Текст книги "Scoring Wilder"

Автор книги: R. S. Grey

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 23 страниц)

"It'll be okay, Kinsley. I'm sure we're overreacting. There’s no way she followed you. No one is that insane."

401/890

I nodded but stayed silent. Was this worth it? Was the anxiety worth the ten minutes that I could sneak into Liam's car and be with him? What kind of relationship is that?

But then I glanced toward him. He was facing me, his hands were clenched into fists, and everything about him was wound tight.

He was absolutely breathtaking with the streetlight seeping in through the window behind him. I could just barely make out his smooth jaw, the disheveled hair, the piercing eyes. I realized in that moment that I was helpless in deciding my fate. There wasn't a single cell in my body that would let me walk away from Liam Wilder without a fight.

Even if I ended up fighting myself.

"I'd better go," I mumbled.

402/890

He nodded and I could see his jaw tick back and forth. "Are you okay? I can walk you back?" I knew the situation was killing him as much as it was killing me. What kind of guy wanted to take a girl on a date in his car and then watch her walk home by herself?

“You’d better not,” I said, shaking my head.

"I'm going to drive by in a minute to make sure you got inside okay," he stated. I knew he thought I was upset with him still.

I pushed off my seat and leaned forward to give him a goodbye kiss. It caught him off guard at first. Maybe he wasn't expecting one. My lips pressed against his and then in an instant his hands were in my hair, my hands were gripping his neck, and we were 403/890

both ensuring the other didn't pull away. We poured all of our worry and angst into the kiss. His tongue demanded entrance and I tilted my head to get a better angle. He sucked my bottom lip into his mouth until I whimpered and kissed him harder.

When I pulled back my lips felt swollen and tender. We stared at each other, our desire written across our faces, but neither of us said a word.

It felt like I needed to say something, something to confess how I felt for him, but we both knew. It was apparent in everything we did.

"I want to tell you I like you, but that seems dumb, like it's not enough," I admitted before turning toward the handle of the car.

404/890

Liam reached over and touched my hand to stop me. "I know," then he paused, thinking it over, and repeated his words, "I know."

…

The rest of the weekend passed quickly. Liam had a photo shoot in New York so Emily, Becca, and I stuck close together. We went to the beach Saturday morning with a few other girls from the team. Everyone laid their towels in a row and pulled out a magazine or book. Becca was the only one brave enough to test the waters. I stood on the shoreline, dipping my feet and ankles into the icy water.

Josh texted me a few times over the weekend. I never responded to any of them because I knew that he wouldn't move on if I 405/890

didn't nip it in the bud. I'd tried to be nice to him in the beginning, but the longer he tried to win me back, the more I realized I couldn't give him an inch or he'd take a mile.

Saturday night Becca got a text from Penn.

It was the holy grail of texts. We squealed over it for twenty minutes before realizing that she had to formulate a response back to him. He was taking it slow and steady, asking her about her day and how her week of practice had been. I'd explained his situation, that he’d just left a long-term relationship, and Becca seemed more than happy to take it slow.

After twenty minutes of pleasantries, he invited us to a get-together at his house the following weekend.

406/890

Cue another half hour of squeals highlighted by a few crazy somersaults from Becca that resulted in her knocking my lamp off my bedside table. Luckily, the glass didn’t break.

"I feel like I'm getting my hopes up about him,” she said as she placed the lamp back on my nightstand.

What an understatement. She was definitely getting her hopes up, but it was too late to change that.

“You’re allowed to be excited, but I’m glad you know that things with him will have to go slow.”

She nodded. “I need to keep reminding myself that he just got out of a long-term relationship and doesn't need me complicating things.”

407/890

"He wouldn't be texting you and inviting you to his house if he thought you were complicating things. Just take it easy and we'll figure it out. He seems like a really good guy though."

"What if he just wants sex?"

"Then you have sex with him and lose your virginity to one of the hottest professional soccer players in the country," I laughed. "But no, seriously, we'll figure it out. I'll try and get more intel from Liam. On the bright side, if he just got out of a relationship

that

means

he's

capable

of

commitment."

"Should I Google his ex?" she asked, already leaning toward my laptop.

"No! Don’t search crap like that. It's not fair to them or us. I've wanted to Google 408/890

Liam a million times, but I know how much he hates when the media makes up fake stories about his life. He'd be so pissed if I was getting my information about him through TMZ."

"Okay, okay. You have a point. I'll treat Penn like he's a normal person... for now."

“Good, Peen is a normal person.” That earned me a pillow smack.

Later that night, just as I was about to fall asleep, Liam texted me.

Liam: Finally home from New York.

