Chapter XIII: Make Good

“Can you come upstairs for a minute?” Mario asks over the phone. His assistant sends her right in. She opens the door and sees me sitting in front of Mario’s desk.

Shit.

“Hi Olivia,” Mario stands, because he’s a gentleman and he always stands when she comes into the room. It never made her nervous before. She takes the seat next to me, like kids in the principal’s office. Mario waves his hands over his desk.

“I don’t think you’ve seen these yet.” He holds out two stacks of photos, one for each of us.

Each pile is about twenty pictures. Olivia slowly sorts through, her heart rate rising with every turn. They are all in this office, on this desk. Me standing before her. Me leaning into her. Me moving in for the kiss. And then fifteen photos of the kiss, with slight variations. My hand moves from the desk to her waist, her hand presses flat to my chest.

My pile starts with the kiss – the first image of it looks so sensual and captivating that I feel it all over again. Breath catches and my lips feel hers, silky smooth. Then we break apart, looking surprised, sexually charged, a little guilty. She looks away. I just stare.

Olivia lifts her batch of photos and covers her face with them.

“I was under the impression, Olivia, that you were spending your free time with Jordan,” Mario says.

Holy Mother of God, she thinks. “You knew about that?”

Mario laughs. “I knew the instant the rule was broken. I am happy to report you lasted no longer than anyone else ever has. We choose our players well, I think. They are very irresistible.”

“I hate you,” she says. To both of us. “I was really scared that I could lose my job over that rule. Please don’t laugh at me too!”

Mario put his hands up in surrender. “That rule is impossible to enforce. But I can tell you that if breaking it becomes a problem, then there may be consequences. It’s never happened, so I don’t know what to think. But I look at these photos and, well, that is not Jordan.” He brandishes a particularly sensual, evocative kissing photo. Then he hands us them another stack.

“And this dress is not business attire.” It’s the photos with Jordan. Olivia would not know it was her if she’d not been present for the photos. The woman in them looks like a model, looks like an otherworldly creature of the night.

I pull them from her hand, but lean in so she can see. She and Jordan under the faux streetlight, standing close. Touching. Kissing – a particularly good one of her on tiptoes and his big hands pressed barely above her ass. Then the poses: sadness, angst, goodbye. In one photo, shot close up, Olivia’s head is toward the camera and down. Her profile looks gut-wrenched. Jordan is looking at the top of her head, his eyes downcast with longing.

This looks like how they really feel, I think. In truth it’s a beautiful photo.

“Does Jordan know about this?” Mario asks. Olivia shakes her head. “You’d better tell him. Because that’s what they’re running. Honestly they are great photos. You look spectacular, and GQ loves them. But I cannot have in-fighting here because of this.”

Olivia’s face is solemn and she looks afraid. “Can I take these? I will make sure there’s no problem.”

Mario nods, and we leave. When the elevator door closes, she leans heavily into the wall.

“Liv,” I try to apologize.

“Don’t, Max. I have to handle it.”
____

Jordan comes gladly into Olivia’s office and shuts the door. Maybe time for a quickie, he thinks hopefully. She’s on the couch and doesn’t look happy. He takes the photo she’s holding out.

She and Max, on Mario’s desk, kissing. Not just kissing. They’re having sex in their minds, both of them. The kiss is just the point of contact. What’s really going on in this photo is lust, about to explode, regardless of consequence. Like an electric shock that comes in at a single point yet burns through the entire body. This photo is the moment of inception.

“Max kissed me. It was kinda like our photo – the photographer wanted it. But I was surprised and it got a little away from me.” She hands him another photo – slightly different, same effect. Then another.

“I’m sorry,” she said. She hasn’t looked at him.

“This is more than a kiss.” He’s furious, a thousand voices are screaming in his mind. Most of them are yelling at Max.

She covers her face with her hands. “Jordan, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that the happen.”

“Is it happening? Is it ongoing?” She shakes her head no. Jordan wants to believe her.

At first, Jordan wanted the same casual setup Olivia was after. Friends with benefits, really. But she has grown on him. He’s been biding his time, working the casual angle until the time is right. He doesn’t want to do it so soon, but apparently he’s not the only player at the table. And he does not intend to share her with his teammate.

