Chasing Sunshine: A New Adult Sports Romance (NE University Book 1)

by Hannah Gray

  But then I remember that, just nights ago, he was texting Layla. Looking to get laid. He obviously moved on quickly from me. Despite what Anna tries to say, I know better. And why shouldn’t he move on? We were never even dating. He’s free. He’s a single, popular, and very attractive college guy. He has every right to go out there and sow his wild oats. But that doesn’t make it any easier on me. And Layla? Please. She’s a skank. And she’s looking to jump on his back and ride that wave all the way to the NFL. I see right through girls like her. Unfortunately, being one of the best college football players, he will attract a lot of those types.

  Why should I care though? I don’t … pfft … whatever.

  I hit play on Riverdale and stuff another bite of cookie dough into my mouth.

  Trent

  Here we sit, at the same restaurant we always meet at. It’s in the same town he lives in and where I grew up. Plus, his buddy owns this place. He’s a prick. Looking at him across the table instantly pisses me off. My jaw aches from tensing so much. That’s what he does to me; he makes me tense and on edge. I wait for the insults or the criticism. Knowing they are bound to come at any given time.

  He takes a sip of his Coke and clears his throat. “Do you really think it was necessary to lie on the ground for that long after that hit?”

  My eyes snap up to his, and I fold my arms over my chest. Leaning back in my chair, I answer as calmly as I can, “I had the air knocked out of my lungs from someone who weighs sixty pounds more than I do. Trust me, it wasn’t fun for me either, Dad.” I emphasize the last word, making a dig whenever I can. Though it won’t mean a thing to him.

  “You need to get stronger than that. No scout wants a weak player. I know I wouldn’t. You don’t spend enough time in the gym.”

  I tilt my chin down. I’m sure my eyes are nearly slits by now. “I work out seven days a week. I eat what the nutritionist plans for me. We have practice at least once a day, six days a week. Sometimes twice a day. Between my classes and training, I can’t spread myself any thinner.”

  He cuts a piece of his steak. “Well, son, that’s why I told you it was a big mistake not to enter the draft sooner. You wouldn’t be worrying about classes. Besides, if you get hurt in college, forget about your NFL career.”

  I force a breath out. Urging myself to stay calm. “Yes, well, I want a college degree. There’s an even greater chance that I’ll get hurt in the NFL. I want a backup plan.”

  My father’s career ended too soon. But he has been fortunate enough that he still remains in the football world and has many football-related opportunities. Plus, he does meet and greets and interviews and other things to keep up with his luxury lifestyle.

  His harsh voice brings me back to the present. “You won’t make it to the NFL if you don’t get your head out of your ass.”

  Usually, I just take the abuse because, well, he pays for my house and my truck and everything else. I need to get through this year, and then I’ll cut him off altogether. But tonight, something inside me snaps.

  “I must be doing all right. Seeing as I’m the top-ranked college football player in the country right now.”

  He lets out a bitter laugh. “Oh, please. That’s just those sports broadcasters talking out of their asses. They know you’re my son, so your name’s already out there. Don’t embarrass me, Trent. I have a reputation to uphold.”

  That’s it. I have had enough at this point. “You know what, Dad? Fuck you.”

  His eyes practically bug out of his head.

  “I don’t know why you get off on this shit, but you do. But guess what.” I keep my voice low and steady. I lace my hands together and lean down slightly. Looking him straight in his cold, bitter eyes. “I’ll bury your fucking name in the sand when I make it to the NFL. I promise you that. My stats are already better than yours were in college. Once I get drafted, your name will soon be forgotten. Trent Kade will be all they care about. Not some washed-up, injured, wannabe NFL player.”

  I push myself from the table and stand. “Oh, and, Dad?”

  He doesn’t say anything. Just continues to look like he could erupt at any moment, given the shade of red he is. His eyes are even wide and bloodshot. Yep, time to go.

  “Mom would be fucking sickened by the man you have become. I’m sure she is sickened by the man you have become. See you around.”

