Team Player 2: A Sports Anthology

by Paige, Rochelle

  “Benny fucking Hayes! I heard you were in town!” I turn when I hear my name and groan inwardly. Of all people.

  “’Sup, man.” I lift my chin by way of greeting.

  “Bro! I’m glad you came; it’s been a minute since you’ve been home. You picked a good party too,” Matt goes on animatedly. “Josh invited a bunch of softball chicks, and I heard there are some fucking hot ginger twins. I’m about to find them and show them how welcoming we can be at Kegger Kastle.” He rubs his hands together, not realizing he just fucked up. “Who you here with? You come alone?”

  The girls are here? I scan the room looking for them before I settle back on him, my expression blank. “Nah, I’m not alone.”

  Matt looks around behind me expectantly. “You come with Blayne and them?” He mentions my old teammates, the ones I had played with yesterday. They actually told me about this party. They’re the obvious choice since we rarely went anywhere without each other when I lived here.

  “Nope. I came with the fucking hot ginger twins,” I answer flatly, throwing his words back at him. I never did like this motherfucker.

  “The twins? Both of them?” He looks a little nervous now.

  “Both of them. Best tell your boys.” I didn’t have beef with any of the Delta guys but knowing that Maeve is here and that she and Millie are being talked about amongst the brothers…well, it’s never too late to make enemies, I guess.

  “No problem, Benny. You always were lucky like that,” Matt says wryly, trying to lighten the mood. It’s too late, though. He’s already set the mood for the night, and it’s not good. “They’re here somewhere with a couple of friends. Probably with Josh since he invited them.”

  Josh, I know and liked, so that was a plus. He’s a good guy and wouldn’t get the twins into any trouble. “I’ll find them.” With a tip of my chin as way of a goodbye and thanks, I head off to look for Maeve. It shouldn’t be that hard to find her. Not too many identical twins with flaming red hair hanging around. After walking the whole first floor and second and not finding the girls, I head out to the pool area. I’ve been stopped at least a dozen times by people welcoming me home, offering me drinks, and some even trying to drag me upstairs to one of the rooms for a quick blow job. Gotta love sheltered daddy’s girls turned college girls. They’re the wildest. On my way out to the patio, I notice the steam misting off the pool, the heaters working hard in the chilly desert night. Ducking my head as I walk through the sliding doors, my eyes go straight to all the bodies playing in the water, and I hope to fuck Maeve isn’t one of them. I’ve never thrown someone over my shoulder all caveman like, but I think seeing her in a bathing suit frolicking around with some fucking frat boy would push me right over the edge. Thankfully, I don’t see her or her sister in the pool. I scan the rest of the patio and finally spot Lakyn and Kenna walking back into the house but not the twins. I’m starting to get a little worried now. The only thing that has me relatively calm is that I checked the bedrooms upstairs and didn’t find them there either. I saw a few bare asses and more than one chick on her knees, but none of them were Maeve, and that was all I cared about. I’m not even going to try to explain that to myself. Just as I’m about to go ask Kenna if they know where Maeve is, there’s a loud squeal over in the corner that draws my attention. Across the pool, I see braided red hair and lacy black shorts that barely cover her ass. An ass that is being covertly appreciated by some douche standing with her, Josh, and a drunk-looking Millie. My temper has been on simmer since I walked in the front door, but from the rigid set of her shoulders, she’s clearly uncomfortable, so it’s about two seconds away from boiling over. Not stopping until I’m standing right behind them, I slip my hand to Maeve’s nape. Cupping the creamy freckled covered skin gently and possessively as I lock eyes with the dick who was just checking her ass out. Maeve startles but only slightly before she settles into my touch. My glare is full of challenge and a whole lot of “I wish you would.” When his eyes dart away from mine, I snort out a curt laugh. Pussy.

