I push off the bookshelf and he steps aside to let me out of the office. “Sure thing, Coach.”
I weave through the benches and rows of lockers, around the last few lingering players, none of them Theodore. He left, probably to celebrate his win. We haven’t exchanged phone numbers yet, which is odd considering how much we enjoy fucking each other. I suppose we haven’t because part of the thrill of what we have is the hunt.
Maybe I’ll drive by his house on the way home. I’m sure the celebratory party will be there. I won’t go in, or let him know I’m close, but I’ll watch and learn and every time a new person shows up at his door he’ll wonder if that person will be me.
I push out of the stadium’s double doors to the parking lot and toward the truck which is one of only a dozen or so still left in the lot. My feet stutter and stall when I see a tall figure leaning against the truck’s hood like some kind of dark angel.
Theodore is wearing a black t-shirt and jeans and his wet hair frames his model-like face as he boldly stares back.
“You’re taking a huge risk standing out here like this,” I say while closing the space between us. I stop a conservative distance away despite my desire to press my body to his.
His brows pinch together, his gaze moving around my face as if he’s trying to memorize my features.
“Great game.”
He continues to study me.
“I wasn’t sure you could actually play, but turns out you’re pretty good.”
His gaze sharpens. What is his deal?
“Cat got your tongue?”
“No, Kitten.” He pushes off the truck and gets close enough to cup my jaw. He runs his warm, callused thumb down my lips. “But I’m about to get yours.”
He presses his lips against mine, licks my lower lip and dips his tongue between my teeth. My knees grow wobbly and I grip the front of his shirt to keep upright as he sucks my tongue into his mouth. The scent of his masculine body wash makes me want to lick his neck and see if he tastes as good as he smells. His thumb rubs softly against my cheek in a tender way I would’ve never thought he was capable of. Touch that isn’t an attempt to leave a mark, but rather one that delivers comfort and stokes a hunger beyond carnal pleasure.
From across the lot a car door slams and I rip my lips from his. He keeps his hand on my face and his minty breath mingles with mine. “We should go before someone sees us.”
He drops his hand and I reach up, touching the space on my cheek where his thumb drew gentle patterns, wondering somehow if he left a part of himself behind. “My place or yours?”
“Neither.” I circle around to the driver’s side, hit the key fob to unlock the doors and we climb in. “You’re probably hungry.”
“Starving.” He looks at me and licks his lower lip, clearly not talking about food.
“Later.” I fire up the engine. “First, we have a win to celebrate.”
Chapter Sixteen
Spider
“The Exorcist.” I try really fucking hard not to smile but it’s impossible. “Why am I not surprised?”
Emery throws the truck into park and rolls down the window to grab the drive-in speaker. “Probably because…” she bites her bottom lip while maneuvering the speaker into the window then rolls it back up to lock it in place. “You know me.”
I lift a brow. “Do I?”
Her expression is as blank and cold as always. “Yes. Better than…mostly everyone.”
I’m not sure how to respond to that, so instead I change the subject. “I’ve never been to a drive-in. I didn’t think they still existed.”
“This is the only one in Southern California.” She unbuckles her seat belt and pulls off her BSU hat.
“You want anything from the snack bar?”
“Nachos, popcorn, something sweet and a Sprite, please.”
A girl who isn’t afraid to eat. Emery Brawley just keeps getting better and better.
Ten minutes later I make it back to the truck with the kid who works at the snack bar in tow. I needed an extra hand to carry all Emery’s picks plus four hot dogs, bottles of water, and a soft pretzel.
“Did you leave anything behind,” she says as I lay out our movie buffet on the dashboard.
“Yeah, licorice and Junior Mints.”
Her responding smile catches me in the chest. I thought Emery had a beautiful smile when we first met, back when she put on fake charm to seduce me, but I was wrong. Those smiles were forced, stunted. I didn’t realize it then, but now, gazing upon her genuine smile, the one she gives when she’s forgotten she’s an angry little snake, it sucks the air from my lungs.
“What?” She eyes me cautiously. Her grin falls and breaks my trance. “What are you looking at me like that for?”
“I’ve never seen you smile like that.”
She frowns and turns forward to face the screen.
“Kitten, you don’t need to hide that shit from me. I’ve become intimately familiar with every inch of you, your smile should be no different.”
Her shoulders lose a little tension. “I don’t let my guard down around people.” She plucks popcorn into her mouth and chews. “It’s frustrating that when I’m around you, I can’t seem to keep it up.”
I pull her knuckles to my lips and bite down softly on the bone. “Good.”
We settle in and watch young Regan levitate, speak in tongues and vomit. Most girls would jump and squeal and dive into her man’s arms for protection. Not Emery. She’s been eating and laughing since the movie started. And hearing her laughter, seeing her genuinely entertained, is arguably better than having her dive into my arms. I’ve been watching her more than I’ve watched the movie.
Creepy music fills the air and the priest’s face fills the screen after one of his failed exorcism attempts. “Why’d
