Treading Water, page 9
“You’re so fucking tight,” he grits out through clenched teeth in between thrusts. “Strangling my fucking cock.”
He changes the angle, pushing my knees closer to my chest as he slides in even deeper. We both groan at the sensation. His balls are against my ass as he pauses, buried to the hilt inside me.
His slick skin shines with sweat as he gazes down at me.
“Let me see you,” he demands huskily, nodding at the shirt still covering me.
I push it up, baring my tits to the air. Fallon grinds against me, making them bounce with the movement.
“Touch yourself. Pinch your nipples, get them nice and pointy and red,” he says, pulling out and thrusting harshly back in.
My hands drift to my breasts, kneading them as Fallon starts to rock slowly into me. My pussy is still aching from his brutal pace a few minutes ago, but this is better. Every single push has his thick cock forcing its way back into my tightening core. I’m already close again; this man keeps me in a constant state of arousal.
Twisting my hard buds between my fingers, Fallon watches intensely. His cock throbs when I let out a moan and clench around him.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he whispers, his thrusts picking up. I arch my hips, pinching my nipples harder as he starts to pummel me with his big dick over and over.
“Fallon…” I gasp out as my legs shake.
He groans, leaning over me as he fucks me harder. “Say my name again, baby.”
“Please, Fallon…”
He adjusts our position, rubbing his pelvis against my clit. My fingers squeeze tight, my breasts aching from the pinch as I come with a silent scream. My throat is hoarse from before as waves of ecstasy wash over me.
“Jesus, fuck,” Fallon moans, his cock swelling as he comes with me. His cum spills inside me, and the heat of it is such an erotic feeling that it triggers my release longer.
Fallon drops my legs, letting them fall open on either side of his hips as he slowly pulls out. His gaze doesn’t waver as he watches our cum leak from my pussy.
“Red, swollen, and dripping of me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so perfect,” he whispers. He runs a finger through our mess and brings it to his lips, licking his finger clean.
I let out a choked noise, watching in shock. “W-what are you doing?”
His green eyes flash with possessiveness and he moves down, settling his face between my thighs. “Seeing if I could handle the taste of us. I can, I loved it.”
My breathing, which had just started to calm, picks up when he presses my legs further into the mattress, opening my center for him.
Fallon looks up at me with a devilish grin. “I’m going to feast on your pretty pussy till my cock is ready to fuck you again.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Sage
I awaken to him tracing circles on my back and I bury my face further into his hold. I’ve never felt so at peace before, my body loose without any tension.
“Morning.” The rumble of his voice vibrates against my cheek. I kiss his chest before sitting up, taking the sheet with me to cover my breasts.
“Morning,” I whisper back, my cheeks flushing as I take him in, resting against the headboard. His mussed hair and bare chest make heat pulse through me. The man could have pursued a career in modeling if water polo had failed.
Fallon stretches over to his nightstand, and tosses my phone. “I charged it for you.”
I smile. “Thanks. You know us teenagers, can’t live without it.”
He groans, wiping his hands down his face. “You just had to remind me you were nineteen.”
Scrambling over onto his lap over the sheets, I kiss him as he pulls me closer. “Almost nineteen, and yeah I did. It’s fun to make you squirm.”
His fingers flex on my ass. “I prefer making you writhe under me.”
The constant buzzing of my phone has my smile slipping as I read the slew of texts and missed calls rolling in. My breath catches and my chest caves as I stumble off Fallon, my feet catching in the sheets.
“Sage?”
I know he’s trying to get my attention, but the ringing in my ears is deafening as I grab his t-shirt and sweatpants and rush to put them on. It feels like gravity is holding me down and I can’t control my limbs fast enough as I rush out of his apartment, stealing his keys by the door. His shouts are muddled as if we’re underwater and they don’t stop me as I take off in his truck.
I’m not sure how I arrive home, barely glancing at the street lights as I park and rush up the stairs. I fling the door open, startling my mother and Val where they are huddled on the couch. My eyes zero in on the bright white gauze wrapping up my little sister’s hand and half her arm. Relief so intense jolts through me and my chest hurts from trying to breathe.
My mother stands up, shuffling Val to the side. “Where have you been?”
I ignore her, kneeling in front of Val and squeezing her knee as tears blur my vision. “Are you okay?”
She nods, her eyes swollen and red as if she’s been crying for hours.
“Sage.”
“What?” I snap, turning to look up at our mother.
She crosses her arms, her face etched in fury. “Where the fuck have you been? I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all night.”
Standing, I try to run a hand through my hair and realize how tangled it is with a grimace. “I– I was out… with a friend. I didn’t realize my phone died.”
Her angry stare narrows. “Out with a friend? And you didn’t bother to check in with us? Val could have been seriously hurt.”
I blink, guilt confusing my thoughts as the familiar resentment builds inside. “It was Friday. That’s my day. I had a game.”
“And I got called into work. I couldn’t turn down those hours.”
Looking down at Val, I frown. “So you just left without making sure I was coming home?”
