Running Forward: A Quick Snap Novella

by Crystal Perkins

  A knock on my window startles me, and I look up to see Will smiling at me. “Are you still coming to dinner?”

  “Are you still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL?”

  “One of the best?” he asks, and I nod. “Okay, yeah. See you in a few.”

  I’m reluctant to stop setting up the game, but a message when I go to close it tells me it will save until I get back. So, I can play around work, and so can Alec. Now, I can’t wait for him to get home.

  Chapter 18

  Alec

  I had to put my phone away while driving from the airport, and it’s been burning a hole in my pocket ever since. I won’t text and drive, or play and drive, but now I’m home and ready to get back into it. Back to playing TriviaBattleBall with Karli.

  “Hurry up, slacker! You’re just stalling because I’m about to win!” she yells from her window when I get out of the car.

  “I had to drive. You’d be sad if I died at the wheel, just to let you win.”

  “Let me win?”

  She has a point. We’ve played almost fifty games in the last three days, and she’s won more than she’s lost. It’s the trivia. She’s just crazy good at it. And the football plays.

  “I’ll get you next game.”

  “Sure, you will,” she taunts.

  “How about loser buys the food, and we share it?” I know I shouldn’t be asking since I promised to give her space, but damn, I miss her so much. We’ve been talking and joking through the app, and she even turned on the video component to say hi to Dad last night, but it’s not enough.

  “This game or next?” she asks softly.

  I stare up at her from where I stand below the window. “Whatever you want.”

  “What if I want more than just dinner?”

  “I’m all yours.”

  She moves from the window and opens the door, stepping back when I run up the stairs. “What if I just want a human dildo? A good dick to fuck? Would you be that for me?”

  “Yes.” I want so much more, but I’m willing to take anything she’ll give me—or take from me.

  “Not tonight. Tonight, we’ll play this addictive game of yours, and eat. But it’s good to know I have options.”

  I can only shake my head as I follow her inside. I knew this wouldn’t be easy, and she wouldn’t just take me back without more groveling. The game was my love letter to her, but now I need to plan out the flowers, the chocolate, and oh yeah, the jewelry, because I’m fighting for our life together right now, and that’s one game I’m not willing to lose.

  Karli

  What is the state bird of Wisconsin?

  Robin

  AF: How do you know all of this random shit?

  Me: How do you not know it? It’s your game.

  AF: I had the other people on my team come up with the questions. I didn’t want to cheat…unlike some people.

  Me: Are we really back to this again?

  AF: Always.

  “Seriously, Alec. You need to suck it up and just realize I’ll do almost anything to win,” I tell him with a smile and while I answer another question right. Being the nerds we’ve both somehow become, we were texting through the app while sitting next to each other in the same room.

  “Almost anything?”

  “Yep.”

  “So, if I offered to throw my next question if you kiss me, you’d do it?”

  I’d do it without the bribe, but he doesn’t need to know that. “How do I know you even know the answer?”

  He smirks, so I check my screen for his question. Well, damn.

  When was Apple created?

  He only needs one more right answer to win because, unless I’m completely wrong, he has a player on the one-yard line. I’m only doing this because I want to win. Really.

  “No tongue,” I tell him.

  “Teeth?”

  Fuck. It’s so not about the game, and I don’t even care if he knows it. Using my signature move, I grab his t-shirt and climb on his lap, molding my mouth to his. When he refuses to open his mouth, I tug his hair.

  “You said no tongue,” he teases, pulling back to look at me.

  “Fuck what I said, or better yet, just fuck me.” Yeah, I said it.

  “No.”

  “No?” I ask, jumping off him like he’s burned me.

  “I don’t deserve your pussy yet, so no, I’m not taking it now.”

  I look him in the eye and know he means it. He wants more than the fuck he promised me. But he did promise.

  “You said outside that I could have your dick to play with whenever I want.”

  His jaw clenches so hard, I think he might break a tooth. “I did. If that’s really all you want, come and take it. I won’t stop you.”

  He folds his hands behind his head, and my panties practically incinerate from the sight of his biceps bulging. Bulging biceps, glasses, and a nicely trimmed beard are apparently my catnip because I climb back onto his lap.

  Freeing his dick, I pump it while his eyes darken and his thighs tense beneath me. I’m in control, and I can take what I want. Use him. Hurt him. No.

  I scramble backward off him, crabwalking until I bump into the chair behind me. I can’t use him like that. I won’t. I haven’t told him I love him yet, but he’s said those three words to me, and I believe him.

  “Explain it to me, Alec. Tell me how you looked me in the eye every day and didn’t say a word about retiring. I know you said it was because I was your boss, but I know there’s more. I’m ready to listen. I’m ready to give us another chance.”

  Chapter 19

  Karli

  He puts his dick back in his shorts and adjusts himself before lifting to sit on my couch instead of the floor. I fight a smile because it’s kind of adorable to have this big, masculine guy sitting on my purple tufted couch, especially since for some reason we always end up sitting on the floor when he comes over. But this is serious, so I hold it back and just look at him.