  “Hey, Smalls,” I say quietly, glancing down at her with a reassuring smile. She turns into me a bit, and the smile she gives me is tight, but the relief of my being there is evident on her face. I can feel the guy’s eyes on us again, probably trying to figure out what’s going on, and if he’s going to have to find another hookup for the night. He absolutely fucking is. Without thought and as if I have every right to, I bend and gently, so as not to mess up her pretty lipstick, place my lips over Maeve’s. Just that slight touch of our mouths has me feeling as if I was slammed into the boards by a two-hundred-and-fifty-pound goon out on the ice. Only I like this a whole lot more. Not ready to stop kissing her but not sure how she’s going to react, I reluctantly begin to straighten, nipping at her full bottom lip as I do. Before I can pull away, Maeve tangles her fingers into my hair and brings me back down. My eyes widen in surprise, but when she looks up at me through the curtain of her thick lashes, I see the same want there that’s coursing through my veins right now, so I open for her, letting her take what she wants. When our lips meet again, Maeve’s mouth parts on a gasp. I smile, pressing her tighter against my chest and dip my tongue to brush against hers. Only enough to tease the both of us. Once, twice, three times. Slowly, she pulls back, and I straighten. Smirking at the dazed look on Maeve’s face, I hope that I’m not sporting the same expression because I sure as fuck feel dazed.

  Like we didn’t just kiss each other both stupid, I turn to give Josh knuckles and find Millie with her mouth hanging open in shock.

  “What’s up, Josh?” We bump fists inches from Millie’s surprised face.

  “Heard you were on this trip with the softball team. Your sister’s one of the coaches, right?” he asks, settling his hand back on Millie’s waist. She still looks a little stunned but not uncomfortable or anything, so I decide to leave it alone. His friend with the staring problem was a different story, though.

  With an arm hooked around Maeve’s waist, I settle her in front of me, her back to my chest. I widen my legs to make room for her between them and cross my arms across her middle, leaving absolutely no question that she’s with me. When she doesn’t stiffen and instead molds into me, I answer him. “Yeah. I lucked out and got to chaperone.” I glance over at Josh’s friend, still standing there watching us. If I were him, I would have bailed the minute I walked up. Clearly, he’s not real smart. “Do I know you, bro?” I ask him.

  “Oh, my bad. Shane, this is one of my friends, Benny Hayes. We go way back. He played hockey at the high school when Coach was there,” Josh says to me. “Shane plays here for Coach Metzger.”

  Shane smiles a little like he’s just been handed a piece of candy or something. “That’s cute. You played high school hockey.”

  Josh tries to interrupt, “N-” I put my hand up to stop him, hoping this asshole is going to put his foot in his mouth.

  “Couldn’t get on the team here?” he says smugly.

  There it is. I was waiting for this shit. The chance to make him look stupid, and he’s doing it all on his own. Payback for thinking he was gonna hook up with Maeve and for checking out her ass behind her fucking back.

  “Didn’t try. I got picked up out of Juniors by Fulton University.” The smugness slips from his face at the mention of Junior hockey and then FU. Their hockey team is top-notch, and anyone who knows hockey knows it. “Got drafted to Boston my sophomore year. I’m going to the show right after graduation, so I guess you could say I’m too good for the team here.” His face is a mask of embarrassment and hatred. I’m not sure which is stronger. He goes to leave, not even bothering to respond, but I call him back. “Yo! Shane.”

  “What?”

  “Keep your fucking eyes to yourself next time.” My jaw is pulsing as I stare him down. I’m madder than I should be about the whole thing. I’ve done the same thing to chicks more times than I can count. Hell, I’ve done it to Maeve.

  Maeve wriggles in my arms, she has to feel the tension in my body f
acing off with him right now. For the first time since I’ve walked up, she speaks. “Benny, will you help me find Kenna and Lakyn? We have to leave soon. We’re already way past curfew.” I break eye contact with Shane, giving him the out to walk away, and look down at her upturned face. Her neck craned to connect with me.

  “I don’t wanna leave, sissy.” Millie pouts, but Maeve shoots her down.

  “No choice, Mill.”

  “I can bring her home later.” At Josh’s offer, Millie peps up, and again, Maeve shoots her down.

  “Nope. If I go, we go. You know the rules.”

