ROMANCE: SPORTS ROMANCE: The Playmaker (Bad Boy College Football Romance) (New Adult College Alpha Male Sports Romance)

by Carly White

  “Yeah, but they aren’t her.”

  He just shook his head at me. He didn’t understand it and if I wasn’t the one feeling goo-goo for her, I might not have understood it as well.

  “I don’t know what it is you see in her. She is hot Curt, don’t get me wrong, but look around you man, there are gorgeous girls everywhere you look.”

  I looked around with him and what he said was true. There were plenty of pretty girls to choose from, ones that weren’t the daughter of my mentor or too young, but it didn’t matter. I couldn’t explain it. I just knew and just being around her and the possibility of her had made me change my ways. How could I know that and not wonder what would happen if I could kiss her, touch her? What more could she do for me with one kiss?

  “She is going to be my wife.”

  He looked at me and smiled like I was joking. I wasn’t though. Since the first time I seen her from across the field, I knew she was the one for me.

  “I am starting to think that you have been hit one too many times in the head my friend.”

  “Yeah, that could be it I suppose.”

  I took one last lingering look at the one on my mind and then turned my attention to the dean calling all of the graduates to the stage. It was show time and I had to get through this first, before I could talk to her and see if she was as willing as I was.

  Following the crowd up the stairs, I looked back out to the visitors and though I had my mind on other things, I knew this was a big moment in my life. I hoped to never need the degree, but I knew that what I had learned would come in handy, the piece of paper a trophy for all of the hard work.

  When they called my name, I saw my mom and coach clapping and cheering for me. Next to Steve was Lana and she waved ever so slightly, almost making me trip down the stairs as I exited the impromptu platform. I got a chuckle from the crowd, but it was only one girl in particular that I really wanted to impress. My face was warm as I waited with the rest.

  Last commencement speech was done by the president and then in true fashion, everyone threw up their hats in the air. It was one tradition that we hadn’t wanted to break and with the scatter afterwards, it took a few minutes to find the people there for me in the crowd of milling people.

  Chapter 5

  Lana

  “Congratulations Curt.”

  His head snapped around so fast I almost laughed. “I was looking for you.”

  “Well here I am.”

  Curt didn’t say anything for a moment. I could feel his eyes on me. His scrutiny was hard to take and I was happy that his mom and my dad walked up to fill in the awkward void between us. Dad suggested that we all went out for a celebratory drink and even though I wasn’t old enough, I agreed. Curt’s dark eyes finally left mine long enough to catch my breath. There was a raw energy pulling me to him and I was left unable to fight it, not sure if I even wanted to.

  “Sure coach. I thought I would feel different after graduation, but now it just seems like endless possibilities.”

  The two men walked off ahead while I stayed behind with his mother Evelyn. She was chattering nervously, as she tried to spot Nick. When she finally saw him and got his attention, he left with us to the bar around the corner. He kept looking at me strangely and as Evelyn caught up with the men, I was left walking next to Curt’s friend. After a few more minutes of him not able to meet my gaze, he finally said something.

  “What did you do to my friend?”

  I stopped and looked at him, his blue eyes finally meeting mine. “What do you mean?” I hadn’t done anything to him. I may have thought about a few scenarios in my head, but that was as far as it had ever gone between us. How did he even know about me?

  “I mean, he is different after he went to dinner at your folk’s house. He plays better, parties less, less drinking. It was like a complete turn around and I just don’t know what you did to him.”

  I shrugged and started walking again. While I liked to hear what he said, I still wasn’t sure. We had just talked. That was it. When I told Nick that, he looked at me as if I had to be lying. “I’m telling you. I think my dad invited him to set him up with my old sister. We talked for a few minutes out on the porch and that was it. Maybe he was just ready to get out of his funk.”

  “Maybe, but I don’t think so. All I ever hear about is you, so please do us both a favor and go out with him. At least once so he can get you out of his system.”

  I slowed down to let him move ahead. The bar was only a few yards away, but I wasn’t ready to go in all of a sudden. I felt all of this pressure and though I liked Curt, felt drawn to him for some reason, I didn’t like all of the pressure heaped on me. What had I done to change him and was it even me? I found it hard to believe that someone that I had only talked to once could have altered themselves so completely. I didn’t want to believe it. Hope being a painful thing if it was put into the wrong person.

  Walking in finally, his eyes were on me almost immediately and I moved towards the round table that the others were seated at. “Glad you are here Lana. We are toasting to Curt’s graduation.”

  I grabbed the glass that was in front of me and chinked it together with the rest. His mother wanted to say a few words about how proud she was, getting teary-eyed at the end. Then my dad stood up and told a story of the first time he saw him on the field. “Since then, I have always known that you are going to do great things Curt. I am proud to be your coach and I hope that you will keep us in mind when you choose a team. Somewhere close where your old coach can come see you every once and a while. And a free ticket now and then wouldn’t hurt.”

  Everyone laughed at the expression and it was Curt that was getting a bit teary-eyed then. I hadn’t realized until that moment how much they cared for each other. There was a kind of father-son bond that I hadn’t really been aware of. It made sense. My father always wanting a son and Curt losing his father so soon, it was bound to give them a bond.

