“Come here.” He swings his legs onto the couch and begins to lean back, tugging my arm gently so I’m lying on top of him. Pushing my ponytail back, he keeps one hand on each side of my face. “Don’t list all the reasons we shouldn’t be together. Think of all the reasons why we should.”
Relief breaks through my lips. “So we’re doing this then? You and me?” I need to know that, no matter what happens, we’re in this together.
“We’re in this together,” he repeats. He kisses my forehead. “Just promise me one thing.”
“What's that?”
“No more sitting next to Paul.”
I laugh. Not a light, I-don’t-want-to-embarrass-myself kind of laugh. No, I let out the kind of laugh that starts low in your stomach and moves up into your chest and rumbles outward.
“Is that a yes?” His own amusement crosses his face.
I nod. “As long you don’t flirt with anymore female students or faculty.”
His brows furrow in. “So you want me to stop flirting with you?”
I push on his chest, playfully. “No! You better keep flirting with me.”
“Good, because I like flirting with you.”
“Just—you know, maybe tone it down a little when you talk to the girls.”
A sly smile forms. “And how do I talk to the girls?”
“You know!” I flash him my own open-mouthed smile.
“No, I don’t.” He laughs, twisting me so I flip onto my back. He settles on top of me. “How do I talk to the girls?”
I try to keep a straight face. “You smile.”
He laughs so hard I’m certain the neighbors can hear. “I smile? That’s it! That’s not even talking, Emma.”
I laugh at the silliness. “I know, but you don’t know what kind of effect your smile has on women. And when you wave…”
“Oh, no! Not that wave!” He throws his hands in the air, laughing harder.
“Stop!” I try to scoot away from under him, but he holds my arms, keeping me pinned beneath him. “You make the girls wet in their panties with those dimples. And your kind gestures only add fuel to the flame.”
I know he’s well aware of the effect he has on women.
“Do I make you wet in your panties, Ms. Peters?” He wiggles his brows.
His smile is infectious. “I think you know the answer to that one, coach.”
He leans forward, kissing the top of my head. I mold into him as he clutches me tight.
“Noted. I will no longer smile or wave to other women.” His tone is playful, and I can’t help but let out another giggle.
I tilt my head back to look up at him, daring him to kiss and touch me.
He accepts.
Trey is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and I’m honestly not ready for whatever this is to end. Whatever the consequences may be, right now, in this moment, it’s all worth it.
***
The next week passes in a blur. If I’m not at practice or in class, I was at Trey’s house. We order in, watch movies, talk about his family back in Michigan and stay in bed all weekend. It’s my own perfect escape from reality. When it’s just us two, I can forget he’s my coach and I’m just a student. We can be us.
“Come on, Emma! Push it!” Trey yells. His voice rings through my ears every time I come up for a breath of air. “Harder!”
My legs tingle with numbness. I’m uncertain if I’m even kicking anymore. It feels like I’m using all my upper body strength to pull myself through the water.
Loud voices begin to chant, making it difficult to concentrate. I try to zone everyone out and focus only on my stroke counts and technique, but outside thoughts keep intruding.
Thoughts of Trey.
Thoughts of Brooke finding out.
Thoughts of anyone finding out.
When I touch the wall my heart sinks. I know it wasn’t my best time or form. I pant, trying to catch my breath. I don’t bother looking at Trey or Coach Johnson. I can’t handle the disappointment that will be displayed across their faces.
“It’s all right, Emma. You’ll get it next time,” Erin encourages.
I rip my goggles off and toss them aside. When the numbness in my legs subside and I can feel them beneath me again, I drag myself over to the pool edge and grab a towel.
“Emma, that was awful,” Trey spits, his footsteps coming up behind me. “What was that in there? I’m not sure if I was watching a woman who took third in last year’s NCAA championship, or a girl splashing around in front of her friends.”
I whirl around. “I did my best,” I hiss through gritted teeth.
