Page 49 of Drop Shot (On the Court #2)

WHIMSY

“Who’s the prettiest girl in the world?” Elias croons, but he’s not talking to me.

No, he’s bent over scratching my Persian cat beneath her chin.

“Should I be jealous?” I ask, coming out of my bedroom with my hands on my hips.

My bags are packed, sitting at my feet ready for us to depart for the US Open. Our time in Miami has flown by and it’s only served to make me fall more in love with this man.

There’s no denying what this is—love. Have I told him that yet? No. Selfishly, I want to hear him say it first. I don’t think I’m crazy in thinking he feels the same way.

“Maybe,” he laughs. “Craig and I have a special bond.”

My mom is going to come by and pick her up after we leave. I hate to leave her again so soon, but at the same time I wasn’t expecting to have these weeks with her either.

“You better miss me while I’m gone,” he tells my kitty, and she purrs in response. I shake my head, trying to hide my amusement. “We could take her with us?” he suggests with an excited gleam in his eyes. “We’re staying in the States so it would be fine.”

I plant my hands on my hips. “No.”

“No?” He frowns, picking up Craig and holding her against his chest. His black shirt is going to be covered in cat hair. “But you didn’t even think about it?”

“It would be too stressful for her on a plane,” I reason, doing a quick check to make sure I have my AirPods in a handy spot to grab as well as my sunglasses. “And then I would have to figure out how to get her back here.”

Elias holds my cat out and pouts at her. “Sorry, Craig. I tried. Your mom hit me with logic.”

I shake my head, trying to hide my amusement. He adjusts the cat so he’s holding her under his arm.

“I have a private jet. She could roam free on the plane.”

And here I thought I’d gotten him to drop this. I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Elias, no.”

“Fine,” he gripes, and kisses the top of her fluffy head. “I’ll miss you, Craig. I hope you miss me.”

He sets her down and scoops up his baseball cap, setting it backwards on his head. “I guess we should get out of here then?”

“If we don’t, we’ll be running behind.”

He shoulders his backpack and picks up one of my bags. “Jesus, Whim. What do you have in here?”

I shrug. “Shoes.”

“Shoes,” he replies with a small laugh. “I should’ve known.”

I check my phone. “The car’s downstairs.”

“Craig.” He turns back to my cat, who’s jumped up on the couch, and made herself comfortable on her favorite blanket. “Hold down the fort while we’re gone. Grandma will be here soon.”

I shake my head, trying to hide my amusement but I’m sure it’s written all over my face.

Elias takes as many of my bags as he can manage, leaving me with only my purse and large suitcase to wheel behind me. I have to say, it’s kind of hot seeing him carry all my stuff.

When we make it to the airport and board the jet, I’m shocked to find that his sister and parents aren’t there.

“Where is everyone?” I ask him, confusion clouding my tone. “I thought we were running behind.”

“They’re already in New York. They wanted time in Manhattan before the Open.”

“Oh.” I look around at the empty jet. “So, it’s just us?”

“Just us,” he confirms with a tiny, conspiratorial smirk that has my stomach dipping. “And a bed that hasn’t been used to join the mile high club. Which, if you ask me”—he looks down at his blunt fingernails, feigning indifference— “is really a shame.”

My mouth pops open and closes several times. “I have no comment,” I finally say.

“That’s okay.” He drops into one of the seats. “You don’t have to say anything. Just scream my name once we’re in the air.”

“Elias,” I hiss, taking the seat beside him that’s next to the window. I look around to see if the attendant overheard him, but she’s at the back of the plane checking something.

He flashes me a wicked grin. “I haven’t crossed that off my bucket list. Can you blame me for wanting to do something new with my favorite girl?”

“I…” I look around again and whisper under my breath, “They’ll hear.”

“Come on,” he croons, leaning in to brush his lips against my ear. “Don’t you think you can manage to be quiet for a little bit?”

“She’s going to know what we’re up to even if I’m silent,” I retort, probably sassier than necessary if his growing smirk is anything to go by. His dimple is deep enough that I think I could use it as a coin slot.

“Baby, you couldn’t be silent if you tried. As for her, she’ll be way up here and we’ll be way back there. I’m an athlete. I need my rest. She won’t suspect a thing.”

“I don’t believe you.”

He opens his mouth to reply, but the attendant appears at his side and leans over to face both of us. “Do you two need anything before we take off?”

“I’m good. Whim?”

“Could I have a water, please?” This conversation has made me particularly parched.

“Of course. I’ll be right back with that.”

