Page 10 of Play to Win
4
She was kissing Ethan Henley.
After all these years, all those nights she’d lay in her bed with her eyes closed tightly, wishing like hell this would finally happen. It was happening. Sure, rain fell in what seemed like buckets over them, her hair and clothes were soaked and the stupid lug nuts on the tire were too tightly screwed for her to get them off. But she was kissing Ethan Henley! Finally!
His mouth was masterful, just as Portia imagined it would be. His tongue stroking hers as if they were long lost lovers having the reunion of a lifetime. She could get with that explanation. This was a reunion. She was finally in the arms of her high school crush. His hands were on her body, one palm pressing tightly against her butt cheek, the other planted firmly against her back. Her fingers curled into the sleeves of his shirt, grazing his hard biceps.
Where did he come from? Why was he here?
She felt like she’d asked those questions before, but still had no answer. And right now, just at this moment, Portia only wanted to ask for one thing.More.
The kiss was hungry and urgent. Ethan held her tightly against him, so that she could feel the muscles of his body and the throbbing of his arousal. It was thick and hard and felt as if it were straining for release. Her breasts felt heavy, tight nipples pressed against the thin material of her bra and the blouse she wore. There was something in the pit of her stomach, a swirling sensation. Or was it yearning? Was it something that had been waiting for this contact and would now react accordingly? Or…was it dread? Was this another trick? Another way to embarrass her?
On instinct, she pulled away from him so quickly her thigh banged against the back bumper of the car and she yelled out.
“Whoa.” He took a step toward her.
His arms were outstretched as he reached for her again, but she sidestepped him this time.
“What are you doing here?” She resisted the urge to touch her now swollen lips but could feel them still warm and pulsating from the fevered kiss. “Why do you keep showing up?”
He stopped moving toward her at that moment. His eyes were intense as he glared at her. The red shirt he wore was molded to his body so that every chiseled inch of his chest and abs were visible. He looked like a superhero standing there in the rain with her jacked up car behind him.
“I saw a woman stopped on the side of the road, in the rain. I stopped to help,” he said, his voice tight with irritation.
And he’d come to save the day, just like a hero often does. Only Ethan had never been her hero and at this point in her life, she wasn’t even looking for one. She shook her head and wisps of wet hair slapped the sides of her face. She took another step back, inhaled deeply and released it slowly, giving herself a few moments to gather her thoughts.
“I already called AAA. A tow truck is on the way and they’ll take care of the car.” And she could take care of herself. This wasn’t high school, and she’d learned to guard her feelings and fight back when necessary. So if this was another joke on Ethan’s behalf, she’d be ready.
He looked confused or exasperated, not as if he were conspiring something and she tried to rein in the thoughts of self-preservation that came on instinct now.
“But you were trying to fix it yourself?” he asked.
Portia sighed. “I can change a flat tire,” she told him. “But the stupid lug nuts are on too tight and then it started to rain. And why did you kiss me?” The last came out abruptly, she hadn’t planned to discuss that kiss with him. Still, after a second of seeing the perplexed look on his face, she was glad she’d asked. Catching Ethan off guard wasn’t something she’d seen anyone do before, her shoulders squared at the thought that she’d accomplished it after all these years.
He took another step toward her now and a part of her wanted to retreat. The stronger, new Portia stood her ground. She wasn’t sixteen anymore and running was no longer an option.
“Because I wanted to taste your lips,” he said, his voice like a smooth melody over the monotonous beat of the rain. “I wanted to kiss you that day under the bleachers, but you were upset and you ran off.”
“Wait, what?” His words had been clear, she just didn’t understand their meaning. She’d been there that day and had replayed it over and over in her mind a billion times. At no point had it ever appeared Ethan wanted to kiss her. In fact, his actions had dictated the exact opposite.
“You and your friends tried to set me up that day. Melissa Bannon snatched a piece of paper I’d been doodling on in chem class. She told her boyfriend, Patrick Riggs, that I had a crush on you. Then she told me that you liked me too and that you wanted to meet me under the bleachers. So I went, like an idiot. I should’ve known better,” she said, pain and embarrassment still as fresh as if this had taken place yesterday. She tried to will the emotions away and replace them with resolve and courage. Twelve years ago, she hadn’t had the nerve to argue with Ethan or his friends, to tell them all they were ignorant scum for tormenting her the way they did. Tonight, she wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip away.
“I waited under those bleachers for almost an hour. And when you showed up, I was elated and…hopeful. But then you looked so confused and I heard something. Patrick fell from the top of the bleachers where he’d been waiting with a camera to catch the exact moment that you would tell me how crazy I was forever thinking you were interested in me. I felt like an idiot for being foolish enough to believe that you, of all people, wanted to be alone with me.”
She’d almost repeated the nickname they used to call her, but she’d promised herself to never say foolishness aloud. Just as she’d sworn she would never be in a vulnerable position with another man. Not after Ethan and then Bobby.
Ethan ran a hand down his face, his eyes a fierce green now. “I wasn’t part of any plan, Portia. And when Patrick insisted I go behind the bleachers to find a surprise, I knew he was up to no good. I didn’t know it involved you until I got there.”
Well, she would’ve said that announcement was like rain on her parade, but considering the circumstances, she refrained. It was anticlimactic for sure considering all the time she’d spent hating him for that day after all she’d done to help him. Still, somewhere in the recesses of her mind she wondered if she could even believe him. Why would he lie now? Because he thought he had a shot at having sex with her? Not likely. A kiss was one thing, but sex was something she’d never actually considered.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said finally and looked back as she heard the sound of another vehicle coming.
It was the tow truck. Thank the heavens!
She tried to walk past Ethan, but he reached out to touch her arm. She didn’t yank away, instead she met his gaze when he spoke.
“I’m sorry they did that to you. I’m sorry for all the cruel things they did and said back then. But it wasn’t me. I was never involved in any of it,” he told her.
