Playing the Game

by Graysen Morgen

“Nah.”

  “How many followers do you have on social media?”

  “I don’t know. A couple hundred thousand, maybe.”

  “Holy shit.” Berkley shook her head.

  Randi laughed.

  “How much is your autograph worth? I have a few things I’d like to pay off,” Berkley teased.

  Randi rolled her eyes and chuckled.

  “Seriously though, how did you wind up playing soccer for a living?”

  “It’s all my dad’s fault. He grew up poor, playing soccer in the streets like the rest of the kids with half-deflated balls and no shoes most of the time. When my sister and I were little, he put us in soccer. I loved it, and continued playing for the local club, working my way up to the premier and elite teams. My sister wasn’t interested. She cheered in high school for a year, then tried drama, and the debate team. Anyway, I got a scholarship to play for the University of Texas and was drafted by Atlanta into the NWSL. When the organization folded, I went overseas to play in France for a year, but it wasn’t for me. I came back to the NWSL and my rights had been traded to Richey, which was where I had wanted to play in the first place, and here I am.” She smiled. “Did you play sports in school?”

  “Softball for two years. Then, they started girls’ flag football. I switched to that and became the captain. I played my last two years.”

  “No wonder you were so good at the lake! You’re a ringer!” Randi playfully smacked her on the arm.

  “I never said I didn’t know how to play,” Berkley replied, grabbing her wrist in a swift move that left Randi stunned. Feeling her pulse quicken, Berkley let go and stood up.

  Randi noticed the instant change in her demeanor and got up, following her over to the blinds where Berkley was looking out, watching the rain pour down. The trees in the backyard were still whipping back and forth occasionally from gusts of wind.

  “What are we doing?” Berkley mumbled, feeling Randi’s presence behind her. She squeezed her eyes closed and slowed her breathing to calm her racing heart.

  “I don’t know,” Randi said softly. “I’ve tried to make myself not want you.”

  Berkley turned around, facing her. The flames of the candles flickered on the walls in the background. She tried focusing on the shadows they were causing, anything to keep herself in check. She was so tired of the game they were playing, and damn tired of walking away from what she wanted…what they obviously both wanted.

  “Look at me,” Randi whispered.

  Berkley exhaled slowly as she lowered her eyes. Her nerves were on fire with the urge to kiss Randi’s slightly parted lips, causing her chest to burn. Unable to fight herself any longer, Berkley bent her head, laying claim to Randi’s mouth with a deliberately slow, and delicately soft kiss.

  Randi ran her hands up Berkley’s arms to her shoulders. She linked her hands behind her head and pulled her closer for a much deeper kiss as her tongue snaked out, tasting the hint of mint on Berkley’s lips from the gum she’d been chewing when she’d arrived.

  Berkley put her hands around Randi’s waist, pressing their bodies together as she slid her hands up her back, then down to cup her ass. In one swift motion, she lifted Randi off the ground. Randi wrapped her legs around Berkley’s waist, clinging to her without interrupting their passionate kissing as Berkley walked over to the couch, laying her down on her back. Her body followed, settling her weight between Randi’s legs.

  Berkley knew in the back of her mind she shouldn’t be doing this, but when Randi slid her hands down Berkley’s back and began pulling her t-shirt up, she adjusted her position and allowed her to remove it completely, revealing the hard body that had teased Randi’s thoughts since that day at the lake. Before Berkley could return to her original position, Randi unclasped her sports bra and dragged it up over her head, adding it to the shirt on the floor. Her hands moved from Berkley’s back around to her chest, kneading her small breasts softly and tweaking the nipples between her thumb and fingers.

  Berkley moaned into her mouth as their lips found their way back to each other. She held her position, allowing Randi’s hands free-rein of her upper body, until they moved lower, teasing the waistband of her pants. Berkley pulled back, breaking the kiss as she hovered over her.

