Page 17 of Revived
“What– what is all this about, Monster?” Elle watches me like I’ve completely lost the plot, and I guess you could argue that I might have.
“I just needed to tell you that. Can you go check on Annie? I’m sure it’ll mean a lot to Flynn.” I offer her a small quirk of my lips, knowing it’ll disarm her just enough.
“Of course. We’ll talk about this later?” She asks with confusion lacing her tone.
“Yeah. I promise.”
She presses up on her toes and kisses the side of my jaw before pulling away and turning away. I stay where I am as I watch the love of my life go find the love of Flynn’s. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that we’ll come back to these women and make our own lives with them after today.
Chapter seven
Elena Rossi
Butterflies are fluttering in my stomach as I listen to Sully confirm that he thinks about that kiss too. God, I’ve missed his lips on mine every day for the past three and some change years. I almost died that day. I constantly have nightmares about the incident, but I think about that kiss more often than not. It was supposed to be the beginning of our forever.
Only it wasn’t. Instead we had to bury two friends, I almost died, and it slammed the brakes on what could ever be of him and I. That day we learned really quickly what happens when love tries to make space in our lives. I’ll never regret throwing myself in front of a bullet meant for him, but I will always regret letting Annie come with me that day. It should have been me that died. Instead she jumped in front of me and paid the ultimate price.
It’s never lost on me that Sully fights this as hard as he does while his brother grieves and works through life without Annie. Honestly, it’s a catch twenty-two; he’s keeping himself stuck in limbo much like Flynn is. At the same time he’s trying to white knuckle the protection he thinks comes from us being apart. Now, don’t get me wrong, I also think it’s safer that we’re apart, but that’s mostly because he’s convinced me we are years ago. Now my brain won’t let me take it there without panicking that the world is going to come crashing down themoment we give in. Our love was baptized in death and destruction that day.
Sully grabs my hand and squeezes it once before getting out of the Bronco and coming to my side to let me out.
“Thank you.” I smile as he stands way too close, all I’d have to do is lean into him and my body would be pressed against his. We don’t have time for that though. His brothers are waiting.
Sully must be thinking the same thing because he gives me his most charming smile before taking my hand and leading me inside of the arena. We make it through security with no problem and in just a few minutes we’re standing outside of the suite. He’s hesitating at the door. It’s clear his head is a million miles away. However, mine is not.
“You nervous, Monster?” The silly nickname I started using when we were in middle school rolls off my tongue so easily. He started calling me Boo Thang back in middle school and it didn’t take long for him to shorten it to just Boo. Of course that was hilarious because I was Boo and he was Sully. So I started calling him Monster, and thirteen years later it’s still hanging around.
“A little bit.” He mutters while shifting his weight from one leg to the other.
I don’t know if it’s the nostalgia of talking about our first kiss or a momentary lapse in sanity, but I reach up and cup his face in my hands bringing his focus solely to me. His eyes light up, but I have his attention now. I need to do something to take his mind off of what he’s going to walk into. I don’t think, I just act. Pushing up to my toes, my hands drag his face down slightly until I seal my lips over his.
Instantly his hands come up to grip my hips and pull me in impossibly closer. He quickly takes control of the kiss. The next thing I know he’s pulled my bottom lip between his teeth and nibbles while pulling slightly. I can’t help but get lost in the kiss while he ravishes mylips. His hands drift from my hips to the backs of my thighs and the next thing I know I’m in the air and my legs are wrapped around his slim waist.
Typically I’d be panicking because I’m in a dress, but as Sul turns and presses me into the wall beside the door, I can’t find it in myself to care. Plus, I know he’d never leave me exposed like that. With his hands now free he fists the back of my hair while his other hand settles at the base of my throat. My arms wrap around his neck and instinct takes over as I gently rock my core against his hardening length.
I’ve thought about this moment with him since I was old enough to know what the hell all this meant. Teenage me is definitely screaming and high fiving twenty-five year old me right now. Sully groans into my mouth as he presses me tighter into the wall with his body. I’m so lost in what feels like the beginning of the rest of my life that I don’t realize someone has walked out of the door until I hear a very obnoxious throat clear. Sully pulls back just enough to rest his forehead on mine as we catch our breath and get our bearings.
“So, uh— you may want to wrap this up. Pucks dropped and Dec’s about to come looking for you.” Kieran tells us and I can hear the glee in his tone.
So. Fucking. Obnoxious.
“Yeah, we’ll be right in. Thanks Kie.” Sully lets him know without breaking eye contact with me.
Kie giggles like a schoolgirl as he goes back into the suite. Right before the door closes I hear Mac.
“Okay, spill. Are they out there kissing and stuff?”
Sully shakes his head in amusement, “They’re truly teenage girls.”
I smirk at him, “Yeah, but we were out here kissing and stuff.”
“Best kissing and stuff I’ve ever done.” He winks while slowly lowering me back to my feet. “We’re talking about that when we get home tonight, right?”
“Yeah, after the game.” I give him a reassuring smile before pressing my lips to the underside of his chin quickly. “Now we have your nosey brothers to go hang out with.” Grabbing his hand I drag him behind me into the suite.
We walk into the large space to see all four older brothers looking at us. Everyone but Rowan has a teasing grin on their lips, but even the ever-so-serious Rowan has a playful brow raised and a small lift to one side of his mouth. It’s as much teasing as we’re going to get out of him.
Rowan was always the most stoic of the brothers, even when we were little. He’s a natural born leader. However, he used to have a playful energy about him as well before his parents passed, and the weight of the world was dropped on his shoulders. The barely there glimmer in his bright green eyes tells me it’s still in there deep down. Of course we see it when he’s interacting with his kids and wife, but to see it directed at his brothers so openly is foreign at this point.
