Page 16 of Hot Route
“What’s this?”
“Remember? Earlier you asked me to run by the pharmacy for your prescription? I was a little confused when they gave it to me, but it’s got your name on it, so I guess it’s yours,” I say, innocently. “I really hope it helps clear up your rash.” I flutter my lashes as realization hits him. His cocky smile fades immediately as he goes completely pale.
“Ew,” one of girls says from behind us. They all stand, grabbing their things without a word and heading out the gate.
“Wait! I don’t have a—” he shouts, but they’re already gone. He stands still for a few seconds before turning to me, the tips of his ears bright red. “Mads, what thefuck?!”
Picking an invisible piece of lint from my shirt, I give him my most innocent look. “You areso cute. Did you really think youcould send me on a wild goose chase through the grocery store looking for dick-shaped foods and not suffer any consequences? This is what we call alearning moment,Dalton.You might be good at pranks, but I’ll always be better. So, think very carefully before you fuck with me again.”
He's gaping like a fish as I wink at him and head back toward the house, passing Blaze who is doubled over, holding his stomach while he laughs hysterically.
Some lessons are meant to be learned the hard way.
FOURTEEN
BLAZE
“Again!”Coach Mills yells, spiking his clipboard to the ground angrily.
We line up as Tanner takes his place under center to go over the pass play for the fiftieth time.
“Beckham, how about not running directly into double coverage this time!” Coach screams. I do my best to block out the negativity so I can focus on the play. As soon as I hear Tanner’s cadence followed by the ball being snapped, I take off. My heart pounds in my ears as I run my route. He fires a beauty of a pass at me, and just as I open my hands to make the grab, I’m blindsided by a hard hit from my right. The ball hits my hand, but I’m unable to secure it before it bounces off, landing into the stretched fingers of our cornerback, Jalen Morgan.
Fuck.
Whistles blow as the defense celebrates, but all I can do is lay back on the grass wondering why the hell I am having such an off day. I close my eyes, but I can feel the loss of light and heat from the sun as a tall body looms over me.
“You seem a little distracted today, Becks.” I peel one eye open to see Tanner standing above me, helmet shoved up tohis forehead. He chews on his mouthguard while he waits for a reply.
Sitting up, I wince because whoever the fuck hit me must’ve temporarily forgot we’re on the same team. I’m going to need to sit in an ice bath immediately. Pulling my helmet from my head, I toss it aside as I look up at him. “I guess I am.”
He outstretches his hand, helping me to my feet before we head toward the sidelines. I guess coach felt like he’s seen enough because he’s nowhere to be found. His clipboard still lays on the ground where he spiked it. Tanner sits on the bench, motioning for me to join him. We sit there in silence for a moment, watching the rest of the team gather their belongings before heading down the tunnel toward the locker room. He’s a great captain and teammate, so I feel like talking this out with him might be a good thing.
“My assistant just moved in with me.”
He looks at me, confusion taking over his features. “And that’s distracting you?”
“Yes. No. Yes,” I reply, running my hands down my face. “I don’t know.”
Tanner chuckles quietly next to me. “So, you’re attracted to her.”
Of course, I’m attracted to her. I have been since the moment she busted through my door hoping to find Maury Povich. But having her in my space all day, every day? That shit is a lot harder than I thought it would be. And the fact that I don’t know if she’s feeling it too is making me crazy. I know she was jealous at the boutique. I felt it radiating from her when I followed her into the alley. And I thought I saw it briefly pass over her expression again when she saw those women out by my pool the day she went grocery shopping.
“She’s gorgeous and fucking amazing,” I begin. “I know I shouldn’t be thinking about her as anything more than anemployee, but it’s hard when she walks around in next to nothing all the time. Or passing by the bathroom, knowing she’s naked in the shower with only a door separating us. I have a constant case of blue balls and there’s nothing I can do about it. I know she’s focused on trying to land a job at Tailgate Media, so maybe she’s oblivious to the way I look at her. Or maybe she’s purposely ignoring it because she doesn’t want me like that. Whatever it is, its fucking with me.”
He blows out a breath, thinking before he replies. “That sounds complicated, man. The way I see it, you have two choices. You can either let her know how you feel and hope she doesn’t react by packing her shit,”
I look up at him, hoping whatever’s behind door number two is better than confessing to Mads that I’m dying to put my hands and mouth all over her. “Or?” I say, hopefully.
“Or you keep things strictly business and move on. This city is full of women who would gladly take a ride on the Beckham Express. Why don’t you go fuck someone else and get your head back on straight?”
Abso-fucking-lutely not.
Even if I wanted to go find a random girl to hook up with, my dick isn’t on board. The only way I can even get hard anymore is to thoughts of Mads. Then I stroke myself, imagining her hand instead of my own, each orgasm more powerful than the last as I come, grunting her name every time. It’s all so fucking complicated. I should’ve never asked her to move in with me. But when she said she’d have to leave Boston, I panicked and said the first thing that popped into my head.
I got myself into this mess and I’m the only one who can get myself out.
“Yeah, maybe you’re right.” I lie. “Maybe I will go find someone else to get my mind off it.”
