Reflection (Game On Trilogy #2) (3 page)

Derek

I couldn’t get out of that restaurant fast enough. Not to get away from Chelsea, rather just the opposite. I wanted to rush this day along just so I can see her in my home tonight. And with any luck, in my arms. Besides, the thought of her trying to tell me she wants nothing more than to be fuck buddies started to crush me. But, for the moment, I will take whatever I can get from her. That’s how far gone I am over her.

“Okay, so all you have to do is turn the oven on three-fifty. Once it’s heated up to temperature, put the potatoes in for forty-five minutes.” I nod vigorously as Angelina instructs me on how to cook the sides. “Once they are in there for at least thirty minutes you can begin steaming the vegetables.” I write down every bit of information she tells me. “Now, you know how to work the barbeque, right?” She asks.

“Hell yeah! I am the king of grilling.” I may have stretched the truth a little bit when I told Chelsea I can cook, but I am by far the master at grilling. Angelina looks at me like she’s worried I’ll burn my house down. “Come on! Don’t give me that look. I can do this.” I reassure her.

“Okay. Well, just call me if you run into any problems.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine. I appreciate your help. And remember, this is just between you and I, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Rico Suave, I can keep a secret.”

“Rico Suave. Please. He ain’t got nothing on me.”

“Well, good luck.” Angelina rolls her eyes, picks up her sweater and lays it over her arm then reaches for her purse before making one final glance back at me before leaving.

The minute the front door closes, I look around the room and notice several green plants that Angelina must have picked up on her trip back from the grocery store. I certainly don’t have a green thumb so I’m sure those things will be dead within the week. Oh well, at least is spruces the place up a bit for Chelsea.

I decide to take another shower since I am doing nothing but dulling the polish on the hardwood floors with all the pacing I keep doing waiting for Chelsea. She’s not due here for another hour yet, it feels like a lifetime. I know that I am going over and beyond what I would do for another woman, but this is Chelsea. I’ll pull out all the stops for her. Unfortunately, she’s not looking for anything more than a casual thing so I’ll just have to take what I can get.

Chelsea just sent me a text saying she’ll be here in fifteen minutes. The teriyaki steak kabobs are on the grill, the potatoes are in the oven and the vegetables are steaming when I hear a soft knock at the front door.

She’s here.

I’m like a nervous fucking teenage boy. Not knowing that I can drive this home is driving me crazy. I am always on my game. I need to somehow reel her in. I think I just need to play it cool though. I don’t want her to run and I know for a fact that she would.

I walk to the entryway, rubbing the palm of my hands down the front of my jeans before opening the door. Playing it cool completely went out the window at the sight of Chelsea. She’s wearing a denim skirt and a canary yellow V-neck tight t-shirt. Trailing my eyes down her succulent body, I take in her long toned soft-as-silk legs. She has casual matching yellow flip-flops and her toes are painted the color of sand.

She looks unbelievable.

She looks stunning.

My voice is gone, just like my heart, so I just hold my arm out wide gesturing for her to walk in.

Chelsea does, but not before lifting up on her toes to give me a sweet kiss on the cheek. I grip the knob on the door hard so not to reach out and pull her against me.

I quietly shut the door then turn around to watch the back of Chelsea walk her way through the living room and then the kitchen.

I will never tire of watching her.

I shake my head and let out a big breath of air then take my place right behind Chelsea as she leans her sweet little body over the counter trying to sneak a peek at dinner.

“It smells so good.”

“You smell good.” I sidle right up behind her so that the front of my body is pressed up against hers. Well, there goes playing it cool.

Chelsea turns in her spot and faces me. Fuuuck me. She is so beautiful. I just want to rip her clothes off and run my tongue over every inch of her.

My hands are splayed on the counter on each side of her. We are so close that if I wanted to just bend my neck down, my lips would rest peacefully on hers.

She reaches out and wraps her arms around my waist, and lays her cheek against my chest. She’s normally not this quiet and it gives me hope that maybe she is finally feeling this thing between us.

“Are you still good with us being just . . . friends?” She whispers, making my heart drop to the pit of my stomach.

I push off the counter, away from her and busy myself with finalizing our dinner.

“Derek?”

Opening the oven to check on the potatoes, I answer her. “Yeah, we’re good.” I lie.

“Are you sure? Because if you’re not, I should probably just leave.” She says as if my heart can’t break anymore, it does.

I reign in my feelings for the moment, because her leaving is not an option I’m willing to deal with right now.

Not ever.

I raise one finger and tell her, “Hold that thought. I need to take the kabobs off the barbeque.” I honestly just need to escape the room for a minute before blurting out something that I know would make her run.

I return, setting the covered kabobs on the counter. I move to stand in front of Chelsea and put on my relaxed cool face again and reassure her that I’m good with how things are between us. Even though I am anything but.

I grip my hands on her waist and lift her up, setting her sweet ass down on the counter. “All’s good, baby. I’m just glad you’re here.” The look on her face shows anything but relief and it makes me want to dive into her mind and find out what is going on in that pretty little head of hers.

I look down and take in her thighs displayed in front of me and I place a gentle squeeze on them before turning around to shut off the oven and remove the steamer from the heat on the stove.

“Derek, come here,” she whispers.

As if I am a puppy on a leash, I turn around and quickly make my way back to her. I don’t waste a single second as I settle myself back between her legs. Where I belong. My hands immediately go right for her thighs and this time they have a mind of their own. Slowly sliding up the outside of her soft legs, my thumbs catch the hem of her skirt, bringing it up as they make their way up to her silk panties.