“Olivia, I like you. I see that you and Max have something, but you and I are great together. Maybe we’re even better. There’s only one way to know for sure. Be my girlfriend.”

It’s like a punch to her gut.

“Jordan, I didn’t want anything serious,” she’s on the verge of tears.

“Neither did I,” he says. “But things change.” His arm goes around her back, drawing her in.

“I don’t know if this is right for us.”

“Because it’s right for you and Max? If your only option is to be serious with someone, you choose Max? I have been there for you, Olivia. I didn’t want this either but it happened. I won’t ignore that or lie about it because you’re not ready.” He sits up, pulling away from her a bit. “I know I’m really young. I’ve already shown I can be there when you need me. Show me the rest – show me how to be better than the person who hurt you.”

“You’re already better, Jordan,” she says softly.

“But I’m not Max.”

“This isn’t a contest. It’s not you against Max. It’s me against myself. I don’t want to get hurt again and I certainly don’t want to hurt anyone else. You know I like you. You have been… you’ve been perfect, Jordan. You’ve been an excellent un-boyfriend.” She smiles a little then he smiles a little. “Give me some time. I won’t do anything with Max, I promise. I just need to think, okay?”

He nods, still smiling. He’s pushed as far as he can and now he’ll ease up. “You have a while before those pictures come out anyway.” With a kiss to the tip of her nose, he gets up to leave.

“Oh Liv, I…. Shit.” he averts his gaze like he’s embarrassed, the leans his forehead against the door frame. He’s looking at her from the corner of his eye.

“I asked Dan if you could come on the west coast trip instead of him. After Scott called your house the other night I didn’t want to leave you here alone. Dan said something about going to a wedding with his wife instead… I might not be able to get you out of it. I’m sorry. I should have….”

Olivia can’t help but smile. “You are something else, Staal.”

“Something good?”

She nods. “Something good. I’ll go on the trip. I don’t like that he called me either, so soon after showing up here. He’s not dangerous, but he is persistent. And if I’m alone when he dies, I won’t have anyone else to blame it on.”

“I’d rather have you with us, even if you’re not with me,” he’s very serious, in protective mode. “I really don’t like that guy.”

She shoos him out the door. “I really don’t like him either.”

Better get this thinking started quickly, she leans against the closed door when he’s gone.
____

Olivia takes a personal day but doesn’t get much thinking done. Well, she thinks about it all day. Progress is the hard part. Her mental list of pros and cons is all pros, for both Jordan and Max. The only con is her. She’s like a gaping hole in the plan.

Jordan has never given her a reason to doubt him. Okay, he went from casual to not casual, but he’s not freaking out. And he really wants to protect her, which she thinks is adorable and comforting. She doesn’t want to need it, but her last encounter with Scott left her really shaken.

As for Max, he’s learned his lesson about the rule. Olivia has exacted her pound of flesh and she’s past that. But he scares her. The kiss scares her. Knowing Max could reduce her body and brain to fire in mere seconds is overwhelming, intoxicating, devastating. And she can’t shake his reputation. Max Talbot: Ladies Man. No wonder, with that kiss lurking around, waiting to be unleashed on unsuspecting prey. Olivia wants to believe Max, that he wants only her. But that has bitten her before. Vanity and pride, she scolds herself. Scott didn’t want you that way last time.

Still she cautions herself not to blame Max for someone else’s mistake. It’s not his fault she got dumped and humiliated. If anything, Max has made that better. Everyone wants to be rescued, every broken heart wants to be mended. So why am I fighting so hard? She wished it were just one of them. She’d let herself go then. But to choose between Max and Jordan, to make a decision that could be the wrong one – anxiety spun in her head. Your choice, Olivia. If you play, you might lose again.

The biggest thing she did wrong with Scott, besides trust a snake, was be dishonest with herself. She looked away from the truth. Now she forces herself to examine it. It’s not pretty. Why am I doing this again?

