Grid Iron Bad Boy: A Football Romance (3 page)

T
he four of
us empty out into the hallway, wordlessly standing around for a moment like we’re all trying to get our bearings. The door to Lauren’s room almost comes to a close when Mack swings it back open and joins us.

“Hey Bud, I’m going to stay here with your mother and sister tonight, so you’ll be staying with your grandmother. OK?” Mack looks past Chris and over at mom. “Is that all right with you Ruby?”

“Of course. I’ll put you in Chelsea’s old room. It’s no problem at all,” Mom answers, her smile wide.

“Sure,” Chris shrugs, “but when are you guys coming home?” He looks over to Mack.

“I don’t know yet. The doctors want to run a bunch of tests, just to be safe,” he holds up his hand to reassure us. “Everything is gonna be fine, they’ll let us know tomorrow when we can go.”

“There’s no rush,” Mom looks from Mack to Chris, “we’ll have fun, won’t we? If it takes a few days, we’ll just stop by to visit after Chris gets home from school, right?”

“Yeah, sure,” Chris agrees and breaks out in a yawn. It’s been an exciting night for him. He went out with the guys for an NFL game and came back to the emergency birth of his brand new sister. It’s weird, the whole thing has had the opposite effect on me. I’m so wired I’m not sure I’m even blinking properly.

Of course it doesn’t help that Cameron is standing less than a foot to my side. I can smell his musk, feel the heat of his arm next to mine. It makes me want to inhale him deep into my lungs. To breathe him like he’s the very oxygen I need to survive. But, that would probably be weird, right?

“Do you want to stay over tonight too, Chelsea?” Mom breaks into my thoughts.

“Hmmm?”

“You can spend the night too, if you want. Didn’t you come here in the ambulance?” She tethers me back to reality. I completely forgot that I didn’t drive here. The ambulance ride feels like a vague memory of a photograph I once saw, like it’s not a real moment I experienced.

“No, I’ve got to be up early for work and it doesn’t help me to be out at your place without my car,” I somehow make my tongue form functional sentences.

“I’ll drive you home,” Cameron grazes his fingers against my forearm and my eyes meet his. I’m lost in the deep blue of an autumn sky. His eyes are so beautiful. I know I’m staring, but I can’t seem to make myself look away.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” I give my fake protest, “I can just take a cab.”

“No, I’m driving you.” There’s no flexibility in his words.

“Thank you,” I look down at my feet. How does he make me feel so bold and so shy at the same time? One second I’m willing to declare he’s my husband and the next I can barely keep eye contact without being overwhelmed with butterflies. What am I? Twelve? I’ve got more game than this.

“Hey, Chelsea,” Mack grasps my shoulder and my eyes slide back up to meet his gaze, tears are lining his bottom lids. Suddenly my focus is sharp, my head clear. I’ve never seen Mack get upset in real life before. There was the one time on television when he finally admitted he needed help for his PTSD, but that feels like a lifetime ago now.

“Yeah?”

“I’m really proud of how you handled everything. I don’t want to think about how this all could’ve turned out without your quick thinking,” he takes an unsteady breath. “Thank you,” his voice warbles and tears spring up in my eyes.

I fight to keep them from welling up and spilling down my face. I’ve done enough crying tonight and this is a time for celebration, not tears. “Don’t thank me, I’m just happy we got here in time,” I answer honestly. Mack pulls me into his arms and gives me a quick squeeze.

“OK,” he pulls back from me and wipes the back of his hand over this eyes, “I’m going to see if Lauren needs anything. It sounds like you guys have everything sorted out, right?” His voice snaps back like a soldier coming to attention, the traces of emotion gone.

“We’re fine,” my mother reassures him. “Go take care of your girls,” she smiles. Mom gently places her hand on Chris’s arm and guides him down the hallway. Cameron and I silently follow her toward the exit.

When we step through the sliding doors into the darkness, she turns toward us, making us stop in our tracks. “Call me tomorrow, please, Chelsea. We can all come back together to see Honor and Lauren, sound good?” She nods at me, not waiting for my response. Instead, her wrinkled eyes settle on Cameron. “And thank you for everything, young man. You’ve been quite the help tonight.”

