Eyeful (Gladiators of the Gridiron Book 2)

by C. R. Grissom

  I don’t know if I want the reigning king of Mario Cart or the upstart to win. Everest lifts a hand in quick acknowledgment of me. And I nod back.

  He calls out, “Gentlemen, join us. Witness Gabe get dethroned.”

  Tiago ducks into the living room. Along with a couple of guys who are probably players. Ty joins, too.

  “Get him, Rosie. Go high on that turn,” Caleb says.

  Gabe sneers. “Not going to happen. Brain will be victorious over brawn.”

  Tiago snickers. “Not this time. He’ll take the lead on the last turn. You’re done, Gabe. Rosie, make it happen.”

  We make eye contact. He smiles at me. My heart trips in my chest. I’m surprised it doesn’t whap at my feet. I no longer want to thump him. I mean, how would I introduce Tiago? I wouldn’t be so bold as to use the term boyfriend. So, I understand his dilemma.

  We’re both guilty of indecision when it comes to being more than friends. I mean, when he suggested going back to my place, I nearly lost it. I have no place. I can’t imagine telling Agnes I’ve brought someone home with me. Casually explaining how he’s going to show me what a partner-induced orgasm feels like.

  She’d probably quiz Tiago on his technique. I cringe at the thought.

  Which makes me snort, and then realize I’ve done a deep dive into my own head while surrounded by a bunch of football players and Faith. I look around. There’s a decided lack of females around. Isn’t that strange? There’s a couple sitting together on the floor at the far corner of the room, but they’re largely ignoring everyone.

  Huh? I need to ask Faith about it.

  “Rosie. Rosie. Rosie. The chant rises in volume as the video cars head into what I assume is the final turn. The finish line is up ahead. Both men concentrate on the win. Rosie’s whole body moves along with his controller.

  Gabe is efficiency personified. Just that one little sweat track disappearing behind his ear and into his hairline.

  I’m not sure which car represents which guy. When I realize I’m holding my breath, I release the air slowly from my lungs.

  “Unbelievable.” The collective shouts block me from hearing what’s being said.

  Rosie’s face is flushed. He’s getting pounded on by various men. I guess he won.

  Gabe hangs his head and drops the controller. “Fuckity fuckorama.”

  Everest says, “We have a winner who is not Gabe. Congrats, Rosie.”

  Rosie pumps both hands in the air, one still wrapped around the controller. “I got him. Gabe, you little turd, I got you.”

  Gabe doesn’t look upset by the turd comment but is clearly unhappy with his loss. “Lucky run for you. Besides, if I don’t throw you guys a bone now and then, no one would play the king.”

  He struts toward the kitchen amid a chorus of boos. “Good.” He turns back and raises his hands like he’s channeling lightning. “Use your aggression. Let the hate flow through you.”

  “Nice impression, but you got the quote wrong,” I say.

  Silence ensues. Gabe points at me. “Good ear. Sith or Jedi?”

  A roomful of gazes shifts to me. “That’s a complicated question. Don’t you agree?”

  Someone groans. And more people join in. Gabe says, “Follow me. We will need to debrief away from these outland peasants.”

  I knew he was a nerd from a galaxy far away when he used the quote. “Sure, Gabe. Maybe later when the peasants aren’t paying close attention?”

  “Good call.” He glances around the room. “We’ll talk,” he says as he moves toward the kitchen.

  Everest raises his glass to me. “Nice save.”

  I lift my lemonade. “Thank you.”

  Rosie rises from the floor. “Bow to me, the newly crowned king.”

  Everest shakes his head. “One win doesn’t put the crown on your head, my friend. But well done. It’s about time someone gave Gabe good competition.”

  Faith says, “Come on. I’ll introduce you to the people you don’t know. Rosie the winner, meet my friend, Phoebe.”

  “Yo,” he says.

  “Hi.”

  I follow her across the room. “Phoebe, this is Dallas, our QB, and Troy, also known as Crikey, our long snapper.”

