Page 52 of Play Me
CHAPTER
THIRTY-TWO
Gray
“I really wish you would’ve told me about this before now.” Hartley sighs through the phone. “That was a lot to go through on your own.”
Telling Hartley about Caroline and Liza wasn’t something I ever planned on doing.
But I’ve thought a lot about my relationships with the people in my life a lot over the last few days.
I got the idea, from my Pap, probably, that being a good friend, or brother, or son, meant not sharing the hard parts of your life with them. The goal was not to be a burden.
But I’ve come to realize, or theorize, anyway, that I might have been wrong. Because sharing the darkest part of my life with Astrid has only brought us closer together. It freed up a part of me that I can now use on her. Sharing the dark weakens it, allowing more light to shine through.
“Yeah, I know,” I say. “I should’ve said something. But I’ve put it behind me now and we’re all good.”
He chuckles. “I like this version of you.”
“What version might that be?”
“You’re a mortal, just like the rest of us.”
My laughter joins his, and it feels good.
“So, you’re on the back end of the season,” Hartley says. “Any plans for the offseason?”
I pace the kitchen as my stomach winds into a knot.
In a perfect scenario, I would go back to Sugar Creek for the offseason.
Find a little place back there to fix up and spend more time on the ranch.
But that feels like a dickhead thing to do to Hartley—just come back when I want to and leave when I need to.
All the while, he’s stuck there every day.
“We have that cabin behind Baker’s Pasture,” he says. “It’s been empty for five or six years now. I let Jasper crash in it from time to time, but it’s yours, if you want it.”
I swallow hard. “Really?”
“Hell yeah, really. Why do you sound surprised?”
“Well, you know, I mean that I don’t want to just waltz onto your ranch because I have a few months.”
“I don’t know why not.” He sighs again. “Look, Gray—this ranch is mine. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not yours. Sure, I manage the land and the livestock. I do all of that. But this place has been in our family for generations, and I don’t want that to stop now.”
He’s so much better of a man than me.
“Don’t get me wrong,” he says, laughing. “Stay the hell off the equipment. You already lost one piece in the creek.”
I smile. “Oh, come on. That was fifteen years ago.”
“Again, you’ve already lost one in the creek. But this is your home, too. Or I want it to be if that makes you happy.”
I rub my chest, massaging the tightness behind my ribs. It’s a good pain. It’s only there because I never expected to have this relationship with my brother again. I’d convinced myself he was pissed at me. Now, I realize that I made that up because it was easier for me to justify being gone.
“Maybe one day our kids will cause mayhem in these fields like we did,” he says.
“We gotta have kids first, Hart.”
“Yeah, and I gotta find a mama for my kids before that. Anyway …”
I frown, knowing that he’s thinking about Mia right now. But he’ll never bring her up. He hasn’t for years.
“Speaking of women, where’s Astrid?” he asks.
A smile stretches across my face as I look at the clock on the microwave.
I’ve checked the time every twenty minutes for the last three hours, wondering what she’s up to and if she’s liking her surprise spa day.
I had to form a truce with Gianna to figure out where she’d like to go and what treatments she might like best, and we got through it without me being threatened with a taser. That’s progress.
“Astrid is at the spa getting pampered,” I say.
“That’s nice.”
“She never does anything for herself. So, her friend Gianna picked her up today for lunch, but she dropped her off at the spa instead.” I look over my shoulder as the door unlocks from the keypad. “Hey, she’s home. Can I talk to you later?”
“Anytime. Don’t forget about that cabin, Gray.”
I grin. “I won’t. Thanks, Hart.”
“Later.”
I set my phone down as Astrid comes in wearing the softest yellow sundress. It causes her freckles to pop and her hair to shine. She’s feminine and relaxed … and sexy as hell.
She tosses her keys and purse on the couch and then makes a beeline for me.
“You,” she says, leaping into my arms. “You’re tricky.”
I pick her up as she wraps her legs around my waist. “You’re gorgeous.”
“Thanks to you.” She dangles her arms off my shoulders and kisses me lazily. “Today was such a nice surprise. Thank you.”
“You mentioned never having a massage the other night, so I thought you needed one.” I kiss her again. “Because when I give them to you, I always wind up naked and we forget about the massage.”
She giggles.
“You enjoyed it then?” I ask.
“Oh, my gosh. I loved it. Like, loved it . I fell asleep twice, which was crazy. I feel like a brand-new person.”
“Good,” I say, sitting her on the counter. “Because I bought three day passes for you and your friends to go this weekend. Gianna said she and Audrey were available, so I thought it would be fun for you to have a girl’s day.”
She smacks my shoulder. “You did not.”
I nod, grinning at how happy she looks.
“You don’t have to do this, you know. Spas are so expensive.”
“I’m going to spoil the shit out of you,” I say, planting kisses across her jaw and down her throat. “You’ve entered your spoiled era.”
She giggles again, turning her head to give me more access. “God, that feels good.”
“Dinner is being delivered in about an hour,” I say, nibbling on her earlobe. “Do you want to take a walk or something?”
“Just because I said I missed my walking pad while I work doesn’t mean I want to take walks with you.” She pulls away and grins mischievously. “But I love that you listen.”
“Want to tell me anything else?”
She takes my hand and scoots to the edge of the counter. Her legs spread wide.
I swallow, my body temperature rising as she lowers my hand in between her thighs.
“Yes, Mr. Adler, I would,” she says, guiding my fingers through her slit. She’s hot and wet and so fucking soft. “I’d like you to know how much I’d love to be on my hands and knees while you pound me from behind.” She leans back, pushing my fingers into her. “I’ve thought about you all afternoon.”
“I can tell.”
She bats her lashes as I sink another finger into her, twisting them to hit the spot she loves so much. Instantly, she moans.
“I had to jack off in the shower after work,” I say, rubbing her clit.
She sucks in a hasty breath. “What did you think about?”
“Your mouth sucking me off, and how your pussy clenches around my cock just before it explodes.”
“If you keep doing that,” she says, groaning, “I’ll explode on your hand.”
I pull one strap of her dress down, and then the other. The fabric pools at her waist. I lift one of her tits out of her bra, appreciating how it hangs over the edge in the most perfect teardrop.
As soon as my mouth hits her nipple, her moan grows louder. Every octave it rises, so does my cock.
Her hips flex, grinding against my hand as I work my fingers into her.
“Do you want to fuck my fingers?” I ask, supporting her back with my free hand. “Grind on me. Use me to make yourself feel good.”
“I’d rather it be your cock,” she says, her eyes fluttering shut.
I flick her nipple with my tongue. “It will be. But I want to watch my lady come right here.”
Her legs begin to shake, and she reaches for my shoulders to brace herself.
“Damn it, Gray,” she says through clenched teeth, her nails digging into my skin. “ Fuck! ”
“You’re so beautiful,” I say, whispering in her ear. “It makes me so hard watching you get off like this. You have no idea how perfect you are.”
Taking her cues, I ease my motions and let her fall gently back to reality. She sags against me, blowing her hair out of her face.
“That was so good,” she says, wincing as I remove my hand from her thighs.
“Do you still want fucked doggy style?”
She licks her lips, her eyes darkening. “Blow job or doggy style. Your turn to pick.”
“If you think I’ll ever pick anything over your pussy, you’re wrong.”
She laughs as I toss her over my shoulder and carry her into the bedroom.
Someday, she’ll learn that she’ll always get what she wants from me. And, until then, I’ll have fun proving it.
Guess I got the pleasure out of knowing her, after all.