Page 14

13

Summer

L uke grins when he sees us, immediately noticing our outfit change. I lift the jersey to my nose, inhaling Connor’s scent of clouds and citrus and savoring his lingering warmth on the fabric. The Knights pick up their game through to the second half and beyond. Every so often, Connor looks at me in the bleachers, and I can’t help but smile back at him. The energy in the stadium is so infectious that it’s difficult not to cheer along with everyone else when the Knights score and to commiserate when the Ravens sneak a point.

Game time is running out, and the Knights are ahead by eight points. Connor is running down the field, chased by two hulking Ravens. The power he exudes and the flex of his thighs as he runs are wildly distracting, but I try to keep my mind on watching the game and not how much I want him to continue the punish?—

“What the fuck!” Alice springs from her seat, watching as Harold comes seemingly out of nowhere and tackles Connor hard. They fly through the air before slamming into the unforgiving ground, Connor taking the brunt of the fall. The whistle blows and time is up, the game over. Connor sits up, clenching his side, his face twisted in pain.

The Knights rush toward Connor, crowding around him. Luke launches over the bar of the bleachers and runs onto the field, his hands already glowing. My heart swells as he pushes through the throng of chaos, shoving aside the much larger players in his haste to reach his big brother. It seems none of the Morningstars will hesitate to protect their family, no matter the risks.

Harold smirks as he walks away, covered in mud from head to toe but otherwise unharmed. The way he struts is horribly smug, especially considering the Ravens just lost the match. The slam was completely uncalled for, nothing more than a punishment.

A roar comes from within the huddle around Connor, and Rafe emerges, fury clear on his face. He storms toward Harold, fists clenched, and once again, I see the true difference between Rafe and his brothers. Wild anger spills off him as he closes the distance to the other team’s captain. One of the Ravens nudges Harold, gesturing to Rafe’s approach.

Harold lifts an eyebrow and turns to face him but is met with Rafe’s fist. The power of the hit shudders through Rafe, and for a second, the charmed Avalon emblem on his uniform glows brightly. The emblems are supposed to hold back the most dangerous portions of the player’s abilities, making the playing field safer and slightly more even. Rafe’s emblem almost looks like it is shattering. Instead of the bright white light fading as it is absorbed by the charm, it is growing brighter. Black cracks are forming, revealing dark flames lurking within the fissures. Harold stumbles but quickly recovers. He pulls his arm back to defend himself, but Rafe is on him, punching him mercilessly. Every blow makes the Avalon emblem on his chest glow. Each strike weakens the charm, breaking the power seal more and more. If Rafe keeps at this, he will completely unleash his fury. Veins bulge beneath Harold’s skin and his eyes glow emerald green. His body grows in size, the berserker struggling to break through his own emblem.

Connor pushes through the swarm and runs to them, yanking Rafe off a bloody and beaten Harold. Rafe struggles against Connor’s hold, his fury still pinned on Harold. Connor spins him around and roughly grabs his face. His words are inaudible over the sounds from the stadium, but his gaze is locked on his brother. Rafe’s nostrils flare as he finally seems to see Connor. Connor doesn’t release Rafe’s face, his features pulled into a look of anger and concern. In spite of that, Rafe’s shoulders do relax a little, and his bloody fists unclench. Rafe nods curtly and yanks his head from Connor’s hold before storming off the field. Connor’s shoulders slump as he watches him leave. He runs a tired hand over his face before walking toward the locker room with his teammates.

I glance at Alice. She looks excited and maybe even a little turned on by the display of violence. “Woah, that was?—”

“Crazy hot. I know. It’s too bad his brother has claimed you.”

I blink. “Absolutely not what I was going to say. And Connor hasn’t claimed me.”

“Please. If he were a shifter, he’d have peed all over you the second he sniffed you out.”

I roll my eyes, amusement playing on my lips. “Should we wait for them so we can all go to the party together?”

Alice thinks for a moment. “Nah, they might be reigning in Rafe for a while. We’ll meet them there.”

I nod, though I keep glancing toward the tunnel where Connor disappeared as we leave.

Alice and I follow the masses to the wolf shifter pack dorm, where the party is already in full swing. Everyone is high on the Knight’s win, and the dorm is packed with students. We push our way through the crowd to the makeshift bar. Alice pours herself a drink, but remembering the great sandwich debacle, I grab a bottle of water. Unable to hear each other over the music and yelling, I tug Alice toward the wall where we have a view of the door. We spend the next thirty minutes fending off advances from over-excited shifters, Alice taking every opportunity to hiss and spew insults at them.

