Touchdown: A Quick Snap Novella Read online

  I know I could argue, but I also know he would win in the end so I continue, “Wanda is black, my mom was white, and they lived together.” I exhale a slow sigh. “Even without them coming out the kids at school were nasty, called me names, called Wanda names, called my mom names. They were homophobic, racist, and entitled, arrogant, narcissists. I can’t even tell you the number of times I got beaten up because we didn’t have much money.”

  Solomon’s face is hard, his eyes hold fire behind them.

  I pinch my bottom lip between my fingers and Solomon pulls my hand away. “I’ve always struggled with friends, but the one constant was always my mom and Wanda, and the people at the homeless shelter. You know some of them come in every day.” I shake my head sadly. “You get to know them pretty well, that part at least, is nice.”

  “You still got Wanda?”

  I smile. “Yeah, I’ve still got Wanda. She’s my mom.” I bite down on my bottom lip.

  Solomon tugs my lip free with his finger. “You’ve got to leave your pretty lip alone. It should only be pink and swollen from my kisses, not because you’re biting it or pinching it.”

  I grin knowing it’s a nervous habit of mine, my gaze glides down to my lap. “I miss my mom every day, and I know Wanda does, too. But the truth is… she knew she was dying, she had time to say goodbye to us both, and I know if she felt like either of us were mourning instead of living our lives she’d be pissed.” My eyes meet his again and I smile shyly. “She’d love you.”

  “Good,” he whispers, leaning forward and kissing me again. He takes the kiss deeper, one hand is still at the back of my neck, his other hand tugs my shirt free from my skirt and slips under. The moment his hand touches my bare skin I hiss with desire, it feels like he’s branding me, and I don’t deny him because I want to be branded.

  I unbutton my shirt, he doesn’t need to ask me, I’m already ahead of him.

  Solomon’s lips travel to my neck and the second I pull my shirt off completely, his mouth finds my collarbone and he kisses along it into the corner of my neck. His hands move to my breasts and he unclasps my bra then runs his thumbs over my pebbled nipples, I moan and lean back giving him easier access. He kisses my breastbone then his mouth finds one nipple, circling with his tongue before nipping it with his teeth.

  “Stand up,” he commands, his voice gravely revealing his desire for me.

  I shimmy off his lap, my upper body now naked, but I still have my work skirt on. His eyes flare as he sits taking me in. I should feel self-conscious, but I don’t. Standing there, I can’t stop my eyes from roaming over Solomon. He sits, lazily draped over the sofa, one arm lying along the back of it. A pair of black basketball shorts are draped over his spread legs, and I can see his arousal, the tank he’s wearing is highlighting his shaped arms. There’s heat in his eyes and oh God, he’s biting his bottom lip. I clench my legs together as hunger washes over me.

  “Lose the skirt.”

  My core pulses and automatically I follow his order, slipping my skirt off leaving me in only my panties. Luckily, they’re black lace, not expensive, but still flattering.

  “Come here,” he demands.

  As I walk to him, Solomon drops his forehead against my stomach the moment I’m within reach, it’s not sexy, but it is loving.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful.” He sighs, his hot breath blows across my skin and shivers run all over my body. Solomon looks up at me, his chin resting on my stomach, his eyes not looking at my breasts like I expect, instead his gaze doesn’t shift from my face. “I could lose myself in you, over and over, and for the rest of the night… maybe forever,” he mutters the last two words and my stomach dips. “But I need to know you want this.” His eyes are pleading with me now. “I know this might not be the best time to check, especially considering you’re half-naked…” his gaze momentarily moves to my chest and his eyes flare with need, “… but I have to check. I have to know. I don’t want this to be a regret for you simply because we’ve moved too soon.”

  I drag my body away from him, searching his eyes. “You think this is too soon? I don’t do this… you know? I don’t sleep around.”

  Solomon stands and walks over to me, gripping my shoulders and sliding his hands down my arms until our fingers entwine. “I know you don’t.” He kisses my forehead. “But that’s the reason I want to know that you’re sure. I need to know you want this… you want me.”