  Randi’s eyes found Berkley’s in the dim candlelight as she ran her hand up the center of her chest, all the way to her cheek. “Touch me,” she whispered.

  Berkley closed her eyes, feeling the words sink to her core. When she opened them again, Randi was looking back at her with the same hunger in her eyes. She pushed herself back further and pulled Randi into a seated position so she could remove her shirt and bra. Then, she claimed her mouth in another searing kiss as she laid her back down.

  Randi gasped as Berkley’s lips left her mouth, sliding down to find an erect nipple. She swirled her tongue around the outside before sucking it into her mouth. Randi grabbed a handful of her short hair with one hand while the other ran up and down the rigid muscles of her back. Berkley dragged her tongue away, making swirls around the center of Randi’s chest as she moved to her other breast, then kissed her way down her taut stomach. She didn’t care that she was wadded up, nearly into a ball on the other end of the couch as she eased Randi’s shorts and panties off her hips and over her thighs, tossing them to the floor. Before she could move from her position, Randi sat up and ran her hand over the ripples of her stomach and tugged on the waistband of her cotton joggers. Berkley unraveled herself and stood next to the couch, allowing Randi to slide them down, along with her black boyshorts.

  Randi’s eyes ran up and down, taking in every inch of the striking body in front of her. She felt warm wetness and a dull ache between her legs as her heart pounded in her chest. Throwing caution to the wind, she leaned forward, pressing her mouth between Berkley’s legs, licking up and down in delicate strokes.

  Berkley spread her legs further, grabbing the arm of the couch for support while giving her more access as Randi sucked her clit into her mouth. Then she released it and swirled her flattened tongue through the folds in a move that drove Berkley crazy. It had been so long and she was right there. She grabbed Randi’s head, holding her in place as she rubbed herself against the mouth assuaging her every need.

  Randi cupped her ass with both hands and teased her opening with the tip of her tongue, then continued licking the edges of her clit before suckling it over and over.

  Berkley let out a guttural moan from somewhere deep inside as the climax hit her like a ton of bricks. She held on, allowing her body to receive all of the pleasure being given to her until she was too sensitive for Randi’s mouth. She took a step back on wobbly legs and pushed Randi softly back down onto the couch. She followed, lying on top of her once more. The heady scent of Randi’s wetness made her mouth water as she moved down, tracing a lazy path with her tongue from Randi’s chest to the top of her thigh. Randi’s hips rose up, urging her further, but Berkley took her time, running her tongue from one hip and thigh to the other, carefully skirting the sensitive flesh beckoning her in between them.

  Randi’s nerves fired in all directions, almost causing her body to spasm when Berkley’s tongue finally passed over her warm, wet center, spreading the folds to graze her clit with a velvety touch. Her head sunk into the cushion under her and her back arched, pushing herself further into Berkley’s mouth. A soft moan escaped her lips as her chest heaved.

  Sensing how close she was, Berkley slipped her tongue inside before swirling it around her clit once more in a move she repeated a few times. Then, she pulled her mouth away, replacing it with her fingers, causing Randi to whimper as she slid back up her body.

  Their lips met in a breathtaking kiss. Tasting herself on Berkley’s mouth as her fingers slid in and out of her, was enough to send Randi over the edge. She held onto her strong shoulders tightly, riding the waves of orgasm as Berkley’s fingers moved inside of her, dragging out every single crest.

  Breathless and
panting, Randi pulled away from the kiss as her rigid body began to go limp. Cool air tinged her heated skin as Berkley moved to her side. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so sated as she drifted off.

  Berkley watched her chest rise and fall to the sound of rain pelting the windows and roof until her eyes slammed shut a couple minutes later.

  35

  Randi stretched and opened her eyes; she was lying on the couch with only a throw blanket covering the lower half of her nude body. The sun was shining through the open blinds and the light over the kitchen island was on. She looked around the room, remembering the storm from the night before…just before a replay of everything else rolled through her head. Shit. She got up, finding her shirt and shorts on the floor near her feet, she quickly pulled them on and walked around the house.