“See? She’s oblivious,” Elias says in a tone that can only be described as giddy.

“I highly doubt that. It’s not like she’s going to call us out.”

Sobering, he says, “I’m only messing with you. You know I wouldn’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable.”

I think of the locker room—how thrilling that was—and squeeze my thighs together. “I know,” I whisper. “I’m … I’ve never been very adventurous with sex,” I admit. “But I am curious.”

That piques his attention. “What’s the kinkiest thing you’ve done before me?”

My face burns hot and I’m saved momentarily from answering by the flight attendant handing me a bottle of water and going over pre-flight instructions.

I don’t reply until we’re headed for the runway. “Car sex.”

I’m fairly certain the noise that comes out of Elias is him nearly swallowing his tongue.

“ That’s the kinkiest thing you’ve ever done?”

“It was in the school parking lot,” I mumble. “Does that count for something?”

“A little.” He shrugs. “I hate to admit it, but I kind of like that I get to explore these things with you. Bring you out of your sexual shell so to speak.” His hand finds mine, holding tight as we prepare for takeoff. “I like having firsts with you.”

“You’ve really never done it on a plane before?” I ask as the plane rears back. I squish my eyes closed, wishing I had pulled the dino stuffie out of my bag to hold onto.

“Nope.” He pops the ‘p’.

I crack open one eye. “You have me intrigued.”

It’s not that I’m entirely against it. It’s just out of my comfort zone. Like the locker room was—and I loved that. There was an added thrill at the possibility of being caught. It made it that much hotter and more intense.

When I look at Elias fully, he’s grinning ear to ear, knowing he’s won me over.

The minute we’re allowed to get out of our seats he undoes both our belts and drags me to the back of the plane where the bedroom is.

He peppers kisses down my neck, instantly erasing any of my worry over the flight attendant. Besides, he’s right—she’s at the front of the plane and before we came back here, she was glued to her book.

“I want you all the time,” Elias murmurs. “You have no idea what you do to me.”

“Mm,” I hum, leaning my head back to give him more access to my neck and the bare skin of my collarbone. I think I know exactly what he means, though, because it’s the same for me when it comes to him.

I’m dressed for comfort on the plane which makes undressing me easier for him. He slides my tank top up, exposing my bare breasts since I didn’t bother with a bra.

“Fuck,” he groans, eyes zeroed in on my boobs. “I love your tits.” He cups them in his hands. “They’re the perfect size.”

The compliment has me flushing. I don’t hate my boobs, but I’ve always worried they might be seen as too small. It didn’t help my insecurity when my high school boyfriend told me I should get implants. But Elias’s praise erases those old feelings, replacing it with a feeling of pride instead.

He still hasn’t told me he loves me, but I know he loves my body because he loves me and I’m eternally grateful for that.

Lowering his head, he sucks my nipple into his mouth. I gasp, my fingers digging into the curls on the back of his head. “That feels so good,” I gasp.

The backs of my knees hit the bed and I go down, bringing him with me.

“I can make you feel even better.” There’s a glint in his eyes at the challenge.

I don’t say anything because I know the things he can do with his tongue and cock and like I always tell him, he doesn’t need me to inflate his ego further.

He pushes my tank top the rest of the way off but instead of dropping it to the floor or leaving it where it is, he uses the fabric to bind my wrists together. After he tests the snugness he checks in with me.

“Is this okay?”

I nod and realize he’s going to ask me to speak to confirm and give a breathless, “Yes.”

“Such a good girl,” he croons, running his hands down the length of my body.

I don’t know what it says about me that I like being called that so much.

He undoes the laces on my sneakers and takes them and my socks off, setting them on the floor.

“You’re so pretty,” he murmurs as he pulls my sweatpants and panties off, leaving me entirely bare to him while he’s still fully dressed.

In the past I might’ve felt vulnerable, but with Elias I feel empowered.

The way he looks at me doesn’t leave room for any doubt of how he feels about me.

It’s impossible not to feel powerful and sexy when he looks at me like I’m his whole world.

“Shirt,” I beg, poking at his chest with my foot. “I want to see your chest.”

He grins, looping his thumbs into the back of his shirt and tearing it over his head. “You like my muscles, baby?”

I roll my eyes. “I like your tattoos. The abs are just a bonus.”

That grin goes lopsided. “Such a wicked mouth you have. Lucky for you, I like it when you’re a little mean to me.”

“You’re so weird.”

He mock frowns. “Are you really going to call the guy about to go down on you weird? That’s a poor reflection on yourself, babe.”