The End Zone: SPORTS ROMANCE (Contemporary Sport Bad Boy Alpha Male American Football Romance) (New Adult Second Chance Women’s Fiction Romance Short Stories)

by Jenna Payne

  What I do find, is that he’s also wounded.

  “Can I patch you up?” I ask him with no attitude in my voice this time. I’m not going put myself at his level.

  “Don’t be a hardhead. Let her help you, man.” Sounds like his friend is on my side. Kirk paces around for a bit, takes off his jacket and his shirt and sits down.

  I can finally assess his wound now. He has a deep gunshot wound on the side of his chest. Now that he settles down, I can tell the pain is starting to catch up to him.

  “Just pull it out Angie!” he says rolling his eyes. “It’s not going to hurt any more than it already is.”

  I’m shocked. He’s talking to me like he already knows me. I push it aside for now since I need to concentrate on the task at hand. I call over a nurse for assistance.

  We both dig out the bullet and clean his wound. Dr. Nickleson calls over for my assistance so I leave my patient to the nurse.

  As I walk over, I’m still wondering about the stranger. This man who seems so oddly familiar, yet I can’t seem to place him anywhere. He must know me somehow since he’s talking to me like we’ve known each other for years.

  *****

  It’s morning now. I had a long night. We all had a long night. I think about what transpired yesterday. Was it all just a dream? But, sadly it’s not.

  As I walk through the village for fresh air, I notice that the Navy guys are still around.

  “Angie, Dr. Nickelson wants to see everyone before we start the day,” says Tiffany, waving at me from the main tent. I slowly jog over.

  Inside the tent, everyone gathers around Dr. Nickelson. Behind him stands the man known as Kirk and his buddy. Their hands are within reach of their weapons, as if someone is going to jump out at them.

  Finally without the face paint I can study his face. But before I can do so he looks over at me. I blush and look away instantly.

  “Ok team. Yesterday we had the U.S. Navy here. We were caught in the middle of their gunfire with some fugitive Somalians they were tracking. That’s all I’m allowed to say about that. So without further ado, Captain Kirk here wants to talk to everyone.” Dr. Nickelson steps down as Captain Kirk takes the stage.

  Instead, he steps aside and waves for his buddy to talk.

  “Hello everyone. My name is Sergeant Williams. We want to thank you all for providing us with medical care yesterday. We just want to ensure you that this is an isolated incident. We will be leaving as soon as the rest of our team arrives. Thank you.”

  Short, sweet, and to the point. I’m glad their leaving. I want to get back to doing what we’re supposed to be doing: provide healthcare for the Somalians in this village.

  With that, Dr. Nickelson takes the stage again. “So I have an agenda of who’s working where and on which days right here. Please check your names and go to your station. If you’re not on the list, this means you’re free to enjoy your day.”

  Before he can finish, I get up to look for my name. Not on the list. Yes! I walk out of the tent. I’m thinking about heading back down to Ash’s secret spot again today.

  “Angie,” someone calls out behind me.

  I turn around to see Captain Kirk. He looks a little agitated. I fully study his face as he walks up towards me. Blonde hair and blue eyes. The outline of face, so familiar. His eyes, his nose, his full lips. I can hear my heart thumping in my chest. I know him.

  “Ty?” I ask.

  He grins. His face turns from agitated to smiles. Is that why he’s been so rude to me? Because I couldn’t remember him?

  He comes up and hugs me. My heart beats faster. It feels so good to feel him again. Suddenly I feel sixteen again. I can smell his faint scent. His scent that I loved so much. His strong arms wrap around me, making me feel safe.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask without thinking.

  “What do you think, Angie? I’m on a mission.”

  “Yeah,” I say as I look away. He always manages to make me feel like an airhead. I can’t think right when he’s around.

  “Wanna grab coffee?” he asks.

  “Where?” I look around trying to point out that we’re in a village in Somalia. He laughs. I’m sure he’s mocking me.

  “Let’s go for a walk.” I follow him as he walks away. “We have some catching up to do. Know where we can go without any prying eyes?”