“I don’t think I’ve done much, really,” Cameron laughs. “If I helped, I’m happy I could.” He smiles back at her.

“Oh, I think you’re helping more than you know,” her eyes twinkle and she looks back at me.

Subtle Mom. Honestly. Why don’t you hang a sign around my neck saying “spinster”?

“Let’s go!” My words are too loud and my cheeks are too hot, but I don’t want to wait around to watch the part where my mother starts listing off my credentials like I’m something she’s trying to sell on Craigslist.

Mom gives me a knowing look and walks toward the parking lot with my nephew beside her. I follow Cameron over to the parking garage across the street. It isn’t long before he finds his cherry red BMW.

“Here she is,” he looks up at me like he expects my panties to instantly slide down my legs. I’ve never been a girl who gives a shit about cars, though.

“Cool,” I wait for him to unlock the doors.

Cameron’s eyebrows shoot up, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he opens the doors and slips inside. I’ll admit, sitting in this seat is like being cradled in a welcoming hug, but I can tell that Cameron gets enough compliments on his car. He doesn’t need one more girl spouting off about it.

“I don’t know about you,” Cameron turns the key in the ignition and the engine comes to life, “but I’m buzzing like I drank about eight red bulls. I could go home, but I ain’t getting to sleep anytime soon. How about you?”

He looks over at me and even in the dark, I can see the blue of his eyes. I force myself to form thoughts in my head beyond the ones where I’m lying naked in his arms. “I don’t think I can get to sleep either,” I answer cautiously. “What did you have in mind?”

I know Cameron’s reputation well. I might not be in university, but you don’t have to be to know that he’s the star athlete and I don’t just mean at football either. Cameron is a player in every sense of the word and despite that fact, I’m curious. OK, that’s a lie. I would love to know what it’s like to spend a night having him run plays on my body like he does on the field. However, I’m not that girl. I might talk a good game, but I think I could put a few nuns to shame with my dating record.

“Don’t you trust me?” His lips twitch into a smirk. “You think I’m trying to bring you back to my place to tire each other out?” He watches my face closely and I look away. I grab my seatbelt to try to give my eyes something else to focus on besides his smart mouth.

“No, I wasn’t saying that. Well, I mean, I…” I close my eyes and let my fingers find my belt buckle. How does he get me so flustered? He’s enjoying this. “I just wanted to know what you wanted to do. I’m sure most girls are happy to let you take them wherever, but…”

“But, you’re not most girls, huh?” I can feel him staring. I snap my buckle in place and find the strength to meet his eyes.

“No. I’m not.”

“Well, I do have an idea. And it might mean the two of us are up all night, underneath some blankets, alone. But it’s not what it sounds like. Do you trust me?”

“I do,” my lips spill the words before my brain has a chance to ruin this for me.

“Great,” there’s that smile again. Just the two of us under blankets all night, huh? I can’t imagine a world where that ends innocently, yet, even if it doesn’t, I don’t care. I want to go. I want to see where a night with Cameron leads.

He pulls out of the parking garage and the streetlights run jagged splinters of white light over the passenger window. My mind is swirling with questions. With scenarios. An alarming amount of them are without clothes. Yes, I’m ready to see where a night with Cameron leads. Every part of my body and soul are aching for the adventure.

Now, if I can just get my mind to stop overthinking every little thing, I might actually have some fun for once.

“
W
hoa
, wait a sec,” Chelsea stops fifteen feet short of the stadium entrance. “Are you gonna break-in or something? I thought we came here to take a walk around campus, not commit a felony,” she rests her small hands on her curvy hips and tilts her head to the side.

“I’m not breaking and entering.” I sneak a look around us to make sure we don’t have any spectators. “Come on, this will be better than some midnight campus tour, I promise.” I tug one of her hands off her hip and pull her toward me. Chelsea doesn’t dig her heels in or put up a fight. Her curiosity must be stronger than her fear. Or maybe her desire? If I was a betting man, and I am, I’d put my money on that one.