  “Well…fuck,” she sighed, flopping back down on the couch. Her phone was blinking on the table with text messages and missed calls. When had she turned it on silent? She couldn’t remember. Picking it up, she quickly texted Olivia to let her know she was fine since she had sent several messages and called three times. Then, she had a missed call from her sister, obviously checking on her with the storm, and a message from Carrie who had been doing the same.

  She scrolled through her contacts and pressed call next to her sister’s name. She ignored her growling stomach and pinched the bridge of her nose as she leaned her head back against the cushions. The line rang enough times to go to voicemail before a groggy voice answered.

  “I guess you made it through the storm,” Elisa mumbled.

  “Yeah.”

  “You call me at seven in the morning, and that’s all you have to say? Is there any damage? Did you lose power? The news said there were power outages and flooding. Mom and dad were freaked out. I told them you’ve been through hurricanes in Galveston, so a tropical depression should be a cakewalk.”

  A hundred things were going through Randi’s mind, including all of the answers to her sister’s questions. I don’t know if there is damage. I haven’t been outside. Yes, the power was out all night. But, she blurted, “I slept with Berkley,” instead.

  “Excuse me?”

  Randi sighed.

  “Miranda Francisca?!”

  “Do I have to say it again?” Randi uttered.

  “How did this happen? What the hell were you thinking? More importantly, where the hell was Olivia?”

  “She’s in Canada.”

  “Okay…so how did you wind up in Berkley’s bed? Wait, was this last night?”

  “Yes, it was last night, and I wasn’t in her bed.”

  “Wherever you were doesn’t matter…does it?”

  “Calm down.”

  “I am calm.”

  “You sound like mom.”

  “Girl, she’d beat you with a wooden spoon through the damn phone if she knew about this!”

  “I know,” Randi chuckled.

  “Seriously, what happened?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe I do. Hell, I’m so confused.”

  “Were you drunk?”

  “What? No.”

  “She’s had you twisted around since you met,” Elisa muttered.

  “It’s not her fault.”

  “Isn’t she the single one?”

  “I initiated things between us…more than once. If anything, I went after her.”

  “I had a feeling this might happen the first time you told me about her,” Elisa sighed. “What I don’t understand is why. You’re with Olivia. You guys have been together forever.”

  “It’s not perfect.”

  “Life isn’t perfect, Randi. You don’t just go sleep with someone else.”

  “I didn’t intend to sleep with her.”

  “You need to figure out what you want. Olivia doesn’t deserve this.”

  “I know,” she replied, wiping a tear from her cheek.

  “Listen, no one else knows. You have one chance to clean this up before it gets any worse. Tell Berkley you made a mistake and you will never do that again. Tell her you love Olivia and that’s where you want to be.”

  “Elisa…what if it’s not?”

  “You can’t live your life on what if’s.”

  “I know,” Randi whispered. “I’ll call you later,” she added, ending the call. She stared at the dark screen for nearly a minute before scrolling through her contacts and calling another number.

  Hi, you’ve reached Berkley Ward. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you. Thanks.

  Randi ended the call just before it beeped. “What would I have said if she’d answered?” she chastised herself, having no idea, but one thing she was sure of, they needed to talk.

  *

  Berkley dressed in an old pair of jeans, waterproof boots, and a t-shirt. She avoided looking at herself in the mirror for fear her eyes would give away the grief she was carrying around in an I told you so way. She threw on a ball cap backward, grabbed her phone and keys and headed out into the garage.

  Memories of the night flickered through her mind like an old 8MM film as she gassed up her quad and set up the ramps to drive it up into the back of her truck. She was meeting Garrett at their property to check for storm damage, specifically downed trees and flooding that would destroy their trails. Neither of them had been called into work. However, Dena had been called in the middle of the night and still wasn’t home, so she wasn’t accompanying them.

