Page 41
CHAPTER FORTY
BEFORE FRIENDSGIVING
RHODES
Then
Rap-rap rap-rap-rap rap
I opened the door and Elle rushed past me. I frowned and turned, following her into my living room.
“Elle? Are you okay?” I already knew she wasn’t. She hadn’t even looked at me yet, but in that brief second that she flashed past, I didn’t miss the splotchy cheeks.
Not to mention, we weren’t really supposed to be around each other. I’d had to see my best friend only in passing or with our group of friends for months now and even that was breaking the rules. I fucking hated it.
“I know it’s mid-season right now and we’re not drinking, but I could really use a drink,” she said.
I avoided alcohol from June to February, and now that she was cheering for the Colorado Mustangs, she did too.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“I’ve just had the most frustrating night of my life.” She paced in front of my bar and then stopped and reached for the vodka. She looked around like she didn’t know what to do next and then opened the small beverage refrigerator and grabbed a ginger ale, opening it and the vodka and pouring both into a glass at the same time.
“Okay, so we’re doing this. I could’ve made you something…fancier.”
She took a long gulp and shook her head. “Nope, this will do.”
“Talk to me, Elle. What happened?”
I pulled down the bottle of Jameson and poured a double. It had been a hard stretch, worrying about Henley’s injury. He was getting better, but it didn’t seem like he’d be back and that hurt. Losing hurt. After being on the top for so long, it fucking sucked to see it all go down the toilet.
But missing Elle had become a constant ache. Seeing her out on the field looking like perfection was torture, teasing me with how close and yet how far she really was. Watching her talk and laugh with our friends was even more so. I didn’t want to share her when I couldn’t have any time with her myself. I needed her in front of me, being with me , and not just on the phone .
“ My day started off with a grueling practice. Lisa was on a tear today. She hated the way Tracy looked on one of her Instagram posts and went on a long tangent about our public persona. I swear, I wish we could just dance and leave out everything else because I really don't like the everything else . And then I get to my parents' house and guess who’s there? Yep, Bernard.”
“What the fuck? When will they stop doing that to you?” It made me fume, the way her parents kept trying to force the issue about Bernard.
“I don't know. I thought I had made it clear to all that I was never going back to Bernard, but he was there and professing his love. Get this.” She held up her hand adamantly. “He asked me to marry him in front of my parents. I said no, of course.” She lifted her eyebrows and did a mocking bow.
“Hell yes, you said no. What the fuck is his problem?” I said, livid now. “I didn't think the man had balls until now. And now he needs to shove them up his ass and get the fuck out of here.”
She laughed. We clinked glasses.
“I will cheers to that,” she said.
We both took a hearty drink.
“How are you otherwise?” I asked.
“Good. Everything's good. Life is busy. I just...I really needed this,” she said.
“I did too. I miss you so much, Elle.”
“I miss you too,” she groaned. “I have to stop myself from calling you all the time because now that I'm not seeing you on a regular basis, I think of a million things I’ve got to tell you and there's no outlet for it. I hate it. ”
“I hate it too.”
We both took another sip and I moved around to the other side of the island so I could lean against it next to her. I bumped her arm with mine.
“It sure is good to see you tonight. I can't even tell you how happy I am that you’re here.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder. “Thanks for always being there for me. I love you.”
“I love you too, Elle baby.”
She sighed and I turned so I was facing her. I set my glass down and put my hand on her cheek, looking into her eyes.
“Are you gonna be okay? Is this all too much? Do you want me to have a little talk with Bernard and set him straight?”
“No, I can handle him. It just made me so angry. I wasn't up for it today. But you don't need to do anything about it. Just be you, and be here for me to talk it out, like you always are.”
“And I always will be,” I said.
She swallowed hard and our gaze held for several long seconds, until it became a weighty, heavy feeling in the air. I glanced down at her mouth and when my eyes flicked up to hers, she was staring at mine. I didn't think about it. I leaned in and kissed her, and it was like heaven touched earth. My heart soared. My brain exploded in fireworks, and when she put her hands in my hair and kissed me back, I thought I could die right then and be a happy man.
But then she pulled back.
“Rhodes. We can't. Wh-what are we doing?” she stammered.
“Doesn't this feel right to you?” I asked .
“Just because it feels good doesn't mean it's right,” she said.
“Everything about you and me is right.”
“Why now?”
“Because I’ve been desperate to kiss you for so long and I don’t want to wait another second.”
She groaned and stood on her tiptoes to kiss me. Her fervor matched mine, letting me know she craved this as much as I did.
My hand fisted her thick hair and my other hand slid up her body, feeling the outline of her breasts as my hand spanned her waist. She gasped into my mouth and I rocked into her. She arched into me and I hitched her leg over my thigh so she could feel me better, and she moaned the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard.
“You feel so good,” I said against her mouth.
She was wearing a cute dress from visiting her parents and I was thrilled she wasn't wearing tights. When she arched into me again, my hand went under her dress so I could touch her silky skin. I teased my way up her thigh and when I reached her core, she clutched my head and kissed me harder.
I felt dizzy with all she was giving me. It had been so long since I’d done this with anyone, but this… this was brand new. This was what I’d always wanted.
I rubbed circles over her panties as she whimpered and her head fell back when I pushed her panties aside and touched her skin.
“Rhodes,” she cried.
“Does that feel good?”
“Best thing I’ve ever felt,” she whispered.
“I want to make you feel so good, love.”
“You are. ”
My fingers dipped inside of her while my thumb kept swirling the circles. I kept that steady pressure going, stroking her until she was riding my fingers. Her eyes met mine and they looked glazed and drunk with lust. I had never seen anything more beautiful in all my life.
“Yes,” I said. “Fuck, Elle, you’re so beautiful. I fucking love seeing you like this.”
I could feel her getting closer and closer and I didn't let up. Her hand went from my waist to my dick and she palmed me over my sweats. And when she went over the edge, it was so fucking glorious, I went with her.
There was a long suspended moment of peace before her body stiffened and she blinked up at me with more awareness. The lust cloud was gone and her hand dropped.
“Rhodes,” she said, her voice cracking.
I adjusted myself and she looked down, eyes widening when she saw the wet spot on my pants. I made a face.
“Felt too good, watching you come, feeling your hand on me,” I said. “You felt incredible.”
I reached out to touch her face and she stepped away, smoothing her dress down.
“Rhodes…I can’t believe…why did you do that?” Her face crumpled and I was horrified to see tears in her eyes.
“You said it was the best thing you’ve ever felt,” I said in confusion.
“It was. But it’s us. Rhodes .” A tear dripped down her face. “Sometimes I feel like you’re all I have. I know I have other people too, but you…you’re everything.”
“You’re everything to me too?—”
“I’ve gotta go. This can’t…we can’t. This was a mistake.” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have come here tonight. And Rhodes, no one can know about this. I’m sorry.”
She left and my heart shattered a little more.
But she’d given me a taste of what we could be, and I couldn’t give that up. Not now.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41 (Reading here)
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45