Chapter Sixteen
Risa was flying.
Feet coming rapidly, one in front of the other. She was racing to the end of the field to score the winning shot. I watched her from the goal box, wondering how it was possible for time to slow down.
The clock kept counting backward, but everything else seemed to be at a standstill. My own heart was pounding just watching it play out. I redeemed myself by blocking their latest attempts at scoring, Shea had gotten us tied with them, and now Risa was on her second wind, ready to score the goal that could win Championships.
And she made it.
I watched the ball go flying, watched the goalie miss it just by her fingertips, and stood dazed as the realization set in. Final score? 5-4. We had won.
The lights above us in the stadium were unrelenting, shining down on us as we raced across the field for a massive group hug. I was one of the last to get to Risa. As soon as I could do it, I was squeezing her tight around the waist and lifting her up off the ground.
She kicked at me, laughing and pushing at my sweaty jersey. "Laura, put me down!"
I dropped her, bouncing up and down. "You did it, R!"
"So did you, goalie," Risa said. "It wouldn't have been possible without you."
"I think we can all agree this was a team effort," I replied.
Another wave of hugs and cheers passed as we high-fived the other team. The adrenaline was fresh as it coursed through our veins. All of us were ecstatic, beyond ecstatic. We were high on victory.
Jared was beaming on the sidelines too. "You guys killed it out there!"
I still had an arm around Risa, the smile plastered on my face. "Hell yeah we did!"
"So it's a little past one." Jared glanced down at his watch. "How about I get you guys lunch? Does pizza sound good?"
"Who are you and what have you done with Coach Harper?" Shea said, clearly surprised.
"What? Am I not allowed to reward my team for winning Championships?" He emphasized the word, practically glowing on our behalf. "That was amazing, so I'm gonna get you guys pizza."
"Awesome!" Gen exclaimed. "This day just keeps getting better!"
We walked out to the parking lot as a small hoard of sweaty, but unwaveringly excited teenagers. We had come this far and won Championships. The gravity of what that meant still hadn't quite settled with me yet.
"Hey, Laura?" Risa prompted.
"Yeah?"
"I may have just scored the winning shot, but you're the one who's getting lucky tonight." She said the words under her breath so only I could hear them.
"I hate you," I said through nervous giggles.
"Yeah, okay." She ruffled my hair. "Love you too."
I followed her onto the bus and sat back in my seat, still in utter disbelief. We really aced it out there. There was nothing better than working hard and succeeding in the end, as cheesy as that sounds.
Jared texted me just minutes later, making the day even better.
Jared: I'm so proud of you
Me: that means a lot coming from you, but it really is Risa's win
Jared: you played a major role. they didn't score on you at all during the second half
Jared: and I don't just mean I'm proud of you because of soccer
Jared: I'm proud of you because you're my girl, my amazing girl who is great both on the field and off
My heart clenched as it inflated with sheer joy. His words stunned me, not because he wasn't the type to say sweet things, but because he never missed a chance to do so.
Me: you're going to give me a heart attack jared
Jared: does that mean i'll get to give you mouth to mouth?
Me: only you would say something that cheesy
Jared: can I see you tonight? I want to see you tonight.
Me: of course :)
Jared: <3
By the time we were sitting down to eat pizza at a parlor not too far from the hotel, we were all a bit calmer, ready to wind down. Jared's random kindness didn't go unnoticed, but it was welcomed by all of us.
We ate lunch as a team, and I soaked in every second, happy to close out the season with the memory of victory.
***
"You guys are free to go explore," Jared told us when we were heading back at the hotel. "Again, just remember to check in with me and be back before ten o'clock."
Risa, Gen, Shea, and I all raced up the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator, taking them two at a time. We got dressed, passed around a stick of deodorant, and decided to head to the mall a few blocks away.
The whole way there, I was getting a piggyback ride from Risa, laughing my head off about nothing important. We were all giddy, which was the only way to explain it.
We wandered around Victoria's Secret first, and as Risa sifted through a drawer full of lacy thongs, I stood back and looked at a sales rack full of bras. I still had some birthday money left over and figured I should treat myself to something, so I flicked through a bunch of them, waiting for something to stand out.
We were definitely out of place in our soccer uniforms, but no one seemed to mind except for me. I prayed I didn't smell like sweat as I looked around, hoping to find something that wasn't crazy expensive.