Chelsea follows me through the shadows to the door, her arm no longer stuck out like I’m her guide dog. Instead, her hand is relaxed in mine. I weave my fingers through hers like the lace in one of my footballs and lead her to the door.

Hidden under the overhang, I pull her into me. Her eyes widen and she gasps as her feet come to a sudden halt when her breasts press into my chest.

Looking down on her face, I fight the overwhelming urge to run my hand up her neck until my fingers tangle in her light brown locks and walk her back against the wall, locking her there with my lips crushed into hers.

No, patience pays off. Besides, I know damned well from the twitch of my cock that once I kiss her, I’m gonna want a lot more privacy than the overhang at the entrance will provide.

“What are you doing?” Her voice is breathy, like we just raced each other here from the car. I can see her pulse beating hard in the hollow of her neck. How I want to run my tongue over every inch of her soft caramel skin, exploring up her neck until my mouth discovers her earlobe, which I would give a sharp nip as my reward.

Restraint. Jumping the gun, or a lady before she’s ready, never pays off.

“I’m just getting you out of the light, see?” I nod above us to the beams of white light shining through the darkness, practically providing a spotlight on the place she just was.

I release her hand from my tight grasp and she puts a step between us. I notice she doesn’t move too far, I can still feel the heat radiating from her body as I reach overhead and pull the cover of the security code box open. My fingers quickly glide over the buttons from muscle memory and I wait until I hear the three distinctive short beeps before clutching the door handle and tugging it open for us.

Chelsea’s brown eyes slide from the open door to my face. I can’t tell if she’s surprised or impressed. Probably both.

“After you,” I hold the door for her.

“No way, you first,” she watches me closely.

I shrug and walk inside the stadium. Chelsea pauses, but follows me in.

“I told you I wasn’t breaking and entering,” I smile back over my shoulder at her as the door clicks shut behind us.

“I’m not even sure if that’s true,” she looks like she’s trying not to laugh. “It’s a pretty minor difference, I think.”

I know her type. The reserved, shy girl. The play it safe girl. I love fucking those girls. It’s amazing how the Sunday school teacher types are always the ones crying out to God the loudest when they’re riding my cock.

Sure enough, once I lead her to the stadium field, her disapproving tone is melted away by awe. I stop and enjoy the wonder spread over her face as her pink pout parts and she soaks in the view from the end zone.

I remember that feeling. The first time I stepped out onto this field as a freshman, realizing that I’d been saved from war so I could pursue my dream. I never regretted turning down my original scholarship to serve. Not even after my company was ambushed in Afghanistan.

However, when I finally stepped into this stadium and imagined the crowd, the cameras, the girls that all awaited me while I played a game that burned in my soul like your lungs burn for oxygen, well I knew without a doubt why I’d been spared from the attack.

Now, with only a couple seasons left and the draft on the horizon, I’ve been working harder than ever to keep my dream alive. To get into the NFL. I look back to Chelsea, surprised to see she’s staring right at me. I know that look. There’s a time to work hard and a time to play hard. Now it’s time to have a little fun.

“What do you think?” I sweep my hand across the empty stadium and can almost hear the intense roar of the crowd ripping through the empty space.

“It’s beautiful in here. Amazing, really.” She looks up toward the sky and almost stumbles as she twists her head back to capture the view.

“Isn’t it?” I don’t bother following her gaze. My eyes have already found beauty that burns brighter than any constellation. For a moment, Chelsea isn’t the only one who’s awestruck by the view. I’ve been with enough girls. Pretty, sexy, enthusiastic girls that could fill the pages of any magazine. But their faces have never stuck with me. Their features have always blurred in my mind like a memory of a childhood dream. How is it, that all those women I’ve seen naked don’t leave a mark, but Chelsea’s face has been seared in my mind since the first day we met? I know why. What I don’t know is: am I ready for her?

“Here, come this way,” I gently tug on her arm and lead her over to the player’s bench. “You can see the stars better,” I continue.

