Page 7 of The Throwback

She pulls away slightly, dropping her forehead to mine. “That’s why you never came back.”

I nod. “Right after their funeral, I packed up my life in Georgia and went to live with my dad’s brother in Texas. They couldn’t afford to keep any of my parents’ properties, so they sold them all and put the money away for me. I stayed with them, focusing on football because it was the only thing that made me feel like I could breathe after everything I lost. I got a scholarship to play in college, and that turned into a career in the NFL. From the outside, it seems like I have it all.” I shake my head, fighting the tears that prick at the backs of my eyes. “But I’ll always be that twelve-year-old boy in a hospital bed, ready to trade it all for just five more minutes with the people who meant the most to him. I wanted to get to you more than anything back then, Bailey. But I couldn’t. I’m sorry.”

She cups my face in both hands, closing her eyes. “Don’t be sorry, Jett. You were just a kid, and you had lost everything. I only wish I could’ve been there for you.”

“You’re here now,” I whisper, leaning in and pressing my lips to hers. I probably shouldn’t, but the pull is too strong to fight. After all the pain in my life, I’ve finally got a piece of myself back that I thought I had lost forever. Bailey Hart is so much more than just my childhood best friend. She always has been—even when we were apart.

She melts into me as I pour everything I’m feeling into the kiss. My whole body hums with satisfaction, enjoying the way she feels as we give and take, needy sounds coming from us both with every slide of our tongues against each other. Her hands glide down, gripping the fabric of my t-shirt as if she thinks I might pull away if she doesn’t. She couldn’t be more wrong. This entire hotel could crumble around us, and I wouldn’t give a fuck.

“Jett, wait,” she breathes against my lips. “We shouldn’t do this while you’re vulnerable.” Her mouth hovers over mine for a moment before I ghost my hands down her lower back, resting the tips of my pinky fingers on her ass over her leggings.

“Bay, this is the first time since it happened that telling that story hasn’t felt like someone was tearing my heart out. Just because you weren’t in the car that day doesn’t mean I didn’t suffer the loss of you too. Having you like this feels like home. And I haven’t had that in a long fucking time. Please don’t stop.”

“Okay,” she replies, crashing her lips back to mine. I lower my hands, palming her ass as my cock begins to harden between us. She whimpers into my mouth, rocking herself over me as we taste each other like we’ve been waiting our whole lives for it.

Because we have.

“Fuck,” I grit out, standing with her still in my arms and turning before dropping her to the mattress. I lower myself down onto her, fusing my lips back to hers as the sounds of our kissing fill the quiet room. Sparks ignite behind my eyes as I grind myself against her center, eliciting heavy, broken breaths from her as she takes what I’m giving.

“I missed you,” I say, speeding up the motion of my hips as they pump back and forth. I’m harder than I’ve ever been in my life, which makes sense because I’ve never felt this type of connection with anyone else.

“I missed you too,” she says, bucking up to meet my thrusts. Everything is happening at warp speed, but I can’t find a single fuck to stop it. I want her like this. I want to experience this with her.

“Can I take off your shirt?” I ask, hoping I’m not crossing a line. The last thing I want is to take it too far, too soon. I’ll never forgive myself if I lose her again. “We can slow down if you want,” I add on.

She shakes her head rapidly, reaching for the hem and pulling it over her head in one swift motion. “No. I don’t want to.” My eyes lock onto her tits that spill from the top of her black lace bra, and I go lightheaded with the need to tear it from her body. I pull back, taking inher beautiful curves, still not believing that I have her here like this.

“What’s wrong?” she says, crossing her arms over her midsection. “I, ummm…I’ve gained some weight. I’m always at the spa and don’t have the best eating habits. I?—”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I reply, furrowing my brows in confusion. “You’re perfect. Look at you.” I grab her wrists, pulling them away from her stomach. My cock is like granite under my shorts, and I can’t believe she wants to hide herself from me. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” I gently press my lips to hers again before leaving a trail of wet kisses down her neck, stopping when my tongue touches the trim of her bra. I dip inside just slightly, making her moan softly in response. “Do you want me to keep going?”

“Please,” she breathes, and that’s all I need. I hook a finger inside one of the cups, pulling it down until her peaked nipple comes into view, begging me to pull it between my lips. I waste no time obliging as I lean down and suck gently, earning the most gorgeous gasp. God, I could come just listening to her.

I take my time, circling my tongue around the tight bud while she writhes in pleasure under me. “That feel good, pretty girl?” I ask as I reach around, unclasping the tight restraint and pulling it off before giving the same attention to her other breast.

“Jett,” she moans, sending a jolt of arousal straight to my dick. I’m doing my best not to move too quickly, but I’m losing control with every breath that falls fromher lips. The feeling of her body against mine, paired with the emotions we just experienced while talking, has my heart and head at war as they try to convince each other of what’s really happening here.

It's too much to even think about.

I continue my descent, licking and kissing my way from her tits down to her stomach, nipping at the creamy skin as she shudders under my touch. I can tell she’s self-conscious about her body, but I want to show her how fucking gorgeous she is. How much I’ll worship every part of her if she’ll let me. I’ve never been this attracted to anyone in my life, which is crazy because as adults, we’re basically strangers. But none of that shit is important. She’s my person, no matter how many years we’ve been apart.

“You’re so fucking sexy, baby,” I rasp, running my tongue along the edge of her waistband. I’d give anything to taste her right now, but I don’t trust myself not to fuck her after that. And for now, this isn’t about me or my dick. It’s about showing Bailey how I’m feeling without actually saying the words. Neither of us is ready to hear them so soon, butfuck…they’re there.

I work my way back up her stomach and neck, finally finding her lips again and taking them in a burning kiss. She whines into my mouth as her hips lift off the bed, searching for friction. I know I can’t leave her like this. I have to give her the relief she needs.

“Can I rub your clit, Bay? Help you with that ache?” I ask.

“Jett, please. It hurts.”

Holy fucking shit.

“Okay,” I choke out, shifting my weight off to her side so I can slide my hand down her leg. My erection rubs against her thigh as she spreads for me, and I have to grit my teeth so I don’t come from just the small amount of contact. If I let myself, I know I could. That’s how much she turns me on.

I bring my fingertips to my mouth, coating them in saliva before I push past the band of her pants and press against her swollen clit. She moans loudly as I rub in tight circles, sliding around it as it hardens more with each swipe.

“That’s it, baby,” I praise. “I’m going to take care of you. I’ll get you there as many times as you need me to.” Leaning forward, I run my nose along the sensitive skin of her neck before sucking on it, making her whimper loudly as she gets closer to her climax.

“G-go in,” she stutters, and I don’t have to be told twice. I ghost my middle finger down her slit, gathering the wetness dripping out of her before pushing inside. She gasps as I press my palm against her soaked skin, slowly pumping in and out to build her arousal even further.

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