Page 46 of The Player

He holds me, whispering sweet nothings in my ear. As I come down from the high of the orgasm he forced out of me, Aaron kisses my neck. A soft suckling of my skin that seems to make another tidal wave of pleasure rush through me accompanies each little kiss. “Thank you,” I moan out.

Chuckling, Aaron pulls his fingers out and puts them on my lips. “Taste yourself, Sugar Plum. Look at all this nectar that you produced for me.” Blushing, I lick his fingers and suck them into my mouth. He pumps his hips toward me, and then he’s gone.

Whimpering, I look after Aaron as he grabs the food off the stove. Why…why is he leaving me now? I don’t want to talk. I want more pleasure. It takes him a moment to set the food down on the table and to come back. He helps me off the counter, and we go into the dining room. He pushes a wayward strand of hair out of my face. “Sit down, Sugar Plum, let’s eat.”

Before I can demand we go to the bedroom, Lennox comes back into the kitchen. Turning around, I don’t argue. There’s no point. My entire being is languid and docile. I can make demands later. “Alright.” I sigh and sit down, happy to not be standing. Simply because I don’t think my legs are capable of staying upright at the moment.

Every orgasm with him gets stronger and crazier.

* * *

Two plates of spaghetti and one piece of cake later, and I’m stuffed. We didn’t discuss the big issues while we ate. Instead, we ate in silence or made small talk. Both of us seem to skate around the topic of being together or what we just did. Instead, we focus on Lennox.

“Bedtime, kiddo.”

He’s looking at Aaron with worship in his eyes and it kills me at the same time with love. Lennox needs his dad, but I don’t know if I can trust Aaron to be there for him. Or to want to be out in public with us. He never wanted to be seen with me before.

“Okay, Mom.” Lennox gets up and hugs us both. “Can I read before sleeping?”

“You sure can.” I remember asking my mom when I was his age to stay up to read. Lennox is a bit more disciplined than I am. I could never put my book down.

Once we have him in bed and we both have said goodnight, Aaron takes me downstairs so we can talk freely without little ears hearing us.

Aaron clears his throat. “I’m not a good guy. It’s not an excuse for how I’ve treated you. I know this.”

Well, he rips the Band-Aid off, and I almost choke on my sip of water. “It’s not that you are bad. It’s that you are self-absorbed, like most athletes and famous people.”

He’s nodding his head, looking like the cat who caught the canary. “Yes. And while I know I need to change and get better, it’s going to take some time.”

I stay quiet because I’m not sure what to say to this. What is he asking of me? Or trying to say?

“Julie…” For the first time tonight, Aaron looks away from me. I don’t like it. When his eyes aren’t on me, I feel like I’m lost. The obsessive crush is twittering inside of me, and that’s probably not a good thing. Considering he is the one who took my virginity all those years ago. Left me alone to raise a baby, which he knew nothing about because he was off playing football.

“Don’t be nervous. Whatever you have to say, I’ll listen.” Smiling at him, I run my hand along his arm until I reach his fingers. I curl our digits together. “I’m listening.”

“I lost you years ago because of my ego and vanity.” His voice comes out broken and hoarse. I tremble as he strokes my wrist with his thumb. The slightest touch from him drives me wild.

“Go on.” My encouragement comes out airy and breathless. I should be angry at him. Tell him to go to hell, instead I am begging for him to make it right. To make us whole.

“My want and need for you back then was at a peak. When I destroyed our friendship, I hated myself. Through the years, I kept tabs on you, trying to be a part of your life. Even if from afar.”

His words batter my heart, and I feel the hot tears running down my cheeks.

“But…but what about the ball?” My voice is weak. Timid in worry that I’m assuming he even remembers that night. It was the most wonderful night of my life and to think he might not even remember it will crush me.

“It was me that night. You already know it.” He moves his hand in calming strokes, but I’m far from calm. I feel as if my entire body is on fire. The want and need to be closer to him is clouding my judgment. “I’m not any better than when I was eighteen. Those reporters don’t deserve to be near you. The problem isn’t vanity anymore. It’s jealousy and possessiveness. The idea of anyone else seeing your beauty drives me batshit crazy.”

“What?” Surely, I am misunderstanding him. “Aaron, I’m not a beauty queen. No one is going to be looking at me. Those reporters were there for you and your brother.”

He squeezes my hand. “Doesn’t matter, love. My days of being in the major limelight are over.”

Laughing, I touch his cheek. “Did you forget you are in Texas? Friday night high school football is all anyone lives for in this small town.”

He gives me a smirk and rolls his eyes. “How could I ever forget?”

“I don’t think you can. However, I want you to know you can still be in the limelight, A-bear. You can get better.” I fear my words are going to upset him again.

Instead, he gives me a cheeky grin I know so well and that infamous wink of his. I almost moan at how much that turns me on. “No, they are over. Not because of my knee. Because I’m choosing to stay here, teach, and coach the next generation of sports legends.”

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