by Ali Parker
Lucas
“You all right, man?” Jayce squeezed my shoulder the next morning as I sat in the waiting room at St. Matthews. I’d been the one to ride in the ambulance with Will when it finally showed up. I was in for a long day, seeing as we were expecting his parents any minute. I was glad Jayce was there with me and would have left if I thought he could handle the Tanners coming in soon.
No fucking way, though. If the pressure on Will was comparable to me or worse, then we were waiting for one hell of a shit storm to hit.
“I’m good. Just tired.” I brushed my hands down my face and let out a long sigh. “Take off a load, Jayce. You’ve been pacing the floor all night.”
“I know. I’m just scared. Will could have died last night.” He dropped down in the seat next to me and leaned his head back. “We should have gone to Coach the last time. We made a shitty call, and we almost paid for it.”
“He’s not out of the woods just yet.” I moved to the edge of my seat and swallowed the lump in my throat. I couldn’t stop reliving the night Bret died, almost as if it was him again in my arms the night before.
“Hey.” He reached out and rubbed the top of my back. “I’m really proud of you. We all freaked the fuck out, and you were the only one with a legit reason to break down, but you didn’t.”
“That’s what being captain is all about, right?” I glanced over at him. “Speaking of which, did Billows talk to you about the baseball situation? Any of you guys yet?”
“Yeah. It’s pretty fucked up. We’re all a little numb by it.” He crossed his arms over his chest and slumped down lower. “I know they need me to step up over there, but I’m not sure what to do yet. I can’t be the captain of both teams. It doesn’t work like that. I’m not looking at going to the pros. I’m looking at getting into medical school and following after my dad’s career track. He’s the happiest guy I know, at least about his job.”
“So then decide which sport brings you more happiness. Which you enjoy more.” I lifted my arms to the ceiling and let out a loud yawn. “Go that route. Life’s too short for anything else, and from what I could tell, your parents aren’t riding you to live out their dreams.”
“No, they’re riding my sister. At least, my mom is.” He turned his head and lifted his eyebrow as I turned to face him. “Speaking of…”
“Yeah. Speaking of is right. Let’s get this shit out in the open and over with. I’m tired of feeling like you’re going to tackle me every time I turn around. You’re one of my only goddamn friends. Cut me some slack with Aubrey.”
“Jacob doesn’t count as a friend, by the way.” He gave me a smirk, which helped to ease the moment. Jacob Wright was a good friend to both of us, but the guy was a class-A dick when it came to sports and women. Jayce was right. Jacob didn’t count, even though I’d known him most of my life. The only one that counted was right in front of me, and he didn’t trust me an inch with his sister. Could I blame him?
“I don’t know what you want to hear.” I let out a long, painful sigh. “I’ve been in love with Aubrey for three fucking years.”
“Then why the hell did you lie to me? Have I ever lied to you?” He stood up as his face flushed.
I put my hand against his chest as he moved toward me. “No, you haven’t, but you have never had a reason to. Take one fucking second and think about this from my point of view, Jayce. You know where I come from. You know how I feel about women. I’ve been trying hard to avoid your sister since I met her, and I’ve done a damn good job of it.” I pushed a little, but not enough to start the fight he seemed to want.
“Then what changed?” His eyes narrowed as he swatted my hand from the front of his chest. Why was he being so damn defensive? Had someone hurt Aubrey in the past and he blamed himself for it?
“I changed. I’m tired of being lonely, okay? You want me to rip my chest open and show you all the shit?” I lifted my hands to the side. “You fuckers rely on me for everything, and have I ever once let you down? Have I left you to deal with anything yourself?”
“No.” He deflated and pressed his hand to his mouth as he glanced down. “No, dude. I’m sorry. I know you don’t need this shit right now after what happened last night. I just need closure on this thing with my sister. She doesn’t need to be pulled through the wringer. She’s a great girl, and my mom… fuck, my mom is so horrible to her.”
