Page 248 of Cross Check

I took a trip with Riley, Hudson, Ethan, and Connor, and we spent the last two weeks of July in Italy and the south of France. Too much sunburn and not enough sleep had me excited to get home, but after two days with Lia, she was leaving again, off to Denver for three weeks to see Lainey and Sienna.

Hannah and I went to Florida last week to visit our parents. Coach Saunders came along and finally met my mom and dad after dating my sister for over a year. Watching them be happy and in love really made me miss my girl.

Amelia and I are both home now, and we’re enjoying the time together before training camp starts in three weeks. The downtime is nice, and with nothing on the agenda besides Lia’s birthday today, my phone is on Do Not Disturb for the next twenty-four hours.

I want to celebrate my girl without any distractions.

The group chat with the boys can wait until tomorrow.

“Dammit.” I stare down at the stove where the pancake batter separates in the pan. Two raw batches later, and I still haven’t mastered the art of a spatula. “Come on, Everett.”

“Are you talking to yourself?”

I turn at the sound of Amelia’s voice and let my eyes linger on her. She’s in a large T-shirt that leaves her legs bare. Her skin is bronzed from spending hours at the lake, and she crosses her feet at the ankle with the huff of a laugh when she notices my gawking.

“You’re supposed to still be in bed,” I say.

“I am?” She tilts her head. “Why?”

“It’s your birthday, and I’m making you pancakes.”

“You are?” Lia brightens and pushes off the wall, skipping my way. “I’m old, you know.”

“You don’t look a day over twenty-seven.”

“Are you sure about that?” She steps back and tugs her shirt over her head. It falls to the floor, leaving her in a pair of skimpy boy shorts that make my cock ache in my sweatpants. “What about now?”

“Baby,” I breathe out. I turn off the stove and throw the spatula on the counter. The pancakes can wait, but I can’t. I drop to my knees, kissing her stomach and running my tongue over her belly button. “Don’t tease me.”

“I’d never do that.” Lia runs her fingers through my hair, scratching my scalp until I’m a mewling mess under her hand. “That wouldn’t be very nice.”

“You are quite literally the hottest woman I’ve ever seen. These hips.” I grip her waist, dropping my hands to her thighs. I kiss her knee when she drapes her leg over my shoulder. “This fucking ass.” I move to her backside, grabbing a cheekful and squeezing tight. “You’re just as beautiful as the night I met you. No. I lied. You’re more beautiful.”

“I know you have pancakes going, and you’ve been working so hard.” She tugs on my hair. I whimper and bite her hip bone. “But how do you feel about eating something else first?”

I stand and lift her with one arm, setting her on the counter. The bowl knocks over. Batter goes everywhere. Her hand lands in the mess, and she giggles.

“Fuck the pancakes. I’ll pay IHOP a million dollars to deliver us breakfast.” I kiss her neck. “Open your legs, baby, and let me taste.”

“Say please,” she whispers, and I groan.

“Please, birthday girl. Can I have you?”

“Such a good boy.” Amelia runs her palm down my back. Batter sticks to my shoulders, but I’m too preoccupied by the damp spot on her cotton underwear to give a damn. “You can have me, but you might need to stay down there for thirty-six minutes. One for every year.”

“You won’t hear me complaining.” I lower to my knees again and pull her underwear to the side. I blow a hot puff of air against her center, and she rolls her hips at the contact. “Do you think you can last that long, baby?”

“Only one way to find out.”

I grin.

It might be her birthday, but this is a present for me.

All that’s missing is a bow over her tits.

I turn my head and run my nose along the line of her thigh. She smells sweet from the shower we took together last night, the fragrance of her body wash still clinging to her skin. I move my attention back to her pussy. I take her hand that’s not resting on the counter and guide it to her underwear, having her keep the scrap of fabric out of my way.

“Don’t move,” I say. When I look up at her, she lifts her eyebrow. “Please,” I add, and her face melts into a smile.