Love In the Red Zone (Connecticut Kings Book 1) (31 page)

Thank you
…

My equipment, once considered trophy earning, was well out of practice. Or no competition against Jade.

“Did you…?” she whispered with slanted eyes, an expression more impassioned than I saw when she gave me head that night.

I couldn’t speak. I nodded. Her eyes fell to where our bodies were joined. I followed her line of sight. It was like a damn rain forest at the point of our meeting. I felt a zinging in my balls.

“I did, too.”
Duh
… I snorted and rolled my damn eyes while studying our joined bodies, knowing I needed to pull out at some point. “Twice.” My eyes shot up her body and I found her smiling proudly. Then her expression turned horrified. “Was I not supposed to?”

I felt my face wrinkle, disbelieving. “When?”

She tossed her chin to the open doors. “The first time in the hallway. I didn’t know what was happening until it happened. How did you do that?”

I froze, two things hitting me: that was not my game plan, and it was literally her fault that I exploded so damn prematurely.

Thanks a lot, Jade
…

I reared back, regretfully leaving her snug cave. Her breath caught as I did.

“Was I wrong?” she asked again, in a demanding way.

I stood over her, not moving. “I don’t understand that question. I was hoping—praying—you would. Twice tells me I did something right.”

“Then why do you sound like there’s something wrong?” She sat up, leaning back on her arms. “You sure I didn’t do anything wrong?”

She was right. My actions would have her think I was sulking. I was happy as hell, this moment like no other in my life. But that was what bothered me. Why was sex with Jade different from the countless before her? Why did I freak the hell out when I thought this would be one-sided? Even if she didn’t come, I’d have another opportunity at her.

FUCK!

I brushed my hands over my face, and groaned.

“No, Jade. You did nothing wrong! It’s me.” I placed my hands on my waist, my eyes landed over in the corner as I decided to just come with it. “We did it. We finally took it there, and you know I’ve been trying to do the right thing by you, Kyree, and me.”

She shuffled off the bed. “What makes it wrong, Trent? I like you. You like me. We’re consenting adults—”

“Because I just admitted to myself being in love with you!” I yelled over her.

Jade’s face fell. My chest was now heaving as I stared at her, wondering if I should’ve kept that shit to myself. That was my problem with her; I let it all hang out. Did shit I never thought I’d do. I was growing frustrated with feeling so much so damn fast. One day I’m fighting the fumes of depression, the next I’m inviting a strange woman and her son to live in my home. Then I let her sleep in my bed, but refused to touch her. Now I’ve more than just touched her, and feel far more than the aftermath sensation from a fucking orgasm!

“I only have two friends who don’t sweat me about switching gears in my lifestyle and beliefs. Out of dozens, only two, Jade! And I think those are the two crazy ones! I’ve changed. I’m not who I used to be. Going to prison may not’ve broken me, but it fucked me up, Jade. It made me see just how precious life and liberty are. I lost so many so called friends and supporters, the shit turned me paranoid. I didn’t wanna go out partying—still don’t. I don’t want those temporary feelings of being high. That shit don’t work for me no more. I need something permanent. Something secure that makes sense to me. Something I can feel.”

She stood motionless watching me flay my arms, trying to explain.

“And I can’t be permanent? I can’t provide security?” She approached me, holding herself protectively. “I don’t make sense? You didn’t feel what I did back there?”

“I did!”

“So, what’s the problem, Trent?” she yelled.

Jade’s hazel eyes turned dark and wild with impassioned anger. Betrayal. My nostrils flared, forehead wrinkled.

“It scares me! Who does this instant love shit?” I swung my arms in the air.

“You think this is easy for me? I have more than me to think about here, Trent! I am a mother to a young impressionable boy! His father is a career criminal, and I’ve fallen head over heels for a—”

“Celebrity? C’mon, J. We should be off that by now.” I waved my hand dismissively. “Everything worked out for the best because if I hadn’t gone through this bullshit, I wouldn’t even be thinking about making it happen with a girl like…” I stopped there, realizing sharing my former arrogance wasn’t appropriate in the moment.

“No. I was going to say convict. An under-unemployed convict.” My neck snapped back. “Yeah. I ain’t the only one with baggage here. You may not be saying it, but I know you have your reservations about taking on someone with a kid. Especially with the drama I got going on with his father. I know the crap I’m bringing to your doorstep. But I don’t focus on yours, Trent. I see so much more in you, outside of throwing a damn ball. You have so much untapped potential…so many talents other than football. Will another career maintain all of this?” She tossed her arm, gesturing the house. “Maybe not. But I don’t give a damn about this. I never had it, could die never having it. But if all you see is me where I am now: a single mother with no sustainable job, and a bleak future then that’s messed up. What
I
need is permanency, security, something that makes sense, that I can feel, Trent. And if you don’t see all of that in me, then yeah, I did something wrong back there.”

