Page 78 of The Sky Between Us

I didn’t blame her for losing my hypothetical place in the LA Galaxy, nor for getting disqualified. I was more upset with myself for not controlling my own emotions better. Yet, I’d be lying to say I didn’t play around with what if’s when I laid awake at night and imagined my life without meeting her. Everything I had planned out at the beginning of the year was falling apart. She was the only variable in my carefully carved plan that I didn’t account for and it was coming to bite me in the ass.

The buzzing in my back pocket dragged me back to reality and I fished it out to check the text.

Coach: Come by this afternoon, we need to discuss new opportunities.

Little did he know, I already had my plan B in motion by researching soccer trials I could attend to catch the eyes of any club. Of course, the fee associated with it was no joke, hence why I took up some extra shifts.

“Hey,” Hazel stopped in front of me, her tired eyes searching my face for the millions of questions swirling in her mind.

“Not now,” I shook my head as I ran my fingers through my long messy curls. I desperately needed a haircut on top of everything. “We can talk after the shift and grab a bite?”

Hazel lifted a single brow and her emotionless mask slipped in place; protective armor activated. “I was going to tell you to bring more soy and coconut milk because we ran out.”

Kicking myself, I nodded. “Sure, no problem,” I said when I realized she wasn’t going to address my offer to grab a bite. Turning on my heels, I made my way to the back with her on my heels. “I thought we only needed milk.”

“We need milk,” she nodded, crossing her arms in front of her pushing her cleavage up despite the ugly Starbucks apron. “You left early.”

Just by looking at her, desire washed over me and the bulge in my pants was the proof of that. We had many issues hanging in the air around us, but I was a firm believer that burying my cock deep into her would solve some of them. Every relationship had rocky parts; it was a given. We just needed to get through it. And sex was found to be a great stress relief.

“I had to work out in the morning,” I said, reminding myself of the real conversation where she was telling me off for leaving her in bed. But after we spent the majority of the party last night drinking without talking to each other and she fell asleep before I even made it upstairs, I had nothing to say. After all, I was a guy with needs and those weren’t met currently.

“Do you hate me or what?” she asked, her voice shaking and vulnerability peeking through.

With a deep sigh, I shook my head gaze dropping to the several milk cartons and various coffee stacks we kept in the back neatly organized on the shelves.

“Then why are you looking at me like that?” she went on, her voice rising.

“Like what?” I lifted my gaze to meet hers. Hurt was written all over her pretty face. Kellerman was right; she was pretty to look at.

“Like you want to strangle me,” she muttered, growing uncertain under my gaze, her weight shifting from one leg to the other, before she crossed them and her fingers played with the bracelet I gave her.

Arching a brow, a small smile tugged on my lips. “I do want to strangle you. Wrap my fingers around your long swan neck and fuck you against the shelf. That is how I’m looking at you.”

Hazel sucked in a long breath and stared at me wide-eyed as her cheeks turned deep pink. Despite her shock, my dirty words got to her. I could see the way her eyes diverted from mine to hide the desire burning in them.

“I like it when you talk dirty,” she said, walking closer to me. “I thought you stopped wanting me.”

“Did I stop breathing?” I challenged her and she shook her head. “Then I didn’t stop wanting you. I was giving you space.”

“I don’t need space from you,” she wrapped her arms around my neck and pushed her nose to mine. “I want you to make me yours.”

Grabbing the twist on the back of her head I pulled her away before my mouth crashed on hers. “But you are already mine, baby.”

“Remind me,” she pleaded against my lips.

My mouth came crashing down at hers, devouring the taste of coffee still lingering on them as I grabbed onto her ass, pulling her closer to me, until my erection was preached between us. Swallowing a moan escaping her, my hand fisted around her hair and pulling it backwards, I started kissing her neck. My fingers slowly inched down the length of her skirt, pulling it up bit by bit, until I reached her underwear.

Hazel trembled in my arms, panting from desire and anticipation as my hand reached under her panties feeling the heat radiating from her. She was all wet and ready for me.

“Aiden,” she begged me quietly, before I dipped two fingers into her.

“Is this what you want?” I muttered in her ear as my teeth grazed her neck.

Hazel’s eyes fluttered closed from the sensation, but she shook her head. “No. You.”

A grin ate at my face as, with my free hand, I squeezed her breast giving her even more pleasure. “Okay,” I said at last, pulling my hand out to unbutton my jeans. Hazel whimpered from the loss of my touch. “Get out of your panties.”

I watched with intense eyes as she slipped down her underwear staying fully clothed otherwise. Following her initiative, I did the same with my jeans and boxers and before she got to enjoy the view too long, I picked her up, allowing her legs to come around me and with one slick motion, I pushed her against the wall and entered her.

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