Page 13

Thirteen

Colt

Hailey was going to meet us at the diner, and we were already running late because our practice had taken so long. I hated being late. The thought of making Hailey wait for me made me feel like my skin was too tight. My princess should never have to wait anywhere, especially for me.

I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, cursing the drivers around me, and tried to ignore the way my chest tightened with anxiety. Why was there always a jackass in front of you at the worst times?

The fact no one got hurt during our practice was nothing short of a miracle. Not only did my eyes keep wandering to Hailey to catch even the tiniest glimpse of her, but most of my thoughts were focused on the fact that as soon as fucking practice was over, she would be back within reach.

When she’d shown up in her tight little workout outfit, damp strands framing her face and drops of sweat running down her tanned skin, particularly the valley of her breasts, my brain short-circuited.

It was a no-brainer to catch her when she threw herself at me, but I still couldn’t quite wrap my head around it. The fact she had so easily sought me out in public was an instant ego boost. My confidence was nowhere near as shattered as it had been in high school, but this was still something I’d never expected — only dreamed of.

My high lasted all the way to the diner, then I started to get very tense. I’d shared meals with Hailey on more than one occasion, but this had a different vibe.

My friends would probably be scrutinizing us, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d follow through. Tonight would be the first real trial by fire. Although, judging by her greeting earlier, I was probably worrying for no reason. I did my best to put up my usual front on the outside so as not to reveal the turmoil inside.

When I finally pulled into the parking lot, I scanned the area and discovered the others weren’t there yet, but Hailey was leaning against her teal Beamer.

I had memorized every inch of her face, the image was seared into my brain, but I still greedily soaked up the sight every time. The oval shape with high cheekbones, the captivating honey eyes with their sultry, seductive glow, and the bee-stung lips of which I now knew the exact way they felt on mine. Soft, soft, soft.

Everything about Hailey was smooth and soft, a contradiction to me in every way. As I backed the truck into an open spot, I had to tear my eyes away from her, and I hated every second of it. As if she would vanish into thin air if I looked away for too long .

I heaved myself out of the truck, embarrassed as always that even this big hunk of metal creaked and shook under my weight. Before walking over to her, I pulled my already oversized shirt away from my stomach to make sure it wasn’t clinging to me and displaying something I didn’t want to flaunt.

I had learned over the years to be proud of my body and what it could do, but it was hard to let go of old habits. Hailey stood there in skin-tight black yoga pants and a loose crop top that exposed her tanned flat stomach, looking good enough to eat.

Even if I’d been hungry instead of consumed by anxiety, that feeling would have been eclipsed by the spikes of lust and the fire burning in my core. Thank fuck I always wore loose clothes anyway, otherwise this could’ve been rather embarrassing for me.

Out of habit, I stuffed my hands into my pockets and rolled my shoulders forward, but her words from our first meeting echoed in my mind, and I readjusted my posture, straightening to my full height. Was that a smile of satisfaction that played on the corner of her lips?

I stopped about a foot away from of her, the uncertainty melting away in an instant, as if Hailey was a fucking inferno only I could feel. Last year, I’d let my insecurities get the better of me, let them take control, and I would not let them fuck me this time. My chance was right there in front of me, and I made the conscious decision to take it. It would have to be ripped from my cold, dead hands before I ever let it go.

With a confidence I didn’t know I possessed, my fingers speared into her hair, cupping the back of her head to tilt her chin up, and I slammed my lips down on hers with urgency .

A surprised moan escaped her lips, and I swallowed it, consumed it, wanting all of her: every sound, every touch, every little movement. Breathless, I tore myself away from her, still leaning over her as if I wanted to devour her very flesh, and whispered softly, “Hey.”

“Hey,” she said, panting. I liked that. I liked her breathless, liked that I caused it.

“Ready?” I asked, grasping her hand as she nodded and intertwined our fingers. Soft and calloused. “Then let’s head inside before the other idiots show up.”

Without protest, Hailey let me lead her into the diner, and emboldened by her not breaking the connection and stroking my hand with her thumb, I found myself enjoying the looks we got for the first time.

Yeah, that’s right, motherfuckers, she’s here with me — and if it were up to me, she’d go nowhere without me again. We sat in a crescent-shaped booth, and since no one else was here yet, we slid right into the middle.

Although there was more than enough room to keep some distance between us, Hailey scooted until our thighs were pressed together and our arms brushed every time we moved. This proximity triggered a split reaction within me.

One side of me was preening like a peacock at the idea that she wanted to be this close. The other side was hoping she wouldn’t notice the sweat collecting on my lower back or the fact I was once again half hard. Every time we touched, it felt like being zapped with jolts of electricity.

