Page 37 of Running Play (Gods of Campus #1)

Christian

We shut the doors after climbing down from Randy’s truck.

He waves us goodbye as he turns to walk toward Jason’s house, but not before shooting a depraved look and telling us to behave.

Unfortunately, it was Randy who found my discarded condom in the shower on Halloween night, so I know he already assumes what we’ll be up to.

I lead her into the kitchen. “You hungry?”

She shakes her head. “Not really. Letti and I shared nachos at the game.”

“Well, I’m starving, I’m just going to heat something up. Want a drink?”

“What are you having?”

“Just water, the painkillers they gave me are really strong, but we have some girlie vodka drinks in the fridge you can have.”

“Sure, I’ll take one of those, please.”

I open the fridge. “Pink or green?”

“Pink,” she replies.

I screw off the top and slide it to her as she takes a seat at a bar stool, her elbows resting on the island. I grab some leftovers, piling it on a plate and placing it in the microwave. “So, want to watch a movie…we have popcorn?”

She swallows the pink liquid in her mouth. “Yeah, a movie would be great.”

I point to the living room as the microwave beeps, “Did you want to pick a movie? I just need to throw my things in the wash and change my wrap,” I say, gesturing to my ribs.

She nods and slides off the stool, her drink still in her hand. “Do you need help with the strapping?”

I think my face tells her the answer, but I reply anyway, thinking back to my attempts. “Yeah, that would be helpful, if you don’t mind. Seth usually does it for me.”

Throwing my gear in the washing machine and grabbing my food, I go take a seat on the sofa beside her. We mull over our choices and land on a thriller. I devour my food, and before long my arm is around her as she finishes off the last of her drink.

I stand with my empty plate. “Want another one?”

“Sure, I’ll try green this time, please.”

She pauses the movie as I walk into the kitchen and return moments later with her drink and a fresh ice pack. “Do you mind?” I ask, holding up the ice pack.

She shakes her head. “Not at all.”

I place the items she needs to change my dressing beside her and slowly take my shirt off. I watch her eyes drinking up my body, her face wincing when she sees my bruises.

“Geez, Christian, that looks worse than the last time,” she flusters. “I mean you-you look great, but that.” She points. “Just that section there, looks…looks, umm...”

“Colorful, “I finish for her. “Wait til you see under the wrapping.”

She lets out a little giggle, takes a sip of her drink, and places it on the floor as she remains seated on the couch. I take the last remaining steps so I’m right in front of her, and I watch her swallow the liquid in her mouth with a gulp.

She reaches for me, her left hand grabbing at my waist as she moves the scissors to the bandage with her other hand. Her blue eyes look up to me. “Trust me?”

I nod my head trying to remain calm and unaffected as her hands touch my body. The scissors cut the wrap, and her delicate hands pull it away from my body.

“Wow, that is colorful. Ouch, Christian, that looks so…tender.”

Her fingers gently graze over my multi-colored skin, worry and concern laced over her face.

Her touch is affecting me, affecting my body, but has nothing to do with pain.

I lean forward, gradually lifting my knee and I slowly let it fall to the spot between her legs.

Our eyes lock. Licking my lips, I lean down, one hand resting on the arm of the sofa as she leans back to position herself for my lips.

My knee takes my weight, my mouth hovering just above her for a mere heartbeat before our lips collide like lightning finding purchase.

Our desire is slow but builds into something more, more desire, more wanting.

The feeling, the need to touch every part of her all at once consumes my mind.

Like an addict breathing her in and not being able to get enough—more, just her. I need more.

“Bedroom,” she commands through our kissing.

A playful yet determined smile lights up my face. “I would 100% pick you up right now and carry you up those stairs, but with my ribs, you might have to help me up them.”

She laughs as she stands, reaching for my hand and leading me up the stairs.

I follow, drawn to the teasing sway of her hips, the ease in her movement, and crawl onto my bed.

I brace myself above her as her fingers ghost over my bruises.

Her touch is light, tentative, tracing the outlines of my pain.

Once I have her beneath me, I take a moment to look at her, my lips inches from hers, and all my pain is erased.

“You are so beautiful.” Her hair is spread over my pillow; gorgeous waves of golden silk framed around her flushed face.

Her lips curve in mischief and confidence. “Thank you. Now you wanna have sex with me?”

“You have no idea,” I grind out, my mind racing back to the last time I was inside her as my lips fall to hers.

I reach to remove her shirt, she arches her back helping me, and it gets thrown to the floor.

I trail kisses down her neck, between her breasts, to her stomach, and then I remove her bra and slowly move down, unzipping her pants.

The need and desire are so primal that I want to devour every inch of her.

I strain against the waistband of my pants, my own desire to be set free pulsating against my stomach.

The one thing I regretted last time we had sex was not being able to taste her on my lips, and I wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass me by.

My tongue slides eagerly down her as she breathes and bucks.

I savor the essence of her—sweet, perfect, just like every other part of her, exactly as I knew she would be.

Her nails drag through my hair, scratching at my scalp. “Christian, I can’t take much more. I need you inside me!!”

Her words are labored and will live rent free in the forefront of my mind for the rest of my life.

I relinquish her taste on my lips as I stand, removing my pants and grabbing a condom.

Her eyes study me as I once again fall over her, my lips continue their path up her neck, then return to her lips.

She grabs at my cock as I brace my arms on either side of her as she directs me into her slickness.

