Wright Together, page 14
“Eve wants me to ask if you’ve played before. As if that didn’t cross my mind in all of this.”
Colton shot me a look that said I was an idiot. “Of course I can play. Watch me run circles around everyone out there.”
“Ah, so the competitive streak runs straight through our family.”
“I take offense to that,” Jensen said, holding his hand out to me.
Emery just laughed. “Uh, there is no offense there. You’re all competitive. It’s ridiculous.”
Jensen’s gaze on her was like the moon turning toward the sun and feeling its warmth for the first time. “You’re lucky that I love you.”
“Ha!” she said, elbowing his side. “You’re the lucky one.”
“Obviously.”
He kissed her, and Colton gagged. “Can you two not?”
I shoved him toward Isaac. “Go meet your team captain and get a jersey.”
“Sure, boss.”
All three of us watched him run toward Isaac to introduce himself.
“Thank you,” Emery said. She touched my arm. “I really appreciate you looking out for him. Jensen said you found him the other night at the party.”
“Yeah, I’m glad that you agreed to have him play.”
Jensen shrugged, defeated. “I love him. I want him to be happy. If this helps the behavioral problems, then he can play as much soccer as he wants.”
“Okay, but real question,” I said, glancing back at Colton. “Can he actually play? Because otherwise, Eve might kill me.”
Jensen laughed. “He can play. It’s not just ego.”
“You mean, all ego,” Emery said. “Because the boy has your ego.”
“Can’t help it if we’re naturally good at everything, love.”
Emery rolled her eyes. “Oh, good at everything, huh?”
“Obviously.”
“Now, whose ego is showing?”
“You married me.”
She snorted. “As you keep reminding me.”
I left them to lovingly bicker and took my seat in the stands with West. He shot me a look that I read as, What the hell have you gotten us into?
I just shrugged. We were about to find out.
Isaac didn’t start Colton since he was the newest member. So, he stood on the sidelines, bouncing on the balls of his cleats and shouting encouragement to his teammates. He was a completely and entirely different kid in a uniform. Gone were the attitude and defiance. All that was left was camaraderie, excitement, and a drive to get out there.
Isaac pulled himself out first to let Colton on the field. The kid full-on sprinted to the center midfield position, and as soon as the whistle was blown, he was off like a bullet. He had boundless energy, dribbling up to Blaire and Eve to assist for shots, pulling back to defense to hand the ball off to Annie and Hollin, and moving seamlessly through the center field with Julian and Nora. He played selflessly. None of the ball hogging I would expect from someone with his self-esteem. And damn him, he was good.
Good enough that Isaac didn’t pull him out when he came back in. He rotated the rest of the team to keep Colton on the field. Isaac had a daughter. He must have seen, the same way I had, that the kid needed to be out there. Or maybe he just wanted to win, and Colton was assisting Blaire and Eve to multiple goals, where girl goals counted for two points.
By the whistle blow, the Tacos were up by an outrageous amount to an opponent that West insisted they’d barely beaten the year before. With Eve and Colton on the pitch, they were unstoppable.
Eve ripped off her Tacos uniform top, revealing the sports bra, toned body, and tattoos underneath. She vaulted the bleachers and plopped into my lap.
“Okay, I forgive you,” she said.
West laughed next to us. “This should be good.”
Eve kicked West’s shin. He yelped.
“I accept your forgiveness?” I said more as a question.
“The kid’s good. We’ll keep him,” Eve said.
“Excellent.”
“Pizza?”
“I’m down.”
Eve leaned back and waved at Jensen and Emery. “Hey, we do pizza after every game. Can the kid come with us?”
Jensen exchanged a look with Emery, who shrugged. “We have to get home. Her mom is watching the kids.”
“We can drive him home,” I said automatically.
“I don’t know,” Jensen said.
“Maybe you should let him,” Emery said. “He played really well.”
“We’ll be with him the entire time,” I insisted.
Jensen breathed out heavily. “Fine. Keep me up-to-date, all right?”
“Of course.” I turned back to the pitch and called to Colton, “Hey, kid. You want some pizza?”
A fifteen-year-old boy never ever, ever said no to pizza.
“Fuck yes.”
“Colton!” Jensen growled.
But Colton was on a high from the game. “Can I go?”
“Whitt said he’d drive you home, but if you step out of line with him, then we’ll have to reevaluate you playing with the team.”
“Is that a yes?” Colton asked defiantly. A smile still stretched his face.
“Yes,” Jensen said with a smile and a shake of his head. “Kids,” he grumbled under his breath.
I nodded my head at Colton. “You’re with us.”
“Let me grab my stuff,” Colton said excitedly.
Eve hopped off my lap, and we followed the rest of the team off the bleachers. I wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned in, “Guess we won’t get to have fun in the car.”
“Maybe we can have fun after then,” she teased.
“You’ve convinced me.”
“You did a good thing. You know, letting him play.”
I shrugged. “I’m glad it worked out.”
“Me too.”
“So this weekend, I heard a rumor.”
“Oh?” she asked, throwing me a look.
“That it’s your birthday.”
