If You Hate Me: Chapter 14

“You’re on fucking fire tonight, man!” Flip crashes into me.

We’re in the last ten minutes of play in the third period, and I’ve scored as many goals this game. It’s only an exhibition, but it’s against the team who took us out of the playoffs last year. I needed this.

“Beautiful goal, Stiles.” Dallas slaps me on the shoulder as we trade places. He glides out onto the ice, and I take a spot on the bench next to Ashish, who gives me a fist bump.

“You’re owning the ice tonight,” Coach tells me.

More of my teammates pat me on the back as I take a drink and catch my breath. I can’t stop smiling. I scan the arena and spot my brother and dad. Bea is in the box with Hemi and the girls.

Flip pats me on the back. “I said you’d kill it tonight, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did. That was a great setup.” Flip isn’t playing his best tonight. He’s usually cleaner on the ice, but he was out late last night. Regardless, he recovered a fumbled pass, and I scored the goal.

“We’re a kickass team, but you really pulled it out.” He taps his temple. “You gotta stay out of your head.”

“I know. I’m my own worst enemy sometimes.”

He pats me on the back like he understands, but Flip usually lets things roll right off him. If he has a bad game, he says he’ll do better next time. If he has a great game, he’ll give his teammates credit. If I have a bad game, I worry the next one will be worse, that I don’t deserve my spot on this team. It’s a shit mindset to get into, so I need to roll with this high.

After a few minutes, we rotate back onto the ice. The opposition scrambles for a goal to close our lead, but they can’t get the puck to stay past the center line, so we win the game, four-two.

I stop to chat with my dad and brother before I hit the locker room.

“Beautiful game tonight, son.” Dad claps me on the shoulder.

“Thanks. We played tight, and I had good setups.”

“You kicked ass!” Brody gives me a fist bump. “My friends are blowing up my phone. Can we snap a pic?”

“For sure.” I throw my arm over my brother’s shoulders and smile as he snaps a bunch of selfies. “Things are good? We can get on the ice together next week?”

“I don’t want to ruin your flow,” Brody says.

“You never ruin my flow.” I squeeze his shoulder. “We’ll make it happen. I’ll check your schedule and mine and toss out a couple of dates.”

“Okay. Sounds good.” Brody’s all smiles.

“Everything going okay? Is Beatrix still staying with you?” Dad asks.

“Uh, yeah. She is for a while longer.” I rub the back of my neck. “Her last apartment wasn’t great, so we want to make sure she’s in a safer neighborhood this time.”

“It’s good you’re letting her stay with you. Her family didn’t have it easy growing up.”

“No, they didn’t. But she’s got a good job now.”

“And Flip helps her out, I’m sure.”

“When she lets him, yeah. She’s pretty independent and does most of the caretaking, actually.”

“You two have that in common, then.” He fishes around in his pocket for his keys. “All right, Brody. You’ve got school in the morning. Let’s get you home.” Dad smiles at me. “Nice game tonight. I’m real proud of you.”

“Thanks, Dad. I’ll call you later in the week.”

“Sounds good.” He ushers Brody down the hall.

The locker room is buzzing with the high of handing our biggest rivals their ass. When Flip sees me, he whistles and claps.

“Fuck off, man.” I flip him the bird, but I’m smiling. I needed this win and these points. I needed my team to see that I can play my ass off, even when it’s just an exhibition game, that I can score goals against the team who slapped our balls at the end of last season. I like Hollis, but I don’t want to give up my spot on first line for him. I want to be on the same line as Flip during the first game of the season, and I hope my game play tonight will help secure that.

“You’re coming out tonight.” Flip points an accusing finger at me. “We are celebrating the fuck out of this win.”

“Yeah, I’m coming out,” I agree.

“That wasn’t a question. You have zero excuses for getting out of shots tonight.” His smile is wide and infectious. “You play this hard during the season and teams will fight over you come contract time.”

“That’s the hope.” I want Toronto to renew. I want to keep playing for my home team and with my best friend. I want things to stay the same.

