“Keep up, champ!” I call over my shoulder as I blow past Raia.
“Ugh! You suck!” she hollers as I leave her in my dust.
Laughing, I pick up my pace, nearly in an all-out sprint. When I reach the end of the road, I slow down to a jog before stopping before the lake. I blow out a breath and tuck my hands behind my head as I regulate my breathing.
“Oof,” I wheeze out as Raia hurls herself into my side, taking me out. “Shit!” I swear, wrapping my arms around her to keep her from taking the brunt of our combined fall.
Rolling onto my back, I stare up at the brunette beauty as she pins me. “I can more than keep up,” she says. “I can overtake you.” Her hands press my wrists into the ground as her chest heaves.
“Are you fucking serious?” I say, my frustration flaring.
Raia lifts her eyebrows, daring me. Challenging me.
“Raia! You could have hurt yourself,” I remind her. “You’re injured.”
“I’m a badass,” she corrects. Always so goddamn cocky and fuck if I don’t love it.
Instead of giving her the satisfaction of knowing that, like always, she impresses me, I buck against her delicate grasp and sit half up, banding an arm around her back. “You’re rehabbing an injury and tackling me is not part of rehab.”
“I still could’ve beat you if you didn’t cheat.” She pouts.
Pouts! Like a little kid.
I smirk. “I didn’t cheat. I tossed out another challenge.”
Raia rolls her eyes. “You weren’t supposed to sprint.”
“You weren’t supposed to try to take me out.”
She giggles. Why the hell does her laughter sound like music? “Caught you off guard.”
I scowl and tighten my hold. “Are you okay?”
Her smile widens. “More than okay, Cohen.” Raia shifts slightly, grinding against me and I nearly see stars.
We’re in a compromising position, yet I have no desire to push her away. Instead, I want to pull her closer. I want to flip her beneath me. Cover her body with mine, take her mouth, and do a different kind of sprint to the fucking finish line.
My palm spans the center of her back as my pinky finger drags along the edge of her sports bra.
Raia’s pupils dilate, and she sucks in a breath. “Cohen.” My name is a needy whisper on her lips. A seductive caress.
I groan. My name in that tone…it makes things that much harder. Pun intended.
I shift, trying to reposition her but of course, I end up dragging my hardening dick along her thigh. When Raia sighs, I know she knows that I’m hard as a rock for her.
Desperate and needy and sporting a boner in broad daylight like a novice. I’m no novice.
Instead of standing up, or feigning ignorance, or doing anything polite, Raia places her palm on the side of my neck. “So, it’s not just me.”
“What?” My eyes snap to hers.
“When you kissed me the other night…Cohen, you twisted me up.” Her voice is low, her words measured. Her eyes are blown with lust and ringed with sincerity.
She was right; she’s badass. Because I don’t know many women who would own their truth the way she is. And it only makes me want her more.
“What about Brooks?” I ask, mentally swearing at myself. I need to put space between us, remind her that this is a favor between friends, that this can’t happen for real.
Avery.
The Coyotes.
She’s heartbroken.
I don’t know how to do serious commitment.
The list of reasons loops in my mind.
“What about him?” she tosses back, a playful smirk dancing over her lips. She tilts her pelvis and I moan.
“We can’t do this,” I whisper, more for my ears than hers. My fingers slide up her back, underneath her sports bra.
“Yeah,” she agrees, dragging her fingertips over my shoulders before dropping her arms at her sides. “I know.”
Instead of releasing her, I tighten my hold.
“It’s a bad idea,” I continue.
“Terrible,” she concurs, hooking her fingers in the hem of my shirt.
“It will complicate things.”
“Make them messier.”
Her eyes hold mine. Gray and bottomless. Fearless.
“Fuck,” I whisper, my breath washing over her full lips as they part on a sigh. Then, I’m kissing her.
Devouring her.
Squeezing her ass and pressing her core against me.
She responds instantly. Her fingertips drag up my torso, her arms drape over my shoulders, and she threads her fingers through my hair. Her chest heaves against mine and her thighs tighten around my hips.
My hands explore the lines of her body, all delicious dips and delectable curves. As one hand travels up her side, my fingers brush along the edge of her sports bra, play over the sweaty material, and trace the line of cleavage I’m desperate to drag my tongue across.
Raia tightens her fingers in my hair, tugging gently. She rolls her hips once, grinding against me.
