Page 47 of Craving the Player

Chapter Twenty-One

BRADEN

Idon’tknow why I texted her begging to let me come over, or why I’mknocking on the front door knowing how close Iam to the edge of losing my sanity, but here Iam. And I’mdying to be inside of her.

Sierra pulls open the door wearing nothing but aloose-fitting pyjama shirt that falls mid-thigh. Her hair is thrown up in amessy bun and there isn’taspeck of makeup on her face, but she looks stunning. Magnificent, really.

“Is everything okay? Your text worried me,” she mumbles, inviting me in and shutting the door softly behind me. Iwalk inside without muttering aword, kick off my shoes, and turn to face her.

Her concern for me is written all over her face. It has me gasping for air, the need to hold her starting to pull me under. “Come here.”

She doesn’thesitate before walking straight into my chest, wrapping her arms around my middle as Ipull her flush against me, sighing out in near instant relief. My hold on her is tight, like I’mterrified she’ll run and leave me here, desperate and vulnerable. But she doesn’t. Instead, she relaxes in my arms, strong puffs of air fanning across my chest as we stand in the middle of her apartment, neither of us wanting to let go.

My eyes close when she starts running ahand up and down my spine, warm fingers soothing the ache in my chest. Amoan of appreciation falls from my mouth and Ikiss the top of her head, keeping my lips there for afew seconds, not wanting to lose the contact so soon.

But with areluctant sigh, her grip loosens the slightest bit and she leans back, looking up at me with worry obvious in her silver eyes. My immediate reaction is to pull her back into my chest, but Iloosen my hold on her with asoft sound of annoyance.

“Are you okay?” she asks gently.

Ispend afew seconds debating whether or not to open up to her, afraid that it’ll be the first step of many into creating adeeper bond with her. The thought of handing over more power to her that she can use against me has abucket of ice water crashing down on me.

“Talk to me. I’mhere for you.” The hand that was rubbing my back slides around to my front before climbing up my chest and gripping my nape. She gives it aslight squeeze and smiles asmall, toothless smile that fiddles with my chest, unlocking something that she wasn’tplanning on letting me keep away from her for much longer. Itry to be upset with myself for letting her get so close, but can’tfind it in myself to do so. Not right now, at least.

“Let’ssit down, yeah?” Iwince at the raspy emotion in my voice.

She drops her arm from my neck and grabs my hand instead, leading me into her lamp-lit bedroom. “The couch is super uncomfortable. Ipicked it up at athrift store downtown after . . .” She hesitates for amoment, chewing on the inside of her cheek before straightening her back. “Igot it after Ikicked Logan out. All of the furniture was his when we were living together, so he took it all when he left. Ididn’tmind because the last thing Iwanted was areminder of him and my ex-best friend having sex on the couch. You know?”

Idon’tbother hiding my surprise. “He cheated on you with your best friend? If Iwould have known that Iwould have hurt him worse for you, baby.”

She lifts ashoulder in ashrug before sitting down on the edge of the bed and tapping her fingers on the white duvet. With acock of my head Ihave my arms crossed, watching the way she gulps while trailing her eyes up my body, spending abit too much time on my semi-hard dick before finally meeting my intense stare. Ismile, unable to help it regardless of the annoyance still swimming in my stomach.

As if my grin gave her confidence to talk more about her past relationship, she continues. “Iwas upset for along time. It was more betrayal than anything else.”

“How long were you together?” Iwould rather swallow gravel than think of her with anyone else, but I’mtoo curious to stop asking questions. Iwant to know her. Ialmost feel like I need to.

“Four years. Ionly had one boyfriend before him and none afterwards. Iguess the idea of trusting someone again has never appealed to me.”

“Or maybe you just haven’tfound anyone worth trusting.”

She seems to gnaw on that for awhile, looking as in thought as ever with her furrowed brows and slightly parted lips that Iache to taste and slide my tongue between.

“Or maybe Ihave but I’mexactly sure what to do with him yet.”

Surprise collars my throat and threatens to toss me off atall cliff. My mouth is dry as Itry to pull together areply, failing when Iremain silent. Iknow that Ishould have something worthy to say to her so that she doesn’ttake my silence as rejection, and Iwatch her do exactly that, Ihave the sudden urge to kick her bedroom wall in frustration. She blinks away the vulnerability in her eyes, replacing it with ablank stare that Ifeel burning awhole in my side. “Your turn. What made you come here tonight? And don’ttell me it’sbecause you missed me.”

She meant it as ajoke. But Idid miss her. It wasn’tthe reason for the aching pain of betrayal or the sharp burst of pain in my shoulder from behaving carelessly in the boxing gym, but it is the reason that out of anywhere that Icould have gone to try and get myself back under control, I’mhere. With her.

The fear of being open and honest with her about how I’mfeeling is suffocating. Warning bells ring in my ears when Ithink about handing over apiece of myself to her, entrusting her with it. I’ve always prided myself on being confident, fearless. And Ialmost feel like I’ve let myself down in some way by not taking arisk that could end up paying off in the end out of fear of the unknown. Maybe if Iknew exactly what Iwanted from her Iwould be able to articulate that to her, and maybe it would put us both at ease. But the risk is blinding, terrifying in away that I’ve never experienced.

Storm clouds loom in the distance of our relationship, preparing to either strike us to the ground, or separate to allow the sun to peek through and beat down on our shoulders in awarm embrace.

Come to think of it, I’ve never been one to enjoy alightning show.

I’min front of Sierra before she has achance to be surprised, gripping under her ass and hoisting her up. Her legs wrap around me without hesitation before she presses against me with aheavy sigh and aroll of her hips. Needing to taste her, Itake her mouth in aheated kiss that Ihope allows her to feel the ache that’ssettled beneath my rib cage, only settled by her.

My tongue slips between the seam of her lips before working deep inside her mouth, possessing her in away that I’ve never craved before her. Itaste the mint-chocolate chip ice cream she must have been eating before Iarrived, mixed with the pure, addictive taste that belongs to Sierra and don’thold back my groan. She swallows it, sucking the air from my lungs as she does so. We both need to breathe, but neither of us are willing to break apart. I’maman possessed, too utterly captivated by the feel of her plush mouth moving against mine with the same possessive energy to think of my own needs.

With another roll of her hips against me Ijerk my hips and brush my hardness against her underwear clad pussy, relishing in the feeling of warmth radiating from her. Idrag my open mouth across her flushed cheek and under her jaw, nipping on the skin before tugging on her ear. “Ineed to be inside of you, baby. Tell me you need me too.”

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