  There’s something in his voice, an underlying need which I can’t quite put my finger on. He wants me to want him.

  I make my decision. Sliding my fingers under his tank I move it up his body until he raises his arms, but I bite down on my lip, grinning, when I realize I can’t reach high enough to take it off because he’s too darn tall.

  His lips twitch into a smirk and quickly he removes the tank, slinging it onto the sofa. I take my time running my hands over his silky skin, enjoying the bumps of his muscles as I explore him. When Solomon bends to kiss my neck again, my hands slip inside his shorts and I realize he’s commando, which urges me on. I move to wrap my hand around his length, but he grips my wrist tugging it away, then quickly grabs my hips and lifts me up onto him. I close my legs around his waist, locking my ankles and we kiss again. Taking each other, getting lost together. A mewl escapes me as he walks us toward the stairs, his dick rubbing against my center with each step.

  We enter what I assume is his bedroom and he throws me on the bed, I bounce once then lean up on my elbows, watching as he strips off his shorts and his dick springs free, standing long, thick and proud. And, yes, he can be proud, very proud.

  My eyes widen but I also involuntarily lick my lips. Solomon chuckles. Then, gloriously slowly, he climbs on the bed. With a knee on each side of me, he reaches forward and tugs my panties off.

  I have a second—less than a second actually—where I wonder if I’m doing the right thing, whether he honestly won’t judge me for having sex with him so soon.

  Solomon’s eyes roam my body. Stopping on my face, his eyes meet mine and I can see the honesty in them. The hunger is stark, but so are other emotions, and I realize he really does like me.

  I reach up, grabbing his head and pull him down, slamming our mouths together.

  Suddenly, everything speeds up, our teeth clash, our bodies heave as they come together and electricity bolts through me. I hear a rustle of a condom wrapper before his fingers move to my clit. I moan as his thumb rolls my clit once, twice, three times before a finger pushes inside me.

  “Fuck you’re wet,” he breathes into my mouth.

  “I need you inside,” I moan, my eyes close as I push my head back into the bed.

  He slides a second finger inside me, quickly followed by a third, his thumb still working my clit.

  “Inside,” I demand.

  His hand disappears and the tip of his dick slides inside me. The moan that escapes my lips is dirty and wanting, but nothing matters other than being able to feel him right now.

  Solomon rocks back and forth, pushing into me slowly, inch by fucking glorious inch. When he’s fully seated and I’m filled to capacity, he stops moving.

  “Look at me,” he growls. It’s guttural—he’s barely holding onto his control.

  I open my eyes, but my lids are heavy and his beautiful face is hazy. All I want to do is tell him to fuck me, to fuck me hard, and then do it again. He smiles, like he somehow knows my innermost thoughts.

  “Watch me. Watch us,” he whispers and my pussy clenches at his words.

  Fuck! This man.

  We both look down the length of our bodies as he rocks in and out of me. I want to scream at him to go faster, but my mouth is frozen, I’m so caught up in doing what he’s asked. Plus, watching us together is hot. Really hot.

  I’m taken by surprise when my orgasm rushes over me, my muscles rapidly contract around him, and I can’t stop my scream as I throw my head back and close my eyes.

  Solomon’s movements suddenly become uncontrolled as he s
lams into me over and over.

  A second orgasm comes out of nowhere, and my back rises off the bed with the power of it taking over me. I feel Solomon’s release hit him as he buries himself in me to the hilt, and grunts as a look of pure pleasure fills his eyes.

  Slowly, our senses return. Solomon drops down next to me leaning on his elbow.

  He kisses my forehead and brushes his fingertips across my cheek. “I’m keeping you,” he whispers, before getting up and heading to the bathroom to dispose of the condom.

  I lay here, wondering if he really does want to keep me, because I know I want to keep him. Forever.

  Chapter 7

  Solomon

  I slide back into the bed and watch Jasmine closely. I need to test her pulse, make sure she’s comfortable here with me. Check she’s not upset we had sex. I want to tell her what she means to me, only I haven’t quite worked out that part yet in my mind. I only know I need her, and I make a point of not needing anyone.

  “Hey,” she whispers.