  I hear him growl, “Sit down, Trent. We’re in the middle of dinner.” His teeth are clenched.

  I give him an indignant smile. “You stay. Enjoy your dinner alone. You’d better get used to it.” I turn and leave him sitting at the table, stewing. Avoiding the stares and whispers of the tables around us.

  I’ve never told my dad to fuck off before. I couldn’t help myself. I was so sick of him saying shit and saying shit and adding a little more gas to the fire that I fucking lost it. I have to admit, it felt pretty awesome to get it off my chest. If we hadn’t been in a public restaurant, I probably would have punched him.

  Once I climb into my truck, I pull my phone out of my pocket, looking down at it, seeing two missed messages.

  Lane: Brotha … get over here. There’s pussy for days.

  Mason: Hope it went okay with your dad, man. Cam didn’t come with Anna, so no need to avoid the house.

  I lay my head against the headrest and text Mason back.

  Me: Who says I’m avoiding the house?

  Mason: I know you. You are avoiding seeing her.

  Me: I am not. I’m not a fucking pussy.

  Mason: Didn’t say you were. But I know you have been avoiding her like the plague lately.

  I send back the middle-finger emoji and set my phone down.

  Thinking of my dad again and his words makes me punch the steering wheel. I’m so fucking sick of never being good enough. Not talented enough, not strong enough, not smart enough. It’s so fucking exhausting, walking around, trying to be perfect. I work my fucking ass off in football. I eat, breathe, sleep football. I can’t take it any more seriously than I do.

  Even if I do get drafted first round—hell, even if I am first pick of the first round—he will never be happy with it. He will always pick apart my accomplishments.

  He’s always pushed me, but after my mom died, he’s just gotten to be more and more of a prick.

  I take a deep breath and let it out. Fuck my dad. And fuck avoiding Cameran. Hopefully, she’s not with pretty-boy Carter tonight.

  Because guess what, Sunshine. I’m coming for you.

  Cameran

  I definitely didn’t see that coming in Riverdale. I thought for sure someone else was the Black Hood. This is pure craziness. I can’t stop now though. I need to binge-watch the rest of it. I’m in too deep. It has actually been very beneficial for keeping my mind off of Trent. Damn it, there I go again. I swear, for the most part though, it really has worked. I mean, probably for, like, seventy-five percent of the time. Okay, fifty percent … a strong fifty percent.

  I hear a knock at the door, which causes my heart to leap into my throat. I’m sure it’s just Anna and that she forgot her key. I peek through the hole in the door and take a step back.

  What the hell is he doing here?

  “I know you’re in there, Sunshine.”

  Taking a deep breath and letting it out, I open the door halfway, narrowing my eyes. “What are you doing here, Trent?”

  His eyes go straight to my camisole, and I realize I am not even wearing a bra. I feel heat rise in my cheeks and fold my arms over my chest.

  His eyes move back to mine. “I needed to see you.”

  My forehead wrinkles. “Why?”

  He pushes the door open and takes a step inside my room. Shutting the door behind him, he tilts his head to the side. “Because, Sunshine, I’m tired of staying away.”

  He pulls me into him, and for a second, I try to fight it, but that’s short-lived. Soon, he envelops me with his huge arms. He tilts my chin up to look at him. His minty breath hits my nostrils, making my need to kiss him
increase. I surprise him by standing on my tippy-toes and pressing my lips to his. He cups my cheeks, and our mouths begin to move together. I tease him with little flicks of my tongue, and he moans into my mouth. I feel his growing erection pressing against my stomach.

  “Trent,” I breathe out. “Trent, please.”

  With one swift move, he lifts me by my ass, and I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist. He kisses me hard, intensely, angrily. My back arches as I press my breasts into him.

  “Fuck, you’re beautiful. I’ve missed you so fucking much.” He kisses and sucks on my neck, moving down to my breast.

  I reach down and pull my tank top over my head. He holds me like I am as light as a damn feather. His eyes gloss over, watching my breasts in appreciation. He leans down, taking one into his mouth, and then he moves on to the next, making sure to give each one an equal amount of attention, working it with his tongue.

