Chapter 5 #2
Randy Nelson, our head trainer, ran onto the field with his medic bag. “Rowlings, are you okay? That was a nasty hit.” He crouched beside me. “What day is it?” He pulled a flashlight from his bag and shone it in my eyes. “Are you nauseous, or do you have a headache?”
“It’s Saturday and I’m fine. Just got my bell rung.” I snickered. I wouldn’t let him pull me from the game. “Help me stand?”
“Sure.” As he stood, he lifted me by my arm, and the stadium roared again. “You’re not playing until I assess you properly during halftime.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Thank God this hadn’t happened earlier. As I strolled toward the sideline with him, I glanced at Colton.
He gave me a thumbs-up as his lips quirked on one side.
With my heart warming, I nodded at him and smiled. He was worried about me. That much was clear.
Sara planted her hand on his cheek, turned his face toward hers, and then kissed him.
Under my breath, I said, “Fuck.” She wouldn’t leave him alone.
“You okay?” Randy asked, his hand gripping my arm at the elbow.
“Fucking great.” I peeked at Sara and Colton again. I had to see his reaction to her constant kisses.
Grabbing her arms, he pushed her away, his gaze turning hard.
That’s my boy. He was getting sick of her. Maybe there was hope for me yet. As I passed James at the bench, he held his fist up and I tapped it.
“Are you okay?” James pursed his lips.
“I’ll be fine. Nice pass.” I continued into the tunnel with Randy as an ache started behind my eyes. Fucking hell, I’d better be fine.
I shouldn’t have told Randy about the damn headache.
He’d pulled me from the game, and we’d lost to Houston, trailing by two touchdowns at the end.
I had to sit and watch the rest of the game from the bench.
At least Sara had settled down and not kissed Colton as much.
Maybe he’d told her to stop. He didn’t seem like someone who enjoyed public displays of affection, no matter who it was.
After the game and a quick shower, I drove home to rest until I could see the team doctor on Monday, while Malik and Grey stayed behind for the post-game rituals.
I parked my truck on the street in front of the house and ambled inside.
I was pretty sure I didn’t have a concussion.
Randy was just being extremely careful. There’d been no other symptoms since the initial headache.
I threw my duffel into my bedroom and then strolled to the couch and sat down. I couldn’t sleep because the loss still had me too wound up. My phone buzzed in the pocket of my joggers, and I slipped it out.
Colton
Are you okay?
With a smile tugging my lips, I tapped my screen.
Tex
Yes. Our trainer took me out as a precaution against a concussion, but I’m pretty sure I’m don’t have one. It’s standard procedure. They don’t mess around with head injuries.
Should I ask him about his date? I bit my thumbnail, watching the three dots blink on my screen.
Colton
Oh, good. When will you know for sure?
Tex
I see the team doc on Monday, and he’ll reassess me then.
Colton
Is there anything I can do for you?
Warmth spread through my chest. I’d love to invite him over, but his date tonight made it weird. Wait, did this mean he wasn’t with Sara anymore?
Tex
Aren’t you with Sara?
Colton
No, I took her home after the game. Can you let me know what the doctor says on Monday?
As my heart fluttered, I smiled again. I had to talk frankly with him and ask him out. There was no question about it now.
Tex
I’ll let you know, maybe over a study session on Monday afternoon? Are you free?
I wasn’t sure I needed one, but this was a way for me to see him. Gnawing my lip, I waited for his answer. I’d like to see him tomorrow, but I should rest.
Colton
Yes, I’m free after four. Does that work?
Tex
Yes, see you then.
I’d spent Sunday relaxing at home and cooking for Malik and Grey, and then on Monday, the team doc cleared me.
He’d thought I hadn’t gotten a concussion after all, which was what I’d suspected.
I’d gone to my classes and reviewed the material for my business analytics class through the rest of the semester.
Maybe tonight I’d get my questions out of the way so I could stop seeing Colton as a tutor.
As I stepped up the stairs to his apartment, his door swung open. He stood on the entry in a blue polo, the top buttons undone, and his gray shorts hung low on his hips. “Travis? What’s the word from the doctor?” His brows creased.
Damn, he’d been worried. Warmth cradled my heart. I liked this. Grabbing his hand, I stopped him. He didn’t pull away. This was a good sign.
