Jordyn's Army, page 48
While there was no email from the jeweler, there was another email from Hillview University. They’d been trying to recruit me for the past few months. Each time a new email came, it was full of more incentives to convince me to take the job. They didn’t understand that nothing they offered me could convince me to go. The school was on the other side of the country.
Mari was here.
And I wouldn’t leave her, unless it was something she wanted. With how popular the band was at the moment, I couldn’t see that happening anytime soon.
Some of this was my fault for agreeing to meet with David, Hillview’s Athletic Director, in the first place. I figured I could use whatever he offered to get a better deal from Harrison. Not once had I expected him to refuse to take no for an answer. He seemed to think he could change my mind.
Time was running out before Mari might be home, so I minimized the window and watched as many flash mob videos as I could find, taking mental notes of what would and wouldn’t work.
After about forty minutes, I knew I’d pushed my luck as far as I could. I closed the video windows and enlarged my email window to respond to David. Before I hit the reply button, I heard the door in the kitchen open and closed my laptop to greet Mari at the door.
I stepped around the corner and almost ran smack into her. Reaching out, I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her to me.
“Well, hello, sexy.” I ran my hands down the curve of her ass. “Did you miss me?”
She leaned up, pressing a kiss to the base of my jaw below my ear. A shiver raced through me as my cock hardened in a rush. Each of her touches set my blood on fire, but that one spot made it boil.
“You know I did.”
I walked forward until her back hit the refrigerator and I bent my head, capturing her lips. The sweet taste of cinnamon filled my senses and I thrust my hips forward, pinning her to the wall.
Her tongue slipped between my lips the same time her fingers knotted into my hair, tugging on the ends. I devoured her mouth, tasting every inch, but it wasn’t enough. I had to have more.
I tore my mouth away and bent down, scooping her into my arms.
“Cole,” she squealed, as I went for the stairs.
We reached the top and I let her slide down my body, enjoying every inch of delicious inch of the contact. A growl slipped free when I ran my hand over her denim covered ass. Or should I have said barely denim covered ass.
“I love these shorts,” I growled as I stalked her backward, step for step into the bedroom. Reaching down, she pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it somewhere on the floor.
“I know.” She winked. “Why do you think I wear them?”
I reached over my shoulder and tugged my own shirt off, dropping it at my feet. “Please don’t stop on my account.”
Mari was a completely different creature when she was turned on. The shy woman who would blush when you joked around with her disappeared and in her place was a woman who knew what she wanted and would do anything to get it from you.
When she dragged her hand up her thigh to the button of her shorts, I leaned forward and hooked my finger in the waistband, tugging her forward until her chest touched mine.
“We’ll get to those in a minute, but first…” I grabbed the clasp of her bra, popping it open and caressing down her shoulders, taking the straps with me until it fell to the floor. “I want to taste these.”
I bent my head, running my tongue over her hardened nipple before sucking it into my mouth. Her sharp exhale was like music to my ears.
I loved hearing her sing, but there was nothing like the sounds she made when she got lost in her pleasure with me.
She was everything to me and just the thought of her being my wife someday made my dick surge, begging to sink into her warm body.
“Cole,” she moaned, flexing her fingers in my hair. “God, that feels…” She trailed off as I licked a path across her chest, taking her other nipple into my mouth.
I’d never get enough of the way she responded to my every touch, every caress, every kiss.
I banded my arm around her waist and lowered her to the bed when she began to sway on her feet. Resting my arms by her head, her chest rose and fell rapidly with every heavy breath she took.
Each time I gazed into her eyes, I felt like I would drown in some tropical ocean. So expressive. Like a window into her soul. Everything she thought was in her eyes. Tonight? Tonight they were full of lust, desire, and most of all—love.
“You’re my everything,” I whispered against her lips.
“Show me.”
I bent my head, taking her lips in a kiss that made her whole body shake. Her warm, creamy skin called to me as I slid my hand down her ribs to the button of her shorts, popping it and pulling down the zipper. I grazed my lips along her jaw, down her neck, continuing until I could dip my tongue in her navel.
My eyes crawled up her chest, as she squirmed below me. Hooking my fingers in the top of her shorts, I tugged the rest of her clothing down her legs. I stood, dropping them to the floor, letting my own shorts and boxers follow them.
Mari lifted her head, a spark lighting her eyes. She raised her hand and crooked a finger at me.
Who was I to ignore the sexy as sin woman, hopefully soon to be my fiancée, lying on the bed?
I crawled over her body, running my hands up the inside of her thigh.
“Fuck,” she whispered.
I circled my thumb over her clit. Her hips bucked up against my hand. As her legs started to quiver, she pushed my hand away.
“More,” she begged.
I had to agree with her. My dick had hardened to the point of pain. If I didn’t get inside her soon, I’d explode all over the sheets instead of buried deep inside her where I wanted to be.
I slid in between her thighs, and without missing a beat, I thrust into her body. Her nails dug into my skin as she wrapped her ankles around my legs.