  “I might know a place,” I answer.

  *****

  We walk side by side as I lead him out of the village, following the road and walking parallel to the creek. He gently whistles as though nothing crazy had happened the night before.

  “Sorry about yesterday,” he says breaking the silence.

  “Why were you so rude to me?” I ask.

  He shakes his head. “It’s been a long week. We’ve been tracking these guys for awhile. I was in a gun fight, blah blah blah. Honestly, I could give you all the excuses I have in the world, legitimate excuses,” he says, “but truth is, I recognized you the moment I saw you. And, you didn’t. It kinda hurt.”

  That’s something about Ty that my father didn’t give the time to find out. Inside that tough, mean, rude exterior is a man who is truly compassionate, kind, and gentle.

  Ty said once that he hid behind that tough exterior because growing up poor meant he hand to put up a good fight. No one would mess with him because he’s known for being tough. If he was kind and gentle, he wouldn’t have survived the neighborhood he grew up in.

  I wish my father would understand this. He came from a poor family as well. But all he cared about was how he would look in the eyes of his rich friends.

  “Well, it was kinda hard to recognize you with the face paint,” I admit.

  “So what have you been up to?” I ask.

  “Well, obviously, I joined the Navy SEALs. It was a long training, mind you. Only the best of the best come out of it.”

  “You’ve thought about quitting sometimes?” I ask.

  “Yes, sometimes. But, I thought about what your Dad said to me that day he kicked me out,” Ty stops, turns around towards me with his hands on his hips.

  “‘You’ll never amount to anything. My daughter deserves better than you,’” Ty says, mocking my father. I laugh because those were his exact words, in his exact tone.

  “Seriously though. I wanted to do something so I joined the military. I wanted to give up so many times, but I didn’t want your Dad to be right about me.” I can hear sadness in his voice.

  “I missed you so much Angie,” he finally admits.

  We turn where the two trees mark the trail down to the creek. Ty looks at me. Our eyes meet as if we’re both searching for each other. He leans in and kisses me softly on the forehead.

  We continue down the trail and emerge behind to big boulders to find the creek. The both of us stood there, starring off into the distance.

  “I know you’re just going to tell me what we had was only puppy love. Or that we were just kids then. But, honestly Angie, I never loved anyone like I loved you. And, I haven’t fallen in love with anyone like I fell in love with you,” Ty picks up the conversation as we near the stream.

  I grab his face for a full on kiss. My heart is practically jumping out of my chest. My hands tug at his soft blonde hair. I push my body up against his. I want to feel him. I need to feel him.

  Sensing my urge, he wraps his arms around me as he kisses me passionately. He pulls me in tight and close. At this point I don’t care who sees. All I care about is now, this moment. This long-awaited moment that I’ve been dreaming of.

  He kisses me deeper as he backs me up against the boulder. I can feel him between my legs, hard and throbbing.

  “Someone really misses me,” I say, in between kisses.

  He chuckles and rubs his hips harder against mine. Then, one hand traces from around my waist and down between my legs.

  “You’re so wet,” he says, stating the obvious. “I want to feel you.”

  Ty pulls down my shorts and penetrates me wit
h one finger, then two. I moan in pleasure. He kisses my neck and trails his lips down my chest. Using his free hand, he pulls my top off and unhooks my bra.

  “Beautiful,” he says as he pulls back to take in the full view of my breasts.

  He leans in and gently suckles a nipple while he penetrates me with another finger. I lean back against the boulder and clutch his head tight against my chest. Taking cue, he sucks harder, alternating between the two nipples.

  “Mmmm, that feels so good, Ty,” I encourage him.

  He suddenly withdraws, unfastens his pants, and pulls out his hard member. Ty grabs my bare butt cheeks with both hands and lifts me, pinning me against the boulder. He kisses me again, pushing his tongue deep into my mouth.

  “I want to feel you inside me,” I beg.

  He obliges and slowly sets me down on top of him. A moan slips my lips as I feel all of him. To my surprise, he’s quite huge.