"Hey, Gen and I are going to head to the t-shirt place next door," Shea called out to us. "We'll meet you there."
"Okay," Risa said before she turned to me. "I'm gonna go try a few things on. Text me if you need anything."
It was strange standing in the middle of a lingerie store by myself, but I just shook off the feelings of awkwardness and walked over to another wall of impossibly extravagant bras. I was definitely a utility girl as opposed to going for the fancy stuff, but now that I had a boyfriend, maybe it wasn't a bad idea to change it up a bit. Admittedly, I thought it might be nice to try something other than sports bras for a change, since they were all I typically wore.
I was reaching for a pink bra on the highest set of hangers when someone helped me get it down first. When I turned, all I could see was none other than Jared Harper.
"Jared!" I hissed. "What if the other girls see you in here?"
"I'll just say I'm picking something out for my girlfriend," he said, biting his bottom lip slowly. "Besides, no one's around. It's just me and you. Please tell me you'll be trying that on."
I picked up another bralette, this one a plain, white number. "I'm not done shopping."
He turned away from me and pointed deviously at a red bra that was way skimpier than I'd normally like. "I like that one. What's your bra size?"
I gaped at him, stammering. "I don't want you to—"
His face softened. "What's wrong?"
It was one thing for him to say he was okay with my small chest, but it was another for him to learn my exact bra size. I was only an A. It was weird to suddenly feel so embarrassed about it, but I did against all reason.
"It's a 32A," I muttered.
He grabbed one and held it out to me. "Humor me, baby."
I nodded. "Okay."
"Now are you gonna try them on?" he prodded.
I sighed. "Fine."
He followed me to the back dressing rooms, sneaking in behind the curtain with me. He sat down on the chair in the corner, his hands folded in his lap.
"If anyone catches you..."
"They won't," he assured me. "The season's over, the rest of the team is somewhere else. It's just us. I was careful about coming in here."
I watched him warily.
"If you want me to go, I will," he said. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"You've seen me naked," I whispered, reminding myself as much as him.
"I did," he responded. "And believe me, I liked the view."
"I don't know why this is so awkward. You know what? I'm gonna do this," I decided.
I reached down and pulled my jersey over my head. He didn't look away and just continued to watch me as I turned away and reached for the first bra, trying not to feel embarrassed. When I whirled around, his face lit up like it was Christmas morning or something.
"That might just be my favorite article of clothing in existence," he said. "Please never wear anything else."
"Jared, I can't walk around in a bra."
"You're right," he said very seriously. "Other guys would look at you and I'm not okay with that. Next one?"
The white one seemed to be his favorite, earning me a big thumb's up as he shifted in his chair. He grimaced, which revealed exactly what I was doing to him. He never ceased to make me feel wanted, desired.
"You okay?" I asked.
"My girlfriend is standing in front of me and wearing nothing but a little white bra. The punchline is we're in public and my head is becoming a very filthy place. How do you think I'm doing?"
I leaned down to press my mouth to his. As soon as our lips brushed, it was all over. He pulled me down into his lap, my legs falling on either side of his. I could feel my thighs digging into the edge of the chair as he kissed me. Hard.
His tongue slipped inside my mouth and I let out a moan. The sound burst out before I could stop it, and he chuckled. His fingertips dug into my skin, drawing me against him until there wasn't the slightest bit of space.
He was hard against my thigh, and before I knew it, I was rocking my hips to meet his, and he was swearing under his breath as he started to kiss my neck, tracing his way down to the hollow of my throat. His fingers found the clasp of the bra and pinched—
"Is everything alright in here?" a sales associate asked suddenly.
I nearly jumped out of his lap, pressing the material of the bra back to my chest desperately. "Yeah. We—I'm good."
"Let me know if you need anything!" she chirped happily before she walked away.
I let out a relieved breath, resting my head on his shoulder. "That was close."
He sighed. "Fuck, I got a little carried away."
"Me too."
He pressed his lips to mine again, for all of a moment. I pulled away before he could deepen the kiss, careful not to go too far.
He pouted. "What was that for?"
"If I allow that, we might end up fooling around in a dressing room."
"I'm okay with that."
"I'm not."
I climbed off of him, trying my best to remember why I was here in the first place. Shopping, I think. Something like that.
I grabbed the last one, the red bra, and put it on as quickly as I could. Jared's eyes widened. A loose breath escaped his lips.
