Page 106 of The Keeper
When I finally step out of the bathroom, I find Mack stretched out on the bed with his arms behind his head with the television on. But his eyes are locked on me.
I limp to the door and flip the light, leaving the room cast in just the blue hue from the screen. I walk back to the bed and crawl up from the bottom, all the while keeping my eyes glued to Mack’s.
His arms wrap around me when I get close enough, tucking me into his chest and resting his chin on my head.
“What did the doctors say about your injuries?” he asks quietly, as his hands begin to make soothing circles on my back that make me snuggle even closer.
“Some strained ligaments is the most of it, apart from the bruising and small cuts and scrapes. But the ligs are probably going to be enough for me to have to sit out the rest of the season.”
“I’m sorry, RJ,” he whispers into my hair, kissing my head.
I pull my arms out from where they are tucked into his body and wrap them around his waste. I slip them under his shirt and press them into the solid muscles of his back, kneading the tension away that I can feel in his body.
“It’s okay,” I whisper back. “I’m going to be fine.”
He pulls away just slightly so he can look down at my face, into my eyes.
“When I heard it, when I heard the car hit you and your body hitting the pavement, I thought you were dead. I know the car wasn’t going that fast, so it makes me feel like an idiot to say out loud. But that was absolutely the most terrifying moment of my life. I ran towards you and it felt like my feet were melted into the ground - I couldn’t get to you fast enough.”
He lifts a hand and places it on my cheek, sliding his thumb along my cheekbone.
“And then I saw you crumpled on the ground and it felt like my soul died. In that instant when I thought I might have lost you, I felt everything that I am begin to dissolve and float away, like my body could no longer be bothered with holding me together. And when I realized you were going to be okay, I saw how clearly and truly and deeply I have fallen in love with you. You are my everything.”
His face is so pained right now that I can’t help but stretch up and press my lips to his to try to soothe away any hurt or fear that he felt earlier tonight. Our mouths part and his tongue flicks against mine, causing the butterflies low in my belly to take flight. All I can think about is him and breathing him in and touching his body and holding him close.
“I love you,” I whisper, bringing my hands forward under his shirt and letting my palms coast over the dips and planes of the tight muscle of his abs and chest.
He lets out a light moan and twists his legs together with mine. I feel the hardness of him press against the softness of me and I can’t help but undulate my hips against him in search of some form of relief from this fire inside that has erupted out of nowhere.
“God, RJ,” he whispers in my ear as his hands slide along my hips and grip at my ass, giving him more leverage to push against me. “I want you so much.” He rolls me to my back and I grip his shirt, tugging it off over his head.
The moment his shirt is off he begins to slowly push up mine, kissing up my stomach as he goes. And when my shirt stops just under my breasts, he takes his time kissing and nipping the skin on my ribs, his tongue slicking along the underside of my right breast before going to the left and repeating the motion.
His eyes lock on mine for a moment, giving me the opportunity to direct. I give a slight nod and the shirt gets pushed farther, baring my hard nipples to the cool air of the hotel room.
And I can’t help but squirm, letting out a sharp cry of pleasure and need, when his warm mouth closes over the tip of one, licking and sucking.
“Look at you,” he whispers. “So sensitive.”
He moves to the other bud with his hand, flicking his thumb back and forth against the tip, over and over. And over.
And then suddenly he reaches between us and pulls my shirt down, re-covering my body. When I look at his face, I see his eyes are clenched tightly.
“This isn’t what I wanted to happen tonight,” he says in a voice laced with sexual tension. “I really did just want to hold you close.”
“But I thought…”
“I am in love with you, RJ. We can have sex someday, absolutely, when you’re ready. And it is going to befuckingamazing.”
He rolls slightly so he’s laying next to me instead of resting on top of me.
“But tonight isn’t the night. Not when you were hit by a car today, and there are other soccer girls in the hotel, and I’m still your coach.”
I nod and exhale a breath, suddenly frustrated with myself.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
But he shakes his head.
