Offside: Rules of the Game Book 1

It took some serious effort to park properly the second time around. I was so distracted that I had to reverse and straighten out my truck three times to get within the lines—laughable for someone whose livelihood literally depended on good aim and depth perception. But there was a decent chance I would stay longer than the hour I’d promised, so I took the time to get it right so I wouldn’t get ticketed or towed.

Bolting back inside, I ignored Jillian and Amelia’s poisonous glares and resisted the urge to flip them off. I’d consider it award-winning self-restraint and serious personal growth on my part.

When I walked into her room, Bailey was sitting cross-legged on her white comforter, long blond hair hanging in a curtain as she glanced at her phone. And my desire went into overdrive.

“Hey, beautiful.” I shut the door to her bedroom behind me, quickly securing the lock and double-checking it for good measure.

She looked up from the screen and locked it, setting it aside on the nightstand. “Hi.” Her lips curved into a small smile as her doe eyes raked over my body, expression a mixture of affection and lust.

Fuck.

“Just so you know,” I said, sitting on the bed beside her, “your roommates are downstairs watching TV with the volume turned up excessively high.”

Bailey smirked. “Probably trying to prove they aren’t listening.”

“Probably. But they’re protesting a little too much for me to buy it.” My gaze traveled around the room, scanning methodically. “Either way, got a speaker? We can throw on some music to muffle your screams.”

Her eyes widened and she lowered her voice. “You’re teasing me, right? I don’t scream in bed…do I?” A pink flush crept across her cheeks.

I grinned, because she was adorable and, well, she kinda did. “You’ve come pretty close.” I rubbed a hand over my cheek, thinking. “I feel like there’s a good dirty joke in there somewhere. But there isn’t enough blood going to my brain right now to connect those dots.”

Bailey shook her head and huffed a cute, bashful laugh. She swiped at the iPad beside her and put on a random Spotify station without looking twice. Music poured out of a purple wireless speaker on her desk beside the bed. The volume was just high enough to create some background noise and afford us a little more privacy.

Music would only help so much, though—all teasing aside, she was pretty loud sometimes. But worst case, I could kiss her to muffle some of her cries. And my lips on hers put her over the edge when she was close to coming, which was both flattering and hot as hell.

Our eyes locked, and the energy shifted, the air turning heavy with anticipation. With a hand behind her neck, I pulled her closer. Her eyelids fluttered shut as our lips came together, our mouths exploring.

Shifting, I eased her onto her back beneath me and settled between her legs. I grabbed her hands and threaded her fingers in mine, pinning them to the bed. She let out a soft sigh, squeezing my hands and kissing me back more deeply.

A rush ran through my body, but it was more than physical. Every time we fooled around, I fell a little harder. Sex with her was next-level. All the casual hookups and one-night stands could never have prepared me for it.

I broke away from the kiss, catching her eye. “Hey, James? I’ll stay over.” I pulled one hand free and traced a finger along the side of her neck, down between her breasts over her soft knit sweater.

Her gold-flecked eyes studied me, watchful, blond hair spread out across the pillow beneath her.

“I’ll set my alarm and make sure I’m up in time tomorrow morning.”

Bailey’s brow knit together. “But you don’t have any of your stuff.”

“I can get up early and swing by home first,” I said. “If we’re going to have sex, it feels wrong for me to leave after.” Wrong was an understatement. I would feel like an asshole. I’d almost rather not fool around at all than do that to her.

“I kind of thought so too. But I didn’t want to seem needy.”

There was a tug in my stomach at hearing her say that.

I held her gaze. “I want you to ask for the things you need. Or, you know, demand them.” I shrugged. “Because that would be pretty hot.” I didn’t mind the idea of a little role reversal with her bossing me around once in a while.

She pulled her lush bottom lip between her teeth for a beat and released it. “Well, I would like it if you stayed.”

“Done.” I glanced down at the mattress beneath us, which was significantly smaller than mine. For two tall people, it would be a tight squeeze. “Though your bed is pretty small, so I guess we’ll be spooning all night.”

And by spooning, I meant she was guaranteed to wake up with me pressing up against her perfect round ass. But that happened at my place anyway.

“That’s okay. I like spooning.”

“So do I,” I admitted. And I never thought I would be saying that.

I grabbed the hem of my black T-shirt and pulled it over my head, then hovered over her again. Her eyelids grew heavy as her soft hands slid along my torso, fingers gripping the muscles. I hung my head and let out a groan, savoring the feeling of her touch. Four days felt like four years.

“Picking up where we left off,” I said, glancing back up at her, “I think I was telling you how much I missed you.”

“Yeah?” Bailey’s lips tugged into a smile. “Keep talking.”

“I missed this.” Ducking my head, I nipped at the top of her neck below her jawline, alternating with soft kisses as I moved down the span of perfect, smooth skin.

She let out a hum, running her palms down my back.

“And this,” I murmured, inhaling against her skin and savoring the vanilla spice of her perfume combined with a scent that was uniquely her. A massive surge of desire hit me, waging war between my need to take her immediately and the desire to take my time. But tonight she needed slow, and I was more than happy to comply.

