“It was alright,” I replied, my back to him. It was a lie, a big one at that. It had been one of the most intense nights of my life, even if it had left me feeling confused, and contrite afterwards. I didn’t want to cheapen the time I’d spent with Kennedy by playing it off as nothing, because it wasn’t nothing, but I had to admit how it had fucked with my head. I was too caught up in the urgency of it all to stop and think about how I’d feel when it was all said and done, and now I was wishing I’d thought it through. Not just for my sake, but for Kennedy’s too.
“Do anything special after you left?” Asked Reid. There was an undercurrent of smugness in his voice that had me turning to face him.
“Why do you ask?”
His mouth dipped into a smirk. Bastard.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice you sneaking out. I know exactly where you went.”
My breath faltered. He couldn’t have figured out where I was, or who I was with. I was too careful. Unless Jade had said something.
Fuck. Did she hear us?
Kennedy and I had both tried to stay quiet. The energy between us, the sexual intensity of it, had me wanting to make her scream until her voice was hoarse, but I knew we’d be caught if we were too loud.
“You spying on me again?” I asked, feeling more agitated by the second.
“No,” he chuckled. “I have my sources.”
“What did these sources say exactly, because I can tell you they’re probably talking shit.”
“I know you weren’t in your bed when I got home last night,” he said. “And those sources might have mentioned that you were with a certain redhead.”
Redhead?
Oh.
Amy.
My muscles relaxed in relief. He thought I was with Amy. I could deal with that, maybe even run with it.
My mouth lifted into a smile I wasn’t really feeling. “What can I say? Maybe your sources were right after all. She wanted the D, and I couldn’t resist.”
Couldn’t resist was fucking right. But there sure as hell wasn’t a redhead involved - only a sexy blonde with purple in her hair.
So fucking sexy.
“You’re a horn dog,” said Reid. “That girl is going to think you’re dating.”
“Nah,” I waved him off. “She knows the deal. It was a one-time thing.”
I’d forgotten whom we were talking about. I had no way of knowing what Kennedy would be thinking after last night, but I needed to make sure we didn’t have a repeat. I was supposed to hate her, after all, and after one night with her, I knew having more would ruin me. And hurt her. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to live with that guilt.
“I highly doubt Amy believes that. I just hope you wrapped it before you tapped it, brother. God knows where that girl has been.”
Right. Amy. That’s who we were talking about.
“Yeah, you know I don’t want any illegitimate kids running around,” I replied. Speaking about this conjured up the memory of how Kennedy’s eyes widened at the sight of my dick, and the apadravya piercing I had. She was fascinated by it, and when he brushed her fingers over the sensitive head, I almost lost it right there.
Fuck.
It was going to be a long day.
The more I thought about her, our night together, the tighter my chest became. I didn’t want to regret it or wish it away, but I couldn’t escape the feeling that it was a mistake.
Problem was, it was a mistake I knew was going to be hard not to repeat.
PRACTICE TOOK A little longer on the account of me forgetting the plays at home. I was completely off my game, but the guys on my team knew better than to bring it up. I was particularly annoyed with Chase, and Gavin, and didn’t even pretend not knowing why.
I’d called my mother to let her know I was going to be a little late, so when I walked into the coffee shop she was already waiting for me. Her honey blonde hair was tied in a bun at the base of her neck, and her make-up was impeccably done to match her outfit. It was all for show though, because beneath that was a woman struggling to move on with her life without drowning in her depression.
She saw me approaching her table, and her blue eyes flickered with life. It had been too long since I’d seen her, and she looked thinner, more fragile. An unwelcome pang settled in my chest, borne of self-condemnation and remorse. I should have been there for her more, but I was too busy keeping my own head above water. I wanted that to change. For Jewel.
“Sweetheart.” My mother stood, and I wasted little time to wrap her in a gentle hug. Her familiar Chanel perfume was a strange kind of comfort, bringing back memories of a happier time in my life.
“It’s good to see you, mom.” I kissed her head, holding onto her a little longer. She let go, and I took a seat next to her. A waitress took our order, and what followed was an awkward silence filled with everything I wanted to say but didn’t know how to. I had no idea how to start, and apparently my mother didn’t either.