“And when we’ve slept off the hangover, you and I will run some drills with the guys tomorrow afternoon. We need some bro time. Get your gear off and get in the shower. You’re buying the first round.”

I ride the high all the way to the bar. I have a text from Nate congratulating me on the win. I promise I’ll call him tomorrow so we can catch up.

The second we step through the doors, we’re swarmed. Fucking Flip posting shit on social media. I fight my way through a throng of excited bunnies, a few of whom I recognize. There are always locals who show up when they find out where we’re going. I do my best to avoid them and head for the bar. We don’t have practice until later tomorrow, so I plan to have a good time tonight.

I glance over my shoulder, making sure none of my teammates are around, and that Flip is occupied before I check my messages. Bea is saved in my contacts as #1. With us traveling soon, I needed to be able to contact her in ways that don’t include me throwing shit into the loft at two in the morning.

According to her most recent message, she’s waiting to order a drink. I scan the bodies and spot her ten feet down the bar. At the game, she was wearing jeans and a team hoodie. Her hair was down and wavy. Now it’s pulled up in a ponytail, and she’s wearing a cropped tank. Some dude is trying to chat her up, but she ignores him. I want to knock his teeth out for even looking at her. But I can’t do that unless I want Flip to figure out what’s going on. Her chin is propped on her fist, and her gaze is fixed on the bartender, who happens to be female. And someone I know. Not because I’ve slept with her, though. I know better than to screw the people who serve us drinks. I can’t say the same for Flip.

I’m stopped for a couple of selfies as I try to edge my way closer to Bea. The guy beside her leans in, trying to strike up conversation, but Bea gives him a tight-lipped smile and a one-word answer. I need this jerkoff to get a clue and leave my girl the fuck alone.

I put myself between them and address the guy. “She’s not interested in you, so back the fuck off.” I don’t know what my expression must be, but he abandons the bar and disappears into the crowd without a word.

I turn to Bea. Her delicious mouth is tipped up in a knowing half grin. I barely resist the urge to lean in and drag my lips up her throat. She looks amazing, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed. I want to put my hands on her, pull her onto the dance floor, and let everyone know she’s mine. But I can’t, because if Flip finds out, he’ll murder me. Not for the first time I wonder, briefly, how bad it would be if he knew. Then I think about that Stacey woman. Yeah. Probably really bad.

Bea pokes at her lip with her tongue, eyes roving over me. “Fuck, you look good in a suit.”

“You always look good, but my favorite is you under me, about to come all over my fingers or my tongue.”

She throws her head back and laughs, giving me a saucy look. “Nice work on the ice tonight. Watching you dominate made my panties unreasonably damp.”

I lean in again. “You should take them off and bring them to me so I can verify that.”

“Or you could stick your hand down my pants and find out.” She grins deviously.

“That sounds like a dare.”

Her eyes dart over my shoulder, and she steps back. “Flip and teammates incoming.”

Flip edges his way between us and throws an arm over both of our shoulders. “Try not to rip each other’s heads off tonight, eh?”

It’s not her head I want to rip off. It’s her clothes. That guy who was flirting with her, though? I wouldn’t mind separating his head from his body.

Flip waves to the bartender, and Dallas edges in beside me. “Pretty sure Hemi brought her entourage to babysit Flip’s ass tonight. Shilpa and Ashish even came out.”

“Where is she?” I glance over my shoulder. Hemi sometimes comes out with the team under the guise of celebrating. She rarely has more than one drink, if any. Her primary goal is to ensure we don’t make the team look bad.

“Seven o’clock. She’s wearing a team shirt tied at the waist, black jeans, and fuck-me heels,” Dallas grumbles.

The fuck-me heels comment has me doing a double take when I spot her. She’s wearing ice blue stilettos with the team logo. “She still making your life miserable?” I ask as Bea makes her way back to Hemi and Hammer.

“Every damn chance she gets.”

