Page 5

FOUR

JETT

It’s been an hour since I left Bailey in the Davises’ room. It took everything in me to give them privacy and come back here to wait for her, but I couldn’t be that close while she was trying to do her job. She’s not here for me. She’s here for Dia.

My mind is still reeling over the fact that it’s really her. All the times I thought of her over the years, I never imagined it would be a random elevator ride that brought her back to me. This whole thing has so many moving parts, I refuse to believe that this isn’t a fated meeting. I live in Boston. Before that, I was in Texas and went to college at A&M, so the only time I travel to Florida is when my team plays here. Our beach houses were in a small town less than four hours from here, but after my aunt and uncle made the decision to sell, I never returned other than to clear it out on a chilly mid-November day. I was just a broken boy at that point, quietly sobbing as I packed my belongings with the knowledge that I was saying goodbye to the place for good. I looked out the window, seeing Bailey’s room through the pink sheer curtains, wishing there was a way to tell her where to find me. Looking back, I should’ve left a note, but I guess that type of logic wasn’t something I possessed at twelve years old.

Losing my parents turned my whole world upside down, and that time was the darkest of my life. Some days were just a blur, and I moved through them barely able to put one foot in front of the other. I still break down every now and then when I think about how much tragedy I suffered at such a young age. On the really rough nights, memories of my parents and Bailey at that beach house were all I had. I clung to them like a lifeline when I felt like I couldn’t go on any longer.

A quiet knock brings me back to the present, and I stand, walking over to the door. My stomach twists in anticipation as I open it, revealing Bailey and her large suitcase on the other side.

“Hey,” she says, pushing a rogue strand of brown hair behind her ear. I can’t help but stare at her, taking in every detail of her face and body as though I might lose her again.

But I won’t. No fucking way.

“Come on in,” I reply, making room for her to enter. As she passes, I grab hold of the handle of her luggage, taking it from her and wheeling it into the far corner of the room as the door quietly clicks closed behind us.

“How’d it go?” I ask, walking over to the mini fridge and taking out a can of orange soda. When we were kids, she’d beg her parents to let her have it. They’d usually say no, but she’d find a way to sneak it anyway. I pop the top, walking her way and hand it to her with a smile.

“You’re something else,” she says, shaking her head in disbelief before taking a sip. “It went really well. She’s so nice. And really funny. I’m excited to work with her.”

I sit on the bed, motioning for her to join me, hoping she’ll feel comfortable enough to be this close now that we’re alone in my room. Thankfully, she doesn’t hesitate, setting her can on the table before walking over and plopping down next to me. “So, what exactly are you doing for the queen of the WAGs ?”

She laughs. “Skincare and makeup for the week. She hired me to be here every day to make sure she’s looking her best for all the events you guys have going on. Although, I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as her. She could probably roll out of bed, throw on a burlap sack and still look gorgeous.”

“Wait until you meet her crew. Mads, Bella and Grace are all a blast. You’ll fit right in with them.”

Her eyes go wide. “Bella? As in the Bella Simon ? Do you think I’ll get to meet her?”

I chuckle at her excitement. “Well, she’s dating our defensive end, and Dia is one of her backup dancers on her world tour, so my guess is that you’ll probably run into her at some point.”

“Oh my God, Jett. I’ll pee my pants if that happens. Just a full loss of bladder control. I know it.”

I bark out a laugh. “You’ll be fine. She may be the most famous pop star in the world, but I promise she doesn’t act like it. You’ll see. ”

She gives me a skeptical scowl and I pinch her cheek, making her roll her eyes playfully. Jesus Christ, she’s pretty. She was an adorable kid, but now that she’s grown up, she’s a knockout. Her green eyes haven’t changed at all, but other than that, she’s practically a walking wet dream. I’m trying to remind myself that we’ve been separated for thirteen years and I can’t just touch her like we’re not basically strangers, but when her gaze burns into mine, I can barely hold back. I want to lean in and taste her lips. Roam my hands over her ample curves. Press my body against hers and show her what being this close is doing to me. But I can’t. I hope all those things happen, but they have to be on her time, not mine.

For now, there’s so much catching up to do.

“So,” I begin, “how’s life?” I want to know every detail of what she’s been up to since I saw her last. I need to know what I missed.

She takes a breath, exhaling slowly. “Well, I got my cosmetology license after high school and started working at a spa here in Tampa. I’ve worked really hard since then, continuing my education and getting additional certifications. I just love making people feel good about themselves. I want to be the best at it.