“Hold on, baby.” I rolled to my back, holding tight to her until she was on top.
She hummed in the back of her throat. “I love when you give me control.”
I bucked my hips up. “You can have whatever you want, just don’t torture either of us anymore.”
“I don’t plan on it.” She smirked and bent her head to steal a kiss, before grinding her hips back and forth.
I placed my elbows on the mattress and lifted my hands for her to grab and get some leverage.
Our breathing grew harder and my balls tightened to my body as she kept her pace. The telltale tingle started at the top of my spine.
“Fuck, Mari. Don’t. Fucking. Stop.”
I moved one of my hands down her stomach until I could trace the pad of my fingers over her clit. She jerked at the contact and started moving even faster. The edges of my vision began to blur as I started to lose the battle.
Seconds later, she threw her head back, her body gripping mine like a vice as she came in a rush. I couldn’t have stopped my orgasm if I tried. Grabbing her hips, I thrust up once, twice and lost it. My dick pulsed inside her body as she collapsed on top of me.
I held her tightly, vanilla and jasmine wrapping around my senses as our bodies came down from a high I could only reach with Mari.
Our breathing evened out and she cuddled deeper into my side. I didn’t want to spend another moment of my life without her.
The heat of her body seeping into mine as I traced circles on her back. Moments later, she lifted her head. “Should we get up and get dinner?”
Her sleepy gaze told me she didn’t want to move. Well, neither did I.
“Hell no, unless you’re hungry, I’d rather just lie here with you in my arms.”
She cuddled in closer. “I think that’s perfect.”
I pressed my lips to the top of her head. “Love you.”
She placed her hand over my heart. “Love you, too.”
3
Mari
“Cole?” I called, climbing up the stairs.
“In the bathroom.”
Moving through our bedroom, I made my way to the en suite, where I found Cole, his face covered in shaving cream. I leaned against the doorjamb and crossed my arms over my chest.
“I didn’t think the slight scruff would last very long.” I smirked.
Cole’s brow rose. “Aren’t you just the mind reader today?”
“Only when I’m right.” I pushed off the door and stepped into the bathroom to stand behind him. Unable to resist, I pressed my lips to the back of his shoulder. "I kind of liked it.”
“Did you now?”
Heat warmed my face, like it always did whenever Cole made me admit what I liked when it came to him touching me. No matter how long we’d been together or how many times I’d tried to bury the shy part of me, it never worked.
He turned and brushed his thumb across my cheek. “I love this, and only because I know I’m the only one who gets to see it.”
I smiled. He was right. I hid the shy part of me from the rest of the world. Can’t be the lead singer of a band and hide in the shadows. Only those closest to me were allowed to see that part. Even though it had taken a while for Cole to get there, I’d loved every moment we’d had together and each morning I woke up looking forward to our future. “I know,” I whispered.
We stood there for a moment, enjoying the comfortable silence that surrounded us. The sound of water running brought my attention back from Cole and I peered over his shoulder. “The sink.”
He whipped around and turned off the faucet before the sink could overflow. A corner of his lips kicked up in the mirror. “You always know how to distract me.”
“Glad I could be of service, but if you tell me where I can find your schedule for the year, I'll let you finish shaving without distracting you anymore.” I winked.
“It’s on my laptop down in the office. Are there any dates I should worry about?”
I shook my head. “No, Reagan and Tom asked for a copy of it. Something about tour dates. I think they were trying to schedule some cities to coincide with your games.”
His hand froze in midair. “Really?”
“Yep.”
“Wow. I mean…wow. Why would they care if I’m on the road? Why not schedule the tour with what works for them?”
I wrapped my arms around his waist. “’Cause they realized that we all play better when our loved ones aren't hundreds of miles away. Sawyer always has his shit together…”
“Because Reagan is always there.”
“Yep. I think they want to make it as easy as possible for the rest of us.”
“I think I love this idea.” He moved his hand to keep shaving.
“Me too, which is why I’m leaving you alone to shave so I can get it sent off to them.”
I turned and hustled out of the bedroom and downstairs to the office. Neither of us really claimed the office as our own. With a desk and couch, we took turns working from wherever we needed to. I pulled out the desk chair and took a seat, opening Cole’s laptop, giving it time to power up.
If they were taking schedules into account, I wanted them to have Cole’s sooner, rather than later. The screen lit up and I moved to close the email program that opened first when my hand froze over the mouse pad.
The newest email in his box was titled—Job Offer Details
What was that all about?
Cole had just been promoted to head coach for Harrison’s football team. The youngest head coach in college football. Why would he be thinking about another team? I glanced at what college sent the email and my heart thundered in my chest.
Hillview was on the other side of the country. A place he’d turned down a few years ago.
With nausea settling over me, I clicked on the email, curious as to what they offered him.
