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CHAPTER FIFTEEN

BECKHAM

It’s been a few weeks now since Charlie and I started hooking up again. We haven’t really said anything to anyone, but I know our roommates know. Between the fact that we spend all our free time together, we have been laughing at our inside jokes that no one else gets, and the shit job I’ve been doing of keeping my hands off of her, they know.

We’ve won our last three games, and she’s been there for every one.

I slipped by her and kissed her after our big win yesterday. Instead of facing the onslaught of questions, we got in my truck, and I took my girl to the service road by the tornado siren outside of campus.

Lucky for us, I’d never taken out the blankets and sleeping bags from my summer fishing trip with Casey, so we used those in the truck bed. We watched the stars shine in the big Oklahoma sky, talked about the game and school, and, well, fucked all night.

I can’t get enough of her. I feel like I’m making up for the last two years without her.

When we got home the next morning, no one was awake, so we snuck into my bedroom quietly.

Today, however, it’s back to campus and the real world.

It’s a brutal practice in preparation for the game against our rival this week. My whole body is sore, and I can’t wait to go soak in the ice bath after I shower.

I’m pulling my gear off at my locker when Casey walks over and sits on the bench in front of his locker next to mine.

“So … we gonna talk about it, or are you not going to tell me that you and my sister are back together?”

I knew it was coming, but I really wanted him to be the one to ask. Not because I’m embarrassed or I feel weird about it. Casey knows I love Charlie and never stopped. He also knows the true story of what happened and why I never spoke up when Charlie blamed me. Granted, he didn’t know it was all connected to issues with my mom, but he knew my side—at least as much as I could share at the time.

“Do I need to tell you we’re together? I thought it was pretty obvious,” I say with a smirk.

“Dude, I don’t need to know any details. I saw the kiss and live in the house, and even though my room is at the other end of the hall, I can hear just fine. I’m on my fifth audiobook this week alone, and I’m pretty sure Noelle is sick of me stopping by her place too. I’ve ignored it as much as I could because I know you two need this time together. I just want to know everything is okay. I also want to know that you are going to tell her what really happened. She needs to know.”

His brow is raised, and I get it. He’s on my side, and he has been loyal and kept things between us.

I sigh. “I know, but I feel like we’re in a really good place right now. I just got her back, and I don’t know if I’m ready to bring it all back up.”

“I think you need to give Charlie more credit than that. She knows you. I think once you tell her what Britney did, it will really close that up, and you guys can move on without any secrets between you. You owe that to her and to yourself too. Look, you’re my best friend, but you keep things locked up tight. I don’t know if I fully understand why you didn’t tell her to begin with, but I know you don’t like talking about your feelings and shit.” He snorts.

He’s right. I don’t like talking about my feelings. Neither of them knows this, but I’ve spent years in counseling, trying to learn how to cope with things that happened to me before we moved to Troy. Casey and Charlie don’t know why we moved or why my mom isn’t in the picture. I know, someday, I’ll have to tell Charlie because I will be wifing her up and she’ll need to know. I can’t keep my secrets about my mom forever.

My current coping method is stuffing the pain of the past into a tiny little box in the back of my mind and ignoring it all so I don’t have to think about it. And I’ve been on an intentional hiatus from counseling because of football. I can’t focus on what I need to do on the field and also find my feelings . Not happening. I do make a point to check in with my therapist semi-regularly though; that’s actually what I was doing that day I ran into Charlie and Bo as she was looking for her psych class. I know he’s there when I really need to talk.

“I will talk to her eventually. We can’t go into this completely until she knows the truth. There are days I’m still just mad at myself for not fighting for us, but I promise, I’ll fix it all.”

I hold out my fist for Casey to bump. He is more than my best friend; he’s been like a brother to me. I won’t ever let him down. Loyalty and honesty are everything to me, and Casey is the real-deal, forever kind of friend. He doesn’t fully understand what he and his family have done for mine.

His parents know what went down with my mom and why we moved. They’ve never made me and Brooke feel like there was anything wrong with us because of it either. I don’t even know when my dad told them because they’ve always treated us the same. Like part of their family.

Right before Charlie and I broke up, it was a really rough time, and her mom helped me through it. My therapist said she was surprised I didn’t have more complex feelings toward women because of what my mom had done to me. But Carol? I knew she was a good egg from the minute I met her. She was the kind of mom that moms should be for their kids. Something I never had.

“I’m going to head home and shower there. Are you coming?” I ask Casey while I rip off the rest of my leg pads, then grab my sweats and pull them on.

“Dude, no. I can’t leave here without a shower, and you shouldn’t either. You smell like ass.” He laughs as he whips me with his towel.

I finish dressing and grab my wallet, keys, and bag from my cubby. “Ow, man. Honestly, I just want to get home so I can bang your sister before you all get back.” I bark out a laugh, then duck as Casey tries to whip me again, but closer to my face this time.

“You’d better run, motherfucker. I don’t need to know any of that!” Casey yells at me as I bolt toward the door.

I turn my head before I walk out and give him a wink, and he just laughs and mutters, “Fucker.”

When I get home, I see Charlie in the kitchen. She’s got a spoon in her hand, stirring something that I can’t see yet.

I drop my bag by the door, then come up behind her and wrap my hands around her waist. “Smells good in here. What are you doing, Boss?”

