Any team would make me happy. As I walked toward the Student Center food court, I went through my top five teams, wondering if I would be good enough in a couple years to get drafted by one of them. Dreams kept me motivated.
SIXTEEN
Austin
Later that afternoon, getting ready for practice in the locker room, she called again. Even if Jocelyn was lying about her, I had to get serious about football. Fucking around with her had been fun, but the time for games was over.
Trey pranced around the room like he owned the place. Big, fucking dumb lineman. He looked in my direction and nodded. Nah, he wouldn’t do that to me. Would he? Brooke had admitted to sharing a secret with him. Motherfucker. I bet it’s true.
“What’s up, Austin,” Trey said as I finished adjusting my pads.
“You better be out on the field today. In fact, all of you bums need to step up your game.”
“That’s right,” Coach said, walking in from his office. “The next few games are crucial if we are going to go all the way this year. And as I’ve told you numb-nuts time and again, I’m winning one more championship before I retire this year. End of story!”
“Yeah, Coach!” we all yelled, almost in unison.
“Now get out there and show me how it’s done!”
I got to my feet and followed the rest of the guys out of the locker room and out onto the field. Everything else faded away as I concentrated on the football. It was my one true friend and lover. If I threw her gracefully and on target, I would be rich.
All the dangers of getting a concussion or injured in some other way – like hurting my balls – didn’t matter if I kept my money on the prize at the end of all the hard work, a contract with a major team somewhere in the United States.
The thought of hurting my balls caused Brooke to pop back into my mind. As I thought about it all more, it made perfect sense. Brooke’s secret was fucking him before she met me. Hopefully not after. Why hadn’t that fucker told me?
He had his back turned to me, but I launched the ball at him like a fucking missile. It hit him in the head and bounced off. When he spun around, I shrugged my shoulders.
“Sorry, bro!”
“Fucking asshole,” he shouted.
I high-stepped in place, waving for him to bring it on. With Coach watching, I didn’t think he would dare do anything back to me, but I hoped he would. As I watched and waited, he bent down and rushed forward, palm out as he came straight toward me while yelling.
“What the fuck is going on?” Coach barked.
At the very last moment, I leaped aside and out of his way.
“Too big, dumb, and slow, bro.”
“Why the fuck did you hit me with the ball?”
He turned and stepped forward. I took a step toward him.
We stopped with our helmets only inches apart.
“What the fuck is your problem?” he asked.
“Did you fuck Brooke?”
“What?” His face scrunched up in confusion. “Why would I do that to you?”
“I don’t know, bro, but I’m hearing things around campus.”
“Did Brooke say something to you?”
“No.”
“Well, there you go. You better check yourself.”
Coach walked up and slid an arm between our chests.
“What the hell is going on here? You two asking to be benched?”
“No, Coach!” we yelled.
“Then get ready to scrimmage!”
“Yes, Coach!”
Trey and I were on the same team, which helped cool things between us, at least a little bit.
*
I went straight home after practice while Trey headed to an evening class he had once a week. Teddy and Brian were not in the living room, which surprised me.
On the way upstairs to my bedroom, she sent another text message.
You okay? What’s up?
I ignored that one too, determined to concentrate on football above all else. If Brooke cared for me, she would understand slowing down our relationship. It had been charging forward at an almost reckless pace. As I fell asleep, thoughts of her would not go away.
SEVENTEEN
Brooke
Why hadn’t he answered? The thought stuck with me through all my classes the next day. After the last one, I went to the stadium, hoping to catch him at practice. When I approached the field, I saw Austin standing on the sidelines with his helmet off.
I walked over to him. The smile slid off his face when he saw me heading his direction. He glanced around then stepped forward to meet me before I reached him. Other players on the field weren’t paying attention to us. While I hated to bother him, we had to talk.
“Brooke,” he said, stopping in front of me. “What are you doing here?”
“You haven’t been answering your phone. I don’t have time to fool around. If you’re dumping me, be a man about it and say something.”
I placed my hands on my hips. He put his hand on my arm.
“Let’s go talk about this off the field.”
“So you are ashamed of me?”
“You’re acting like a child right now.”
“Oh? I’m acting like a child?”
“Yeah,” he said quietly, glancing around again. “Let’s go over here and talk.”
“We can talk here,” I insisted.
He sighed.
“Fine. I’ve heard you’re sleeping with Trey too. Is that true?”
“What are you talking about? That’s crazy.”
“You two have a secret between you. I’m not an idiot. I can figure it out.”
“This is why you haven’t answered my calls or texts?”
“I’ve been busy too,” he said defensively. “Why don’t you tell me the secret?”
“You don’t deserve to know.”
“I don’t fucking care anyway,” he said, his voice rising.
“You’re being ridiculous! Listening to some stupid rumor!” I shouted.
Several players turned their heads. The coach did too.
