By His Play

54. Kieran

54

KIERAN

A ll week, all I’ve wanted to do is jump in my car and drive back to the city to her.

Whenever I’m away, I miss her. But this is different.

Now, I really know what I’m missing.

My dick aches just like it has done all week, but as much as I want to wrap my hand around it and find a release, I don’t. Instead, I ignore it as I shower, readying for my last morning with this group of kids before I head home to my girl.

My girl…

Fuck. I really hope that’s true by the time the sun sets tonight.

It’s terrifying, and every time I think about it, anxiety knots my insides, but it’s right.

I know it is.

Effie Campbell was made for me. I refuse to let fear ruin this for us anymore than we already have.

She wants to talk first, and as frustrating as that is, I can’t help but agree.

I need to tell her what I want.

I need to tell her all the thoughts that have been in my head recently, and not just the dirty ones.

I need to go out on a limb and hope like hell she’s on the same page.

If she’s not…

No. I refuse to even consider that as an option.

My watch buzzes and I glance down, but I don’t pay any attention to the email that just came through; all I see is the time. How many hours I’ve got until I can see her.

With a groan, I finish off my shower, my dick taunting me the entire time.

“Soon,” I mutter. “Real fucking soon.”

I arrive at the camp staff room early. It’s hardly a surprise, seeing as I was awake long before dawn. Early starts are normal for me, but add the anticipation for tonight and it was almost impossible to relax.

I make myself a coffee before sinking into one of the couches.

Pulling my cell free, I ignore all my notifications and open my messages.

My conversation with Effie opens immediately, and I scan through the conversation we had last night, my blood heating with the suggestions I made for what I want to do to her tonight.

Kieran: Good morning beautiful. I hope you got a good night’s sleep…

Effie: Hey handsome. Can’t say I did. Someone filled my head with all these dirty thoughts and I tossed and turned all night.

Kieran: You really shouldn’t be conversing with such men.

Effie: It’s too late. I’ve been corrupted.

Kieran: Dirty whore.

I smirk as I imagine her sitting at her desk, already squirming in her seat.

Spreading my legs wider to give my semi a little more space, I glance at the door. The temptation to leave already is almost too much to ignore.

If I did, I’d be with her by lunch.

I could surprise her in her office again, but this time, I’d crawl under her desk and eat her out as she continued with her day.

I groan, attempting and failing to stop my dick from reacting to the vivid image in my head.

I’ve got a fucking problem, and only fucking my girl is going to fix it.

Kieran: Can’t fucking wait to see you.

Effie: Table is booked for six-thirty.

A laugh tumbles from my lips.

So naive, my little lucky charm.

So fucking naive.

Effie: I’ve got a meeting. Have fun this morning, and drive safe x

Kieran: I’ll drive slow and safe if you ride me hard and fast later…

A laugh bursts out of me when she replies with three angel emojis. Innocent and angelic, my ass. She’s right; I’ve well and truly corrupted her.

“Everything okay?” Jamie asks when he joins me.

After Brax bailed on this trip, Jamie agreed to come and attempt to impart some knowledge to the future generation.

He might be a grumpy motherfucker most days, but he’s fantastic with the kids. And they all love him. He doesn’t usually let anyone near him—most of the team included—and even at a young age, I think the kids realize what a privilege it is to get to know him.

“Everything is great, man,” I say, unable to contain the wide smile that spreads across my face.

“Fuck. You look entirely too happy,” he muses as he stalks toward the coffee machine.

“What’s there not to be happy about? It’s Friday, the sun is shining, we’re about to go and play ball with some of the most talented kids in the country and?—”

“You’re getting laid tonight?” he finishes for me.

Have I talked a little too much about my plans with Effie this evening? Quite possibly.

“Here’s hoping. What about you? Nailed down any plans?”

While I might be able to say that Jamie is one of my closest friends, I don’t entirely know him all that well. He doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve like Brax. And he very much keeps his personal life to himself.

“Nah, probably just have a quiet one at home.”

“Wild,” I tease.

He shrugs, not giving a fuck what I think. I admire that about him. He’s unashamedly himself. He doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do, and he sticks to his guns.

I might still be early in my NFL career, but already it’s obvious that quite a few players could learn a thing or two from guys like Jamie.

Having used all the words he wanted to this morning, he drops onto the couch opposite me and focuses on his cell.

Getting the hint, I go back to mine.

I reply to my brothers and my mom, who have all messaged me, before diving into my inbox.

Effie would have a coronary if she were to see the number sitting on top of the app.

I reply to my agent, and I’m busy reading through something from Henry at KC Foundation when Jamie suddenly announces that we need to move out.

Abandoning the email, I jump to my feet and follow him to the field. The sooner we get this game done, the sooner I can be heading back to Chicago to my girl.

Thankfully, the second the whistle blows to begin the final game of the week, time seems to speed up.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Football is my second-best distraction in life. Effie, or more specifically, sex with Effie is in the number one position.

Jamie and I bark orders from the sidelines as the teams we’ve been training this week go head-to-head in their final battle.

Both of our quarterbacks call some epic plays as we stand there watching like proud fathers.

As much as I want to continue watching them play, I’m ready for the final whistle to blow. These kids are all heading home this afternoon. I really hope they’re proud of everything they’ve achieved during their time here. If they can take it with them and implement even one thing into their teams at home, then it’ll have been worth it.

The second the game is over, my team—the winners—set their sights on me and run at full speed.

I make a show of trying to outrun them, but ultimately, I allow them to wrestle me to the ground before they pile on top of me.

Once we’ve finished celebrating, the entire camp turns their attention on me, including the coaches, and I have little choice but to stand up and say something.

I know these camps are my babies, but they wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for all the people standing around me. They deserve so much more credit than me for all the work they do to make them happen.

I had a dream, just like the kids before me do, and I didn’t stop until I achieved it. Hell, I’m still trying to achieve everything.

While the players of the future may look at Jamie and me and think we’ve got everything, we’re both striving for more. That’s the thing about being a professional athlete. Nothing is ever good enough. We always want to achieve more, to be better.

By the time I say goodbye to the staff and once again thank them for everything they do, Jamie and I grab our bags and head for his car.

The moment my ass hits his passenger seat, I pull my cell out and shoot Effie a message.

Kieran: I’m coming for you, Luck…

My message is delivered, but it doesn’t show as read.

Irrationally annoyed that I’m not her main focus right now, I drop my cell into my lap and stare out as Jamie follows the GPS to take us home.

We chat away about camp and football news we’ve heard recently, but we don’t dive into anything too deep or personal. Jamie never does. It makes me curious as fuck to know who he really is, but apparently, we’re not close enough for me to have that privilege.

This life can suck you dry if you put too much out for everyone to take. But we’re not the public or even the press; it’s okay to open up to teammates. After all, we fucking get it.

We’re about an hour out when I unlock my cell again and go back to the email I abandoned earlier. It’s nothing very exciting, and after reading through the plans for Q1 of next year, I go through a load of others that are awaiting my attention.

When I get bored, I open up Instagram. I figure I can get a bit of an Effie fix before I get to see her in person. She doesn’t post much on her page, but there is enough to get me through.

Only, I don’t get to her page; I don’t even get a chance to look at my notifications, because the first picture that comes up on my feed has me blinking in disbelief.

No.

Ripping my eyes from the image, I read the caption.

Our teams aren’t the only ones trading players in the off-season.

Fury races through my veins as I look up again.

Effie never told me what she was doing last night. She teased me about going on a date, but I took it as a joke.

I thought she was taunting me.

I didn’t think she was serious and was going to be out in public, kissing my teammate.