The Sport of Romance: A Multi-Author Box Set

by Cari Quinn

  We stopped at a corner gas station. “I’ll be right back.” He jumped out of the car.

  “Okay,” I responded as the door shut.

  A few minutes later he exited the store with a paper bag in hand. He opened the car door and placed the contents on the back floor board and got in the driver seat.

  “What did you buy?” I stretched my neck, trying to catch a glimpse.

  He shot a quick look in my direction. “You’ll see.”

  We headed toward campus and turned on the street that led to the football stadium. I kept a close watch, anxious to know where he was taking me. Then again, I kind of liked that he didn’t want to tell me. Collin rarely surprised me and the spontaneity of Raven’s actions had me on the edge of my seat.

  A campus security guard stationed at a small post motioned for us to stop. Raven rolled down his window and the guard leaned into the car.

  “It’s The Raven! What’s up man?” The guard and Raven exchanged a fist bump.

  “Nothing much, dude.” He inclined his head in my direction. “Just gonna show her around.”

  “Sure thing, man.” The guard patted the inside of the car with his hand. “Just make sure you have her out before practice starts.” He backed away from the car.

  Raven motioned with two fingers. “Will do.” He drove through the entrance and across the rows of spaces, parking at the very end of the lot.

  “You’re taking me on a tour?” I released my seatbelt.

  Before he opened his door he said, “I guess you can say that.”

  My heart leaped out of my chest. What the hell did he mean by that? Based on the exchange between him and the security guard, it appeared that he had brought girls there before. Was he expecting something from me?

  Raven hovered in the back seat, tossing books and papers from his backpack. When it was empty, he stuffed the paper sack into it and then zipped it shut. “Let’s go.” He hooked the straps over his shoulders and I followed him. With every step he took the muscles in his calves bulged and my eyes traveled upward, checking out his tight butt and broad shoulders.

  I sure hope he has a drink for me in that sack because I’m going to need one.

  Instead of heading toward the front entrance, we sidetracked to a smaller gate. “You want us to sneak in?” I whispered, doing a quick scan to see if anyone was watching.

  “Well, yeah.” He pushed the gate as far as the chain would allow and I slid through effortlessly. I had never done anything so crazy before and my heart was pounding from the adrenaline that spiked my blood. I pushed on the gate, using all of my strength, and Raven squeezed his way through the narrow slit. Grabbing my hand, he led me into the stadium as he kept me tucked safely behind him.

  “What happens if they catch us?” I bounced on my tiptoes, keeping a watchful eye for anyone.

  Checking the main walkway, Raven said, “They’ll ask us to leave.”

  “We won’t get in trouble?”

  He shrugged as we darted across the pavement to a stairwell. He pushed open the door and closed it behind him. “I hope not.”

  “What?” I pulled on his arm, stopping him in his tracks. “What do you mean, you hope not? I don’t want to get kicked out of school.” Raven unhooked his backpack and threaded my arms through it.

  “Relax. They aren’t going to kick you out of school. Now, get on.” He squatted and motioned for me to jump on his back.

  “What?” My eyes traveled up the zigzag of stairs leading to the top of the stadium. “How far are we going?”

  “A couple of floors.” He hit his backside as if he was a pony waiting to take his girl on a ride.

  “You’re going to carry me on your back,” I pointed, “up several flights of stairs?”

  His shoulders slumped downward. “Yes. Now, will you get on?”

  I stepped closer to him and raised my leg, hesitating to climb on. Aside from horsing around with Luke when we were younger, I had never straddled a guy before, including Collin. My legs shook as they surrounded forty-five inches of muscles. Unsure of where to put my hands, I placed them on his shoulders. The swell of his blades made me want to knead them between my fingers. Inflicted with instinctive desires to touch him like I really wanted to, I focused on the top of the stairs.

  “Lexi, you have to hold on tighter than that.” Raven pulled both my arms around his neck until the side of my face rested against his head. The scent of his cologne weakened every bone in my body, making me mold to his body’s shape.

