by L A Cotton
“If I have to redshirt this season, that’s it for me.”
“You’ll do great.” Summer initiated the kiss this time, licking the seam of my mouth, demanding entrance. And I gave it to her, letting her tongue slide against my own as she set a slow, torturous pace that had my body burning with need.
“You know,” she said quietly against my lips, “I don’t think I ever thanked you properly.” Pushing me back gently, Summer waited for me to lie flat before climbing over me and straddling my legs. My eyes didn’t know where to look first. The swell of her tits. The slope of her neck and collarbone. The soft curve of her waist flaring into perfect hips.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I rasped, a groan slipping from my throat as she grasped my dick in her hand.
A coy smile split her face, the sexy-as-fuck blush I loved rushing up her neck and into her cheeks. I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a condom from my wallet, helping her sheath me. Then Summer rose above me before sinking down on me in one smooth motion. She was so fucking tight and wet; I slid in and out of her like soft velvet.
“Oh God,” she moaned, tipping her head back, pushing her chest out.
“You feel so fucking good,” I ground out as my fingers sank into the flesh of her hip, guiding her onto me over and over, until our moans filled the room.
“More,” she cried, hands pressed flat against my abs.
I planted my feet flat against the mattress and lifted my knees, driving harder and faster, giving her what she wanted.
What we both needed.
Summer’s walls clenched around me, pulling me further into her, as she melted against my chest in a breathless heap. Almost there, I grabbed her waist and pulled her onto me, feeling myself fall over the edge.
“Fuck,” I groaned, gathering her into my arms, dipping my head to kiss her shoulder.
I felt on top of the fucking world. Until her voice pierced the quiet. “I can’t believe you leave soon.”
And just like that I hurtled toward to the ground with a resounding thud.
“ARE YOU SURE THIS IS a good idea?” Summer asked for the third time since I picked her up.
I’d left her this morning to go do my last session with The Sadist. She’d worked me to the point of pain and then wished me well, saying that if she saw me again in the next few months it would be a moment too soon. I told her the feeling was entirely mutual.
“It’s just my mom, Dad’s out of town on business.” Thank fuck. I never wanted him near Summer, but Mom was a different story. Although my family was as dysfunctional as they came, they were still my family. The only one I had. And I figured if I could get Mom on side, get her to see how good me and Summer were together before I left, then maybe, just maybe, she could keep Dad off our backs.
“Hey,” I said, leaning over to take Summer’s hand in mine. “You don’t have to worry. If she says anything to upset you, we’ll leave. I promise. But I don’t think she will. Deep down, she’s only trying to protect me.”
“From me?”
“From him. My old man is... complicated. He’s like Maverick’s dad. Ruthless. Cold and calculating. With only one goal in his mind. Success. He doesn’t care how that comes or at what cost.”
Summer grimaced. “Families are never simple, are they?”
“No, they are not. But I want you to know, I choose you, Summer. I won’t be his pawn and I won’t let you go because he demands it. Okay?”
She nodded, but I sensed her doubt.
“Here we are.” I pulled off the street and took the private driveway up to my house. Unlike the Stone-Prince house, which was warm and inviting, this was cold and somber. I’d learned a long time ago our family issues didn’t make us stronger, they pushed us further apart. Became the spaces that lived in the cracks between us.
“What’s she like?” Summer asked as I cut the engine. “Your mom, I mean.”
“She used to be kind and warm and she smiled a lot. But she hasn’t been like that for a long time. Come on, she’s expecting us.”
I’d sent her a quick text message to let her know I was bringing Summer by.
Summer clung to me as we made our way up to the door. I dug out my key and opened it, letting her go first. My girl looked beautiful in a cap-sleeved dress that cinched in at her waist. It was simple and demure, but I loved how the shades of blue complemented her eyes and hair.
“Mom?” I called. “We’re here.”
My stomach knotted when there was no answer. We moved deeper into the house but there was still no sign of Mom.