My mother scoffs. “Well I didn’t think you would ignore me all night.”
My mouth falls open. “It was my day. The only day you are supposed to be off.”
“And I told you I got–”
I throw my hands up. “No, you’re not getting it! It was my day. My only day I don’t have any responsibility for her. The only day I get to live my life without worrying if she’s fed, if her homework is done, if she’s showered. I’m not the one to blame here. You’re the one who left her alone.”
Her head jerks back, her coloring paling as she stares at me. “Sage, I–”
I groan, my temper flaring. “I just wanted one fucking day to myself. You have no idea what I’ve had to give up. You don’t think I wanted to go to my senior prom? My graduation party? God, I had to practically beg the neighbors to watch her so I could make my weekend tournaments.”
Val launches off the couch, loud sniffling coming from underneath the curtains of blonde hair as she rushes past us and into our room. We watch as she slams the door closed, her sobs increasing behind it. My eyes squeeze shut, knowing I hurt her feelings when I’m not even mad at her.
“Sage,” the broken whisper coming from the woman before me has me looking back. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t blaming you. I was just scared. I had one daughter in the hospital and the other one dead in a ditch for all I knew.” Her eyes glisten, the grief shining as she wipes the fallen tears. “I’m so sorry.”
I tilt my head back, exhaling slowly. “Stop apologizing, Mom. I know how much we need the extra money.” She wouldn’t have left Val alone unless she was positive I was coming.
I don’t know she’s moved until her hands cup my cheeks, pushing my face into her neck as she strokes my hair. “My baby, my first baby. I forget sometimes that you’re still so young. I’ve taken so much from you. I wish things were different. I try so hard–”
“Stop,” I mutter into her skin. The soft scent of my mom’s perfume calms my soul, it always feels like coming home. I know how hard she works to keep a roof over our heads, to keep food on our table, to allow me the opportunity to play the sport I love. It’s why I never complained about the events I missed in high school. Valerie meant more than some stupid dance. “Is she okay?”
My mom sighs. “Second-degree burns on her right palm and wrist. She was trying to make Mac n’ Cheese.”
My stomach clenches, tears springing again as I wonder how long she was home alone before she attempted to make the food for herself. I pull myself away, wiping at my wet cheeks. “I should go talk to her.”
She grabs my shoulders, squeezing before letting go.“I love you. So much.”
I give her a weak smile. “Love you too.”
Keeping my footsteps light as I open the door softly, my heart aches when I see her asleep in her bed. I crawl on the mattress, cradling her small body in my arms as I curl behind her. A moment later our mother joins us on Val’s other side, stroking the blonde hair out of my little sister’s face.
“Everything I do is for you girls. I love you both so much.” Her choked whisper pierces me and I reach out for her hand.
“I know, Mom. I wouldn’t trade my life for anything.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Fallon
After the 10th unanswered call, I call the only other person I know in this town who wouldn’t judge driving me to the home of my nineteen-year-old athlete.
Conor starts laughing the second I climb into the passenger seat of his car. I punch his arm, but it doesn’t stop his deep mocking chuckles. He rubs where I got him before snickering one last time.
“So she carjacked you? You sucked so bad in bed that she was driven to grand theft auto?”
I run a hand through my hair, severely regretting calling him now. I should have walked or figured out how to take the bus to her house. Exhaling, I put her address in his car’s GPS without answering him.
“Ahh, come on. I’m just joking with you,” he says, nudging me to reply.
“Something on her phone spooked her and then she was hightailing out of my apartment before I could even pull up my pants.”
Conor falls silent, the mood darkening as his kids in the backseat talk loudly among themselves. I want to laugh at the ridiculousness that my old college teammate had to pick me up in his minivan full of children to chase down the teenager that just fled my bed.
I groan, scrubbing my face. “This is why I shouldn’t have gotten involved.”
“Because she likes to steal cars?”
“No, because I care. I care about whatever else is going on in her life that caused that horrifying look on her face this morning. I care about what she’s doing outside of practice, who she’s talking to, who she’s spending time with. And I shouldn’t. Once she leaves the pool deck, she should be out of my mind.”
Conor sighs. “We all do a lot of things we shouldn’t. You can’t get caught up on that. You two aren’t hurting anyone being together.”
“What if it was your daughter?”
His knuckles tighten on the steering wheel and he glares at me. “Don’t go there, Fallon. Because we’re not talking about my daughter, who is decades away from dating FYI, and it’s different. If my nineteen-year-old daughter was dating her thirty-year-old coach, I would want to beat the shit out of him. Because I wouldn’t know the man, but I know you. You’re a good man. You’ve never cared about dating because water polo was your life. And now you found someone who shares that passion, and it’s different.”
My stomach twists at his words because they don’t do anything to calm the shame that’s been building ever since the first time we kissed.
“But his age would bother you?”
Conor shakes his head, then grimaces. “I mean, yes a little bit. But my first thought would be someone in a position of power manipulated her into the relationship. Tell me, Fallon. At any point, did you use your job as a coach to force her to do anything?”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Of course not.”