"I retract my earlier statement, that is my favorite article of clothing ever created," he said. "Holy shit, you're so beautiful."
I crossed my arms, but he reached out and unfolded them.
"You don't ever have to be embarrassed in front of me," he whispered.
I looked down at the price tag and winced. "Jesus. This is probably the most expensive article of clothing I've ever seen."
He shrugged it off. "I'll buy it. Call it a late birthday present."
I turned away and started to change into my other clothes. "You don't need to, I'll just get the cheaper bra. You liked the white one, right?"
His chin raised, a silent yes. "I liked them all. But especially that one. If I get to see you in it again, I'll buy ten of them if I have to."
"Okay," I said. "If you want to."
"I do."
I tried to protest, to no avail. "It's really not necessary for you to get it for me."
He got to his feet and helped me into my jersey, straightening out the material once it was on. He framed my cheeks with his fingertips, the space between us shrinking with each moment. I was dangerously close to kissing him again, and I think he knew it.
"I'm going to," he said. "And then you can wear it when you meet me in my room tonight."
"Maybe."
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Risa.
Risa: Head's up, Shea and Gen came back. If you're with Jared, it might be time to break up the party.
"Who was it?" he asked, gesturing to my phone.
"Risa," I said. "The other girls are here. We'll have to leave the dressing room separately."
"Damn. Okay," he replied. "Better make the most of this."
He reached forward, grabbing me around the hips and bringing me forward to kiss me goodbye. It wasn't long before I was against the wall, his knee between my legs, his breath in my mouth. I was barely standing on my own anymore, sinking into this.
"Jared," I said sharply. "We... I gotta..."
Parting was one of the most challenging things I've ever done. Once things got hot and heavy, I was reluctant to stop.
"I'm going to pay for this," I announced. "I'll see you soon."
"I sure hope so," he said.
I met the girls near the register, resisting the urge to laugh when I saw Jared hiding near the back of the store. He slipped away before they noticed him, but not before he winked at me.
After I paid and we were heading out, Gen stared at my one bra and said, "What took you so long? You only got one."
"I had a few others to try on," I said. And my secret boyfriend wanted to be there.
It wasn't long before we got bored and moved on to different outlets. The four of us were having a great time, now past the stress of the season and college applications. We searched for another thing to do, to pass the time before we had to get back to our room.
I was the type of person to overthink every decision I made, question it until I wasn't sure why I was considering doing it in the first place. But when we were walking around a drugstore outside the mall, I acted on impulse.
Despite my armload of candy, soda, and every other kind of junk food Risa wanted, I reached for a box of condoms from the shelf between the tampons and diva cups and shoved it down under the gummy worms.
Naturally, Risa saw this and shook her head. Taking the box from me, she set it down on the shelf and grabbed a different pack. "These are the good ones. I like them best. If the others ask, I'll say they're for me and Chris."
Shea and Gen were off looking at makeup, so it was just us. I turned red, but I couldn't tell if it was because of my inexperience or because she knew I was planning to have sex with Jared.
"You're really into him, huh?" She started to take our items out of my grasp and load them on the conveyor belt.
"Yeah." I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. "I really like him."
"And you're going to do this?" Risa let out a low whistle. "I can honestly say that I never saw that coming. Do you want anything else? I can pick up candles."
I knew she was teasing, so I reached out and smacked her shoulder. "It's just sex."
She held my gaze a few seconds. "Not for you. I know you, L. This is a big deal and you just want to pretend it isn't."
I picked my cuticles, avoiding her eyes. It was obvious the nosy cashier was listening in, which wasn't comforting.
"I want details," she said. "Tell me if he's any good in bed."
The guy working, an awkward teenage boy a bit younger than us, handed her the receipt with scarlet cheeks. "Uh, have a good night."
"She will." Risa waggled her eyebrows and slipped the bag around her wrist.
For the rest of the evening, we wandered around and did everything and nothing. By the time we were back at the hotel, we were a mess of giggles and exhaustion. We took turns in the shower, and I picked out my better underwear, a lacy pair, and left my bra on under my pajamas.
Hair wet and dripping, I managed to finish my homework by some miracle. I was shaking as I put the box of condoms in my hoodie, trying to be discreet about it.
Jared: coming over soon?