“Then talk to your mom about being a better parent. Don’t shove me out of her life because you’re scared that she’s going to get hurt. That’s the risk we both take, right? I could be the one hurt, or we could end up really fucking happy together, Jayce.” I slipped my hands into my pockets. “I need some time this week to think through things. I have to decide if I’m going to move to Washington or give up on that part of my life completely.”
“The Caps?” His eyes widened. “Are you saying that the Caps called you to come join them?”
“Not yet, but they told Coach that I was their number one pick.”
His lips lifted in a smile as he wrapped me in a bear hug and lifted me off the floor. “What the fuck, dude? That’s awesome. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I don’t know if I’m going.” I pushed at him softly to get him to back up out of my personal space. “I need to work on things with my parents a little. It’s time for us to move past the walls we’ve built up with each other. My dad—” I paused as my voice broke.
“Fuck, dude. I’m sorry.” Jayce reached out and gripped the side of my neck. “I’m sorry for getting on you. Aubrey’s a grown-ass woman.”
“No, it’s good.” I sniffled and wiped my hand by my nose. “I’m just tired and broken by all this shit. I need to figure things out. With my parents and where Aubrey is concerned. I’ve promised her nothing, but it’s taken everything inside of me not to. This isn’t a quick dive into lust for me. I’ve been falling for her since the night I met you both.”
Jayce chuckled and shook his head. “She broke her toes that night on the bleachers. She looked like shit.”
“Maybe to you.” I ran my hand down my face. “I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman in my life.”
“Three years, man? You’ve been loving her for three years and you never said anything? Why? Because of that shit with Bret? You know that’s not how life goes. Your brother had more problems than just women, Lucas. He was racing up the side of a cliff alone. That’s hard shit to make it to the top and realize that no one is there with you.” He patted my chest. “You’re not Bret, Lucas. You’re a good man with lots of people that love you and will forever. Take this time and figure shit out. Hell, hurry and help me figure my shit out.”
“I will, buddy. Until then, just help me get through all this stuff, and take care of Aubrey when I can’t, okay?” I extended my hand to him.
He shook it and pulled me into another hug as a staunch-looking businessman and an overdressed woman walked into the waiting room, looking around.
“Are you Lucas?” the woman asked as she turned her attention to Jayce.
“I am.” I extended my hand to have her swat it away.
I jerked back as she slapped me hard in the face.
“Denise.” Her husband pulled her back as she crumbled. “I’m sorry. She thinks the hockey program did this to William.”
“It did! You did this. Your stupid parties and hazing bullshit games.” She tried to get to me, but her husband had a tight hold on her.
“Hey. You don’t know what the hell—” Jayce stepped in front of me, but I jerked him back.
“Jayce. No.” I turned to look at Will’s parents. “I’m sorry for all Will’s been through. I’m the only one that’s stood beside him this year and encouraged him to be a better man. I’m the captain of the team, and I have no choice but to report him to the Dean and our head coach. Tell him I’m thinking about him when he wakes up.”
“If he wakes up!” she screamed as I turned and nudged Jayce to leave the waiting room with me. We didn’t need to be ther
e anymore. I’d keep tabs on Will through the attendant at the front desk and come see him the minute he came to. If he didn’t, I’d drink myself sick and dive into the darkest depression of my life. Either way, I wasn’t sitting there any longer.
“Unbelievable.” Jayce glanced back as we walked out in the mid-Saturday afternoon. “Can you believe that lady? She blames us for Will being a total fuck-up?”
“Lower your voice, and hush about it. She’s in pain. People do stupid shit when they’re hurting. It’s her son in there.” I gripped the back of his neck and walked out to the parking lot with him. “You got your ride here?”
“Yeah.” He pulled from me and gave one more scathing look back at the hospital. “Where am I taking you?”
“To my place. You can crash there too if you need to. I gotta have a nap.” I ran my fingers through my hair and walked to his car, got in, and sank down in the dark leather.