  Berkley was in the process of strapping down the quad when she heard a car door. Popping her head up over the cab of the truck, she saw a white BMW sitting in her driveway in front of her patrol car.

  “I tried to call you,” Randi said, stepping up next to the truck.

  “I’ve been a little busy. I’m meeting Garrett to go check on the property.”

  Randi nodded. “Can we talk?”

  “What’s there to say? It was a mistake. We can’t do this again. I know that road by heart.”

  “I think there’s a little more to it than that…don’t you?”

  Berkley shrugged and jumped out of the truck. She slid the ramps in next to the quad and tied them down as well.

  “Do you want some company?”

  “Garrett is going.”

  “I meant me.”

  “I know,” Berkley said, closing the garage. She looked back at Randi standing by the truck in a t-shirt, jeans with rips across the thighs, and Vann shoes with no socks. Her hair was up in a messy bun. Just looking at her tugged at Berkley’s chest. She should’ve said no, but reluctantly nodded for her to get into the passenger side instead.

  *

  “I hope those are old clothes and shoes,” Berkley said as she drove along the washed-out road on the other side of the gate. She didn’t have far to go to reach the clearing where they usually parked, but she’d already had to put the truck in four-wheel-drive.

  “Does it matter at this point?” Randi answered, looking around at all of the mud.

  “What are you really doing here?” Berkley asked, pulling to a stop next to the concrete pad. She turned the truck off, unbuckled her seatbelt, and half-turned to face Randi.

  “Last night…” Randi paused, biting her lower lip.

  “It was a mistake. I’ll say it for you.”

  “I don’t know what it was. I just know, I can’t let it go.” Randi brought her eyes to Berkley’s. “I can’t let you go.”

  “Randi,” Berkley let out a deep breath and closed her eyes. Garrett picked that moment to pulled up next to them, blowing the horn like a little kid.

  “You ready to get muddy,” he laughed through the open window.

  “Apparently, not as ready as you,” Berkley replied.

  He took his sunglasses off, peering over Berkley’s shoulder at her passenger. “Hey, Randi,” he said. The surprise was evident in his voice.

  Berkley grabbed her phone and texted him.

  I’ll explain later.

  “I brought some help,�
�� Berkley said, getting out of the truck.

  Randi watched as they unloaded the quads, waiting to assist if needed, but they’d obviously done this on more than one occasion.

  “I didn’t bring any helmets,” Berkley said, walking past her.

  “I’m sure we’ll be fine. Just getting on that thing is against our liability policy with the team, so it doesn’t matter.”

  “I figured we could check out the pass first and work our way through the gulch, over to the camp area. Hopefully, the creek hasn’t flooded too bad,” Garrett said, strapping a chainsaw and rope to the rack on the back of his quad.

  “I was thinking the same thing. It’s best if we stay together,” Berkley replied, adding a small toolbox to hers that contained folding shovels and handsaws, along with a cooler full of bottled water and sandwiches.

  “Ready when you are,” he said, climbing onto the seat and starting the engine to warm up the machine.

  “Ready?” Berkley asked, looking at Randi. “You can stay here in the truck if you want.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “Alright.” Berkley started her quad and motioned for Randi to get on behind her.

  Randi moved up close to her, wrapping her arms around Berkley’s midsection, just as she’d done the last time they’d ridden together, but this time she remembered the feeling of Berkley’s body on top of her as soon as her hands came in contact with her. What the hell was I thinking coming along?

  *

  The property only had one tree down, which Berkley and Garrett cut up, and the flooding had already subsided. All of the trails were full of thick mud that slung all over them, no matter how slowly they rode.

  Berkley tried not to think about Randi’s hands on her, but that feeling was already burned into her memory from their night together. She couldn’t take it back. It happened, and she needed to deal with the aftermath of her actions. You shouldn’t have brought her, she thought as Randi held on a little tighter through a rough section that bounced the quad around a little bit.