Double Coverage

  Lexi’s mouth dropped in shock. “So the man Piper has been raving about to me is Mason’s coach? Doesn’t Mason hate his coach?”

  “Despises,” Jake said, while playing with the strings to Lexi’s top, slowly loosening them.

  “How does Mason feel about it?”

  Jake shrugged his shoulders as he finally released Lexi’s top from her breasts and reveled in the sight in front of him. God, she was so perfect. He moved his hands up her tight body and gripped her breasts, slowly massaging them so her nipples got hard.

  “Jacob Taylor!” Lexi swatted his hands away. “Focus.”

  “I am focusing,” he said with a wry grin, while taking her breasts back into his hands.

  “I’m concerned about Mason,” Lexi said, while flying off his lap and putting his erection on display.

  “Not so fast.” He grabbed her, spun her around and sat her on his lap so her back was leaning against his chest. He peeked over her shoulder and nuzzled her neck, right in the sweet spot that he knew drove her crazy.

  “Mason will be okay,” he said, while moving one hand across her breasts, tweaking her nipples while the other one traveled down to her skimpy bottoms.

  “You don’t know that,” Lexi said breathless. “He’s had a rough year.”

  “I know baby and I will make sure I talk to him. Please tell me you are going to go with us.”

  “I don’t know…” Jake slipped his finger under her bottoms and found how wet and ready she was for him, making her groan.

  “Are you sure you don’t know?” he whispered in her ear, while playing with her sensitive spot. “I can make it worth your while.” Jake grabbed one of her breasts and stroked her at the same time he applied pressure to her nipple. He brought his mouth down on her neck and licked the groove where her neck met her shoulder.

  “Um…what was the question?” she asked, while moaning at the same time.

  “Tell me you’re coming with me to my first pre-season game.”

  “I, uh don’t….ahh, Jake.” He stopped his hands and didn’t move them, making her squirm. “Damn you Taylor, finish what you started.”

  “Not until you answer me, sweet thing.”

  “I’ll go. I was always going, now please, finish…”

  Jake went to town on his wife, stroking her, licking her, feeling every last part of her body until she literally exploded in his hands. Even though he wasn’t inside her and she was reaping all the benefits of his hard work, he still enjoyed it just as much as she did. He was one of the luckiest men to be married to such a gorgeous and sweet woman who cared, not only about them, but about his friends as well.

  “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.

  Grinding her hips into him, she turned and shimmied down his body, pulling his pants down. She looked up at him and gave him a devious grin.

  “I love you too, big guy.” She put her lips around his eager cock, making his head fall back. She started working him up and down, making him ready to shoot off in three seconds.

  “Damn, I really fucking love you.” She giggled at his sex-induced proclamation and made him scream for more.

  ***

  After Lexi was done having some fun with her husband, she decided to get to the bottom of the little love triangle that was going on between her friends. She still couldn’t believe Piper was dating Mason’s coach. She asked Jake about the age difference, because NFL coaches were usually older gentlemen, but apparently Jax Ryan was an up and comer in the football scene who had a lot to prove, but a bunch of talent.

  After doing a little research on the internet, she found out that there was only a seven year age difference between Jax and Piper, which wasn’t terrible. She also found out that he lost his wife a year ago and he was quite the hunky southern gentleman. She watched an interview he gave and Lexi felt her cheeks go red from his accent. His voice was so smooth. She could see why Piper was crazy about him.

  Lexi pulled out her phone and sent Piper a text, she wanted to feel her friend out, see where she stood with the two men and the only way she could do that is if she tricked her friend a little. At the wedding, she saw there was a spark between Mason and Piper…whether it was pure hatred or lust, there was a spark nonetheless, so Lexi wanted to see if Piper had feelings for the dark and handsome wide receiver as well.

  Lexi: Hey girl. So, you and Mason, huh?”

  That would get Piper going, Lexi thought and just like that, before Lexi could take another breath, her phone started ringing with Piper on the other line.

  “Hey Piper. How are you doing, girl?”