Me: they haven't gone to bed yet
Jared: no rush, I was just wondering
When everyone else was finally asleep and I'd memorized all the vocab I would need for my Spanish quiz, I slipped out of the hotel room for the second night in a row feeling ridiculous. I had condoms in my jacket for Christ's sake. Condoms! What if he laughed at me?
What if he's gay? I wondered irrationally.
Upon realizing how ridiculous that thought was, I sighed.
Don't be stupid, Laura, I scolded myself. If he were gay, he wouldn't have taken a shower with you and...
I wasn't entirely sure what the proper words were for what he'd done. The only thing I was sure of was how mortified I was.
Me: I'm here
He let me in the room, but I ducked under his arm, closer to his unmade bed. I knew he was probably expecting a kiss from me, but that detail completely slipped my mind as I stared firmly at the wall.
He cocked his head. "What's in your pocket?"
I covered my face with my hands. "I am already regretting this decision. Oh my God, I am so regretting this decision."
He wandered over, the soft sound of his feet padding across the carpet all I could hear to accompany my frantic breathing. For a second, all I did was breathe, hiding my face from him childishly.
Slowly, one hand fell to the small of my back, the other slid inside my pocket and pulled out the box. When he started laughing, I was pretty sure I was going to burst into tears.
He pried my hands away from my face, throwing the box into the abyss of his sheets. "Laura?"
"Can I please curl up in a hole and die?" I groaned.
"What makes you say that?"
"I bought my boyfriend condoms," I whined. "I can't believe this. I bought you condoms!"
He smirked. "I happen to appreciate this gift. You saved me the trouble."
"You're making light of this? Really?"
Jared nodded slowly. "Consider it revenge for making fun of my hard-on."
Thoroughly embarrassed, I got up from the bed and started to go, but he caught my wrist and pulled me down onto his lap.
"I'm sorry," he apologized. "How about we backtrack? Admittedly, I brought condoms too. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to feel pressured into doing anything. I just thought I wanted to be prepared in case you wanted to."
I smiled a little, still flustered. "That's sweet of you. Not pressuring me, I mean. I bought them on impulse when I was out with Risa."
He chuckled. "Risa Troy knows all about our sex life. This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder."
"I'm sorry—"
He kissed me briefly, fingers resting against my neck. "Breathe, Laura, I was just messing with you. I can feel your heart pounding. Hey, look at me."
I did, sinking into the big blue eyes that stared back at me.
"I think it's cute you brought condoms." He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "More than cute. It's reassuring because it shows you want this too. It shows that you trust me. I won't force you to do anything. Just because you brought condoms doesn't mean we have to use them."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Positive," he said.
I paused, considered this over in my head. "Can we start over?"
He let me off his lap, fighting a grin as I opened the door and knocked again from the other side. When he let me in, I let him kiss me, soft and slow, back against the door.
I deepened the kiss this time, one of my hands sliding up the back of his shirt. He proceeded to grab me by the thighs and lift me until I was wrapped around him, being carried across the room. He was on top of me on the bed, my legs wrapped around his hips and his tongue swirling in my mouth. It was completely, entirely intoxicating.
I pushed him back, gently coaxing his shirt up until he took it off for me, trembling as I traced his chest with my fingertips. Then he was taking off my shirt, kissing my stomach slowly and torturously.
I reached out, attempting to touch his face, his hair, something, but he brought his mouth back up, hovering over me. "How about we switch this up?"
I was out of breath, confused as I searched his face for an indication he was joking. I found none. "What?"
"We're gonna make things interesting," he decided, taking control of everything. "You stay still, and you try your damndest not to make any noise."
"What are you gonna do?" I chewed my lip, eyes locked on his.
"I'm gonna make you say my name until you can't anymore."
I shivered despite how warm the room felt as his fingers slid along the waistband of my pajama bottoms teasingly. My lip was between my teeth now as I tried to keep my breathing even. He kissed my hip bone, tracing the length of my lower stomach with his hot mouth. Then, he was pulling my pants down, slowly down my thighs, taking his sweet time.
I tried not to moan, back arching as he brought his lips to my collarbone and nipped at the skin.
"I'm gonna give you a hickey," he warned me. "Is that okay?"
I nodded my head frantically.
He lowered his head again and I felt his teeth nipping and tugging. Demanding, yet gentle. I shuddered again, wondering how it was humanly possible for him to set my body on fire.
Then he was taking off my bra, my underwear, and kissing his way up my thigh again.
