Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
The waitress brings our desserts and another carafe of coffee. Alex offers me a bite of his. The cool chocolate rests nicely on my tongue. I give him a bite of my warm apple pie with a spoonful of ice cream. He moans as he takes my spoon into his mouth.
“So good.”
“You like your sweets?”
He nods. “It’s an indulgence. During the season, I’m normally strict with my diet, but tonight is a special occasion.”
I take a bite and match his earlier expression. “I don’t think I’ve had something so delicious. I think they soaked the apples in cinnamon. Remind me not to tell my mom.”
Alex laughs. “As long as you don’t tell mine that I moaned when I tasted your pie.”
The air around us shifts at the sexual innuendo. My ankles cross and my thighs tighten with the thought of Alex and me together. I hadn’t imagined anything like that between us, but now, the thoughts filter through like a mirage with our bodies tangling. My leg over his hip. Him thrusting into me and his back arched.
As if he knows what I’m thinking, he caresses my cheek, bringing my attention back to the forefront. Before I can register his action, he’s leaning over the table and pressing his lips to mine. They’re soft, tentative, and welcoming. I begin to open for him, but he stops and sits back down.
“Well, now that the first kiss is out of the way, we’ll be smooth sailing from here on out.” Alex winks and takes a bite of his pie. His eyes roll back, and I find myself once again, imagining him, hovering over me.
SIX
ALEX
It’s game day. I invited Kelsey, and even sent some Pioneer gear to her house, but she’s not here. She also didn’t say whether she would come or not, but I hope she will. Hell, I hope she’ll miraculously appear in the stands. Of course, I probably should’ve secured some general tickets instead of putting her with the other wives and girlfriends. Initially, I thought she’d find something in common with them and become friends with a few. Thinking back, I should’ve had two tickets put aside for her so she could bring a coworker or something.
My head drops. I’m dense.
I could be reading the room wrong too. We have chemistry. There isn’t a doubt in my mind there’s something between us. It could be more on my end though. I’ve really enjoyed my time with her.
But then there’s Maggie.
Kelsey knew about her, which isn’t surprising. Everyone Googles everyone these days. It’s the smart thing to do, especially if you’re a woman who’s just moved to a new city. It’s something I’d want my sister to do if she ever dated again. Actually, background checks should be accessible to the public. That would definitely curb some of the crime out there.
The game starts and I make my way to the twenty-yard line. I’m slow moving and mentally kick my ass for not thoroughly thinking my actions through. The possibility I put Kelsey in a potentially uncomfortable situation never crossed my mind before now. She deserves better than that.
After a series of plays, I’m on the bench, pretending to listen to our offensive coordinator, and not hearing a single thing he tells us. I nod when everyone else nods, and then I go out and do my job.
When the horn sounds for halftime, I’m relieved. Halfway done. I jog my way toward the locker room, with some of my teammates patting me on my back for a job well done. I’m not sure what I did in the first half of the game that stood out to them, but I’ll take it. I need the ego boost right now because I can’t seem to get out of my own mind.
In the locker room, I head toward the bathroom. Taking a leak during the game is probably the most refreshing thing we can do. Except, it’s near impossible until halftime. It’s not like we can run off the field whenever nature calls. Nor can we assume the other team is going to march down the field, giving either the offensive or defensive line a long enough rest so we can run into the locker room to relieve ourselves.
When I was a rookie, I had the worst experience of my life. I had to piss like a racehorse. I asked every coach on the sideline what I should do. Most of them gave me some bullshit answer, like do a slow trickle or grab a handful of towels and go hide in the corner. Neither of those options seemed like the best choice, and at the time I figured they were hazing me because it was my first year.
Nope. It turns out, many NFL’ers do whatever they can to relieve themselves while still playing the game. Not me. My dumbass thought it would be a brilliant idea to use the bathroom for the people who have on-the-field passes. I rushed in, unaware that cleats and tile flooring don’t mix, fell on my ass and skidded across the floor. I tried to use my hands to stop my momentum, but I had gloves on, and they were sweaty. Needless to say, the person standing at the urinals caught every second of my blunder and ended up hitting my leg with a steam of warm piss. Not to be deterred. I stood up, undid my pants, and did what any man in my situation would do. I nodded toward him and asked, “How’s it hanging?”