16. JOSH
JOSH
My phone balanced in my hands as I thought of a reply to April.
Her invite over after the game was awfully tempting.
We had been away for the last six games.
April hadn’t travelled with us, instead we got Moose.
The guy knew his stuff, but he was a bear in the training room.
Once upon a time that was fine, but lately I was enjoying a softer approach.
My phone vibrated again, reminding me I had a message waiting.
Summer
I can’t believe you got two homeruns in this series!
Me
Told you, you were motivation ;)
I felt the corners of my lips tug wide thinking about how she held up her end of the bargain. She sent me a cock-teasing shot of some deep cleavage, in her jersey, with a red lace bra. Fucked me right up. All I wanted to do was bite them. Girl is one hell of a tease.
The whole sporty look was hotter to me than the damn heels and lingerie. Although, picturing April in heels and a tight dress showing off those curves of hers, had my cock threatening to go hard as a rock. Which was problematic in an airport.
I shifted in my sweats and swung my duffel in front of me.
“Who’s got your junk in a knot?” Kev came over and leered over my shoulder, glancing at my phone.
I flipped it over before he saw anything. “What?”
“You’ve been staring at your phone with a lopsided grin for like five minutes now.”
“I say it’s a titty shot.” Carlos snickered behind me.
“It’s not.”
“Full nude?”
“No.” I pushed them away.
“Wait, is this the girl?” Jake questioned, pulling his carry-on behind him.
All three of them stood staring at me with wide eyes. “Maybe.”
“No way.” Kev clapped and shot me a knowing glance.
“Nah. I’m not buying it,” Carlos interjected.
I scoffed. “What?”
He waved me off. “There’s no way you had all this time and just when the timer is about to go off, suddenly you’ve met someone.”
“Someone that has him ear to ear.” Jake clapped me on the back. I couldn’t quite tell if he was on my side or mocking me.
“Hold up,” I said, backing up slightly. “You bet me to meet someone. I finally do and now you think it’s a game.”
“I know you want to win. And I know what you’d do for it,” Carlos accused.
“Fuck off,” I said pushing past him.
“Hold up,” Jake said coming after me. “You really are seeing someone?”
“Yes,” I said continuing to walk.
“What’s her name?” Carlos crossed his arms over his burly chest.
“Not saying.”
“Why?”
That was a good freaking question, but this was delicate because of our work situation and I wanted to protect that. “’Cause, it’s none of your business.”
Jake looked around as if someone could overhear us, then whispered, “Are you back with your ex?”
“Fuck no. What’s wrong with you?”
“I just heard things.”
“What things?”
“Like she’s been asking around about you, and now you’re all secretive and shit.”
I laughed. Hard. “There’s not a damn chance on this planet I’d get back with her or any of my exes.”
He let out a big breath. “Thank God, man.”
“So, who is it?” Carlos repeated.
“No way.” Knowing the predicament I was in, I’d need to give them something if I was going to get anywhere with them and this bet. I simply needed to be careful as to what I said, there was a lot at stake here. “Does it matter?”
“If it’s real, then maybe not just yet, but then again, this is you.”
“Look, I said I was in and I meant it. Did I find someone unexpectedly? Yeah. Am I ready to get into it yet? Not a damn chance. I already told you her name was Summer.”
“Wait, your still seeing her?”
Pausing, I glared at Carlos. “Yeah. And that’s all you get to know.”
“Oh, he must like her then. He’s protecting her.”
“As if.” Carlos whooshed away the sentence as if he was swatting a fly away.
It bothered me. Maybe my history wasn’t the cleanest with women, but I wasn’t just an arrogant asshole who left them out to dry either. I clenched my teeth, “Why wouldn’t I protect her?”
It took Carlos by surprise with the way his mouth formed an O. “Just not your style.”
“Why, because you haven’t seen it? Because I only bring dates around and not someone I’m in a relationship with?
” I inched closer to him. “You don’t know me as well as you think.
And yeah, for the right girl—I’d protect her any way I needed to.
” I hadn’t needed to, yet. My past had shown that with my taste in women, it was me who needed to be protected.
“Alright, let’s leave Romeo over here alone for now,” Jake added, the voice of reason, despite the protests from the rest of the guys. I shot him a thank-you nod to which he nodded back.
Jake and I may not have been that close, but it seemed that we understood each other more lately. Carlos and Jake took off to their wives. Kev and I headed out of the stadium.
“It’s April.”
“What’s April?” I asked.
“The phone.”
There was no use denying it to him. I trusted him, plus I needed them to know about her. No one was going to believe a few secretive texts and a grin. Although, it had them on edge. Especially Carlos. He backed down quicker than I’d ever seen.
“Yeah.”
He nodded. “I think it’s good, man.”
“It’s fake,” I replied flatly.
“Yeah? Tell me that in a couple weeks.”
“Weeks? What kinda thing is that?”
Kev smirked and strolled off to his car, leaving me in the parking lot confused.
A couple of weeks? I dunno what love potion this guy drinks, but there’s no way it will be more than an arrangement.
Once we both settle our dilemmas, then it all goes back to normal.
At least, that was what I was forcing my brain to think.