I hiss, letting out a breath at the same time that she moans and arches her back, allowing me to move deeper into her.

“Holy shit,” I groan, and my voice doesn’t even sound like my own…

it’s deeper, rougher, stormier. “God, you’re gorgeous,” I say to her, my elbow falling to the bed so I can cradle her cheek and kiss her lips, my hips moving in motion, the pleasure intensifying with each movement. “So, fucking perfect. ”

Her back arches, begging for more, her hands gripping my body and holding on before her head falls back, her mouth dropping open as wave upon wave vibrates through her.

She lets out a moan and some mumbled words as I allow myself to come undone, our bodies on fire, fused together, and then sated as I sigh, my chest going slack over hers.

“Oh my God,” she sighs, her fingers slowly moving through my hair, my head on her chest as I lie defeated, satisfied, owned!

“You are so incredible—even in pain,” I say, my lips moving against her skin. “I’m going to be addicted to doing this with you.”

She sighs, “So will I.”

I wrap both arms underneath her and embrace her tight. “Just so you know, we will be doing a lot more of that!”

“I’m not going to argue with that, but right now I think I want to take a shower…will you join me?” she asks, her fingers still laced in my hair.

I squeeze tighter. “Nope, you can’t move.”

She laughs and wriggles underneath me, and my cock twitches with the movement.

“Okay, okay,” I grumble, and stand, holding out the bedsheet for her to join me as I wrap us both in it. “C’mon. Let’s go for a shower.”

After a shower we change, and I follow her downstairs, the television still paused, and I find my phone just as a text message alert goes off .

Sabrina: You coming tonight?

Billie: Are you at Jason’s?

Mitch: Seth said you’re not coming tonight. Hope you’re okay to play next week.

Jason: Rest up, man.

Lily: Where you at?

I throw my phone back onto the couch, responding to those messages are the last thing on my radar.

The only person I want to talk to is already here.

I sense Shelby watching me as she places her phone next to the melted ice pack.

I sense she is a little off, a feeling of unease displayed on her face.

“Did you want me to wrap your ribs?”

I nod and grumble. “Yeah, I might just use a compression bandage for tonight because I’m over icing it.”

I grab a dressing, pop some Advil, and head back into the living room where Shelby wraps the dressing around me.

I lie down and pull her gently on top of me, avoiding my bruised side.

Unpausing the movie, we continue where we left off.

When my phone pings again, I feel her body tense over me and I lift my chest to get her attention.

“Are you okay?” I ask as she looks up at me.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. What’s wrong?” I say, using my pec muscle to lift her higher.

She lets out a breath as she looks at me. “I think just insecurities; your phone keeps going off. It’s silly and I’m not even sure what I’m thinking or feeling. ”

“You think the messages are from chicks?”

“Well, aren’t they?”

God, she is cute, and her insecurities just make her more so because if she knew how I was feeling right now, those worries would be nonexistent.

“Some, but I didn’t reply to them, and I don’t intend to.

” With warmth in my gaze, I take her hand.

“I promise I’m not talking to any other girls—well in that way, nothing sexual.

Yes, I have been hit on the last couple of days, but I ignored them or turned them down.

Trust me, I haven’t been with anyone since you. ”

“You mean ten minutes ago?” she teases.

I laugh letting out a dramatic and relieved exhale. “Oh phew, so you believe me.” Then I give her a reassuring look. “But seriously…no one since our first date.”

“Really?”

“Really,” I quietly confirm.

Her forehead falls to my chest. “It’s just a lot, I guess. You have a history here I know nothing about, but I keep hearing things, it’s just…”

I sit up a little straighter and we both position ourselves to see each other more clearly. “What do you want to know?”

She sighs. “I really don’t know,” she hesitates. “Is there anything I need to know?” She swallows, looks away, then back to me. “What’s the deal with you and Jasmine?”

I could feel the weight behind her asking that question, and I respect her for it.

There’s nothing worse than sitting in silence when something’s off—and I get it.

I really do. When I saw her dance with Tom that night, I wanted to know everything that had happened between them.

Later, I found out he was gay—and honestly, that couldn’t have made me happier.

“Okay, first off, Jasmine and I are just friends. Yes, we were sleeping with each other but have recently stopped and remain good friends. I like having her as a friend because she is level-headed and a good person. You need to trust me when I say there is nothing between us now other than friendship. We have never dated, and we never will. As for other girls, yes, they have flirted with me, but they don’t know about you. ” I shrug.

She nods her head in understanding as my hand lifts to cradle her jaw.

“But, since that night—the party, the shower—I haven’t touched anyone.

Haven’t even wanted to. No flirting, no texts, not even a thought.

Just you. You’re the only one in my head, the only one I keep circling back to.

I don’t know what that says about me, but it’s the truth. ”

I watch her features as she takes in everything I just said, her face relaxing and her shoulders easing their tension.

“Wow,” she breathes.

I smile faintly. “Good. Your turn.”

She blinks. “My turn what? I haven’t been with anyone since I got here.”

“Lies. You’ve been with me.”

She laughs. “Yes, my very first American. Happy? ”

“Very,” I say, pulling her down and back onto my chest.

“Not my fir—’ she starts, but I muffle the rest against my chest.

“Shh,” I murmur, brushing my lips to her temple. “I’m your first. Let’s just leave it at that.”

She laughs as we both give in and continue to watch the movie.