And I snap. How much control am I supposed to have?
I roll her over. Her ponytail swishes against the grass as she looks up at me, wide eyes and flushed cheeks. Fucking gorgeous.
Hovering over her, I drop my mouth to hers and press a series of kisses from her lips, to her chin, down the slope of her neck and over the tops of her perky breasts.
“I’m a sweaty mess,” she protests, pushing my shoulder.
“I like you like this,” I say as I flick my tongue over her sports bra, wetting until the outline of her nipple and areola are visible. She arches into my mouth. “So fucking sexy,” I groan, reenacting my ministrations on her other breast.
“Cohen,” she groans, sliding her fingers through my hair.
The sound of an approaching car causes me to freeze. I drop my head to her stomach and press a kiss in the spot above her belly button.
“I’m getting carried away,” I explain.
“I like when you do that,” she replies.
I shake my head and move off her. “We can’t do this here, Raia. Fuck, I don’t know if we should be doing this at all.”
“I know,” she agrees, pulling her knees up to her chest. “But when I’m with you…”
“What?” I ask, wanting to hear every thought in her head.
“I feel…like me again,” she replies. “Does that make sense? I didn’t even realize how much I was going through the motions until…until Brooks broke up with me and I came home. When I’m with you, I feel…lighter. Everything is more fun. Even me.”
Her words gut me. “You’ve always been fun, champ.”
“Yeah.” She grins. “But with you, there’s a freedom I haven’t felt in a long time. I know you won’t judge me or make fun of me, and I can just be myself.”
“Always be yourself, Raia. You’re too special to tone it down,” I reply, never wanting her to change.
“I want to do this with you, Cohen,” she says, owning it and impressing the hell out of me. Again. “But I don’t want either one of us to get hurt.”
“Me neither. I’d never want to hurt you, even unintentionally.” The thought alone scrapes at me.
“Same. So…” She tilts her head, studying me.
“So…” I plant a hand on her thigh. “You think we can keep things going and…have fun until the holidays?” I offer lamely. But I can’t get into a real relationship with Raia. Not when she’s moving to Europe. I can’t do a long-distance relationship when my career is here, in Knoxville. Besides, I travel most of the season; we’d never see each other.
“Yeah,” she agrees, her smile slipping slightly. “We can do that. But we have to be honest with each other. If it gets to be too much…we call it.”
“Absolutely,” I agree. A sliver of tension surrounding the plan eases since I know that for today, Raia is with me. But in the long run, I’m fucked, because she already ruined me.
“And this part”—she gestures between us—“we keep to ourselves. Avery doesn’t need to know.”
Guilt courses through me at the thought of lying to my best friend. But what am I supposed to tell him? I’m casually hooking up with your sister until we amicably part ways? “Fair. Before any of this, we were friends. We’ll always be friends.”
“Of course,” she promises.
“Okay,” I confirm. Then, I grab her hands and tug her up until she’s standing beside me. Dipping down, I kiss her hard on the mouth. “Sealed with a kiss.”
She snorts, a bubble of laughter erupting from her throat. “You’re so lame,” she informs me before taking off at a sprint.
“Raia!” I shout after her, confused by the change in her demeanor.
She glances back over her shoulder. “I’ll beat you home, sucker!” she hollers before picking up her pace.
My mouth drops open in surprise for a full second before I scramble into a run. Raia’s laughter trails behind her as I try to gain on her. But she has enough of a head start that she may actually beat me.
My little badass.
The seatbelt light flickers off as the plane reaches cruising altitude and I relax in my seat.
We’re on our way to Phoenix and as tough as it was to say good-bye to Raia, I think the space will be good for us. Well, at least for me. I’m getting swept up in her and I need to focus on football. I need to regain some mental clarity.
“Dude, do you hear them at night?” Gage taunts the hell out of Avery from across the aisle.
Avery turns in his seat, his eyes flashing to mine before narrowing on Gage. “Why’re you pressing my buttons? I don’t even live at my parents’ home.”
Gage laughs. “I’m just saying…”
“It’s weird how well you’re taking this,” Jag explains from Avery’s other side. “I mean, this is Raia. Your sister.”
“I know,” Avery replies.
“And Cohen’s your best friend,” Jag reminds him.