The bartender approaches and gives Flip a tight smile before she turns her attention to me and Dallas. “Nice game tonight. What can I get you boys?”

“A round of shots on this guy!” Flip slaps me on the back.

I roll my eyes. “Dude. When have shots ever been a good idea?”

“They’re always a good idea.”

The bartender quirks her brow.

“Go on. Line ’em up,” I tell her.

We down the shots, and of course, because it’s on my dime, Flip orders a dozen more and calls the rest of the guys over. We toast the win, and Flip orders one more round, but he pays for these, which is rare for him. Hemi, Shilpa, Hammer, and Bea get called over to join us. Hemi and Shilpa give us judgy looks as we pass them out. I bite my tongue when Hemi passes her shot to Bea. Two beers and Bea’s tipsy, so adding shots probably isn’t the best idea.

She and Hammer have their heads together. I don’t like Bea’s smile. It’s the one she wears when she’s planning something devious, like pouring a water bottle down her chest while she’s wearing a white sports bra. I considered gouging Dallas’s eyes out for a second that day.

Flip makes another toast to the team, and I shoot my tequila and chase it with beer. Ashish sniffs his before knocking it back.

“The only time I like tequila is when it’s in a margarita,” he notes. He chases the shot with water.

Shilpa gives him an arched brow as she dumps her shot into a lowball glass with juice.

“I don’t know why I didn’t do that,” Ashish mutters.

Hammer and Bea rub their lemons on their collarbones, then sprinkle each other with salt.

“That would have been an even better idea.” Ashish glances at Shilpa, who’s watching the girls with a knowing smile from behind the rim of her glass.

“Those two are a problem waiting to happen,” Dallas notes.

I grunt and take another swig of beer.

They lick each other’s collarbones, shoot their tequila, and finish with the lemon. That’s my neck Hammer is licking, my girl she’s getting up close and personal with. Pretty sure the entire bar, except for Flip, just watched that happen. He’s busy flirting with a bunny. I’m busy fighting with my body to stay where I am and not stake my claim. Especially when I spot a couple of guys eye-fucking her from across the bar.

“I need a drink,” Hollis mutters and walks away.

Roman sighs and drains the rest of his beer. “Pretty sure this is payback for last week.”

“What happened last week?” My gaze returns to Bea, who’s now doing Hemi’s shot. This time she salts the webbing between her thumb and pointer finger and her eyes swing my way as she drags her tongue over her skin.

Roman snaps his fingers.

“Huh?”

“You two are about as obvious as a flashing neon sign.”

I yank my gaze away from Bea. “I’m nowhere near her.”

“You’re looking at her like you want to eat her.”

Or spank her ass while taking her from behind. She’s pushing my buttons on purpose. “Flip’s busy flirting with the bunnies.”

“Just because he hasn’t noticed doesn’t mean other people won’t. Clearly, whatever was going on still is.”

“It’s not a thing.” I drain the rest of my beer. I need him to drop it, and I need to be less fucking conspicuous. But having to stay away from her? I don’t like it. At all.

“Saying it doesn’t make it true.”

“What’s Hammer getting you back for?”

“She saw my business end by accident. It’s the second time it’s happened, and she wants to move into her own apartment. I can’t say I blame her. And changing the subject won’t make this shit go away, Tristan. The longer you go behind his back, the harder it’ll be to come clean.”

“It’s supposed to end when she moves out.” I don’t like the tightness in my chest that comes with that admission.

“Which is when?” Roman asks.

I rub my bottom lip. “When she finds a place, I guess. We’re closing in on the end of September, so there’s a good chance she’ll be living with us through October.”

Roman gives me a look. “Do you hear yourself, man?”

I realize I’m back to staring at Bea, who’s now dancing with Hammer and Hemi. I force my gaze away again. “She probably won’t find a place next week.”

“Look, man, I get that you can’t help the way you feel⁠—”

“I don’t feel anything. We’re just fucking.” That sounds and feels like a big, shitty lie. Sure, I like being inside Bea. But I also like being around Bea. I hate when she’s upset, but I like buying her treats, even if I have to drive an hour to get them. I love watching her eat cake. And feeding it to her. She takes tiny bites and saves the icing for last. She makes little happy noises.

