Chapter 15

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

Trey wasunprepared for the onslaught of emotions bombarding him when London’s lips met his. Ten years of pent-up desire masquerading as anger threatened to overwhelm him. For the first time in over a decade, he felt fully alive again. It was as if he’d simply been going through the motions since the last time he had kissed her. And now, with her mouth fused with his, he was finally whole again.

She scraped her teeth along his bottom lip, and he was all too happy to grant her access to his mouth. The sweet taste of her was even more intoxicating than he remembered. She had learned a few things in the intervening years, too. He forced himself to ignore the irrational jealousy roaring in his chest and just appreciate the erotic way she sucked on his tongue.

Reaching up, she fisted her fingers in his hair, angling his head to give her better access to his mouth. The feverish and demanding way she kissed him had him painfully hard and cursing the asshole who invented the damn cup he was wearing. He felt as well as heard her contented whimper when he wedged his hand between their bodies and palmed her breast. The sound detonated something within him, and with a few thrusts of his tongue, control of their kiss belonged to him.

He reversed their positions, pressing her back against the cinderblock wall. Trey crushed her mouth beneath his, desperate to slow things down so he could savor the moment. Too bad London was having none of it. She dug her fingernails into his scalp, urging him to take the kiss deeper. He was more than happy to oblige.

Tongues and teeth collided as they both grew more frantic with need. He cupped her ass and lifted her up. She followed his lead, wrapping her long, glorious legs around his waist. His legendary control nearly snapped when his hands slid beneath her knit T-shirt dress and came in contact with her toned smooth skin.

She rocked her hips against him when he threaded a finger below the part of her thong dissecting her firm ass. Dammit. He needed them both naked. Now. Except he was having a hell of a time trying to round up his scattered brain cells so he could figure out the logistics of how to make that happen in the next thirty seconds.

The sound of a muffled announcement crackling over the PA system had them both freezing mid-kiss. London found her senses first, jumping away from him as though she’d just bolted awake from a nightmare. Trey leaned against the wall once again, trying to regulate his choppy breath and his highly-aroused body.

She resumed her pacing, her little white tennis shoes squeaking against the concrete floor as she raked her fingers through her hair. “That should never have happened.”

And just like that, Trey didn’t have to worry about his aching hard-on any longer.

“Of course. Because of Bergeron,” he bit out.

The air in the room seemed to go still. She slowly turned to face him, the rubber soles of her shoes letting out one last wail.

“Really?” Her voice was calm. Her eyes, not so much. “Bergeron?” She stomped toward him. “You’re going to drag Alek into this? He doesn’t care who I kiss.”

Trey snorted. “Bullshit. He very much cares who you kiss, sweetheart. Any man lucky enough to be with you wouldn’t want another man to come within fifty feet of your lips, much less manhandle you with his tongue and his hands until you can’t remember your name.”

Suddenly wide-eyed, she sucked in a startled breath. “If that hadn’t come out so high handed, I might take it as a compliment. But I’m not with Alek. I’m not with anyone. I’m done with men.”

“Says the woman who just had her tongue down my throat.”

Her eyes went all squinty. “That was a serious lapse in judgment on my part.”

He laughed as he jerked his chin toward her chest where her nipples were still pebbled with desire. “Your body says otherwise.”

She glared at him as she hugged her arms to her chest. Trey pushed away from the wall and cautiously made his way over to her. She shivered slightly when he traced his finger along her jaw.

“Alek and I are just friends,” she murmured, her kiss-swollen lips grazing his thumb, sending a jolt of lust straight to his damn crotch.

Trey ignored it. He was suddenly anxious to know whether or not she counted him as a friend. Given that a few weeks ago she professed to hate him, the friendzone would be a promotion. Still, he was surprised at how acutely he wanted to be more to her.

Except that really would be a lapse in judgment on her part.

It took everything he had to push the next statement out.

“Bergeron is a good man. You should give him a chance. He can make you happy.”

She absently leaned into his palm when his thumb caressed her cheek. “I don’t need someone else to make me happy. I’m taking a page out of your book and I’m going to focus all my time and energy on my career.”

The disappointment he felt nearly took his breath away. He didn’t want her to live the way he’d been living. He wanted her to have her fairy tale. Yet, he couldn’t lie. Part of him—the part that wanted to secret her away and keep her all to himself—was thrilled she was closing herself off from the rest of his species.

He brushed a kiss over her forehead. “You’re incredibly talented, London. I’m glad you’ve decided to put your dream first.”

