ENEMIES

by Tijan

  I grated out, “I can’t handle a relationship.” My hands went to my shirt, pausing, too.

  His grin turned cocky. “Who the fuck said anything about that?”

  “Just sex.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You’re speaking my language.”

  I still paused, my mind racing. Was this a good idea? Probably not.

  I reached for his jeans, and a second later, his mouth was on mine.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  He was inside me when my roommates came home that night. Thrusting in, stretching, he paused. We could hear them traipse across the floor and it was obvious they were celebrating.

  “Fuck yeah, biiiiiiiiitches!”

  Thud.

  “Oh! You fucker!”

  “Stop!” Loud laughter. A clickety clickety. Someone’s high heels.

  Clickety clickety—even more high heels.

  “Holy fuck. Are they always this loud?”

  “They must’ve won.” I wrapped my hand around his arm and pushed my hips up against his. “Um, not to break up this sweet revelation you’re having about my party housemates, but can you, you know?”

  He grinned down at me, his eyes darkening in lust again. “What?” A slow pull out, then a good rough and quick thrust in all the way to the hilt and he held there, pushing, until I gasped, moaning. “You want me to finish?”

  “I’d like both of us to finish, please.”

  He grinned, then began moving again as his mouth bent down, touching mine.

  I was lost.

  All the sounds, laughter, shouting, whatever they did up there, it was gone. Stone kept moving in me and it was just him and me, the touch between us.

  God.

  I gasped, arching my back. My neck was exposed, and with a groan, Stone dropped his mouth down. He was licking, tasting me, and he began moving harder, faster, then pounding until the climax ripped through us both. It sent me over the edge and I yelled out before his hand clamped down on my mouth, but he let out a long and shuddering moan of his own before slumping down over me.

  Both our bodies were trembling.

  “Hold on! I’ll ask her!” someone yelled, the voice getting clearer, and then a stampede sounded down the stairs.

  We both froze.

  “Dusty! Girl! Dusty Girl!”

  Stone leapt, but it was more like he levitated off the bed in a split second and bam! The condom was ripped off, and he grabbed our clothes, the same time checking that the door was locked.

  I was stunned at how fast he moved before my shirt hit me square in the face. I grabbed it, moving to put my arms through it. “I forget you’re a professional athlete.”

  He was pulling his pants up just as my doorknob rattled.

  We held our breaths collectively, but the door held. The lock worked. Praise to whoever installed that, but then a pounding came on the door. “Dusty! Woman! She who cooks the best fucking pizza in the world.”

  Stone raised his eyebrow at me.

  I rolled my eyes, but I felt the back of my neck heating up.

  “We bought more stuff! And we won! We were all wondering if we could bribe you to make us some of those pizzas again? They were fucking fantastic.”

  “You blushing?”

  “No. Shut up.” I was. I think even the skin on my stomach was red. Cursing, I scooted to the edge of the bed and looked around for my pants.

  Stone cleared his throat. He was fully dressed by now and holding out my pants.

  I snagged them, shooting him a look.

  “Pizza?”

  “What? My mom taught me more than how to bake.” I rolled my eyes. “I got better at cooking.”

  He was quiet a second. “Pizza?”

  Was he…yep. He was. “You want to go up there?”

  He shrugged. “Why not? They know we know each other.”

  “But, yeah.” I gestured around us. “We smell like sex.”

  “We’ll wash up quick.”

  We’d spent all day in bed. It was almost a full repeat of the first night, except we ran out of condoms two hours ago and Stone had to run out for a resupply. We did not look how we looked in the library. Our clothes were wrinkled and it was obvious we’d been in bed. A person could tell. Softer skin. Tired eyes. A literal glow, which I knew I had.

  “Dusty!” Another bang on the door.

  “She probably doesn’t know who you are, moron. She will seriously not answer if she doesn’t,” came a voice from behind him before a door slammed shut.

  “Bitch,” the guy muttered before raising his voice. “It’s Dent, by the way. And I’m in love with your pizza.” He laughed to himself. “I could be in love with you, too. You know that, right? Remember the bar? Remember when you ditched me? I know you were thinking I was trying to get back at Lisa, but I swear I wasn’t. I was into you—”

  Stone unlocked the door and swung it open in that second. A full scowl on his face.

