Page 42 of Beneath the Stands (Sugarlake 2)

She screams, throwing her head back and laughing, her body wiggling against mine, trying to break free.

“Eli! Sto–stop it… ple–please!” she chokes out between giggles.

The smile threatens to crack my face as I slow down my torture. She collapses against the mattress, her body worn out from fighting my fingers. She’s panti

ng, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath.

I’m hovering, my eyes perusing every inch of her. She’s so damn beautiful. So perfect here in my bed, wearing nothing but my shirt.

Her laughter dies down. She cups my jaw, her fingers scratching against my stubble. “What ya thinkin’ about so hard up there, handsome?”

“You.”

“What about me?”

How much I love you. “How much I wish I could take you out. Show you off.”

Her smile dims. “Once I graduate, that won’t be an issue. We can go wherever we please.”

“Yeah, I know.” I steal another kiss before she can turn, and she shrieks, pushing me away and hopping out of bed. I chuckle, leaning against my headboard, watching as she walks to the bathroom.

Her phone rings on the nightstand.

“Who is it?” she hollers.

I pick it up and look at the screen.

“It’s your mom.” I grimace, setting her phone back on the table. I already know she’s not going to answer it.

Becca stomps back in the room, grabbing her phone and silencing the ringer before plopping in bed, staring at me.

I raise a brow. “What?”

She crosses her arms. “Are you just gonna sit there or will you go brush your teeth so I can kiss you the way I want?”

I lean forward, gripping the nape of her neck and drawing her to me, fusing our mouths together. She gives in, her body relaxing as she kisses me back. My hands frame her face and I pull away to look at her. Happiness climbs through my chest, expanding until I feel like I might burst. I trail my lips down to her collarbone and kiss along the necklace I bought her for Christmas. It’s simple. A platinum basketball charm with ‘My #1 Player’ engraved on the back. I bought it on a whim, and almost didn’t go through with it, afraid she would laugh in my face. But she hasn’t taken it off a single time since I put it on her.

My mind wanders back to Ma. For some reason, she’s on my mind a lot lately, not that she ever really leaves. Her memory is a constant twinge—a broken bone that never reset. But I don’t like to dwell on the pain.

I don’t realize I’ve paused in my ministrations until Becca pushes me back into a lying position and cuddles into my side. “What’s wrong, big head?”

I blow out a breath. “Just thinking about Ma.”

Her body tenses against mine. As much as I feel for Becca, I’m surprised I said that without a second thought. I’ve never talked to anyone about Ma. But Becca was there. She grew up with her. She lost her too.

Her fingers trace random shapes on my chest, the touch making the hair on my arms stand on end.

“I miss her,” she sighs.

My stomach clenches. “Me too.”

“She always had the best advice. When my momma was too busy makin’ sure our family looked picture-perfect, yours was there to wipe my tears and teach me all about becomin’ a woman. She always made me feel like I was somethin’ special.”

I swallow around the sudden lump in my throat. “I talked to her that day, did you know that?”

Becca’s head tilts, her glassy eyes searing into mine.

“Her and Pops were driving back from Chattanooga, trying to make it home to some show of Lee’s. Pops called to talk about my game, but Ma took over, like she was prone to do. Started preaching about finding a nice girl, settling down. One who would look past the basketball star and see the real me.” I chuckle, shaking my head. “She was always so worried about ‘my lonely heart.’ Was dead set on me finding a girl who’d convince me to come back home... pop out a couple of kids.”

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