I bracketed her jaw with my hand, angling her head so her eyes met mine. “Definitely this.” I brought my lips down against hers, pushing into her mouth.

Bailey sighed, dragging her hands up to grip my shoulders and sending a wave of pleasure down my spine. I could kiss her all day, taking my time touching her and tasting her. In theory. With the current situation, I’d probably need some release eventually because I was wound pretty tightly after being apart.

Still kissing, still holding her face, I reached under her sweater with my other hand, caressing her ribcage to find nothing but a thin tank top over a span of uninterrupted skin—she wasn’t wearing a bra. Fuck. So hot.

She slid her fingers beneath the waistband of my gray joggers, and I helped her drag them down. I was left in nothing but black boxer briefs. And she had some catching up to do.

Breaking apart from her mouth, I lifted her hips and tugged down her pants. I ran my hands along the curves of her thighs, down to her smooth, slender calves. “Missed these legs too.”

Pulling off her pajamas one foot at a time, I glided my palms back up her warm skin. My hands came to rest on her hips, still clad in her little black cotton panties. Damn. They were simple but sexy as hell. She sat up partway, helping me pull off her purple sweater and tank top. In a flash, she was nearly naked, and I was in heaven.

I cupped her full, perky breasts, squeezing. “Can’t forget these.” She tipped her head back as I brushed my lips along her collarbone, then skimmed lower to kiss the swell of her breasts.

My fingers traveled down her stomach, dipping below the waistband of her underwear. I moved lower, between her legs, where she was soaking wet already. “And you know I missed your pussy.”

Bailey drew in a shaky inhale, hips tilting in response to my touch. I stroked her, and she grabbed me over my underwear, sending another swell of pleasure through my body. She squirmed beneath me, circling her pelvis against my hand. The way she was moving, like she knew exactly what she wanted, gave me an idea.

I grabbed her by the hips and lifted her up off the bed beneath me. “Hang tight, baby.” Kissing her again, I placed a hand between her shoulder blades. She giggled against my mouth as I flipped us around in one sweeping movement, putting her on top of me so she was straddling my hips.

“Show off.” Bailey arched an eyebrow playfully.

“Maybe a little,” I said. “But this is a great view.”

James on top of me, topless with nothing but that tiny black underwear. Hair falling around her shoulders, framing her perky tits. Perfection in every way.

She gave me a crooked smile, examining my torso. “I don’t know. I think mine’s better.”

My fingers spanned her waist, pulling her down as I thrust up to meet her. She let out a small whimper and closed her eyes, moving her pelvis, grinding against me in response.

“I missed your sounds too.”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded, biting her bottom lip.

I lifted my hips again, and her hands flew to my biceps, digging in with each undulation. I watched her, mesmerized. “You’re so fucking hot.”

Her eyes flew open, her expression verging on embarrassment. Probably because we were both still partially clothed, dry humping like teenagers. But that was what made it so awesome—I loved getting her going. And with our bodies lined up the way they were, the external stimulation was definitely there.

I sat up halfway, wrapping a hand around her neck and pulling her down to me. She leaned over me on her elbows, running a hand through my hair and tugging, kissing me again, rocking her pelvis, moving against me greedily.

“James.” I lifted my hips against her, and she let out a breathy whimper. “Is this working for you?”

Her cheeks were pink, eyes glassy as she looked at me. “Maybe.”

Man, if only I had the stamina to keep going. I bet I could get her off. But at this rate, we would both be finished before we got all the way undressed. Maybe next time, after I got this out of my system.

“Is that a yes to you being on top?” I asked.

Bailey froze. “You want me to be on top?”

“Oh yeah.” I bit back a grin. “If you want to.”

The idea of her riding me was one of the hottest things I could imagine, but I wouldn’t push. If she was self-conscious about it, I probably didn’t want to know why, because it would likely make me even more homicidal toward Morrison.

“Kind of…” Her brow wrinkled.

Yep, I knew what was happening here. I pulled us both upright, placing a hand against her back so that our bodies were pressed against each other.

“James.” Resting my forehead against hers, I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Look at me.”

She gazed back at me, eyes soft and lips parted. Her breath was a little shallow, either from being turned on or nerves. Maybe both. I rubbed my palms up and down her arms, squeezing gently.

“Everything you do feels good to me when we’re together,” I said. “Don’t worry. Like, ever. I just want you.”

I mean, for fuck’s sake. It was virtually impossible for a guy to not get off during sex. It was simple. Get her off first, then switch gears at the end if necessary. It wasn’t fucking rocket science.

“Okay,” she said hesitantly, looking away. Then her eyes snapped back up to mine. “But can you stay sitting up a little like this? So I can reach you better? And kiss you?”

“Of course.” I shifted, rearranging the pillows behind me and sitting up against the headboard. “Better?”

Bailey gave me a small, sweet smile. “Yeah.”

