Page 13 of Well Played

I checked over my shoulder to ensure that we were alone, but no one else socialised around us, for once. A rare moment. I unscrewed and rescrewed the top of my coffee thermos for something to do.

He offered the same thing every night since we had sex in the gym, but I hadn’t had the courage to say yes to him yet. The disappointment on his face that night had been brief, but it was there when I asked him to take me to the bus in a voice that wouldn't stop shaking. I wasn't sure if I was going to cry or explode, but everything with him, as per usual, was so big and huge and overwhelming.

I needed time to myself and I wasn’t ready to capitalise on whatever this was fast becoming.

“I thought we didn’t do this at work?” I murmured, stalling for time with the top of my thermos again.

Solace detached himself from the wall in my periphery and stalked closer. His enormous, inked hand closed over mine. “You’ll break it if you do that, you know,” he murmured. “And then I’ll owe you more than a dozen pairs of your favourite tights.”

I blinked up at him. “Why do I need a dozen?”

His smile was down right sinful. “So I can destroy them whenever the fuck I want, beautiful.”

His fingertips grazed my cheek before he cupped the back of my neck, massaging there firmly, keeping his touch gentle. I loved that about him, that he knew not to scare me when I asked him not to, but that he seemed to know when to push that boundary for both of us.

The sex was incredible. Life rending. Amazing. After him, there would be no one else. I knew that. Yet I couldn't bring myself to believe that he wouldn’t be like the last player who toyed with my heart so freely.

“We weren’t doing this at work, remember?” I said softly, tilting my head back, though I didn't quite pull away, letting a warning tone slide into my voice.

Solace nodded, though he didn’t stop. Nor did I expect him to, really. “I remember. I also remember telling you I loved you, that you’re mine.” His tone held a fierce edge to it, engaging a battle of wills in a quiet space.

My heart stopped for a fraction of a second then restarted. I coughed a little and he took the opportunity to draw me closer, liberating my thermos and catching both my hands in one of his.

“Please, not here,” I begged.

His eyes darkened. “Tonight, and I’ll make you beg for something else.”

Before I could stop him, his head dipped and his mouth covered mine in a deep kiss that left me shaking on my feet.

“You shouldn’t?—”

“I don’t want to not have you when I want,” he muttered against my mouth.

I shook my head, my curls hitting my cheeks. “I’m not your toy, Solace,” I whispered back.

“But I want to play with you,” he countered.

My heart shattered in my chest. I tugged my wrists free of his hold and miraculously, he let me go. “Toys get replaced. Set aside. I’ve been the toy that was left, you know that.” I turned my head away, horrified when my vision blurred.

His hand at my neck turned my head back. Damnit, I couldn't escape him at all. “You’re not who I’ll ever be bored of, Hallie. I promise.” His dark eyes bored into mine, and I so desperately wanted to believe him.

“What if you just don’t know yet?” I couldn't take it again. I knew I couldn't. “The last time… it hurt so bad.” I couldn’t believe I was saying this to anyone, let alone him.

A cough at his back stiffened his body. “What do you want?”

“Just the coffee, Solace,” a sugary sweet voice I knewthat I knewtoo well floated over us like a cloud of sticky cotton candy.

I broke back from Solace with a gasp to find two gold talons curled into his bicep.

She can get her fingers around his shoulder better than I can.

My rational thought was obliterated as I found his eyes, the discontent there. He shrugged her hand off, his mouth turned down.

“This is my girl's coffee. The other stuff’s over there,” he dismissed her without another look.

It can’t be. Don’t check.

But I had to, peeking about his shoulder. Kylie Smart, the same OW in my relationship with Travis smiled back at me, baring fangs I swore had been sharpened since the last time I saw her years ago. Somehow her body looked more toned, more golden, her hair blonder. Jaw more angular.

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