Chelsea’s breath hitches as her head falls back, eyes closing. She fucking loves when I touch her. God damn, what this woman does to me. My mouth dives right in for her long beautiful neck. I run my tongue from the dip in her throat all the way up, taking my time as I go. I slide my lips along her jaw line and the moan she exudes is fucking turning me on. Even more than I was from the moment she stepped through the front door.

Chelsea leans back, resting the weight of her upper body on her arms behind her, making my mouth slide further south until I meet the point of the V of her yellow V-neck t-shirt. Chelsea wraps her legs around my waist, leans forward slightly and grips the back of my hair and roughly pulls until I have to look up into her eyes. She instantly places her lips over mine and moans into my mouth. “Don’t think you’re getting off this easy.”

“Trust me, baby. I got a lot more in me.” I growl.

She lets out a soft giggle. “The food. I’m talking about your cooking. You told me you can cook. I’m dying to find out if you’re telling me the truth or not.”

“Grrr,” I grumble. We both look down at the semi parked in my pants. “You’re gonna have to wait buddy, Chelsea’s hungry . . . for food.” I tell my lower half.

Chelsea laughs uncontrollably as I tickle her sides. I lift her up and throw her over my shoulder then smack her ass as I walk her through the double sliding glass doors that lead to the expansive deck that overlooks Torrey Pines State Reserve. “Sit woman,” I instruct as I set her on a chair at the patio dining set.

She looks up at me, batting her long lashes. “I think I kinda like this whole caveman thing.” She admits.

I turn around and give her a warning look and tell her, “If you keep it up, dessert will be coming before dinner., and I don’t mean the chocolate and strawberries, baby.”

Chelsea runs her thumb and forefinger over her sealed lips and acts like she’s throwing away the key.

I walk back to the kitchen to retrieve our plated food. I bring it out to set it on the table only to notice Chelsea leaning back in her chair, eyes closed, enjoying the last few minutes of the sun before it vanishes into the ocean. I quietly set the plates on the table and then walk over to Chelsea and run my lips up her beautiful neck. I start at the base and work my way up until I reach her lips. She moans in pleasure as I lick, suck and make love to her mouth. I tug lightly on her bottom lip with my teeth and then pull away only to hear her whimper as I leave the deck to return to the kitchen and grab a bottle of red wine and two glasses.

“Tease,” she glares at me when I return.

“It’s not a tease, baby. It’s a preview.”

Chelsea throws me a sexy smile then looks down at her plate. “Wow, it all looks so good. I can’t believe you cooked all this.”

She seems impressed with the food and I’m wondering if I should confess that I had a little help.

“I love a man that can cook.”

Fuck that, I ain’t confessing to anything.
It’s not like it’s a huge lie. Right
? “Do you now?”

“Thank God I have the metabolism to be able to eat like this.” She says as she stuffs a fork full of roasted potatoes in her mouth.

God that mouth.

“Because I love to eat.”

Note to self. First thing tomorrow, sign up for cooking classes. “Eat up, baby.”

“So when do you leave again?” Chelsea asks between bites. “Don’t you have a few games coming up?” She pushes away her empty plate and looks up at me.

“Sunday afternoon. We’re flying to Atlanta to play against the Braves and then off to Chicago and Kansas City.” I hate to leave Chelsea at this point, but I have to put my career first right now.

She looks down at her wine glass and fidgets with the stem.

I wonder if she’s disappointed that she won’t see me for a week. She says she doesn’t want more from me. Damn woman is so hard to read. And they say men are unreadable.
Fuck.
I wonder if she would come with me. Maybe I’ll just throw it out there and see what she says.

“You know . . .” I pause, not knowing if I’m ruining this chance with her. Chelsea takes a sip of her wine, looking over the rim of her glass at me as she does. “You could always come with me if you want.” I casually gaze at her, all the while my insides are a bundle of nerves.

Chelsea almost spews her wine all over the table. She grabs for a napkin and dabs her mouth.

“It was nothing more than a suggestion, Chelsea. I didn’t ask you to marry me.” I push back in my chair, feeling annoyed. I reach for the dirty dishes to take them to the kitchen.

I’m rinsing the plates in the sink when I feel Chelsea’s hand on my back. “Derek,” the feel of her lips on my shoulder blades burns through the fabric of my shirt. Everything about this woman sets me on fire. “Honey,” she whispers, her fingertips trailing up and under the hem of my shirt.

I shut the water off and spin around until I am facing her. “No more talking.”

Placing my hands on her hips, I push her backwards until her ass is up against the counter island. My lips make a beeline for her neck. Chelsea grips my biceps, pulling me closer. My mouth makes its way down to the curve of her throat, lightly nipping at the delicate skin over her collarbone.

I tug on the hem of her shirt. “This is in my way.” I say as I pull it up and over her head. I toss it on the floor, never allowing my gaze to leave her beautiful body. Licking and sucking my way down to the soft skin on her chest. I wrap my arms under her ass, pick her up, and carry her up the stairs, down the hall and into my bedroom.

I set her down in front of my bed. “Derek,” she moans into my chest.

“Shhh,” I unzip the zipper on the front of her denim skirt, sliding it and her panties down until they pool at her feet. “Spend the night with me.”

Chelsea doesn’t say anything. She just looks longingly into my eyes, or at least I hope she is. She’s probably scared to death of me trying to get more from her.
God, I wish I could read her mind.
I can’t figure out why she is so into me one minute, but the second I ask her to take things further with me, she emotionally retreats ten steps back. All I care about at the moment though is that she wants me. It’s written all over her face. There is no denying that.

Finally, Chelsea nods her head.

She’s willing to stay the night with me.

I take off my own shirt and toss it onto the floor. We both stare at one another and it’s clear that this is the most intense moment of our ‘relationship’, if that’s what you want to call it. A relationship.