  I moan and run my hands through his hair. “Uh, you smell so good, Trent. I have missed you so damn much.”

  His eyes darken, and he lays me down on my bed. Pulling my cotton shorts and panties down, he tosses them to the side. He leans down over me, and his mouth covers mine. My hands find his hair, and I dig my heels into the backs of his legs. Needing to be as close as possible.

  We kiss until we are both breathless and panting like wild animals. I reach between us and undo his belt, and after a moment of struggling, I get his jeans undone and begin pulling them down with my feet. Chuckling, he stands and steps out of his jeans and boxers. His long length springs free, causing my mouth to water.

  He is about to climb back on top of me when I stand up. His eyes fill with what is clear desire. Good. I’m glad he is as turned on as I am. I have had weeks of having to deal with this ache. Not just physically, but mentally too. When we are intimate, it feels like we are one. I have never had that before with anyone. It’s almost as if the rest of the world stops.

  I kneel down in front of him and gaze up. With my head tilted, my hair flows down my back, almost touching the ground. I lick my lips and take him into my fist, slowly pumping at first. Then, leaning forward, I run my tongue up underneath his shaft, and he groans. Slowly, I pick up the pace, taking more and more of him into my mouth. His hand finds the back of my hair, and he tugs, urging me to look at him. I do what he’s silently asking and look up at him through my lashes. I moan softly while my mouth is wrapped around him.

  He growls, “You’d better stop, or I’m going to come in that perfect fucking mouth.”

  That gives me the need to suck harder. It doesn’t take long before he gives in, and his hips start moving faster, driving himself deeper and deeper into my throat. I feel the warm liquid begin to spill out, and I get every drop, keeping my suction until he stops convulsing and releases my hair.

  He sits down on my bed and pulls me down with him, covering us both with my comforter. I’m sure we look ridiculous in my twin bed.

  Breathing hard, he says, “That right there was fucking mind-blowing, Sunshine. What, did you take a class on giving head? Because you deserve a goddamn medal.”

  Giggling, I answer, “You are not made for a twin bed.” I look down at his feet hanging off the end of the bed.

  He shrugs and tickles my stomach. “What are you saying, Sunshine? You think I’m a fatty?”

  I laugh uncontrollably and swat him away. “Fatty? No. But a giant? Definitely.”

  He pulls me closer and kisses my forehead. “I have missed you so much, Sunshine. So. Damn. Much.”

  I close my eyes and inhale his scent. “I’ve missed you, too. What made you come over here tonight?”

  He sighs. “Honestly? I had to meet my old man after our game today. He was less than impressed with my performance.”

  I sit up straight, shocked by his words. “What? How! You rocked. I mean, you scared the shit out of me when you got sacked, but you still did awesome.”

  His eyes snap to mine, a confused look on his face. “You came to my game?”

  I blush. “Yeah. I mean, I went to the game, and you happened to be playing.”

  He lays his head back down and looks at the ceiling. “It’s so fucked up. I felt you there. It’s like every play I made, it was for you. Then, I would think to myself, You moron. She isn’t here. Obviously, she wouldn’t come. It’s weird; I know.”

  I smile to myself. It’s so strange, feeling so mentally and physically connected. “Anyway, why on earth would your dad feel that way? I mean, was he even at the same game I was?”

  He releases a long breath. “He said I should have gotten up faster after the hit. He said I’m weak and I need to work harder.”

  Anger flows through my veins. What kind of father is this guy anyway? His son is amazing. My heart aches for Trent. How awful it must feel to try your best and have the people who are supposed to be your number one supporters—your parents—break you down. My parents would never do that; they were the opposite. I could have told them I wanted to be a professional jump-roper, and they would have been encouraging. I sigh. Lynn and Andrew Steele were certainly great parents compared to what Trent has to deal with.

  “Well, I don’t think you could possibly work harder. Sounds to me like maybe he’s fighting his own internal battles and projecting it onto you.”