“My parents moved to St. Augustine shortly after I moved out on my own, to be closer to my grandparents. My grandpa got sick a while back, and they figured it would be easier to help with his care if they lived there. I can’t really tell you why I decided to stay, but I did.”

Fate, Bailey. That’s why.

She may not realize it yet, but I truly believe that every event that led us here was meant to happen exactly as it did. Even the fact that I’m playing in the Super Bowl is kismet. I never wanted to be a football player. Up until I was thirteen, I didn’t even know I had the skills for it. But my uncle was a coach and wanted me to have an outlet for my emotions, so, together with my therapist’s support, I was encouraged to give it a try. From the very first touchdown I scored, I was hooked. It quickly became my escape, something to focus on other than the fact that my parents wouldn’t be coming back. I worked tirelessly to become the best, fine-tuning my growing body to ensure that it could take me to the next level if I wanted it to.

I was offered a full ride to Texas A&M, where I spent three years doing everything I could to stand out as a top NFL prospect. College was fun. I went out on occasion. I dated here and there. But I refused to get into anything that had the potential to derail my plan because I knew what the game had given me when I thought I had nothing left. It was a risk declaring for the draft after my junior year, and when the Monsters called me up to the podium with their second-round pick, all the sacrifices I had made to get there were worth it. My journey to the Blizzard roster was filled with highs and lows, but I’d do it all again because it brought me back to Bailey.

“How about you? How are your parents?” she asks.

Fuck.

I swallow the emotion bubbling up inside me, doing my best to stay in the present with her. She has no idea what happened, and I want to make sure I give her the whole story. She needs to know why I never came back to the beach house, even though I wanted to so badly.

“Ummm,” I reply, searching for the words. “My parents died.”

Her body goes rigid and she brings her fingertips up to her lips, unblinking as she tries to make sense of my words. “What?”

I nod slowly, unable to stop the tears that well in my eyes. I sniff them away, continuing with a shaky voice.

“The day we left the beach house, an oncoming car veered left of center. One minute, we were singing along to the radio. The next, my mom was screaming for my dad to look out, right before he jerked the wheel and we went off the road. There was a—” I’m cut off as my throat tightens, making my words catch as I struggle to force them out. “There was a ledge. It was all rocks and loose dirt. We broke through the guardrail and fell off, rolling a few times before landing upside down. The airbags deployed, but the impact was too much for them. They were already gone by the time I woke up in the hospital. I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

“Oh my God, Jett,” she whispers, and I look up to see tears streaming down her face. She moves toward me, throwing her arms over my shoulders and squeezing tightly. As though she isn’t close enough for her own liking, she straddles my lap, wrapping herself completely around me. I return the embrace, clinging to her as she breaks down in my arms. “I’m so sorry. You must’ve been so scared. I wish I could’ve been there.”

“I know,” I say quietly, burying my face in her neck as we hold one another. We stay there for what feels like hours, just letting our emotions out, and for the first time since it happened, I don’t feel alone.

My aunt and uncle were very loving and supportive of me after my parents passed. But they were grieving too, and I know that worrying about me was hard on them. They did their best to help me move forward, but I could never shake the feeling that they saw me as a living reminder of all the things that were taken from us. I think it’s why we don’t talk much now that I’m on my own. I appreciate everything they’ve done, and I’ll always remember the way they put their own grief aside to care for me, but the relationships we had were tainted by the tragedy of our situation.

She pulls away slightly, dropping her forehead to mine. “That’s why you never came back.”

I nod. “Right after their funeral, I packed up my life in Georgia and went to live with my dad’s brother in Texas. They couldn’t afford to keep any of my parents’ properties, so they sold them all and put the money away for me. I stayed with them, focusing on football because it was the only thing that made me feel like I could breathe after everything I lost. I got a scholarship to play in college, and that turned into a career in the NFL. From the outside, it seems like I have it all.” I shake my head, fighting the tears that prick at the backs of my eyes. “But I’ll always be that twelve-year-old boy in a hospital bed, ready to trade it all for just five more minutes with the people who meant the most to him. I wanted to get to you more than anything back then, Bailey. But I couldn’t. I’m sorry. ”

She cups my face in both hands, closing her eyes. “Don’t be sorry, Jett. You were just a kid, and you had lost everything. I only wish I could’ve been there for you.”