She crawled off me and slid her little black panties down her legs. Then she kneeled beside me, kissing me and tugging at the waistband of my boxer briefs as I pulled them off and tossed them aside.

“Condom?” I reached over to her nightstand.

Her brows drew together, and then her eyes widened. “I don’t have any. Luke and I didn’t…” Rosy pink crept across her cheeks. “I mean, we used them. I didn’t trust him enough to go without. He never really came over here, though.”

“That’s okay. We don’t have to—”

“I’m on the pill.”

My cock twitched, and I suppressed a groan at the thought of being completely bare inside her. While it was incredibly tempting, I didn’t want her to offer up something she wasn’t comfortable with, either.

“I’m okay with it if you are,” she added shyly.

“I’m clean,” I told her. “We get tested at the start of every season, and I haven’t been with anyone else.”

“I trust you.” Her teeth sank into her bottom lip as she watched me, waiting for a response.

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

Vulnerability flashed in her eyes as she climbed on top of me. I brushed her hair out of her face and watched her, mesmerized. Not because of the act, but because of who it was with.

All I knew was I was in over my head more than ever before.

Once she was straddling my thighs, I gripped her waist with one hand and wrapped the other around my shaft. Palms on my shoulders, she eased down onto my cock with a soft moan. When she’d taken me fully, she fell still.

Concern sparked within me, and I tilted her chin up so she was forced to look at me. “Are you okay, baby?”

“Yeah,” she breathed. “Just need a sec. You’re…big.”

Likely, her nerves about being on top made her tense, which didn’t help. I ran my hands up and down her back to soothe her, kissing her shoulder, and after only a moment, her muscles relaxed and she took over, circling her hips and letting out a breathy sigh.

“That’s it.” I pulled her closer against me. “You’re so fucking perfect.”

Angling forward, she brought her mouth to mine as she picked up her pace. She was hot and dripping wet, and I had to suck in a breath to keep it together.

“You feel so good,” she whimpered against my lips.

I groaned, fingertips digging into the curve of her hips. “You have no idea.” Skin to skin like this, with nothing between us? I was dangerously close to becoming a minute man. As long as I could get her off first, my pride could handle a shorter than usual performance.

Her movements grew more confident, and she found a steady rhythm. I watched her ride me, marveling at how her beautiful face contorted with pleasure.

“I’m close,” she moaned, sinking down to take me even deeper. “Oh god. Chase.”

The desperate way she cried out took me almost over the edge. I tensed, gritting my teeth to hold off my release.

Bailey gasped, throwing her head back. “I’m coming.”

And that put me over the edge entirely. “Fuck, baby. Me too.”

She kissed me as she came apart, her nails digging into the flesh of my shoulders as she found her release. I slid a hand up to her nape, fisting her hair, losing myself in her, coming right behind her. Pleasure spiked and overflowed as I grabbed her hips, pulling her down harder and thrusting into her. The moment intense, profound, consuming.

In sync, we slowed, kissing softly as the wave faded out.

Bailey dropped her forehead to my shoulder for a beat, sighing. Then she lifted her chin and peeked at me through her dark lashes. “Wow.”

I kissed her cheek. “Can say that again.”

Wrapping my arms around her torso, I held her still for another moment, our hearts thundering and our breaths slowly returning to normal.

After cleaning up quickly, we readjusted ourselves in her bed, snuggling beneath the covers. As she nestled against me, her hair tickling my bare chest, my brain worked overtime to process everything that had happened.

In the span of a few hours, I’d gone from fearing we might be over to being more fully invested than ever. Despite the blip on the radar, I knew, deep down, that we were on solid ground. And maybe the sex had helped reassure me, but it was deeper than that. It was in the way she looked at me tonight, in a combination of awe and adoration. In the way she touched me. In the way everything clicked when we lay here like we were right now, not saying a thing, knowing our world was right again.

She yawned, burrowing against my shoulder. “Oh my gosh, I’m tired.”

“Me too.” My heart picked up speed as I pulled her close. I wanted to say more, but I didn’t know how to put my thoughts into words.

BAILEY

I woke up with a heavy, muscular arm draped around my waist and a big, warm body pressed up against me.

Oh no. I fumbled for my phone and frantically checked the time, squinting to read the display. It was almost six.

I elbowed Chase gently. “Hey.”

“Hmph?” he mumbled sleepily. He squeezed me tighter, nuzzling against my neck before falling quiet again.

If only I could give in to the cozy lure of going back to sleep wrapped up in him in my warm bed. It was incredibly tempting. But he had training.

“It’s morning,” I said, nudging him again. “We must have fallen asleep before I set my alarm. What time is your dryland today?” He’d told me, but my brain wasn’t exactly functional at that point.

He let out a low groan, rolling onto his back. “Uh…not until eight. What time is it?”

“Almost six. Is that enough time to go back to sleep if I set my alarm?”

“Probably not.” His weight shifted beside me, and a broad hand landed on my hip, skimming lower. Soft, warm lips grazed my shoulder. “But it’s definitely enough time to do something else.”