AllFreeNovel
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As expected, we end up at the hotel lobby bar—the location is intentional, even if it means the place is packed with people. Tally can’t join us at a regular bar or nightclub, and we don’t want her to be left out of the festivities. Here she has the entire team and us to watch out for her.
“Nineteen feels really far away.” She sips her mocktail.
“Eighteen is around the corner.” Hemi gives her shoulder an affectionate squeeze.
“A kid in my school can get fake IDs,” she says wistfully.
“The headline on that one wouldn’t be the best,” Hemi replies.
“Or the paperwork for me,” Shilpa adds.
“Yeah. I know. A girl can dream, though.” She sighs.
The team shows up soon after, and with them, a ridiculous number of thirsty bunnies.
Tristan makes a beeline for our table, his gaze electric in a way I feel between my legs. He’s wearing a charcoal gray suit with a team tie. He looks entirely too fuckable for his own good. This is the third in a stretch of four away games. While regular video calls and mutual self-gratification sessions help ease the sting of separation, flying out here has helped quell the ache of his absence.
I don’t have a chance to exit the booth before he reaches me. He cups my cheek for a moment, thumb skimming my chin as he adjusts his palm and it comes to rest against my throat. He leans in and brushes his nose against mine. “I’m going to do filthy things to you later.”
“I missed you, too.”
“This outfit is drawing way too much attention,” he grinds out.
I grin. “That was the plan.”
“Figured as much. I’m guessing you won’t let me take you up to the room now.”
My smile widens. “It’s like you know me.”
“Game fucking on, Bea.” He slants his mouth over mine and gives me a panty-melting kiss.
“Geez, get a room,” Hemi mutters.
“That’s borderline obscene,” Hammer observes.
“No one’s ever kissed me like that,” Tally whispers.
“I am learning all the things,” Shilpa declares.
“Who wants to place bets that their next-door neighbors will be calling in a noise complaint tonight?” Essie says.
“Better yet, they call the police because they think someone is being murdered,” Hemi adds.
“Oh, yeah, that’s totally possible. I’ve heard them from the hallway before,” Hammer says.
Tristan tears his mouth from mine and smirks. “Bea can be vocal.”
“This is true,” Hammer agrees.
“You sure you don’t want to come upstairs now? I’ll go easier on you later if you let me take the edge off now,” Tristan whispers.
“I’ll take my chances,” I murmur.
“You get the flowers I left for you?” he asks.
I nod. “And the veggie basket and cake.”
“Good. I’ll be back for you later.” He releases me and nods at the girls. “Ladies.”
They all say hello, and then he heads to the bar.
“Every interaction is like extended foreplay for you two, isn’t it?” Hammer observes.
I sip my drink and ogle him from across the room. “We haven’t seen each other in almost a week.”
“You’re kind of couple goals. I want to find someone who wants me with the same intensity as he wants you,” Essie says.
“He’s definitely good for my ego,” I reply.
Flip stops by our table. “What’s up with the outfit?”
The girls snicker.
“Just trying to blend in.”
He gives me a confused look. “Pretty sure it’s having the opposite effect.” He scans the table. “Anyone need anything?” His gaze lands on Tally’s empty glass. “Tals, you want another Coke?”
Her eyes flare, and she ducks her head as her cheeks flush. “I’m okay. Thanks, though.”
“All right. You girls stay out of trouble.” He heads for a table full of players, including a couple of rookies.
“Seems like he’s mostly over what happened the other week, eh?” Hammer muses.
“What happened the other week?” Hemi asks.
Hammer’s eyes go wide. “Shit, sorry.”
I wave off her apology. “It’s fine. I stayed over at Tristan’s, and we thought Flip wasn’t coming home. He walked in when things were happening. On the kitchen counter.”
“Cucumber-salad things?” Tally asks on a whisper.
“Seriously. Hell is going to have a special place for us in it.” Hemi sighs.
“I enjoy cucumber salad,” Shilpa says.
Essie laughs.
Tally’s cheeks flush, but she’s grinning.
I shrug. “Sort of serves him right for all the times I had to listen to him boning randoms while I was living there.”
“Truth.” Essie clinks her glass against mine.
“It worked out the way you needed it to, anyway,” Hammer adds.
“Exactly.”
The day after that happened, Tristan started looking at condos in my neighborhood. There was a penthouse for sale in the building across the street. He set up a walk-through and put an offer in. He moves in the new year, and Flip will take over the mortgage for the current condo. The increased revenue from his investments will more than cover what Tristan used to pay each month.
It means we’ll have much-needed privacy, and he can fuck me with cucumbers any damn time he wants.
