Текст книги "Delayed Penalty"

Автор книги: Sophia Henry

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Текущая страница: 13 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

Chapter 22

Except my best friend. My best friend could ruin this moment.

“There you are!” I heard Kristen’s voice before I saw her.

Aleksandr’s surprise appearance made me forget I’d promised Kristen we’d hang out after my show. The only thing I wanted right now was to summon Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, whip it over me and my boyfriend, and bolt.

After contemplating the friendship code for a situation like this, I knew hoes before bros was the correct answer. Hoes being a term of endearment in this case, of course.

“Hey, KK,” I greeted her, releasing my leechlike hold on Aleksandr. He held me tight as I dismounted, and I shivered from the friction created by sliding down his hard body. “Hey, Lace.” I nodded to my other roommate, who had popped up behind Kristen.

“Hey, Aud. Hey, Aleksandr,” Lacy greeted us with a cheerful smile.

“Josh told us you’d already left, so we were headed to Larry’s to find you,” Kristen said, eyeing Aleksandr and me. “You’re still heading to Larry’s, right?”

“Of course,” Aleksandr answered, grabbing my hand. I guess there was no need to rush, in his mind. He’d had sex before. I was the overstimulated virgin, so ready to get it on with my hot hockey-god boyfriend that I could barely walk from the throbbing in my nether regions.

I caught his eyes, pleading for him to understand the release I needed. His aggravating, yet sensual, trademark smirk splayed across his lips. He leaned down, using his cheek to push the hair away from my ears.

“Anticipation makes it so much better, my love,” he whispered.

The man needed to think about carrying me if he kept up that kind of talk. How did he expect me to walk on rubbery legs?

“Lead the way.” I swept my hand in front of me, allowing Kristen to take the lead.

If Wreckage was small, Larry’s was a storage closet inside of Wreckage. And it was a hole. But Larry’s was the only place in town that never ID’d us, so we’d been drinking here since freshman year. Kristen and I declared their gin and tonic the best in the world. Maybe it wasn’t, but it was the only place we could order one, and the bartenders always gave us extra limes, which made the whole drink.

I turned my attention to the bar, filled with the usual—a few kids from the university, but mostly townies. Townies were people born and raised in Bridgeland and the surrounding small farm towns. I’m not insinuating townies stuck out in any way. I’d just frequented Larry’s so often, that I knew the locals from the students. Plus, the number of pickup trucks in the parking lot was a telltale sign of what group there would be more of at any given time.

Aleksandr nodded to the three empty stools at the bar. Kristen and I both saddled up and ordered gin and tonics, while Lacy stood next to us and ordered a beer.

“I saw Beth waiting in our booth. Come over when you guys are finished,” Lacy told us, grabbing her beer and making her way to the front of the bar. There was a group of booths in the front corner, one of which we’d claimed as ours because we took it over every time we came to Larry’s. I think Kristen might have even carved our names into the table during a very drunken evening.

“This is disgusting,” Aleksandr announced, pulling the glass from his lips with a frown after I’d let him try my gin and tonic.

“You have to squeeze two or three lime wedges in it and mash them good with your straw. Then you get yummy lime pulp in every sip.” I demonstrated by stabbing at my limes before taking another sip of mine. “Ummm. Perfection.”

“I don’t like fruit in my drinks,” he said.

“Well, you deserve a gross gin and tonic then. The lime is what makes it. Otherwise, it just tastes like pine-flavored floor cleaner,” I told him.

Kristen burst out laughing. “That’s my girl.” She turned to Aleksandr. “So what are you doing in town?”

“Auden needed me,” he responded, holding up a hand for the bartender. He’d waited to taste my gin and tonic before he ordered, and judging by his reaction, he’d stick with his usual.

Kristen’s face lit up. I didn’t have to ask her to know why. She was beyond happy that Aleksandr would do that for me. She’d been witness to the guys I’d fallen for during my early years at school, and she knew I needed someone like Aleksandr.

“I wasn’t sure about you at first, you know.” Kristen waved her hand around Aleksandr’s head. “With the crazy hair and all, but you’re a good guy.”

“Thank you.” Aleksandr smiled, saluting her with his shot before downing it in one gulp.

Suddenly Kristen’s face lost the happy glow. “Wait. Why do you need him? What happened?”

Instead of beating around the bush, I let the story gush. “Turns out I have a brother who my mom put up for adoption before I was born. And he lives here in Bridgeland.” I turned to Aleksandr. “And it’s Jason Taylor, Landon’s brother.”

“What?” they both asked in unison.

I just nodded and tilted my gin and tonic back, sans straw. Wow. It really was disgusting.

“That’s not even…I don’t know what to…holy shit, Auden,” Kristen stammered.