He got in and started the car before glancing over at me. “I’m good. I’ll go back to my place to sleep. I can’t sleep in anyone else’s bed.”
“That sucks for you.” I smiled and pulled out my phone to call Aubrey. “I’m calling your sister. Don’t embarrass me.”
“Please. You’ll do that all yourself.”
“Fuck you,” I mumbled as she picked up the phone.
“What?!” Her voice was thick with hurt.
“Oh no, baby. I was talking to your brother. He’s trying to be funny after I’ve had no sleep all damn night.” I gave him a look as he shrugged.
“Oh, okay. Where are you? How is Will?” I couldn’t tell by the sound of her voice if she’d slept either.
“He’s still in a medically induced coma. It’s looking like he’s going to be okay, but you never know with drugs.” I yawned.
“You need sleep.”
“Yeah. Jayce is taking me back to my place for a nap. I’ll find you when I get up, okay? We can grab something—”
“I want to take a nap with you.” Her voice grew faint as if she were shy or embarrassed to ask for some of my time.
“Yeah, okay. You want us to come get you?” I smiled as Jayce’s eyes narrowed.
“No. I can walk over there.”
“What about your feet, baby?”
“I’m okay. This really smart, sexy guy told me to put ointment on them, so I did. They’re looking better.”
I smiled. “I’m going to kick his ass since you think he’s sexy.”
We laughed and said our goodbyes as Jayce pulled up to my place.
“Try not to hurt her, okay?” He looked over at me and popped me in the chest.
I groaned and nodded. “Trust me this once, okay? I’m going to be completely open with her. I need Spring Break to think through things, and then I’ll commit or let her go.”
“All right. Get some rest, man. I trust you.” He pursed his lips.
He didn’t trust me, but it was okay. I wasn’t sure I trusted myself either.
Chapter 26
Aubrey
I took the long way over to Lucas’s house to give me time to think through a few things. I’d been up most of the night, pacing the floor with the rest of the team. When we realized that Lucas and Jayce weren’t coming back around four that morning, we’d all gone our separate ways.
Layla and I watched old movies in our dorm room until the sun came up, each of us taking turns crying due to the intensity of the night before. I’d never seen someone almost die from an overdose, and I never wanted to see it again. I couldn’t fathom how torn up Lucas was. The irony of Will seizing on the floor in his arms on the anniversary of his brother’s death was too much.
I wanted to wrap myself around him and offer him the world to ease his pain.
The walk did me good, and by the time I reached his place, I was a bit calmer and extremely tired. I’d taken a chance asking if I could join him for a nap, but he’d been more than gracious about it, leaving me with the hope that things were going to progress with us whether we wanted them to or not.
I knocked on the door once before he opened it and gave me a weak smile. He was in a pair of jeans and nothing else. His thick chest and strong shoulders stole my breath as I moved into the room and slid my hands over his skin before wrapping him in a hug.
“You okay, baby?” He cupped the back of my head and drew me in tightly with his other arm locked around my lower back.
I nodded as a fresh wave of tears filled my eyes. “I was just worried about you. That you—”
“Shh, I’m okay. I did what I had to do. Life sucks sometimes, but it’s all right. You helped me through Bret’s anniversary, and your brother helped me with Will. Let’s just hope the bastard wakes up. I’m not sure I could stand beside another grave of a friend.” He tucked his face against the crook of my neck and breathed in deeply. “Come on. Let’s snuggle up and get in a nap. We’ll go catch a movie or something later.”
I nodded and moved back, feeling silly for crying. He reached up and brushed my tears away before leaning down and kissing me softly, tentatively.
“You all right?” he asked and brushed the tip of his nose up my jawline until his lips swept past my ear. “You hurting?”
“No,” I whispered as I ran my fingers over his shoulders, up to his neck, and through his hair. “I was worried about you.”
“Don’t be.” He sucked my earlobe into his mouth and breathed a groan into my ear. “I’m going to get through this, and so are you. It’s going to be okay.”
