Page 79 of Play the Last Card

His grip relaxes on my thighs as he licks up my orgasm, smiling and pressing his lips gently to my center one last time.

“Feeling awake now?”

I giggle, turning my head on the pillow. “Yes.”

He crawls up my body and settles over me. “Good. Now, breakfast?”

I sit at the bench as Scott moves around the kitchen, pulling ingredients from the fridge and plates from the cupboards. He cracks five eggs into the fry pan and then adds some milk, leaning over for a wooden spoon and starts to stir. I gaze at his back, watching his muscles and sinking into my seat with a satisfied sigh.

“You good over there, baby?”

Warmth spreads over my cheeks at the nickname. He started calling me that after we got back together and it still makes me want to giggle like a teenager every time I hear him say it.

He turns off the heat, moving the pan to the heat protective mat he found in the cupboards a few days ago. He stretches up, twisting and making a face, I sit up.

“Is your back sore?” I ask, sliding off my chair.

He continues to stretch, his eyes on me as I move around to join him on the other side of the bench. When I’m close enough, he grabs at mywaist and pulls me into him. Smirking he says, “A little, but nothing a good stretch can’t fix.”

“Is it because my bed isn’t built for giants like you?” I stretch up on my toes, asking for a kiss. He obliges. “We never stay at your place. That giant bed is going to waste every night.”

“I like it here. It’s …” He casts a glance at the room beyond the kitchen over my head before looking back down at me, “… homey.”

“Homey?”

“Mm, yeah. Homey.” He kisses me again, pulling me tighter against his chest. “I like your bed.”

“Wellhomeyis giving you back problems.” I laugh as he drops his face into my neck and his hot breath starts to warm my skin.

I feel the shake of his head against my shoulder. “I like whatever bed you’re in. Now, eat,” he commands, pulling away from me and planting a light slap against my ass.

We’ve almost finished breakfast when his phone lights up, the screen coming alive with the camera and the piercing ring tone cutting through the air.

Momshows on the screen. I immediately try get out of my seat and slip away as Scott pulls the phone closer. He shoots me a look, reaching a hand out and beckoning me back to his side.

“Hi Mom,” he answers the phone, snaking his free arm around the back of my chair.

“Hi, honey. Happy game day!” His mom beams up at him through the phone. I can see the sun only just starting to rise in the windows behind her head. Being in LA, they run a few hours behind us. A rush of longing spreads through my veins at the thought. His mother gets up early just to ensure she catches him before he heads into the stadium for a game.

“Thanks. Just finishing up breakfast.”

“Oh, that’s nice.” His mom narrows her eyes and I can see her looking at Scott’s surroundings. “Where are you? That’s not your apartment.”

“I’m at Ivy’s,” he saysit so easily.

Like it’s the most normal thing in the world for him to be answering a FaceTime from his mother at my place. Suddenly, I am very aware of the fragile bubble that surrounds us. How easily it might pop. I shake the feeling away as Scott’s arm leaves the chair and drapes over my shoulders. He tilts the phone and I see the same taken aback, shocked expression mirrored in his mom’s face as my own.

“Scott Harvey, how dare you spring this on me? We’ll talk about your timing later.” The phone shakes in his mom’s hand and just moves around in excitement. “Hello there, Ivy. I’m Annabel.”

Annabel beams up at me from the phone and I have to give myself another mental shake in order to be able to reply. “Hi.” I lift my hand to give a feeble wave and I feel Scott laughing by my side.

“It’s so nice to meet you! Scott’s told us so many lovely things.” She looks over her shoulder and yells to whomever is lingering just out of frame. “Jason! Quickly, come meet Ivy.”

“Who?” The voice calls back.

“Ivy. Scott’s girlfriend!” My cheeks flush with heat and I watch myself blush a shade of deep, deep red on the screen. Goddammit.

Scott pulls the phone back a little so that he’s in the picture too. “Hi, Dad.”