“Come over here, Austin,” he yelled.
“I’ve got to go. I’ll come over to your place later tonight and we can talk about it, okay?”
“Fine,” I said, still furious.
I walked home annoyed with this sudden change in events.. With each step, I wondered if I was heading in the right direction with my life. Did I really want to get into sports medicine and be around asshole jocks the rest of my years on the planet?
My dream of becoming a Nurse Practitioner had started when I first found out about it during a Career Day at school. Some other boy’s mother worked as one. I had listened intently to every word she said then went home to learn more online.
Only two years down the path and I wanted to give up? Did I have what it took to make it all the way? Doubts swirled around me as I took the long way home for my safety. What were my other options? Find a rich guy to marry. That so wasn’t me.
By the time I reached the apartment, I was not in the mood for Jocelyn and crap. She started in on me as soon as I made it through the door.
“Brooke, everything okay? You look upset. Let me guess, Austin problems?” She said it so innocently, that I immediately figured out where Austin had gotten his information.
“Why would you tell him I slept with Trey?”
“Who? What?”
“Don’t play dumb,” I said.
“I thought you liked Trey,” she said. “You kept talking about him getting a boner.”
“You’re so immature, I mentioned it once, because I thought it was funny. But now I know, it wasn’t,” I said. “He’s coming over. You better tell him the truth.”
How had we been so close at one point? We had nothing in common anymore. I was growing up and we were growing apart, and she couldn’t handle it. Her issues with Austin had nothing to do with him, it all had to do with her.
“Fuck him and you,” she said. “I’m leaving.”
“Go ahead,” I said. “See if I care.”
“You’re such a spoiled bitch.”
“And you’re fucking crazy.”
I twirled my finger next to my head.
“At least I’m honest about who I am.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“You know,” she said.
I shook my head, having no idea.
“Are you leaving or not? It’ll be nice to not have you around.”
“I’m leaving now.”
She spun around and went to the door, opening it.
“Oh,” she said. “It’s you. Great.”
“Who is it?” I asked, hoping Austin had come over after all.
“Your asshole boyfriend,” she said then stormed out.
A nervous frown fell over my face as he walked in.
EIGHTEEN
Brooke
Austin twisted around to look back at her then turned to me and asked, “You okay?”
“No, I’m not okay,” I said, trembling with anger and other emotions.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he said in a soothing voice as he put his strong hands on my arms, calming me down almost instantly.
Why did he make me feel so safe?
“It’s just been so stressful with everything going on,” I said.
“Yeah, me too.”
“Jocelyn lied to you.”
“I figured, but I thought it might be good for us to take a step back before taking two steps forward. I didn’t know you would freak out so much.”
“I’m not freaking out. You’re just being an asshole.”
His hands rubbed my arms, melting me a bit more.
“Don’t you look at me with that face.”
“What face?” he asked then grinned.
“Those eyes.”
We kissed. All that emotion wrapped up into a single point in time and space made me dizzy.
I put my hands on his waist, loving the solid feeling of his body. His kisses became more urgent, that long, thick tongue dancing around in my mouth. Is this make-up sex? Already?
He pulled away, staring deeply into my eyes. Time slowed as he showed me what it meant to be desired. I saw it in his eyes as they burrowed through mine into my very soul.
“Let’s take this slow,” I said, putting my palms on his chest and pushing lightly.
“I can’t take it slow, not with you looking so hot.”
As he kissed me again, I acquiesced, wrapping my arms around him and holding tight. I would cling to him forever if he let me. His hands fumbled with my blouse. I had picked it that morning to feel like a different person while walking on campus and going to class.
I pulled the bottom of his sweatshirt up. He raised his hands in the air, and I stood on my toes to get it off all the way. At the same time, he assaulted my face and neck with more kisses.
He threw the sweatshirt to the floor then finished the last of the buttons of my blouse. I inhaled deeply and quickly as his hands cupped my breasts, kneading them both at the same time.
In that moment, I forgot all about my doubts of having a relationship with Austin. The only thing I could concentrate on was his hot, hard body writhing in front of me so lithely.
After he undid the straps, my bra fell to the floor. He put his hands over each of them again, slowly warming me up to the main course. I slid my hand down the waist of his pants.
When I wrapped my fingers around his warm, soft cock, I became even more aroused. He removed my pants then bent over to slide them down, removing my hand.
On his knees in front of me, I felt his kisses on my stomach and his strong arms wrapped around me, making me feel part of his body. We were becoming one again. And I liked it.
No, I loved it.
I got wetter the more he teased me between the legs. He rubbed his lips back and forth across my sensitive flesh.
I ran my fingers through his hair, never tiring of the sensation of the soft, silky hair against my skin. He licked me there and nothing else mattered.
Just as it got good, he stood, kissing his way up my body. I felt for his cock, now hard, and stroked him a few times as his hands roamed all over.