She groaned. “Nooo. How did you find out?”
“What matters is, you’re going to let me take you out on a date.”
“Am I?”
“You are. You’re going to dress in one of your hot fucking dresses and those heels you always wear. I’m going to pick you up with flowers and take you to a fancy dinner.”
“And after?”
“And after, I’ll fuck your brains out.”
“Happy birthday to me,” she said, leaning in to me. Her pupils were dilated, and I was pretty sure she would let me fuck her right then and there if I wanted.
“I’ll pick you up around seven.”
She bit her lip and then nodded. “Seven it is.”
Colton jogged up to us then. “All right, boss man. Gimme those keys. I want to drive.”
I shoved him in the back of his head, and he cackled. “Get in the backseat. No one drives my car.”
“You’re no fun.”
But I knew he didn’t mean it.
Eve laughed at our antics. I loved seeing her like this. Both of them like this. It felt like things were finally coming together.
20
Eve
Even though it was my birthday, I spent all day showing houses to my clients. No rest for the wicked.
My last showing was around six, and I dashed home to spend adequate time getting ready for my date tonight. I preened in the mirror. Date. I was going on a date…for my birthday. Something I actually wanted to do. I hadn’t known that I could feel like this again. That Whitt, of all people, could make me feel like this again.
I spent extra care on my hair and makeup, pulled out the fancy lingerie for tonight, and slid on a little black dress and heels. I grabbed a teeny clutch just as the doorbell rang, and I darted into the living room. My roommates were out with their boyfriends or working. I hated to admit that I was disappointed that no one else knew it was my birthday. Not that I’d told anyone. Which meant that I had no right to be disappointed. Still, I was…
Whitt hadn’t told me how he’d found out.
I was going to get it out of him one way or another.
I yanked the door open and found him in a sharp charcoal suit that had tailored lines and barely contained his height and bulk. I lived for him in a suit.
“Happy birthday,” he said as he held up a bouquet of peonies.
My favorite flower. Gah.
“You went all out.”
“I promised flowers.”
He grinned as he passed them to me. I brought them to my nose and drew in the floral scent.
“You delivered.” We strode into the kitchen, and I found one of Blaire’s many vases to put them in. “Shall we?”
But Whitt’s eyes were still set on me in my little black dress. “Trying to get my fill.”
I bit my lip. “Well, I wore something special for you, but you can’t see it until after dinner.”
His eyes blazed at that news. “Oh?”
“Yes, sir,” I teased.
He walked me into the kitchen counter. “What exactly is so special?” His hands fell to my bare thighs and began to work their way up under my dress.
I smacked his hand. “After dinner.”
“Oh, but now I’m interested.”
The man dropped to one knee in front of me. My mouth watered at the sight. How could I deny him anything when he supplicated before me as if I were a goddess?
His nose ran along my inner thigh. “Anyone else home?”
“No,” I gasped.
“Oh good.”
He found the edge of my black garter belt and groaned deep in the back of his throat. He rucked the dress up to my hips, revealing my black garter and thong set. His eyes were wide with desire.
“Well, well, well,” he drawled, “this is a surprise.”
“It was supposed to be. You’re ruining the surprise.”
He teased the line of the belt with his tongue, and I shivered all over. “It’s still a surprise.”
“Don’t…don’t we have a reservation?”
“We have somewhere to be, yes.”
His hand slid under the lace of my thong. He trailed a finger down the seam of my pussy, feeling the slick wetness for him. He looked up at me, grinning like a devil.
“Someone is ready for me.”
“So ready,” I panted.
His eyes were on fire when he asked, “Do you want to come on my hand or my dick?”
“Yes,” was the only correct answer.
He laughed, slipping two fingers inside of me and pressing the heel of his palm against my clit. I shuddered at the intense pressure. I was shameless enough to ride his hand, wanting the release that only he could provide. I might as well toss my vibrator for all the use it had been getting since I’d started seeing Whitt.
“Oh God,” I groaned.
His fingers curled inward, hitting a spot so perfectly that I cried out from shock. Every nerve in my body went into overdrive. Heightened awareness suddenly sharp as glass. And then I unleashed.
My body released like I’d been waiting for that orgasm all day. It had taken a matter of minutes with his dirty mouth and practiced fingers. I was the only one who could normally get me off that fast.
He pulled his fingers out of me with a devious look on his face. Then, he came to his feet, his dexterous fingers already unbuckling his suit pants. He hefted my ass onto the kitchen counter and thrust into me, riding out the last waves of my climax.
“Fuck,” I gasped.
“God, your pussy is so fucking tight and so fucking wet.”
He slammed into me, hard and fast. His cock lengthening, even as he fucked me. I reached back for anything to hold on to, grasping the upper cabinets and having a sudden fear that I’d rip them from their mounting. His grip was just as harsh on my hips as he rode me. The passion so strong that neither of us could have waited even a second longer. Let alone until the end of our evening.
“Close,” I said, unable to believe that he could milk another one out of me so quickly. And yet…
“Come for me,” he said.
Then, he gripped the back of my neck and wrenched me forward. Our lips collided and tongues clashed. There was no finesse in the embrace, just power and need. A drive to get us both there a second quicker than we would have otherwise.
