by Hamel, B. B.
She somehow manages to both look flattered and really annoyed.
“Stop,” she says. “Look. Football is just… it’s simple. It’s a game. A bunch of chess pieces on a board, except the pieces are guys and the board is a field. My dad has always broken it down like that and it always made sense to me. I guess I fell in love with the strategy. And in some ways, it’s really beautiful.”
“How?” I ask her softly.
She holds up her fork. “Not so fast. My turn.”
“Okay, okay. Ask your question.”
I eat a little bit while she thinks. “Okay. How about this. Where do you see yourself in ten years?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Seriously? That’s, like, an interview question.”
“Answer.”
“Okay then.” I clear my throat and am about to speak, but…
I don’t know what to say.
I’ve never thought ten years in advance before. I’m normally thinking a season ahead at most.
But for the first time in my life, I really do want to look ahead. I don’t give her some bullshit, joking answer about being dead or in bed with a supermodel or something stupid like that.
Instead, I decide to be honest for the first time in a long time.
“I see myself taking care of my son or daughter,” I say softly. “Maybe I’m still playing in the league, but I doubt it. Hopefully I lasted a while and can provide for my kid. And for you, if you want me to.”
She stares at me for a long moment. “Is that true?”
“That’s true,” I say. “I’ve never really had a reason to look ten years ahead before, but now I do. It’s weird, but I think I like it.”
She watches me with a strange expression on her face for a bit. I eat a little and let her stew before finishing my wine and looking up.
“One more question,” I say. “Since it is my turn now.”
“Okay,” she says gamely. “Go ahead.”
I lean toward her across the table, making sure I keep my eyes locked on hers.
“Are you going to let me take you home tonight?” I ask softly, my voice almost a whisper.
She stares back at me. There’s no real surprise on her face. If she expected something different, she doesn’t show it.
I think she’s going to tell me to fuck off. Wouldn’t be a big shock.
Instead, she just smiles.
“Yeah, River. I think I might.”
I lean back in my chair.
“Well, shit.”
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
“I’ll try not to.”
“Now let me enjoy this meal before you try to awkwardly bring me home, okay?”
“Nothing awkward about it, darling,” I say with a grin.
We both laugh and go back to eating. From there on, the meal is easy and conversation just flows.
And after I’ve paid the check, there’s no question about where we’re going.
I park out in front of my place and she looks at me across the car.
“So,” she says. “Are you going to ask me up?”
“I think it’s your turn to ask a question,” I whisper to her, reaching out to lace my fingers in her hair.
She almost purrs and rolls her neck toward me. “Will you let me come in?” she asks, whispering in the dark.
I kiss her and I let that stand as my answer.
10
Nicole
River lives in a condo right in downtown Wichita. The building looks pretty new and the night watchman seems to know him as we walk inside.
“Evening, River,” the man says.
“Evening, Mike.”
We get into the elevator and ride it up toward the top. “Penthouse?” I ask him.
“Nah. Second to the top.” He grins at me. “Top was already taken.”
“Poor baby.”
He smirks at me and moves closer. I cock my head as he puts his hand on the small of my back. He kisses me softly, lips lingering light as ice.
“Come on,” he says once we reach his floor. We step off, walk down a short hall, and step into his apartment.
I look around as he flips the lights on. It’s nice, modern, clean, and pretty sparse. There’s not much on the walls and the furniture looks like it was bought brand new and never used.
“Homey,” I say.
He laughs. “I’m not here a lot,” he admits.
“I see that. Are you sure you’re not a serial killer?”
“Pretty sure.”
“Good point. What’s the chance there are two serial killers in this room?”
He laughs again and tosses his wallet and keys down onto the countertop. “Come on. Let’s take the tour.”
“There’s a tour? How fancy.”
“It’s just an excuse to get you into my bedroom.”
“I know. You don’t have to say it out loud.”
He grins at me and takes my hand. It feels good to flirt with him with such ease and grace. I should be worried about this, that I’m crossing some stupid line, but I guess I don’t care. I let him lead me back into the apartment.
“Extra room,” he says, gesturing at what looks like an office. “I’ve sat in there exactly once.”
“Nice.”
“Another extra room. Bathroom over there. And here is the end of our tour.”
We step into his bedroom. It’s dominated by a large, king-size platform bed. The headboard goes all the way up the wall, more of a sculpture than anything else. Recessed lighting illuminates the space and the headboard glows with lights that are apparently built into it. The center looks wooden and slightly orange, while the rest of the room is a simple gray and brown.
“Nice,” I say honestly.
“Thanks. I paid attention to just one room. I figured my bedroom should be decent, at least.”
“Why? Because of all the ladies you plan on having in here?”
“Pretty much.” He turns to face me and pulls me against him. I laugh as I stumble into his chest.
He kisses me nice and slow. As he does it, I step out of my heels and shrink down a couple more inches.
He smirks. “I thought you seemed taller.”
“What can I say. Girl’s gotta wear heels.”
“Next time, leave them on.”