I’m sitting in front of Gage, and I raise my hand. “I’m right here, fuckers.” I lift my eyebrows at my teammates. “Why are you riding Avery’s ass about me and Raia?”
Gage and Jag ignore me.
Avery huffs. “Yeah. Cohen respects my sister. He’s known my family for forever and he’s good to Raia. Besides, Raia’s an adult. I can’t tell her who to date.”
“That never stopped you from weighing in on her life before,” Gage shuts it down.
“Like that time you told her she couldn’t pledge a sorority,” Leo unhelpfully recalls from behind Avery.
“Or that she shouldn’t go on vacation with Brooks,” Gage adds.
“Or move in with him,” Jag states.
I snort. “And he was right because their shit didn’t last.”
Gage leans into the aisle to look at me, a shit-eating grin spreading over his face. “How long, exactly, were you waiting in the wings to swoop in and claim little Raia Callaway?”
“Fuck off,” I bite out. A twinge of guilt assaults my gut since I hate lying to my teammates, my friends. The guilt is accompanied by an array of conflicting feelings. Because while I haven’t exactly been waiting in the wings, now that I’ve swept in and “claimed” Raia, I don’t want to let her go either.
Gage and Jag crack up.
Avery scoffs and replaces his AirPod, pressing play on whatever playlist he’s listening to.
I turn away and close my eyes, hoping to sleep for the remainder of the flight. This week’s practices have been brutal and the game against Phoenix promises to be tough. Plus, next week we play in Atlanta.
Fortunately, sleep claims me and I pass out until the plane lands. The team rides to the hotel together and my teammates check into their rooms.
“We’re all on the seventh floor,” Avery says, tapping his key card for the hotel room beside mine.
“Cool,” I say, hitching my duffle bag higher on my shoulder.
“You hungry?” Avery asks as his door swings open. He grasps the handle of his suitcase.
I shrug. “Sure. Let me change and we’ll grab a bite.”
“Sounds good. These next few weeks are going to be intense.”
“Tell me about it,” I agree, mentally flipping through the games on our schedule. “It’s lucky the week of Raia’s ski trip is our bye week.”
“Yeah,” Avery chuckles. “You know, you’re taking the ribbing pretty good.” He gestures down the hallway, indicating the hotel rooms claimed by our teammates.
“So are you.”
“Yeah, because I know you’re helping my sister out. But the boys have been going at you pretty hard.”
I shrug. “It’s fine. Letting it roll off my back.”
Avery makes a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat. “I’m just saying, I appreciate it. What you’re doing for Raia, looking out for her, it’s cool of you, Cohen.”
“Of course,” I say, my stomach souring. “It’s Raia, I’ll always show up for her.”
“I know,” Avery replies. “Meet you back here in ten?”
“Okay,” I agree, entering my hotel room and pulling my suitcase behind me.
My phone dings and I check the message. I can’t help the smile that forms when I read Raia’s name, or the groan that slips out when I click on the picture she sent.
It’s an image of her. Her lips her pursed in a kiss; her grey eyes filled with laughter. She’s wearing a lacy black bra, her breasts nearly spilling out of the cups. Her stomach is taut and smooth and, “fuck.”
As I mutter the word, images of Raia straddling me, slipping her bra strap off her shoulder, pressing a kiss to the center of my chest, filter through my mind.
While we’ve gone on a few more dates and fooled around some, we haven’t had sex. It’s as if we both know that once we cross that line, we’re blurring every fucking thing. The truth is, I don’t know if I can come back from that. One more step with Raia, and I won’t recover. How the hell am I going to spend a stretch of one-on-one time with her at a ski resort, share a bedroom, and then walk away like none of it mattered?
It’s a massive mistake considering our history. Considering my new, heady feelings. Our relationship has an expiration date.
Plus, there’s my friendship with Avery to think about.
He’s thanking me for looking out for his sister and I’m flat-out lying to him.
I feel shitty and unsettled.
Even though I know outing Raia would feel infinitely worse.
My thumb brushes over her sexy photo and I shake my head, pocketing my phone without replying.
The conflicting emotions battle in my mind as I meet Avery in the hallway, and we agree to eat at a taco joint we like.
For years, Avery has been my best friend and I’ve always had his back. Even when I didn’t want to, like when his relationship with Mila imploded.
But right now, I’ll do anything to protect his baby sister. Even lie to him. And fool myself.