“So you’d be fine if it ended next week?” Roman presses.

“She doesn’t have an apartment yet.” My shoulders are tight.

“She’s been talking about apartments with Hemi and Peggy.”

My head snaps toward him. “What? How do you know that?”

“Because my daughter lives with me and hangs out with Hemi and Rix. And she talks to me.”

I run a hand through my hair. “Just because she’s talking about it doesn’t mean she’s found a place. I’d know if she had.” She would tell me. She wouldn’t just leave.

“Right, because aside from the just fucking, you talk about your living situation.”

I try to sip my beer, but it’s still empty.

He nods toward Hammer and Bea. “And in the same vein of just fucking, you’re totally okay that some dude bros are planning to make a move on Rix and my daughter?”

The two guys who were eyeing Hammer and Bea when they were doing body shots have moved in. Bea has her back to them, but Hammer keeps looking their way. I take a step toward them, but Roman grabs my arm. “You’re just fucking, huh?”

My throat tightens, and my chest does this weird thing that makes me want to rub it. “Flip will kill me if he finds out.” And he has every right to bury me in a shallow grave. I’m doing very dirty things to his baby sister. And she fucking loves it.

“The longer you hide it, the harder it’ll get,” Roman repeats. “You’re inviting all kinds of drama if you keep doing this behind Flip’s back. If he finds out, will you fight for what you want?”

I stare at him. “I’m not supposed to like her.”

But I do. And if I’m totally honest with myself, I probably always have. Sure, she was kind of annoying as a kid, but when she started high school, things changed. Though I wasn’t lying when I said I was too angry and destructive.

“But you do. You should tell him before he figures it out. It’ll still be hard, but at least you can tell him on your terms.” He claps me on the shoulder. “I’m going to cockblock those dude bros so your head doesn’t explode and I don’t punch out a kid ten years younger than me.”

He heads for the girls, and I go back to the bar.

I need to figure a way out of this pact. Maybe we can make an amendment. Maybe the sex doesn’t have to end. We could still see each other after she moves out. It might even be easier because she’ll have her own place and I could go there. If that happened, we could keep it from Flip a little longer—until we got each other out of our systems. Or she got tired of my shit. The latter seems more likely.

I end up beside Hollis at the bar. He downs a scotch, and the bartender pours him another. He motions to me. “I’ll get his too, unless it’s more shots. Then he can get mine.”

“Just a beer.” I specify the brand, and the bartender grabs me a bottle. I thank her and wait until Hollis has his scotch before I clink my bottle against his glass. “Thanks for the drink.”

“You kicked ass tonight on the ice,” he says.

“So did you.” He managed an assist.

He makes a sound. “Thanks. I spent a lot of time in physical therapy so I could be an asset to the team this year and not a liability.”

“It’s healed up good, though, yeah?” He’s playing tight so far.

“Yeah. But with injuries like this, it’ll never be quite the same. It’s one day at a time. I’m good for now, though.” He sips his scotch. “I know my being back screws with the starting lineup. Just remember you’re younger, in better condition, and you’re not contending with any long-term injuries.” He tosses back his scotch. “I’m gonna head out. Have a good night.”

“You too, man.”

He glances over at the girls, maybe making sure they’re safe before he disappears into the crowd. Bea’s not hard to find. Because she’s dancing on a table with Hammer. For someone who usually follows orders and routine, and mostly has her shit together, Bea sure is a wildcard when she’s had a few drinks.

I search for Flip and spot him dancing with two women. All three of them are making out. It’s one of those nights. I push through the crowd to the table where the girls are dancing. Bea and Hammer have quite the audience. It doesn’t hurt that they’re both hot and rubbing their boobs on each other.