She sits beside me in a trance, her eyes still dancing across the sky. Chelsea leans in toward me and a shiver trembles down the length of her body. I’ve been known to make girls vibrate, but it’s usually after they have their clothes off.

“Don’t you find it cold?” She whispers.

“Cold?” I ask like the concept it foreign. It almost is. After playing and practicing in the frosty November air almost everyday, it just doesn’t affect you as much. “Here, just wait a sec,” I jump up from the bench and grab a blanket from the footlocker behind us. With a flip of the wrist, I parachute it out and tuck it in around us. She slides back up against me and I wrap my arm around her, pulling her up tight to my side.

Chelsea looks up at me and I remind myself that I told her I would be a gentleman as my eyes drift over her perfect, pink lips. I want to taste those lips, to explore her mouth. Then I want those lips to explore me, to be wrapped around my fat…”

“What are you thinking about?” Chelsea interrupts my thoughts and I snap out of the filthy fantasy forming in my head.

“Uhh, just tonight,” The words come slowly. “Just how crazy it’s been. You know, with the baby and everything.”

“Yeah,” she nods.

Good thing I’m not just quick on my feet when I’ve got a ball in my hands.

“You know the craziest part,” I continue, “was meeting up with you like this. I thought my night was ruined when we had to leave the Broncos game earlier,” I tell her truthfully. “I had no idea it was actually the beginning of something so amazing.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty incredible that everything worked out with Lauren and Honor,” Chelsea agrees.

“That too, but I was talking about being here with you.” She glances down at the blanket covering us bashfully, but then meets my gaze. I can feel the heat rushing through her body radiating off of her. Chelsea looks at my mouth, running her teeth over her bottom lip quickly.

Fuck restraint.

I hover over her, and she doesn’t look away. Chelsea wants me to kiss her as much as I’m aching to taste her. My lips softly press into her and she opens her mouth to me without hesitation. Our tongues dance like old lovers reunited. I run my hand up her back, sliding it up the back of her neck until my fingers intertwine in her long hair. I hold her hair in my fist and cup her chin with my other hand.

My hand looks so large against her bronze skin. I just hope my cock isn’t too large for her delicate frame. The idea of stripping her down and fucking her right here on the field makes my cock swell against my jeans.

Chelsea moans into my mouth. I knew it! I knew she’d be a noisy one. I slide my thumb over her cheek and down the side of her neck as I suck her bottom lip into my mouth, grazing my teeth across it. She moans again and throws her head back. Fuck, she’s hot.

But, instead of a passionate growl, she sobs. Tears slide down her face as she tries to choke back her cries.

Oh, shit.

“Hey, oh fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pressure you or anything” I slide back a little and run my hand over my neck, watching as she hunches over and covers her face with her hands. Her body shakes as tears drip from her hands.

“I’ve had a lot of reactions to my kisses, but I’ve never made a woman cry before,” I try to make a joke. A stupid joke. A useless string of words to take some of the awkwardness out of the moment, but it does nothing.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” I rest my hand on her shoulder. “Please, don’t cry.”

Chelsea takes a deep breath and slides her hands off her face. “It’s not you, oh my God, this is embarrassing. I’m, I’m…sorry,” her voice cracks and tears quickly stream down her face again.

“No, don’t be sorry. Are you all right? What’s going on?” If she’s not upset with me, then I’m at a loss here.

“It’s just…tonight…and everything that happened. And, I can’t,” her voice is a squeak laced in pain. I can see her fighting so hard to get her words out. I hate seeing her struggle like this.

“Hey, that’s OK. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. I’m not that kinda guy. It’s not like I’m gonna get mad at you or something.” I slide my hand over her shoulder and pull her back against my chest. Her breath and hot tears spill onto my jacket.

“No, it’s not that. I’m sorry Cameron. I feel so stupid!” She wipes her eyes with the backs of her hands. “I just can’t…” fresh tears spill in the place of the ones she wiped away. This time, I rub my thumb over her cheek, swiping them away.

“You can’t what?” I ask softly.

She swallows hard and looks up into my face. Beneath the sadness, the tears, the embarrassment, I see her pain.

“I can’t have children,” she whispers her confession.