  Like someone kicked her puppy, Millie steps out of Josh’s arms and pecks his cheek. “I’ll text you later.” He nods and releases his hold on her. She takes one step and stumbles. Maeve and I both reach for her, and immediately, I miss the heat of her body tucked into mine.

  “Come on, drunky poo.” Maeve laughs, hooking her arm with Millie’s.

  With another fist bump to Josh, I lead the girls away, my hand on the small of Maeve’s back. She lets me steer them toward the house. Millie’s bitching the whole time about what party poopers we are. “Hey! What are you doing kissing my sister?” she demands, stopping dead in her tracks and almost causing me to run them both over.

  Maeve doesn’t look at me, just stares straight ahead. “Because I wanted to,” I answer honestly. “And that fuck head, Shane, was eye fucking her when I walked up.”

  “He was not!” Millie insists. Maeve stiffens. She knows he was. I could see the unease in her from across the fucking yard.

  “He was. Not that I’m surprised.” I roll my eyes and lean closer to be heard over the loud music, putting me in contact with Maeve again. “You know every guy’s fantasy is sleeping with twins, right? I mean you have to know that. And then you two show up here looking like this?” I wave a hand to encompass the two of them and their little outfits and done up hair and makeup. Maeve looks like a wet fucking dream, my wet fucking dream. Millie looks hot, but I’m having a hard time seeing her as anything other than Levi’s little sister. I’m not having that problem with Maeve anymore, though. And that’s a problem within itself. “Yeah, your brother was right to tell me to watch you.” Fucking A right he was.

  “Ewww, you guys are gross,” Millie says, a disgusted look wrinkling her face.

  “Gross or not, it’s the truth,” I assure her. And it is. Tapping twins was one of mine until about ten minutes ago when I realized the only Sexton twin I wanted to get naked with was Maeve.

  “That’s enough, you two; let’s get Kenna and Lakyn and get back to the hotel.”

  “How’d you guys get here?” I ask, hoping she’s not going to say that they walked.

  “Uber,” Maeve says, standing on her tiptoes to get a better view of the party. “There they are.” She points.

  “Let’s go.” I tuck her tiny hand into mine, clasping my fingers around hers and pull her in the direction of the exit, stopping only to snag Kenna and Lakyn from the two guys they were in the corner making out with. I don’t think I’ve ever been the responsible one in all my damn life, but here I am, herding four girls out of a frat party and not to smash.

  Maeve

  “So are we going to talk about what happened last night?” Millie asks from across the bench in the locker room. I was wondering how long it would take her to bring it up. Longer than I thought actually.

  “Nothing happened,” I lie. Whatever happened wasn’t nothing. Not to me.

  “What did we miss?” Kenna asks, coming over with Lakyn right behind. They plop down on the bench next to where I sit tying my cleats.

  “Nothing,” I repeat. “Millie was drunk and is imagining shit.” My sister is never going to let this go.

  “Like hell, I imagined it. Benny Hayes kissed my sister at Josh’s party last night, and she’s trying to play it off like it’s no big deal.”

  “Because it isn’t,” I interject.

  “Wait, wait, wait. You kissed your brother’s roommate?” Lakyn asks before hooting in laughter. “Oh my god, you guys are so dead.” She continues laughing.

  Standing, I put my stuff in the locker and shut it with a clang. “Nobody is getting dead; it was no big deal. He only kissed me because some asshole was hitting on me, and I couldn’t just walk away because Millie wasn’t ready to leave. Plus, she was drunk as hell, so I couldn’t leave her alone. That’s it.” That may be why he kissed me, but Shane had nothing to do with the reason I kissed him. Done talking about this, I try to make my escape. We have a game starting in a few minutes, which will give me a little bit of a reprieve from the grilling in here.

  “Girlfriend! You were kissing on one of the hockey boys! One of the hottest guys on campus! It’s totally a big deal,” Lakyn says, grinning from ear to ear. “Maeve Sexton being a bad girl. It’s about damn time.”

  I just roll my eyes. “You guys are making a big deal out of nothing.” I feel like a broken record. Maybe if I say it enough, I’ll start to believe it too.

  “I knew it. I knew you liked him.” Kenna claps gleefully.

