Chapter 18 #2
“Yeah?” I rested my cheek against his chest, facing him. “It seems like every time we have sex, it gets better and better.” I wasn’t sure if it was knowing he loved me or me topping him that had been so mind-blowing.
“Like everything with you—better and better.” Surrounding me in his arms, he kissed my head. “God, I love you, Colton. So much.”
My heart almost burst with emotion. “I love you, Tex, and I’m so happy you’re staying the night. I couldn’t let you leave after what we just did. I’d make you stay no matter what.” I was almost ready to let the entire world know he was mine. As my dick softened, it slipped from his ass.
“Uh-oh, I don’t want to leak on your bed.” He pushed me off him, rolled to the side, and then as he stood, a blob of cum dribbled down his thigh. “Damn it.”
I rested on my side, propped on an elbow. “Now I understand how you thought that was hot on me. It’s just as hot on you.” I chuckled and then hopped out of bed. “Let’s clean up and snuggle in bed.”
“Hell yes.” He grabbed my hand and led me into my bathroom.
The next morning, I fluttered my eyes open. Tex’s warm body pressed against my back, and he wound his arm around my rib cage. We’d spooned all night, and it had been heavenly. I’d never slept with someone all night before. I could get used to it.
“Hey,” he said in a groggy voice and then pressed a kiss against the back of my shoulder. “Do you have breakfast food here?”
“Of course. Do you think I don’t eat breakfast or something?
” With a snicker, I rolled onto my back in his arms and met his gaze—his blond hair mussed and blue eyes still sleepy.
I might not have everything he was used to.
Did he eat a lot of protein in the morning?
“I have some eggs, oatmeal and pancake mix.”
“Perfect. We’ll have eggs and pancakes.” With a quick kiss on my lips, he grinned and climbed out of bed. “I’ll have to get home to prepare for today’s game, but let’s have a nice breakfast first.” He slipped his briefs and jeans up.
“I’m not complaining.” Too bad his morning agenda hadn’t included blowjobs. But maybe we could fit them in after we ate. My morning erection jerked as I slipped a fresh pair of underwear and sweats up my legs.
Tex prepared breakfast while I helped, and then we sat down to eat along with having coffee and orange juice to drink.
After pouring syrup on his pancakes, he plucked his phone from the table.
“Oh, shit, Malik got my text this morning. He’s giving me crap about getting drunk the night before a game. ”
“Oh yeah, you’re not supposed to drink.” I cut into my pancakes. I hadn’t thought of that when I’d purchased the wine and beer. But then, it was a holiday. Were they really expected to go without? It was bad enough they didn’t have time to visit their families.
“Yeah, I’m sure he had a few last night too.
It’s the last game of the regular season.
Technically, the rules forbid drinking the night before a game, but most of the guys will have a few beers.
” He typed on his phone. “The problem is, I told him I was drunk enough that I couldn’t drive home. ” He arched a brow at me.
“Oh.” I ate a bite of my fried egg. Did it matter anymore if they knew about us? We were so close to the end of the semester. “Tex, how about we tell them the truth about us?”
“What, now?” His brows flew up.
With a shrug, I said, “Maybe not today, but how about tomorrow? It’s something we should do in person.” We had been lying to them all this time. They deserved proper, in-person explanations. “Plus, I want to meet them.”
“Uh, okay, but they have this stupid double date to go on tomorrow.” He set his phone down and sipped some juice.
“I told you about that, right? Grey’s father set him up with this New York City socialite, and she wants him and Malik to take her and a friend out shopping at Kierland and then to dinner at Ocean Club tomorrow.
These girls will attend the game tonight too. ”
“Ocean Club? Isn’t that incredibly expensive?” How could college students afford that? I ate a bite of pancake.
“Yes, but Grey’s father is paying for it all. His father is the head of Moore Enterprises, a high-end financial firm.” Shaking his head with a huff, he said, “Shit, I don’t know.”
How would I feel if I had to watch Tex date a woman? Shit, he’d had to watch me do that. I pursed my lips. But we hadn’t been officially together. “How will they pull this off?”
He tsked. “I don’t know. I think it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Those two are in love. I know they are, but they’re still trying to say they’re friends with benefits.
” He rolled his eyes. “I call bullshit.” He stabbed his egg and stuffed it into his mouth.
“Anyway, let me see what the situation is on Sunday and maybe we can plan it then.”
“Okay. I could come to your house for our regular study session too. I have a therapy appointment on Monday evening.” After sipping my coffee, I ate more pancakes, thinking things through.
“You know, Tuesday might be a better option. Then I’ll have another therapy session under my belt, and I might feel more confident about this. ”
“Okay, babe, whatever you want.” With a warm grin, he squeezed the back of my neck. “There’s no need to rush anything.”
My father…I hadn’t thought to check my messages.
I picked up my phone, resting next to my plate, and checked it for messages.
Nothing. As my heart sank, I set the device down.
“My dad never called me back. Maybe it was a long night, and he didn’t see my message.
” It wouldn’t surprise me if he’d gotten too drunk to notice it.
He squeezed my forearm. “I’m sure you’ll hear from him today.”
“Yeah, we’ll see.” Sometimes it took days before he’d return my call.
