“Why is that?” Piper asked.
“Because you three”—she waved her half-full glass to indicate Piper, Jamaica, and Chessly—“will have to try to remain friends, while this bunch”—she pointed to my roommates and me—“will be actively trying to cream each other on the field.” She slugged back her beer and thunked the glass on the table. “Highly entertaining.”
“On that note it’s time to go.” Callahan fished some bills from his pocket to cover his part of the tip.
With my arm still draped over Chessly’s shoulders, I tugged her with me as I scooted to the edge of the booth. “Ready, babe?”
She shot me a side-eye. Guess it wasn’t lost on her that we were already on our way out.
Standing, I pulled my wallet from the back pocket of my jeans and added some bills to the pile ’Han had started.
“Saylor—” Piper began.
Saylor waved her hand. “Don’t worry, Piper. I already texted an Uber.”
Piper smiled and followed Bax out of the booth. At the door we split up to drive home in our respective outfits. I’d parked a short way down the street from the bar, so we didn’t have to walk far.
“Your chariot, milady,” I said as I unlocked the passenger side and held the door for her.
“Um, if you need to rest or whatever for the game tomorrow—”
I cut her off. “What I need is private time with you.” Cupping her cheek, I leaned in close. “Do you know how long it’s been since my mouth has been on yours?” Brushing my lips over hers, I whispered, “Way more hours than acceptable.”
I meant for the kiss to be slow, gentle. Easy. But Chess fisted her hands in the front of my hoodie, opened her pretty mouth to me, and sent all my good intentions right out the cab of my truck. In the space of two heartbeats, the kiss raced from ten to molten. The only reason she wasn’t in the middle of my lap, dry-humping me right there on the street in full view of anyone walking down the sidewalk, was because the gearshift was in the way.
At last we let each other up for air. Panting, I said, “We’re going to my place.” When she blinked at me, I clarified. “My bed is bigger.” Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, I added, “And in spite of our house being old with thin walls, it’s still way more private than the dorm.”
“Okay.”
“Really? That easy?”
“Are you implying I’m easy?” Her tone matched the arch of her brow.
As I turned the key in the ignition, I cracked up. “There she is.”
Chess sent me a narrow glare out of the corner of her eye as she buckled herself in.
“But we should probably stop at your place on the way.” I put the truck in gear and eased out of the tight parking space some moron had created when he’d nosed his ride up to my back bumper.
“For...?”
“Your toothbrush unless you don’t mind using mine in the morning.” I shot her a grin. “I don’t mind if you don’t mind.”
“You were serious about me spending the night? We haven’t even had our second date.”
Her observation unsettled me until I caught the grin teasing the corner of her mouth.
“We just triple-dated with an extra in Stromboli’s. You don’t think that counts?” I wheeled my old truck through the roundabout near her dorm. “And you can’t forget all our study dates. I recall some serious flirting with you in Hillman.”
A quiet chuckle escaped her, and then she sobered. “Spending the night is a big step for me, Finn.”
I extended my hand palm-up in the middle of the bench seat. After a beat, she set her hand in mine, and I gave her a reassuring squeeze.
“It’s a big step for me too, Chess. It’s been more than three years since I last woke up with someone in my bed.” Rubbing my thumb over the soft skin of her hand, I left myself wide-open. “But more than anything, I want to wake up with you beside me in the morning.”
The hitch of her breath did more for my peace of mind than any words could ever do. Then she squeezed my hand back. In that moment, our entire relationship shifted. The number of official dates we’d been on didn’t matter. Chess and I were a couple. We were together, and that was it.
Chapter Thirty
