Page 11

brIELLE

L ight battered my eyelids, and I stretched, warm and comfortable and reluctant to wake after such an amazing night. I hadn’t slept that well in two years. I usually tossed and turned most of the night instead of achieving the rest I needed. I rolled over, seeking the heat source at my back.

That did it. I came in contact with a hard chest. My eyelids flew open, and the evening came flooding back.

I gazed at Ares, who slept by my side. Long, thick lashes that any girl would be jealous of—me, I was that girl—cast shadows on his high cheekbones.

Even in sleep, his face was chiseled, his jaw strong.

The sheet rested a little above his waist, displaying perfect washboard abs.

Damn, he was fine. And the way he made me feel…

Heat pooled, and my core clenched. I wanted another round or two, minimum.

What am I doing? I covered my face with my hands, embarrassment flooding me at what I’d let happen.

I’d slept with Ares Bellingham. Not only was he a sex god like his video promised, but he was a relative to one of my students.

It was wrong on so many levels. I peeked at him between my fingers, the urge to wake him in wicked ways almost too strong to resist. Slowly, I inched backward until one leg hung over the edge, and I strained to touch the floor.

When my foot found purchase on the cold floorboard, I eased the rest of my body from the bed, contorting strangely and trying not to wake him.

Damn tequila. I always wanted sex when I drank it.

And I should have known better than to consume that around a guy I couldn’t stop thinking of, regardless of how he’d irritated me during our first encounter—stupid night out with frenemies.

The strain from that had caused me to down all those shots.

One good thing was I didn’t have a hangover.

If I could just find my clothes… I tiptoed around the room, finally locating my bra and panties on the floor.

I slipped them on then searched for my dress.

His clothes were there, but mine weren’t.

I didn’t understand. I stood in the center of the room, trying not to panic.

“What are you doing?”

I froze like a deer in the headlights, or in my case, Ares’s whisky-colored eyes. “I-I’m trying to find my dress.”

He sat up, and I touched the corner of my mouth.

Did I just drool a little? He looked like a bronze god come to life.

I swallowed thickly. He had a perfect body.

I shivered, remembering all those muscles under my fingers.

How he felt moving over me, around me, and in me.

Oh, God. I needed to get out of there before I climbed him like a tree. The man was an addiction.

He scrubbed a hand over his face, biceps bulging, and I swiped at the other corner of my mouth. Get ahold of yourself! I had a problem and needed to address it— by leaving .

“Right. Your dress.” He covered a yawn then blinked a few times, heat turning his eyes molten as he scanned my barely clothed body.

“After you fell asleep, I tried to soak the wine stain. It’s still in the laundry room, but I think I need to take it to the dry cleaners instead.

It didn’t look like it would come out. You can borrow some clothes. ”

With a flick of his wrist, he threw the sheet back and unfurled his huge body, standing at the side of the bed— naked . I barely contained the whimper that climbed my throat. Heat pooled in my core, and I locked my leg muscles tight when my knees weakened.

He swiped his boxer briefs off the floor and put them on over his very impressive package, and I clenched my thighs together.

Opening a drawer, he pulled out a T-shirt and drawstring joggers and handed them to me.

I slipped the shirt on over my head. It fell almost to my knees.

The joggers weren’t any better, but at least they had elastic and a drawstring tie that I pulled extra tight so they wouldn’t fall off.

I rolled the cuffs several times, as Ares was a foot taller than me.

I couldn’t do much about the shirt except tie a knot at my waist. When I looked up, his lips twitched.

“Go ahead, laugh. I’m sure I look ridiculous.”

He tugged on a shirt and a pair of shorts while chuckling. “Nah, you look cute. I like you in my clothes. Well, I like you better out of them.”

I rolled my eyes. “Thanks for the save last night. I’ll call for a ride.”

He was in front of me in two strides, tilting my chin up so our eyes caught and held. “Last night was fun.”

His lips touched mine too briefly, and I almost melted into him.

“Remember, you owe me two favors.”

And that was why I couldn’t give in. Smacking his chest, I tried to push him away. He only moved because he decided to, and I scowled at him.

“Nice. Thanks for the reminder, and I only agreed to one. Also, don’t forget, it can’t be about sex.”

“I don’t need a favor for that.”

Dammit. He was right. He didn’t. I had willingly had sex with him, and if I was being honest with myself, I would again.

As in right then. I really wanted to. But reality had returned and, with it, the knowledge that I had to leave.

I’d promised my sister I would help her search for other schools, among other things. It would be a long day.

“All right, well, thanks for… everything.” Awkward. “I’ve got to get back. Lots to do.”

“Come on.” His hand settled on my lower back as he guided me to the door and out into the hallway. “Let’s get some breakfast, then I’ll take you home.”