“Maybe she had to go out?” Summer offered, squeezing my hand gently.
“No, she wouldn’t—” We entered the kitchen and I spied Mom out in the yard, sitting at the table.
“There you both are.” She smiled as we joined her. “I wasn’t sure what time you’d get here. I picked up some lunch from my favorite place on the waterfront, I hope that’s okay? Oh gosh.” She rose. “Where are my manners? You must be Summer. JB has told me all about you.”
Summer smiled. “It’s lovely to meet you Mrs. Holloway. You have a beautiful home.”
“Oh please, call me Trudy.”
“Mom.” I went to her, kissing her cheek. “You didn’t need to go to all this trouble.” There was salad, and subs, and chips and dips. It was a lot of food for three of us. “You’re not expecting Da—”
“Gosh, no, he’s away. It’s just the three of us.” Relief sank into me. “Come sit. And eat. I didn’t buy all of this for myself.”
I wanted to ask why she’d bought any of it at all, but then I noticed her hands as she sat down. They were trembling. She was nervous. The thought made me smile.
“This all looks great Mrs... I mean, Trudy.” Summer wasted no time loading a plate with food much to my mom’s delight.
“JB, eat something instead of gawking.”
Summer smothered a laugh as she popped a guacamole-soaked chip into her mouth.
“So, Summer, tell me about yourself. You just graduated high school, right?”
She nodded, swallowing her food. “I had plans to go to USC, but something came up.” Summer’s eyes flickered to mine. “I, hmm...”
“Summer and her long-term boyfriend split up,” I said. “They were due to both start USC, but Summer decided to take some time out before choosing her next steps.”
“I see.” Mom folded her arms on the table and regarded us both. “So, you’re fresh out of a relationship then?”
“Mom,” I warned.
“It’s okay, JB.” Summer laid her hand on my arm. “Yes, me and Nick were together since we were fourteen. He was unfaithful.”
“I’m sorry. I remember what it was like to be eighteen and in love.” Mom stared out wistfully, and I wondered if she was remembering a better time with Dad or some old crush who got away. Because I couldn’t ever imagine my old man being the loved-up romantic type.
“He hurt me a lot.” Summer dropped her gaze to her plate of food.
“And then you met my son?”
I glared hard at Mom, wishing she would just drop it, knowing that there were some things about mine and Summer’s relationship that she would never know or understand.
“I like your son very much.” Summer finally lifted her eyes.
“And from what I can gather, he likes you a lot too.” Mom’s gaze slid to mine.
Like really didn’t measure up to what I felt for Summer, and something told me Mom knew that. A mother’s intuition, I guess.
“I just hope you both know what you’re doing. My husband, JB’s father, can be a difficult man.”
“I know all about difficult families, Mrs. Holloway. I am a Stone-Prince after all.”
“Indeed, you are.”
I felt like an outsider to their silent conversation, the one they were having with heated stares and looks of shared understanding, rather than the words they were saying.
“I like you, Summer,” Mom said. “And I’ll be honest, I didn’t know
what to think when my son told me all about the Stone-Prince girl who had captured his attention. But I can see how much you like my son and that’s good enough for me.”
“So, you’ll talk to him?” I asked.
“I can’t make any promises, but yes, I’ll talk to him. Now eat, please.” She offered Summer a warm smile and a strange sensation filled my chest at the two women in my life doing something so simple as sharing a meal and easy conversation.
Then she looked to me, a silent moment of understanding passing between us. “It would be a shame for all this food to go to waste.”
And just like that, I knew we had Mom’s blessing.
Chapter 21
Summer
“I should really think about going.”
“Already?” I asked JB as he began to extract me from his body.
We’d spent a blissful night and morning wrapped up in one another. But it was bittersweet because tomorrow he left for San Diego, and today, his Mom and Dad were insisting on taking him out for dinner.
A dinner I wasn’t invited to.