  “Why are you guys encouraging her?” Millie demands, her hands planted on her hips, her scowl fierce.

  “Because he’s fine as hell, and Maeve clearly likes him,” Kenna says, joining me at the door. “She wouldn’t have let him kiss her if she didn’t.” She slaps my butt and pushes the door open, letting in the bright sunlight and temporarily blinding me.

  “I do not like him. It was just a—a diversion.” I’m grasping with that one.

  “Whatever you say, Maeve.” Lakyn winks, following us out the door with my sulking sister bringing up the rear.

  We walk around the corner to head out to the field and nearly plow into Benny. He has a really bad habit of being in the way. “Oh shit,” I mutter under my breath. Was he standing here the whole time? Could he hear us talking? What is he doing here? He’s been playing hockey every morning and meeting us after the clinics to walk us back to the hotel. It’s the only reason I was even able to focus. That first day when he sat in the stands cheering for me, my nerves were so frayed I could barely concentrate.

  “Morning, ladies.” He greets us all, but his eyes are on me. I avert my gaze before I do something silly like kiss him again. How does he look so good in the most basic clothes? A plain white tee, Under Armour shorts, and his ever-present backward FU hat never looked so good on anybody in the history of ever.

  “Stalker much?” Millie bites out.

  “You wish, Off-limits,” Benny tells her. I cringe at the nickname. A blatant reminder.

  “You weren’t calling us that last night when you were kissing my sister.”

  Benny shrugs. “She’s Smalls. You’re Off-limits,” he answers smoothly as if that explains everything. It explains nothing.

  Before I even have a chance to try to dissect the meaning behind that or say anything to him, a blur in the form of a girl comes flying through the air out of nowhere and literally tackles Benny. Thankfully, he’s solid and is able to stay upright. She gives a little squeal as she wraps her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, and her mouth lands right. On. His.

  I blink rapidly, trying to figure out if I’m really watching him kiss another girl right in front of me. My face is awash with confusion and hurt that I do my best to mask. Who is this?

  Benny turns his face, breaking their kiss, and starts to untangle her limbs from his.

  “Friend of yours?” Millie asks with disdain, her arms crossed over her chest, her brows disappearing under the brim of her hat.

  Doing my best not to let him see my reaction, I straighten my spine, standing as tall as I can, and bite the inside of my cheek to keep me from saying something I’ll regret later. I feel like such an idiot.

  When he finally gets her back on her feet, he moves her to his side. Wiping a hand over his mouth does nothing but smear the bubblegum pink lipstick she left behind.

  “Samantha, what are you doing here?” He doesn’t sound thrilled to see her, but
that could just be wishful thinking on my part. Or maybe he’s pissed that he just got busted in front of the girl he was kissing only a few hours ago.

  She links her arm through his and gazes up at him adoringly while the four of us stand here unable to look away from them. “Josh told me that you were here chaperoning for Liv, so I decided to come down and see you.” Smoothing a hand over his chest, she pouts. “Why didn’t you text me and tell me you were in town? I would have come right over.”

  I’ve seen enough and officially feel like the side chick although that’s just stupid since all it was, was a little kiss. Lakyn and Kenna are flanking me with my sister standing to the side of us. “I’ll meet you out on the field, guys.”

  “Smalls!” Benny takes a step toward me, but Samantha doesn’t let go of his arm.

  “The game’s going to start without them if they don’t hurry, Ben,” she tells him. “We can go watch or make out under the bleachers like we used to in high school,” she practically purrs. I’m no dummy. Samantha is doing it for our benefit. Staking her claim. Well, she can have him.

  “She’s right, Ben,” I say with a saccharine sweet smile. “We have to go. Come on, girls. Looks like they have some catching up to do.” I’m so proud of myself for keeping the wobble out of my voice when it was so close to the surface. I cannot believe I let him play me. It might have only been a kiss, but it was one kiss too damn many.

  With my head held high and my girls by my side, I walk past them and out onto the field. I need to focus on the ball. I should have never let Benny Hayes get in my head. I know better. Boys and ball don’t mix. Especially when that boy is Benny Hayes.