping my chest over his. His face was relaxed, probably the only time that I’d ever seen him relaxed. Both of our bodies were covere
d in a thin sheen of sweat, and we just sat there and panted for awhile.
“Well,” I said finally. “That was…”
He raised an eyebrow at me.
“Unexpected.”
He laughed. “And, I know how much you love your careful planning, Ginger,” he teased.
I rested my head on his chest and listened to the hammering of his heart. “We probably have to check out soon,” I said. “And, I imagine you want to be on your way.”
I needed to give him an out because I was scared that if I didn’t do it now, he’d just keep hanging out with me out of pity. I couldn’t take not knowing. I was a big girl. I could get over it if he just wanted to drop me off at home and never see me again. I’d probably spend the rest of the day hiding in bed, but I’d get over it eventually.
Slade’s arms circled my back, stroking me. “Actually, I had a different thought,” he said. “What are you doing for the next couple of weeks?”
My heart raced, and I looked up at him. Be cool, Lexa. “Uh, not a whole lot,” I said. “Why?”
His messy hair and lopsided grin made him look so much different than the hard-lined, rugged soldier I was used to. It was a look that seemed like it was just for me.
“I’ve got a long, forced vacation ahead,” he said. “I could use someone to chatter at me incessantly and keep me from being bored.”
I tried to suppress a massive grin. “Are you asking me on an adventure with you?” I asked.
“Think you’re up for it, Ginger?”
I sighed and closed my eyes, relief and happiness flooding over me. “I’d like to see you try and stop me.”
The End
Bonus – Hard Hit - Sports Romance
Chapter One
The lights…
The sounds…
The hundreds of eyes watched as her fingers hit the keys…
Sarah Matthews took all of them in, letting it all consume her, as she played. She closed her eyes, focusing on her wish; the only thought she had in her mind as she hit every note.
“Will it reach them? Please reach them…,” she repeated over and over in her mind. She wanted her feelings, her emotions, basically all of herself to wash over everyone who was listening to make them experience what she experiences.
Music is the window to the soul. It’s this thought that had been ingrained in her ever since she developed an interest to playing the piano, and it was still true for her even now. She was never a good conversationalist. She was always stringing her words together or else the things she wanted to say became lodged in her throat. But, whenever she played, the people understood how she felt at that particular moment, and it became a medium that she came to depend on to communicate with everyone.
That is, until last year, when the thing she loved became the very thing she hated at the same time.
As she finished the last bar of the song, raising her hand in a flourish, there was a minute of complete silence from the audience before they erupted with riotous applause. The piano competition had just become a concert to them, and she soaked it all in; a relieved smile on her face. Her eyes slid to the rows of seats in front, and her smile slowly slipped off her face as she caught sight of her parents; the both of them looking at her with worried discontent.
It was, as if, despite the loud shouts and cheers from all of the spectators, they still hadn’t thought she was good enough.
She got up from her seat, walked to the front of the stage, and took a bow before she took her exit to the right where her best friend was smiling widely. Her best friend switched her weight from one foot to the other, positively giddy about her performance.
“You were awesome, Sarah!” she said, and Sarah smiled weakly.
“Mae, you say that for every performance I do,” Sarah said, and Mae tutted at her before wrapping her arms around her best friend in a hug.
“That’s because you’re awesome in every performance. Don’t deny it, babe,” Mae replied, and Sarah hugged her back.
Both of them walked back to the dressing room, so that Sarah could change out of her formal wear. Mae sighed as Sarah unzipped her gown and started taking the pins out of her hair to pull it out of the bun.
“I wish you’d stay that way a little longer. You’re really beautiful like that,” Mae commented.
Sarah stopped pulling the pins and looked at both of their reflections in the mirror. Sarah’s brown hair was a little messy and falling apart, but her face had a touch of makeup that Mae insisted she needed on stage. Sarah admitted her best friend was right; for it made her naturally pale skin look rosy and her hazel eyes pop out. She does look very beautiful when she’s all dolled up to play.
But just like how every performance was a dream she never wanted to wake up from, she was bound to transform back to the awkward, teenage girl she really was. She’d take off her contacts and put her huge glasses over her eyes, tie her hair in that messy braid so it would stay away from her eyes, and wear jeans and large t-shirts every day.
