Page 50 of The Girl He Loves

“I was at practice, and we were going through a play. One we’d done several times. One of the guys was having a hard time, or maybe it was me. I don’t know. But I lost my cool. Said some ugly things and ended up in a slugfest with him.” He shakes his head with regret. “Thing is, I liked this guy. Never had a problem with him before. Afterward, he said something off-hand about not being myself. I went to the doctor, and he said I was staring down a barrel at long-term brain issues if I got any more serious head injuries.”

“I never heard about a fight between you and a teammate.” The team had done a good job keeping it out of the press.

He wags his brows “Following me, were you?”

I roll my eyes. “Okay, one wish.”

He glances over the back of the couch at where the bedrooms are. Then looks back at me. “For you to get naked.”

Tyler’s out like a light. He had a full day, too. He fell asleep seconds after his head hit the pillow, and I closed his door to keep from waking him. Question is, will I be comfortable having sexy time in the living room where, if Tyler suddenly woke and came out, we’d get busted?

No, I might not be fully comfortable, but I’m willing to give it a go. I need to be close to Dax, to hold him and show him I’m thankful he’s okay. That today’s emergency was manageable.

And, weirdly, the relief that followed the fear that my child had been hurt makes me want to experience life on a more thrilling level. Maybe to prove life isn’t so precarious after all.

I tug the balloon down and twist off the plastic stop that keeps the helium in. I put the balloon end to my mouth and suck in.

In a Minnie Mouse voice, I say, “What would you like me to take off first?” I stand, one hand thrust out to the side and gesture up and down my body. It takes everything I have not to laugh.

But Dax does. He sits up quickly, winces, but gestures for me to hand him the balloon. I do.

He sucks in some helium. “Girl, I don’t care. Just take it all off because I love looking at every part of you.” His words are sweet, but the altered voice makes them silly, and I laugh.

I take back the balloon, pinching the tip between my fingers. I unfasten the button on my jean shorts and shrug them to where they’re riding low on my hips. Then I take in a hit of helium.

“You just lay there and enjoy the ride, mister,” I say. “Because this is what I have planned.” I have to take a second hit of helium to go into the details. There’s absolutely nothing sexy about the high, squeaky pitch of my voice. But there is something tantalizing about telling each other what we want and what we plan to do. Who cares how it sounds?

He gestures for his turn. Before he takes in any helium. , he says, “I’m hard as a rock. Should I worry that even with a squeaky Minnie Mouse voice, I find you so goddamn sexy?”

I let my shorts fall to the floor and then climb on top of him, mindful of his brace. I straddle him.

He takes in helium. In a squeaky voice, he says, “Take your shirt off, please. Pretty please.”

We laugh. The balloon is empty. He tosses it aside. Going slow, I pull my shirt over my head. He removes my bra.

“I’ll happily break both legs if I can get this again.”

“We haven’t done anything yet,” I say.

“No, but I already know it’s going to be amazing. I sure wish you’d been there when I came to after those concussions.”

His hands are on my boobs and mine are on the elastic of his shorts.

He suddenly grabs my hands and goes still. “Wait, Tyler? Are you sure he’s asleep?”

When he considers my child, my feelings for him grow even stronger.

“He’s asleep, and he’s generally a sound sleeper. If he has a seizure, we’ll hear an alarm.” I tap my watch. “And this will warn us.”

He nods slightly as if considering what we’re about to do. “Okay, but let’s make it quick.”

I laugh and get back to undressing him.

There’s nothing quick about our lovemaking. With me on top, I have full control. I tease as I caress my body against his. And without words, using our hands and bodies to express our needs and feelings, I take him in slowly and fully.

He groans.

I gently ride him, keeping my strokes rhythmical, each one bringing us closer to the precipice of pleasure.

As we reach our climax together he sits up, pushing deeper inside me, wraps his arms around me, and holds tight.

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