  I prop myself up on an elbow, my head in my hand. “Hey,” I murmur back, grinning.

  “So, we really went there, huh?” she questions, and I love that this girl isn’t filtered. I feel like I’m going to get what I expect. Jasmine is genuine, and unfortunately, I’ve found it’s a trait that doesn’t come around very often when you’re a professional athlete.

  “We did,” I rumble still grinning at her. I lean over and press a tender kiss to her soft lips. “And it was perfect,” I tell her. My eyes drift across her face, her red lips are swollen, her eyes are lazy and aroused, her cheeks are pink and even though she has short hair, it’s tousled. She looks exactly how I expected her to after sex—fucking phenomenal. Quickly, I start hardening again.

  “Tell me about your family,” she says as her fingers drift up and down my abdomen.

  “Not much to tell. It was only mom, me, and Evelyn my older sister.” Reaching forward I run the pad of my thumb across her exposed nipple.

  “There has to be more to the story. I suppose I could check on the internet,” she says and I tense. “But I’d rather get to know you organically. I want you to tell me all your secrets.” I look into her eyes and can see the truth. It’s mixed with vulnerability, and this is a test she’s unwittingly setting on me. I need to trust her enough to be honest, to be real, and for once in my life I find I actually want to.

  “Mom had Evelyn when she was in her twenties. Evelyn’s dad died when she was two, Mom and him never tied the knot, which meant she got nothing when he died and his family wasn’t about to support his kid.” I shrug. “Mom was ten years older when she had me. I wasn’t planned, I don’t even really know how I came to exist. I never knew my dad. Barely knew my mom before she died.”

  Jasmine gasps and I realize I’m reeling my life story off with no feeling behind my words, but it’s the only way I can cope. Everyone leaves, it’s all I know.

  “How did she die?” Pixie asks, her soft voice curls around my heart and eases some of the pain.

  “Drunk driver sideswiped her one night when she was coming home from the store. Usually, me and Eve went with her, but not that night, ‘cause Eve had just started high school and had homework.” I shrug. “Meant we lived, I guess. We moved in with two different foster families over the next few years, but as soon as Eve was eighteen, she raised me.”

  Jasmine reaches up, her thumb runs along my lower lip. She follows the movement with her eyes before leaning forward and kissing the corner of my mouth, then the other corner, then she presses her pretty pink lips fully against my mouth and that’s when I take over.

  Things become heated and words aren’t needed after that.

  I do with her what I want, what she enjoys, and I do it all night.

  “Hey,” Jasmine murmurs as daylight hits her naked skin.

  I keep my gaze on her face and grin lazily. “Hey, sleepyhead.”

  “Were you watching me?” she questions, her voice raspy.

  “No.” I shake my head, grinning down at her. “I just woke up. Couldn’t help taking you in for a moment, but I was gonna wake you up a whole other way.” I wink.

  She snorts. “Not sure my body can take much more, you wore me out last night,” she teases.

  I open my mouth to say something else as my hand travels down the soft skin of her chest, but as I am doing it my front door slams shut.

  “Solomon, you here?” Evelyn calls, and I close my eyes and sigh heavily, regretting the day I let my sister have a key.

  “Who is that?” Pixie hisses, pulling her sweet body from my fingers. She jumps out of bed and starts scrambling around for something. “Shit, my clothes are downstairs!” she squeals, giving me a dirty look.

  I chuckle, moving from the bed to a drawer. “Chill, it’s just my sister. And here,” I say, chucking one of my tees at her, while slipping another one over my chest and throwing on a pair of sweats.

  Jasmine tugs on my tee, which hangs down to her knees, swamping her. Still, she slips her panties on and gives me another dirty look. Her shoulders drop and I can see calm come over her, but then her eyes widen again. “Shit! I can’t meet your sister for the first time like this,” she snaps.

  I stick my head out of the door knowing Evelyn won’t come up here. “I’ll be down in a minute,” I tell her then close the door not waiting for a response.

  “Come, shower with me,” I say, grabbing Pixie’s hips as she bends down panting like she’s about to hyperventilate.