Jared, I thought. Christ.
His lips returned hot and fervent, more familiar than the first time. But he wasn't just trying to please me like he had been the night before. He was trying to send me over the edge.
"Not even a moan for me, baby?" he said between kisses to my inner thigh.
I shook my head, wanting so desperately to scream. I was still biting my lip and knotting my fingers in the sheets. He pinned my hips down with one of his hands, the other doing something unspeakable between my legs.
"You're beautiful," he told me before he went back to torturing me.
Just as the colors were splintering, just as the stars were flashing in my eyes, he stopped and pulled away smirking at me. I let out a frustrated groan, falling back onto the sheets. This was hell. It was agony, and all I wanted was to bring us together, as close as we could get.
"Jared," I whimpered.
He cocked his head. "What?"
"You know what," I rasped.
He grinned. "Are we really going to do this?"
"Yes!" I exclaimed.
A chuckle escaped his lips. "I like when you're all hot and bothered."
I sat up with no regard for the fact I was completely naked as I started tugging at his pants. He was already hard, straining against his jeans. I felt him beneath my hand, running down the length of him. It was hard to feel brave when I touched him, knowing how much he wanted me.
I knew he was gonna take me, and the thrill sent a shiver down my spine.
He stopped me as I moved to take his clothes off, holding my hands still.
"If you keep touching me, I won't be able to hold on," he said with a breathless laugh. Then, he got rid of the last of his clothes and kissed me again.
He slid me further up onto the bed, my legs parted below him as he tore the condom wrapper open with his teeth. I didn't get a good look at any of that though; I wasn't focused on the specifications. I was delirious, just waiting for the moment.
He hovered just above me, blue eyes on mine, kind and understanding. "This okay?"
I swallowed, cheeks hot. "Yeah."
He took me in one swift gesture, smirking at the tiny gasp that escaped my throat. It hurt a little, but the pain was gone so fast I forgot all about it. He was there, and I was so full I couldn't think of anything else.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
I nodded.
We moved slowly after that, him treating me with gentleness and love. He kissed me everywhere as he moved steadily inside me, and the world seemed to follow our rhythm as he shifted. The headboard started to rattle against the wall, and I was doing everything I could to keep quiet. Jared's breath was in my ear, a gentle chorus of my name.
The fire started in me and more color flashed before my eyes as I grew confident. I started digging my nails into his back as his hips rolled against me. My head was full of music, instruments playing loud as the notes grew more frantic and my world became brighter.
"Stay with me," he growled. "Stay."
I did, my whole body reaching a crescendo of tension. A few seconds later, I turned to jello, putty in his hands, melting onto the bed and turning into a mess of gasps and moans as the music softened and the colors muted. Just after me, he came too.
He pulled out slowly, tossing the condom in the trash by the dresser before returning to my side. We couldn't speak. I was a little sore, still recovering as he pulled the blanket over us and gently ran a hand down my back.
"I-I." I started stammering, instantly gaining his attention. "I like this."
He kissed my neck and smiled against my skin. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sore?" he asked softly.
"Kind of," I admitted with a wince.
"Give me a second," he got out of bed and grabbed his boxers, pulling them up over his hips as he entered the bathroom. When I heard the faucet running, my entire face lit up.
He's drawing me a bath.
When he came back into the room, he carried me off to the bathroom without another thought, setting me beside the tub gently.
As he sat beside me and let me sink into the hot water and bubbles, he didn't say much of anything. He looked like he was thinking really hard, eyebrows knitted together.
"Jared?" I whispered.
He glanced up. "Yeah?"
"Was I... was I bad? Is that why you're not talking to me?" I ran a hand through my wet hair, fingers pruning up. "It's okay to tell me if I was—"
"You weren't," he said quickly. "That was the best I've ever had, partially because it meant so much to both of us. I'm just overwhelmed. I don't think I've ever wanted someone so much. You're all I think about."
You're all I think about too.
After my bath, he wrapped me in a towel, dressed me, and combed my hair for me, just like before. We laid in his bed. I was exhausted, and I knew I should go back to my room, but I couldn't bring myself to get up.
We fell asleep tangled up in one another, wrapped up in the other's arms as if searching for a means of escaping reality a few hours.
***
falling in love? wow! this is serious and it's great we stan jaura
thanks so much to everyone who reads this story. it means everything to me, and I appreciate it!
signing off,
mads