Love Unexpected (22 page)

I pulled on my helmet and ran plays with my teammates. I felt the atmosphere change. We had back-to-back games next week. Adrenaline was pumping around the locker room and during practice. We were ready.

The heat, however, I was not ready for. I sweat more than a pig in this 90 plus-degree weather.

My football gear stuck to my skin in this heat. I didn’t mind it one bit. I was here, doing what I loved to do.

During a 5-minute break, I glanced around the field. I saw a bunch of girls by the bleachers. They were always there, wearing some sort of skimpy outfits. College groupies. My teammates would probably meet up with them after practice.

After practice, I stayed behind with coach to discuss strategies for the upcoming games. A loud whistle interrupted our conversation, followed by John’s booming voice, “Z has a lady visitor!”

Huh? Why the hell would he need to announce that? Girls were around practice all the time. Some of them even enthusiastically painted their bodies with # 1 Fans. John usually didn’t make a big fuss out of it.

I excused myself from Coach and turned around.

Wait, was that Sedona?

About 50 yards away, on the sidelines, John was standing next to a familiar figure of a lady who was wearing a cap, sleeveless top, shorts and tennis shoes. My heart did a flippity-flop thing when I recognized her.

I waved at her and turned my attention back to Coach. We talked shop for another 10 minutes and then, I scooted off the field.

As I got closer to her, I realized she was wearing sunglasses. Her lips were smiling and her boobs jiggled when she waved. Damn, my woman was fine!

I pulled off the helmet off of my head and grinned. Her eyes lit up. She looked like she definitely missed me.

“Hey babe.” She stood almost a foot away from me.

It was hot and I was sweaty as hell. As much as I wanted to hug her, I badly needed a shower. She could faint from my stink.

I pointed at my sweaty uniform and said, “Give me a few minutes to clean up, k? I really stink!”

Her lips turned up. “Alright.”

I suggested for her to stay in the shade. A couple of girls eyed her. Sedona was new to my scene. She probably didn’t know about groupies. I’d have to explain it to her later.

As I turned my back to her to get in the shower as quickly as possible, she called out, “Babe?”

I retraced my steps and looked at her, “Yeah?”

Her mouth was gaping, “When…when, did you get that tattoo?” She pointed to the condor tattoo underneath my right arm. 

My eyes went from my tattoo to her face, “Umm, a while ago.”

She had rested her sunglasses on top of her hair. I saw the shock and surprise in her eyes, “Oh my god! It was you. You cut in front of me and bought me coffee!” She put her hands to her mouth.

What the hell was she talking about? What coffee?

Realization dawned on me, “You were the girl I cut in front of? Months ago?”

She nodded.

Whoa. Small, small world.

Sweat trickled down my forehead. When sticky sweat started to drip like water, it made the sweat smell 10 times worse. I really needed to get in the shower.

“Babe, you owe me coffee then,” I smiled wickedly at her.

Her eyes twinkled, with a laugh, “Excuse me? You’re the one who cut in front of me,” she laughed, “I do, however, might theoretically, owe you $6.50; my coffee was only $3.50.”

With that, she turned her back from me and walked sassily to the bench. Damn, did I say my woman was fine?

Sedona

I owed him coffee?

Yeah, right.

He looked so happy to see me. I missed him. We talked every day, but it was different.

He must have really smelled; otherwise, he would have stolen a hug or a kiss already. He even cringed when he lifted his shirt as if to emphasize that he really stunk.

Unbelievable.

He was the line-cutter.

I wasn’t mad at him,
anymore
. He did pay for my coffee. Still, I should let him pay for cutting in line. 

Fair was fair.

All thoughts of line-cutting, coffee, and revenge flew across the football field the minute I saw him walk towards me wearing a white shirt, jeans, and a grin. I was instantly cocooned in his arms and he was kissing me hungrily. 

My body was putty to his ministrations. God, I missed his smell, his presence.

“Babe, you still want to go to Crabby’s?” he asked.

I lifted my eyes to his. He pulled me to his side as his smirking teammates passed us by. I’ve met most of them by now.

I tilted my head up, mouthed, “No” against his cheek. He just kissed the top of my head and sniffed me.
Sniffed?

To John and a bunch of other guys, he called out, “Hey guys, Sedona and I are gonna split. We’re not going to make it to Crabby’s tonight.”

I grinned against the crook of his arm. We definitely needed some alone time tonight.