“Yeah, I know. It’s fucked up.” The television above the bar flashed various colors, sports highlights scrolling across the bottom, reminding me it was just a regular night for so many people.

Kristen wrapped her arms around me, some of the contents of her drink splashing onto Aleksandr’s leg in the bear-hug process.

“I feel left out of this hugging,” Aleksandr joked as he pressed cocktail napkins he’d swiped from the bar against his jeans.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” I told him when Kristen released me. Then I took his face in my hands and planted a quick, hard kiss on his mouth.

Aleksandr put a hand up for the bartender. “Two gin and tonics and a shot of vodka.”

“Make it two shots,” Kristen called.

“Make it three,” I called. Both Kristen’s and Aleksandr’s heads swiveled toward me, eyes wide. I dropped my shoulders and tilted my head to the side. Was wanting to drink myself into oblivion such a surprise after my story?

When the bartender brought our drinks, Aleksandr passed me and Kristen each a shot of vodka.

I scrunched my face. “I’m gonna need sugar and a lemon.”

“Yeah, me too,” Kristen agreed. “It’s cold, right?”

“Americans.” Aleksandr sighed. He scanned the table behind us and plucked sugar packets out of the plastic holder. Then he grabbed two slim lemon slices from the tray on the bar and handed one to Kristen.

Kristen and I tore open our sugar packets and licked the inside of our wrists. Just as I was about to summon my inner Def Leppard and pour some sugar on myself, Aleksandr placed his hand over the wet spot I’d created. Jerking my head up in protest, I caught a mischievous glimmer in his eye as he ran his tongue over his wrist, doused it with sugar, and held it out to me.

I loved this man.

After licking the sweet granules off his warm skin, I downed the shot and searched the bar frantically for my lemon. Of course, it was wedged between Aleksandr’s teeth. When I pressed my mouth to his, he released the lemon. After I sucked the juice out, I spat the rind into my empty shot glass and coughed from both the vodka and the sour lemon.

Aleksandr took my pursed lips as a green light, covering my mouth with his. He kissed me like he shouldn’t have kissed me while sitting at a bar with my best friend, but I didn’t care.

“I will lick this sugar off your stomach when you are naked in my bed,” he whispered in English, lips softly scraping my ear.

My cheeks went up in flames, embarrassed that someone may have heard him.

“Okaaaay. I’m gonna catch up with Lacy and Beth. Meet us in our booth whenever you’re done with this,” Kristen said.

Yep. Someone had heard him.

“We’ll be right over,” I assured her.

“Slow it down or you’re gonna be sick.” She nodded to our empty shot glasses and my half-full gin and tonic.

“Yes, ma’am.” I saluted her, already feeling the buzz from the liquor. She slid her shot glass onto the bar and grabbed one of the gin and tonics.

I lowered my voice for Aleksandr’s ears only. “Thank you for coming.”

“There was no other choice. I love you, Audushka.” His voice was thick, heavy, heated.

“I love you, Sasha,” I told him, relaxing onto the bar stool. He held up the shot he’d ordered for himself. I grabbed my gin and tonic.

“To us.” He clinked his glass with mine.

“To us,” I repeated, taking a small sip while he tilted back his shot. He ordered a glass of vodka, paid our tab, and we stood up to join my friends.

As soon as we sat down, the girls bombarded me with questions about my plans for Bridgeland’s after-school program. I appreciated that only Kristen and Aleksandr had been around when I was talking about Jason. I didn’t want to explain my seething anger for my grandparents with Lacy and Beth.

“It’ll be a replica of the one in Detroit,” I explained.

I had received final approval for the program from my advisor and the Department Chair during my nine a.m. class. For the first time since I’d been cut from the soccer team, I was proud of myself. I didn’t pat myself on the back often, but I was thrilled with the Central Club.

“I’ll hold my fitness class three times a week at the new facility instead of at the student center. The theater is closer to the elementary and middle school, and I think more kids will hear about it and know it’s free.”

“That’s a great idea,” Kristen said. “You should offer singing lessons, too.”

“Oh, geez, I don’t even know proper singing technique. How am I supposed to teach kids?”

“Then we can have karaoke. That’s easy and fun.” Kristen’s eyes lit up.

“Can I teach a gymnastics class?” Lacy asked.

“Yeah.” I nodded, overwhelmed by the outpouring of interest and volunteer ideas from my friends. I would need a lot of help with the program, especially since I scheduled twenty-one credit hours this semester. Although, three hours were approved for independent study to work on setting up the program.

“We could totally host a talent show.” Kristen downed the rest of her gin and tonic.

“I teach hockey,” Aleksandr offered, his eyes bright with the excitement of contributing.

“You don’t even live up here,” Lacy pointed out.

