Page 40 of Fumbled Love

JP’s hand went to his chest. “You wound me.”

“You’ll get over it.” Maverick shook his head. “Come on, let’s go get a drink.” He placed his hand on the small of my back, leading me over to the coolers by the sliding glass door.

I looked up at the starry night sky and started feeling nostalgic. The campfire smell reminded me of happier times before I worried about work and paying bills. It brought me back to my teenage years, when life was simpler and less stressful. The only things I had to fret about were getting sick from cheap whiskey and doing something stupid I would regret the next day.

After living in the big city for so long, I forgot how relaxing it was to be outdoors.

“This place is massive,” I said, taking the water bottle from Maverick’s hand. There was a swimming pool, a hot tub, and a tall garage to the left with ATVs and dirt bikes. This was nothing like the parties I went to back in the day. “I take it your friend likes to have a good time.”

“JP is a showoff.” He laughed and led me to the group of people clustered by the fire. One of the guys got up and grabbed an extra chair for me to sit on.

“Thank you,” I said to the man whose head was mostly shaved except for the bright red strip along the middle.

“What’s up, Morris.” Maverick jutted his chin out in greeting and made quick introductions. “That’s Morris, Rhett, and Elliott.” The one on the end waved. “Everyone, this is Kinley.”

“It’s nice to meet you guys.” I smiled shyly. Seeing them on television was one thing, but meeting them in person was intimidating. All these men were huge.

Maverick pulled me into his side. “Whatever they say, don’t believe any of it.”

The one with the red mohawk grinned. “Afraid she’ll come running in my direction, Mav?”

Maverick responded by flipping him the middle finger.

I noticed all the men were ripped and handsome. Some had baby faces, and a couple were a bit more rugged, but as I listened to them rib on each other, they seemed like regular guys just having a good time.

“So, Kinley.” Rhett brushed a curly strand of hair off his forehead. I recognized him right away because he was always in the tabloids. “How did you meet this old man? Are you a football fan?”

“Watch it, rookie,” Maverick warned his friend, who hooted in laughter.

“I hate to break the news to you guys, but I don’t pay that much attention to football. The only sport I watch is baseball and that’s only if the Yankees are playing.”

Rhett sat up straighter in his chair and scratched his clean-shaven chin. He had a reputation for being a party boy, and I could tell just from our brief greeting that he loved the attention. “I bet I can get you to change your mind if you ever want to come and watch me play sometime. I still have a lot of stamina, unlike your old man over here.”

He winked in my direction, and I felt a blush hit my cheeks. Maverick might not have been as muscular as some of his teammates—he was toned and lean—but I could say with one hundred percent certainty that his stamina was just fine.

Maverick flicked a bottle cap at his head. “Are you seriously going to flirt with her right in front of me?” He looked around at his friends, shaking his head. “Do I need to remind you animals to be on your best behavior?”

A dimple popped out on Rhett’s cheek. “This is awesome. Never thought I’d see the day.”

“What are you talking about?” The guys looked amused at Maverick’s puzzled expression.

“I actually like this,” Rhett said to Morris while Elliott nodded his head in agreement. “It will be fun getting him all riled up now that we know where his weak spot is.”

They all high-fived each other, seeming pretty pleased with themselves. As much as they enjoyed ruffling each other’s feathers, I could sense the strong bond they shared. They weren’t just teammates; they were practically brothers.

“Y’all are a bunch of delinquents looking for trouble.”

“Speaking of trouble.” Rhett stood. “I’m going to find myself some now.” He made a beeline for the girls dancing, and the guys whooped and hollered as he approached a blonde in a tight pair of jeans. He pulled on her long ponytail and started grinding against her. I just shook my head and smiled. He was certainly living up to his reputation.

There was a slight breeze making it cool, so I moved the chair closer to the fire and sat down. “Are you cold?” Maverick asked, squeezing into a seat next to mine.

“I’m good.” It was in the mid-sixties, but the fire was throwing off enough heat to keep me comfortable.

I spent the next ten minutes getting to know Elliott and Morris, and it was impossible not to like them. They were easy to talk to and fun to laugh with. Morris and I bonded over the fact that he lived in New York when he played for the Giants. He was traded to Atlanta during his fifth year for a number one draft pick. He and Maverick had played together for the past seven years and were considered the veteran players, which in football years was considered ancient.

“Are you guys feeling ready for the game on Sunday?” Maverick asked Morris and Elliott. I didn’t know much about football, but there had been a lot of excitement building as it got closer to the playoffs.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us, that’s for sure,” Morris said before tipping his beer back.

---