Page 53 of Stumped

“Oh, fuck off.” I laugh at her continued celebration.

“The sex is that good, right?”

“And he’s so…perfect.”

“Good, you deserve someone who can dick you down good and be perfect as shit. So, is he joining us tonight?”

“I doubt it. He’s practising, but they keep a close watch on him now. He needs to get back on the field, where he belongs.”

“He belongs inyourbed.”

“He most certainly does, but have you seen him play? He’s incredible.”

“Are you watching cricket, Vee?”

I blush, tucking my hair away. “I’ve got people bringing me all the footage I need.”

“You hired someone to stalk him? Ballsy.”

“We’re working with the Renegades on their marketing and PR,” I say, laughing at her shocked gasp.

“Ooooooh. So your staff don’t know the Renegades star is boinking their boss when they bring footage and information back to you.”

“You’re making this sound scandalous.”

“If I was you and fucking a professional athlete, I’d do this too.”

“I believe you’d do so much more.”

She cackles. “I guess we’ll never find out, because I’m taking a break from men for a while.”

“Women can be professional athletes too, you know.”

“Find me one. Because all the women I meet are anything but.”

I snort. “Poor you.”

“Maybe there’ll be someone interesting tonight.”

“I’ll enlist the girls to make that happen.”

Tamara scoffs. “Please don’t. But anyway,he’scoming by to get the last of things, so I should go.”

We say our goodbyes and hang up. I call Elias and get the same message, so I send him another text in case he sees it while I’m out.

Don’t practise too hard, you need to reserve some of that strength for when I see you tonight.

Seventeen. I’m so fucked.

Vera

“I’m going to get us refills. Same for everyone?” Krys stands, swaying slightly.

“Think you’ll make it to the bar?” I steady her, my hands at her waist.

“I’ll befiiiiine.” And with a tug of her short dress over her ass, my friend struts off, every pair of unoccupied eyes following her swinging hips.

I shake my head. I’m not as drunk, but I’m feeling pretty buzzed. Which is probably a good thing because if I allow myself to think about anything other than what I’m drinking, my mind will wander back to Elias. Before I left home that evening, I tried him again and got an ‘unreachable’ message. Which is an improvement from his phone being switched off. But the minute I entered the bar, my phone was put on airplane mode, a rule I implemented when we started doing these evenings together.

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