She curled her body into his.

“Just remember, I’m here for any other lapses in judgment you want to take.” He meant it as a joke, but his body didn’t get the message, his cup suddenly painful again.

Heaving an annoyed sigh, she shoved away from him. The sound of footsteps headed their way had her anxiously patting her hair and adjusting her dress.

“You look gorgeous,” he said quietly. “As always.”

Her eyes softened and she gulped in a breath just as one of the equipment staff arrived to burst their sensual bubble.

“Here you are,” the guy said. “The golf cart is waiting for you.”

“Come on.” Trey reached his hand out to London. “I’ll give you a ride to the stadium and you can check on Kyle.”

She curled her lips in that cute way of hers before nodding twice and taking his hand. They retraced their path through the bowels of the stadium with the equipment guy leading the way.

“What was up with Kyle when I arrived today?” Trey asked. “You looked a little frantic.”

“Mm. He knew you don’t participate in the bike parade and why.” She squeezed his hand. “Very gracious of you by the way.”

He wanted to tell her he wasn’t being gracious at all by not riding in the bike parade. Just preserving his ass. Except the pride in her smile and warmth of words felt too damn good.

They reached the players parking lot where a four-seater golf cart waited. Trey helped her in, immediately missing the warmth of her hand in his. Draping his arm along the back of the seat, he slid in beside her, initiating a little manspread so at least their thighs were in contact. The equipment guy jumped in the driver’s seat and jerked the cart forward. Trey wrapped his arm around her shoulder, telling himself the move was necessary for her own safety.

“Anyway, Kyle seems to think you and Pops are family. He believed that would give you a good excuse for participating this year. By picking him.”

Trey laughed. “I like the way he thinks.”

“Except his motive was to recruit you and Alek as human shields when the kids pick on him at school.”

Memories of his days at boarding school had every muscle tensing up in Trey’s body. No child should ever have to endure what he had. He swore viciously beneath his breath.

“Kyle is being bullied?” The anger in his tone caused the driver to swerve the cart sharply before he regained control and steered them along the side streets leading to the practice field.

“He only told me today.” London sighed. “He was born premature. The pediatrician insists that he’ll catch up at some point. Try telling that to kids who just want to make themselves look good by making their classmates feel bad. Or it could be a phase Kyle is going through because every other kid in his grade is taller than he is right now. My mom and Chuck are pretty involved in Kyle’s school. I’m sure they’ve got a handle on it. At least I hope so.” She patted his thigh. “But thank you for coming to the rescue today.”

He covered her hand with his, keeping it right where it was. “I told you earlier, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

A shy smile broke out on her face just as the driver pulled the cart up beside the practice field.

“London!” Her friend Lucy pushed Kyle’s bike toward them. Trey’s helmet hung from the handlebars.

London quickly slid her hand out from beneath his. Trey resisted the urge to grab it back. He wasn’t ready for whatever this was to end yet. But today’s practice was open to the public and the fans crowded into the bleachers were already cheering and shouting at him.

“Where’s Kyle?” London climbed from the golf cart.

“Having the time of his life.” Lucy pointed to the fifty-yard line where the kid was running routes with Kessler and the other receivers.

London groaned. “He’s not going to want to leave.”

Trey took his helmet from Lucy. “So let him stay.”

Both women looked at him as though he’d suggested Kyle run off with the circus.

“I have clients I have to see this afternoon, Trey. I can’t just leave my little brother here unsupervised.”

“He’ll be fine,” he reassured her.

“He can be a lot,” she insisted.

Christ, did she think he was incapable of looking after her brother? “For crying out loud, the kid is what—eight? I think I can handle him. Besides, today’s workout is more for show. We’ll run a few drills to appease the crowd and then we head inside for meetings. Nothing can happen to him there. If he gets bored, he can play games on my phone. You can grab him from my place after you’ve finished work.”

My place.Unbidden images of London in his home flashed before his eyes. London in his kitchen. In his pool. In his bed.

Dammit.There went the damn cup again.

She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. “I wouldn’t advise giving him your phone.”

“Fine. I’ll give him Kessler’s phone. Either way, think of the insta-fame he’ll have the first day of school,” Trey added. “You don’t want to deny him that.”

“Think of your pregnant friend who has to pee.” Lucy shimmied her hips. “Decide already!”

A whistle sounded on the field and Trey made the decision for her.

“We’ll be back at my place at five. I’ll text you with the address.” He pulled his helmet onto his head and trotted in the direction of the field, leaving no room for argument.