  I was pulled both ways. On one hand I was glad for them both. The relationship seemed beneficial, but would it make it strange if something ever happened between us?

  Stopping myself, I realized what I had finally said in my head. That something would happen between us. It was what I wanted, no matter why I shouldn’t want him. I didn’t fall very often, but for Curt, the feelings were all new and intense.

  Taking a drink of the champagne, I looked around the table. Everyone was talking loud and I just wanted to watch everyone. Pouring another drink before they realized I wasn’t supposed to be drinking, I went to the jukebox to put something on. There seemed to be a loop that played until someone put some quarters in and I was just the sucker to do it.

  The jukebox was old and the songs even older. I almost resigned myself to listening to the same song again for the tenth time, but I heard his voice behind me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I only had to look over my shoulder to see him. Curt was smiling back at me, looking so damn good in his suit. I think he knew it by the way he grinned. “You don’t want to put on any Steve Miller Band?”

  “Who?”

  He shook his head and sighed like I was wrong to not know who that was. Curt pushed the button and we both watched the mechanism grab the CD and it started spinning. The song started to play and it almost immediately recognized it. “Oh. Well I don’t know who sings it, but I know the words by heart. It was something my dad always played when we were younger.”

  “I could have figured him for a rock man. Let me pick out a few more since you don’t seem to know what you are doing.”

  I stood back and let him take the reins. He seemed to like to be in control and I didn’t have any of them that I necessarily wanted to listen to. Just like the song playing, I may like it, but not even know the band names.

  Looking back at the table, I caught my dad’s eye for a minute before he looked back towards Nick and said something. Curt was picking the three songs left for my dollar while I leaned against the stout machine.


  “Thanks for coming to my graduation Lana. It means a lot.”

  “Of course. I am proud of you. It’s a good school.”

  “Yeah I came here for to play, but it has been a good college. I am glad I stayed local.”

  “Me too.”

  There was a moment of silence while the second song started to play. “So what are you doing later?”

  I shrugged, not really sure. “Not much. I just got back into town last night, so I haven’t even gotten with anyone yet to figure something out.” I caught myself rambling and stopped, looking back up into his dark eyes.

  He kind of chuckled and moved a bit closer. I was aware of the people we came with and tried to gain some distance from him. “If I didn’t know any better Lana. I would say you were nervous.”

  Curt was back to looking at me as he had before, already his. I couldn’t hold eye contact and looked down with my cheeks growing heated. “I always get nervous around you. I don’t know what it is. Then I got scolded by your friend over there, so I am trying to be good.”

  He took another step towards me, his body blocking my view of the table. No one was paying attention to us last time I had looked over. “Maybe I don’t want you to be good.”

  I swallowed hard and put my hand between us, pushing back on his chest. “With parents sitting over there, I don’t think that it is a good time for me to be bad Curt.”

  He stepped back as if he had forgotten that we weren’t alone. Like the time on the porch, it was another missed moment and I wished that we could see where it went instead.

  “You’re right. Why don’t you come with me to a party tonight? Then we would have a little time to ourselves to see what this is.”

  I wanted to say yes, badly, but I wasn’t sure. As he looked down at me, our eyes met and he pinned me there with his gaze. He looked ready to swallow me whole and he did make me nervous. Curt was dangerous in more ways than one.

  “I don’t know. Where is it?”

  He gave me the directions and I knew the place well. “If I can, I will meet you there later.”

  Curt looked disappointed and I told him that I would try to make it. He gave me a time before we walked back to the table. Steve looked over at Curt for a moment and I thought he was going to say something to him, but he turned to me instead. “Finally something decent to listen to.”

  He didn’t say anything else about our time at the juke box and for that I was thankful.

  Chapter 6

  Lana

  I tried on what felt like my whole closet and nothing seemed right. I wanted to look good, sexy, without looking like a slag. When I looked at the clock, I was already running late. I hoped that he would be there when I got there. It was never a party I would go to otherwise. I hardly knew anyone attending except a couple locals, but for Curt I would go. I was still waiting for that kiss that I had been thinking about so much.

  Finally I left out the door wearing a short shirt and sleeveless top. I let my hair down, Curt’s comment about it kept it that way and I hoped that he liked what I was wearing underneath more. There was no other decision but to give in to the temptation that I constantly felt. I was sick of waiting or caring if it was sanctioned or right. For just one night I wanted to make a decision that did not make sense. It would feel right, I knew it, whether it really was or not was irrelevant.

  When I got there, the place was packed with a whole lot of faces that I didn’t recognize. I knew it was going to be like that, but I wasn’t expecting to feel so overwhelmed by it all. I needed to find Curt and I was starting to think that he wasn’t there. Turning around towards the door, I heard his voice calling my name behind me.

  “Giving up on me so soon?”

  I didn’t have time to answer, his mouth moving over mine and I heard the soft moan come out as he kissed me. There were people everywhere around us, but in that moment all of the noise fell away and it was just the two of us. I pushed back after a few moments and smiled up at him. “I’ve been wanting to do that for months.”

