Straddling the Line(63)
“He had so many people who loved him. You, all the guys.”
“Yeah, we did. It was hard losing the postseason and not getting that phone call from him telling me everything was going to be okay. I miss him, too.”
“I know you do. He left a legacy, Trevor. People will remember him.”
Her voice was stronger now, her eyes clearer.
“Of course we will. I couldn’t have survived college without him. He was more like a father to me than my father ever was.”
“Thanks for that. It means a lot to me to hear it.”
“It’s the truth.”
“I guess it was just hard for me to let go of his memory.”
He tilted her face to his. “You never have to do that. Don’t even try. You just have to let go of the pain.”
She nodded. “You’re right.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. For a while, they just sat there side by side, his arm around her in the dark. A few students walked by, no doubt heading back and forth to the nearby library, which was open all night.
God, he sure as hell didn’t miss college, at least not the academic part. That had been hell for him. He missed playing, though.
Haven shivered next to him.
“Ready to head back? It’s getting cold out here,” he said.
“Okay.”
He slid off the table, then grasped Haven around the waist, pulling her into his arms. She nestled against him, then wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. She tilted her head back and looked up at him.
“Thanks for being here with me and for not thinking I’m some giant mess of a crazy, raving bitch.”
He laughed. “I don’t think that about you.”
“Oh, please. Even I think that about me.”
“Well, you’re wrong.” He tipped her chin up with his fingers, then brushed his lips across hers. “I think you’re honest with your emotions.”
“I wasn’t. I was running hot and cold, not facing them.”
“You’re more honest than most women I know, Haven.”
“I’m going to try to be more honest in the future. I have to be. Running from how I feel has been tearing me apart.”
Now he cupped her face in his hands. “You should never run from how you feel.”
She leaned further into him, laying her hands on his chest. “You feel pretty good. And I’m definitely not running now.”
He laughed, then tugged her close and kissed her, liking the way she molded her body to his. If they were alone—and they were anything but alone right now—he’d make her feel all kinds of things. Because she sure as hell was making him feel things, especially rubbing her body against his like she was.
“You need to stop,” he finally said, leaning his forehead against hers.
Her breath came out in a rush. “I want you. Can we make that happen?”
He looked around. They weren’t alone and he didn’t think getting arrested for indecent exposure would be a good idea. “Not here. Do you think we could manage quiet sex in the house with your mom around?”
She let out a short laugh. “Probably not, but we can try.”
They hurried back to the house. Haven looked at the upstairs window. “Her room is dark. Either she’s downstairs waiting up for us, or she’s gone to bed already.”
They opened the door, and the only light on was a small lamp in the living room.
“She used to leave that lamp on for me when I was out at night. She’s gone to bed,” Haven said in a whispered voice. “You go ahead and go up to your room. It’s the farthest from hers. I’ll get ready for bed, then I’ll meet you in yours.”
He nodded, tiptoeing up the stairs, trying to make as little noise as possible. He went into his room, brushed his teeth, and climbed out of his pants and shirt. Fifteen minutes later, Haven opened the door and gently closed it. She wore very short pajama bottoms and a skimpy tank top.
“She’s a pretty heavy sleeper. I think we’ll be okay.”
She came toward him and climbed on the bed, straddling him. “I need to be with you.”
She kept her voice low, and he just knew it was going to be the hardest thing to stay quiet. With her planted squarely on his quickly hardening cock, it took all the restraint he had not to groan. He fit his hands to her hips and took in the sight of her, her cheeks pink from their walk. She’d washed her face, so she wore no makeup. He liked that she came to him that way, that she didn’t think it was necessary to be all made up like so many of the women he’d dated. Haven was confident in her looks, in her body, and as he swept his hand over the nape of her neck and pulled her down for a kiss, he tasted the mint of her toothpaste, his tongue sliding alongside hers.