by Meghan Quinn
Ryker laughed hard as he took in Jesse’s perplexed look. “Dude, you’re so easy. I haven’t seen her since your party. Why don’t you just fucking admit it to me that you like Ashlin?”
If Jesse’s skin was a little lighter, Ryker would have sworn Jesse blushed, but his mocha-colored skin made it almost impossible to tell.
“If you’re worried about me, there’s nothing to worry about. Seriously, we’re just friends. She asked me for your number the other day. She has some little crush on you, man. I don’t know why, but she does.”
Jesse’s head snapped up from the football that he was tossing around in his hands and he said, “Seriously? Did she tell you that?”
Laughing again, Ryker said, “No, but I can tell. Why else would she want your number? Get a clue, bud, she wants a piece of your QB ass.”
Jesse nodded his head as he took in what Ryker was saying. “So, do you think I should text her, see what she’s up to?”
Shaking his head in disgust at Jesse’s lack of charisma, Ryker said, “Dude, I’m not going to walk you through the process of getting a girl. You had something flowing between you two at your party, run with that. She’s not going to wait around forever, and she’s the kind of girl that needs an assertive man to take control.”
Jesse sat down and ran his hands over his face. “Funny thing is, I’m not that guy.” Jesse turned away as he muttered, “Fuck,” to himself, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Ryker really wasn’t in the mood to get all deep with Jesse at the moment, especially since he was tired as hell and just wanted to prop a beer on his stomach as he shoved peanuts down his gullet while relaxing on his couch.
Trying to move along the conversation, Ryker patted Jesse on the shoulder and said, “You’ll be fine. Just ask her out.” Not his best advice, but frankly, Ryker wasn’t in the mood. “Go get those titties, man,” Ryker finished off, as he walked out of the locker room, not wanting to look back at Jesse because he knew if he did, he’d stay and listen to Jesse’s sob story about why he was a gentle fucking giant, and Ryker wasn’t interested.
On the way home, he drove through a fast food restaurant, got himself a couple of burgers and went home. Beer, burgers, and peanuts, not much more a guy could ask for.
When Ryker pulled into his driveway, he noticed there was another car parked in it and a girl standing outside his door, ringing the doorbell. Confused as to who knew where he lived and who would be visiting him right now, he cautiously got out of the car and walked to the front of the house.
He was a couple steps away from the girl when she turned in defeat from him not answering the door. When she spotted Ryker, she squealed and flew back a couple feet from being startled.
“Goodness, Ryker. You startled me,” Hannah said, as she breathed heavily and held her hands to her heart.
Ryker had to do a double take, because the girl he was staring at sounded like Hannah, but looked nothing like her. She was wearing a tight, short skirt that caressed her thighs, a shirt that barely reached her waistline, showing off a smooth view of her tight stomach, and a pair of black high heels. Her hair was shorter and had light highlights contrasting with her brown hair. Her makeup was heavier than usual, but her eyes stood out like laser beams, sucking him in.
What. The. Hell?
Ryker gulped as he took her in. “Hannah?”
“Hi, Ryker,” she said sheepishly, letting Ryker know that the woman he fell for was still in the knockout body that was standing before him.
“Uh, what are you doing here?” he asked, looking her up and down while scratching his head with the hand that held the bag of burgers he’d purchased for himself.
Looking at the ground, Hannah replied, “I really wanted to see you. I know this is really presumptuous of me, but I thought maybe you might want to hang out tonight?”
He was speechless; he couldn’t get over the way she looked.
“Why are you dressed like that?” he asked, pointing at her body.
“Do you not like it?” her eyes widened as she responded self-consciously. “Leela said it was the new me.”
“I like the old you,” Ryker said, before he could stop himself.
Her eyes widened even more as tears started to form in her eyes.
“I knew this was a bad idea. I told her I looked stupid,” Hannah said, as she started to move toward the driveway. “Sorry for bothering you.”