  “I cannot believe Mason told you two!” Piper practically screamed in the phone. “Who else has he told? Oh my God, please tell me you have not talked to anyone about this.”

  Yikes, bad idea, Lexi thought. She should have started this conversation a completely different way, but it was too late. She would just have to do damage control, not to save her own ass, but to save Mason’s.

  “Slow down, girl. Mason didn’t say anything to us. I don’t think Jake has talked to him in a while.”

  “It was Ryker, wasn’t it?”

  Even though Ryker was a good scapegoat, she could not do that to him. He could be dramatically annoying at times, but she still liked the guy; he always made their outings together fun. The panic coming through Piper’s voice warned Lexi to tread lightly. Obviously, her situation with Mason and Jax was wearing her thin.

  “No, I just had an inkling. I heard Mason was having a hard time and I haven’t heard from you in a while, I guess it was best friend intuition.”

  Piper blew out an exaggerated breath. “God, L, where do I even start?”

  “What about from the beginning?”

  “Well, you know all about Jax and how things are amazing with him and how much I love him.”

  “Of course. You two seem perfect for each other.”

  “Right? So everything is great with him, but then Mason has to come in and ruin everything. He is hell-bent on making me his…his words, not mine. He has absolutely no respect for boundaries or that I have a boyfriend and he is very free and willing to touch me wherever and whenever. I mean, he made out with me right in front of Jax’s office. Jax could have seen us. And then he goes and has sex with me on the pool table, well that was before the make out session in front of Jax’s office, but still. We had sex like freaking horny teenagers, I mean everywhere all over his apartment. I don’t think I have ever had that many orgasms in my life. He just won’t leave me alone and, I swear, anytime he is near me, my body knows and starts reaching out to him. I can’t help it. But I love Jax, I love Jax so much.”

  Piper stopped rambling for a second, so Lexi was able to throw in a quick question, even though her mind was reeling from what Piper just spat out. “Do you love Mason?”

  “GOD, NO! Oh sweet Lord, wouldn’t that be something. The man is infuriating most of the time, acting all macho and puffing out his chest. He doesn’t know how to be a decent human, but then he’ll lay in bed with you, caress your forehead, and listen to your stories about your father and kiss away your worries. Ugh, no, the man is so beyond irritating; no, I don’t love him.”

  Lexi was smirking on the other side of the phone. Piper was so in love with Mason and she had no clue, but this caused Lexi to worry about Piper because her friend was also very much in love with Jax.

  “So then, leave him alone. Let him off easily.”

  “Like I haven’t tried already. The man won’t take no for an answer, ever. He told me the other day after our make-out session that I better show up at his house dressed in my best lingerie so he could fuck me and, if I didn’t, then I wouldn’t like the consequences.”

  “Did you go?” Lexi was intrigued by this new development, this new Mason.

  “Of course not! I fucked Jax that night, a couple of times just out of spite.”

  “Well good. See that’s all you need to do. Just ignore him.”

  “That’s what I thought too, but th
en I got a text message from him the next morning and it wasn’t good.”

  “What did it say?” Lexi felt like she was watching her own romantic drama unfold. She loved her life with Jake, but she missed the first months with a budding relationship, trying to figure everything out.

  “He said, and I quote, ‘I’m very disappointed in you Piper. You will receive your punishment Friday. Get ready to beg for forgiveness.’ I mean, who says that?”

  A shiver went up Lexi’s spine. “That’s kind of hot.”

  “Lexi! That’s not helping.”

  “I’m sorry, but it is.”

  There was silence on the other side, but then Piper spoke softly. “It is kind of hot.” Lexi burst out in laughter.

  “Listen, don’t fret about it too much. I’m coming out with Jake for the pre-season game. I don’t have to work just yet, only the regular season games, so I’ll be there Friday night. I guess everyone is getting together. I’ll make sure everyone is on their best behavior.”

  “Thank you. Oh, do you know if Brooke will be there?”