  “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

  He tilted his head to the side, bringing our lips mere inches apart. “Don’t worry. This will be great exercise for me.” With one swift movement, he laced his arms through my legs and pulled me closer, until there wasn’t any space between my body and his. If I didn’t die by falling, then I’d surely die of a heart attack.

  “Ready?”

  “I g-guess.” I closed my eyes, preparing to enjoy the thrill, but my stomach and heart protested with my mind.

  With speed and accuracy, Raven darted up the steps as if they were turf coated. My entire body bounced against his and I held on for dear life. “Raven, don’t drop me,” I squealed, as we passed one level to the next.

  “I promise… I won’t let you go,” he said, with labored breaths. I silently wondered if what my brother had said about my ass being heavy was true. His lungs moved fiercely and I felt his heart pounding against my chest.

  “If I’m too heavy, you can put me down.” I eased away from him, but he gripped my legs tighter around his waist.

  “Are you kidding?” he huffed. “This is nothing compared to some of the shit coach has us do.” Raven continued plowing up the stairs as if he had a goal to reach. Was that goal me? Tingles spread from my head to my toes and I giggled with excitement.

  “Why are you laughing?” Raven clenched onto the railing and pulled us to the next level of steps.

  “This is fun!” Another roar of laughter escaped as my stomach eased and my head began to align with the vibes pouring out of every inch of my skin. I held on to him tightly, relishing in the warmth of his body against mine.

  After two more flights of steps, he stopped. Sucking in a deep breath, he said, “Glad you enjoyed it.” He relaxed his arms, allowing my legs to fall. “I want to show you what it’s like to have a good time.”

  Oh, shit.

  “Um… what are we going to do?” Even though my hands protested, I forced them to release the lock I had around his neck. I glided off him, straightened my shirt, and pulled up my jeans that had inched down my hips.

  “You’ll see,” he said, turning to face me. Sweat tinged the creases in his forehead and he used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe it away. “I’ll take this.” His fingers grazed the top of my collarbone as he eased the backpack off my shoulders. Chills spread down my arms as I fell defenseless against his charm.

  “Okay.” I managed to mutter as we faced each other. Why he removed the backpack while standing in front of me, I don’t know, but it was the most sensual thing I had experienced and I still had my clothes on. I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to have sex with him. Then again, I wasn’t ready to do that.

  He removed a badge from the outside pocket of his backpack and held it up. “I’ll need this.” Hooking one arm through the strap of the bag, he ushered me toward the door of the fifth floor. He scanned the badged and the door unlocked.

  “This way.” He led me down a hallway decorated with pictures based on the history of the previous football stadium. I ran my hand along the intricate reptile markings that lined the wall until we entered the main area.

  “Wow… this is gorgeous.” I did a three-sixty, taking in the ballroom filled with plush chairs and bar tables that overlooked the field. A large bronzed dragon statue, the university’s mascot, stood at the front entrance. The luxurious facility showcased sleek Art Deco fixtures with a modern flair coupled with dark mahogany wood, which told me we were in the Champions Club.
Luke raved about it after he went with one of his buddies to watch a game last year. If only he knew where I was—then again, it would’ve been devastating if he found out.

  “C’mon.” Raven latched onto my hand, pulling me away from the breathtaking scene and leading me up another flight of stairs. We stopped in front of a door marked, ‘The Marshall’s’. Using the nifty card, Raven opened the door.

  “Whose suite is this?” I stepped into the lavish room that probably cost more than my college education.

  “My friend, Josh.” Raven closed the door and then walked to the front of the room, placing the backpack on a coffee table.

  Assessing the marble bar and fifty-inch flat screen TV, I couldn’t help but ask, “What does Josh do for a living?”

  “Nothing yet… he’s a student. This is his parents’ suite.” Raven removed a six pack of beer from his bag and set it on the table. A smile spread across my face. He actually remembered what I said about never drinking a beer before. If only Collin would remember things like that.

  Impressive.