“You’re here now,” I whisper, leaning in and pressing my lips to hers. I probably shouldn’t, but the pull is too strong to fight. After all the pain in my life, I’ve finally got a piece of myself back that I thought I had lost forever. Bailey Hart is so much more than just my childhood best friend. She always has been—even when we were apart.

She melts into me as I pour everything I’m feeling into the kiss. My whole body hums with satisfaction, enjoying the way she feels as we give and take, needy sounds coming from us both with every slide of our tongues against each other. Her hands glide down, gripping the fabric of my t-shirt as if she thinks I might pull away if she doesn’t. She couldn’t be more wrong. This entire hotel could crumble around us, and I wouldn’t give a fuck.

“Jett, wait,” she breathes against my lips. “We shouldn’t do this while you’re vulnerable.” Her mouth hovers over mine for a moment before I ghost my hands down her lower back, resting the tips of my pinky fingers on her ass over her leggings.

“Bay, this is the first time since it happened that telling that story hasn’t felt like someone was tearing my heart out. Just because you weren’t in the car that day doesn’t mean I didn’t suffer the loss of you too. Having you like this feels like home. And I haven’t had that in a long fucking time. Please don’t stop. ”

“Okay,” she replies, crashing her lips back to mine. I lower my hands, palming her ass as my cock begins to harden between us. She whimpers into my mouth, rocking herself over me as we taste each other like we’ve been waiting our whole lives for it.

Because we have.

“Fuck,” I grit out, standing with her still in my arms and turning before dropping her to the mattress. I lower myself down onto her, fusing my lips back to hers as the sounds of our kissing fill the quiet room. Sparks ignite behind my eyes as I grind myself against her center, eliciting heavy, broken breaths from her as she takes what I’m giving.

“I missed you,” I say, speeding up the motion of my hips as they pump back and forth. I’m harder than I’ve ever been in my life, which makes sense because I’ve never felt this type of connection with anyone else.

“I missed you too,” she says, bucking up to meet my thrusts. Everything is happening at warp speed, but I can’t find a single fuck to stop it. I want her like this. I want to experience this with her.

“Can I take off your shirt?” I ask, hoping I’m not crossing a line. The last thing I want is to take it too far, too soon. I’ll never forgive myself if I lose her again. “We can slow down if you want,” I add on.

She shakes her head rapidly, reaching for the hem and pulling it over her head in one swift motion. “No. I don’t want to.” My eyes lock onto her tits that spill from the top of her black lace bra, and I go lightheaded with the need to tear it from her body. I pull back, taking in her beautiful curves, still not believing that I have her here like this.

“What’s wrong?” she says, crossing her arms over her midsection. “I, ummm…I’ve gained some weight. I’m always at the spa and don’t have the best eating habits. I?—”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I reply, furrowing my brows in confusion. “You’re perfect. Look at you.” I grab her wrists, pulling them away from her stomach. My cock is like granite under my shorts, and I can’t believe she wants to hide herself from me. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” I gently press my lips to hers again before leaving a trail of wet kisses down her neck, stopping when my tongue touches the trim of her bra. I dip inside just slightly, making her moan softly in response. “Do you want me to keep going?”

“Please,” she breathes, and that’s all I need. I hook a finger inside one of the cups, pulling it down until her peaked nipple comes into view, begging me to pull it between my lips. I waste no time obliging as I lean down and suck gently, earning the most gorgeous gasp. God, I could come just listening to her.

I take my time, circling my tongue around the tight bud while she writhes in pleasure under me. “That feel good, pretty girl?” I ask as I reach around, unclasping the tight restraint and pulling it off before giving the same attention to her other breast.

“Jett,” she moans, sending a jolt of arousal straight to my dick. I’m doing my best not to move too quickly, but I’m losing control with every breath that falls from her lips. The feeling of her body against mine, paired with the emotions we just experienced while talking, has my heart and head at war as they try to convince each other of what’s really happening here.

It's too much to even think about.

I continue my descent, licking and kissing my way from her tits down to her stomach, nipping at the creamy skin as she shudders under my touch. I can tell she’s self-conscious about her body, but I want to show her how fucking gorgeous she is. How much I’ll worship every part of her if she’ll let me. I’ve never been this attracted to anyone in my life, which is crazy because as adults, we’re basically strangers. But none of that shit is important. She’s my person, no matter how many years we’ve been apart.

