I get why you couldn’t get enough of her. Why you always talked about her like she was the sun, the moon, the stars. I thought it was overly romantic bullshit, but I see it now. Dani Hill is the kind of woman you learn poetry for.
“Well…” She breathes out the word, then kind of laughs when I pull to a stop outside her apartment. “Thanks for a good night.” I can sense her blushing and skim my thumb over her cheek as she reaches for the door handle.
“Wait.” I jump out before she can get out of the car.
I might be swamped with guilt right now, but she doesn’t need to know that. And I’m not some douche who’s just gonna watch her get out of my car and walk away.
Her door is already open by the time I get around the SUV, and I close it for her, boxing her against it before she can disappear into her apartment.
“You’re amazing,” I whisper, running the tip of my nose across her cheek. “You know that, right?”
She lets out a soft giggle, resting her hands on either side of my waist. “I could ask you the same question.”
I smile, wishing I could say,“Yes, I’m amazing, and us together is fucking amazing.”But how can I?
With a soft swallow, I tip her chin, pressing my lips to hers and enjoying the way she responds to me, rising on her toes, pulling me in. I relax into the kiss, tasting her with my tongue, loving the way her body melds against mine when I wrap my arm around her waist.
I lift her off her feet for a brief moment, then force myself to put her down. As much as I want to spend the night with her wrapped in my arms, I need some space for a second. I need toprocess this war raging inside me. What I want versus what I deserve.
“Do you… do you want to come up?”
Yes! I want to hold you all damn night.
“I better not.” I sigh. “I have an early workout in the morning, and it’s your day off tomorrow. I want you to be able to sleep in.”
She smiles up at me, the streetlight above us illuminating her pretty face. “You’re sweet.”
“You’re gorgeous.” I drink her in, loving her smile and the way her face just lit up at my honest assessment.
“Good night, Black Jack.”
“Good night, Dani Girl.”
Rising on her tiptoes one more time, she pecks my lips, then ducks under my arm and walks toward the door.
I spin, leaning against my car and watching her until she’s disappeared inside. She gives me one more wave through the glass before taking the stairs… and I can finally slump with a huff and mutter a string of curses.
“Fuck. Shit. I know. I’m scum. I’m sorry, Atlas. I’m sorry.”
I say it the whole way home, totally ruining my night and forgetting to dwell on how perfect it was sitting there at the end of the bar, watching Dani work, then getting to dance with her, kiss her, pleasure her. Shit, she was fucking amazing. Being inside her was better than anything I’ve had before. She moved with me. Our rhythm was so in sync.
“So…” I shake my head and, for a horrible second, picture what it must have been like for Dani and Atlas. “Fuck!” I squeeze my eyes shut, begging my brain not to go there. He was always very protective of their relationship, and although he told me about how they lost their virginity together, he tended to keep their private times private, and I respected that. Even though I was hella curious about sex, I didn’t push him. They were likesixteen, I think. They’d been dating for a year when they finally crossed that line, and it brought them even closer together.
And tonight has brought me and Dani closer together too. I can feel it in my core.
Which is why I’ve got to shake this guilt, or it’s going to destroy us. But how do I do that?
It should have been Atlas tonight.
“He should still be here,” I mutter to myself as I close the front door of Football Frat and lean my forehead against it.
“You okay, man?” Grady’s voice is a soft rumble, but it still gives me an electric jolt. I spin around to find him standing at the bottom of the stairs with a glass of water in his hand.
“Uh…” I nod, but obviously look anything but good, because he changes trajectory, tipping his head in the direction of the living room.
I should tell him,“Nah, I’m good. I’m just gonna go to bed.”But instead, I follow him, plunking onto the opposite end of the couch and staring at him. He stares right back, patiently waiting the way he always does.
Grady’s a good guy to talk to. I like the way he doesn’t try to coax and cajole. There’s a lot of space with him, which is why after only a short minute, I end up spilling…