  Ty goes back to sucking my breasts as he pumps into me. Pleasure sweeps through my body with each pump. I let my mind go into ecstasy as Ty has his way with me.

  “Oh god, you feel so good Angie,” Ty moans as he pumps into me one final time. We both climax together.

  I don’t want this moment to end. Ty is here. With me. He’s mine now. All mine. And I’ll never let him go.

  *****

  Sometimes, life has a funny way of taking something away only to give it back. Perhaps this is life’s way of telling me how much something is worth.

  I knew I missed Ty, I thought of him often. But now that I’ve finally had him in my arms again, I realize how much I truly miss him. I now know how much he truly means to me.

  I’m back at my tent now thinking about Ty and our little getaway earlier.

  Part of me wants to start off where we left off so many years ago. But, time just doesn’t work that way. Ty is a Navy SEAL officer now and he has a mission. He follows rules and accepts responsibilities. Who knew he would turn out like that, huh?

  He’s out saving the world, making it a better place. And here I am, still fighting with my father like a child.

  I open up my notebook and take out a pen. I’m going to write my father a letter. I’m going to apologize. My short talk with Ty made me realize what a child I’ve been. He’s grown up and I haven’t.

  Dear Dad,I know we haven’t talked for awhile. But, there’s something I have to say. Before I get to that, I want to tell you about my first few days here.

  After I landed in Somalia two days ago, we took a bus to the village. We plan on being here for a week or so. Then the bus will pick us up and take us to another village.

  Our mission is to ensure health for the poor out here. Aren’t you proud of me? I know this wasn’t what you had planned for me, but I’m happy. I hope you can see that.

  Well, back to the point, there was a gunfight near the village yesterday. I’m not hurt. But, I did have to take care of a few injured. Guess who I met? Ty. Remember him Dad? Ty Kirk. Well, he’s Captain Kirk now. Isn’t that funny? Captain Kirk is your favorite character from Star Trek, isn’t he?

  Ty joined the U.S. Navy. He’s a Navy SEAL Officer now. He’s out doing good things for the United States. We got to talking about what he’s done and well…it got me thinking.

  I’ve been a child this whole time while Ty has grown up. I don’t want to be that sixteen year-old girl anymore. I’m sorry Dad. I want you to know that I love you and respect you. But, I can’t keep on dating men that make me miserable. I hope you will understand.

  I know image is important to you, but please know that I’m still your daughter. I hope you can see that.

  I love you, Dad.

  Sincerely,

  Angie

  I tear the piece of paper from the notebook and fold it up in thirds. I’ll have to mail this out once the bus comes for us. I can’t send him an email since we have no internet access here. Perhaps, if we get to the city I’ll transcribe this into an email.

  I close my notebook and lay on my cot contemplating my life and thinking of Ty. Since I’m not on shift today, we agreed to meet up before dinner. The villagers are putting on a little feast today. The weather warms up, and I fall asleep.

  I wake to find someone standing in my tent. I look up to see Ty.

  “Why, hello there Sleeping Beauty,” Ty says as he leans in for a kiss. “Did you forget our date?”

  “Of course not. I took a nap. It was a long night.”

  “Well, I’ll let you get ready and I’ll wait outside,” Ty gets up and walks out.

  I put on some clothes, adjust my hair and walk out. Forget the make-up. There’s no time for that in this type of environment. Besides, there’s no need to impress a man who’s already deeply in love with me.

  To think of Ty, a tough and able-bodied man, not wanting to let me go brings a smile to my face. My heart skips a beat.

  Outside, he takes hold of my hand and leads me out of the village towards the creek. It’s later in the day, but the sun hasn’t set yet.

  “Maybe we’ll be able to get some alone time out here. You know, away from everyone else,” he tells me.

  I nod and obediently follow him. As we come up on the creek by the edge of the village, Ty puts his arm around my waist and guides me towards the bank. He takes out a blanket and lays it down.

  “For you my lady,” he says, as he ushers me to the sit on the blanket.

  He lies down with his head on my lap. “This is very comfortable,” he says with the biggest smile on his face. He closes his eyes.

