Beauty and the Baller (Strangers in Love)

A woodpecker bangs on a nearby tree as I gaze down at Nova. The weather is warm, and she’s wearing cutoff shorts and an old BBHS shirt. Her hair is everywhere as we lie in a hammock next to the pool.

We won our game last night on the road in Brighton, about two hours from Blue Belle. She and Sabine stayed home, and when I pulled up around one in the morning, I unlocked her door and headed upstairs to her room. I crawled in, tucked her in my arms, and slept the best I have in a while. We got up for Sabine and then made pancakes with Dolly playing. It’s a Morgan Girl family tradition.

She stirs and opens her eyes, a slow smile curling her lips as she stretches. “Hello, handsome. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“I don’t mind.”

She’s here. With me.

“Where’s Sabine and Toby?” she asks.

“Lois’s house. Milo is there, and they’re playing video games. I hope that’s okay?”

She bites her lip. “Does this mean we’re alone?”

“They’ve been gone for maybe an hour, so . . .”

She grabs her phone and fires off a text. “I’m telling Lois to keep them there for a while. Maybe order them a pizza. It’s close to dinnertime, and Sabine loves Domino’s gluten-free . . .”

I grin. “What will we do without them here?”

“Fun and games . . . give me a head start, ’kay? About twenty seconds,” she says as she stirs around in my arms to get out of the hammock.

“What do you mean?”

She stands. “We’re going to play a game. Keep up, Fancy Pants.” She darts around the pool toward the house. Dog raises his head from the lounge chair he’s asleep in, then snuffles out a disgusted sound and lies back down.

I heave myself out. “Don’t you think we’re too old for hide-and-seek?”

“We’re never too old for games!” she calls out from the french doors. “I won’t be hard to find! FYI, I’m off my period!” The door slams behind her, and I count to twenty, then take off after her.

I go to the pantry first, then circle back to the kitchen, then head for my office. I swing the door open, and she’s leaning against the pool table, a stick in hand. She’s already racked the balls.

“See. Told ya it would be easy.”

I drape my eyes over her body. “Are we going to play pool?”

“Hmm, I’m not very good.”

“I don’t believe you,” I murmur, walking closer to her, grazing my hand down her arm. “You go first.”

“Done!” She turns, lines up her cue, and shoots, sinking two solids.

“Damn,” I breathe. “You’re good.”

“Take off your shirt, Coach.”

“Oh, it’s that kind of game, huh?” I pull at the neck of my Pythons shirt and toss it to the ground. Her eyes track over my chest, lingering on the V of my hips.

“Nice tent in your pants,” she murmurs, then scratches on the next turn and pouts.

I grab my cue and line up and sink two stripes.

She cocks her hips. “Well . . . what do you want?”

“Your shorts. They have to go,” I purr.

She unsnaps them and eases them down, revealing a black lace thong. Her legs go for miles, and my tongue darts out to lick my bottom lip, my teeth digging in. “Nice.”

I scratch on the next turn, and she lines up to shoot, bending over the pool table, her ass on display. My hand twitches to touch her. As if she knows, she throws a look at me over her shoulder. “No touching the goods,” she says. “That’s for later.”

My cock thickens.

Like she’s done it a million times, she adjusts the cue and sinks a solid, then turns to me. “Secret time. Tell me one.”

My lids lower. “I’d rather take my pants off and get this party started.”

“Secret. Now.”

I shift my feet, my gaze going to the closet door where Leia is. “I didn’t like the Leia because her hair wasn’t blonde.”

Her mouth parts. “You wanted a me-Leia?”

“Hmm.” I didn’t understand my dissatisfaction with the wax figure when she arrived, but . . . she wasn’t Nova, and I wanted something closer to the beauty I’d met.

She smiles. “Ah, that might be the sweetest thing you’ve ever said . . .”

I roll my eyes. “Just go again. I’m ready for my turn to happen.”

She misses, then gives me room to make a shot, grazing her hand over my crotch as she slides past.

I groan, adjusting my breathing from her touch, then lean over the table and sink a stripe. I tap my chin, eyeing her. It’s so clear what I want. Her naked. Completely. “The shirt. Off.”

She pulls at the hem slowly, her hips swaying back and forth as she tugs it over her hair and tosses it over her head. My chest rises at the sight of her in her black bra and panties. Our eyes lock. “You like?”

“Mm-hmm.” I turn and attempt another shot, and miraculously it goes in.

“Bra. Lose it,” I demand.

She unsnaps the front, dangles it on her fingers, and then throws it at me. “Get ready to wear it.”

I laugh, turning away from her luscious tits, and sink another stripe. “Yes!” I call out and pump my fist.

She curses.

My gaze takes in her erect red nipples. “You cold, babe?” She glares at me as I lean against the table. “What next . . . hmm . . .”

She puts her hands on her hips. “Just say it.”

“Underwear. Off.”

“You’re still dressed!”

“Those are the rules, babe.” I cock an eyebrow.

She grabs her phone and turns on music, “I Knew I Loved You,” by Savage Garden.

“Is that your stripping song?” I ask. “Or are you stalling?”

She flips me off, then sways her hips to the song, humming along as she tucks her thumbs in the sides of her panties and teases them up and down. The lace dances down her hips, past her thighs, to her knees, and then to her ankles. She picks them up and tosses them to me. “Your turn to go again. Or are you stalling?”