  Both men are blond gods. I get Crikey’s nickname instantly. When he says hello, his delicious Aussie accent comes through. He has the look of a longtime surfer. Dallas doesn’t sound like he’s from Texas, so I wonder why they chose that nickname. But I don’t have the opportunity to ask because it would be borderline rude. I’ll have to remember to ask Faith later. These guys both detour from wearing what I come to think of as Gladiator casual. They’re wearing jeans, but their shirts have buttons and cuffs. Dallas wears black and Crikey wears a pearl-gray version.

  We cruise by the couple ignoring the rest of the room. Faith says, “Boodie, Brady, meet Phoebe.”

  They lift their hands in unison. I nod in greeting. They probably aren’t expecting more than that.

  Faith pulls me along down the hall to one of the bedrooms. She raps her knuckles on the open door where two men lounge on the bed. “Beau, I want to introduce you to Phoebe. She’ll be spending time around us.” She turns to me. “Have you met Ty?”

  “Yes,” I say at the same time that Ty says, “We did.”

  The other guy looks like a freaking movie star. A laptop rests on his bent knee. He’s wearing jeans and a charcoal T-shirt with a Dolce & Gabbana logo. “Hello, Phoebe. Nice to meet you.”

  “Hi. Sorry, we interrupted you.”

  Faith snickers. “Once these two make it back to this room they will hide out back here indefinitely. While they’re not afraid of the limelight, crowds aren’t their default preference.”

  “We’re boring homebodies,” Beau agrees.

  Ty scoffs. “Uh, Beau. You’re the one struttin’ across the stage. I put the home in homebody.”

  Faith agrees. “The stage happens to be Beau’s natural habitat.”

  Beau’s face stretches into a grin.

  “Wow, you really should tone that smile down. I almost melted by close contact.”

  He glances over at Faith. “We will be spending more time together. Make Philz happen on our next round.”

  Faith nods. “She rode over with TJ.”

  “Hmm.” Beau winks at us. “This is a first for our placekicker, no?”

  “Mmhmm,” she murmurs.

  Suddenly, all three of them avidly fix their gaze on me. A nervous laugh escapes before I clamp it down. “We’re friends for now.”

  “Yes, totally.” Faith’s left eyebrow lifts independently of her right brow.

  Damn. I wish I could do that. “We’re attracted to each other,” I admit. “But I don’t believe either one of us is ready for anything beyond getting to know each other.”

  I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with Beau and Ty. But if Faith trusts them, why wouldn’t I?

  “That’s how we started out.” Ty gestures to Beau. “Friendship, attraction, and a whole lot of patience.”

  Beau sets aside his laptop. “I’m a big fan of finding your happy at your own pace. Take it slow.” His focus shifts to Ty. “Make sure it’s what you want.”

  Clearly Ty is what Beau wants and vice versa. It’s super sweet.

  Faith says, “You two are a poster couple for a healthy relationship.” She glances at me. “Okay, Phoebe. Let’s leave these two lovebirds in peace. There are more people who need introductions.”

  “Nice meeting you both.”

  “Same. Don’t be a stranger,” Ty says.

  We close the door behind us. “Why are there so few women here tonight?” I sneak in the question while we’re alone in the hallway.

  “Well. After a game, these guys like to keep it low key. Win or lose.” She drops her voice to a whisper on the L-word. “The guys usually don’t bring casual dates to this post-game gathering. Of course, the entire team isn’t here. Anyone who wants loud or to meet up with other people goes somewhere else.”
r />   “Huh. Where does TJ usually go?”

  “He’ll hang out with us here most often.” Her expression turns pensive. “If he chooses to join the rest of the team he has to deal with a lot of attention. TJ and Troy get hit on the hardest because they’re the best looking, unattached, and most approachable. Dallas is gorgeous, but he’s a brooder. So only the most brazen try to get close to him.”

  “I never really thought about it, but that makes sense. TJ doesn’t have it in him to be mean or brutally honest.”

  “Then there’s Everest. He’s been seeing my roommate, Charlene, off and on since last year. They happen to be in an off cycle right now. And I have to be Switzerland because roommate—” she lifts her left palm “—and surrogate brother.” She raises her right hand mimicking the scales of justice. “Ya know?”

  “Rough.”

  “Yeah, I kind of wish they’d make a solid move one way or another. Caleb says watching them is like watching a QB intentionally ground the ball before it’s necessary.”

