‘And me being from Marshall was a problem.’
‘Nope. Me falling in love with you was a problem.’
Her hand stills on my back and I tense every muscle in my face to stop the tears. She doesn’t say anything, and I don’t blame her.
‘Bre knew there was another Marshall student here, but when she asked me about you, I said those shitty things so she wouldn’t dig any further. It was stupid and I didn’t think it through but I didn’t want the past messing with the present,’ I add in a hoarse whisper. ‘But I still can’t believe she recorded our call and sent it to you. I can’t believe she’d be that cruel. I guess she has every right to be, she’s still lying for me, why should I have something as good as you in my life?’
‘You think Bre sent me that recording?’ Mia says.
‘Who else could it be? No one knows.’
‘At least one person does.’ She runs her hand down lower until it’s at the base of my spine. ‘Did you call Bre from Devonshire House?’
I nod. ‘The place next door to us?’
‘Yeah,’ Mia says quietly. ‘That’s Oliver’s house. He overheard you on the phone.’
If it weren’t for her hand grounding me to the bench, I’d be on my feet on my way to put my fist through that assclown’s face.
‘I’m going to kill him.’
‘Fair,’ she replies, ‘but can you wait until after the game? Jenna will be so mad if we lose because you’re in jail and not on the field.’
I want to laugh but I can’t. The best I can manage is the ghost of a smile as I shake my head. What’s the use in kicking the guy’s ass anyhow? All he did was pass along half a story, he didn’t tell any lies.
‘That’s all of it,’ I say. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I just couldn’t do it. I’m already ashamed of myself, I couldn’t stand for you to be ashamed of me too.’
‘You don’t have anything to be ashamed of, Ethan.’
The hand on my back slides up and down, tender, gentle movements that I don’t deserve.
‘Even if I wasn’t driving, it was still my fault. I let Chris drive, I took him to the beach, I let him drink. He’s my little brother and I’m responsible for him.’
‘Is Chris going to be okay?’
‘Yeah.’ The word comes out so strained, like I’m afraid to say it in case I jinx his recovery. ‘He is.’
‘I do understand why you didn’t tell me,’ she says, wiping a tear from my cheek. ‘I only wish you’d felt that you could.’
‘You’re the only one who knows the whole truth.’ I catch her hand and weave my fingers through hers. ‘You and Clive. I haven’t even told the team all of it, only about the accident. I would never ask anyone to lie for me but it’s for Chris’s sake. I would do anything for my little brother. Clive promised he won’t say anything.’
She doesn’t pull her hand away from mine, but a questioning shadow crosses her face.
I bring her hand to my lips and press a kiss to her fingers. On contact, I feel it, the unchecked desire she inspires in me. When I bring my eyes up to hers, I can’t stop myself, grabbing the back of her head and bringing her to me, our mouths meeting in a kiss so desperate it’s all I can do not to tear her clothes off here and now. But that’s not right for Mia. At least, I don’t think it is until she moves, straddling my lap and holding on to me even more tightly. I’m rock hard as soon as I feel her body moving against mine, her ass against my dick, her hands in my hair. The back of my head collides with my locker as I pop the studs on her jeans, sliding my hand inside, not hesitating for a second when I find her underwear. She’s so wet, so ready.
‘Ethan.’ She breathes my name and slips her hand inside my shorts, wrapping her soft palm against my hard cock and I have to concentrate to stop myself coming the second she grips me. She comes first, she always comes first, in every single possible way.
It’s a need more than a want as we pant into each other’s mouths, murmuring inaudible promises and requests, harder, faster, don’t stop, I won’t, come for me, come for me, come for me. Her body seizes and she buries her face in the crook of my neck, smothering her gasps with a mouthful of my jersey. The smallest fraction of a second later, I let myself go, breathing her in, because she’s mine now. She’s mine and I’m hers, all of me. I showed her all of me and she still wants me. Maybe not as badly as I need her, but I don’t care. No one ever wanted anyone the way I want Mia Meyers.
55
Ethan
Minutes later, with bright eyes and a clean jersey, I nod to Michael as I run out onto the field to join the warm-up. I look to the stands to find Mia. There are hundreds of people here but as far as I’m concerned, this game is for an audience of one. She’s right there, right in the front, slipping in between Alice and Jenna, colour in her cheeks. But there’s someone else I know standing next to Alice who stops me in my tracks.
My mom.
What the hell?