“You’re so fucking sexy, baby,” I rasp, running my tongue along the edge of her waistband. I’d give anything to taste her right now, but I don’t trust myself not to fuck her after that. And for now, this isn’t about me or my dick. It’s about showing Bailey how I’m feeling without actually saying the words. Neither of us is ready to hear them so soon, but fuck… they’re there.

I work my way back up her stomach and neck, finally finding her lips again and taking them in a burning kiss. She whines into my mouth as her hips lift off the bed, searching for friction. I know I can’t leave her like this. I have to give her the relief she needs.

“Can I rub your clit, Bay? Help you with that ache?” I ask.

“Jett, please. It hurts.”

Holy fucking shit .

“Okay,” I choke out, shifting my weight off to her side so I can slide my hand down her leg. My erection rubs against her thigh as she spreads for me, and I have to grit my teeth so I don’t come from just the small amount of contact. If I let myself, I know I could. That’s how much she turns me on.

I bring my fingertips to my mouth, coating them in saliva before I push past the band of her pants and press against her swollen clit. She moans loudly as I rub in tight circles, sliding around it as it hardens more with each swipe.

“That’s it, baby,” I praise. “I’m going to take care of you. I’ll get you there as many times as you need me to.” Leaning forward, I run my nose along the sensitive skin of her neck before sucking on it, making her whimper loudly as she gets closer to her climax.

“G-go in,” she stutters, and I don’t have to be told twice. I ghost my middle finger down her slit, gathering the wetness dripping out of her before pushing inside. She gasps as I press my palm against her soaked skin, slowly pumping in and out to build her arousal even further.

“More, Jett. Please. I’ll beg if you want me to—just, more .”

I slam my eyes shut, trying to stop myself from tearing off my clothes and fucking her into the mattress. This is by far the biggest test my self-control has ever faced. Between her warm, wet cunt strangling my finger and her needy whines, I’m not really sure how I haven’t snapped already. But when I do sink inside her for the first time, all this agony will be worth it .

“I’ve got you,” I say, giving her a second and third finger. She inhales a sharp breath, surprised by the intrusion as I work all the way in until I can’t go any further. It’s tough to maneuver with her pants and panties in the way, but I can’t stop long enough to remove them. “Is that enough, or should I give you another? You want four?” I ask. “I don’t think this tiny little pussy could handle it, but I’ll give it to you if you want, Bailey. I’ll fucking give you everything. Just say it and it’s yours.”

She has no idea how serious I am right now. It’s been two hours since she came back into my life, and I’m already prepared to crawl across hot coals just to hear her say my name. I’m gone. Owned. Hers.

“Fuck me, Jett,” she moans as I pick up my pace, fingering her with long, hard strokes. I can feel her walls closing in around me as her sounds get louder, and my cock swells to the point of pain inside my briefs. I need to let myself go or I’m going to do something stupid.

“You’re going to make me come in my fucking shorts,” I tell her, and I feel her muscles twitch in response. “Would that set you off? Knowing that I was unloading just from touching you like this?”

She nods her head frantically, panting as her orgasm barrels toward her. “Let me watch you,” she says, locking her eyes onto mine. “Come on my tits and let me see it.”

Fuck.

Without removing my fingers from her pussy, I get on my knees beside her, pulling my shorts and briefs down and setting my length free from its restraints. It bobs up, slapping my stomach, and she stares in awe as she takes in how angry and hard it is for her.

“I’m there, baby,” I grit out. “All you have to do is come for me.”

That’s all it takes for her to detonate, squeezing my fingers like a vise as I do my best to continue fucking her through it. Electricity shoots down my spine, gathering in my balls and making me come so hard I nearly drop down onto the bed. I use my thumb at the base to angle my cock toward her as I empty, shooting thick white ropes across her gorgeous tits while she screams in ecstasy below me. My body convulses as I continue to orgasm, completely hands-free, until I can’t take it anymore and have to lower myself on top of her to catch my breath.

“Oh my God,” she whispers, her chest heaving as she gasps for air. My fingers are still buried inside, soaked with her release, but I don’t move until her inner muscles stop spasming around me and I’m sure she’s absolutely spent.

“Do you need another one, or are you good?” I ask, gently rubbing her clit with the pad of my middle finger. Her body jolts and her legs slam closed, trapping my hand between them as I chuckle quietly.

“So good,” she replies on a breath, throwing her arm across her forehead with a giggle.

I lie beside her, leaning in and pressing my lips to hers as I reluctantly remove my hand from her pants. “You did amazing,” I praise. “So fucking beautiful when you come for me. I’m afraid to say I’m already addicted.”