“This place is really nice!” She looked around, evident delight on her face, and my mouth dried up to where, as so often, I couldn’t get a word out. I licked my lips and … Was it my imagination, or did her eyes linger on the movement ?

“Yeah, we come here a lot,” I finally choked out, distracted by the way strands of her hair tickled my skin. Before I could make a bigger fool of myself, the door burst open and the whole pack poured inside.

“See, I told you he’s already here,” Asher called. It was usually just him, Jax, and Hunter I hung out with on a regular basis, but I shouldn’t have been surprised to see Knox and Nico stroll in behind him.

I guess their curiosity had gotten the better of them. Hailey stiffened next to me for a fraction of a second, almost imperceptibly. Whatever the cause of her initial reaction seemed to have vanished, or she hid her emotions well.

They were making their way over to us, and I realized we would have a problem. This was the biggest table they had in here, and it would have been big enough for our normal group. However, with two extras who were anything but small, plus Hailey, I had no idea how we would all fit at this table.

I seemed to be the only one who had noticed the issue as Hunter, Asher, and Knox slid into the booth without a second thought. It was only when Nico and Jax tried to sit down that they realized there was a problem. They stood facing the table, looked around the crowded room, and came to the same conclusion as me.

“Fuck,” Jax said as he brushed his long still-damp strands back from his face and tied it into a bun with quick, practiced movements. “Doesn’t look like they have any free chairs for us to grab.”

Hunter studied the menu nonchalantly, even though we both knew he would order the same thing he always did.

I leaned back with my arms crossed as Asher snapped and pointed in my direction. “Grab your girl, Michaels. You can be her seat, problem solved.”

I fumbled for words, sputtering because even the thought of it was driving me to the brink of insanity, but before I knew what was happening, Hailey was taking matters into her own hands.

“Oh yeah, sure. No problem,” she said before she tapped my thigh. She gave me an encouraging look, and even though I knew better, I couldn’t resist. My balls would be so blue after this.

I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her onto my lap. Bliss and agony coursed through me in equal measure. I had no idea if I’d manage to eat a single bite, distracted as I was, but this felt too good. Too right .

With the curve of her ass pressed against my hips, I wrapped one hand around her middle while the other rested on her thigh, and the coconut scent of her hair permeated my nose.

“Comfortable enough?” she asked as the others finally sat down.

“Yup,” I stated, a little choked up, hoping she wouldn’t notice.

On the other hand, she would no doubt soon notice that my cock was delighted to feel her so close, so perhaps it didn’t matter. The others all ordered, and I rejoiced a little too soon, thinking that maybe it would be a regular dinner.

But as soon as they had placed their orders, and our waitress, who was shamelessly flirting with Jax, had left, the grilling began.

“So, Hailey … you and our boy Colt here?” Asher smirked and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

She gave him an easy smile back. “Yeah, me and Colt. ”

“Maybe you’ll finally give us some details. We’re dying for intel, and your boyfriend here is pretty tight-lipped.”

“Sounds like him.” Hailey chuckled. “What do you want to know?”

“Well, for starters … how long have you two known each other, where did he find you, and what are your intentions with my growly snuggle bear here?” Asher batted his eyelashes, clasped his hands to his cheeks, and made a funny face. I groaned. Fucking weirdo.

Hailey seemed to find him amusing, because she laughed again and put a finger to her chin in a playfully thoughtful manner. Her long hair swished at her back, sending shivers down my spine as the tips brushed my forearms, and I quickly inhaled her scent as inconspicuously as possible. Hunter watched me out of the corner of his eye, and I knew he’d caught me. I didn’t give a fuck.

“Let’s see … we’ve known each other for a few years, so technically, he found me in high school, I guess, and my intentions are strictly noble, I promise.” She counted off the answers on her fingers, then placed a hand over her heart to emphasize her promise.

“Wait, you guys have known each other since high school ?” Jax interjected.

“Shit, Michaels, she’s been right under your nose for years, and you just let her slip through your fingers?” Knox asked in disbelief.

“That’s what I’m saying!” Hailey exclaimed, and continued in a softer voice, “But then again, who wants to be in a long-distance relationship or have a girlfriend who’s still in high school?”

I frowned at her statement, but Hailey was sliding back and forth on my lap, trying to find the most comfortable position, and I had to suck in a sharp breath as her plump ass rubbed over my dick. Oh, fuck.

“I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have minded.” Jax snickered.

She looked at me over her shoulder, a wicked smile on her lips. “Well, he’s got me now.”

