“Before then, you didn’t notice?”
“Bryce, what is this about?”
My heart wants to tell her, to drop the weight I’ve borne for so long, but I can’t. No one knows what rehashing those memories for her would do—add on my confession, and I could send her back into the depths of her mind. I can’t bear the thought of doing that to her again.
“Nothing, Ma. Just having some trouble sleeping and trying to figure out how far back it goes.” I hate this. “No big deal. Just thought I’d ask.”
She pats my cheek like she used to do to my dad when he said something sweet to her. Their relationship was one I’ve always aspired to have. The playfulness, the love in their eyes just looking at each other from across the room. It was beautiful to watch even at such a young age. Which makes it all the worse what I did—and what I took from her.
I wait for him in his bed for a change, only if to make sure he’s lying next to me. If I did happen to fall asleep, I know he wouldn’t want to wake me and would rather let me be alone. He doesn’t know those moments of sleep don’t last nearly long enough.
The dreams aren’t drawn out, but they always come, and it only takes one glimpse to bring me back there. It haunts me even in my waking state, but at least I can control it then and distract myself.
The apartment door opens, and I’ve never been more thankful for his perfect timing. I’m sure he’ll be in a good mood since they won the game tonight.
“Hey, Oz.”
“What?” Confusion sets in, and it must show from the smile on his face.
“You’re my Emerald City, remember?” His palms cradle my jaw as he gently rubs a thumb over my eyelid and plants a kiss on me.
His words echo in my head, and my cheeks bunch beneath his hands. “C’mere.” I pull him down to the bed, still clothed and smiling.
“You won tonight.”
“I did.” He sounds full of energy from the game still, and there’s a playful undercurrent in his tone.
“Congratulations.” I kiss him as he lies on top of me.
“I think I deserve more than a congratulations, Oz.”
The heat in his tone sends a shudder down the length of my body, and then he’s straddling my hips as he pulls his shirt over his head. His tongue is hot and insistent as it clashes with my own, and he grinds the growing bulge in his jeans against me as I fumble with his belt buckle. His hands grip the waistband of my boxers, sliding them down my legs, his eyes darkening as they settle on my aching erection. No sooner are my boxers gone than he’s stripping the rest of my clothes off. Finally, he tugs down his jeans, and I pull in a breath at the sight of his hard cock straining against his jockstrap.
Fuck me, that’s hot.
“Bode, why are you still in your jock?”
“I forgot to put underwear in my bag, so I grabbed an extra jockstrap from the equipment team after my shower.” He grins, looking less embarrassed and more excited about me admiring his cock all wrapped up like a gift basket for me while I palm his ass, squeezing his firm bubble butt. “You like it?” He twists a little, and I get a good look at his bare ass.
“You have no idea how much I like this.”
“Yeah. I did good?” he says, lying down on my chest and grinding against my thigh.
“Yeah. The only thing hotter is if it had a little lace on it.”
Bodie’s eyes look like they may pop out of his head. “You’d like that?” I nod emphatically as I watch his Adam’s apple rise and fall. “Will you fuck me now?”
I give him a few seconds to retract his sudden request, though I’m hoping he doesn’t. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’m ready.” There’s no mistaking the confidence in his voice.
Not even a second later, his mouth is all over me, licking and sucking from my ears to my shoulders, leaving a bite mark ortwo before he rolls us over, me on top of him when he’s done. “You have to, uh, get me ready. Right?” he says as he spreads his legs wide and brings them to his sides. I lean back on my heels and stare at his entrance on display for me.
“Fuck, Bode.”
I spread him wider to get a better look at his pretty pink hole—I don’t think I’ve ever seen one quite as alluring as his. I run circles around his hole with my thumb, massaging it until he relaxes the slightest bit. “I won’t hurt you.”
“I know,” he says when our gazes rest on each other, and he smiles softly. God, I love this man.