  It sounds like what’s happening with Tiago. Start. Stop. Circle. Hold. Regardless of our earlier make-out session, I don’t want to have sex in a car. I think about my first, Rudy, and I shudder. I’m better off self-servicing.

  “Earth to Phoebe.”

  “What? Sorry. My thoughts splintered in ten different directions.”

  “Hey, it’s okay. You have a lot on your mind.” She looks to the left of my shoulder. “And here’s the man of the hour now. TJ, we were just talking about you.”

  “Good to know my ears didn’t ring without a reason.”

  I turn around so my back isn’t facing him. Damn. He’s so freaking pretty. “Hey, you.”

  “Having fun yet? Did you meet everyone?”

  I glance at Faith. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I did.”

  “You did,” she agrees.

  Tiago nods. “Okay if I steal her back for a few?”

  “Sure.” Faith makes eye contact with me. “You still plan to spend the night with me at my dad’s, right?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Tiago leads me toward the kitchen. “Do you want a refill on lemonade? Are you hungry?”

  My stomach rumbles almost on cue. “I can eat.”

  We each grab a slice of pizza. He leads me to the entryway near the front door. We sit on the floor—me in the lotus position, Tiago sitting straight-legged. His left leg brushes against my right knee. Once we settle, I don’t know what to say. I take a bite of pizza. Tiago holds his plate but doesn’t make a move to eat his food.

  “You’re a first for me, Phoebes.”

  I know he’s not a virgin, so I don’t follow. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, I had one girlfriend through high school—Aubrey. I loved her. She loved me back, in her way.” His tone is wistful. Maybe there’s a hint of longing wrapped up in his words, too.

  “The last girl I had sex with was Kendra. She plays soccer for Fortis. We dated casually for about three months after our seasons came to an end last year. We both play fall sports. Then Dad had his accident.”

  I rub his knee. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for Tiago when his father lost his ability to walk.

  “I haven’t been with anyone closing on six months. Prior to Kendra was Aubrey.”

  I move my hand from his knee. I’m not sure why he’s cataloging his relationships for me.

  “Aubrey moved the June we graduated. She always had her eye on the ball. We lost touch. We called it quits. No harm, no foul. Aubrey was funny, sexy, and smart—easy to be with.”

  My heart drums inside my chest. Ba-da-ba-da-bum. Striking my ribs in sharp raps. In the other room, someone gets the music going. At first the sound booms, then someone cranks it down.

  A voice, I’m pretty sure belongs to Caleb, admonishes, “Hey, my neighbors will not be happy if the music gets loud.”

  The interruption allowed me to calm my voice. Did I really assume someone as hot as Tiago never had a long-term relationship? I guess I hadn’t really considered it. “What happened to her?” The question is out before I realize I don’t want the answer.

  “She’s at UConn, she made it into their Biomedical Engineering program. Well, that’s her plan at any rate. She’s wicked smart, and I’ll never forget her.”

  “I see.”

  “No, not really. I’m botching this. I guess what I want to say is since Aubrey I haven’t really thought about being in another relationship. I haven’t brought any girls around the team. Not even Kendra. Obviously, I haven’t been a saint. I’m not saying that, and I’m not saying I still hold a torch for Aubrey, either.”

  “Your breakup was acrimonious?”

  “Not at all.” He sighs. “We agreed there was a time limit on our relationship. After graduation, we’d go our separate ways. She was my first love. But I knew what we had, while good, was temporary.”

  He’s probably telling me this because he wants to set an expectation. It’s too much to process while his leg presses against my knee. Heat pulses at the spots where our bodies touch. He calmly discusses a framework or boundaries that might affect us while I’m being driven bonkers by his proximity.

  I move my knee, and we’re no longer touching. He has plans or dreams to be drafted by the NFL. He’s two years away from realizing his ultimate goal. I can’t see beyond my immediate need for housing so I can focus on school.

  One more time where I don’t matter enough. Unwanted. Unimportant. “Understood.” Pretending it doesn’t matter freezes another corner of my heart. And I need a minute to collect myself. I force my lips into a semblance of a smile. “Two lemonades down and I’m desperate. Where can I find the bathroom?”