He shakes his head. With a small step, he’s in my face. “No, that was not your best. Do it again!”
There’s silence among us, not even the sound of the water splashing. Everyone, including Coach Johnson, is frozen. Trey’s never yelled at me, or anyone for that matter in practice. Not like this anyways.
I look at the clock. 6:59 a.m. Practice is over in one minute. “I’m tired,” I say defenseless.
He doesn’t turn back to look at me. “Do it again.”
“Practice is over,” I object. My shoulders slump, eyes still zoned in at the time.
That gets Trey to stop in his tracks. I suck in a breath of air, afraid to let it out. He turns ever so slowly with a brow raised in question. It’s the only sound in the aquatic center. He stares me down, eyes dark. “Practice is over when I say it’s over.”
Pushing back tears, I stomp over to pick up my goggles. Without as much as a sideways glance in his direction, I take my mark at the pool edge and wait for instructions.
***
“Emma!” Brooke says excitedly as I enter the administration office after practice. “I feel like I haven’t seen you lately.”
She’s standing next to the mailboxes, collecting her daily stack.
“I know, sorry. I’ve been busy with practice and studying for exams.” My smile doesn’t reach my eyes.
“No need to apologize. Are you okay?” she asks, concerned.
“Just a tough practice. Nothing I can’t handle.” I try to sound uplifting, but I’m too exhausted.
“Hopefully tonight’s practice goes better,” she offers.
Fuck. For a brief moment I forgot we had practice tonight, too. “Yeah, hopefully.”
“So, tell me quickly, what’s new?”
It’s then I remember I haven’t told her about the new job. I grin at the thought. “I got a job!” I cheer a little too loud. Brooke’s eyes go wide with excitement or maybe that’s the look of shock from how I just announced my job to the entire office. I lower my voice, “It’s at the community center. I’m going to teach swim lessons to kids.” I bounce on my feet.
“Em, that’s awesome. When do you start?” She glances at the papers in her hands then back to me.
“I talked to the manager earlier this week on the phone. I’m going to meet with her on Saturday to make a schedule. Once that’s set, she’ll post it for parents to sign up.”
She pulls me into a hug. “See, and you were worried you wouldn’t find anything.”
I don’t tell her Trey set it all up for me.
I blow out a small puff of air. “Yeah, so that means I’ll have to skip out on going shopping this weekend with you and mom.”
Her mouth goes straight as she sinks into a deep thought. “Maybe I’ll see if Ali would like to come with instead.” Her features become more animated as she speaks. “Or, maybe we could go after you meet that woman?”
“Possibly, I’m not sure what we’re doing yet.”
“We?” Her voice rises in suspicion. “Are you seeing someone?”
“No!” I’m quick to respond. Almost too quick. Shit. “I just mean the team. I don’t know if we’re practicing yet or not.”
She watches me intently. “You rarely have Saturday practices.”
I recall the one right after my birthday. “Sometimes we do.”
She looks at her watch, “Okay, well ju
st let me know. I have to get to work.”
“I will.” I turn around and bite my lip in frustration. I begin to walk over to the financial aid department to talk about some paperwork I received in the mail about my scholarship, and then Trey walks into the offices.
After this mornings practice I’m not sure I want to talk to him.
“Emma.” He stops, stunned. A slow smile begins to form on his face, but then falls flat when Brooke’s voice interrupts.
“Hi Trey, how are you?” Brooke comes over to stand next to us, brushing her fingertips on his hand.
His eyes bounce between us. Awkward. “Brooke, hi. I’m well. How have you been?”
“Great! Say, do you know if there’s swim practice this weekend? Our mom invited Emma and I home to spend some time together, but Emma here”—she nudges my shoulder—“said she wasn’t sure if there was a practice.”
“I don’t be…” His voice fades when he catches me scrunching my eyes together. Quickly, he changes his tune. “Actually, the more I think about it, yes.”