  “Ooooh, shit.” Dent blinked, shaking his head and stepped back. He’d been leaning on the doorframe. “Oh, wow. Hey, man. Stone. You’re like, hanging out now?” He looked at me, and I was still sitting on the bed with my pants in my hand.

  He saw me. He saw the pants. He saw the bed. Correction, he saw the state of the bed.

  “Oh, whoa. Wow. Oh.” A nervous laugh and a crooked grin. “I was just joking, you know? I mean, I’d never fall in love with—fuck. Wow. You two are like doing that shit now?” He stood back, but waved at the bed. “That’s awesome!”

  I waited, expecting Stone to deny it, or say something to cover that up. Nothing came.

  Instead, he deadpanned, “We gotta shower first.”

  I could die. Literally.

  Dent’s eyebrows shot up. “Of course.” Then he laughed. “Awesome!” He gave me two thumbs up before walking backwards as Stone shut the door, locking it once again.

  He took my hand. Not a word was spoken, and he led me to the shower.

  We showered. There was some more stroking, but it was quick, and after drying off and dressing, he headed up first. I told him I wanted to do something with my hair, make myself look so it wasn’t so obvious we’d showered together.

  I could hear a collective greeting as he went upstairs, and knew the instant everyone realized who else had been down here. The entire volume of the house went up five notches.

  I was flustered. This was different. This was Stone not hiding he was down here, with me, and it was a full party upstairs. It was already out about us, but yeah, this felt like it was something more than what we’d talked about.

  I was at the stairs when I realized I had no bra.

  I was that flustered, but after getting a bra on, I went upstairs.

  I wasn’t fully ready for what I walked into. This wasn’t a normal party for them, not that I was super knowledgeable on that either, but I knew there was more tonight. The usual crowd was fifteen to twenty. Tonight, there was twenty in just two rooms. I saw people outside in the backyard and people were coming in and out from the front.

  I’d stepped into a full-fledged party, and going through the crowd, I didn’t have far to go to get in the kitchen. A few girls were coming in the side door, gave me the stink eye, but quickly moved on. I heard one whisper, “There he is! Told you!”

  Her friend got excited. Both squealed and I was forgotten.

  I did take note of their outfits, because it was so not what I was wearing. They were in halter tops, the kind that had ruffles above the boobs and just underneath, and that was pretty much it for the top. Their jeans were plastered to them. Sleek hair. Makeup on point, and bright red lipstick.

  Me. I had on Stone’s shirt and my jeans. Granted, my jeans were also plastered to me, but looking at those girls, I knew my jeans didn’t have the whole sexy look they were pulling off. And don’t get me started on my hair. I’d pulled it up into a quick braid before coming up, but to my credit, it was a messy fishtail braid. Go me. Fishtail braids were always trending, or they should be. They were awesome, whi
ch according to Dent, I was fucking awesome.

  But back to those girls. As I was pushing into the kitchen, I saw where they were going and who ‘he’ was.

  But I already knew. Of course, I knew.

  Stone was leaning against the counter, a water in hand, and he had one arm crossed over his chest. Wyatt, Noel, Nacho, Dent. They were all standing and lounging next to him as if they were all buds. Stone was listening to some other guy talking who was using lots of hand motions, and the girls were on the outskirts, whispering to each other. They weren’t the only girls. There were others. Mia, for one. She was curled up next to Wyatt. Her head on his shoulder and his arm around her waist. Noel and Savannah were wifed up, too. He had his arm around her shoulder, but his head was leaning forward, listening to whatever the one guy was saying.

  Stone’s eyes caught me, and he raked me up and down. A faint grin tugged on his lips.

  Before I knew what was happening, he’d said something to the guy. He came over, and just like that, no one else was allowed in our group of two. I went to the cupboard and started pulling everything out I needed. He set his drink on the counter, his back to the rest of the room, and his one hand rested on my back.

  “Tell me what to do.”

  “What?” I pulled out the flour. “You’re going to help me?”