  “It’s at the end of the hall off the living room. Come back, okay? We’re not done here.”

  “Sure thing, TJ.”

  I dump my plastic plate into the trash. I’ve lost my appetite. I detour through the kitchen nodding at various people. They’re all a blur. I need the bathroom. I make it to the hallway and find the bathroom unoccupied. A small miracle considering the size of the gathering. I lock the door behind me and rest my forehead against the frame.

  I take deep breaths. A ten count. Hoping the simple act of concentrating on my breathing will help me forget what Tiago basically proposed. I’m a perishable item with a use-by date. My breath stutters. And I refocus my attention on drawing oxygen into my lungs and releasing the air slowly.

  Now is not the time to analyze, review, or otherwise examine his words. I glance in the mirror. My cheeks are painted with two red flags of color. I turn the faucet to cold. I allow the water to chill my hands. Then I place both of my hands at the back of my neck.

  The droplets of water work to cool the heat inching up to my hairline. I press my damp hands against my cheeks. Restore order to your emotions, I chide myself. Three more breaths and I’m calm again. I use the bathroom because I wasn’t lying about the two lemonades.

  Once my hands are clean again, and I have my emotions firmly under control, I open the door. Everest is on the other side. “Oh, hello. I hope you weren’t waiting long.”

  “You didn’t take much time.” His lips curve. “Why is a quarrel like a bargain?”

  I love him a smidge more because I recognize the riddle used in the Batman television show from the sixties. A campy kind of program I watch with Grams. “It takes two to make one.”

  He gives an exceptional grin. Of all the extraordinary men here tonight, one look at Everest and his presence punches into your hormones like a prizefighter using his fists rope-a-dope style on an opponent, only I don’t believe their potency ever gets tired.

  “Be my guest.” I gesture as I clear the doorway.

  “Thank you.” Before closing the door he says, “A good kicker pays attention to the position of his feet. Though he may act particularly cautious while standing on uncertain ground.”

  Well, shit. “Caution and cognition are key kicker traits, but instinct should count for something, too.
”

  He nods. “Agreed. I’m glad you’re here.”

  The door clicks shut. I’m not sure what my response would have been had he waited for one. Maybe that’s why he didn’t. Superb instincts with that one.

  Crap. I’ve stalled long enough. I need to find time-limit Tiago. I work my way back to him, but now Faith and Gabe are with him, too. Hidden blessing on that. No need to listen to him wax poetic over Aubrey the brilliant and lovable former girlfriend who got away.

  Bleh.

  My smile stretches across my face like a rubber band pulled beyond capacity. And just to be an obnoxious brat I ask Gabe, “Ready for that debrief? Tiago thinks Darth Maul’s use of a dual synth-crystal lightsaber exhibits a clear weakness since he didn’t vanquish a Jedi and steal his kyber crystals.”

  What can only be described as Sith red shines from Gabe’s eyes. He takes a deep breath and begins a tirade worthy of the fanatical.

  I whisper to Faith, “These two have some ideas to debate. Let’s give them some space.”

  Her laugh sounds all sorts of wicked. “True. Come with me.”

  Tiago shoots me a look that clearly says retribution will be paid in full at a later time. I give him a thumbs-up, and follow Faith through the kitchen and into the dining nook.

  “That was pure evil. I love it! Now tell me why you just sacrificed TJ to Gabe?”

  The absurdity of this whole situation envelops me, and I snicker. “He had it coming. The jerk. Telling me about Aubrey the perfect.”

  Faith leans in. “Who. Is. Aubrey?”

  Shit. Maybe I shouldn’t have said? To hell with it. Faith is my friend. I get to share my secret angst with her. “Promise to keep this between us?”

  She nods. “It goes in the vault. Once inside lockdown, it doesn’t see the light of day again.”

  I let out the breath I didn’t realize I’d trapped in my lungs. “Aubrey was his first love. They dated all through high school. Before she left to seek a higher purpose in life and earn her Biomedical Engineering degree.”

  “This is fresh news to me.”

  “Yeah. Me too. He just said.”

  “Of course. Are you okay? It must have felt weird to find out about her here and now. Come to think of it, why here? Why now? It’s odd timing.”