LETTING OUT A SLEW OF curses on Scarlet’s date day was all I had time to do before I had to head on to Yankee Stadium. I’d take out the rest of my frustration on the field—at least, that was the plan. Honestly, I couldn’t fight her reasons for wanting to date someone new—someone who wasn’t part of the team, and wasn’t her best friend’s brother. Still, I missed her and wanted her with me.
It was full-on July and hot as hell. I was dripping with sweat and my jersey was clinging to my body. As if that wasn’t bad enough, we were playing a new team made up mostly of castoff players who had been suspended more times than they had played for their past teams. It was like some sort of fight club out there. No one got any time on the ball before a hefty challenge came in and an elbow banged into your back or stud marks adorned your ankles. We also had a ref who didn’t stop plays for trivial things like assault, so we had to just get on with it.
Their defender Wyle was particularly eager to leave his mark on me. With all the shit that was going on, I wasn’t up for being messed around with. Insofar as the game went, they were gradually wearing us out. Neither side scored the first half.
At the start of the second, Javier and I had Lance and Erik helping keep the ball in our hands. When it soared toward me, I took a leap Christophe would have been proud of and kicked the ball down toward their goal. Lance got to it first and was barged off the ball to the ground, but the referee waved for us to play on and Erik and Javier were left fighting for possession. I wasn’t ready to let our chance at scoring go to waste. I ran down the side of the pitch near the touch-line, looking for the ideal spot to cross the ball into the net. I was so focused that I didn’t see the wall of muscle coming at me with his elbows up and out.
Wyle crashed into me full force, sweeping me off my feet and onto the border next to the advertisement median. Then came the pain that seared my back and had me crying out in agony. Lance was the first to reach me, his eyes darting from me to the asshole standing near me.
“What the fuck are you playing at?” he yelled at him. “You okay, Tyler?” He held out his hand and I took it, climbing back up on my feet, slightly dazed.
“That’s right, get Twinkle Toes back on his fucking feet,” Wyle taunted.
“I should smack his fucking face,” Erik said, next stepping up close to the asshole who had knocked me over. That was when I caught sight of the smug, shit-eating grin on Wyle’s face.
“Tyler, don’t.” Lance was yanking on my shirt, but that wasn’t enough to hold me back. My arms were up and I pushed Wyle hard enough to make him stumble back into his teammates.
Erik jumped between us and Lance had my arms, pulling me back. It was too late though. When physio was checking me over, the referee finally blew his whistle, stopping the game.
“Fuck, sorry, man,” Erik said.
The referee jogged over and reached for his back pocket. I knew what was coming next, but I still threw my hands into the air in disbelief. He showed me the red card then turned swiftly to Wyle and did the same to him. The beaming smile on his face soon changed to raging anger, and several of his teammates held him back and told him to leave. The only silver lining in my day from hell was seeing Wyle’s reaction. My adrenaline waned as I moved past the bench; the red card meant I had to head straight up the tunnel to the dressing room.
Coach Frost was waiting to speak with me as I approached him. “Don’t even bother waiting for the team you abandoned today. Go on home. I’ll deal with you later.”
Clenching my jaw was the only thing keeping me from telling Coach Frost to go to hell. All that would have accomplished was getting me a bigger fine and another missed game. I was back to using my head and decided to do as I was told. I showered and left.
On my way back, I heard on the radio that we had lost. We had dropped down to two in our league, all because I lost my head. I had let my team down, and myself too. On top of all that, I had let Scarlet get away without even a fight. The impact of it all hit me hard in the chest. I sat in the hot car, trying to get myself together enough to get going. I finally decided to get out and continue my pity party inside, but when I got to my door, I stopped.
Scarlet.
She was in a pale pink summer dress and heels with her hair down around her shoulders and a little gloss on her lips. I thought about how beautiful she looked, but then the sting came at realizing she hadn’t dolled herself up for me. “You’re stopping by before your date?” I was still in self-destruct mode and my words came out harsher than I meant them to.
“I was on my date, but I left early.” She came up close, and I got a thrill when she touched my arm. “You’re bruised. Are you hurt?”
My chest tightened at the concern in her voice. I was being mean, and all she could think of was if I was okay. God, I was fucking gone on her.
“I’ll be fine,” I said softly. “I’m tougher than I look. So, you left your date early…you planning to go back?”
Her eyes widened. “No. I came straight over here to wait for you. I wanted to see you.”