I tried not to be hurt when he told me, but I knew he’d sensed it. It wasn’t that I was in any great rush to meet his father, who, by all accounts was a nasty piece of work. But it was just another reminder of the obstacles stacked against us. Sure, we’d conquered a few—his mom, my mom, even my brothers—but there still seemed so many against us.
I hooked my leg over JB’s hip and let him pull me on top of him, every naked inch of me pressed up against every naked inch of him.
“Again?” His brow arched as I felt him grow hard beneath me.
I peppered tiny kisses over his lips and jaw, enjoying the feel of his stubble against my soft skin. JB was rugged and big, much bigger than me, but I loved how safe and cherished he made me feel.
“Summer, hold up,” he said, gently gripping my shoulders, as I licked and sucked and nibbled his collarbone. My eyes slid to his in question and he let out an exasperated breath. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want to spend my last few minutes with you, not in you.”
“There’s a difference?” I tried to smother my giggle, but it was futile and JB rolled us, pinning me to the mattress.
“I would love nothing more than to sink deep inside you, but we definitely don’t have time for all the things I want to do to you. Besides, it’ll make next weekend that much better.”
“Next weekend?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “When you come visit me.”
“I don’t remember agreeing.” I gave him a pointed look.
“I’ll miss you.” He pouted, giving me the cutest puppy dog eyes. JB might have been the big burly star quarterback, but he was also soft and kind and he knew exactly how to push the right buttons.
“I’ll miss you too,” I said, grazing my lips over his. But JB buried his hand into my hair, anchoring us together, deepening the kiss.
God, I didn’t want him to leave. I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts and regrets and pain. But I couldn’t exactly ask him to stay either. He had a life in San Diego, responsibilities to uphold and dreams to chase.
I knew this bubble we’d created ourselves had an expiration date, and our time was up.
My hands covered his as I kissed him with everything I had, desperately trying to leave a mark on him the way he had marked me. Because I didn’t doubt that he already owned a part of me.
And although I would never utter the words, and my mom would probably say I had a bad case of hero worship, I was pretty certain I was already falling in love with him.
JB broke off the kiss, gently edging me backwards until our breathing returned to normal. “We’ve got this,” he said, his eyes clouded with emotion. “We’ll talk every day and I’ll see you soon. We can do this Summer. We can totally do this.”
But as he stared up at me, I was no longer sure who he was trying to convince. Him. Or me.
JB: I MISS YOU ALREADY.
I smiled at JB’s text message as I perused the store with Mom. She’d insisted I accompany her to the mall, rather than staying home to mope.
Me: I miss you too. Aren’t you supposed to be at dinner with your parents though?
JB: I am. Mom’s drunk and Dad is reciting recovery statistics following a rotator cuff injury. Life is great.
I snickered, smothering the sound with my hand.
“Sweetheart, could you at least try to be interested.”
“Sorry, Mom. It’s just—”
“JB,” she sighed. “Believe it or not, Summer, I was young once. I know how the heart works. But you’ve spent nearly every minute with the boy the last few days. And I’ve missed you, so it would be nice if you could put your cell away and focus on girls’ time.” She cut me with one of her mom-expressions, and I grumbled.
“Fine.” I quickly texted JB back and slid my phone into my pocket. “You have my undivided attention.”
“Good, because I thought we could look at bridesmaid dresses.”
“Hmm, Mom, aren’t we supposed to do that with the bride?”
“Yes, well, Laurie is proving to be quite indecisive.”
“I thought she liked the powder blue ones?” We’d been dress shopping a few weeks ago. She’d asked Lo to be her maid of honor; and me, Macey, and Kiera to be bridesmaids. Although I still couldn’t quite wrap my head around the fact she was marrying my brother. They were so young. And he was so... Kyle.
“She changes her mind quicker than a girl changes clothes.” Mom sighed, fingering a floor-length cocktail dress.
“There’s plenty of time, Mom. The wedding isn’t for another eighteen months.”
“I know, I just want everything to be perfect.”
It was the event planner in her.
