Page 46 of Off Limits
The other girls say nothing. They know their role here is not to make conversation. I make my way around the table and take my seat. Brody Conway’s arm snakes around my waist. With his other hand, he pushes my hair back and places a single kiss at the nape of my neck.
The hand that was around my waist slides back out then slips between my legs, at the apex of my thighs. His little finger teases the lace material of my panties, and I tense.
Kale makes eyes at me. I already know he’s lowkey angry with me. To appease him, I lean into Brody Conway’s body, drape my arms about his shoulders and give him a sweet smile.
I haven’t let myself think about it, but when the men settle back into their poker game, my mind wanders back to my kiss with Jake. Little pleasure bolts go through me. I feel guilty for running, for leaving abruptly in the way that I did.
In my dreams, I get to date Jake Walsh. I get to have him. I get to kiss him again.
But my reality is something very different.
I can’t give in to what he craves. But lord knows, I want to.
Chapter Twelve
Jake
‘Push it, Walsh, come on. Punch it, let’s go.’
Saturday, at the training center, after practice without pads, we’re supposed to be doing gentle workouts on arms, chest, back and shoulders ahead of Monday night’s opener. Lying on my back with my knees bent, my biceps tremble as I lift the barbell bar. Ordinarily, three fifty pounds would not be an issue for me, but today I’m fighting it.
Maybe it’s lack of sleep. Who the hell could sleep after a kiss like that?
Fuck.
Rodrigo, one of the Mutineers’ training staff, supports me at the last second, helping me lift the bar onto the stand either side of my head. I pull myself up.
‘I need a minute.’ I wince, exhaling, out of breath.
‘S’up with you today?’
I massage my right shoulder. ‘Not feelin’ it.’
‘Sore?’
‘Naw. Just. Can’t focus.’
‘Take a moment.’
I get to my feet, sling my towel round my neck. Sweat drips from my chin. All around me in the gym, my teammates are concentrating on their final preparations before tomorrow’s rest day. Because the season is about to start proper, and their sole focus is on that. The game. The win.
That’s where my focus should be. But it’s not. I’m focused on Serenity Harper. Anything else in my brain gets pushed out by her. Her smell. The taste of her. The way she moaned against my mouth when I kissed her.
I know I should say it was just a kiss. That I need to conquer this. But that kiss rocked my world. That kiss was sent from heaven. I’ve never had a kiss that blew my mind before. That I was so into. That left me wanting so much more.
She says she doesn’t want me. Or that she can’t have me. Or that I can’t have her. But if that’s true, how come she kissed me back like that?
I can’t not have her. I can’t just leave it. I need to see her again.
Yet, like Cinderella, she went racing out into the night. And it took every fiber in my body to let her go.
I can’t let her go again.
‘Walsh!’
My eyes snap up. Coach Holland is glaring at me. ‘Fuck you doing just standing there?’
‘Just need a minute, Coach.’