My nails dug into his suit shirt. He growled into my mouth. Our movements picked up. And then there was nothing but euphoria. I hit my second release like an avalanche, picking up speed and force. It triggered his a second later, and I felt him hot and wet inside of me.
He leaned his forehead against mine. Our breaths mingled in the space as we both panted.
“Wow,” I breathed.
“Happy birthday,” he teased, pressing another kiss to my lips.
He slid out of me, and I dropped to my feet, dizzy with the aftereffects.
“Do you still want to go to dinner?”
He smiled. “Obviously.”
I didn’t know how I’d make it through without wanting to jump his bones again.
We both spent a few minutes cleaning ourselves up, and then he was opening the front door and escorting me to his car. Our fingers entwined between the seats as he drove us to the restaurant.
But when we pulled up to Flips—a local bar that served bar food and was known for hot dogs, of all things—I was side-eyeing the fuck out of him.
“Flips?”
“Yep.”
“Not La Sirena or West Table or Funky Door?”
He laughed. “If you had preferences, you should have said them.”
“But I thought you said we had a reservation,” I said, confused.
Flips did not need a reservation.
“I didn’t exactly say that,” he said as he parked out front.
Now, I was really giving him a look. He hadn’t said that, had he? He’d just said that we had somewhere to be. What the hell did that mean? I’d been too deep in the throes of passion to question it.
Whitt stepped out of the car and jogged around to the passenger side to open my door. He helped me out, all while my quizzical look remained.
“You told me to have fun. Could you do the same?” he asked with a shit-eating grin.
“I’m just saying gourmet hot dogs are not my idea of fun, sir.”
“Noted.”
He was smirking as he led me toward the bar in our fancy attire. I felt way overdressed for the occasion, but so was he. We’d at least make a spectacle together.
He tugged the door open for me, and I entered the darkened interior. My eyes tried to adjust to the absolute black inside. What in the hell was going on?
Then, the lights flickered on, and the entire place erupted with a cheered, “Happy birthday!”
I gasped, my hand going to my chest as I took in the scene before me. All of our friends in their best attire, shouting and jumping up and down, arms in the air and smiles on their faces. A balloon arch with Happy Birthday, Eve in the center. Streamers, confetti, and noisemakers were everywhere. A few people even had on little triangular birthday hats.
“Happy birthday,” Whitt said through the din.
I looked up at him, trying to suppress the tears coming to my eyes. “You did this?”
“With help from Nora, Blaire, and Piper,” he said. “Trust me, I am not the mastermind of decorations.”
“That would be me,” Nora said, drawing me in for a hug. She slung a white Birthday Girl sash over my head and placed a little plastic birthday tiara into my hair. “Happy birthday, gorgeous.”
Blaire and Piper were there next, hugging me and wishing me all the best. Piper gestured to the catering they’d had brought in for the event, including a two-tiered birthday cake with green flowers like a ribbon down its center. My name in emerald letters atop it.
“Y’all are amazing. I can’t…I can’t even believe this.”
My throat hurt, and I was choked up. I could barely get the words out. They’d all done this for me. The girl who’d never had friends. The girl who had always been talked about and shunned. The girl who had wanted nothing more than for others to see her as the soft, loving, friendly person I really was and not just the hardened outer core I’d developed to prevent myself from getting hurt over and over again. I wanted this with all my heart, and it meant everything that they’d all done this for me.
I threw my arms around Whitt and pressed a kiss to his lips. The crowd catcalled us. It was the most public display I’d ever given since we’d gotten together. And I could do nothing but thank him over and over again for everything.
“Better than dinner?” he teased.
“Much better. Forgive me for doubting you,” I said with a laugh as a drink was placed in my hand and music filled the space.
“Forgiven. It was all worth it to see that look on your face.”
I laughed, still buzzing from the fact that this had happened at all. “How did I get so lucky?”
“You belong here, Eve.”
The words I’d always wanted to hear. I’d thought he was too good to be true, but really, it had been all of this. And now, somehow, it was my reality.
I drew him in for a hug. “Thank you.”
He kissed the top of my head. “Of course. I like to see you happy.”
We were drawn into the party with all of our friends. Drinking, dancing, and laughing like I hadn’t laughed in years. I was on the dance floor, arms overhead, grinding with Blaire when I felt my phone buzz in my purse at my hip.
I extracted myself from the group to check my phone and saw that Bailey was videocalling me. I hadn’t heard from her all day. I’d been waiting for this call.
Whitt was at my side a second later. “Everything okay?”
“It’s Bailey. Going to take this.”
“Okay. Let’s get you somewhere quiet.”
He escorted me away from the loud music and to the corridor that led to the restrooms. At least here, I could hear myself think.
“Should I go?” Whitt asked, gesturing back to the party.
I shook my head. “Stay.” Then, I answered the phone and saw my sister’s pretty face on the screen. “Hey, Bails.”
“Ahhh, happy birthday!” Bailey cried. She went into a full rendition of the birthday song while I laughed at her ridiculousness.