He paused, eyes on the waves of vodka gliding around the sides of his glass as he circled his wrist. “I teach in summer. Will be roller hockey. Same skills, different surface.”

“They’re poor. They don’t have roller blades,” Beth reminded him.

Oh my gosh, he’s just trying to help! I wanted to scream.

Aleksandr wasn’t deterred by the negativity. “I will donate this. Sticks, pucks, goals. All of this.”

I squeezed his hand, excited that my friends could see his compassionate, generous side.

“All this talk has given me the singing bug.” Kristen grabbed my hand, tugging me from my seat. “Finish your drinks. We’re going to the Thorne!”

I shook my head, though I knew I was in a losing battle.

“Dollar Beers!” Lacy cheered, referencing one of the Redthorne’s famed specials. Besides karaoke, the Thorne was known for their dollar “big” beers—which was just an oversized Solo cup.

“You don’t want to go to the Thorne, do you?” I asked Aleksandr. He could be my ticket out.

“Are you going to sing?” he asked.

“Yep. Looks like my Bitch Ass is roping me into a duet.” I glanced at Kristen for clarification.

“Yes, I am,” she agreed, sliding out of the booth and throwing a few dollars on the table.

“Twice in one night. Lucky me.” Aleksandr squeezed my thigh under the table.

I jumped. For the second time that night I wanted to forget our plans and go to his hotel.

“Aleksandr is smoking hot,” Beth whispered in my ear as we gathered our coats and purses. I nodded. What could I say? Yeah, he is. Or, He’s mine. Stop looking at him.

“Should we get a cab?” Aleksandr asked when we stumbled out to the street. Maybe I was the only one stumbling.

“It’s a block up and a block over,” Kristen informed him.

Aleksandr didn’t let me get far before he had me pressed up against the wall of a building, kissing me senseless. His hands slid into my jacket and tugged at the hem of my shirt until it popped from my waistband. His cold palms skimmed my warm stomach. I shivered, clenching my fingers in his hair and snuggling closer to warm up.

“Get a room!” Kristen called from in front of us.

“I have one,” Aleksandr whispered into my ear before he pulled himself off me.

“Do you want to go?” I asked him. Singing with Kristen at a bar took a backseat to being naked with Aleksandr in his hotel room.

“No!” Kristen ran back to where we were standing and took my hand. “I get it. You haven’t seen each other in forever, but you owe me a night out, so I’m not letting you go yet. We’re gonna sing. Then you can go have sex with him.”

As my best friend pulled me toward Beth and Lacy, I glanced back at Aleksandr. His shoulders were shaking in silent laughter, amused as he watched Kristen drag me toward the road.

“Come on, Crazy Hair! I don’t know what the rules are where you’re from, but we have to cross now,” Kristen yelled. The man in motion blinked white on the crosswalk.

“Seriously?”

“Aleksandr, whatever.” She lowered her voice. “You know the first time hurts, right?”

I took a deep breath and nodded, like I was listening to my coach before checking in to an important soccer game. “Yes. Hence the drinking more tonight than I have in over a year.”

“Auden. You don’t want to puke on him, do you?”

I cringed at the thought. “No.”

“Then slow it down.” She squeezed my hand. “I’m happy for you. That boy loves you.”

“Loves me or lusts me?”

“Both.” She winked. “But mostly loves.”

“Are you ladies talking about me?” Aleksandr split us by bumping our hips with his and throwing his arms across each of our shoulders.

Redthorne was more crowded than I expected for a random Wednesday night. Aleksandr waited in line for drinks, while I followed Kristen and Lacy to a table in the back near where karaoke was set up.

Kristen immediately put our names down on a slip of paper and handed it to the guy running the show. Since she was a regular, I didn’t doubt that he would move her up to the top of the list. Not next, because someone waiting might get angry, but very soon.

Minutes later, I noticed the karaoke host waving a small scrap of paper at me. Reluctantly, I pulled away from Aleksandr, waving my arm gallantly in front of Kristen. “After you, my dear.”

“Nope. Just you,” Kristen said. Her smile was sweet and sly at the same time. I responded with a mock scowl. What song had she picked for me?

Aleksandr gave my butt a pat as I edged past him to the stage. When I looked at the Teleprompter and saw “I Want Your Sex” by George Michael, I shook my head and started climbing off the stage.

“Absolutely not!”

“Come on!” Kristen yelled through a fit of giggles. She leaned over and said something to Aleksandr. She must have told him the name of the song because he broke into a huge grin.

“No one even knows that old-ass song!” I protested as I jumped down from the stage. “That was lame, KK.” I flipped Kristen’s hair with my fingers as I passed. “I’m gonna grab more drinks.”