Hemi is watching them with a mixture of amusement and longing. Roman stands beside her with his arms crossed. Shilpa and Ashish are off to the side, completely absorbed in each other. Which isn’t unusual. I approach the table. Bea rolls her eyes, gives me her back, and shakes her ass at me. Hemi glances my way and mirrors my facial expression.

“FYI, Flip’s on the dance floor making out with two women, and there’s a high probability someone is recording it for the world to see.”

“Why didn’t you stop him?”

“That’s not my job.” Flip is a grown-up responsible for his own actions. And I don’t want to get dragged into a situation that will be tough to get out of.

“Fuck you. You’re an asshole.”

I give her a tight-lipped smile. “I know.”

Hemi heads in Flip’s direction and I tap Bea on the shin and hold out a hand. “You should think about coming down before you fall and break your leg.”

“Or you could come up.”

“I’ll break the table.” I glance around the bar. Roman is holding out a hand to Hammer. Flip is busy dealing with Hemi. I wrap my hands around Bea’s thighs, just below her ass, and tug her forward. She stumbles a step, and I pull her down from the table. Her chest ends up mashed against my face for a second, and then she slides down the front of my body.

“What’re you doing? I was having fun!”

I set her on her feet, aware that I need to let her go before the wrong person—namely Flip—sees us all up close and personal, but she grips my tie and wraps it around her fist. Her eyes are hazy and unfocused. “Isn’t this the tie you used when I was ripping out your hair?” She tips her head back, and her eyes light up. “The night you got your entire hand in my cock holder. It totally is. Did you wear it on purpose?” Her tongue glides across her bottom lip.

“It’s my favorite tie.” Also, yes. It’s my new lucky tie. And that night will forever go down as a spank-bank favorite.

Her smile widens. “Buy me another drink, and I’ll let you do it again. You can tie me to your bed and fist fuck my pussy.”

I’m about to tell her she doesn’t need another drink, and that I’ll fuck her any way she wants, when someone cough-chokes beside us.

“Come on, Peggy. We should go home.”

Fuck. Roman definitely heard that.

“Can you not call me Peggy in public, please? We’ve been over this before. I’m not eighty-five. Either call me Hammer like everyone else or use my middle name.”

I glance to my right as Hammer shoulders her way between us and hugs Bea. “Might want to use your inside voice when you’re asking to get fist fucked. We’ll talk tomorrow.” As she releases her, Bea weaves slightly and gives me a cringey face, like she didn’t realize we were in a bar full of people. I can’t be mad because I forgot we were in public for a minute there, too.

“Okay. Well.” Hammer glances at my hands. “Yeah. No. Maybe use a lot of lube.”

I say nothing.

Roman’s face is a shocking shade of red.

Bea looks drunker by the second. Those shots are finally hitting her, I guess.

“This never happened.” Hammer makes a lips-zipped-and-throw-away-the-key motion. “Okay, Dad, let’s go before your blood pressure hits lethal levels.”

He shoots me a glare and allows Hammer to guide him toward the exit. I glance around to make sure no one else is paying attention. Dallas and Spencer, a second-line right-wing rookie, are talking to a couple of women. His gaze meets mine for a second, but he turns back to the woman with her hand on his arm.

“Sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” Bea whispers.

“Don’t worry. Roman won’t say anything. We should probably get you home, though.” I can’t keep my hands to myself any better than she can. I don’t know if it’s the shots or the beers, but I don’t want to, either. Which is reckless—and stupid.

“I’ll call an Uber.” She pulls her phone out from between her breasts.

“I’ll go back with you.” I’m not sending her home alone.

“Is that a good idea?” she asks.

Hemi appears at my side. “Where’s Hammer?”

“Roman took her home,” I say.

“I’m calling an Uber,” Bea announces.

“I can drive you,” Hemi says.

Bea pushes her lips out into a pout. “But we’ve been drinking.”

“You’ve been drinking,” Hemi says. “I’ve had a glass of soda water.”

“Shouldn’t you stay so you can monitor Flip?” I motion to the dance floor. I want to take Bea home and find out if she meant what she said about tying her to my bed.