A foreign creature must have taken over his body because, in his head he was saying good riddance, but his body wasn’t listening. Instead of letting her go, he grabbed her arm and stilled her. Her body was right next to his as he spoke into her ear.
“I meant I liked the old you better, but you look damn good now.”
She turned her head to look at him as she said, “Really?”
Licking his lips, he responded as he looked her up and down, “Really.”
A bright smile lit up her face, and that was the moment his restraint snapped. All the pent up anger, his stubbornness, and the wall he’d put up around his heart broke down with one sweet smile from Hannah. He wanted to hate her, to get her out of his head, but it was impossible with those ice blue eyes baring his soul and the sweetest smile known to man looking up at him as if she just won the best prize in the world. He was a goner.
Not even caring to think about his actions, he dropped his bag of burgers, gripped Hannah’s hips and pushed her up against the side of his house. Before she could react, he grabbed her hands, held them above her head and pressed his chest against hers. They were both breathing erratically as they searched each other’s eyes. No one spoke and no one moved, they just stared at each other, waiting for the other one to break, to make the first move.
Hannah’s eyes went to Ryker’s lips and, as she bit down on her bottom lip, Ryker knew this was it…he was jumping in head first and hell if he could stop himself.
Ever so slowly, as he held her hands above her head, Ryker moved his lips to hers, leaving only a breath between them. He looked into her eyes one last time before he finally pressed his lips against hers.
The moment they connected, Ryker let out a pent up moan that he must have been holding onto ever since he laid eyes on Hannah at Dick’s Last Chance.
Their kiss was gentle and sweet, but urgent. Their lips moved in tandem as they finally gave in and explored each other. Her lips were soft and just full enough that Ryker enjoyed getting lost in them. Their bodies moved closer as Ryker continued to press her up against the wall of his house. One of his hands continued to hold hers, as his other hand rested on her hip and gradually made it up to her ribcage, right under her breasts.
A luscious whimper escaped Hannah’s mouth as Ryker’s hand stilled at her rib cage. His hand itched to go further, but he showed restraint, just caressing her side with his thumb, wishing and praying that soon it would be her nipple that he was pinching between his fingers.
Ryker opened his mouth slightly to see her reaction, and was pleasantly surprised when her mouth opened as well, granting him access. Taking his trip around her lips incredibly slowly, he gently licked her upper lip as he kissed her, letting her know what was to come. She let him take charge as she gave him an even wider open-mouthed kiss. That was all he needed as he slipped his tongue in her mouth. The feel of her tongue on his was something he would never be able to erase from his memory. Even though it was a simple kiss, it felt so damn erotic with the way her body continued to press against his and the feel of her soft breasts against his hard chest.
Not wanting to give the neighbors a show, he reluctantly pulled away just enough so he could look her in the eyes.
Once her eyes opened, Ryker was pleased that they were filled with lust…lust that he always hoped for from her. He kissed the tip of her nose and said, “I have some burgers, do you want to share dinner with me?”
Delivering another one of her sweet smiles, she nodded her head, making Ryker’s heart flip inside of his chest.
Grabbing her hand, he entwined
their fingers together and led her into his house. He pointed to the bathroom down the hallway and said, “There are some washcloths down there; wash that make-up off your face, and I’ll bring you one of my shirts and a pair of my shorts. I want to see the Hannah I know, even though this Hannah is gorgeous.”
Nodding her head again in embarrassment, she took off toward the bathroom, giving Ryker an amazing view of her bubble butt. He may be a fool for letting her so easily back into his life, but he couldn’t help it; the moment he saw her handing beers out to other men, she stole his heart away.
**Jesse**
Wiping his hands against his shorts, Jesse looked down at his phone as he sat in his car and contemplated whether or not to call Ashlin. They’d had a great time at his party; he’d kissed her for fuck’s sake, and then they talked on the phone the other night. This shouldn’t be that hard, but for some reason, it was. He was always shy when it came to the opposite sex, so reaching out and trying to “put on the moves” was a difficult thing for him.