I put a hand on his cheek. “Cute that you think there will be a next time.”
His eyes flash and he smirks again as he kisses me. I melt into his arms, refusing to let my doubts creep in.
This is good. This feels good, at least, so it has to be good. I can’t let myself get distracted and ruin what’s been a surprisingly good night.
He has more depth than I would’ve guessed. I mean, he doesn’t seem stupid, far from it. But I didn’t expect him to be so…
I don’t know, human. Normal. I expected an animal.
And he is an animal. In certain situations…
On the field, for instance.
Here, in the bedroom, for another.
He kisses me and reaches up behind my dress. He easily finds the zipper and I lift my hair up as he slowly lowers it down. “There we go,” he says softly.
I let the dress fall off as he steps back. He cocks his head, unbuttoning his shirt.
“Beautiful,” he whispers. “Look at you.”
I cross my arms over my chest, blushing a little bit. “I’ve never had anyone look at me this way before, you know.”
“That’s a shame.” I can hear the desire in his voice and I know he means it. “You really are gorgeous, Nicole.”
I look him in the eyes. He finishes taking off his shirt and shrugs it off, tossing it on the floor. He steps back to me and takes me into his arms, kissing me slow and deep.
I let myself melt into that kiss. I’m not thinking, not thinking, just feeling.
He turns me and pushes me over to the bed. I stumble backwards and he comes at me, eyes dark and flashing need. I hit the bed and fall back onto it as he pushes me all the way down. I gasp when he gets
on top of me, pinning me down onto the bed and kissing my neck.
“God damn,” he whispers. “Every time I see you like this, I lose control. You know that? I can’t help myself around you. I think you feel the same way.”
“Maybe,” I moan.
His hand slips down between my legs, forces them open. He teases my pussy overtop my panties.
“Oh, god,” I whisper.
“Mmm, yes,” he says. “I knew you’d be wet, but damn, you’re dripping. You’ve been thinking about this, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” I answer, arching my back.
He growls in reply, flipping my panties aside. His fingers tease my pussy, sliding up and down before plunging inside and coming back to roll around my clit. I groan and shimmy my hips, pushing myself closer.
He pins my wrists up above my head and pushing his fingers deeper inside of me. God, he’s beautiful, dark and intense with a body like a fighter. He’s athletic and lean and ripped. I want to run my tongue down every rolling, rough, hard muscle. I can’t help but want to touch every inch of his body.
But he pins me and he fucks me with his fingers, teasing me and taking me deep into pleasure.
I’m moaning, not holding back. I let myself sink deeper into the moment, let the pleasure wash over me.
This man can dominate me, control me. And I want it so badly I can barely breathe.
He kisses me, plunging his fingers in and out before pulling back. He sits me up, takes off my bra, and stands back.
“Panties,” he says.
I understand. I take them off, leaning back on my elbows.
He takes off his belt, his pants. He kicks them aside before taking off his boxer briefs.
I stare at his hard cock, amazed that it really is as big as I remembered. I thought that was a dream, or maybe an exaggeration, like my memory was faulty.
But no, god damn. He’s enormous.
“Spread your legs,” he says softly.
I bite my lip but I do it. I can feel my pussy juices dripping down my legs and onto his comforter.
“Touch yourself,” he says. “One finger, nice and slow, deep inside your pussy. I want to see it.”
I stare at him and it’s like I’m possessed when I reach down and slide my middle finger deep inside myself. I let out a little moan, but it feels better when he does it.
He steps up between my legs and licks me top to bottom. I groan, a growl in my throat. He licks my clit, rolling it between his lips, before pinning me back down on the bed. He kisses me, licks my nipples, kisses my neck.
I can feel his cock pressing against my soaking pussy and I want him to push a little further, god, just a little further.
His lips find my ear. “Tell me, Nicole. I have one more question. Do you want me to fuck you?”
“Yes,” I moan.
And he pushes himself inside of me.
Pleasure, pain. It’s incredible, ecstasy. I gasp and arch my back as he fills me up so easily, sliding deep inside. He stretches me wide with his enormous cock and I take him, every inch of him.
“Good girl,” he purrs. “Nice and easy at first. I don’t want to break you.”
“Break me,” I moan. “Go ahead.”
He grabs my wrists, pins them above my head. He growls again and fucks me hard, rough. Not fast, but hard thrusts, the kind that shake my breasts and leave me breathless with pleasure.
“You want me to take you,” he says simply. “I can give you that.”
He pulls back and grabs my hips. I moan as I try to get away, playing the game. He spins me around, turns me onto my belly, and pins me there. He pulls one of my arms behind my back and spreads my ass wide with his other hand.
He slowly slides his cock deep inside my pussy and I moan.
Pleasure swirls all through me again as he fucks me there. He releases my wrist and grabs my hips, spreading my ass with one hand and thrusting into my pussy from behind. I gasp, moans rolling from my mouth like water. I grip the sheets and I feel his finger tease my ass, rolling along and sliding inside. I groan as he fucks me hard, intense and passionate.
