Page 61 of Craving the Player

Chapter Twenty-Seven

BRADEN

“Almost there,” Sierra sobs, clenching her thighs tighter around my head. The reflex encourages me to suck harder on her clit, knowing that’sall it takes to send her flying into oblivion. Her squeak of approval echoes in my ears and makes me grin against her wet flesh, pushing my fingers deeper and faster inside of her before curving them inward and pressing against the place that sends her to space.

“Braden!” Her back arches away from the shower wall, water cascading down the valley of her chest from the shower head above her. When her fingers release their grip on my hair, and she gifts me alazy smile, Islowly lower her legs from my shoulders and stand up. Her pupils are blown as Ipush against her, moulding her body to mine.

“That never gets old.” Ismirk and push my hair back and out of my face as the water falls directly on top of me. Gripping her waist, Itake astep back, pulling her under the water, savoring the moment her eyes flutter shut when the warmth runs over her goosebump covered skin. The way her features relax makes me smile, and Ifind myself counting the freckles that splatter across her pale skin like the softest brown paint flicked from abrush.

Two, ten, fifteen. Moving from her hairline, down her small, button nose, to the tiny triangle above her top lip. Ilose count of them the second her eyes open, transfixed on me in away that has my breath catching.

“Stop staring at me,” she murmurs, her peach-toned lips twitching at the corners.

“Ilike looking at you.” Her gaze falls to the water beneath our feet and Iraise my brow. “That surprises you?” It shouldn’t, and if it does, I’ve clearly been doing ashit job of making her feel as good about herself as Ithought Iwas. The thought of her doubting how phenomenal she is has anger bleeding into my veins.

“No,” she rushes, but her stiffening posture says the opposite. With ashake of my head Ihave my finger under her chin, tilting her head up.

“Look at me,” Iplead. She swallows quickly but does as Isay. “You’re stunning. Idon’tknow how you don’talready know that. I’msure you hear it all the time. And Ihave no idea how you ended up with me.”

When she doesn’treply, Ifeel my stomach start to churn. Maybe that isn’twhat she wanted to hear?Fucking shit. My lips roll and Ipull back into myself, wanting to hit my head against the shower wall.

“Braden,” she calls quietly, attempting to reel me back in when Ilet my hands fall to my sides. With what little confidence Ihave left, Inod and open my mouth to take back my words, but her lips are on mine before Ihave the chance.

With wide eyes, Iwatch as her hand moves to cup my face. Her touch is gentle, almost impossible to feel as her palm presses against my stubble covered jaw. Idon’thave the chance to relax and kiss her back before she’spulling back, her eyes full of something warm and heavy.

“Ihave heard it before. Just not from you.”

Icontinue to drag my nails up and down Sierra’sback as she rests her head on my chest and aflat palm near my collarbone. Her body curves into mine like it belongs there, like it was made to fit mine. It’saridiculous thought, but one that Ithink about anyway as the silence wraps around us. She’smuch calmer than she was afew hours prior, and Ifind myself finally able to relax.

I’mnot sure what exactly happened in that shower, but Ihave to admit that Ifeel pretty good about it. What Idon’tfeel good about is what happened earlier—when Ipicked up my phone only to hear her heart-wrenching cries and how broken she looked when Ifinally got to her.

Iexpected the worst. The entire drive to that fucking building, Iwas preparing myself to find her in astate that would test me in ways that I’ve never been tested before. The imprints of my fingernails in my scalp are probably still there, forever scarred from the aggressiveness of each hand Iran through it, of every clump yanked out of worry. Iknew that Iwould have done anything she asked me to right then. There wasn’tasingle unforgivable crime that Iwouldn’thave committed for her.

But then Isaw her there, not ascratch on her body, and felt my heart stop. Somehow, knowing the damage was invisible was worse than anything Ihad prepared myself for. With no injury, there was no easy way that Icould have patched her up. The damage was inside, damaging her beautiful soul. Ihad never felt as helpless as Idid right then, with her in my arms, clutching onto me just as tightly as Iwas clutching onto her.

Cole Travis painted abullseye on his own back. And Iplan on being the one that takes the shot at it.

“You awake?” Iask, keeping my voice quiet incase she’spassed out on me. She needs to sleep, so it wouldn’tbe abad thing if she had.

“Mm,” she moans, rubbing her cheek against my peck.

Ihate that I’mabout to poke and prod at something that Ishould leave alone so that she can rest, but if Idon’tget more information soon, Ithink I’mgoing to damn near explode. “You wouldn’thappen to want to tell me more about what happened earlier, would you? I’mgoing out of my head here.”

“No. I’msleepy.”

“Sierra,” Isigh, wrapping my arm securely around her waist and tugging her so her stomach is pressed flat to my side, eliminating all distance between us. “At least give me something.”

“Fine,” she mumbles. “Work sucks. Are you happy now? Can Igo to bed?”

Ipinch her side. “No. Not good enough. What was the promotion you got? Why do you feel like you didn’tearn it? Is it that much of acareer boost?”

My muscles tense as the idea of her being anywhere near her boss after this takes flight. Idon’tnotice that my grip on her side has tightened until she gently peels away my fingers.

“Relax, Scrappy.” She pushes out alaugh and drops my now relaxed hand back on her waist. “It’spretty much what I’ve been working for since Igraduated. It’snot my end goal, but it’sagiant step in the right direction. They offered me amarketing manager position, which is what Iwas close to earning at my old job. But Iwas there for three years. Yeah, it was aharder company to work for and Ididn’thave half of the opportunities that I’ve been given here, but maybe that was the first red flag that Imissed.

“Cole took an immediate interest in me, and Iwas so excited about the fancy office and client opportunities that Ibecame naive. Ididn’trealize that being so appreciative towards him would be taken as something that it wasn’t.”

“Don’tblame yourself for the actions of aman who has tried to use his power to take advantage of you. No woman, especially one as intelligent as yourself, should need to bow to the feet of aman just to feel like aperson. It’sincredibly revolting to me that you have had to worry about asmile being taken as something more than you intended it to, and that showing appreciation for being treated like adecent human being at work could lead to you owing somebody something. It’snot fair, baby, and I’mso fucking sorry that you’ve been dealing with that.”

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