I’m more comfortable with Jordan. Jordan’s kiss doesn’t have the same effect as Max’s. I am scared of Max, of me and Max together. Jordan doesn’t scare me. He just makes me happy. But Max makes me crazy – crazy like I’ve never felt before, crazy like falling for someone is supposed to feel. Crazy like legendary, love-of-your-life crazy.

What!?! Stop it. Now you’re really crazy.
____

We fly to Phoenix. It’s at least a hundred degrees outside but the hotel air conditioning is set to stun. Olivia puts her suit jacket on in the lobby. I swear to God if her nipples are hard through that blouse I’d go right to jail for what I’d do to her. It’s going to be a long trip.

We don’t have much time – dinner, then curfew. I come back from the corner store to find TK, Olivia and Kris having a 30 Rock marathon in my room. While they watch the show, I watch her and wonder where Jordan is. She’s in yoga pants – not shapeless sweatpants, but the good, clingy kind. Her toenails are bright pink, just like her t-shirt. When she laughs, which is more often than either of the guys, it’s a short, sharp bark at a sarcastic one-liner. Just like something she would say. They finish two more before she shuts down the computer.

“Don’t want to get anyone in trouble! More tomorrow.” She says goodnight and leaves. I sit on my hands until she’s gone and then lock us in. TK rolls his eyes and goes to sleep.

There is certain unspoken etiquette among roommates. So I wait until TK is snoring loudly before my mind makes quick work of Olivia’s stretchy pants. I actually picture her coming right back into my room. While TK saws logs, Olivia quietly strips and climbs into bed. We whisper and laugh, trying to be quiet. Desire finally takes over as I lay on top, my face close to hers’, whispering dirty things in French. She tastes the translation on my skin. I fill her with each stroke and she breathes audibly, nearly panting. My hands hold her hips steady, I rock them up when I push my way down. As air catches in her throat, I feel her pussy tighten. She’s so close – and it’s all up to me. I give her a little less, a little more, a little less… then finally, when she’s whispering very vulgar curses into my neck, I push my cock into her tight little hole as hard as I can, forcing a tiny, choked sob out of her body. The squeak is almost loud enough – TK rolls over. For a single, endless second, I am in her up to the hilt, her orgasm quaking around my hard cock as she bites down on my shoulder to keep from crying out. He snores again. I release with relief, coming inside her in the same instant her tension breaks and she goes slack with pleasure underneath me.
____

I stay late after the morning skate, since it’s walking distance to the hotel, to work with a trainer on a twinge that’s bothering my shoulder. The locker room is empty when I shower, so I barely have the towel around my waist as I walk out.

And Olivia walks in.

“Hi!” She stops short and spins around. “Sorry! I didn’t think anyone was here.”

I should laugh, make a joke, then parade around nearly naked until she has to run for it. I should be casual. But we all know I suck at that. I’m thinking about the kiss, about the photos and again in her office. I’m thinking about the sheer black stockings she’s wearing under her almost-too-short skirt. I walk right up to her back then spin her around.

“No one is here.” My voice is gravely before I put my mouth to hers. The towel drops to the floor as I hold onto her arms. She’s stock still, but not pulling away. I kiss harder, more insistently. Give in, Oliva, give in to me.

With a shudder of her body, she does. She opens her mouth under mine, and the second my tongue tastes hers she loses it. One hand goes to the back of my hair and draws me in. I push a hand up her thigh, raising her skirt a little so I can get closer to her body. My fingertips brush lace – her stockings are thigh-highs, holding themselves up. I force her skirt higher and feel the other one, my hands running up her outer things and down along the middle where I really want to be.

I’m naked and I’m hard. I angle my body right into hers and more lace brushes the underside of my cock. The thin strip of panties is all that stands between me and the hot, sweet treat I’ve been dreaming of for months. She moans into my mouth as I push hard against her, giving her the full outline of what I’d like to put inside her.

“Max,” she gasps as I move my lips to her neck, still grinding my erection against her now-wet opening.

A door slams. We fly apart – Olivia actually runs into the nearest office. I quickly retrieve my towel and wrap myself. Just as I’m covered, the trained I’d been with wanders past. He holds up a first aid kit.