I wanted to take her in my arms there and then, but there was something else that had kept her away from me. “I need to know what was going on with you after I dropped you off that night.”
She peered up at me through her long lashes. “The woman in your car? I saw the photos. I know I don’t have the right since we’re not…together, but…”
I exhaled. I thought of Eve as a friend, so I had never even thought to explain it. “She was in trouble. I took her to a facility to get help,” I replied with as much conviction as I could muster. “Paparazzi showed up when I was dropping her off. That’s all that happened.”
She fidgeted, and I didn’t want to push her.
“I’ll take you home,” I said.
“I’m not going home.” She lifted her chin. “I’m coming inside with you.”
“You want more lessons?” I asked, running my hand down her arms. Fuck, I’d take her any way I could.
She pressed her forehead into my chest. “I just want to be with you, Tyler.”
My insides warmed at her confession. I lifted her face up to mine and kissed her with all the feeling I had built up inside me. She was just as desperate to have her mouth on me, our tongues sliding against each other in slow caresses.
This time when I got her alone, I didn’t hesitate. I dropped down on my knees in front of her the second the door closed behind us. She stood against the back of the door and I started my hands at her calves then slid slowly along her smooth skin, taking the end of her dress up with me.
I could see and feel her legs shaking as I got above her knees. She knew what I wanted to do, and she was nervous. I sought to assure her. “I want you, not for lessons. I want you for me, sweetheart.”
I rubbed the back of her thighs then slid my hands up to cup her firm buttocks, getting that dress just above her panties, which were pink lace with a bow in the front. That close, I could see her pussy, her clit peeking out from the hood. So sweet.
She gasped when I leaned in close, right in front of her mound, and nuzzled, catching her scent. It made my mouth water. I wanted to taste her.
“Oh, I don’t know,” she whispered. She was nervous, clueless as to how hard I’d make her come on my mouth.
“It’ll feel good, I promise you.”
My breath came fast and warmed her as I waited for her need for me to touch her and get her out of her own head. Her sweet surrender came when she moved slightly forward and my lips pressed into her mound.
“That’s right, Scarlet.”
I pressed in hard and she opened her legs, moving to give me more of her pussy to kiss. I did just that, running my tongue up the lace that was wet with her arousal. I needed to feel nothing between us.
Hooking the sides of her panties, I moved them down her legs enough to get my mouth on her most sensitive skin. I flattened my tongue and dragged it up her slit then swirled it around her clit. She tasted just as delicious as I’d imagined she would. Her breath came out ragged and she tensed. I kissed her pussy like I did her mouth, my tongue flicking and teasing her slick folds then pressing on the tight bud.
She wobbled. “I can’t stand…”
I stopped long enough to move her down to my floor and spread her legs wider for me to get more access. Heat flooded her cheeks. She melted in sweet submission, and possession of her surged within me, making my cock harden until it was nearly unbearable, and I had only gotten started. Such was the effect she had on me.
My fingers moved to hold her open so I could get more access, my thumb and my tongue rubbing on her clit, feeling her grow wetter and hotter for me. My tongue dragged up and down, hitting every possible angle, learning what she needed, because I was sure as fuck this wasn’t going to be the only time I got to go down on her. I was making her mine and she’d never, ever get better.
I caressed her thighs with my hands, her skin soft and smooth. I wanted to kiss and lick them, but Scarlet’s body started to quiver, and she arched up into my mouth in a plea for more. It hit my heart to feel her losing herself.
“You’re giving your sweet pussy to me, Scarlet?” I said, my voice deep with lust.
She squirmed her answer against my mouth and whimpered. “Please.”
Moaning into her, I continued to work her pussy with my tongue, lapping and sucking until she gripped the back of my head, keeping me where she needed.
Her breath came faster and she was panting. “Oh God, I’m going to come.”
I gripped her tight as she pressed hard into me, sucking on her clit as she came on my tongue, her body convulsing. It was beautiful and I tried to prolong her climax, using my fingers to stroke as I licked her, until she pushed for no more. I was fine to let her go for the moment as I was sure that wasn’t all I’d be doing with her.
She moved to sit up, her hand petting my hair as I rested on her thigh. “That was…” Her eyes met mine, and they were swimming. She was emotional now, and I sought to give her comfort, sitting up, pulling her onto my lap, and kissing her, my hand moving back between her legs and stroking her pussy.
I wasn’t ready to let her go. “I’m taking you to my bed.”