Page 13 of Too Far

“Yes, sir.” I smile coquettishly and wink as he shuts the shower door between us.

Chapter 6

Josephine

“Comehere.”

When I exit the bathroom wrapped in a towel, he’s sitting on the edge of his bed in nothing but white Calvins.

I take him in as I saunter over. He’s so collected, steady, calm. He’s an unfazeable force, not easily miffed or discouraged. Until now, I haven’t fully appreciated Kendrick’s cool demeanor. In fact, I’ve repeatedly categorized it incorrectly.

I interpreted it as grumpiness. Detachment. Aloofness. Except he’s none of those things. He simply has an innate ability to read the room and remain stoically calm under pressure.

“Sit.” He plants his hands on the terry cloth covering my hips and guides me to spin so my back is to him. Then he cups my shoulders and gently pushes me down to my knees.

Without a word, he rakes his fingers through my hair, combing out tangles and massaging my scalp.

The tension I’ve held on to all day ebbs as he works. I’m in such a deep, hazy, scalp-massage trance by the time he’s done that I’m only pulled from it when he taps my arm.

I lift it in response, offering up the hair tie on my wrist.

His fingers trail over the red, black, and white Crusaders friendship bracelets first, then he slides the elastic off and uses it to secure what I’ve only now realized is a thick braid running down my back. His tone is light when he murmurs in my ear. “The girls haven’t taken their bracelets off since you gave them to them.”

“I miss them,” I admit, tipping my head back so I can look into his deep brown eyes.

From above, he angles over me and places a gentle kiss on my lips. “We’ll see them soon. They’ll be at the game on Saturday.”

The game.Shit.

Today has been a whirlwind, and when Kendrick came home, I was swamped with relief. Until now, I haven’t even considered the consequences he’ll have to face personally, academically, and where football is concerned.

My mind takes off, and one question after another pummels my brain, sending a wave of anxiety rising up in me until it’s threatening to spill over. Will he be allowed to play this weekend? What about the rest of the season? Will there be disciplinary action? Legal proceedings? How does this affect his chances of being drafted?

“Not tonight, Jojo.” He wraps my braid around his wrist and tugs, angling my head to the side and forcing me to focus. “I’m home. We’re safe. We don’t need to worry about anything else tonight.”

I swallow past the emotion in my throat and try my best to steel my spine. If he wants to forget about the world tonight, to get lost in each other for a few quiet hours before we have to face the light of a new day, I can do that. I want to give him that.

He pulls on the braid again, making my scalp tingle, and drops his lips to the still-damp skin where my shoulder meets my neck. With a hum, he licks a path from my clavicle to just below my ear.

“Think you’ve got more in you, Mama?”

“Maybe,” I hedge with a grin. “What did you have in mind, big guy?”

“No maybes,” he growls with a corresponding tug of my hair. “It’s yes or no, and it’salwaysyour choice.”

Fuck. Yes.

K knows I don’t need to be in control, but he understands that Idoneed to have the power of choice. The way he sees me… the way he justgetsme… It makes me love him that much more.

“Yes, please,” I amend, attempting to crane back so I can look at him but finding resistance.

He holds my hair tighter still, using it to move me until I’m right where he wants me. All the while, he grazes his teeth along my neck and suckles my skin. When I’m in position, he clamps down hard, and arousal shoots right down to my clit.

“Text your other boyfriends, Jojo. I want to watch them lick my cum out of your tight little hole and feed it to you.”

Chapter 7

Kendrick