The guys let out a bunch of hoots and threw out a couple of raunchy jokes. Zander lifted a hand; I had a feeling he was raising a particular finger at them.

He was still chuckling as we walked towards the parking lot, “Did you drive here?” His hands were starting to get sweaty entwined in mine.

“Yeah.”

“You want to go to my place or yours? We can just order take out or something,” his voice was thick. His hands were now traveling up my spine.

I peered at him, “Hey, I still haven’t forgotten that you cut in front of me, in that coffee shop.” He thought he could get away that easily. Think again, Mister.

“I know,” he gave me an apologetic look, “I’m sorry. I was rude. I was really late for finals that day. If I’d known somehow that you were the girl behind me, I’d probably say ‘screw the final’.”

I slapped his arm lightly, “Whatever. You still have to make amends for that.”

We were now standing in front of his car, he propped me against the driver’s side door, lifted my chin and gave me a playful smirk, “I’m at your command, baby. You can give me whatever punishment you want. Tonight.”

My body was under his command. Every. Single. Time.

I reached up to caress his jaw, “Oh, I’m definitely going to make you pay. Now, bring me to my car. I’m parked at 4B. We can continue this at your place.”

His eyes turned a deeper blue, “Yes, ma’am. Your wish is definitely my command.”

The lines blurred on who was actually in command that night, once we were sprawled and sated in his bed. I spent a lot of time exploring his tattoo and the many, many grooves of his body. He definitely paid up.
Big time.

Later that night, as we lay pressed onto each other’s side in bed, I asked him, "Is there a special reason why you have that tattoo?" I couldn’t believe I didn’t notice it before today.  Maybe it was because his arm or his other body parts were usually iced, bandaged, or immobilized. Just the added perks of being a football player.

"Yes," his hooded gaze settled on mine, "I'm just not ready to tell you right now.” He ran his fingers softly though my hair. It was comforting.
 

"Ok," my ey
es shone with understanding.
 

He delved deeper into my eyes, his finger grazed my lips. "Have you ever seen a
condor in flight?" he asked.
 

"No."
 

"I have," his breath slightly caught in his throat, "many, many times. There are tons of condors along the California coast. You just have to
be able to pick them out, from the other flock of birds. A condor in flight is spectacular. It's wild. Free."
 

His finger was joined by another finger; he lightly touched the bottom of my chin. "This tattoo is a symbol of someone special to me. Very special."
 

My thoughts betrayed me.
 

"Not an ex-girlfriend, babe," with a hint of grin on his face, the corners of his eyes crinkled. 

Was he a mind reader?

*****

How I managed to actually do things in between classes was a mystery. Zander liked to text. A lot.  It didn’t mean I had to answer, but he was so irresistible. He was always on my mind when he wasn’t with me in person.

Case in point, I was at the computer lab prepping for NCLEX. It was 2:15 PM, he was supposed to be in class. 

Zander: Hey hot stuff

Me: Hey stuff

I purposefully omitted the “hot”

Zander: Haha, where u at?

Me: Computer lab

Zander: Surfing the web?

Me: No, doing NCLEX Practice questions

NCLEX was the nursing board exams. I have been preparing for this since sophomore year.

Zander: Ooohh, Serious stuff

Me: Yeah

Zander: K, just wanna say, I miss my girl

Me: Ur silly. Aren’t u in class?

Zander: Yeah

Me: Pay attention, stop texting

Zander: I’m paying attention to u. Ur hotter than Prof. Blanks

Me: What class do you have?

Zander: Integrated Building Systems 3

Me: Now, ur making me hot

Zander: Really?

I had no idea what Integrated Building Sytems was. But it sounded cool.

Me: J/K, what time is ur class over?

Zander: 4:30 then practice

Me: Pay attention to ur teacher

Zander: I’d rather talk to u than listen to him

Me: How will u learn?

Zander: I’ll learn. I’ll ask for notes from Jen and read my books

Jen? Who was Jen? Was she one of his gaggle of female fans? Did he flirt with her to get

the notes? Insecurity crept up in me. I’ve never met any of his female friends or classmates.

Zander: U there?

Me: Yeah

Zander: K…what’s wrong?

Why did he have to be so smart? From a text, he knew something was wrong.

Me: Who’s Jen?

Zander: One of my Arch classmates

Me: What does she look like?
 

Zander: Blonde

Of course, she’s blonde. Probably pretty too.

Me: Is she pretty?

Zander: I dunno

Me: What do you mean u don’t know? She’s either pretty or ugly

Zander: Or