My arm was wrapped around her midsection, glued in place, and stayed there throughout dinner. Hailey fit in with ease, taking part in the conversation, and everything felt right — maybe too right.

“I definitely won’t mind seeing you on the sidelines.” Nico turned to Hailey with a sly grin that instantly rubbed me the wrong way, and she tensed up on my lap.

My jaw twitched, and the arm around her tightened, pulling her closer to me.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I growled, my eyes narrowing.

He returned my deadly stare, unfazed. “Relax, man. Just saying your girl will be hanging around a lot more, right?” His feigned innocence made me want to punch his handsome, flawless face. Fucker.

We all knew that wasn’t all he was thinking, there was more to his comment. I was getting ready to respond, all fired up, when Hailey leaned forward, resting her arms on the table, giving me an incredible view of her backside and pressing her supple flesh against me even more.

My cock didn’t care about my inner turmoil, if anything, it spurred it on even more. I barely swallowed a groan as my hands automatically gripped her hips.

“Yeah, Nico, well spotted.” Hailey’s tone was cold, laced with sarcasm. “I’ll be around you guys a lot, sure. But just so we’re clear, only one of you is getting the full view.”

Discreetly, almost casually, she gyrated her hips, creating delicious friction on my cock, and I didn’t know how much longer I could keep it together. The physical closeness combined with her confident, decisive dismissal drove me crazy. My cock throbbed like a motherfucker, and a damp, sticky spot started forming on my boxers.

Nico raised an eyebrow, pretending to shrug it off. “Yeah, sure, whatever.”

“What the fuck is your problem, dude?” Asher snapped, scowling across the table.

“Seriously, why the hell did you even tag along? Since when do you have a problem with Michaels?” Knox cut in, his voice laced with irritation.

“I don’t have a problem with Michaels,” Nico said with a lazy shrug. “But let’s be real, we all know how this goes. She’s a freshman. It won’t be long before she gets curious about … let’s call it, other flavors .”

Hailey’s shoulders went rigid. Jax leaned forward, glaring at Nico, his voice a low growl. “That’s way out of line. You better shut your mouth before we have a real problem here.” He cracked his knuckles for effect, the tattooed skin stretching over his fists.

Nico raised his hands, all mock innocence. “Hey, I don’t want any trouble, guys. We’re still on the same team. Who knows, maybe she’ll prove me wrong. Otherwise, if you want some real fun, baby, you know where to find me.”

Red seeped into my vision. If it hadn’t been for Hailey sitting on my lap, I might have lunged across the table at him.

“Watch your mouth!” I barked.

Nico smirked, his eyes darting to Hailey, calculating and with mocking amusement, as he addressed her. “Does he know that you—”

Hunter’s palm slapped the table, sharp and loud.

“I suggest you get the hell out of here, or maybe word will get out about what you’ve been up to this summer. And we both know you wouldn’t want that.” Hunter’s voice was steady and, as always, almost emotionless, but it never failed to make an impression.

Nico went pale, a flicker of panic crossing his face. He stood up, tossing some cash on the table. “I’m out. No hard feelings, Michaels. See you at practice.”

He strolled out of the restaurant, and Hailey scoffed. “What a giant douche. I can’t believe him.”

Knox shook his head and rubbed his neck. “Sorry, if I’d known he was gonna act like that, I wouldn’t have brought him. My bad.”

“It’s okay,” Hailey said. “It’s not like you’re psychic.”

“He wanted to come, and I really didn’t think anything of it.”

“Don’t worry about it, man. He’s an idiot, and at least we know that now,” Asher said.

Jax growled, “And we’re stuck playing with a piece of shit like that.”

I was still silent, afraid to lose control. Self-doubt tried to creep in at the edge of my consciousness, but I pushed it back. Hailey had stood by me, by us — even if it wasn’t technically real, but that didn’t matter now. If anything, it made me want to win her over even more. No one else deserved her. Neither did I, but at least I was ready to lay it all on the line for her.

Hailey reached back and stroked my side. “Well, this has all been fun, but Colt and I are going to leave now. Can you let us out?”

“But what about your food?” Asher asked, confused.

Hailey looked back over her shoulder at me, raising an eyebrow. Picking up on her silent question, I dug my wallet out of my pocket, pulled out a few bills, and put them on the table.

“Sorry, we’re not really hungry anymore.” Hailey shrugged, her hand sliding down to intertwine our fingers.

She was suddenly in quite a hurry, and I couldn’t help but wonder what the reason was.

My nerves were a little shot, but I followed her out of the booth regardless. She grabbed my hand again, we said our goodbyes while I tried to ignore the knowing looks, and I followed her out of the diner.

As I would follow her anywhere.