With an urgency I’d never seen in a man before, he grabbed my ass and picked me up. As I wrapped my legs around him, I felt his cock pressing against me.
He lifted me higher a moment then slid that massive piece of meat into me. Breathing heavy, he made his way to the wall, pressing my back against it.
We found a rhythm for this new position. Each time we went all the way, I got to know his body better and vice versa. I lightly bit his shoulder as he penetrated me.
“You’re so hard,” I whispered into his ear.
He pounded harder and faster as if encouraged by my voice.
“And big. So big. It’s so good…”
While I found it difficult to come up with anything resembling correct sentences, I talked dirty, trying to turn him on even more.
After a minute or hours – time lost all meaning – he lifted me again and glanced around.
“The recliner,” I said.
He carried me over and sat down, his strong arms still holding me close to him. On the recliner, I got comfortable then began to grind against him, feeling his huge cock moving inside me.
“Oh, Austin,” I moaned.
Each time I came down on it, he thrust upward, plunging deeper into my pussy. He cradled my breasts as I rocked back and forth as well as up and down.
As we moved together as one, I forgot where his body ended and mine began. Of the half-dozen guys I’d been with before, this was something entirely different.
I sat up and put my hands on the sides of his face. Our eyes met. Was this the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with? This face? This man?
How had a simple no strings attached one night stand come to this?
Pleasure rushed through my body, everything tingling. I was so close. Just another minute, one more moment. He came before me, his cock throbbing as I continued riding him.
Then it hit – the most intense experience of my entire sexual life. My mind went black as our bodies shook together. I collapsed forward and placed my cheek on his chest.
He stroked my hair, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. I sat up and looked at him again, a smile on my face.
“We should fight more often,” he said.
I kissed him once before climbing off him, almost falling to the floor my knees were so weak. He leapt to his feet, holding me up with those massive arms so toned and manly.
“Careful.”
“We’ve made it to a whole other level.”
He nodded.
“Stay tonight,” I requested. I needed to be close to him. I had to figure out what this was. And the more time I spent with him, the more I realized it was something more than we bargained for.
“I do have my books in the car.”
“We can study together in my room.”
His face scrunched up like it did whenever he thought deeply about something.
“Sure,” he said.
I leaned forward and kissed him again.
“You’re going to make it hard to study.”
“I’m going to make something hard,” I teased.
We studied like monks until midnight then crawled under the covers together, cuddling while drifting off to sleep.
NINETEEN
Austin
She was a sound sleeper, I thought with a smile as I woke up before her again. Instead of chancing another encounter with Jocelyn, I gently ran my finger down her bare arm.
Her skin was so soft and perfect. She moaned and rolled over on her other side, facing me. Slowly, she opened her eyes. I had never cared so much about a woman the morning after.
“Morning, beautiful.”
“You didn’t run off this time,” she said in a quiet voice.
“No. I wanted to stay here with you all day.”
“Aww. I wish w
e could.”
I leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. She wiggled closer, holding my body tightly as she moaned in contentment again.
“Don’t tell anyone, but Jocelyn has me scared.”
“What now?” she asked, sitting up.
“Nothing, but that’s why I stayed in here to wake you up.”
“Oh…” she said then stretched her arms.
The blanket pulled down, exposing her bare breasts. While everything in me wanted to roll over and start sucking on a nipple, I pulled the covers back and swung my legs over the side of the bed. She put her hand on my back as I sat on the edge of the mattress.
“What’s wrong? Where you going? You have time to go again this morning?”
Her hand rubbing me felt wonderful, but I had to get to early practice.
“No, I need to get going.”
“I think I’m falling for you,” she said, surprising me.
“I…I’ll see you later.”
I stood up, not turning to face her as I looked around for my pants.
“Wow,” she said.
“What?” I asked, spinning around and spotting my pants at the foot of the bed.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t be that way.”
“Be what way? You’re the one who loves football more than you do me.”
I sighed and retrieved my pants.
“That’s not true, and you know it.”
One foot then the other, I put them on.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Despite her words, I was sure it did matter to her if I wasn’t ready to say something back to her.
“Do you really want to force me to say it?” I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and twisting to look at her.
She had pulled the covers up, hiding her naked body from me.
“No,” she said. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Sure…”
Not wanting to get into another argument with her, I put my shirt on and left her room. Jocelyn wasn’t around, so I walked out of the apartment before she returned.
*
Later that morning, as I walked on the field in my uniform, I saw Jocelyn talking to Coach. What the hell? I thought, walking over toward them. She noticed me and patted him on the arm before heading in my direction.
The closer she got, the more I wanted her out of my life. She would not drive a wedge between Brooke and me no matter what she did. A sick smile on her face, she passed by me without saying a word. I thought about confronting her, but I kept walking.
Mr. Beast_An Enemies to Lovers Romance Page 67