Taking a deep breath, Jesse pressed the call button for Ashlin as his Bluetooth connected to his call. He pulled out of his parking spot at the stadium as her phone rang through his car’s speaker system. Having the phone play through his car was more intimidating to him, as the surround sound installed in his car shook the ring through his body.
Clearing his throat, he waited for her to pick up. On the fourth ring, she spoke into the phone, “Hey, I was wondering if I was ever going to hear from you.”
A smile spread across Jesse’s face, as his racing heart eased at her answering the phone.
“Sorry, I was just trying to come up with enough money to buy you some cupcakes,” Jesse said lamely, but felt better when she laughed into the phone.
“Oh, are these cupcakes made of gold and fed to you by the Queen of England?”
“Something like that,” Jesse laughed. “So, would you be able to steal a moment away from your night and have some cupcakes with me?”
“Why do I find it so adorable that a big strong man like you wants to eat cupcakes with me?”
“You think I’m strong?” Jesse teased, feeling relaxed whenever he talked to Ashlin.
“Stop fishing for compliments and tell me where to meet you. I’m dying to try these cupcakes that have kept you from calling me.”
“Meet me at the stadium in an hour. I’ll be waiting for you.”
“How should I dress?”
“Comfortable. See you in a bit.”
Jesse hung up the phone and headed over to Mermaid’s Bakery off of Champa Street. He had been to the bakery a couple of times, so he knew exactly how to get there in a short amount of time. He was guilty of having a sweet tooth, and Mermaid’s was the perfect place for the cure, carrying multiple flavors of cupcakes.
Quickly, Jesse picked out the cupcakes be believed Ashlin would want, grabbed some drinks from the store, and headed back to the stadium. He grabbed one of the team blankets, went out to the field, spread it on the fifty yard line, and put out a little camping light that he had in his car, as well as the cupcakes and drinks. Then he went back out to the parking lot to wait for Ashlin.
He wasn’t much of the romantic type, but he thought his little idea would win him some points. He wanted to impress Ashlin, even though he barely knew her; he couldn’t help thinking about her and wishing that instead of going home after a game to an empty house, that she would be there waiting for him with open arms. When she was at his house the other night, he could easily imagine her living in his place. She fit in the big home perfectly, filling an empty void he’d had for a while.
A little white sedan pulled into the parking lot and parked right next to Jesse’s Range Rover. Jesse rounded her car and pulled open her door, while holding a hand out for her. The first thing Jesse noticed was Ashlin’s long bronze legs step out of the car. They were mouth-wateringly delicious to look at, especially when they were displayed by little cut-off shorts. It was a warm night for Denver, but he still wondered if she was going to be cold. As she proceeded to get out of the car, he noticed that she was wearing a long-sleeved Stallions shirt, and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She looked amazing and fresh with barely any make-up on.
“Wow, you look good,” Jesse said, as he closed her door for her.
“Thank you, but I know I look like I just rolled out of bed.”
The mention of bed from Ashlin’s mouth had Jesse hardening in a matter of seconds, especially since she was showing off all the curves of her body in her tight clothes.
“Aren’t you going to be cold?” Jesse asked, as he cleared his throat.
“That’s what you’re here for,” Ashlin said, as she patted his chest. “You’re supposed to keep me warm.” She looked around the parking lot, and said, “Are we going to go somewhere? Because it’s kind of creepy out here in the dark.”
Smiling to himself, he pressed his hand to her lower back and guided her to the stadium as he listened to her talk about her day. It felt so natural, to have her next to him, listening to her stories and spending time with her in an intimate setting. Jesse could only hope this was the beginning of something special.
Once they got to the field, Ashlin stopped and looked at the blanket in the middle of the fifty yard line and the camping light that was giving off the only light in the stadium. Jesse guided her to the blanket, using his phone’s “flashlight” to get them where they needed to be without tripping over benches and random equipment.