  “Yeah, she texted me earlier and said she can’t wait to see me. Why?” Then it dawned on Lexi. “Oh shit. Does she know about Mason?”

  “Well…I don’t know how much she knows, but she did give me a pretty good warning the other night to stay away from him.”

  “Sounds like her. Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure she doesn’t hurt you. I’ll see you Friday, alright?”

  They said their goodbyes and Lexi got off the phone, not believing everything her best friend just told her. She would not want to be in Piper’s shoes right now because when Mason put his mind to it, he could be a very persuasive person.

  Jake came up behind her and placed a grilled cheese sandwich in front of her as well as a bowl of soup. “Eat up, baby.”

  “You’re such a good man.” She grabbed his head and pulled him down to show him how much she appreciated him. She ran her tongue across his lips and then dipped it into his mouth.

  “Wow. I’ll make you grilled cheese every night if this is the kind of thanks I get.”

  “I’m just grateful that we found each other.”

  “You didn’t make it easy on a guy. I swear you tore my gut out a few hundred times.”

  Lexi winced a little from the accurate depiction of what they went through to finally get to where they were today, but it was worth it. Every heartbreak, break-up and fight was worth it because she would never trade anything for what she had now.

  “It was worth it, big guy.”

  “So worth it.”

  Chapter 15

  Knots formed in Ryker’s stomach as time ticked down. He was going to meet Ashlin Harris, so they could get to know each other before their upcoming photo shoot, but that wasn’t why his stomach was in knots. The reason he had the cold sweats and felt like he was going to throw up was because of the woman who just walked through the door. Hannah’s shift had started.

  Ryker was nervous to see her because he hadn’t seen her since he went to her apartment. He was too nervous to see her and see her battered face again. He didn’t think he could stomach looking at her angry bruises. When he looked up and made eye contact with her icy blues, he was relieved; her bruises were covered up with makeup and her eye was no longer swollen. She looked as beautiful as ever.

  “Hey, Boo.” Ryker said, while swinging around on his bar stool so he was able to talk to her while she got ready for her shift.

  “Hey Ryk, isn’t everyone meeting a little later?” She was referring to the get together he, Mason and Jake were having. Ryker was pretty excited about it.

  “Yeah, but I have to meet someone beforehand and thought, why not here?”

  “Good choice.” She gave him a wink and filled up his glass. He was about to ask her how she was doing when she interrupted him. “Don’t you guys have a game tomorrow?” Ryker nodded, while taking a sip of his beer. “Then why are all of you drinking before a game? Isn’t there some kind of rule or something?”

  Ryker laughed at the way her cute little nose scrunched up when she asked the question. “No, that was only in college. Basically, as long as we don’t show up hung-over, we’re good. Plus it’s a pre-season game at night, so we’ll be good. And hey, the starting quarterback of the opposing team will be here, so we can make sure we get him all liquored up.”

  Hannah tapped her head with her finger. “Good thinking.”

  “So, how has it been…?”

  “Oh my God. Ryker, is Ashlin Harris the person you were meeting here?”

  “Yeah, how did you know that?”

  “She just walked in the door.”

  Ryker turned on his bar stool and instantly felt his pants get a little tight. Ashlin Harris walked in the bar and acted like she owned the place. Her skin was a beautiful bronze color. Her brown hair was naturally streaked with golden highlights and her mint-green eyes pierced his soul. She was wearing one of the tightest dresses he had ever seen, which showed off her famous cleavage and long-ass legs. Damn, she was hot and, even though she stirred his loins, she was still nothing in comparison to Hannah.

  “She’s so pretty,” Hannah said, while drying a glass.

  Ryker tilted her chin up to look at him. “You’re prettier.” He waved Ashlin over, while Hannah guffawed at Ryker.

  “What planet are you living on? I could never be that pretty. She’s so exotic looking and I’m…I’m just the girl next door.”

  “Ryker?” Ashlin interrupted Ryker before he could disagree with Hannah.

  “Ashlin. It’s great to finally meet you. Let’s take that booth over there.” He pointed to the booth that he and Mason usually sat at. “What would you like to drink? I’ll grab it and bring it over there.”