Hemi gives me a tight smile. “That gets to be your job for the rest of the night.”

“But I’m taking Bea home. I want to make sure she gets in okay.”

Hemi looks between us. “Maybe be a good influence for your best friend tonight. I’ll make sure Rix gets into the condo.”

Arguing will make things worse, so I let Bea and Hemi leave. Bea glances over her shoulder once on the way to the exit. She looks worried. I abandon my beer, because I don’t want to make decisions that will fuck shit up for me. More than it already is.

Turns out Flip is a hot mess. Usually he has one beer and switches to water, so all those shots have hit him hard. I’m used to dealing with sober Flip and his entourage of women, but now he’s so drunk he’s barely making sense, and the women he’s been buying drinks for aren’t in much better shape. I remind him that he’s been buying them drinks all night, and he can’t take them home. They’re too out of it to be able to consent to anything but a glass of water and some painkillers for the inevitable headache.

I haven’t missed my wingman role the past few weeks—entertaining women in my house, performing, doing what’s expected of me instead of what I want. And she’s already on her way home with Hemi. I call the women an Uber, and Flip and I get into one of our own. He doesn’t seem to realize they’re not coming to our place.

I get texts from both Hemi and Bea to let me know she made it home to her bed. And that’s good because Flip insists we stop for pizza. If I feed him, maybe I won’t have to carry him down the hall. We sit on the bench outside our building while we demolish most of the pizza, but I convince him to leave two slices for Bea.

“Shit. I left my sister at the bar,” he slurs as we pass the doorman.

“Hemi took her home.” I take his elbow to keep him from walking into a window.

“Oh. That’s good. Hemi’s good people even though she rides my ass a lot.” He stumbles into the elevator. “I can’t believe I left my sister at the bar.”

“She can take care of herself.”

“I fed her a lot of shots. I’m not the best brother.” He leans against the wall. “What happened to those girls I was dancing with?”

“They went home.”

“You could’ve taken care of them for me.”

“Then who would make sure your drunk ass got fed?”

“You’re a good friend, Tris. The best. Thanks for making sure I didn’t do something to totally fuck up my career tonight.”

I don’t feel like a good friend, especially since my plan had been to leave him at the bar so I could take his sister home and get her into my bed. And I would have if Hemi hadn’t intervened. I swallow the guilt and pat him on the shoulder. “No problem.”

I don’t know what it means that I’d rather continue lying to him than stop this thing with Bea—other than Roman is probably more right than I want him to be.

The elevator doors open, and Flip weaves down the hall.

He’s still too hammered to function, so I let us into the condo. He almost face plants into the floor. “Rix, we brought you pizza!” he shouts.

“I’ll eat it for breakfast,” she mumbles. “Do I need to wear headphones tonight?”

“No,” I call back.

“Why would she need to wear headphones?” Flip asks as he weaves toward the bathroom.

“To drown out the sound of your one-night stands.”

“Ha. Good one.” He disappears into the bathroom.

I pull out my phone and message Bea.

#1

Me too.

TRISTAN

I’ll clean it up and make sure you don’t sit/step in pee. Did you eat something before you went to bed?

#1

A cucumber

And I’m instantly hard.

TRISTAN

(⊙.⊙(☉̃ₒ☉)⊙.⊙)

#1

JK. We stopped for ramen. Carbs for the win.

Flip stumbles out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. I clean off the toilet seat, then follow to make sure he sleeps on his side, and I put a puke bowl beside his bed, just in case. He passes out cold when his head hits the pillow. Bea is sitting at the kitchen island with her cheek resting on her crossed arms when I come out of the bathroom. I incline my head to my bedroom, and she slips off the stool and pads quickly after me, checking over her shoulder twice on the way.

“I’m so sorry about tonight. I wasn’t thinking. Hammer won’t say anything, though. I trust her.”

“Neither will Roman.”

“How can you be sure?” She bites her fingernail.