  “You know, I think about you all the time,” I tell him.

  “Uh huh,” he murmurs.

  “I’ve always wondered what would’ve happened between us if Dad hadn’t kicked you out that day,” I go on. “Would we be married? With kids? Working hard?”

  He opens his eyes and looks up at me.

  “Angie, don’t hate your Dad. What he did that day, he did for the best interest of his one and only daughter. I would have done the same if I had a daughter who brought home a good for nothing bum.”

  “But…”

  “No buts. I don’t want to say I’m glad it worked out that way, but actually, I’m glad it worked out that way. It gave me some time to re-think my life. To look at the bigger picture. I grew up that day. As much as I don’t want to say it, it is thanks to your Dad.”

  Ty closes his eyes after that and starts to hum to avoid the long moment of silence. I’m lost for words.

  “It’s nice to finally relax. I’m at ease when I’m with you Angie,” Ty says. He opens his eyes again and looks up at me. He reaches out and pulls me close to give me a kiss.

  “I,” he starts, but Sergeant Williams interrupts us.

  “Sir, the convoy is here! We need to get a move on, Sir!”

  Ty quickly gets up. “Arrange the prisoners. Get them into the convoy first. Make sure all constraints are tight.”

  “Yes Sir.”

  “Sorry, Angie. I’ll have to cut our reunion short. Perhaps I’ll get in touch once I’m back in the United States and we can meet up.”

  “Sure thing Ty.” He kisses my forehead and walks away.

  “Bye,” I whisper.

  “Round everyone up. We need to get out of here and RON with Bravo Team. What’s the ETA?” Ty is still giving commands as he walks away with Sergeant Williams in tow.

  I watch helplessly as the only man I’ve ever wanted walks out of my life, again. It’s just not fair.

  *****

  “Cheer up Angie. He’s not the only man in the world,” Tiffany says after watching me mope around the tent. Ty only left a few short hours ago, but it already feels like an eternity.

  “Ugh, you don’t understand Tiffany! I want him. I know I sound childish, but I want him here with me right now!” I want to scream at her. I want to scream at my father. I want to scream at the world.

  “Honey, you have it better than most people in the world. Look around you. These poor kids are out here running around with barely any f
ood or water,” Tiffany states. She crosses her arms. “They have no way to get medical care. But ask any one of them and they’ll tell you you’re the luckiest kid in the world. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be honey. He’ll come back to you.” Now her arms are on her hips as she taps her foot.

  “Have I told you that you remind me of my mother?” I ask her.

  “Oh stop it. I’m too young to be your mother. Sister maybe,” she laughs, and flips her hair back. I start laughing too.

  She sits down on the cot beside me. “Angie, I hope you think of the kids in this village before you ever think you have a hard life.” She’s serious now. “Life is what you make of it honey, so don’t waste time thinking of the past. Be in the now. Make it happen now.”

  She’s right. I need to stop blaming Dad for everything. I know I’m being childish. Perhaps another letter to my father is due.

  At dinner, Dr. Nickelson stands up to give a speech to the village. I zone him out. All I want is to get back to my cot and wallow in self-pity.

  “Just today,” I promise myself. “Tomorrow will be a new day and I’ll forget that I ever met Ty here.”

  I zone back in time to hear Dr. Nickelson say, “And thanks to you all. We’ll make the best of our time here.” Then, a round of applause.

  Dr. Nickelson is so bland. But, he taught me a lot the first night when all the wounded arrived in the village. He has experience that cannot be taught in the classroom. I wouldn’t mind working with him again. Especially since he was so calm and collected that night when everything else was in chaos.

  Perhaps one of these days I’ll sit down and talk to him. There’s a wealth of knowledge there that I might benefit from.

  *****

  As I fly back to the United States from my volunteer mission, I can’t help but think of my eventful two days with Ty.

  “Are you ready to see your family?” Tiffany asks.

  “Yeah,” I say, but unsure of whether or not I really am ready.

  I mailed that letter to my father. He didn’t respond, but I’m not surprised. Perhaps he crumpled up the letter and threw it in the trash.