  “It was after that first game, when I fucked up and you said it was your fault. I hated it because that was all me. There was nothing wrong with your coaching. Your sprints and drills are all on point, and yet you—the woman I was falling for—had to share the blame for my fuckups.” I start to speak, but he holds up his hand. “I know it would be the same for any coach, but it wasn’t the same for me. And that was just the beginning. Realizing I couldn’t just go visit my dad and wouldn’t be spending holidays with him, just pushed me over to the ‘cons’ side of being an NFL player.”

  “But you would’ve been with me,” I blurt out, horrified once I realize I said something I’ve been holding inside.

  Had he stayed on the team, we would’ve been together for Thanksgiving, and we’d be together next month for Christmas. I know he loves his dad, but he said he loves me, too. His dad could come here, but I can’t go there unless I give up my job.

  “Karli, I…fuck…I was just thinking about him. Shit,” he admits, looking as horrified as I feel.

  “I think you should go.”

  “I didn’t finish. I didn’t tell you how you inspired me and made me realize how much more I love creating things.”

  “You just told me. Please go.”

  He climbs up from the couch and holds up his hands. “Not like this. Please, Karli. I just didn’t think. Of course, I want to be with you. I will be with you for Christmas. Please. You said you wanted to try again.”

  “Go. I can’t. Just go.”

  “Okay. For now. But we’re not done. I love you.”

  I just shake my head as he walks out, not letting myself fall apart until he’s out the door. Good thing I’m still sitting on the floor because I don’t think my legs would hold me right now. My biggest fear about all of this was valid. Is valid. He didn’t factor me into the most important of his personal plans. Knowing the truth makes it worse. Knowing makes me want to fly home and hug Mom. Let my niece and nephew climb into my lap and cuddle with me. Just get away from Alec and everything
that reminds me of him. I can’t do that, though. I have to work tomorrow. Work is all I have, and it’s time to get my head back in the game.

  Alec

  “Hey, Dad,” I say into the phone when he answers. “I wanted to talk to you about Christmas.”

  “If you can’t make it here, don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine.”

  “Actually, I was wondering how you’d feel about spending Christmas here.”

  “Sure.”

  “Really? I mean, the farm has always been so important on the holidays.”

  “No, Alec. It’s not the farm, it’s the people. You and your mom, the workers. Now, it’s you and me, and everyone here will be just fine without me. Now, tell me why this seems like a big deal?”

  “Karli,” I admit. “I was making progress. Things were good, and then they weren’t.”

  I tell him about our conversation, and the moment I realized what an idiot I was.

  “Okay, well, you’re going to need more than just Christmas dinner and an app to get her back at this point. What’s the plan?”

  “This just happened five minutes ago. I have no plan. What do I do, Dad?”

  “You show her that she’s everything to you. In every way possible you can.”

  He’s right, but I still don’t know exactly how. Some ideas have started popping into my head, though. Step one is to do a little social media searching, which gets me even better results than I thought it would.

  “Xavia? It’s Alec Flynn,” I say when she answers my call.

  “You bastard! How did you get my number? Better yet, tell me if you’re at home so I can come and kick your ass!”

  Can’t say I wasn’t expecting this exact response. “You put it on Facebook, probably by accident. And I know you probably hate me, but I need your help to get Karli back.”

  “You are insane.”

  “Maybe a little, but I love her,” I admit.

  “Funny way of showing it.”

  “I know. Berate me, cuss me out, whatever. But will you help me?”

  “You really love her?”

  “I do.”

  “If you fuck this up again, I’m coming for you. I promise you that.”

  “Not a doubt in my mind,” I assure her.

  “Fine. Tell me the plan.”

  I give her the Phase One info. Or maybe it’s Phase Two, and the app was Phase One. Whatever. She tells me she was getting ice cream and vodka anyway, so stopping to pick up the burgers, fries, and tacos I ordered isn’t a problem. No, I’m the problem. But I’m working on fixing that.

  I wait by my window until I see Xavia pull up. She’s struggling a little under all the bags, so I open my door. Her eyes go wide when Karli’s door opens, too. Very slowly, I close my door almost all the way and peek out.

  “What all did you get? I thought we decided on vodka floats.”

  “Your not-so-secret admirer ordered us food, too.”

  “This is from him?” she asks, almost dropping a bag.

  “Yes, and we’re going to eat it. No sense wasting good food just because an asshole bought it.”

  I know Xavia purposely said that loud enough for me to hear, but it’s all good. The food is going inside with them. Just like I’m hoping it will every night I order it. On to Phase Three.

  Chapter 20

  Karli

  Less than ten minutes after I check into the team hotel in Vegas, there’s a knock on my door.

  “Room service.”

  I’d be surprised if this weren’t a regular occurrence. Not room service exactly, but food delivered every day to me at the end of practice, desserts delivered to me in the evenings most nights, and my food already paid for last weekend at the Seattle hotel. Alec knows one of the ways to the heart he crushed is food, and while I won’t talk to him yet, that heart is puffing up a little every single day.