She couldn’t understand why her best friend noticed her among the throngs of people in their campus anyway. She was a tall, statuesque blonde with sparkling blue eyes and a perfect smile that everyone gushed and gravitated toward. Mae was the kind of girl that girls like Sarah were afraid of approaching and never dared to make eye contact with.
But, one day in the music room had changed everything.
She was playing one of those songs she heard on the radio, too engrossed in the piano keys to realize someone had come in and was listening to her play.
When she opened her eyes and saw Mae standing with her mouth agape, Sarah blushed crimson, stopping mid-way into the score. Mae blinked a few times, as she came down from the illusion emitted from Sarah’s music, and she smiled widely at her.
“That was amazing!” Mae marveled, and Sarah looked away; feeling awkward as Mae walked closer and sat on the seat next to her. “Hi, I’m Mae,” she introduced; extending her hand for Sarah to shake.
Sarah stared at it uncertainly, and then back to Mae’s face a couple of times before shaking Mae’s hand hesitantly.
“Sarah,” she mumbled, and she was rewarded by another dazzling smile.
“How come I’ve never seen you around before?” Mae asked, and Sarah shrugged.
“I’m just usually invisible. It’s not a big deal. I’m used to it,” Sarah replied. Mae leaned closer to Sarah, making the latter look at the former straight in her eyes.
“Well, Sarah. That is about to change,” Mae whispered.
And she was right. Sarah stopped being invisible from the moment Mae eavesdropped on her playing the piano and life had never been the same. Mae Shepherd was a cool kid hanging out with an outcast and, at first, everyone found the relationship weird, but when it became clear to them and to Sarah herself, that Mae wasn’t going anywhere, everyone accepted it.
Mae introduced Sarah to her parents and her older brother, Jake, and her family treated Sarah like an honorary daughter. Sarah sometimes wished that her family was more like the Shepherds instead. They weren’t rich, but they had a close-knit relationship and they cared about each other a lot; more than Sarah could ever say about her own parents.
Ever since she was a child, Sarah’s parents had pushed her to be the best. They wanted her to excel in academics and, in Sarah’s case, a pianist. For the Matthews, reputation was everything, and they pressured Sarah to always win at competitions. At first, Sarah didn’t mind her parents’ insistence that she win at every music competition in the district, but over time, her accolades grew and her parents demanded more from her until she grew to resent her talent. It was the Shepherds who pulled her out of her funk and gave her a new goal. It was to be successful enough to break from the chains of control that her family bound her in.
“The dream has to end sometime, Mae,” Sarah mumbled; still staring at their reflection. Mae gave her a sympathetic smile in response.
“Come on. We already know you got this in the bag. Want to go and
skip out on the rest of the program and watch my brother practice?” Mae asked, causing Sarah to blush profusely.
That was another reason Sarah was thankful she had met Mae because she had a closer access to her brother.
Chapter Two
From the first time Sarah had laid eyes on Jake Shepherd, she felt a sharp tug at her heartstrings and thought he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He was a big guy; tall and muscular, with dirty blonde hair that was styled in a military buzz cut, making his dark blue eyes stand out. He had a habit of looking directly into the eyes of the person he speaks to; his gaze so intense that Sarah had a hard time staring back at him.
Jake Shepherd was a senior in college, and where Sarah excelled in the musical field, Jake was a star on the football field. He was a quarterback, and his parents had worked hard to earn money for his college until he was granted a football scholarship at the start of his second year.
“I thought he was back in his dorm,” Sarah said, and Mae shrugged; taking the gown Sarah had peeled off of her and placing it inside the suit bag.
“No, he had a school holiday, so he came over to help out the Coach with the new recruits. He told me he’s going to show him how it is to be a Gladiator,” Mae replied.
Sarah finished changing and followed Mae out of the dressing room. She sent a quick text to her mom, telling her where she was going, and then promptly turned off her phone. She already knew that her mother was going to insist she stick around for the results and come home with them, so she could start practicing as soon as she can, but she just can’t handle them right now. She needed to cool her head from the combined high and stress from being on stage before she went and butted heads with her parents, and watching her ultimate crush was just the way to do it.
“Hey, Bozo! Come over here and give your sister some lovin’!” Mae yelled from the side of the field, and Jake shook his head as he jogged toward her. Sarah gulped as she watched Jake’s naked chest glisten with sweat; making his perfectly sculpted body gleam from the sunlight, and she had to look away feeling her neck heating up.