My heart jumps when I see a tall, blond guy walk through the door. Zach spots us the second he steps into the house and makes a beeline for us. “Well, well, well, look who it is.”

I shoot him a scathing look. “Which one are you again?”

Zach pulls me against his side and ruffles my hair. I bat him away, and he chuckles. “You know, Con is going to be piiiiiiiiiissed when he gets here.”

Alice rolls her eyes. “I’m going to go get another drink before I stab you again, asshole.”

I look at Zach, crossing my arms across my chest. “And why should I care about that?”

He just snickers and glances over my shoulder, his smirk widening. “I guess we’ll see.”

I’m about to turn to follow his line of sight when two large hands squeeze my shoulders. I tense at the contact, but the scent of clouds surrounds me, leaving my concern no room to grow. My captor spins me to face him, and I look up into Connor’s beautiful eyes. The anger and disappointment I’d seen him display on the field has melted away. He looks perfectly at ease again, but the tension I can feel radiating from him tells me it is not gone, at least not completely.

I rest my hands against his chest, allowing myself a moment to take in every dip and curve of his face. “Congratulations on your win, captain.”

Connor cups my cheek, tilting my head back a bit more and gently holding it there. “Thanks, but I really don’t care about that right now.” He glances at my lips. “Have you had anything to drink?”

I shake my head. “Nothing but water.”

“Good.” Connor bends and cups his massive hands behind my thighs. He lifts me and presses me back against the wall. I wrap myself around him, and he seals his lips over mine. Eagerly, I deepen the kiss, and when his tongue brushes against mine, I can’t stop the low moan of need.

There is a loud yell and someone slams into Connor. He braces himself so as not to crush me, but I pull back, remembering that we’re in a packed room and that there are probably hundreds of eyes on us. “What are you doing, Morningstar?” I whisper against his lips.

Connor ignores the question and pushes away from the wall. He kisses me again and shoulders his way into the writhing mass of students. His arms tighten around me, but the crowd parts easily for us. Feeling safe in his arms, I sink into the kiss, barely aware of him ascending the stairs. He knocks on the first door we come to. A deep groan comes from within, so he moves to the next, which appears to be empty. Connor doesn’t break the kiss, not for a moment. Not as he opens the door, not as he closes it and flips the lock, not as he walks across the room, and not as he lays me down on the bed.

His large body pins mine to the mattress, and he moans against my lips. “You are insanely sexy. You know that, right?”

I slide my tongue along his bottom lip. “We’re missing the party…”

Connor groans, panting into my mouth as his fingers trail down my body, searching blindly for the edge of my jersey. “Fuck the party.”

He finds the hem and slowly pulls it up my body. I lift my hips to help him. I have no idea if what we’re about to do is a good idea or not. All I know is that my body is desperate to be touched and pleasured, and I want it to be him who does it. This type of intimacy is familiar to me and easier than all the complicated emotional stuff. This is all I know and all I want to know.

“Seeing you wearing someone else’s jersey… Oh, you made me so…” He doesn’t name the emotion, and at the moment, I’m not sure he even knows what he was feeling.

Connor pulls the jersey up, and I arch, helping him get it over my head. He tosses it aside, and I collapse back onto the bed with a moan as he dips his head to brush his lips against my skin. My eyes roll in pleasure as he licks along my bra line. His eyes are nearly black when he looks up at me, and the desire in his expression completely undoes me. “You did it to get a response, and you got it.”

I slide my tongue along my lower lip, my voice breathy and low. “And it was so much fun…”

Connor narrows his eyes at me. “Every game. You wear my jersey.” He slides up my body and kisses me again, pulling back to nip gently at my lower lip. “No one else’s.”

A shiver runs down my spine. It must be how Connor’s breath teases over my skin. It can’t be his words. I know I can’t trust the words shared during intimacy or the feelings they invoke. They don’t hold the same value. They’re clouded and confused by hormones.

I push the thoughts from my mind and claim his mouth, deepening the kiss and arching against him. Connor hooks his thumbs into the lace of my panties and slides them down my legs, throwing them to the side. He kisses down my body, every touch of his lips like a mini electric shock, shooting straight to my core. My chest heaves, and I force my eyes to remain open, watching him move lower. He settles between my thighs, and I lift my knees, opening to him.

I tilt my head, watching him. Surely, he’s not going to do this right now. This has never been my experience. Usually, it’s straight to penetration and then a 3:00 AM sneak-out. But Connor proves me wrong when he leans in and slowly slides his tongue through my core. Heat pools low in my belly, and I swear I see stars. I’m not sure what noise I make in response, but whatever it is, I can tell he likes it from the way he immediately takes another taste. A low guttural sound leaves his throat as he licks me again, and I lift my hips, needing more.