Unfortunately, the only thing on my mind was going to check on her. My body went on autopilot the minute I got into the building.
Softly, I knocked on the door and was surprised to see Nora answer. I’d almost forgot she had a roommate.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Uh, sorry, I wasn’t sure if April had someone with her.”
“And you were just checking on her?”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I nodded, slightly embarrassed. Maybe, I should have called first. Nora’s eyes drifted up and down, as if she was sizing me up, then glanced back toward the living room.
“She’s on the couch.”
Now, I was second guessing myself. “I don’t want to intrude.”
“I think you do.” She smirked, opening the door wider for me.
“Who is it?” April called as I stepped in and toed off my sneakers.
“For you,” she sing-songed, leading me in the condo.
At the sight of me, April shifted on the couch, squeaked, and pulled the blanket over her head.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, barely above a whisper.
Stuffing my hands in my pocket, I simply said, “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Yup. Totally fine,” she muttered.
“She’s lying. Can’t get up without damn near crying.” Nora stood watching between us. My face fell.
“Right. I’m suddenly exhausted. I’m off to bed and I’ll have my headphones on full blast.” She grinned at me.
“Nora!” April shrieked from under the blankets. Nora shook her head and disappeared around a corner.
I stood for a moment, waiting for April to come out of hiding. “I’m not leaving until you come out from under there.”
“Josh, I’m fine.”
“I’m more inclined to believe Nora.”
She groaned but didn’t move. Crossing my arms, I stood patiently waiting.
After a few minutes, she finally relented and lowered the blankets, showing off the messiest bun I’d ever seen.
Most of it had fallen loose. She was still in pajamas, with what was either coffee or tea stains down the front of it.
“Cute.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Don’t be that guy.”
“What guy?”
“The one who hands out compliments even though I look like a feral racoon who just came out of a dumpster.”
I burst into a deep rumble of a laugh. Jesus, where did she come up with this shit? “Okay, you look a bit rough, but you’re hurt. It’s warranted.”
She moaned and covered her head again. Gently, I went over and swiped them off her. “What do you need?”
“To be pain free,” she deadpanned.
“Let me help you.”
“No.”
“C’mon. Where’s the bath?”
“Bath? Do they still make those?”
“Ooh, a joke. There she is.” I chuckled. “Okay, fine. How about I run a hot shower for you?”
Her eyebrows rose an inch up her forehead.
My hands flew up. “I’ll behave.”
“Let him!” Nora bellowed from her room, making me jump.
“What happened to the headphones?!” April yelled back. Nora’s laughter rang through the space.
“Jeez, that’s how bad I smell? The first thing you offer for help is to clean my filthy body?”
I wasted no time taking all of her in. The unkempt hair, the oversized clothes, no bra, and clearly in agony. Yet, she was so real, it was fucking sexy. “I like filthy.”
She attempted to swat me, but her plan was foiled by the shooting pain in her neck. She grimaced and sucked in a breath through her teeth. “Easy slugger, the steam and heat from the shower helps.”
April pushed the blankets off and let out a labored groan. “Fine.”
It was a struggle just to watch her try to inch off the couch. Each movement caused her a flood of pain, and she grimaced and winced. I couldn’t take it anymore. I went and scooped her up, making her shriek.
Once we were in the small bathroom, I set the water, then turned to her. “Need help undressing?”
She rolled her eyes. “No.”
“Ah, just thought I’d do the boyfriend-y thing and ask.”
“I bet.”
Shaking my head and chuckling, I left the bathroom.
Not wanting to go through her things, I found a plush white terry robe hanging off her door.
I grabbed it. I also found one of those hot beanbag things she used for therapy and went to heat it for her.
By the time I had found some essentials, water, made her a tea, and set some of her muscle relaxers on her night table, the water in the shower had turned off.
Her mouth formed an O when she saw everything I’d done. “Wow.”
“Hope this helps.” I grinned sheepishly. I’d never taken care of anyone and for some reason, I needed to, for her.
“It sure will.”
“I also re-arranged the pillows to help support your neck in bed.”
“Thank you.” She shuffled across the room.
I helped her into the bed and placed the heated bag around her neck. Her body relaxed and she melted into the pillows. “Better?”
“So much better.” She smiled. It was the kind of smile that made my knees weak.
Clearing my throat, I mumbled, “I should let you rest.”
For a moment, her eyes flashed with something like disappointment. “You can stay for a bit.”
“You sure?”
She blushed. “You did all of this.”
“Do you have a chair or something?”
“Get into the bed, you big lug.” She tapped the spot next to her.
Careful not to shift her too much, I moved in beside her. She took a sip of the water and one of the pills at the bedside. “Tell me about today.”
Of course, she’d wanna talk shop. We laid there chatting until she drifted off to sleep, which thanks to the meds, only took about half an hour. She looked peaceful, like she had a bit of relief from the pain finally. My chest swelled. This was not good.
Quietly, I slipped out of the bed and to the front door. There was a little table with a key bowl, mail sorter, and a small whiteboard hung on the wall with a few markers next to it. I scribbled a note about having her keys to lock up and I’d return them tomorrow, then let myself out.