“Almost left my stuff,” he says on his way out.

Olivia comes out at the same time. She’s straightened her skirt but her hair has a tell-tale hint of mess to it. “Bye Max,” she doesn’t look at me.

I go back into the shower to finish what those thigh-high stockings started.
____

Olivia hides in her room, sitting perfectly still at the end of the bed. Her mouth tastes of Max. Her skin feels his hands. She’s hasn’t changed her panties and not a single thought is in her mind but the thick outline of his hard-on between them. Oh my God. What am I doing? I cannot give in to Max or I will lose my mind. He always gets what he wants then he doesn’t want it anymore. Christ I want him. But it’s more than that. She feels faint – her body temperature is still too high and she’s still really, really turned on. Deep breaths do little to help. Until she thinks of Jordan and the promise she made, that she wouldn’t do anything with Max. Then she starts to cry.
____

Max knows he’s in dangerous territory. If they’d been busted in the locker room, he might have talked their way out of it with that trainer. But if anyone ever sees what he’s writing now, he won’t have any excuses. He presses SEND.

Max: I want to finish what we started. 

Olivia: Please stop.

Max: I know you’re still wet for me.

Her heart almost stops when she reads it. This is going too far, too fast. And the sick feeling in her stomach is mostly because he’s right.

Max: Let me make you feel the way I do.

Olivia: I can’t.

She sends the text, but before it can connect there is a loud knock on her door. Another burst of adrenaline goes through her body. All this spiking and her heart is going to give out. The knock comes again, harder. And again. She opens the door because she knows otherwise Max will break it down.

Jordan walks in.

“Knew you were here.” He kicks the door shut behind him and wraps his arms around her. Before she can protest, he’s kissing her. Then he smiles guilelessly. “I know I said I wouldn’t do that. But having you in his hotel is making me really horny.” He seems to know that she’s making a decision. But he could never guess what it really is. To be helpful, he strips naked in under three seconds.

“Want me to leave?” he asks.

Olivia takes the easy way out – she makes up for a promise he doesn’t even know was broken. No decisions about Max. No more text messages, no more thoughts about his body or his kiss. She transfers all that energy to a target she already knows, one she has already marked. Without a word, she drops to her knees and takes Jordan’s growing erection into her mouth.

“Woah, Liv,” he says, eyes wide in surprise and sensation.

She pulls back a little, dragging her tongue along the underside of his cock until it’s just outside her lips. Then she looks up at him.

“Shut up or I’ll stop.”

“Yes ma’am!”

She lets her mind go blank. Just feel. Don’t think. Don’t think of Max, or of all the things she said she didn’t want. Today made her a liar, so she loses herself in Jordan. As she slides her lips along his length, touching his tip to the back of her throat with a deep breath, she lets it all go in a frustrated, uncontrolled burst of emotion.

Jordan isn’t 6’ 4” with huge hands and feet without the rest of his body also being larger that life. Olivia actually smiles as she does her best with his size. From the first time she saw him naked, she wondered if she’d be able to make him happy this way. He certainly seems happy, his hands wrapped in her hair and his voice rasping.

“God, that feels God. Fuck you are amazing, Olivia.”

She responds by moving faster, harder. It’s absolutely impossible not to deep throat him almost every time – he’s too long for anything else. She nearly gags and it really turns him on.

“Oh Liv, get it all baby.”

A laugh wells up in her body. She presses his dick up flat against his belly and gives his balls a good, strong lick. Then she tugs them gently downward, away from his body.

“Liv…,” he gasps.

She knows what that means. Her mouth swallows him and she moves quickly. She sucks hard, twisting her tongue around him like a popsicle. Jordan pulls her head in, fucking her mouth in return. His hips twist and she tries to keep it together with the tip of his cock jamming down her throat. It only lasts another minute. Jordan moans loudly and holds her face into his lap as he comes. She swallows twice, then he thrusts again and she swallows once more. When he finally lets go, she slowly draws her lips over every inch of his skin before pressing a kiss to the dripping head of his penis. He falls backward onto the bed like a cut tree. She rips off her clothes, except for her stockings then climbs on top of his prone body.