He pulls back and gets me up, ass in the air, pushing me forward. I wiggle my hips for him, dripping wet. I look over my shoulder as he cocks his head, a smirk on his lips. He spanks me hard then slides himself inside me, pulling me back toward him.
He kisses me over my shoulder. “You feel fucking perfect,” he whispers. “Every single time I feel this pussy, I don’t ever want to leave it. God damn, I want to make you come until you scream.”
“River,” I moan.
And he fucks me. He takes me, makes me sweat. He pushes my limits, cock sliding in and out, rough and deep, spanking against my round ass, filling me to the brim. I push back against him, wanting more, wanting every inch of him.
That’s how I feel when I’m with River. I want more, more, more. I’m greedy for him, for how he makes me feel. And I’m greedy now as he fucks me.
We sweat and groan and work. I swear, I feel him take me and get me off over and over again. That’s pleasure, rolling through me in waves, taking me, controlling me. He growls, whispers in my ear.
He’s insatiable, unstoppable.
He fucks me harder, rubbing my clit with his hand. He spanks me, pulls my hair. I gasp and groan and take him deeper and deeper. “River,” I moan. “Oh, god. River. Please.”
He moves faster, fucking me, unquenchable. He won’t stop, he won’t slow. He’s an animal now, the animal I need and want.
“Come for me, girl. I’m going to fill you up. Come for me.”
I gasp, moan his name. “Don’t you stop, River.”
He fucks me faster, rolling into me, rough and deep. He takes me for his own, controls me, dominates me. “Fuck,” he growls.
But it’s too late for me. My back arches, my fingers dig into his covers, and finally, finally the orgasm rips through me.
I come hard, gasping his name. Vaguely, I feel him come too, filling me up during my orgasm, pushing me to a new level. He doesn’t stop, doesn’t hold back. He gets me off in rolling waves and I can’t help myself. I’m a dripping wet, drooling mess of need for him and when it’s finally through, I collapse onto his bed, breathless, panting, sweaty.
He leans up next to me, kisses my lips softly. I put my head on his chest.
“Shit,” I breathe.
“Yeah,” he says and I can hear the smile in his voice.
“I’m glad you put some work into this room. The rest of your place is creepy.”
He chuckles. “I’ll work on that, too.”
I grin. “I guess you have to, if you want me to ever come back here.”
He doesn’t answer, just runs his fingers through my hair.
I don’t think too much about that gesture or about what I just said.
The future, what might happen…
I’m just taking it one day at a time. This is just tonight and there’s nothing else tomorrow. I don’t know what I’ll feel after this or what I’ll be tomorrow.
I just know this feels good right now.
I’m letting that be enough for tonight.
11
River
Having Nicole sleep over at my apartment is almost like a dream. For one night, we forget about all the other shit, about her being Coach’s daughter, about the baby that’s inside her, and we just fuck.
We fuck like our lives depend on it.
The next morning brings fresh light into the room and with it, reality settles like a loose fog.
“I should go,” she says to me.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
She hesitates like she wants to say something more. But instead she just smiles. “See you at practice.”
I walk her downstairs and make sure she gets into her Uber okay. I head back up, consider going back to sleep, but we have to be on the field in a couple hours anyway.
So I shower, get myself together, and head into practice.
I don’t know what I expect from here. I g
uess part of me thinks she won’t be so distant and terrified every time I come near, but of course today isn’t any different. She still avoids me, although maybe not so aggressively. At least she shows up to my drill when her dad’s hovering around.
She even calls out some motivation. “Head up, River!”
I glare at her and miss my next pass. She grins right back at me and Coach barks his orders.
The week goes on like that. We still have a season to prepare for, even if we did do well on our first game. That’s only the first game, though. The whole season is a different story.
Days slip past. I try to make time for her, try to sneak around to talk to her, but she always seems to slip away. And eventually, as Sunday draws closer, I just don’t have time for it anymore.
I’m deep in the playbook, deep in the game.
I’m here in Kansas for a fucking reason. I need to prove myself, both on and off the field. I’m trying to be a better man off it, better for Nicole and for this baby, but I have to step up on the field too or else none of this matters.
Sunday finally comes. The second game of the season takes place in Los Angeles. That might sound exciting, but really it just means we fly our asses out there on Saturday night and we’ll be right back on the plane Sunday evening after the game. There’s no time to talk to Nicole, let alone think about anything but the game.
Suit up, take the field, and play. That’s my life when it’s the weekend. That’s how it has to be during the season, even if all I want to do is make Nicole see how much I mean it when I say I’ll take care of her.
Taking care of her also means making enough money to ensure she’ll never have to worry. And I do that shit by throwing this damn ball.
“You ready?” Coach barks at the boys as we line up on the field in front of the screaming fans. “These people hate you. These people want to see you fucking lose. You ready?”
“Yes, sir!” we shout in unison.
A good little team.
“Damn right,” he says. “Bring it in.”
We huddle up, say a prayer, as if the guys on the other side aren’t praying too.