  “Thank you,” I tell the guy at the door, a tip already in my hand because I had a feeling about this.

  “How did you get food so fast?” Will asks, standing in my doorway before I can close the door.

  “Your buddy ordered it ahead of time.”

  “He misses you,” he tells me, advancing on my food. “I need one of those fries to hold me over.”

  “You never stop at one.”

  “Two. Please, Karli. I haven’t eaten in an hour.”

  “Two, and then go call your friend and tell him he needs to stop with the food if he wants me to fit into my dress next week.”

  “I’m not telling him to stop. I’ll eat whatever you don’t.”

  “I’d ask if your wife ever feeds you, but I know she does.”

  “I’m a growing man,” he tells me. “And don’t think I missed you talking about a dress for next week. You’re going to the AF launch, huh?”

  “Maybe. I haven’t decided yet.”

  And that’s the truth. Alec’s been doing more than feeding me. He left me a trivia book and “best coach ever” mug on my doorstep yesterday, just the latest in a daily delivery. Nothing extravagant or crazy, just fun things. Things that make me want to jump back onto the app and play with him again. And yeah, kiss him like crazy. So far, I’ve resisted, but he’s wearing me down.

  “Well, here’s something that might change your mind,” Will tells me, handing me a folded sheet of paper.

  I open it, my eyes going wide at the information for a hotel reservation for Mom. She’s coming to Seattle for Christmas. I haven’t spent a holiday with her since I got this job, and I expected us to just video chat so she could be with Ken and Kim’s families.

  “Oh wait. Here’s more.”

  The other papers he hands me have everyone else’s names on them. “How?”

  “A billionaire with his own plane,” he shrugs.

  “I’ll be at the launch party, but don’t you dare tell him.”

  “My lips are sealed. Unless you want to give me another fry, of course.”

  “Go get your own food, Montgomery.”

  We both laugh as I push him out the door, plans swirling in my head. I need a new dress, new heels, and some hot as fuck lingerie. A sexy nerd is getting so very lucky after that party—or maybe during.

  Alec

  The beta testing is going well on the app, even without Karli playing. The company offices are furnished and ready. Will’s sister-in-law, Alicia Montgomery, helped me plan everything for the party, and it’s all being set up. Basically, tonight should be one of the happiest nights of my life, but I don’t know if Karli will show up and it’s killing me.

  “You look nervous.”

  “Karli,” I say, losing my breath as I turn to her.

  She’s in a short silver dress that looks like rows of code are falling from her neck to her thighs. It’s sleeveless, and except for a few loose strands of fabric, it molds to her body like a second skin. Her hair is curly and wild, and her lips are fire-engine red. I might just combust right here on the spot.

  “I can’t tell if you’re happy to see me, Alec.”

  “Nothing could make me happier. I swear. You look stunning. You always look stunning, but you being here for me tonight is just wow.”

  “I love it when you ramble because that means I’m having an effect on you,” she tells me, her eyes sparkling when she reaches out to adjust my tie. “This suit is sexy AF, by the way.”

  “I can’t believe you’re here.”

  “You wooed me here, Mr. Flynn. Now, what are we going to do about it?”

  The party starts in thirty minutes, but fuck if I care. “My office has windows I can make into a one-way mirror.”

  “I was hoping you’d offer me a chance to see where the magic happens.”

  “It happens wherever you are, Karli. That’s the God’s honest truth.”

  “Well, then, let’s make this night magical.”

  She doesn’t have to ask me twice. Grabbing her hand, I pull her behind me and up the stairs to my office. It takes up one half of the space up here and looks down over the recept
ion area below. I don’t waste time, hitting the button by the door to change the glass.

  “Do you want me to bend you over my desk or fuck you against the window where you can see everyone below?”

  “Here, now. I need you,” she says, turning to put her hands on the glass.

  “We should probably talk first.”

  “I swear, Alec, if you don’t fuck me right now, I’m going to scream.”

  “I’m going to make you scream anyway, Kar. Good thing my walls are soundproof.”

  Before she can say anything else, I drop to my knees behind her and push her dress up past her hips. The tiny thong she has on bares her perfect ass to me, and I take a bite. Her moan has my cock trying to bust out of my zipper. I unzip and pull it out, giving myself some relief while I turn my body to face her pussy. This is definitely going to be magical.

  Chapter 21

  Karli

  Yeah, I screamed. Multiple times through multiple orgasms. What can I say? The man knows his way around my body. And, we are only five minutes late for the party. Everyone thinks it’s planned when we come down the stairs holding hands.

  “We didn’t talk yet,” Alec reminds me.

  “That thing you did with your tongue really spoke to me.”

  “Karli.”

  “You’re flying my family here to see me on Christmas, you’ve been feeding me. I know you love me, Alec. And oh yeah, I love you, too.”