Page 68 of Rivals

I sink back inside her to the hilt and her head tilts back, the cords in her neck standing out. My fingers grip her neck, finding my favorite spot, loving the feeling of her heart fluttering in my hand. “Good, fucking girl.”

I thrust into her again and again, feeling the power of her words consume my insides. I’m not letting her go. She is on this crazy ride with me. “I need you to come again. I want to feel you come all over my cock.”

“Yes,” she cries, her nails digging into my sides, meeting me thrust for thrust.

Reaching my hand between our bodies, my finger strokes her clit, once, twice, and soon she’s gasping again, my name torn from her throat. I finally let go, groaning her name and coming in hot spurts deep inside her.

When I can make my legs move, I move off her and head to her bathroom, throwing her shower on. Riley is breathing hard on her bed and I scoop her up and carry her, pulling her into the shower with me. I wash her hair and her body before she takes some soap and runs her hands over me, returning the favor.

“You’re going to smell like me,” she teases, placing a soft kiss on my shoulder.

“I love the way you smell, babe,” I assure her, my lips tilting up in a smile at the prospect.

When we’re both clean, I grab us towels and take the time to dry her off first before myself. We fall into bed in a tangle of limbs, with her body softy wrapped in one of my t-shirts she’s already stolen. My arms pull her close, and I fall asleep with the familiar thud of her heartbeat against my rib cage.

Riley

I am crazily, ridiculously, completely in love with Reign Thorn. Our journey here was interesting and I never thought I would fall this deep for my rival until it happened. I love everything about the way he takes care of me, even when he’s over the top and possessive. He challenges me and inspires me to want better for myself. I’ve gone so far down this rabbit hole of craziness with him, that there is no coming back. Reign’s dreams are big enough for both of us. He includes me in his dream, carving me out my own slice and making sure I damn well eat it.

We spend days in class, mostly in our own bubble, and time studying between supporting each other at our games. I’ve taken to wearing Reign’s jersey more often, and it always seems to make him go crazy for me. I start to realize that Reign is going to tear apart the world for me. The least I can do is wear his number. I wear it with pride and with the dirty memory in my mind of when he made me wearing it and riding him. It had been hotter than being naked for him, while he squeezed my breasts in his hands, his eyes feverishly glancing from where we were joined to his jersey over and over. I made him come harder and faster than before that night when I grabbed his chain and sucked the numbers into my mouth, kissing him while we finished together. It was memorable, sexy, everything that our new relationship is. Reign was right when it came to how well he knew me and I knew him. And the things we didn’t know yet we were learning, connecting on a deeper level than we had previously. I just knew I needed him.

The new year is moving fast and I know sooner or later we will be receiving letters and making the big decisions. A decision I have been leery about but am now open to. There is also the end of the year school traditions that I previously never took part in but, apparently, Reign is going to make me do them anyways, like prom. Which is what leads me to today’s meeting with him, in the one spot I swore I would never come back to after that first prank war. Only this time it looks different. The hill isn’t covered with people; there isn’t a crowd waiting at the bottom; our friends aren’t standing at the top witnessing him shred my heart. In the past I used that pain to fuel my contempt, back when I thought we were never again going to be those little kids who were best friends.

This time, the hill is freshly filled with grass. It is still colder out for early spring, and the twinkling lights on the nearby pine tree bring tears to my eyes. Reign stands there, in the jeans that hug his body so well, and wearing the cream-colored sweater I got him for a gift. Of course he still wears his black beanie despite the low winds.

“What’s going on?” I ask, hesitantly, stepping toward him.

He smiles my favorite smile and I just want to press my lips to his dimple again. His blue eyes smolder for me, and his hands reach out for mine. “Riley,” he says my name and pulls my body into his. My feet almost come off the ground as he picks me up and holds me in his arms.

A giggle escapes my lips. “This is an interesting place for a date, Thorn. And a little chilly, I hope you don’t think you’re getting lucky here.”

He bursts out laughing and takes my hands again. “Our first challenge happened here.”

I nod, the sad little memory tugging on my heart. It doesn’t hurt as much as it used to, but it’s still there, written in our past. “I remember.”

“I said something not very nice to you that day. I can’t take it back, but I want to rewrite it.” He leans in and strokes his fingers down the side of my face, pulling my tortured gaze to his.

I was never your friend.

“Don’t go back there, stay with me, babe,” he whispers pleadingly.

I blink and sniffle back the tears, trying to push it down. “I’m okay.”

“I lost my best friend for real in that challenge and I want her back,” he says.

“I think we’re a little past that.” A smile slowly spreads on my face.

He nods. “We are. But I still want my best friend. You’re my everything, Riles. I love you. Can we be best friends again?”

I laugh, and my hands go around his middle, hugging him to me. “Yes. And I love you too.”

“Thank fuck,” he mutters before stepping back and reaching down to the ground. He picks up a switch, connected to a power strip I never saw until now, and flicks it.

PROM?

The sign lights up across the trees in red. “So, best friend, girlfriend, love of my life, will you take this challenge and go to prom with me?”

I’m about to open my mouth when a thought occurs to me. “How about a favor?”

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