  He nods and says quietly, “Yeah, I think he is.”

  He plays with my hair, and we sit in comfortable silence for a while until he whispers, “I can’t believe you let me in. I expected to get slapped across the face.”

  I chuckle and then grow serious. “Me too actually. The surprised part, not the slap part. Although, if you had shown up here on Tuesday, you probably would have received a slap.”

  I feel a twang of guilt in my stomach regarding Tuesday’s events. After Layla got in my head about meeting Trent, I let Carter kiss me when he gave me a ride home. I regretted it instantly and pulled away. Still, it happened.

  He stops playing with my hair. “Tuesday?” he asks, confused.

  I nod. “I had to wait on Layla and her bitchy friends. I guess you had just texted her to plan to meet up.” I cringe, hearing my own words. “Anyway, she felt the need to blurt it out in front of me. I got really upset and went to hide in the storage closet. Pretty embarrassing.”

  He wastes no time in responding. “I don’t even have Layla’s number. And she sure as shit doesn’t have mine. The times we have hooked up, we just happened to see each other at places and …”

  I squirm, hearing his words. Praying he won’t continue with where this story is going.

  “Sorry, you don’t want to hear that. My point is, I definitely didn’t text her. The last time she and I did anything was that time I saw you at The Atlantic when you were there, trying to get a job. That was a huge mistake that night. One I will never repeat.”

  I feel so much relief from his confession. I have been beating myself up, thinking about if he took her back to his house or vice versa.

  “Sunshine, I haven’t been with anyone since you. I promise.”

  A tear rolls down my cheek, and I wipe it before he sees. I can’t put into words the comfort he brings me. He makes me feel whole again. I think … damn it, I think I might love him. It’s so much deeper than that though. Our souls are intertwined.

  He runs his hand down my back and pulls me on top of him. In a husky voice, he talks against my neck, “We have a lot of making up to do.”

  Trent

  I didn’t expect her to let me inside her dorm room, let alone do the magical things we’ve done so far. She gave me the best blow job I’d ever received in my entire life, hands down. Now, I’m looking down at her. Her eyes filled with need, she silently begs me to go all the way. I could get off from just imagining being inside her for the first time. Now, it’s about to happen.

  “Are you sure?” I ask her. I want this more than I want my next breath. But I want to do it right. I don’t want to do anything she isn’t comfortable with.

  Big gray-blue eyes stare u
p at me as she nods. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

  Nodding, I lean down and kiss her sexy full lips. She’s more to me than just a fuck. I want her to know that. In fact, she’s everything to me. She’s all I’ve thought about since I first laid eyes on her. She woke me up and made me feel.

  “I don’t have a condom,” I admit.

  “I’m on birth control, and I’m, um … clean,” she says instantly.

  “Me too. I’ve never been with anyone without a condom. And I get tested often for football.”

  She nods. “I want this. I want you.”

  Thank God she does. My balls might turn so blue that they fall off if we stop now.

  “You’re so beautiful,” I breathe out as I move my lips to her neck.

  I slowly work my way down to her perfect, full tits. Taking one nipple into my mouth, I gently alternate between sucking and licking. A moan escapes her as her fingers dive into my hair.

  Moving myself back so that I’m looking down at her, I nudge her legs further apart with my knee and slowly push the tip of my cock into her sweet pussy.

  “More, Trent,” she begs. “Give me all of you. Please.”

  Her eyes never leave mine. She looks like an angel, a very sexy angel.

  That’s all I need to hear. I pump in and out, harder and faster, until I’m all the way in, buried deep inside of her.

  “You’re so fucking tight, Sunshine. I’m not going to last long.”

  She feels so fucking good, wrapped around my cock. I’ve imagined this in my head more times than I’d like to admit, but this is even better than my imagination.

  “Trent,” she moans. Along with the sexiest noises I’ve heard in my entire life.

  I thrust into her over and over, the noises of our bodies moving together filling the room. Her back begins to arch, her perfect mounds pushing against my body, and it’s too much for me to take.