She charged toward me for the bathroom, stomping on my heart with each step. I grabbed her as she stormed past, pulled her in my arms, and hugged her tightly.

“I see all of that and more,” I whispered in her ear, still fighting the fear of me copping to that. “I just need time to settle it all, J.”

I felt her heavy sigh in my arms. Ezra’s words played again in my head. He was right on this one. We were now in that space of having to make a decision about our relationship. Jade was right, too. As a mother, she had no time for indecision. I wished life was as secure and steady as this moment, holding her in my arms. I didn’t want to let her go.

Jade began to squirm.

“What’s the problem, J?”

“I need to go wash. I have this…stuff leaking from me.”

We both looked down at her legs. Even in the dark with the lighting from the hall casting in, I could see a track slowly running down her thighs. My head shot up, in shock and realization of what it was. What I had done, or foolishly hadn’t done. I dropped my hands and let her go into the bathroom.       

The next morning when I opened the door of the bathroom, Trent jumped from the bed and brushed past me, closing the door behind himself. I hopped in the bed, wanting to quickly feel the trace of heat he left behind. I snuggled into his pillow, loving being surrounded by his scent. This morning felt different. I was different. We were different. And it felt good, like a weight had been lifted from us.

I listened as he flushed the toilet and washed his hands. Trent gaited out, rubbing his eyes. His abs moving with each advancement he made, morning wood in tow. I scooted over to give him room on his side of the bed, and he laid on his back, still rubbing his face awake.    

I couldn’t help my goofy smile when he looked at me.

“Why you so cheery this morning? It’s still early,” he grumbled.

“Because it’s morning, and I can do this.”

I stretched my neck to kiss him. I’d made sure to brush my teeth, preparing for just this. He opened for me, letting my tongue sweep his, and joined me.

When I pulled back he snorted. “What’s new about that?” Trent looked half amused.

“I can add this,” I whispered, shifting until I was on top of him.

“I don’t think that’s a new move either.” He chuckled.

I shook my head. “No. But this is.” I ground down on him, my wetness rubbing against his morning wood. When I thought he’d have a rebuttal, Trent’s eyes turned hooded. I nodded. “Yeah… See where this is going?”

He nodded in return, taking me at the back of my head, and kissing me dizzily. My sex sweeping over him, slippery. I could feel his hips lifting to meet me.

“I’mma call you Jelly.”

“Jelly?”

“Yeah,” he spoke into my lips. “Because when you get wet it feels like jelly.” My head tossed back and I laughed hard. “Jelly Jade is your new name.”

The slow and sexy smile breaking across his lips sobered me. I pushed up and sank down on him, grunting on the way down.

“You okay?” he asked softly.

“Still a little sore after last night. That ‘walk and stick’ maneuver you pulled on me.”

“That was to help get me inside. You were less welcoming last night.”

I lifted slightly and pushed back down on him, feeling his wide impression.

“And you tried to kill me. But it was worth it. I came in the damn hall. That was insane. I’ve never done that before.” I smiled tightly, already overtaken by the feel of him inside of me.

“Yeah…making me come with you like some kid, new to the rodeo. I thought I ruined it for you.” he licked his lips, melting me.

The thought of him wanting me to come turned me on. I wasn’t used to that kind of consideration.

“I wanna
see
you come now. I got cheated last night.”

Trent pushed up and two seconds later, I was on my back and he was thrusting into me. My legs were astride the wings of his back, he was plunging deep.

“You first, Jelly.”   

I woke up with a dry mouth and sore limbs. I hurt…everywhere. Glancing around the bed, I realized I was alone. I stretched for my phone on the nightstand, grunting the entire way to check the time. It was eleven-thirty.

“Oh, nooooooo!” I groaned, slapping my face with my left hand.

I missed church. Trent’s absence meant either he did, too, or he left me here to sleep off a sex binge and he went off and did the holy saint thing. It also meant he saw Kyree this morning. He’d stayed with my mother and we agreed to meet in service today.

Nice, Jade
…

I pushed my body to the end of the mattress, grunting all the way. The joints of my pelvis screamed in protest, hurting like I’d been in a gym, fight, or car accident. I limped all the way to the bathroom in Trent’s master suite where he left his radio on, slow music practically blasting. I could smell the ghostly remnants of his cologne warming me all over as I sat on the toilet to relieve myself. I should have been ashamed of lusting after him—on a Sunday—after last night and this morning. Had I made him sleep with me? Did I push him to do it? If those questions weren’t pathetic enough, the fact that I didn’t regret a moment of it was detestable. I would’ve done it over and over and over again. I would have even pushed him harder from the day I met him if I’d known it’d be that good.