Brooke’s face falls. “Oh, that’s too bad.” Her hand rubs his arm and his eyes drop to watch. “Say, you should come out with some of the faculty members later this week. I’m sure you could use a break from coaching.” She sounds optimistic.
“Yeah, maybe.” When he flashes her his smile I can see her buckle. Watching them engage in light conversation makes me wonder what it would be like if they were together. I take in both of their facial expressions and watch their eyes as they continue to talk.
Brooke keeps grinning in awe. “Great! Well, I’ll text you details.”
“Perfect.” He waves as she walks away.
Jealousy creeps in. As much as I don’t want it to, I can’t fight it off. When he looks over at me and sees my blank face, his mouth immediately turns down, and his hand falls to his side. “Shit, sorry. I did the smile-and-wave thing.”
A small giggle escapes. “You’re fine,” I whisper, looking around. The office is moving about its normal business, with faculty on the phones and computers and students walking around and not paying us any attention. “I don’t expect you to not smile or wave.”
I can sense the hesitation in Trey’s body posture. He shifts uncomfortably and holds his hands tight in fists at his side, fighting the urge to touch me.
“Sorry about this morning.” The corners of his mouth turn down. A heavy sigh is my only response to his apology. “Emma, I only push you because I know you have it in you to do better. I care and want to see you succeed. It’s what I was hired to do.”
I can’t look him in the face. I hate the feeling of letting him down.
Letting me down.
“I know. I wasn’t my best this morning. This week has been crazy. My mind was too full today.” My eyes meet his. He knows what I mean. It’s been a whirlwind romance between the two of us.
“Come with me,” he orders.
“What? I need to talk with financial aid,” I protest.
He doesn’t add another word to the conversation. He exits the office and I follow quickly behind him.
“Coach Evans?” I holler down the hall after him, but it only causes his pace to quicken.
We turn down the hall toward the aquatic center. The place is deserted. His office light is off and he doesn’t bother turning it on when he enters. I stop and look behind me.
“Come in,” he instructs. “Quickly.”
When I step in, he takes hold of my hand, lacing our fingers together. “Say it again.”
“What?”
“Coach Evans.” The warmth of his smile matches his voice.
“Coach Evans,” I purr.
“So sexy.” He pulls me in for a tight hug. “Gosh, I missed you. It’s been too long.” He breathes in my scent.
“I just saw you last night and this morning.”
“My point exactly.”
“Trey,” I breathe. He brings me over to his desk. “What are you doing?”
“I have thirty minutes before my meeting with Coach Johnson about the upcoming conference meet.” He gently backs me up to his desk and prompts me to sit. Spreading my legs apart, he steps between them and I welcome the closeness.
“Thirty minutes?” I raise my eyebrows seductively.
“I get you for at least twenty of those.” He nuzzles into my neck, brushing my hair to the side.
“Trey?” Panic sets in. “Someone could walk in.”
“The lights are off.” He sucks on my earlobe.
“So? There’s no lock.”
He hesitates, but eventually steps back. Looking around the room, his eyes light up. He scoots one of the chairs over to block the door. “There.”
Because that won’t raise suspicion if someone tries to get in.
Trey’s fingers intertwine with mine. My body pulses with nervous energy at the thought of him burying his cock deep inside me and me crying out his name.
He looks over at me, and my skin prickles with goose bumps. His eyes are filled with intense desire.
“We don’t have that much time.”
“We won’t need it.” I press my lips against his and hook a finger in his belt loop, pulling him closer.
He groans.
His tongue parts my lips and I welcome the entrance. One hand grips my waist and another finds my thigh, slowly trailing upward. My clit throbs, begging to be touched.
He breaks our kiss. “You look so fucking hot in this dress.” His eyes ravish my body, sending an electric current down my spine. His face turns more serious as he looks into my eyes. “What are you doing to me, Emma?”
Heat creeps across my cheeks and down to my chest. Trey traces my blush with the back of his hand. I reach up, touching his fingers. Picking up my palm, he kisses the inside of my wrist.