Ashlin turned around and looked up at Jesse. “Aren’t you the cutest?” She slipped her arms around his waist and pulled him in for a hug. Jesse relished the warmth of her embrace, but was disappointed when she pulled away too quickly for his liking.
“What do we have here?” Ashlin asked, while sitting down on the blanket and fiddling with the box of cupcakes.
Jesse stood above her and smiled as he watched Ashlin play around with the cupcake box as if she couldn’t wait a second longer. She was adorable, and so damn gorgeous. Even in her casual wear with no make-up, she made Jesse want to throw all caution to the wind, man up and take exactly what he wanted.
Sitting down next to her, but with a little distance between them, Jesse said, “I got some cupcakes from Mermaid’s Bakery. Have you ever been there?”
Her eyes lit up. “Please tell me you got the churro cupcake?” Without even giving him a chance to answer, she flipped open the lid and squealed as she eyed exactly what she wanted. She grabbed the cupcake and took a huge bite from it, making Jesse laugh at the shock of seeing her manhandle the sweet treat.
“Well, I guess I got what you wanted.”
Her eyes rolled in pleasure as she said, “This is my favorite cupcake ever!”
“Really? Never had it. I just got it because it sounded interesting.”
Ashlin stopped mid-bite, and said, “You’ve never had one before? Oh, my God, Jesse, you haven’t lived.”
“Apparently not,” he joked.
She leaned into him and said in a low whisper, “Get ready for your life to be flipped upside down.” Even though she was talking about the cupcake, Jesse thought how his life was already turning upside down with her in it, leaning in close to him and whispering so close to his face that is was hard to breathe. She was so erotic and sexy at times that Jesse was afraid he would burst right through his pants.
Pulling off a piece of the cupcake, she leaned so she was mere inches from his face and said, “Open up.” Jesse did as he was told and let her place the cupcake piece in his mouth. “Don’t forget about the icing on my fingers,” she said in a seductive voice, making Jesse grow even harder, making things uncomfortable in his lower regions.
Ever so slowly, Jesse sucked on Ashlin’s iced-up fingers one by one while her face was still so close to his, close enough that he could easily switch from her fingers to her mouth flawlessly. Looking into her eyes, he licked his lips and said, “Delicious.” She smiled brightly and pulled away, disappointing him. Even though he wasn�
��t a forward kind of guy, he really wished they’d re-live the kiss they shared at his house on the lounge chair.
“So, tell me, Jesse, why did you bring me here tonight?” Ashlin asked, as she took another bite of the churro cupcake.
Jesse grabbed the German Chocolate cupcake and chowed down as he answered, “Wanted to show you the stars, I guess.” He looked her in her eyes and said, “And spend some time with you in my comfort zone.”
Licking her fingers, she finished off her cupcake and said, “I would think the end zone is your comfort zone, giving your record, not the fifty yard line.”
Jesse laughed and replied, “True, but overall, the field is my comfort zone. It’s where I feel at peace, and if I’m honest with you, you tie my stomach in knots, in a good kind of way, and I knew that if I was on my field, I could be brave enough to hold your hand, maybe even kiss you again.”
A slow smile crossed Ashlin’s face.
Jesse finished off his cupcake, took a sip from one of the drinks he bought, gave Ashlin one, and then capped it off when she was finished.
“Want to lay down?” Jesse asked, as he looked over at her. Nodding her head, Jesse bundled up a side of the blanket to make a faux pillow and then guided them both so they were on their backs. Their arms barely caressed as they looked up at the stars, filling Jesse with warmth.
“Here, let me turn this off,” Jesse said, while turning off the camping light, putting them into complete darkness. Even though they were in a giant open stadium, looking up at the stars, Jesse felt like they were in an intimate setting, on their blanket, only a whisper away from each other.
“This is beautiful,” she murmured, as she shifted closer.
“Are you cold?” Jesse asked, concern lacing his voice.
“Just a little,” she admitted.
“Here,” Jesse sat up and folded the blanket that was on the side of her over her legs, and then laid back down. “There, that better?”
