Page 46 of Stumped

He smirks and pulls me towards him. “You’ve been watching my plays, huh?”

“I’ve been reviewingcontentmy team’s been collecting. Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Spending a little more time with my content, huh?”

“You wish.”

“I do, actually,” he growls, pressing his forehead against mine. “I wish for you to be all up in my content.”

A loud snort escapes me. “Wasn’t that what I was doing earlier?”

He grins and tilts his head, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth. I definitely lost track of the number of orgasms he delivered this morning, but I made sure to return the favour as well as I could.

“Thank you for believing in me, peaches.”

“Not sure about the nickname, but you’re welcome.”

“What does everyone else call you?”

I shrug. “Vee. Vera.”

“Exactly.Peachesis just for me.”

“Okay,” I whisper and kiss him properly, his hands sliding down to cup my ass. “I’ll make a deal with you.”

“Another one?”

Chuckling, I nod. “Get back on the team and I’ll spend lots more time with your content.”

“What…wait.” He leans back and stares at me. “You’re saying…”

“Minimal benefits until you’re back on the team.”

“Vera...”

I step out of his arms and shake my head. “Peaches. And look, I know you’re doing your best, Elias. But you’re also giving up too easily.Fightfor it. Go out there and take what’s yours.”

With hands on his hips, he frowns and weighs my words. I won’t let him throw his entire career away because it’s easierto give up. I could use my own life experience as a lesson, but I won’t. Because hegetsit. He’s been complacent and taking things attheirpace. Elias is worth so much more than being a benched player or being sidelined. He’s the best on the team and they know it, but they won’t ever say it.

“Back on the team and back in your bed, right?”

“Yup,” I say, grinning as I hang up my towel and leave the bathroom. “I believe in you, superstar.”

Fifteen. The end of the road

Elias

“You’re thinking too loudly,” she groans and pinches my side.

“Whoa.” I pretend to shift away, but she has a death grip on my T-shirt.

Smiling, I kiss the top of her head and attempt to focus on the television. We’re watchingTed Lasso. It’s one of her many comfort shows, and work has been stressful so she needed a break. I don’t even want to know how many times she’s seen these episodes, but every now and then her mouth moves as she recites the lines. It’s cute.

Not a word I would use to describe Vera. Sexy, perfect, beautiful, sensational, ethereal are more suitable. But in the past few weeks we’ve leaned into ourbenefits, she’s been fucking cute. Her nose twitches while she’s working at her dining table or playing with her hair during a brainstorming session or when she’s attempting to cook and her hips sway without any music present—she’sadorable.

I, on the other hand, am doing my best not to get carried away with my feelings. Eventually this will end and everything will go back to the way it was. I know the right thing to do isto prepare myself for when that happens, so it hurts less. But I can’t. We don’t talk about it either.

Whenever I’m in Chennai, we spend all of our time in her apartment and ignore the world. It’s better than going out somewhere and being photographed again. The times I’m travelling with the team, we text as often as possible. Vera’s schedule is wildly unpredictable, so I’ve accepted she might only reply to my messages hours later. The right thing to do is tonottext constantly, but I have to tell someone.

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