  “Why not?” His grin was wicked. “Old memories, you know.”

  Old memories. I almost laughed at that, but saw he was serious.

  “Really?”

  “I’m here to spend time with you, not them. Not going to lie. I’m looking forward to the pizza, too, but as soon as they’re done and cut, we’re going to my place.” He leaned in, saying into my ear, “I thought maybe I might’ve missed out on the college parties. I didn’t.” His hand moved up my back, rubbing between my shoulders. He gestured to the rolling pin I’d pulled out. “Tell me what to do.”

  “Heeeeyyy!”

  Nicole shoved her way through the crowd, coming to the other side of me. Her face was flushed. Her breath was tequila and she was swaying, just barely holding onto the counter. “You’ve left your room. You’ve joined society. We need to take a shot for this!”

  She whooped, screaming, “I need my tequila.”

  Dent laughed, swooping in. He bent, tucking down, and as he stood, she was over his shoulder.

  She shrieked again, but was laughing.

  He smacked her ass. “Excuse us. Nikki’s gotta do good on a bet we had between the two of us.”

  “Oh my God! No!” Her laughter was clearly saying she was fine with whatever he was talking about. “I want to hang out with Dusty. She never leaves her room—OH!” Her eyes were gaping, taking in Stone. Yeah. She was that drunk. She screeched now, trying to scramble upright. “HOLY SHIT! STONE IS HERE! HOLY SHIT!”

  Stone shifted closer to me. “Take her out of here?” He was not talking to me.

  Dent nodded, burping. “On it.” He snagged a beer on his way out, and Nicole kept shrieking the whole way until a door closed.

  I stiffened. “You don’t think he’s…”

  Mia clipped out, still in Wyatt’s shelter, “He’s putting her to bed. It’s a wasted Nicole night tonight. Dent’s the only one who can get her to actually go to sleep when she’s like that.”

  “Oh.”

  But I looked at Stone, he shrugged and bent close. “Don’t worry about it. Dent seems like a good guy. Crazy with his flirting, but he seems on the up and up.”

  “You know this how?” I shoved a bowl into his hands.

  He smiled, actually enjoying that. “It’s a guy thing.”

  Wyatt started laughing. So did Noel.

  Savannah was trying to hide a grin.

  Mia was just staring at me, a blank expression on her face. Then she announced, for everyone to hear, “I’m sorry I was a bitch to you. It’s what I do. I’m a bitch. Char’s a bitch, too. Be glad you never actually met her.” And with that said, she pulled away from Wyatt, grabbed her beer and went out to the backyard.

  “Well, then.” Savannah giggled softly, resting her head on her boyfriend’s chest.

  Wyatt belched out a laugh, grinning widely. “And on that note, I better go make sure my ‘bitch’ girlfriend is okay.” He opened the fridge, grabbing another beer, and saluted the rest of us. “Onward, my merry pirate friends.” He backed up, and just before he was going to step out onto the patio, he held his beer up to Stone. “Fucking kill ’em on Monday! KINGS RULE!”

  A huge cheer echoed around him from the entire house, “KINGS FUCKING RULE!” And the second verse to the chant, “THEY DON’T TAKE NO COURT! RULE KINGS RULE!”

  Stone was grinning, measuring out the flour we’d need. “Why do I suddenly feel like I’m living the life of Animal House mixed with a lot of Friday Night Lights?”

  Noel barked out a laugh, his hand wrapping more firmly around Savannah’s shoulders, pulling her so she was plastered against his front. “Because you are, but it’s better. It’s more awesome.”

  Nacho burped. “No. Reeves is more awesome!”

  They were all drunk. Jury hadn’t been out, but I knew the verdict was in. Every single one of them was drunk.

  Stone just laughed, shaking his head. He bumped into me. “Tell me what to do.”

  So I did.

  In the middle of that crazy and hectic kitchen, Stone and I made seven pizzas together. My housemates and their boyfriends stood guard. Mia and Wyatt came back in. Even Lisa emerged, and Nacho had his arm draped around her.

