Page 59 of Trick Play
In answer, she pulls my face to hers with a hand on the back of my neck. Alright, then. No more questions. No more talking, except for whispered words of need and pleasure.
“Take your shirt off,” she requests, and I do, following it quickly with my pants. While I’m undressing, she pulls off her clothes, but I stop her before she can unhook her bra, reaching behind her to do the honors myself.
Once her tits are free, I take my time worshipping them, plumping them with my hands, enjoying the way they fit perfectly in my palms, sucking on the tips until they’re tight, shiny peaks, and she’s arching into my mouth with every pass of my tongue, every pull of my lips.
When I finally put on a condom and sink into her depths, it’s achingly slow and tender, which seems to be exactly what she needs right now.
And as I move, my tongue exploring her mouth, her body moving in time with mine, both of us perfectly in sync, the phrasemaking lovekeeps pounding away in my brain, no matter how much I try to ignore it.
I’ve never made love to anyone before. It’s always just been sex. Fucking, banging, screwing. Simple physical release. And before this, I would’ve said that’s what Piper and I had too. Sure, yeah, it’s been consistently with her for the last little while and I haven’t had any desire to find anyone else. Why would I when the sex is so fantastic between us?
But this is different. More. And even as my hips move faster, the soft sounds she makes deep in her throat as I swallow her cries spurring me on, a hard shell inside me seems to be cracking open with each thrust, revealing a soft center I’ve never wanted to acknowledge.
I snap my hips faster, pounding into her harder, as though I can hold off the realization and keep it at bay with brute force, trying to turn what this is back into what it used to be, relishing the way she squeezes me in her slick heat as she comes, shuddering around me, her orgasm triggering my own.
But there’s no getting away from the truth of tonight after we clean up and settle into bed with me spooning around her naked body, holding her close and doing my best to soothe her with my skin on hers since that seems to be what she wants—what she needs—right now.
I care about Piper. I’m falling for her. I’ve never quite understood why people called it that—falling for someone. But nothing else describes the dizzying loss of equilibrium I’m feeling as the realization sinks its roots into me.
But once I relax into the sensation, it settles, a soft cloud buoying me. Closing my eyes, I drift off to sleep secure in the idea that Piper means something to me, and if she’s here with me in my bed as a refuge from whatever storm has knocked her off course, I must mean something to her too.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Piper
I wake to a kiss on my forehead. Then another on my lips. All at once, awareness of where I am and who’s kissing me comes rushing in. Cupping his cheeks, I pull Cal close for another kiss.
He chuckles against my lips, brushing his over them once more before gently disentangling himself and pulling away. “Sorry, babe. Much as I’d love to stay and indulge in another round, I can’t. I gotta go. But I didn’t want to just leave without saying goodbye and making sure you’re okay.”
Blinking my eyes open, I gaze up at his pretty face, noticing that he’s already dressed and ready to go, a pair of duffle bags sitting next to the door. He gives me a soft, almost regretful smile. “You can stay here for as long as you need.” He holds up a key and sets it on the bedside table. “Here’s my house key. Don’t lose it. Help yourself to whatever’s in the fridge or the cabinets. We’ll be back on Sunday. I’ll text when we get there, okay?”
With one hand holding the sheet over my chest, I sit up. All I can do is nod, stunned by everything that’s happening. Am I dreaming? Because this doesn’t feel entirely real. I wasn’t quite sure of my welcome when I texted out of the blue announcing my impending arrival last night. I mean, he’s usually up for sex, so I didn’t think he’d turn me away in a text. But when I showed up at his door with a suitcase in tow and tears on my face … well, that’s a bit of a different situation than our usual booty calls.
But not only did he—with the help of his sister and roommate—welcome me in and make me feel like this was a safe place for me to land, he responded to my every unspoken request, not prying for information about what drove me to his door in this state, instead doing his best to comfort me with his body and his warmth. And now he’s offering to let me stay here, in his house, sleeping in his bed, without him being home, expecting nothing in return?
A fresh wave of tears prickles behind my eyes, but I do my best to fight them back. I cried last night, letting a few tears fall silently after he fell asleep, and I don’t want to cry anymore right now. I can already tell that my eyes are puffy this morning. But Cal doesn’t seem to notice or care as he examines me with clear affection on his face.
His thumb brushes my cheek, gathering a stray tear that I couldn’t hold back. “Are you gonna be alright?” he asks softly.
I nod. “Yeah,” I croak, clear my throat, try again. “Yeah. I will. It’s just …” I shake my head. “Last night sucked, and you’re being so nice, and …”
He lets out a soft chuckle. “Did you expect me to be a dick?”
Looking away, I lift one shoulder. “No. I mean, I wasn’t sure what to expect. We don’t exactly have a sleep-over-at-each-other’s-place kind of relationship, and here I am showing up with a suitcase in tears, and you just calmly let me in, no questions asked, and now you’re telling me I can stay through the weekend?” I spread my hands, palms up. “It’s just more than I could’ve hoped. And I’m a little emotional at the moment. So, tears.” I wave at my face with one hand.
He slides his big, calloused hand over mine, squeezing gently. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I mean, if you want to talk, I’m here. Well,” he glances at his phone, “I mean, I have to leave in five. But metaphorically. You can text or call or whatever. Unload everything in a voicemail if you want to call while I’m in the air so you give me all the info I need but don’t have to field any questions right away.” He gives me a crooked grin, and I can’t help smiling in return.
“Has anyone told you that you’re pretty great?”
He laughs, leaning in for one last kiss. “I tell myself that every day.”
“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me at all,” I say on an answering laugh.
His gaze softens. “I really do have to go. But I think this is the first time that I haven’t wanted to.”
I squeeze his hand and let go. Sighing, he stands, lifting one bag over his shoulder and picking up the other, he pauses with his hand on the doorknob. “Talk soon, okay?”
At my nod, he leaves, the door closing quietly behind him. I hear quiet voices in the hall, the baritones of Cal and Simon plus a higher one that can only be Ellie. Climbing out of bed, I pull on my leggings and a discarded T-shirt of Cal’s before heading out of the bedroom.