  “No. I need to say hello to your sister.” She looks over her shoulder at me. “To be polite, then I need to get out of here.”

  I shake my head. I will never get why women panic about this shit. I follow Jasmine into my large bathroom and stand next to her at one of the two sinks. She puts some toothpaste on her finger and tries to brush her teeth. I copy her with a smile but use my actual toothbrush. When we’re both finished, I’m still grinning at her.

  “I’m not sure whether to be happy or frustrated you don’t have spare toothbrushes,” she shrugs.

  “Never needed them available before.” I won't elaborate on the fact I stopped bringing girls back here a while ago. “Come on.” I take her hand and lead her down the stairs, but as we get to the bottom she rips her hand from mine and stands separately as Evelyn comes into view.

  “Solomon, I didn’t realize you had company,” Evelyn sneers, her nose wrinkled as she looks over Jasmine.

  Unease runs through me as I see Jasmine tense and her eyes widen.

  “Eve, this is Jasmine. Jasmine, my sister, Eve.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Jasmine says, reaching her hand out for Eve to shake.

  Evelyn looks down at Pixie’s hand and back to her face. “I don’t need to meet you. You’ll be gone soon enough.” Evelyn looks from Pixie to me. “Really Sol, bringing home strays again. I thought we were past that stage.”

  “I-I’m gonna go,” Jasmine whispers, gathering her discarded clothes from last night. She slips on her skirt, tucks in my oversized tee, then pulls on her shoes. Quickly she shoves the rest in her bag.

  “No, don’t,” I call out after her as she turns to leave.

  “Dammit, Sol! Let her nasty trailer trash ass leave. Did you see her clothes for God’s sake? She’s obviously hoping to get a payout from you. I wouldn’t be surprised if all the gory details are in the tabloids later this week.”

  The door slams behind me, and I know Pixie’s left.

  “You’re being a bitch. Leave,” I grit out as I turn to run after Jasmine.

  I’m fast, dammit, because in my job I have to be, but Jasmine’s already half a mile away from me. I shout after her. She stops, turns, and I can see the tears, but that’s all I get to see as a cab pulls up next to her and she quickly slides in and it drives away.

  “Fuck!” I shoot out.

  I walk back to my house slowly, hoping Eve has left. When I arrive, I realize I’m not getting anything I want today.

  “Sol…”
r />   “Don’t you fucking Sol me,” I grit out and see the shock on her face. I never talk to Evelyn like this, but she’s flipped my switch.

  “Sol?” she whispers.

  “You came into my house, uninvited. Looked down your nose at Jasmine. Checked out her clothes. The fact we came from my bedroom, and then you determined—”

  “What? You telling me you didn’t fuck her?” she interrupts my tirade.

  “You’re not getting what I’m telling you, Eve. It doesn’t matter what I was doing with her, you don’t have the right to come into my fucking house and treat my guests like shit. And calling her trailer trash? I didn’t know you were so self-righteous,” I bite out.

  “I-I’m not.”

  “No? You know, the only time you should look down on someone, is when you’re helping them back up,” I spit.

  My sister shakes her head. She’s confused by my reaction, and I can see her brain’s desperately trying to work through all the things I’ve said to her.

  “Just leave. I now have to try and fix this, but I need to get to training. Jasmine has to work tonight, which means I have to either do it by phone or text, or hope she’s still willing to see me tomorrow, but seeing as you were a bitch to her that now seems unlikely.”

  “Y-You like her,” she stutters.

  I nod.

  “But, Reba—”

  “Fuck Reba and fuck you for trying to push her on me constantly. You want to know what I think about Reba? She’s gorgeous and crazy, but she has no soul.” I slam my hand on my chest. “There’s nothing filling her up, making her tick. She’s empty, and the girl you chased away…” I point toward the door, “… she’s got more damn soul than any single person I’ve met in my entire lifetime.”

  Eve sucks in a breath. “You really like her.”

  I growl out my anger. “I want you to leave, Eve. I love you. But you stepped over a line today. And that girl…” I heave out a breath and hang my head, “… let’s just hope you haven’t fucked things up for me.”