  People would come in. Word had gotten out Stone was in attendance, but if they lingered too long, my housemates shifted and literally pushed them out of the kitchen. There were autographs he signed. He posed for pictures, but he never strayed too far from me for too long. And once the pizzas were done, Stone threw them on the counter. He cut a few slices of one, putting them on a plate, then tossed the pizza cutter to one of the guys.

  His free hand went around my waist. “Okay. Your turn. We’re out of here.”

  No one argued, but Stone didn’t give them time. He was dragging me downstairs, through my room, and true to his word, within ten minutes (that’s how long I had to quickly pack a bag), we were up through my side exit and heading to his truck.

  A few people in the backyard yelled out his name, but Stone only raised a hand, throwing a general holler back. He didn’t stop until we were both in his truck and he was backing out of there.

  It hit me halfway to his house.

  That night, I was happy. I was actually happy.

  Then the smile wiped from my face.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Stone went in the next morning to the stadium, but he was back a little after noon. And he wasn’t alone.

  I was in the kitchen, about to start making food, when in walked the cornerback and quarterback for the Texas Kings. I had a spoon in my hand and it dropped. The clatter seemed to last forever, and all the while, Stone and Jake Bilson and Colby Doubard stood there, waiting for the spoon to stop clattering.

  I wanted to avoid watching Stone’s games last year, but the truth was that I hadn’t.

  It was almost unavoidable because his team became one of the best last year, and they were already exceeding their reputation this year so far. Because of that, everywhere I went they were on ESPN or any sports network or channel in a bar, a restaurant, even one time when I was waiting to do my laundry. The desk clerk had highlights playing and there’d been a perfect pass from Colby Doubard to Stone on replay.

  I was completely aware of Colby Doubard. All six-foot-three inches, two-hundred-forty pounds of one of the bigger quarterbacks in the league. And I knew this because they talked about it a lot on ESPN. He looked lean on television. He didn’t look the same in person. He was large, and after Stone, he was probably one of the best looking guys I’d seen. Ever.

  And don’t get me started on Jake Bilson.

  Black. Shorter, around six foot even. He and Stone were almost the same size, both lean. And those dark eyes w
ere literally smiling while he was trying to hold back a blinding smile. I instantly liked him. I mean, after being speechless and being awestruck.

  “Dust, this is Colby and Jake.” Stone did the introductions and both stepped forward, shaking my hand.

  I was fangirling.

  I wasn’t used to this.

  Stone was hiding a grin. “What are you making?”

  “Caesar salad with kale and salmon.” I had no clue more people were coming. I had no clue these two were coming.

  I needed to start watching Stone’s games more. All that happened with my life, I was having another moment about what kind of world Stone lived in. I knew it. I saw the fans’ reactions, the blogs, but seeing these two other professional athletes in Stone’s kitchen, all three of them looking like they hang out all the time, my stomach was doing double time on the twisting, turning, somersaulting. It was just one big continuous loop.

  “You want something else? I can make something else.”

  He stepped closer, angling my phone toward him. His eyebrows went up. “You been doing some research?”

  I flushed. “You like the pizza so much, thought I could make myself useful. Do some cooking for you. Unless you have a chef?”

  He was trying real hard to keep from bursting out laughing at my expense. I rolled my eyes, knowing my face was resembling a red sea star. “You’re annoying.”

  Yeah. He lost the battle. He burst out laughing, then hugged me to him, his hand rubbing over my back quick. “Never seen you like this. It’s cute.”

  Jake and Colby shared a look.

  I elbowed Stone away, fighting from dropping my eyes to the floor. “So, um, I can make more food. Pasta? I can do a healthy primavera. You have all the stuff here. I’m actually impressed.”

  Stone leaned back against the counter by me. “I have a girl who comes in and cooks a bunch of meals for me every week. I gave her last week off ’cause you were here.” He turned to the guys. “You guys want lunch?”

  The two glanced at each other. Both shrugged.

  Colby said, “That’d be great. Yeah.”

  Stone said to me, “Games start in an hour. We were going to watch some tapes beforehand.” He was eyeing all the ingredients I’d pulled out on the counter. “You got this? Or you need help?”