On The Rebound (Steinbeck U #1) - L.A. Cotton Page 0,110
for stealth mode.
Either the girls living on Calli’s floor were bookworms or out partying because the hallway was empty as I kept my head down, my black and red SU ball cap pulled low over my eyes.
I knocked gently. It was late, a little past ten, so when Calli opened the door in her pajama shorts and thin tank top, I almost pounced on her.
“Zach?” she whispered-shrieked as I ducked inside, closing the door behind me. “What are—”
Snagging Calli around the waist, I pulled her into me and kissed her. She melted against my body, letting out a little sigh of contentment when my tongue slipped past her lips and curled around her own.
It was a sound I wanted to bottle and keep with me always.
“Fuck, you taste good, sweet pea.”
“It’s called fresh mint toothpaste.” Calli giggled against my mouth. “I just got done brushing my teeth.” She smiled up at me. “What are you doing here?”
“What, I can’t come see my girl?”
“Am I? Your girl?” Love shone in her eyes. Warm golden flecks glittering in two deep whiskey pools I wanted to drown in. Jesus, she was beautiful. The only girl I’d ever looked at and wanted to know. Her secrets, her hopes and dreams, her fears. Her eyes called to me in a way I’d never experienced before, shackling me to her in a way I never expected.
And you almost lost her.
I pushed down the unwelcomed thoughts. Calli was here. I had a second chance at doing things right. Besides, I had a near perfect offensive rebound record in practice—I wasn’t about to miss my shot with her again.
I grabbed the back of Calli’s neck, brushing my lips over hers in a possessive manner.
“God, I don’t think I’ll get used to this feeling,” she said.
“Good, I don’t want you to.” Picking her up, I walked us to the bed and lowered her down. “I can’t believe I was stupid enough to ever let you go.”
“Zach—” My name got stuck in her throat.
Dropping to my knees, I ran my hands up her legs, ankle to knee, knee to thigh, stroking her smooth, silky skin until I was brushing the edge of her tempting little pajama shorts.
“I saw your brother today.” She went rigid, and I chuckled. “Relax. It wasn’t about you. Coach asked me to talk to him.”
Calli pushed up on her elbows. “Why, what happened?”
“He’s finding it hard...”
“Because of what happened to Declan?”
“Yeah, and me being here... and you.”
Her expression fell.
“I think you should talk to him.”
“W- what?”
“He’s carrying a lot of guilt, Calli. I think losing Declan has made him realize some stuff. Just... try, yeah?”
Uncertainty flickered in her eyes. “You’re asking me to try... with the brother who abandoned me?”
“You’re giving me another shot.”
“That’s not fair,” her lips thinned, “and you know it.”
“Look at it another way then. You have Josie and Freya and the center and me.”
“And Xavier,” she added.
“Xavier?” A low growl rumbled in my chest, a deep sense of possessiveness snaking through me. “The dude at the bar?”
She nodded around a little smirk. “Xavier is good people.”
“Are you trying to make me burst a blood vessel?”
“Are you really trying to make me bury the hatchet with my brother?”
“He’s still here, Calli. I don’t want to be an asshole about it, that’s not what this is, but your brother is here, and deep down, I think he wants to fix things. He just doesn’t know how.”
Calli sat up, winding her hands around my neck. “Do you always play this dirty?”
“Where you’re concerned? Yes.” I pecked her lips.
“I got some good news earlier.”
“Yeah?” I asked, letting it slide that she was deflecting the conversation about Callum.
“Jasmine and the boys can come tomorrow.”
“That’s amazing. I’m going to have Coach look into a team for her. Maybe even get him to speak to the coach over at the high school. She’s too good to not be playing regularly.”
“She’s like a different person around you.”
“It’s the Messiah effect, baby.”
Calli rolled her eyes. “You are such a dork.”
“A very sexy, very skilled dork?” I smirked.
“Oh my god,” laughter spilled from her lips and it was like music to my fucking ears, “who are you right now?” She brushed the hair from my eyes and let out a contented sigh.
“Penny for your thoughts, sweet pea?”
“We wasted so much time, Zach. It just feels unfair somehow.”
“I think it’s like you said. We weren’t ready then. We needed to wade through all the bullshit and heartache and come out the other side