I pulled back and nodded before taking his hand and moving toward his bed. We stopped at the edge of it, and he tugged off his jeans and crawled up into the dark silk sheets. His black briefs were tight and left the outline of his erection front and center.
“Take off your clothes and come let me touch you.” He put his hands behind his head and watched me intently.
I nodded and slipped out of my shoes, tugged my T-shirt over my head, undid my bra, and slid my shorts over my hips.
“God, you’re hot. Such a beautiful woman. Did you know that?” He reached for me as I moved into his arms and lay down on the bed beside him.
“What kind of question is that?” I smiled as he turned on his side and trapped me against him.
His eyes moved down to the swell of my breasts and he licked his lips. “It’s an honest question. I want you to know how beautiful I think you are. Inside and out.”
I smiled. “You’re making me blush.”
“Mmm, good.” He leaned down and licked my lips. “I wanna make you do a lot more than blush.”
“Who’s stopping you?” I slid my hand over his hip and ran my nails up the curve of his ass before sliding my hand down into his underwear and squeezing.
“Such a tease.” He smiled and rolled over on top of me, propping himself up on his elbows as he brushed my hair from my face. “You’re supposed to be here for a nap.”
“I’m not the one on top right now.” I chuckled as he gave me a smile that would melt hearts.
“Are you saying that I’m at fault for what’s about to go down?” He moved down and ran his hands over my breasts, pulling them together, and licked slowly at each of my nipples as I moaned.
“What’s going down?” I ran my hands over his upper back, memorizing how good it felt to be beneath him.
“I’m going down.” He sucked my nipple into his mouth and massaged my other breast slowly as I closed my eyes and reveled in his touch. “You’re too good for me, Aubrey. Tell me to leave. Save yourself for a better man.”
“Shut up and make love to me.” I pushed at his shoulders and opened my legs.
He chuckled and lifted my thighs and draped my legs over his shoulders, bringing my ass off the bed as he moved to his knees. His strong hands gripped my rear as he licked up the side of my panties and groaned.
My body flooded with wetness as my stomach tightened and electricity danced along my nerve endings. He pressed his nose to the center of me and breathed in deeply before turning his gaze on me. “Watc
h me taste you. Don’t take your eyes off of me, okay?”
“Okay,” I mumbled before whimpering softly.
“Yeah. You need this.” He gripped my panties and pulled them over my ass. He repositioned us to have him lying flat on his stomach between my legs, his strong hands on the insides of my thighs as he took his time with slow, deep licks.
I moaned and gripped the sheets as impatience drove through me. I needed to feel him inside of me, but unlike all the other men I’d ever known, he seemed to enjoy giving oral sex. I wasn’t sure at the moment if it was a treat or a curse.
He laughed low in his chest and I glanced down the line of my body at him.
“What?” I panted.
“You. I love that you’re just the same in bed as you are on the ice or at the Ice House.” He flicked his tongue over my clit and dragged his fingers through my folds before pressing them into me.
I undulated my hips and pressed my teeth into my lip as I groaned out, “How?”
“Impatient. Demanding. Hot as hell.” He smiled and shook his head. “I’ll give you what you want, but one day, you’re going to have to lay there and let me take my time with you.”
“Not today.” I lifted my hips to take more of his thick fingers into me.
“No, baby. Not today.” He leaned down and pressed his mouth to me as his fingers opened me up and pressed against my most sensitive places.
I arched my back and fire burst from my stomach and shot down my legs and up my chest. A scream left me, and he moaned against my skin, working me harder to keep me on the high. I rode it as everything melted but him. I couldn’t access the concern or the pain or the fear that seemed to sit so heavy above us. I couldn’t find anything but pleasure.
“Enough,” I groaned and pushed at his head.
“Turn over for me.” He moved back and gripped my hips hard, jerking me to my left and forcing me on my stomach. “Right there. Stay there while I get a rubber.”
“Yeah,” I mumbled and slid my hands down to cup myself as my pulse beat against my clit. “So good.”