She squeals and puts a hand over her heart. “Jesus, Beck. You scared the shit out of me.” With her other hand, she pulls out an earbud. “I didn’t hear you come in. You’re just getting home? Where are the other guys?”

I skim my nose along her neck and place a kiss behind her ear. “They’re still at the field house, getting showered. I wanted to get home to you and see if I could steal a few minutes before they got back.”

“Yeah, before any of that happens, you need to shower. You stink!” She giggles.

“I was hoping you would join me. I’ll give you a little massage, rub you down … in all the right places,” I say, sliding my hands up and down her sides over her long T-shirt, making her shiver.

“Babe, while that sounds amazing, I think you need to focus on your own stink for now. Besides, I need to get the brownies in the oven. How about a rain check?” She turns her head and kisses me.

I mumble against her lips, “Are you sure? I can think of some ways to make you a little dirty.”

Reaching around her, I swipe my finger into the brownie batter. With my other hand still on her hip, I turn her around to face me. She’s so fucking sexy with her little smirk.

“Wanna have a taste?” I ask, then move my hand up to coat her slightly parted lips with the chocolate batter.

The tip of her tongue peeks out, and she touches it to the center of her top lip and then across her upper lip. When she starts to lick the bottom, I stop her.

“Uh-uh. It’s my turn.”

Leaning in, I take her bottom lip between mine and suck. When I pull back with her lip between my teeth, she moans, then grabs the back of my neck to pull me back into her.

Before she kisses me, she says, “Okay, but let’s make it quick. I would absolutely die if one of them walked in on us.”

I waste no time grabbing the hem of her shirt and pulling it off. She’s not wearing a bra, and her little shorts are giving me plenty of room to play.

Dipping my finger back into the batter behind her, I take a hefty dollop and trace some around one nipple and then the other. When I look at her face, her cheeks are starting to turn pink, and her hands are gripping the edge of the countertop.

She whispers, “More.”

I move the bowl from behind her to the side so I have better access. This time, I take two fingers and coat them in the batter and bring them back to her chest. Starting in the center between her tits, I trail my fingers down her torso. I stop just above the band of her shorts.

Using my other hand, I grab the front of her shorts and bend slightly to pull them down her legs. She steps out of them as I rise.

“I should probably clean up my mess, huh?” I frame her face in my hands, and she nods.

Moving my hands, I cup her breasts, lean in and twirl my tongue around one nipple, then suck it into my mouth. When I pull back, her nipple pops out of my mouth, and I kiss the tip before moving to the other breast. I repeat the movement, but this time, I bite down lightly, which causes her to bring her hands to my head. Her fingers slide through my hair as she lets out a soft moan.

“That feels so good, Beck. Holy shit, keep going.”

“Oh, baby, I’m not even close to being done with you.”

I lift my body, and her hands fall from my head. Then I reach back into the batter before I make my way down her chest and stomach with my tongue.

When I get to her center, I get on my knees and look up at her. Her eyes are glazed, and she’s holding her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Open for me, baby.” I smooth my unbattered hand down from her hip to her inner thigh while she spreads her legs. “That’s better.”

I lean in and place a kiss on her pussy. “So pretty.”

One hand opens her center, and I lean in to kiss her clit. When I pull back, I look up at her again, but this time, her head is tilted back slightly, and her eyes are closed, her palms flat on the countertop.

With my brownie-battered fingers, I start at her clit and slide them down to her opening. Bringing my fingers back up to her clit, I slowly circle them, then lean in and lick.

“Fuck, Beck. Do that again.”

So, I do. Running my tongue back and forth from her clit to her center. Her hips start to thrust, so I slide one hand around to her ass and help her move in sync with the swipe of my tongue.

“Are you gonna be a good girl and come for me, Charlie?” I ask when I pull away.

“So good. I’ll be so good. I’m almost there, Beck. Keep going, but add a finger.”

Is there anything hotter than my girl telling me what she wants? I think not.

So, I lick my fingers clean before I lean back in to circle her clit with my tongue and slide my index finger inside her pussy. I pump in and out and start to increase my pace with my tongue and finger, moving in time with her thrusts.

“Beck! I’m going to come. Fuck, don’t stop,” she demands, breathing heavy.

I pull my finger out and slide two fingers into her, finding that spot that makes her see stars, and I suck hard on her clit. My hand on her ass holds her in place as she reaches her orgasm.

Feeling her pulse around my fingers and tongue, I slow my movements. She’s moved her hand back onto my head, holding me in place. As her hold softens, I remove my fingers and pull back.

When I stand, she reaches for me, bringing me in for a kiss. I slide my tongue into her mouth, twirl it around hers, and moan.

“I think you should make brownies more often.”

“Beck, I didn’t even get them in the pan. And now I have to start all over again since you mixed me in with the batter!”

Resting my forehead against hers, I tease, “But it was worth it, right?”

“More than worth it, but I think our time is up. I need to get dressed before the guys start walking in. And you still stink, babe.”

“Okay, I’m going. If you make more, don’t let them eat all the brownies before I’m out.”

“I’ll save you the best piece, Beck,” she says and blows me a kiss.

I turn around and head toward my bedroom, but look over my shoulder and say, “I’m counting on it, Boss.”