I collapse onto the safety of Ace’s bed. Lord, Matt Iverson is potent. No, he’s dangerous. I nearly burst into flames when those big, powerful hands were running over my foot. My legs. My sex. If we hadn’t been interrupted…God, I would have had sex with him. Right there in Ace’s kitchen, where anyone could’ve walked in on us. That’s how deep of a spell he had me under.
I rub my hot cheeks and try to ignore the even hotter feeling between my legs. I was grinding against him like I was trying out for a spot as a cam girl. I’ve never felt like that about a guy before. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had sex since last year. A year is a really long time to go without. I’m just experiencing a…sexual re-awakening. It’s like when your limb falls asleep and when you wake it up, you’re full of intense pain and buzzing until it wears off.
I just need for it to wear off. The next time I encounter Matt, I’ll be prepared.
Next time? Oh, God, am I already anticipating a next time? How about never again? And shit, I promised Ace to stay away from him. But I don’t have to sleep with Matt. I could just…what?
Talk! That’s what we’ll do. We’ll talk it out. Eat some food, have a drink—beer for him, Diet Coke for me—and we’ll both laugh and realize that we’re better off friends.
I try to force myself to sleep, but my mind whirls in circles. I need to stay away. But I can’t help myself. But he’s no good. But he’s funny! He makes me laugh and, fuck me, the size of the monster in his pants—No! Do you not remember those Instagram photos? Do you really want to be the next member of the panty parade in Matt’s bed? But I’d have to be dead not to appreciate what a perfect specimen of masculinity he is. How I was on fire just from him touching my fricking ankle!
And the circle goes around again. I toss and turn until Ace’s door slams open. I bolt up in bed wondering where the fire is only to sag back immediately when I see two shapes wrestle inside, half-laughing, half-trying to discover what the other person had for dinner.
I clear my throat as the two stumble and fall onto the sofa. “Ahem,” I say a little louder.
Ace peers over the blonde’s shoulder and his eyes flicker in some dim remembrance.
“Oh, Luce. Forgot you were here.” He’s drunk so the words are slurred together, but I get the gist.
“I am here,” I remind him.
“Can you just…” He spins his finger around in quick circle.
I gape. “For real? You just want me to cover my head and pretend you’re not here?”
“No. We’re going to pretend you’re not here,” the girl shoots back. I don’t recognize this one. She’s not the blonde from earlier, and she’s not Stella.
Ace looks out at me glassy eyes. “You don’t mind, do you?” His hand runs up the back of his companion, and she responds by rubbing her chest all over him.
I stare at the two of them in disbelief. He wants me to pretend he’s not having sex on the couch? I take too long to respond because my inability to form words is taken as consent by the girl. She proceeds to noisily kiss Ace’s neck, sounding for all the world like a fish flopping around on a dock.
He must be so drunk he can’t hear her or so horny he doesn’t care. Maybe it’s both.
“I do mind, actually.”
“Don’t be a cockblocker,” the girl says, her mouth partially muffled against Ace’s neck.
“That would be cuntblocker,” I correct impatiently. “You don’t have a cock.”
“Did you just call me a cunt, bitch?”
I turn to Ace. “You know how to pick them.”
“I’m not judging her IQ, just the quality of her snatch,” he replies crudely.
And the girl? She doesn’t even flinch. If anything I think her expression grows victorious.
“Nice, Ace. Real nice.”
“Lucy, give us…” He looks down at the girl and back to me. “Twenty minutes.”
“Twenty minutes?” His friend squawks. “I want to spend the night here.”
“Right, I really don’t do sleepovers,” Ace tells her and starts to rise.
“You have someone in your bed!” She points to me. Yet my presence, no matter what the reason, doesn’t drive her off.
“It’s just Lucy. She doesn’t matter.”
I know he’s drunk, but that was rude. And here I was feeling guilty that I’d kissed his teammate. After this, I should have the right to kiss the whole damn team! I climb out of bed, find my socks, and grab my backpack. Ace reaches out to grasp my hand as I leave.
“Don’t go. Just wait downstairs. I’ll be a half hour. Hour tops.”
“No, you won’t.” The girl takes Ace’s face between her hands. “I’m going to rock your world. You don’t need her.”
Without waiting for any response, she pulls Ace’s hand down between her legs and starts rocking. Oh. My. God. Ace is really losing it. I hustle out of there before the contents of my dinner decorate their rapidly discarded clothes.
Outside Ace’s room, I slip on my socks and then glance back into the room. The two are going at it on the very sofa he screwed some other girl on just a few hours previously.