My mouth drying, I eat her up with my eyes. My knees feel weak, and with a groan, I turn and make my next shot. My hands are unsteady, but I manage to sink the ball.

I turn around and face her, trying not to gloat.

“Well?” she asks in a low, sultry voice. “What’s it gonna be, darling?”

“Get on the table. Spread your legs.”

Her breath hitches. “You dirty, dirty man. You still have the eight ball.”

“Fuck the eight ball. I want you. Now.”

She walks toward me, and I meet her halfway. I pull her face to me and kiss her. It’s a stormy kiss, explosive, throbbing with need as our tongues fight for dominance.

“I love kissing you. Each time is different,” I murmur as our breaths mingle. “Now get your sweet ass on the edge of the table so I can eat your pussy.”

“You’re so poetic,” she says as I sweep her up in my arms and set her down on the table, shoving the rest of the balls out of the way so she can lie back.

I trace my hand down her throat, letting it rest at the bottom. It’s a possessive “You’re mine” hold.

Her fingertips graze my arm. “If you’re into choking, I need to know.”

“And if I am?”

“Then I only ask that you let me do you first.”

I chuckle as I lean in and take her lips gently, skimming over that lush bottom one, stretching it with my teeth. “I’d never hurt you, but someday . . . maybe . . .”

“Possibilities are endless,” she murmurs. “Now make a meal of me.” Propping her feet up, she leans back on the green table.

I inhale at the image she presents. So willing. So hot.

I swat her ass, and she glares at me.

“Just checking,” I chuckle and lean over and kiss her softly, then trail down her throat, sucking on the skin.

“Ronan . . .” She curls her hands in my hair.

I skim over her succulent nipples with teasing touches, plucking, tweaking. She arches, and my tongue dips down to the valley between her breasts and traces down to her waist. I kiss her hip bones, playing over her belly button. My thumb grazes over her nub as my tongue tastes her. With my other hand, I shove my shorts and underwear down and grasp my cock. Little spasms flutter from her folds as I feast on her skin. Her clit swells as I suck it into my mouth and flick over it, lingering, exploring her secret places. She calls my name, her body quaking and shuddering as she rubs against my face. Her back arches up, and she pulls my hair and comes with a shout, her body quivering.

I stop pumping my length and prowl on top of her. She opens her arms and scoots up to let me get on the table. Fire blazes under my skin as I get on my knees and pick up her hips, her legs falling over my forearms. Her ass rests against my upper thighs. My chest heaves as I slide inside her slickness and groan, need rising higher as her tits bounce with my entry. I swivel my hips to get deeper, yelling out as I hit home.

Her eyes glaze, her pupils blown. Sweat drips down my face, my gaze trained on her, memorizing her features, the way her hair splays out behind her. I play with her nipples, skimming my tongue over the tips, then sucking them into my mouth.

Her hips rise to meet me as I work her, my shoulder muscles flexing as I slide out and thrust back with a need that curls down my spine. She tightens her legs around my hips and gazes up at me, our eyes locked.

We’re in a bubble, the only two people in the world, and all that matters is this second, this feeling. The air crackles as something powerful and beautiful passes between us. A gift. A rare moment. The world tilts as my throat prickles with need for her. My mouth parts to gasp.

“Nova . . .”

She tugs my face to hers, and I let down her legs to lie on top of her, easing between them.

I slow us down, dragging out the thrusts, my face in her neck. We turn languid and unhurried, stretching out the moments I’m inside her. She feels like silk, tight and hot. I rise as I slide out, my crown rubbing over her clit before I thrust back inside.

“Nova . . .” I can’t find the right words for what’s happening between us.

“I’m here. I feel it too,” she breathes out.

With tender lips, I kiss her throat, her ear, her collarbone, her breasts. I want to consume her, have my smell on her skin.

Her hands clutch my ass, her nails digging into the skin, and I’m gone, euphoria ripping through my skin, my bones, every molecule inside me. I roar at the sensation, the ultimate pleasure, my body riding the wave. She tips over with me, our hands clinging to each other.

With her caged below me, I give her another kiss. “You’re beautiful. That was beautiful,” I tell her as we turn on our sides and face each other, our legs and feet tangling together. I push the hair out of her face, and the moments tick by as we stare at each other.

She smiles. “You’re gonna have a damp spot on your pool table. Can you recover it?”

I laugh. “This can be our sex table. I’ll put it in my bedroom.” My eyes eat her up—the flushed cheekbones, the dainty nose.

“I want to show you Star Wars,” I murmur. “Just you and me. I want to sit next to you and watch your face when you realize how awesome it is.”

Her hands toy with the ends of my hair. “You’re going to torture me with a galactic saga?”

“Come on; you know you’re dying to see it.” I rest my chin on her head.

She lifts her face. “Do you still have some vanilla wafers?”

I nod. “You can have the whole box, but I wanted to cook us dinner. I have steaks in the fridge. I picked them up today. On my own.”

“Such a big boy. Do you have potatoes and garlic bread?”

“And salad stuff.” I pause, holding her hands in mine. “Will you stay the night?”

“Sabine—”

“Lois has already said she’d stay over with her.”

She squints at me. “Did you have this all planned?”

“Hmm. I want you alone for one night.”

She lets out a gusty exhale. “This movie better be good.”

I smile broadly and kiss the tip of her nose. “You’re going to love it.”

She swats my ass. “Cook me dinner.”