Mr. Wallace,
I hope this reply finds you well. Thank you for meeting with me the other day. I’ve attached the details of the contract we discussed in case you decide that you need the information in writing. Please read through and let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
David Carson
Hillview Athletic Director
I listened for Cole, to see if he was still upstairs. A creak in the floorboard told me he’d moved to our room. Most likely getting dressed. The desire to know overrode any rash decision-making I might have possessed fifteen minutes ago.
The contract detailed a dollar figure way higher than anything Harrison had offered. He’d have full team autonomy, meaning no one would dictate who he should offer scholarships to, plus a list of the incoming freshmen, a few of them students Cole had been trying to recruit.
Why hadn’t he told me about this?
The school was a few thousand miles from here. He didn’t think it was important to share that with me?
“Find it?”
At the sound of Cole’s voice my head snapped up. There had to be a reason he hadn’t told me, at least I hoped there was, outside of him taking it and me being upset that we’d be separated for six months out of the year.
“Yeah. I just need to print it.”
I minimized the email window as Cole walked farther into the room. My mind raced in a million different directions. Until I knew more I wasn’t ready to say anything to him. Not to mention how my chest ached, knowing he kept a decision this important from me.
He moved around the desk and cupped my face in his hands, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“Good luck at practice today. I don’t think this meeting will run long and I’ll be home to take you to dinner.”
Unable to locate my tongue, I nodded, hoping he wouldn’t realize I was currently freaking out over something I shouldn’t know.
My eyes followed him as he left the room, not moving a muscle until I heard the door between the kitchen and garage close. I moved the mouse to hover over his email, clicking on it when the sound of his car backing out of the driveway hit my ears.
I scanned through the emails, deep down knowing it was wrong to look, but I had to know if Cole was really considering taking this job. There was nothing. Not a single email about it before now. Knowing Cole, he’d deleted them when he finished responding. He hated unread notifications, so emails he’d already answered weren't worth keeping. I scrolled back to the top and closed the laptop.
Crossing my arms over it, I dropped my head down on top. I didn’t think Cole and I could survive long distance. Football season was hard enough, and that was only some weekends over a few months. This would be months at a time, maybe more depending on our touring schedule.
On the other hand, I understood why he would consider it. Between the pay and the control he would have, it was any coach's dream.
Even with the turmoil doing battle in my head, I knew I still had to be at practice. It had to be time to leave soon. Proceeds from the show tomorrow night would go to help offset the costs for families of kids struggling with cancer.
There would be plenty of days after to deal with my mess. I forced myself from the chair. In a daze I grabbed my keys and a bottle of water on the way out the door. When I reached the venue, I couldn’t remember most of the drive. My mind playing through a million scenarios on how this could play out for us.
I wanted to text him and ask, but two things stopped me. First, I knew he was in a coach’s team meeting to plan for the upcoming season and I didn’t want to interrupt. Second, he had a reason for not telling me, and while frustrating, I knew I had to wait for him to be ready. Maybe he wanted to have a plan in place before he said anything. Whatever his reasons, I’d be patient even if it killed me.
That didn’t mean I wouldn’t torture Sawyer about it until then. I climbed out of the car, a hundred pound weight on my shoulders as I made my way from the lot to the outdoor stage.
The guys were setting up our equipment when I arrived.
“Hey, Mari,” Heath called from behind his keyboard. “A few more minutes and we should be ready to start.”
I nodded absently, my gaze roaming the area, searching out the one person who’d see through me in a heartbeat. Better to cut him off at the pass than have him corner me at some point. He sat behind his kit, tuning each drum for the perfect sound.
He glanced up, his eyes zeroing in on me. The smile that started at the corners of his lips turned down as he stood and walked around to come stand in front of me. My throat burned as I held back the emotion flooding my system. The shock had worn off and in its place sat heartbreak.
“What’s wrong?”
“Life.” I shrugged, trying to hold the tears at bay.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, leading me away from everyone else’s prying eyes. Not the guys, but the crew for the venue. The last thing any of us needed was a picture of me crying on stage.
When we were out of earshot, he turned me to face him. “Life isn’t a good answer. Want to tell me what happened?”
I kept my focus on his jade green gaze. “I think Cole is considering a head coaching position for another college.”
“What college?”
“Hillview.”
He narrowed his eyes. “That doesn’t make sense. It’s on the other side of the country.”
“Exactly.” I threw my hands up in the air.
“Have you talked to him about it?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I found the email when I was trying to print his schedule for the tour.”
Sawyer took hold of both my shoulders, keeping me in place. “You’re not allowed to freak out until you talk to him. I’m sure he knew you were on the laptop, so it wasn’t like you were snooping. I’m sure there’s a great explanation for it.”
“I—”
He covered my lips with his finger. “Keys, I know a million things are running through your head right now, but I want you to push them all aside. Let’s play through the set, then I want you to go home and talk to him.”
Sawyer’s gaze was unrelenting and there was no way out of his stare except to agree. When he thought he had a point, he didn’t back down. Once I’d gotten the whole story from Cole, he’d let me have his shoulder to cry on if I needed it.