He squeezed my hand. “Well?” His gaze searched my face.
“I’m fine. No concussion.” Could I kiss him? I leaned in and stopped as his amazing green eyes grew wide. No, we had to talk first. I pulled him into his apartment and freed his hand as I dropped my backpack on the floor by the dinette.
“Good.” He rubbed his palms together. “Can I get you a Gatorade?” He hurried into his kitchen.
Shit, had I scared him off? Maybe I shouldn’t have held his hand? “Sure.” I tugged my athletic shirt over the top of my shorts and dropped onto the end of his couch.
He returned with my drink and a bottled water for himself. “Where’s your laptop?” He sank in beside me.
Unscrewing the cap on my drink, I inhaled deeply. “I thought we could catch up first.” I had to make sure he’d stopped dating Sara before I did anything.
“Okay.” He dipped his head as his brows furrowed. “What, uh, what did you do yesterday?” He sipped his water.
“Nothing. I was supposed to rest, and so that’s what I did.
” I pursed my lips. “Except I studied some. I looked ahead on the coursework for this analytics class.” I peered at him as my chest grew tight.
Why did it feel like I was about to fire him as a tutor?
“I needed to clarify some points and then I might…uh…” I couldn’t say it.
“You might what?” He raised his brows, inching closer to me.
“Nothing.” Fuck… “How was your date with Sara?” I drank my Gatorade. I wanted to appear nonchalant about this.
“It was fine. She’s very…well, affectionate in public. I’m not like that.” He twisted his bottle between his thighs.
That wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear. “Was it better than you expected?” My chest pinched, and I held my breath. Asking him on a date might not be a good idea today.
He tucked his lower lip under his teeth and then rocked once. “No, it wasn’t.”
“Will you be dating her again?” I tightened the grip on my Gatorade bottle as my heart about stopped. This was it.
Shaking his head and in a soft voice, he said, “No.” He winced. “I haven’t told her that yet.” His gaze rose to mine. “It’s hard. I think she really likes me.”
Jesus, fuck. I blew out a long breath. “Okay. But if you don’t like her…” I shifted closer to him, my gaze locking on his plump lips, my pulse hammering. This was crazy. He was queer, I knew he was. No straight guy looked at a gay man this way.
As his brows wrinkled, his breath quickened. “I think I like…” Licking his lips, he leaned in, his mouth brushing mine, tentative at first, questioning, and then with a deep groan, he pressed his mouth hard against mine.
I grabbed the back of his head with one hand and his chin with the other, holding him in place as I snuck my tongue between his lips, our mouths crushed together.
Holy fuck, he kissed me. I figured I’d kiss him first. He tasted sweet and minty.
Had he eaten mints before I came over? Had he planned this?
As I savored him, slanting my mouth over his and kissing him again and again, my cock lengthened toward my hip and heat shivered across my skin.
“Oh, fuck.” I nibbled his chin and the column of his neck.
Tilting his head back, he gasped and skimmed his hand along my chest and then teased my nipple through the thin fabric of my shirt.
Hell, he wasn’t straight. No straight guy would play with my nipples. As I sucked his earlobe into my mouth, I slid my hand down his taut abs and cupped his balls. His hard cock stood tall inside his shorts, and it pulsed against my hand. I moaned against his cheek, seeking his mouth again.
Rocking his hips, he rubbed his dick on my palm and then halted, pushing my hand away. “Stop, Tex, Travis, uh, stop.”
I straightened and set my hand on my thigh, my gaze creeping to his. My balls ached something fierce. He turned me on like no one else. “What’s wrong?” He’d started this.
“We can’t…I can’t do this.” He buttoned his polo shirt and shifted away from me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” Hanging his head, he threaded his fingers through his bangs and pulled on them. “This is unprofessional. I’m your tutor.”
“You don’t have to be my tutor after today.
Let’s knock out a few tasks and then I’ll fire you, so we’re free to do whatever we want.
” It seemed like a perfect solution to me.
Lifting the corner of my mouth, I adjusted my still hard cock and slid close to him again, setting my arm along the back of the couch.
His gaze found mine, dark with need. “I still can’t.” His gaze fell to my lips, my chest, and then focused on my cock, outlined in my athletic shorts. His breath hitched, and he looked away. “I can’t.”