“Jordan, I need you to make me come.”

His eyes pop open with a smile. “Good think I’m at my peak or I might need a nap first.”

He slides his arms between her legs and hauls her up until she’s straddling his face. Olivia puts her hands to the wall over his head. As he licks and sucks it’s easy to forget everything. Jordan is very, very good with his tongue. He keeps his eyes open to watch her full breasts bounce against her body.

She’s soaking wet and already humming like a live wire. It’s not long before she’s grinding her pussy into his face and he’s tracing a finger around her back door. The feeling is building in her body, but she doesn’t want to end like this. It’s not enough. She needs to be punished, wants to be punished. Moving one of her hands down his long torso confirms that he is hard and ready to go again.

“Fuck me Jordan, I want you to fuck me.”

Instantly he flips her onto her back, all 220 pounds landing on top of her.

“Say that to my face.” His eyes are flashing.

“Fuck me, Jordan. I want you now.” She doesn’t even listen to herself. Inside, she’s lost control of her thoughts and her mind is screaming.

He roughly forces her legs apart, wraps them around his back slams his cock home into her trembling, glistening core. An anguished cry forces itself from her lips then Jordan quiets her with his own mouth. Olivia feels she might be torn in two by the force of his thrusts. But her body is reacting, and quickly. Her stomach is tight. Every time Jordan pounds his dick into the deepest part of her, the walls of her pussy involuntarily grip him like a vice. Olivia is not driving this ride. Instead he’s tearing the sensation forcibly from her body. It builds.

“Harder, Jordan,” she whispers.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he says, maintaining his pace.

“Harder!” she says at full volume. He shakes his head then bounces them both off the mattress until the force of landing drives him farther into her body. His hands grip her ass and pull her onto his throbbing cock like a marshmallow onto a stick. His rhythm is perfect, striking her hot spot again and again like a prize fighter going for a TKO. She presses her hands to the wall, holding herself down and writhes her hips as his dick disappears inside her.

He groans, “I’m gonna come.”

“Me too,” she’s so close the words almost don’t make it out.

“Say my name, Olivia. I want to hear you when you come.”

He redoubles his effort, lifting her body off the mattress with each monumental thrust. Her legs tremble and lock, her back arches. His arms squeeze her tight, pulling the last drop of anticipation from her body before it snaps like a string.

“Jordan!” The first wave rips through her. It’s like a hurricane, spinning and lifting and twisting. Then it crashes down onto her and the impact sends another blast into her body. Ripples race in every direction – her toes, fingers, eyelids tingle as she shudders against Jordan’s massive member still stuffed deep inside her. His whole body locks around her. She’s so far down onto his cock she thinks he might come into her heart.

“Jordan,” she says again, quietly, as he growls a string of expletives and pumps another round into her body. He throbs inside her, tension exploding from the end of his dick like wake behind a boat. When he finally goes still, he puts his head to her chest.

“Someday you’ll have to tell me where you learned to fuck like a porn star,” he laughs softly.

“When you’re older, I’ll introduce you to my director. We could all get rich off the size of your dick.”

Jordan goes quiet as he traces his fingers across her stomach. They are both spent and Olivia is starting to drift to sleep when he speaks again. “Is this okay, Liv? I thought you didn’t want to do this. Not that I’m complaining. I might not be able to skate tonight, but I’m not complaining.”
____

My next two texts get no reply. It takes all my power not to bust her door down right now and give her what she says she doesn’t want. But she wants it. Her tongue was in my mouth, my hands between her thighs. She was wet for me and I felt her gasp when I pressed my bare cock against her slit. Her flesh was hot to the touch, and I got to touch it. The memory makes me dizzy. I have to jerk off twice at pre-game nap, which makes a total of three times today. Any more of this and I’m going to be sore later.

Max: I can still taste you.

Max: I can still feel your heat against my skin.

She hadn’t said anything.

When she boards the bus to the arena, my pants get awfully tight. I have to shift in my seat at the sight of her perfect ass in dark pants with a yellow top tucked into the waist. She smiles at something Geno says and I feel those lips pressed hard to mine.
____