  “Sex on the beach.” She winked at him and sauntered over to the booth. Hot damn!

  He turned to Hannah, who was now staring at the two of them. The look in her eyes nearly killed him. She really truly thought Ashlin was prettier than she was. Yeah, Ashlin was pretty in an obvious way, way too obvious, but Hannah…she was simply beautiful. A natural beauty who didn’t need all the finesse like Ashlin.

  “Look at me.” He was now around behind the bar with her. He grabbed her hand in his and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “You are so beyond beautiful, sometimes it hurts me.”

  “Ryker don’t…”

  “Just listen to me, damn it.” Hannah was shocked at the tone of his voice. “You are more beautiful than Ashlin could ever be. You’re real. She looks like that because of makeup, push-up bras, dye jobs and everything else you can think of. You, you are naturally beautiful.”

  She gave him a weak smile. “It doesn’t matter anyway because I’m with Todd, but thank you for the compliment.”

  “It matters to me.”

  “Come on Ryker…”

  “You think this is a game, don’t you? Well, it’s not; when I say you’re going to be my wife one day, you will.”

  Ryker grabbed his drinks and went over to Ashlin, who had her legs crossed in the booth, showing off a good amount of leg. Lord help him, he hadn’t had sex in a while, thanks to Hannah, and Ashlin was here to flaunt it. When she saw him approaching, she gave him a bright big smile with her amazingly straight white teeth. She was gorgeous, but she was also fake and he didn’t really do fake, so working with her wouldn’t be a problem…he hoped.

  “Here you go.” He set the drinks on the table and sat in the booth across from her.

  “Thank you.” She looked around. “This place is kind of awesome. It looks like a dump from the outside, but it’s actually quite modern inside. Not to be rude, but at first I thought, where the hell is Ryker sending me?”

  Ryker laughed. “Yeah, I bet a lady like yourself never had to walk down rough areas like here, not that it’s much of a rough area.”

  “Oh, how little you know about me.” Ashlin became very serious and twirled her glass with her fingers. “Everyone thinks I’m some kind of spoiled hot girl, but I
worked my ass off to get to where I am today.” She waved her hands up and down her body and said, “This is all a façade.”

  “Getting a little deep for the first date aren’t we?” Ryker said, trying to lighten up the mood from the black cloud Ashlin had cast over them.

  “You should probably know about me, since you will most likely hear it once we start working more closely together. I mean, we’ll practically be having sex in front of a studio full of people.”

  Ryker’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”

  “Have you seen some of the stuff I have to wear? I looked at the picture boards this morning and they have us in some compromising positions. It’s a bedroom line, so they want to make it look like we are in the bedroom…together. Are you okay with that? I said yes because I knew you would be a gentleman about it. I’ve heard great things about you, Ryker Lewis. You are the main reason I agreed to such extremes.”

  Interesting. What had she heard about him? Ryker liked to keep his life personal, for the most part…well, his family life, anyway. That was a grey area he never talked about and one of the main reasons he didn’t really do interviews because that was a topic they were bound to touch upon.

  “What have you heard about me?” he asked, while leaning back in the booth, draping one hand over the back of the bench and taking another sip of his beer.

  “That we come from the same low-life childhood: trailer parks, drugs, being homeless and doing whatever it takes to put some food on the table,” Ashlin said, while looking down at her hands.

  Ryker was shocked and angered at the same time. He leaned in and said, “Who told you that?”

  “Ryker, you really don’t recognize me?”

  Ryker looked at her closely and then it hit him like a ton of bricks. “Ashley?” She nodded as a tear fell down her face. “Holy shit!” Ryker quickly sat on her side of the booth and pulled her in tight for a hug. He could not believe it. Ashley, his one and only friend from his childhood, was sitting next to him. She was the main reason why he didn’t turn to drugs like the rest of his family, she was the reason why he was able to make it through school and she was the reason why he worked hard to make a name for himself.