“I’ll keep your man company so that vulture doesn’t swoop in.” She nodded in the direction of a group of girls standing by our table. One of them kept switching places with the others, casually trying to get closer to Aleksandr.

“Thanks.” I gave her a thumbs-up as I edged through the tables and chairs on my way to the bar. It was a sweet thought. Not necessary, but sweet.

I laughed at myself. Though puck bunnies were one of my biggest insecurities when I’d first met Aleksandr, I felt no jealousy toward the girl jockeying for position next to him now. I knew he wouldn’t give her a glance.

I ordered drinks for Aleksandr and Kristen and got myself a water. As I edged through the crowd, I turned my hips to maneuver past two back-to-back, occupied chairs, bumping one of them with my behind.

“Sorry. Excuse me,” I apologized without thinking.

“Aud,” a familiar voice said. I glanced behind me to find Greg occupying the chair I’d bumped. I twisted my neck, my focus on keeping the triangle of drinks upright. Then Greg touched my thigh, and I jumped back, sloshing beer onto his shirt.

Instinctively, I glanced at Aleksandr, who had risen from his seat. His eyes unwavering, catching every movement, his arms crossed across his chest, but he had a slight smirk on his face. Since I couldn’t tell if he was angry or amused, I tried to scoot by quickly. I wasn’t ruining my relationship with Aleksandr for Greg.

“I’m sorry about—” Greg stood up and wavered, unsteady on his feet. “Sorry about earlier.”

“Let’s just not talk about it,” I said, trying to inch my way forward.

“No, really. I just—” Greg leaned in, his face inches from mine. If I didn’t move quick, he’d be kissing me.

I lurched back and pushed my arms out to keep him away, sending more beer splashing over the sides of the huge plastic cups. Great, just fucking great. Aleksandr already hated Greg for talking to me the night we met in Canada. He hadn’t been too happy when I joined Greg’s band, either. Of course Greg would try to kiss me as Aleksandr watched from a few tables away.

“It’s not going to end well,” he slurred before he looked at Aleksandr.

I tightened my hold on the triangle of drinks and hurried to my table, setting the drinks down before I stood between Aleksandr’s legs and leaned over to kiss him.

“What was that about?” Aleksandr asked me when I pulled back.

“He’s really drunk.” I leaned into him, wrapping my arms around his neck, nuzzling close.

“Is this the Drew situation again?”

Aleksandr must’ve assumed my slight hesitation meant yes.

“Wanna know something?” Aleksandr whispered, his breath warm against my ear.

I nodded, making sure to slide my ear against his lips strictly for the pleasure it gave me.

“It gets me a little bit excited to see guys hit on you.”

“It does?” I asked, puzzled. I leaned in closer, tucking my face into the curve where his neck meets his collarbone and inhaling the scent of his sweat rather than the stench of stale alcohol.

“Yes, because I know you’re going home with me.” He ran his fingers over the curve of my backside and down the back of my thighs.

My mouth curled into a smile, lips dragging against his throat. I lifted my head, threw my hair over my shoulder, and caught his eyes. “Yeah, about that. When is that happening?”

“I thought you wanted to hang out with your friends tonight.”

“All I want is to hang on to you.”

“Say the word, my love.”

I leaned over and whispered in Aleksandr’s ear, “I’m ready.”

He hoisted me up so I could wrap my legs around him. Much to my surprise, he didn’t put me down, barely letting me say goodbye to Kristen, Lacy, and Beth as he carried me to the door.

–

“We’re never gonna make it,” I murmured between kisses as we weaved through the maze of hallways leading to Aleksandr’s hotel room. The last petals of panic about losing my virginity fell away every time Aleksandr touched me.

“We’re here.” He took his lips off mine long enough to slip the card key in the reader. He didn’t even fumble for the lights, just flicked his wrist, and I heard the plastic card bounce off something.

Aleksandr slid my coat off, letting it fall to the floor while I walked backward toward the bed. My calves hit the mattress, and all it took was the slight push of his fingertips and I was on my back. There were no words to explain the rapid anticipation surging through my veins as he situated himself between my legs and looked down at me. His eyes glazed over, a slight smile on his face.

The bed dipped when he leaned over and placed his arms on either side of me like he was about to do some weird-ass push-ups. I reached up, grabbing the waistband of his jeans, but his lips curved into a sexy smile and he dropped to his knees. Then he moved his right hand to my shirt and gently tugged it up before he dropped his head and licked the sensitive patch of skin below my belly button. My body arched and I reached up and grabbed his hair. I heard him laugh, and I quickly let go, hoping I hadn’t hurt him. Once I came back down to the mattress, I dug around in my pocket, pulling out the sugar packets I’d swiped from Larry’s.

“Didn’t you want these?” I shook the packets back and forth.

“I fucking love you,” he growled.