“He’s known for a while. I mean, not the part about me tying you to my bed or the—” I make a fist and shake my head. “I still can’t believe I did that.” Not up to the wrist or anything, but Bea is small compared to me, and my hands are definitely not.

“I meant it when I said you could do it again,” she whispers. Then her eyes widen. “What do you mean he’s known for a while?”

“He, uh… He figured it out somehow. Said he could tell by the way I was looking at you or whatever.” My gaze roves over her. She’s wearing the tiny sleep shorts and a tank. I can see her nipples through it. “But he’s kept his mouth shut so far, so we’re safe.” I take her face in my hands and cover her mouth with mine. “And tonight I just want to make you feel good, if that’s okay with you.”

“Totally okay. Better to save the other stuff for when Flip’s not home since it’s hard to stay quiet when your fingers aren’t in my mouth.”

I peel her out of her clothes, and she struggles to get me out of mine. She clambers up onto my bed and kneels in the middle. Her fingers go to her lips, and she bites one, her eyes guileless. “How do you want me tonight?”

“So many fucking ways, Bea.” I climb up after her, tucking a finger under her chin and tipping it up. “Are you gonna be my good girl and stay nice and quiet?”

She whimpers and nods.

“Lie on your stomach, legs together.” I release her, and she scrambles into position, stretching out on the bed.

I run my hands down her back and squeeze her ass. Then I slip my hand between her thighs and push two fingers inside her. She buries her face in a pillow to muffle her soft moan. I lean in to bite her ear. “Shh, little Bea. I can’t make you come if you don’t stay quiet.”

She nods once, and I curl my fingers. She fists the sheets and turns her face into the mattress. I’m jittery, like I’m not sure what to do with myself. I’m too amped up from this night, frustrated that I had to wait this long to touch her. And terrified that Flip will find out and it will have to end.

I roll a condom on and lie on top of her, bracketing her legs with mine. I push in, all that tight warmth surrounding me. Her eyes roll up, and she bites her lip.

I kiss her cheek. “The next time we’re alone, I want to make you scream until you lose your voice.”

She shudders under me and whimpers.

“Shh, you want to come, don’t you?”

She nods and whispers, “So badly.”

I thrust my hips, and she pushes her ass up, her breath leaving her on a whoosh.

She grabs my wrist on the next hip thrust and brings my fingers to her lips, sucking three into her mouth. She bites down on the next deep push. She makes another small sound, a quiet whimper, and strokes along her throat.

“You want my other hand?”

Another affirmative whimper.

I curl my palm around the back of her neck. She sucks my fingers, and her whole body convulses as she comes, pussy squeezing like a fist. “Look at you, coming already, my sweet, filthy girl. I’m not even close to done yet, though, so you’ll have to be quiet a little longer, okay?”

She nods.

She comes twice more before I do, each time harder than the last. I don’t want to send her back up to the loft after. I want to tuck her body against mine and hold her, wake up with her next to me. But she’s exhausted, and we can’t take that kind of risk. So she steals out of my room at two in the morning and goes to the loft.

Despite being tired, I can’t fall asleep right away.

#1

About cucumber salad?

TRISTAN

Among other things

#1

Such as…

TRISTAN

We should rent a hotel room so you don’t have to disappear up to the loft.

#1

You want to spoon with me?

TRISTAN

No. I want to spork you.

#1

Ur romantic side is really shining through

TRISTAN

And you wouldn’t have to be quiet either

You could moan my name as loud as you want

#1

I’m turning off my alerts

TRISTAN

It’s a good idea. U can’t deny it

#1

Night, Trissy

TRISTAN

I can smell your shampoo on my pillow

#1

You’re four texts too late for being sweet/stalkery

TRISTAN

And your pussy on my fingers

#1

Ah, there you are. Seriously, g’night. Some of us have to be up early

TRISTAN

Night. I’d be sorry that tomorrow is going to suck for you, but you were the only person I wanted to celebrate with tonight.

She has to get up in four hours. She needs sleep.

Hopefully Bea can read between the lines.