What the hell? Obviously, he wanted me as much as I wanted him. “Why? Because of Sara? You aren’t exclusive with her, right? You only went on one date.” I crept closer to him, and our bare knees touched.
“No, not because of Sara. Because…because of me.” He hopped off the couch and paced across his room. “I don’t hook up with guys anymore. I stopped all that.” After marching into his kitchen, he planted his hands on the island counter and hung his head.
I rose and ambled toward him. I wasn’t the first guy he’d been with. Had he only hooked up with guys? As I stepped up behind him, I placed my hand on his shoulder. “Talk to me, Colton.”
He jumped and twisted around, his ass hitting the counter’s edge. “Listen, I like you, I really do, but I can’t be with a guy. My dad…he wouldn’t be okay with it.” As his gaze fell to my mouth, his throat dipped.
“You’re not out to your dad.” I shrugged. There had to be more to this story. “Your dad is in New York State, right?” I wasn’t asking him to come out to his father. Hell, this thing between us might not get past Christmas for all I knew. “You don’t have to tell him.”
He scratched his forehead and nodded slowly.
“I’m bisexual. I know that. When I…after my mom passed, I started fooling around with guys.
It helped take the pain away. But it was one of the behaviors, the unhealthy behaviors, I acted on.
I was out of control, and I can’t let it happen again.
I can’t.” As his gaze met mine, his eyes glistened, and he sniffled.
I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him to my chest. “So, it doesn’t really concern your dad at all. Being with a guy is something you associate with losing control.” He had constructed a careful persona to keep himself from spiraling.
He trembled as he melted against me and hooked his arms around my waist. With his voice cracking, he said, “Yeah, guess so.”
I kissed the top of his hair and brushed my hand down his back. “You know, we have an LGBTQ help center here. My friend Eli used to work on it. You could talk to someone there.” This had not gone the way I’d imagined.
“Fuck…” With a ragged sigh, he lifted his head and, standing on his tiptoes, said, “Kiss me again, Tex. Please. I need it.” His darkened gaze searched my face, his lips red and swollen.
“Are you sure?” I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on his mouth, and he yielded to me, slipping his tongue against my own.
With a whimper, he lowered his hands to my ass and tugged our dicks together. As he rocked his hips, he rutted against me.
Yeah, he was sure. I gasped and claimed him in searing kisses. Sensation shivered up my spine, and my cock ached. I’d let him lead the way, but holy fuck, I needed to get off.
Slipping his hands between us, he lowered the band of my shorts and underwear and then gave my cock a few long, slow pulls.
“Oh, fuck.” I panted against his cheek, rocking into his palm as pleasure burst inside me. I wanted to get him off too. “Can I…can I touch you?”
“Please do.” He shuddered against me and stroked harder, faster.
After unfastening his shorts, I freed his thick cock and tugged it. His precum slicked my palm, and I rubbed my thumb across the crown.
“Oh, my God.” His knees buckled and his mouth dropped open.
I pulled him up, pressing his ass against the counter. “Do you want to lie down somewhere?” I didn’t want him to fall. Capturing his mouth in a heated kiss, I groaned.
With a quick shake of his head, he said, “N-no. I’m close.” He spat in his hand, moved mine away and then wrapped both our cocks in his, thrusting against me. “Are you close, Tex?”
As sensation rocketed to the edge, I said, “Yes, this is doing it for me. Hell, you do it for me.” I pressed a solid kiss on his mouth as he gasped. I’d kiss him through his orgasm.
His body trembled as he pumped our dicks and rutted, the heat of his cock spiraling pleasure through me, curling my toes.
As his body shuddered, he pulled from my lips and gasped, and then hot cum spurted between us, coating his hand and my dick.
“Oh, fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.” His face tensed and his eyes fluttered shut.
I watched him squirm with release as my climax hit with a vengeance, shooting sparks through my body.
“Coming, Colton. Keep going. Faster.” Panting, I leaned over, my stomach tensing with each spasm, and pressed my cheek against his, my fingers digging into his hips.
As it slowed, I fought to catch my breath.
What happened? Was I dreaming? If I were, I didn’t want to wake up.