She smiles, and I feel the broken pieces of my heart fit back into place as if they were waiting for her all along.

These are huge fucking emotions, and I have no idea if she’s feeling anything even close to what I am, but I don’t want to ruin the moment by talking about it. I’ve felt alone for so long, and I know I need to let the dust from today settle so I can see everything clearly before I tell her what’s going on in my head. Depending on where she’s at, we might only have the week together, so that conversation will have to happen soon. But for tonight, I’m just going to enjoy having Bailey here with me after so many years apart.

“Come on, pretty girl,” I say, standing from the bed and scooping her into my arms. “I’d love to keep you covered in my cum all night, but we should probably shower.”

“You’re right,” she grumps, making me laugh quietly. “I have to be back here at eleven and it’s a forty-minute drive to my house.”

I flip on the bathroom light and set her on the counter before moving to the shower to turn on the tap. Sticking my hand under the stream, I wait for the water to warm, and return to her when I’m sure it’s at a comfortable temperature. I pull my shirt over my head, followed by my shorts and briefs until I’m completely naked. Her eyes go wide as they roam my toned body, and I lift my chin with a cocky smirk as she drinks in every inch .

“Oh my God, I’m sorry,” she groans when she realizes she’s been busted, covering her pink cheeks with her hands.

I step into her, reaching for her leggings and slowly peeling them down her legs. I notice how wet her panties are immediately, and I want to tear them off and press my mouth against her skin to lap it all up. But I’m trying to be at least a little bit of a gentleman after what we just did, so I rip my gaze away from her center and pull the soft lace down, tossing it to the floor with the rest of our clothes.

“Just so you know,” I say, spreading her legs with my hands so I can step between them, “You can look at me all you want. I’ll stand here all night if you ask me to, Bay.”

“I wasn’t looking at you ,” she quips, rolling her eyes. “I was looking at the monster between your legs. What do you feed that thing?”

I bark a laugh before grabbing her chin and pulling her lips to mine for a chaste kiss. She’s so fucking sassy, just like she’s always been. “Stay with me tonight,” I say, smiling softly. It’s not a question, but she obviously has a choice. I just hope she’s comfortable enough with me to say yes.

She scrunches her nose. “I can’t. I don’t even have any clothes. My underwear is ruined.”

I can’t help but grin because I’m pretty proud of myself for being the cause of that. “You don’t need underwear. I have stuff you can borrow to sleep in. Better yet, stay naked.” I wiggle my eyebrows, earning a quiet giggle. “I’ll send everything down to be washed and it’ll be back by morning. I have an interview at eight, followed by practice, so you can run home then. You’ll be back with plenty of time to get to Dia. I just want to sleep next to you. Please?”

“Alright,” she agrees with a shy smile. “Is this crazy? We barely know each other, right?”

I exhale slowly, rubbing my hands along her thighs. “It’s crazy, but you can’t convince me it’s wrong, Bailey. We’ve always known each other. I could’ve done more to find you over the years, and I know that. On the nights when I felt the most alone, I’d get wasted and scroll through the list of Bailey Harts on social media, hoping that I’d get lucky. Part of me was desperate to find you, but the other part was terrified that I’d see you with a boyfriend or husband, and every dream I’ve had since I was twelve years old would be blown to pieces. I couldn’t risk it by hiring someone to locate you or doing an in-depth search. Missing you and thinking you were out there missing me too seemed a hell of a lot easier than finding you and seeing that you’d built a whole life I’d never be a part of. But running into you here tonight made me realize that we would’ve found our way back to each other eventually anyway. This is fate. There is no other way to explain it.”

Her eyes fill with tears. “I’m Bay Faith on social media. I had a little bit of an online stalker situation in high school. Turns out it was just someone trolling and nothing ever came of it, but I used my middle name on my accounts just to be safe. It would’ve been worth the risk to have you back sooner.”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “It happened exactly the way it was supposed to. That’s why it feels so natural being here like this. Let’s just embrace it and see where it goes, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” she replies with a watery smile, wrapping her arms around my neck in a tight hug.

“Good girl,” I say, inhaling dramatically before lifting her from the counter. “Now let’s get you in the shower. You smell like jizz.”

She pulls her head back, her jaw dropping in indignation. “ Your jizz,” she says. “For someone who missed me so much, you’re awfully quick to wash it off.”

Joke’s on her though. Because if I get my way, I’ll be marking her as mine every night for the rest of my life.