Kinsley: Welcome home! Bring me anything? ;)

Liam: I had a miniature Empire State Building but this little kid stole it in the airport lounge and I felt guilty about taking it back.

409/890

Kinsley: Are you serious?

Liam: Yeah, so some kid is walking around with your gift.

Kinsley: Haha, oh well… Are you glad to be home at least?

Liam: Yeah, it was a long trip. All work and no play.

Kinsley: I can’t relate. I lounged around on the beach all day.

Liam: Show me some proof…

I smiled down at his text, trying to decipher if he was being serious or not. Either way, I decided it wouldn’t hurt to remind him of what he was missing while he’d been away in New York. I pulled my shirt up while I laid in bed and then tugged my sleeping shorts down a bit so that he could see my tan torso and the curve of my hip bones. It was 410/890

just enough to get his imagination going without showing anything too risqué. I skimmed the top of my shorts with my fingers and snapped the picture with the other hand.

I attached the photo with a message that said, “Can you see the tan line from my bathing suit bottom?”

Not two seconds later, my phone rang in my hand and his name flashed across the screen.

“It’s late, Liam,” I teased after answering the call.

“I don’t care. Are you alone?” My room was pitch black and I couldn’t hear anything in the hallway. I glanced over toward the bathroom to see the light off, so Emily was already asleep.

411/890

“Yes, everyone is asleep.”

“I wish I was there right now.” I hummed into the phone. “Oh really?

And what would you do if you were here?” I asked, trying to play the role of the seducer.

“I’d put my hand exactly where yours was in that photo,” he began, and without thinking, I put my hand back where I had it, letting it rest on the hem of my thin sleeping shorts.

“And then?” I asked, hearing the evidence of lust in my voice.

“I’d skim my finger on top of your shorts, dipping it gently inside to feel the soft skin underneath.” My finger followed his trail. “And then I’d tug your pants and underwear down and toss them to the side.” 412/890

“You’re not wasting any time,” I murmured, fingering the top of my shorts before pushing them down my long legs.

He chuckled dark and low. “You wouldn’t mind. You’d beg me to speed up.”

“Mmm,” I hummed, stroking my fingers back and forth along the seam of my panties before gently pushing them aside.

“Kinsley, I want you to touch yourself.” I inhaled sharply and let my fingers drift lower, along the sensitive skin of my upper thigh.

“Maybe I already am.”

I could hear his slow smirk through the phone when he hummed in approval.

“Stroke yourself like I would if I was there.” His tone was dark and more seductive than I’d ever experienced. I’d never been bold 413/890

enough to do something like that while someone listened, but I didn’t hesitate for one moment.

I let my fingers glide between my thighs, stroking slow at first, and then faster and faster as he spoke dirty thoughts through the phone.

“I wish I could feel how wet you are right now.”

His heavy breaths spilled through the phone and I sped up my pace even more. I dipped my finger inside and pulled my wet-ness up toward my bundle of nerves, reveling in the sexy moment.

“I’m so close, Liam,” I admitted with a weak voice.

414/890

“I bet you taste so sweet, baby. I’d slide my fingers in and out, and then lean down and taste you for myself.”

“Liam…”

“Come for me, baby. Let me hear you.” I stroked faster, arching my back and feeling the beginning of tingles spread through my body.

“I can’t wait to sink into you, Kinsley.

Promise me you’ll spread those thighs wide for me.”

Those sexy words pushed me over the edge and I lost myself in the bliss of the moment. It rolled through me in a seductive wave and I liked knowing he could hear my moans. I purposely made sure he knew just how much I was enjoying my orgasm.

415/890

When I stopped shaking, Liam spoke,

“Fuck, baby, I loved listening to that.” I tugged a pillow to my chest and smiled up at the dark ceiling, suddenly feeling embarrassed for getting so carried away.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, coach.” I hung up the phone before he could answer and squeezed my eyes shut. My phone buzzed in my hand and I looked down to see he’d sent one last text.

Liam: Don’t make any plans for tomorrow night.

Liam Wilder brought out a side of me that no guy had seen before. It was a little wild and a little reckless, but with him, there was no other option.

Chapter Fifteen

Monday morning I was positively giddy on my way to practice. Becca and Emily said that I looked loony, but I ignored them.

"It's just a beautiful day!" I joked, pulling my car into my normal spot at the fields. Since Liam got back from New York the night before, he'd be at practice. We had plans to meet up later, but I wasn't sure where we were going yet.

"You're so annoying," Becca laughed, sliding out of the passenger seat. As soon as her feet hit the pavement, she paused and I watched her smile fall.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, leaning forward to see around her. From my seat I couldn't see what she was staring at, so I 417/890

quickly hopped out of the car and ran around to find a sight that made me tighten my fists.