I shrugged. I could eat. Better then than never, because I wouldn’t eat a single thing at Mom’s. “Isn’t your car at the bar?”

“No, I walked.”

That made sense, considering Last Call was so close to campus. I’d walked too.

The heat of his hand distracted me, and I didn’t notice the beautiful brunette at the stovetop right away—or Kylian Wilder leaning a hip against the counter near her, cradling a cup of what I assumed was coffee.

“Morning.” Ares’s deep voice rumbled before he tugged a strand of her long hair.

She glanced over her shoulder, grinning. “I’m making breakfast. Have a seat.” Then she noticed me. “Oh, hi. I’m Aurora.”

“Brielle.” I smiled, feeling at ease around them despite my less-than-desirable clothing. Well, I take that back. Despite being clean, the faint scent of Ares’s ocean-breeze cologne clung to the clothing. I had to force myself not to lift the collar and inhale until my eyes rolled back in my head.

“You’re not eating before me, Ares,” Kylian teased. “Get in line. And let’s hurry this along before Liam wakes up.”

Ares snorted. “I’m bigger than him, and I swear he consumes more food than me.”

The other footballer breezed into the kitchen and cracked Ares on his head. “That’s because I’m faster than you. I burn more calories. You stumble across the field like a drunken lumberjack. ”

“You’re an idiot,” Ares said, but his words held no heat.

“Oh, who’s this? I’m Liam, the better-looking one of us three. Well, Kylian doesn’t count. He’s taken, so keep your eyes off him. But I’m free and willing to give you the time of your life.”

“Back off.” Ares grabbed Liam by the back of his shirt and moved him aside as if he weighed nothing.

Heat stained my cheeks. They were all easy on the eyes and starters too.

I may have mentioned I’d gone to a few games, but I would never let on how I even knew their stats.

They were freaking unicorns— on the football field —but I didn’t want to date them all.

Well, Ares just might be a unicorn in the bedroom too.

Liam leaned against the island and openly stared at me while Aurora set two omelets on the island. Kylian grabbed one before Liam had a chance. When Liam went to take the remaining one, Aurora slapped him on the hand with her spatula.

“That’s for Brielle.” Aurora smiled.

Liam’s eyes sparkled with humor. “I was going to pass it to her. I’m not that much of a jerk.”

“That remains to be seen.” The words spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them. Shoot, I have no censor.

Liam barked a laugh. “I like her. She doesn’t take any crap.”

“That’s necessary with these guys.” Aurora winked and put two more plates in front of them.

I took a bite of the egg-white-and-spinach omelet with a dusting of shredded cheese. “Wow, this is really good.”

“Thanks.” Aurora grinned over her shoulder before returning to her task. “I’m getting these guys on a healthy eating plan no matter what.”

“We aren’t that bad,” Ares said before taking a huge bite from an apple he’d grabbed from a bowl on the island.

“Agree to disagree,” Aurora answered. “Well, I take that back. The takeout was the only problem.”

“We’ve cut down.” Kylian kissed the top of her head then hip-checked her. He placed her plate in her hand and told her to eat before he started cleaning up.

“So, Brielle,” Liam said between mouthfuls. “You’re not doing our boy wrong, are you?” A hard glint entered his eyes, his mouth compressing into a line.

“No.” Ares set down his fork and glared. “She’s not. Let it go.”

Liam’s off-the-cuff comment shouldn’t have bothered me.

But it hit home hard, rocking my world in a way it never should’ve.

What’d happened between me and Ares last night got under my skin, and my emotions were raw.

That was why I couldn’t deal with another strike against who I was or who the world knew me to be— thanks, Dad .

The birth of my insecurities came from him.

I was aware that Liam hadn’t meant to tear down my walls or take a sledgehammer to my character, not really.

He was looking out for his boy. I got the sex tape reference, but ugh, the message felt the same.

I was untrustworthy, not good enough, and had fallen so far from the pedestal my life had been on that the disgrace of it was too much for other people—an easy mark. I just wasn’t up for it.

I glanced back and forth between the two and decided I was done.

“I’m not involved in whatever you’re referencing.

” My words were for Liam. I noticed the concern behind his warning.

That wasn’t what upset me—he was looking out for his friend, and I was lucky to have Mallory, who used the same bulldog tactics for me.

But it was time to leave. “Thank you for breakfast, Aurora.” I kept my voice level, if not subdued.

I needed to get out of there before I cracked.

“Please excuse me.” I stood, grabbed my purse from the counter, and headed for the door.

I made it two steps before Ares was beside me.

“I’ll take you home. We can talk on the way.”

“No, thank you.” I was too close to bursting into tears, and I wouldn’t let him witness that. I was a one-night stand. Nothing more. We weren’t friends, lovers, or whatever. And that meant my problems were not his concern.