  I sat on one of the chairs facing the window that overlooked the field. “His parents must do well to be able to pay for this space.”

  He chuckled and then popped the top off two beers. “His dad is in the oil and gas industry.”

  “Oh…with the Barnett Shell discovery here in North Texas, I’m sure his dad is fairing very well.”

  Raven handed me a beer. “Yes, he is.”

  “And they don’t care if we’re in here?” I took the cold bottle from his hand.

  Taking a seat to the left of me, he shook his head. “Nah, sometimes we come up here with a few other guys and just drink. I thought this would be a great place to have your first beer.” He tipped the edge of his bottle to mine. “Cheers.”

  I smiled. “Cheers.” I raised the bottle to my lips and held my breath, praying it didn’t taste like piss water as Luke claimed. The icy liquid slid down my throat. Surprisingly, it didn’t taste as bad as I thought it would. The aftertaste was the worst, but after a few more sips, my taste buds acclimated to it.

  “Should you be drinking since you have practice in,” I glanced at my watch, “an hour and a half?”

  He snorted. “I’ve played under worse conditions. Besides, we never practice that hard before a game.”

  “Oh, okay.” I leaned closer to him. “By the way, thanks for sneaking me up here.” I watched him out of the corner of my eye. “This place is really amazing.”

  “No problem.” He propped his feet up on the table and reclined in the chair. “So, do you want to talk about what’s going on at your dorm?”

  A picture of Luke and Delaney popped into my head and I closed my eyes as I gulped down my beer. “No, not really.”

  “You seemed pretty upset. Are you sure she’s with your brother and not someone else?” His eyes darted over to my engagement ring on my left hand. Retrieving my hand to my lap, I turned the diamond around, hiding it under the palm of my hand.

  Reason number fifteen: I’m hiding the fact that I’m engaged.

  “I’m pretty sure she’s with my brother.” I nursed the bottle, praying for a buzz to hit soon. “I saw his key chain and backpack in our living room.”

  Raven’s cell phone rang and he pulled it from his pocket.

  “Do you need to go?” I took a big gulp, reminding myself of what Delaney warned me about.

  Silencing the call, he tucked the phone away. “Nope.”

  I tried not to react to his answer, but my mind screamed, ‘yes!’

  We continued drinking and Raven didn’t ask me anything further about my brother and Delaney. The topic of our conversation varied between school, his dreams of going pro, and how he planned to buy his mom a new house if he did. It was the most I’d heard him talk about football since we’d met. I wanted to ask him about the rumors claiming he went to rehab for drug abuse, but I refrained. He’d tell me whenever he was ready. Besides, I had my own secrets that I wasn’t ready to share either.

  Raven finished off his third beer and dropped it into the empty slot of the cardboard holder. Turning his head in the opposite direction, he burped.

  “Nice,” I said before finishing off my second beer. I felt an air bubble push to the top of my stomach. I placed my hand in front of my mouth, but nothing could hide the loud belch that escaped from my lips.

  “Damn, Lexi.” He shot me a quick glance before turning and burping again. “I thought you said you didn’t drink beer.”

  “Sorry,” I muttered, wishing I could run out of there. “It just slipped out.”

  “Relax.” He waved a hand. “I’m just messing with you.” He handed me the last beer and I accepted it, knowing damn well that I shouldn’t drink another one. But I liked the way the alcohol numbed my mind and released my worries.

  “You like doing that, don’t you?” I stood and walked to the wall of windows, surveying the length of the football field. I pictured Raven running across the plush grass and scoring a touchdown as the crowd cheered.

  What would it take to get him to try to score one with me?

  I tilted my head back and allowed the beer to fill my mouth as I swallowed. I felt him standing behind me, but I kept my body facing forward.

  “Depends on what you’re referring to.”

  My body stiffened and the phrase ‘be careful what you wish for’ came to mind. I picked at the label on the bottle, wishing I hadn’t been thinking that way about Raven. What was wrong with me? I couldn’t hurt Collin. He didn’t deserve that.

