Page 81 of Rookie Moves

When he releases me, I rest my head on my fist and run my finger around the shape of his mouth.

“I see you brought your guitar,” Colby says, his voice still thick and raspy with arousal.

“Mhm,” I hum. “Thought I’d play for you, if you still want to hear it.”

“Of course I do.”

“I haven’t played for someone in a long time. I normally just play in my room as a way to decompress after a game or study session.”

Colby kisses me again, nipping my bottom lip before murmuring, “Pretend I’m not here.”

I huff out a laugh. “Like that’s possible.”

He grins against my mouth and gives my ass a pinch. “Serenade me, Beckmann.”

I kiss him once more, then sit up and reach for my guitar. I take it from the case and sit back against the headboard. Colby shifts until he’s leaning back against the wall, his legs stretched out in front of him.

“What do you want to hear?” I ask, strumming some random chords to check it’s in tune.

“Can you play me the first song you ever learned in full?”

I arch a brow, one corner of my mouth hitching in a smile. “You want me to sing too?”

“If you want to. I’d love to hear you, but I’m not going to make you do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

A full smile breaks out on my face. The words “I’d do anything for you, Colbs” are on the tip of my tongue, but I don’t let them free. Instead, I reach around to pick up one of the bottles of water and take a sip to dampen my throat. Once I put the water down, I inhale a steady breath and begin to play the opening chords of the acoustic version of “Broken” by Seether.

I don’t look at Colby as I start to sing the words I’ve had memorized since I was nine years old. It wasn’t a song that had any meaning as a kid, just a song that I heard Piper’s mom playing and really loved the melody, but as I sing it now, it resonates.

The need to relieve Colby of his fears, to the way I’m able to be vulnerable with him about how unhappy I am with the decisions made for me. How I want to make Colby happy and how happy he makes me by simply hearing the sound of his laughter.

How I’ll be incomplete without him.

My voice becomes more raspy as emotion clogs my throat, face heating as purpose grows in the words.

With the knowledge that leaving him behind when I go back to Arizona is going to break me.

When I play the final note, I let it hang in the air for a moment before risking a glance over at Colby. The expression on his face has the breath knocked out from my lungs.

His hazel eyes are glassy with unshed tears, cheeks tinted a light pink as he swallows roughly. His voice cracks on a single syllable as he whispers, “Ty…”

I place my guitar on the floor, and as soon as I sit upright again, Colby pounces. We crash together in a hard kiss, our tongues dancing as we lock our arms around each other.

There’s a sense of desperation in the kiss that is unfamiliar but not unwanted, like we’re trying to anchor ourselves to one another, knowing the rough tide is going to try and separate us.

I pull Colby on top of me as I lie back against the pillows. He rolls his hips, grinding his thickening cock against mine. My hands travel over the expanse of his back until I reach the hem of his t-shirt. His skin is warm and soft as I smooth my palms up his spine, taking the T-shirt with me.

We separate for long enough to discard his T-shirt, and then he’s capturing my mouth again in another bruising kiss.

“I need you, Colbs,” I plead against his lips.

He grazes his teeth over my lower lip before rising to his knees, and I’m unable to move as I drink in the sight of him. His blond waves are a mess from my hands, lips swollen from our kisses. His chest rises and falls in quick bursts as he catches his breath, but it’s his eyes that have me reaching down to squeeze my erection.

The unshed tears have disappeared, and now they burn with a hungry desire as he scans my body.

Fuck, how am I going to live without him?

Throwing my legs over the edge of the bed, I strip out of my clothes with shaky fingers. He makes quick work of his own, then he kneels there, watching me with a heated expression as he strokes his cock.