“Then stop beating yourself up and give her the option to walk away to appease your conscience if you need to.” He turns the music down, and ducks down a little to turn into the driveaway.
“Do you know which apartment it is? Do you need me to wait in case she holds your keys hostage?” he asks.
I roll my eyes, hop out of his car, and tap the side of the door after I shut it. Glancing at his kids still happily oblivious in the back, I turn back to him. “Thanks for taking me, man. It’s nice to have a friend in town.”
Conor slaps a hand to his chest. “Love you too, dude.”
I flip him off and jog to the building and up the stairs I watched Sage disappear the day I dropped her off. It leads to a hallway with two doors on each side and I pause, unsure which apartment is hers.
Chancing it, I knock on the one closest to me and step back, shoving my hands into the pockets of my pants as my heart beats wildly in my chest. My breath catches in relief when she opens the door, but the dark circles under her eyes rob me of that brief reprieve. Sage glances behind her before stepping out, shutting it behind her.
“Hey,” she says softly.
“Hey.”
We’re quiet for a moment, her gaze trained on the floor with crossed arms. Finally, I tilt her chin up to look at me.
“You okay?”
Sage visibly swallows, her eyes misting slightly. “Family emergency. Sorry to take off like that. Let me–umm, grab your keys.”
I clutch her shoulder, keeping her in place. “I figured it was something like that. What happened?”
She exhales loudly and nods. “Do you want to come in?”
Looking at the door behind her, I hesitate. A teasing smile turns the corner of her lips.
“My mom isn’t home.”
I narrow my eyes. “That doesn’t make me feel better.”
The small giggle that escapes eases some of the tension and I let go of her shoulder to pull her into my arms. She returns my hug, resting her cheek on my chest. “You can tell me another day. I was worried,” I whisper against her hair.
Her grip on me tightens before she leans her head back. “Come in. I’ll tell you everything.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sage
His fingers tangle into mine as I pull him into the apartment. I put a finger over my lips to shush him and point to the couch. He pales when he sees Valerie sleeping. I tighten my mouth to stop myself from laughing when I realize he thinks she’s mine and lead him to my bedroom.
He pauses at my doorway, frozen solid. “Holy shit.”
I follow his gaze, squeaking out an embarrassing no before shoving him into the room.
“Stop looking at them before I rip them off,” I tell him sternly.
His eyebrows raise. “It’s like a shrine. I’m not sure if I should be concerned. Do I have Stockholm syndrome for my stalker?”
My cheeks are on fire and I press my hands against them. “If you don’t shut up—“
He laughs, but it dies when he notices the second bed in the room decorated with princess bedding.
“She’s my little sister,” I say as I shut the door softly.
His chest deflates and he flops down onto my bed.
“I thought–”
“I had a kid,” I finish, laying down next to him.
He huffs out a weak laugh. “Yeah.”
“It’s just us three. Me, my mom, and Val. I have to take care of her a lot since my mom works so much.”
He turns onto his side, resting on his elbow holding his head up. “How old is she?”
“Six. It’s usually just the two of us.”
His eyes soften as he stares at me, but he waits for me to continue.
“She’s one of the reasons I chose Slater Hills. Maybe if she was a little older I could’ve gone elsewhere, but my mom needs me to watch her.”
His cheek twitches. “She can’t hire a babysitter?”
I shake my head. “We can’t afford that, we really can’t afford a lot. That’s why she’s never home. She works for us…for me so I can do what I love.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, and then turn to him with sad eyes. “For the most part it’s fine, we have a system that works around my practices and games.”
“What happened last night, Sage?”
“Friday is supposed to be my day off. It’s the day my mom makes sure she doesn’t have work so I can enjoy my game and any team bonding that usually happens afterwards, like going out to dinner. She got called into work for an offer she couldn’t refuse. She left without confirming I was coming home because usually I do. I mean where else would I go? I don’t know anyone but Emily, and she stays in the dorms. Val tried to make some food after a few hours–”
My voice wavers. I try not to cry at the thought of my little sister hurting herself because she was hungry. He shifts so I can bury my face into his chest.
“I just saw texts that she was in the hospital and panicked. Sorry I didn’t stop and talk to you.”
Fallon strokes my hair. “Is she okay?”
“Her hand is burned badly, but yeah.”
“And your mom?”
“What about her?”
“Where is she now?”
“She’s at work.”
“She left you two alone again?” His outrageous expression made me tense.
“Yeah, Fallon. She has to work. It’s not like I have a job to help. I shouldn’t have spent the night at your house.”
“You’re almost nineteen. You shouldn’t have to get a job. That’s not your responsibility. Neither is taking care of your sister.”
I push away from him, but he grabs onto my wrist and keeps me close. I lick my dry lips angrily. “Maybe in a perfect world, but it’s not.”
“What about your dad?” His thumb strokes my skin as if to calm me.
“He’s dead. And my mom got pregnant with Valerie with some random guy from one night. We have no idea who he is.”
