Page 20 of Relentless (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 2)

I flick the light on in the theater with my elbow when I walk in and then set the snacks on the coffee table. I turn the temperature down about four degrees, so it’ll be nice and chilly. Then I hide all but one blanket, so we’ll be forced to share, and she’ll have to cuddle with me. It’s pathetic but that’s pretty much how I am when it comes to Ivy, a pathetic pussy. I don’t care because tonight it’s just her and I. I plan to make the very most of every minute she’s here with me.

I head back up to my room after setting my cuddle trap. I take my uniform off and do a few sets of push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and lunges like I always do when I don’t have practice or a game. When I finish the final set, I check my phone and see a few texts from Con and Griff discussing some shit happening with one of the asshole lacrosse players. I text that I’ll handle him tomorrow night after the party.

I usually deal with keeping all the athletes in school in line, most respect me enough to automatically defer to me, but there’s always one or two who won’t fall in line. Con handles all the other idiots who step out of order. Then if our fists fail to convince them we unleash the real beast on them. Griff can find where you’ve hidden every skeleton and buried every lie. He is ruthless when he annihilates someone. A broken nose will heal. A shredded soul is much harder to mend.

I plug my phone in and prepare to leave it there for the night before getting in the shower. I turn on the showerheads on for the full car wash experience. I have to make sure I’m squeaky clean and smelling good. I do a little manscaping, probably not as much as she’s used to being around swimmers all the time. That thought brings a little growl to my throat. I haven’t let myself think about her being with any other guys sexually until just now.

It’s hypocritical of me considering what she walked out of her room to see Sunday morning but fuck if I don’t want to ram my fist into any guy’s face that has touched her. I try to think rationally about it, but nope, any guy who does more than kiss my girl is getting their ass beat.

I dry myself off and grab my most indecent pair of gray sweatpants. They are crazy soft and leave nothing to the imagination, so I pull them on commando. I grab a Founders Prep football hoodie and pull it over my head. Right as I finish getting dressed, I hear a knock on my door.

I pull it open and find Ives standing in the hall and looking cute as fuck in a little tank top and Yale pajama pants. She’s left her hair curly like I like it and smells so good I have to think about NBA stats not to pop a semi.

“Hey,” she gives me a slow once over, “where are we watching the movie?”

“Theater room. It’s down in the basement.”

“There’s a basement?”

“Yep,” I give her a follow-me head tilt. “I already put out snacks. What do you want to watch?”

“Options?”

“We have everything.” I lead her down the stairs off the kitchen. “Do you still like scary movies?”

“Yeah, still my favorite.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you the ones I haven’t seen, and you pick from them. That work?”

We decide on a movie, and I make the popcorn while she divides the gummy bears. When I bring the bowl over, I notice the goosebumps all over her arms.

“Cold?”

“Yeah, it’s freezing down here,” she says rubbing her arms.

The movement draws my eyes to her chest and as much as I don’t want to cover up the sight of her hardened nipples poking through her tank top, I do want her comfortable.

“Do you want my hoodie?” I offer.

“Sure, if you don’t mind.”

I grip it by the back collar and pull it over my head with a cocksure grin. She swallows while she eye fucks my chest and abs. I make sure to keep everything tight while I sit down, taking up as much space as possible on the couch. Manspreading is the name of the game. She raises an eyebrow at me but sits down. We’ll have to be close to share snacks regardless.

We settle in and start watching the movie. Most girls would be burrowed into my side by now, but Ives is enthralled by the violence and gore playing over the screen. I decide to lay my head in her lap because that’s the only way I’m getting any physical contact right now. After a few minutes, she relaxes into it and drops her hand across my chest and plays with my hair with the other hand. It feels so good I almost fall asleep, but I have part two of my plan to enact once the movie is over.

I feel her gaze on me as soon as the credits start to roll. Her fingers haven’t stopped moving through my hair in at least forty minutes.

“That feels so good, I don’t want to move.” I lay one of my hands over her hand resting on my chest and link our fingers.

“Your hair is so soft. I didn’t even know I was doing it.” She smiles down at me. “It’s like petting a cat.”

“There’s only one pussy in this room, and I definitely wouldn’t mind petting it.”

Her breath hitches, but she gives no other sign of being interested. The air is thick with the tension bouncing between us. She wiggles her fingers out from mine and starts to slide out from under me on the couch. The absence of her body and touch from mine leaves me cold.

“Want to go for a swim?” I offer knowing full well she never turns down nighttime swims.

A second of indecision crosses her face, and I think that she might actually turn me down, but then a smile creeps across her face, and she nods.

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