Josh was waiting for me at the front of the field house with a bouquet of flowers and a giant sign that said, "I'm sorry, Kinsley".

"Oh my god," I murmured under my breath. This was not appropriate. One glance around the packed parking lot and I knew that everyone on my team, my coaches, and Liam had already seen him. I couldn't believe he was doing this.

I walked straight up to him, trying to stay calm. He smiled wide when he saw me approaching and for a very, very brief moment I felt pity for him… but then I remembered the Bimbo naked on his bed.

"Josh, what are you doing here?" I asked with a tired tone.

418/890

He unraveled a lopsided grin. "Isn't it kind of obvious?" he joked, pointing to the

"I'm sorry" sign.

I nodded slowly, trying to conjure up the right words. Emily and Becca walked past me into the soccer field house but I couldn't look at them. I wished Josh knew me enough to realize that something like this was truly embarrassing for me. I wasn't a public person. I didn't want my entire team knowing the sor-did details of our relationship. This was too much, and if anything, it pushed me away even more.

"Josh, you can't do this. We're not together and it's for a very good reason. I freaking swear that I'm not trying to be coy and lead you on. I mean it when I say that we 419/890

aren't getting back together. You have to leave me alone."

His face fell slightly and his dark brown eyes studied me with curiosity.

"You don't give up on things that matter to you, Kinsley. That's not the way love works," he said, pushing the flowers into my hand and heading toward his car.

I wanted to shout after him, to tell him he didn't know how love worked, that you don’t cheat on someone that you love, but I just pushed through the field house doors and headed to practice.

My worst fear would be realizing that love actually did mean what Josh thought it meant: you could do whatever you wanted to your partner as long as you said you were 420/890

sorry and looked charming while you said it.

Nope. I respected myself too much for that.

I dropped his flowers in the locker room just as I realized that I needed to find Liam. I had no clue if he’d seen Josh’s display, but if the situation were reversed, I would have hated seeing his ex-girlfriend standing there waiting for him. I didn’t want him to misread the situation.

I didn’t get the chance to see him until we lined up outside for drills. I purposely stood on the end so that if he wanted to, he could talk to me. When I smelled his body wash behind me, I sighed. At least he wasn’t so angry that he was going to ignore me.

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking me by surprise.

421/890

"I'm fine. I'm sorry that happened," I began just as one of the junior girls inched closer to me. Her innocent action didn’t go unnoticed and I realized I had to guard my speech.

"That was really unprofessional," I said, looking up at him and pleading with him to understand my veiled words. His eyes weren't angry or brooding, instead he was studying me with a wistful smile.

"I'm not afraid of a little competition, Kinsley," he whispered. "I play to win."

A smile spread across my lips, but I did my best to hide it. He moved behind me, heading toward Coach Davis to help her with drills, but his hand skipped along the base of my back as he walked by. The casual touch made goose bumps bloom across my body, 422/890

and I knew I was making the right decision.

Liam could disarm me with a single touch, and I'd never felt that way about either Trey or Josh. I was officially in over my head.

Once I'd showered and changed after practice, I laid back on my bed and checked my phone. There was a text message from Liam that I decided to check first.

Liam: I'll pick you up around 7. Don't eat dinner.

I texted him back right away.

Kinsley: Any hints? What should I wear?

Liam: Pajamas.

I laughed and swapped screens to check the missed call and voicemail I also had waiting for me.

423/890

"Hello Kinsley. This is Brian King. We spoke in Coach Davis' office last week about a potential interview opportunity for you. I know this is last minute, but I’ve been called away to Europe and my editor would really like this interview set up before I leave. That puts you in a tight spot, but if there’s any way I could convince you, would you be willing to meet me for the interview after you’re done with practice on Wednesday? I realize this is very late notice, but unfortunately the magazine has left me with very few options.

We could meet at a coffee shop in West Hollywood. I’ll be coming from downtown LA.

Also, I’ve sent Coach Davis a list of possible interview questions that you can run through with her. Let me know what you think.” 424/890

The voicemail cut off and I was left momentarily stunned. I hadn’t thought about Brian’s offer in a few days and now I was suddenly forced to decide one way or the other ASAP. I wasn’t 100% sold on putting my personal life out there for everyone to see, but if I looked over the interview questions and thought they seemed okay, I’d agree to the interview. Brian seemed like a nice person, and I didn’t want him to get in trouble with his editor if I turned down the interview.

I glanced down at my phone and hit

“call” before I even fully realized what I was doing.

"Hi Brian, this is Kinsley."

"Kinsley! Hi," he answered, shuffling papers.

425/890

"I listened to your message and I think I'd be able to meet with you on Wednesday. I could be in West Hollywood around 5:00

P.M.?"