  “Was it as good as you thought it would be?”

  “Better, but it makes me want more.”

  “Good.”

  “Do you want a drink?”

  “I thought we were going to find somewhere to be alone?”

  “We are, I just thought…”

  “I have already decided to, so there is no need to liquor me up.”

  “Decide to do what?”

  “You.”

  ***

  It was almost funny how fast he took me to one of the back rooms and shut the door behind him. His dark eyes took me in as he pulled off his T shirt and showed the hard, rippling muscles underneath. There was no bed in the room, as it turned out to be the laundry room, but as he hoisted me up onto the washer, it didn’t seem to be a problem for either one of us.

  His hand pushed my skirt up as his mouth ravaged my own. Leaving my lips, his tongue and teeth start to delight on my shoulders, moving to my neck and a place that just made me shiver next to him. It was happening to fast and even though I was dying for it, I wanted him to slow down and savor it.

  Curt was having none of that, sliding my body closer to the edge and closer to his own need. My panties were yanked down my legs when he moved back just long enough to pull them off. Spreading my legs wider, he wedged his body in against me and went back to kissing the special place on my neck that made me go wild. I was hot, wet and so ready for him that I was aching with need. I could feel his hard manhood pressing and pressuring my desires, but he was moving too slow. I was pulled between being overwhelmed and being frustrated that he wasn’t already inside of me. He was making me crazy, it was just that simple.

  “Lower.”

  He took my words to mean my chest, yanking down my shirt and bra and sucking in my hard nipples. My eyes closed for a moment, unable to think as his mouth and grinding hips were making me a little mad. Hooking my legs around his waist, I pulled him closer so that he could no longer rub incessantly against me. My hands went to his hard thickness and I squeezed until he growled. It wasn’t enough to feel him next to me, I wanted more than anything to feel the length inside of me. “I meant here.”

  His hungry mouth moved away and started to unbutton his pants. I didn’t let him free to do so, needing more than anything for him to hurry up. I was dying for something more. Then he was out and his weight and silken heat was pressed against me and I didn’t have to think anymore. “Yes right there.”

  “I was trying to get you ready.”

  “There’s no need. I have been ready since you kissed me downstairs.”

  As he pushed in against me, Curt felt the wetness that lay hidden inside and eased in several inches slowly with no resistance from my slickened skin. Curt cursed and pushed in another few inches quickly, taking my breath away. It was already more than I had had before, but there was still the need to know that I had all of him. When I whispered to give it all to me in his ear, he did and it made me cry out. It was more than I had thought.

  “Curt!”

  He swelled deep inside and made me whimper. I tried to keep myself together, but it was impossible. He felt too good and I was lost in an orgasm that threatened to take my breath away. He started moving inside of me slowly at first and then faster. Each thrust in shook my body and I had to hold on to him tight.

  As he started to take me faster, Curt kept pulling my body closer, so he could drive deeper. My ass was barely left on the appliance, now more than anything just hanging off. I had to cling to him tighter and right before I was about to come, he pulled out and then took me off the washer, turning me around and pressing me back down face first on the warm metal.

  Curt was no longer slow or gentle, slamming back in as I screamed out my release. It had been just what I needed, but there was no time to recuperate. Curt’s rod speared me over and over again. It hit new and deeper places in the new position, but when I tried to ease him up, his hand went to my lower back and pinned me to take every last inc
h he had to offer.

  I came again and finally felt the quick thrust that told me he was about ready as well. I tightened up as he moved faster, suffocating his length until he groaned behind me, slamming me up against the washer as he filled me full of his thick seed.

  He pressed in a couple of more times before his mouth went to my shoulder and bit hard. I jerked and clenched hard. He growled behind me and ripped out, leaving me gasping and empty. I felt his head resting on my back for a moment before he pulled back and I stood up slowly. My legs trembled and as I turned around, he moved in for a kiss. “I knew it would be perfect with you.”

  Chapter 7

  Curt

  I had to get a manager the last week before the draft. There was just too much information and people trying to talk to me at once and a manager seemed like a good filter to most of the mess. I had too many things on my mind and Lana was one of the big ones.

  I wanted to go local or as local as the team in our state, but they weren’t as excited for me as Texas. Houston would pay twice as much for twice as long and it was by far the best deal. I wouldn’t have minded going to Texas, but I wanted to see what happened with Lana. When I mentioned this to Leo my new manager, he just looked at me like I was crazy.

  “You can’t give up your career already for a female. Do you know how many women are going to be throwing themselves at you, trying to get a piece of what you got?”

  I shook my head. I did know and that was one of the main reasons that I wanted it to be Lana by my side. She had several more years of school though and I didn’t know if she would move all the way to Texas. It was a lot to ask someone without some guarantee of forever. While I may have been ready to take the plunge, I didn’t think that she was ready. If I asked and she wasn’t, I would have gone too far and there is no going backwards in a relationship. I hadn’t even asked her to go out with me officially, let alone moving in together across the country and marriage.

  He was looking at me with that superior, you are just a dumb kid look and I shook my head again. “That is why I want to stay. She was there before the money and all of the rest. That’s how you know it is real, Lana is different.”