Mom ushered me from rack to rack, pointing out possible dresses, snapping the odd discreet photo of possible contenders to send to Laurie. When she was busy comparing the shade of plum of two almost identical dresses, I risked peeking at my cell.
JB: I wish you were here.
JB: Actually, no I don’t. I wish I was there.
Me: Mom’s making me look at bridesmaid dresses.
JB: Something you want to tell me?
Me: Kyle’s getting married.
JB: Now that you mention it, I think I remember seeing the announcement. So you’re a bridesmaid?
Me: I am.
JB: Is it totally wrong I’m having all kinds of inappropriate thoughts right now?
Heat flamed my cheeks and I bit my bottom lip, trying to figure out how to respond to that.
Me: Do they involve me being naked?
I glanced up to check Mom was still otherwise engaged.
JB: In nothing but killer heels.
Me: Oh my...
JB: Too much? You know I’ll take you anyway I can get you, don’t you?
Me: I think so.
JB: Good, because I’m crazy about you.
Another text came straight through.
JB: Say yes and come see me next weekend. I want to introduce you to my teammates, show you where the magic happens.
Me: The magic, huh? I’ll think about it. Gotta go, Mom’s almost done xo
“Summer?”
Shoving my cell phone in my pocket, I moved closer to inspect the dress she was holding. “Yes, Mom.”
“Isn’t it beautiful?” she said dreamily.
“Yeah, it’s nice.”
“Nice? It’s perfection. I can just picture the four of you in this. With your coloring and figure, it’ll look divine.” She thrust it at me. “What do you say you go try it on and we can take some photos to send to Laurie?”
“Okay, Mom.”
The last thing I wanted to do was parade around in bridesmaid dresses, but when Rebecca Stone-Prince got an idea in her head, it was easier to just go along with it than resist.
JB’s message flashed through my mind as I went into the dressing room, an unexpected thought crossing my mind. Maybe Laurie wasn’t the only person I could take a
photo for.
“HOW’S YOUR SALAD?” Mom asked as I pushed the leaves around my plate. After placating her and trying on the bridesmaid dress, she’d insisted on treating me to lunch. But I was beginning to wonder if it was just a ruse to get me to talk.
“Good.” The lie didn’t fool her.
“Summer, talk to me. I’m here for you, sweetheart. Is this about JB leaving?”
I placed my fork down and let out a little sigh. “Yes. No... Oh, I don’t know. It just seems like I was finally feeling like my old self, and now...”
“Now you’re alone again.”
“It’s not just that, Mom. I... I’m not a fool. JB is a big deal at college. He has the team, the parties and girls.” I’d witnessed it enough in high school with my brothers and their friends. And that was only high school. College was a whole other level.
“This thing between us is new and scary and I didn’t see it coming...” I trailed off.
Mom leaned over, taking my hand in hers. “You care about him a lot, don’t you?”
I nodded, unable to find my voice.
“Oh sweetheart, this is exactly what I was worried about. You falling hard and fast when you still need to heal.” Something caught her eye over my shoulder, and she stiffened. “Have you told Nick the truth yet?”
“No.”
“Well maybe it’s time.” Her eyes flicked past me and I glanced back to find Nick standing there, hands jammed in his pockets. “It might give you the closure you need to fully move on. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy being with JB. But I saw the way he looked at you. He cares for you and I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. But you have to trust him, Summer.” She gave me a reassuring smile. “Why don’t I go and settle the check and then pop to the store? You should talk to Nick, sweetheart. Lay the past to rest.” With that she grabbed her purse and rose from the table.
I twisted around, my eyes locking on Nick. Regret swam in his weary gaze. But where I once wanted to comfort him for everything we’d lost—everything he’d thrown away—all I felt now was sadness. Sadness for what once was but was no longer. I looked at him and my heart recognized him as someone we used to love. A memory. But the spaces he’d once filled were no longer hollow. They were filled with JB. And I realized Mom was right.