“Fuck…” I moan, digging my fingers into the sheets as he swirls his tongue over my clit before sucking on it. My hands move to his head, and I tunnel my fingers into his hair, holding him close when he hits the most perfect fucking spot I’ve ever felt. “Gods…” I gasp and cry out again.

Connor slowly pushes a finger inside me, and my hips buck again. He slowly presses another finger in, and I writhe against his hand. The pressure builds with the burning stretch and the throb of my clit beneath his tongue. My pussy clenches around him, liquid heat bathing his hand and my arousal spilling out of me as he plunges his fingers in over and over. His lips wrap around my clit, and he sucks.

Connor looks up at me, meeting my gaze. The second his dark blue eyes meet mine, I am completely lost to my orgasm. I cry out, his broad shoulders holding my thighs wide when they reflexively try to close. My release explodes within me, and I throw my head back as pleasure rips through me. I pant and go boneless as he kisses his way back up my body. Through the aftershocks of my release, I find the strength to push myself up and slam my lips to his. The sweet taste of my pussy lingers on his tongue, and I’ve never tasted anything more erotic.

Connor slides his hands between us, unbuckling his belt and opening his pants. He kicks them off and somehow manages to never break the kiss.

He pulls back, panting and looking down at me. He holds up a condom. “Are you sure about this?”

I simply kiss him back and take the small foil package from him. Connor sits back on his heels, and I rip the condom open, reverently sliding it over his length as he pulls his shirt off. He tosses it aside and eases me back onto the bed, his heavy body covering mine as he settles back over me. His hips shift so his cock is pressing against my opening, and I drag my nails down his back, rocking my hips to welcome him in. He groans, his biceps flexing as he braces above me and sinks deeper, stretching my pussy around his girth. I bring my knees higher on his hips, opening myself up for him.

He continues to push inside me and moans against my lips, “Fuck. Tight.”

I lift my hips, greedy for more. My pussy throbs in need, desperate to be filled. I nip and suck at his lower lip, urging him for more, silently begging him to take me hard and pound deep.

Connor groans again, and the sound makes my skin break out in goosebumps. “Fuck. You feel so good.”

I drag my nails down his back and dig them into his ass, pulling him fully into me, and I moan at the fullness, my cunt wrapping painfully tight around him. His shout of pleasure turns my core molten, and he thrusts, slow and gentle. I can’t tell if he’s testing the waters or teasing me but now is not the time. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I arch beneath him, trying to spur him on. I want more. I want harder.

“Harder,” I beg.

“I… I don’t want to hurt you,” Connor whispers into my lips.

Hurt me? Fucking fuck me! Growling, I wrap my arms and legs around him and roll us over. It only works because I take him by surprise, but I end up on top, straddling him. Without giving him a moment to react, I lift until just the head of his cock remains inside of me and then slam down again. Connor bucks beneath me, his hands grabbing my hips. “Fuck!” He digs his fingers into me, his hold gentle enough that I won’t bruise but hard enough that he’s taken a small portion of the control. He looks up at me, and there’s something in his eyes that I don’t want to identify. Not now.

I brace my hands against the heavy muscles of his chest and sit up on him, riding him hard. My stomach muscles clench as I slam my pussy down on him over and over, taking him as hard as I need to. Connor sits up and buries his fingers in my hair, pulling my lips to meet his and kissing me breathless as I fuck him.

“Summer. Fuck. You’re so… good.”

I bite his lip and move faster on him, desperate pleasure coursing through me.

“You’re… Fuuuck. You’re going to make me cum.” Connor groans, and his body tenses beneath mine, his cock thickening a little as he nears his release.

I move faster on him, knowing my release isn’t as close as his. “Not yet.”

Connor growls breathlessly. “Can’t really control it.”

“Not. Yet.” I moan. “Fuck…”

“All right. Fuck, you just feel so fucking good,” Connor grunts, releasing a hiss through his clenched teeth. He grips my hip in one hand and pulls me down, his cock pulsing deep inside me as he grinds against my clit.

I dig my nails into his shoulders, reaching for the delicious familiar burn of my orgasm, the tight coil in my core. It is so close.

“Connor… now!” I cry out, hurtling into pleasure. My pussy clenches around him, the tight, wet heat quivering around his cock. Connor shouts, his fingers fisting in my hair as my orgasm shoves him into his own release.

Connor pants and presses kisses along my neck, breathing curses against my skin like filthy promises. We fall back onto the bed, both of us out of breath and sated. I roll off him, looking at the ceiling as aftershocks of pleasure ripple through me.