“What are you doing to me?” I whisper, looking back at him through lust-filled eyes. I’ve only known him for a short time, but I’m almost positive what I feel towards him is love.
“Come here.” He tilts my chin upward and gives me the lightest of kisses. Our mouths explore one another more tenderly. The fire builds between us as our hands run up and down each other’s bodies. I want to get to know every part of this man’s body.
I suck on his tongue and he moans. His hands grip the soft fabric of my dress tighter and I deepen our kiss. He moves more impatiently. I love the ache he has—the ache he has for only me.
Taking his right hand, I slide it down my body so it rests between my thighs.
“You’re making me so wet,” I say. He hisses under his breath. “Touch me,” I demand.
His left hand holds me in place as his right pushes my dress all the way up. My head rolls back as the ache between my thighs increases with the anticipation of being owned by Trey. My hands come down to clasp his desk. He moves the soft fabric of my thong down my legs, stopping just above the knee, and presses me flat against the desk. He steps back, but never takes his eyes off of me.
“Do you know how exquisite you are, Emma?”
Hearing him say those words makes my stomach flip and my clit pulse.
His fingers hook the top of my thong and slip it the rest of the way off. A cool rush of air hits the bare skin of my folds. My body trembles, getting ready to be broken free with ecstasy.
Like a bolt of lightning, he unzips his pants and positions himself between my thighs. He cups the back of my thighs and positions my legs around his waist. His erection pushes against my slick folds, and he slides inside me with ease. My hips buck with his and we move impatiently.
“Shit,” he moans. “You’re always so ready for me.”
“Fuck me,” I moan out in erotic pleasure. Trey listens, pumping his hips faster, awakening the flames inside of me. “Yes,” I cry.
A light sheen of sweat covers his face. “Take it deep, baby.” Trey pounds into me. “My cock loves being inside of you.”
I don’t think I’d ever not want his cock inside of me. I roll my hips beneath him. Our bodies fitting tog
ether as one. The wood from the desk digs into my palms when I tighten my grip.
“Touch yourself,” he pleads. His eyes filled with hunger. “I want to watch you rub your clit as I finish inside of you.” I suck in a sharp breath of air. I’ve never touched myself there in front of a man before. “Don’t hesitate.”
I unclamp my right hand from the desk and find my swollen bud. I start rubbing in slow, gentle circles, but when Trey picks up the pace so does my fingers.
Trey moans my name. His body bursts free of his own burning sensations at the same time I crumble within.
He pulls out before I even have my eyes open. He helps me up and off the desk, giving me a long, passionate kiss.
Once we’ve both respectfully put ourselves back together, he turns the light on and puts the chair back in its correct spot.
He grips the door handle, but doesn’t open it. “How about I come over Saturday and cook for you?”
“Like, you come over to my house?”
He chuckles. “Yes. We’ve only been to mine. I’d love to see where you spend your time when you’re not with me.”
“You’ve been to my house.” My mind flashes back to when he came over to talk to Brooke.
“Yes,” he confirms. “But, I’d like to see where you sleep.” He hovers over my face. “And think of me.”
“Trey…” I lick my lips.
“Come on.” He opens the door and holds it for me to step out. Coach Johnson is already walking down the hall. “Just in time,” Trey murmurs.
“Thanks for taking the time to stop by and discuss this mornings practice.”
“And thank you for your time.” I wave goodbye to Trey and nod hello to Coach Johnson as I walk steadily down the hallway. When I round the corner, my phone beeps.
Coach Evans: We’ll continue this discussion later about me coming over on Saturday.
I look at the text. I quickly type back okay and hit send.
***
The clock ticks in the silence. My head bobs with the second hand as I watch Ali pour herself some coffee in a to-go mug.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to wait for you?” Brooke grabs her purse. “We can hang out for a few hours. I could tell Mom we’ll be a little later?”