After enticing Tex with a round of quick blowjobs before he left, we’d said our goodbyes with a solid plan for me to meet his roommates on Tuesday evening. I’d finished the draft for my thesis, so I spent some time refining and editing it before I had to leave for the game. Evan was picking me up.
We parked at the stadium and filed in with the rest of the students, alumni and fans. I gazed at the clear, dark sky overhead, lit by the field lights. The brisk air threatened to penetrate my jacket. Maybe I should have dressed warmer.
“Beer?” Evan strolled toward the line for the concession stand and rubbed his palms together. “It’s cold tonight.”
“Yeah, I wonder how the players stay warm when they’re not on the field?” I stepped in line with him.
“They have their ways, believe me.” He strolled toward the counter. “Tell me about your Thanksgiving with Tex?”
Warmth tingled through my face. “Oh, we uh…” Shuffling, I stuffed my hands into my pockets. “We confessed our love, and I met his parents over FaceTime.” I eyed him. “And I’ll meet his roommates on Tuesday.”
“Holy shit, man, that’s awesome.” He gave me a quick hug. “It’s about time. So, I guess you’re not hiding it anymore?”
“Basically, no. I’m still tutoring him until next week, so I can’t just hang out with him as boyfriends on campus. But after that, I can.” As my heart lifted, my lips pulled into a wide grin. “We’re working it out so I can go to Austin for part of Christmas break.”
“Cool. Austin is a fun city. Will you party on Sixth Street?” He ordered two beers for us from the counter and then paid. “You get the next one.” He handed me a beer in a plastic cup.
“I don’t know, maybe.” As we strolled toward the section holding our seats, I sipped my beer. “His ex, Dante, works at a bar there, so probably.” I followed him down the stairs and sidestepped along our row to our seats.
He dropped into a seat and then said, “When will you tell your dad?” He drank some beer and his attention drew to the field as the national anthem started. “Oh, shit.”
We both stood, hands on our hearts, while a woman sang the national anthem.
As fireworks shot from the corners of the field, ASU’s football team streamed onto the grass, the announcers calling the names of the players while the crowd went wild.
“Tex Rowlings, Offensive Guard.” Tex exploded onto the field, pumping his arms in the air and twisting around, his gaze finding us. He saluted and then jogged toward the sideline.
Warmth cradled my heart. Somehow, that stunning man loved me. Me. “I don’t know when I’ll tell my dad.” I’d wait it out as long as I could. “I’ll have to work out a plan with my therapist. He keeps telling me about PFLAG, but I don’t see my dad doing that.”
We returned to our seats as U of A took the field, a smaller crowd cheering for them.
“Has your therapist suggested including your dad in some of your therapy sessions?” He focused on me. “When I spoke with Lucas and Ezra over Thanksgiving, they told me that Ezra’s mother is doing that with him, and it’s helped a lot.”
“Yeah?” I drank more beer. “He mentioned it but hasn’t pushed. I think we need to plan my coming out to Dad first.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk about this anymore. “The game is starting.” While holding my beer glass, I pointed an index finger toward the field.
U of A kicked the ball, and ASU’s special teams caught it and took a knee at their thirty-yard line.
After halftime, we led with a score of fourteen to three. Tex had done a fantastic job blocking, and the team had switched from a passing game to a running game, according to Evan.
ASU lined up on their twenty-seven-yard line, and the center snapped the ball.
The quarterback retreated, his head on a swivel, and then a U of A linebacker burst through, rushing straight for the quarterback.
“Shit.” I stood along with Evan and watched as my pulse kicked.
The quarterback raced with the ball, twirling around the lineman.
As Tex shoved a few of the U of A linemen aside, Malik raced through an opening and twisted around.
The quarterback threw a quick pass to Malik before being tackled to the ground.
Tucking the ball, Malik sprinted toward the end zone, his legs pumping and head held high, blowing past everyone on the field.
“Oh my God, do you see that?” Barking a laugh, Evan hopped up and down. “Dude is going to score. Your boyfriend’s roommate is about to get a touchdown!”
“He is.” As I watched Malik step into the end zone, I jumped and cackled.
“He did it!” Turning to Evan, I grabbed both his hands and shook them.
“Did you see that?” Touchdowns hit differently when you knew the guys making them.
Despite not having met them in person yet, I knew so much about Malik and Grey that it felt like I already had.
Evan laughed. “I did. Your boyfriend has some talented friends.”
As I freed his hands, I said, “So do I. You’ll get called up to the NHL soon. I know you will.” It was time for Evan’s dreams to come true too.
“Yeah, we’ll see.” He winked at me. “I hear one of the D-men with the Coyotes might get traded soon.”
“Really? So, you might play with Lucas Hopkins?” I fell into my seat and picked up my second beer of the night. Evan was such a nice guy. He deserved to have good things happen to him.
“Yeah, we’ll see. I really enjoyed having him as a partner with the Firebirds. We clicked.” He drank his beer and settled into his seat. “Hey, it looks like they might take Thompson out and put Moore in. He’s warming up.” He ticked his head toward the field.
My gaze swung to the sideline and caught Grey cycling on a stationary bike. Tex had said they were in love. Had Malik given up his chance to play out this game so Grey could shine? Devotion didn’t get any better than that. I couldn’t breathe a word of this to Evan though. “Yeah, maybe.”