  I turned to walk away, but he raised his arm and leaned against the glass, trapping me. Our gazes caught and he held my conscious captive with his alluring hazel eyes.

  He appraised me for a second before speaking. “If you’re saying that I like to make fun of you, then you’re wrong.”

  Holding on to my bottom lip with my teeth, I searched for the right response. “Then what would you call it?”

  Taking my beer from my hand, he took a drink. “Harmless flirting.”

  A laugh escaped from my mouth. “Is that what Marcie… I mean, Macy would call it?”

  Shaking his head, he looked down at the floor and then back at me. “No.”

  “No?” I asked, somewhat surprised.

  He shifted his weight, causing his body to hover inches from mine. I pressed against the window as my pulse quickened. A flash of heat warmed my cheeks and I prayed he didn’t notice.

  “No. She’s the one that flirts with me. I just play along.”

  I sucked in a quick breath, trying to steady my breathing. “Oh, I see. And you don’t call that flirting?”

  He shrugged.

  “So, the rumors are all lies?”

  His lips turned up and he cracked a half smile. “I didn’t say that.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to sort through the tangled conversation in my numbing mind. “Then what are you saying? You don’t have to flirt with girls because they philander with you?”

  “Basically, yeah,” he said, with an indifferent expression.

  Great, a chauvinistic pig!

  I tossed my hair over my shoulder and let the words roll off my tongue. “Then why are you flirting with me?”

  “Because… I like you, Lexi Thompson.” The glint in his eyes told me to stop while I was ahead but I ignored the warning.

  I threw my head back and feigned a laugh. “Stop your foolish antics. You really don’t like me. I mean… I’m nothing compared to the girls you’ve had. Usually, guys want to upgrade, not downgrade.”

  “Believe me,” he raised a brow, “you are an upgrade.”

  I froze, stuck to the glass. Raven had just openly admitted that I was better than the girls he had been with.

  Somebody please pinch me, I must be dreaming.

  He took another swig of my beer. Condensation dripped from the bottom of the glass on to my chest. I gasped as the cold water splashed against my sizzling skin. “Sorry about that.” Using the tip of his fing
er, he traced the trail of water leading down between my breasts.

  All of the air left my lungs and my head began to spin. Never had I been touched like that. Raven was undoing me piece by piece, knitting me tighter into his trap.

  I straightened and decided it was time I grow a vagina since I already had a pair of balls. I grabbed my beer from his hand and heaved a gulp. Wiping my lips with the back of my hand, I asked, “Why me?”

  “Let’s see, because you’re not like the other girls, for one, and two, you’re chaste, and that drives me crazy.”

  Holy shit. My vagina isn’t ready for this.

  The Raven was shaping and fastening me into a hot mess.

  His hot mess.

  “Um, okay. You know, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to continue tutoring you.”

  His head snapped back. “Really, why?”

  “Because I’m supposed to keep a professional relationship with my students and I… um… can think of fifteen other reasons why I shouldn’t be helping you.”

  “Only fifteen?” he said in a discerning tone. In a slow, but deliberate movement, he placed his other hand against the glass, confining me between his arms.

  Somebody kill me now. Please.

  The air stilled around us except for our ragged breathing. My need to kiss him grew insistent, but I kept my lips under my control. Placing my hand on his chest, I pushed him away from me. “Give it time and I’m sure I’ll have twenty more.”

  He chuckled. “Then I guess I better be on my best behavior since you’re keeping count.”

  He laced his fingers around my wrist and dragged my hand down his chest. My hand tensed as it evaluated the rough terrain. I wanted to rip his shirt off his body and dive in, exploring every hill and valley.

  Maybe my vagina is ready after all.

  With my hand still glued to his stomach, I summoned the courage to respond. “If you think I’m going to let you screw me like all of those other hoes do, then you are sadly mistaken.”

  Lifting my hand, he drew it to his lips. His long fingers caressed my skin and I gasped.

  Staring deep into my eyes he said, “Lexi, I’d never do that to you.”