"That's great. 5:00 P.M. works for me as well. I know this is hardly any notice, but it will be a short interview, mainly about your position at ULA and your training for the Olympic tryouts. If our readers enjoy it, we'll do a more in depth interview in a few weeks.

That is, if you agree to it."

I laughed politely. "Let's get through this one first. Could you forward me the interview questions you sent to Coach Davis?"

"Sure thing. I'll also text you the address to a coffee shop where we can meet."

I rattled off my email and thanked him for his time. I had a good feeling about the 426/890

article. I still had no clue what to expect, but at least I'd have the questions beforehand.

As soon as I hung up, I called my mom and filled her in. She promised she’d run through the questions with me tomorrow after practice, just to make sure I didn’t make a fool out of myself.

Five minutes before 7:00 P.M., Liam texted me that he was waiting around the corner. I hopped off my bed and threw on a jacket and my Converse. Then I shouted bye to Becca on my way down the stairs. I rounded the corner at top speed, jumped into Liam's car, and planted a kiss right on his mouth before I'd even realized my shoes were untied and I'd put my jacket on inside out. Details.

427/890

"Well hello there," he laughed against my lips after I pulled away to catch my breath.

"Hi," I murmured, then sat back and adjusted myself in my seat.

"That was a good greeting."

I smiled and shrugged. "I was just excited to see you, I guess. Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," he answered, putting the car in drive and heading away from my house.

"Ah, fine, but I wore my pajamas. I couldn't tell if you were kidding, but I decided I'd take you up on the offer anyway." I unzipped my jacket to show him my faded

"Made in the ‘90s" shirt that was on its last leg and my sleeping shorts.

428/890

"I wasn't bluffing. You'll be glad you wore them."

I smiled and watched him drive. I had no clue where he was leading me, but the uncertainty was half the fun.

"I think I'm doing my first interview on Wednesday," I mentioned as he exited the highway.

"Really? With who?"

"Brian King. I met him the other day with Coach Davis."

"Ah, I know Brian. He's a decent guy."

His eyes were focused on the road and I couldn't tell if there was more he wanted to say about the subject.

"Have you ever done an interview with him?"

429/890

"No. We played soccer together for a year, though."

I didn't have time to ask more, because Liam was pulling into a small Drive-in Movie Theater. Who knew they even existed in LA still?

"I figured since going to the movies is out of the question, we could at least sneak into a drive in movie and pretend like it's a real date," Liam explained with an earnest expression.

A giant smile spread across my lips. "It's an awesome date. I'm in pajamas… it doesn't get better than that."

He laughed at my joke as he pulled his SUV into one of the middle parking spots. It was a small theater with room for twenty or thirty cars at most. It was filling up fast 430/890

around us and I knew we’d gotten there just in time.

“How will we watch the movie if the screen is behind us?” I asked, twisting my head to look through the back window.

He smirked and hopped out. “C’mon, we’re sitting in the trunk.” I had no choice but to follow him to the back of the car, and when he lifted the back latch, I was glad I did. He’d set up a picnic of sorts. Well a picnic made up mostly of candy, does that count? He had it all lined up perfectly. Twizzlers, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Snickers, Butterfingers, and M&Ms… to name a few. There was a little cooler of drinks pushed off the side next to a tub of popcorn that he’d put a lid on for our drive over.

431/890

“Did you raid a small candy village to get all of this stuff?”

He smirked. “I have a sweet tooth. It’s my one flaw.”

I rolled my eyes and shoved his arm playfully.

"I think they're showing Sixteen Candles tonight. I've never seen it,” he said.

I gasped. "What! How have you not seen it? It's on TV like once a week.

He shrugged. “Okay, so I have two flaws."

I smiled. "I can't believe you did all of this.”

"I hate not being able to take you on real dates, so I wanted to make it special," he admitted, then followed with, "I also just really like candy."

432/890

He flashed me a wicked grin and helped me up into the back of the car. Once we'd stuffed our faces, we pushed the food and drinks to the side and laid down on the blanket Liam had brought.

Somehow we ended up shifting around until he was leaning against the back seat and I was leaning back on his chest with his legs on either side of me. Okay, it wasn’t exactly an accident; I kept shifting back until he pretty much had to accommodate my body in his space. Oh, oops, how’d we get in-to this adorable position? Strategic planning, my friends.

His arms were wrapped around me, holding the blanket in place. As easy as it would have been to turn around, kiss him, and forget about the rest of the movie, I 433/890

really enjoyed just sitting there together. It felt good to feel his chest rising and falling against my back.

Every now and then he'd ask me if I was comfortable or if I needed a drink, but I just shook my head, not wanting him to move a muscle for fear that the magic would be lost.