28. Maverick
TWENTY-EIGHT
“I hate playingvideo games with you guys.” Reid tosses his controller on the couch and pushes his glasses up his nose. “You use your athletic capabilities, and I bring nothing to the table.”
“It’s Grand Theft Auto, not real life sports. Athletic skills don’t mean shit when you’re driving a car through the streets of LA,” I say. “At least you’re better than those twelve-year-old kids we went up against in Halo. It would’ve been real embarrassing if we lost at capture the flag.”
“We won capture the flag because you told the kids who you were, and they screamed for eight minutes.” He scratches at his red beard and leans back against the cushions. “Not because we played better.”
“A win is a win,” Dallas says as he pops onto his feet. “You all are staying for dinner, right? Maven and June are eating over at her dad’s place, and it’s been ages since we hung out just the three of us.”
“An eighty-two-game season is a hell of a lot more intense than an eighteen-game season,” I tease. “Some of us are busy.”
“We have the best record in the league, and I’ve already kicked two game-winning field goals, so you can fuck off,” Dallas says.
“Hockey is still the harder sport.”
“God.” Reid groans. “Not this argument again.”
“I think my absences are forgivable given I’ve been in three different time zones in the last two weeks, but count me in for food tonight,” I say, ignoring him.
“You’ve been home plenty and we still haven’t seen you.” Reid grabs his phone and scrolls through his social media apps. “You posted that you went to Georgetown Cupcakes the other night, and we didn’t get an invitation.”
I did go to Georgetown Cupcakes the other night, but it wasn’t for me. Emerson told me she hadn’t had a chance to try the famed bakery yet, so I picked up a half-dozen treats on my way to her apartment.
I got creative with the frosting from the red velvet cupcake, licking it off her chest and stomach before feeding her the rest of the dessert while her legs were wrapped around my neck and her fingers were in my hair.
The text messages from Dallas and Reid and the rest of my teammates are going unanswered, but it’s hard to respond to them when Emerson invites me over, drops to her knees in the foyer, then sucks me off with my jeans around my ankles.
I crave her, and it’s getting hard to keep my hands to myself when we’re around people. I’m horny all the time, and I feel like I’m back in high school when she straddles my lap and kisses me until my lips are swollen.
The sex is top tier, but it’s not just the physical stuff I’m enjoying.
Some nights when she sneaks into my hotel room, we lounge on the bed in robes and talk about our upcoming games or our favorite movies. We won’t touch each other besides a quick kiss or the graze of a finger against a thigh, but it feels right.
It’s fucking fun, and while I know I should be more accessible as a captain and the best man in an upcoming wedding, it’s practically impossible to stay away from her.
“Sorry, buddy. Next time I’m on a late-night snack run, I’ll make sure to stop by with a delivery,” I say, shooting him a smile. “How’s the season going? And the woman you’re in love with?”
“I do not love her,” Reid counters, not bothering to look up from his phone.
Dallas snorts. “Are you sure? You talk about her an awful lot.”
“She annoys me to no end, and if I ever meet her, I’m going to give her a goddamn earful,” he says. “I get it. She’s good at her job. The videos she posts on social media get thousands of likes, and even people who aren’t football fans follow the accounts. I just wish she would tone it down. It’s making me look bad.”
“Maybe you should step it up,” I say, and I pluck a handful of grapes from the grazing board on the coffee table. “How’s wedding planning going, Dal?”
“Good. Maven told me she found a dress, and I’m tempted to cancel the fancy party so I can see what she looks like in it tomorrow.” He sighs dreamily, and Reid pretends to gag. “I’m the luckiest bastard in the world.”
“You really are. That woman is incredible. Mark my words, Lansfield. If you ever do anything to hurt her, I’ll come for you,” I tell him.
He waves me off and heads for the kitchen. “I leveled up,” he calls out. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“We need to plan his bachelor party,” I say to Reid when we’re alone. “Their wedding is next fall, so maybe summer?”
“Sure. Things will be slow at work, and I’ll be able to get away for a few days without any issues. What do you want to do? A cruise? An island filled with women? Somewhere we can play a round of golf?”
I wrinkle my nose. “Women are not a requirement.”
“Since when?”
“Don’t know. Today?”
Reid stares at me and narrows his eyes. He reaches out and pulls the collar of my shirt to the side, inspecting my neck. “You don’t want women, but you have a hickey? Something you need to tell us, Mav? I hope you know we’re not going to judge you.”
“I do know that, but it’s not what you’re thinking.” I scoot away from him and use my hand to cover up the marks Emerson left behind. “I’m, uh, sort of friends with benefits with someone, and we agreed not to sleep with anyone else.”
“How does one become sort of friends with benefits? It’s either all dick, or no dick, right?”
“Valid point. I’m definitely in a friends-with-benefits arrangement with someone, and I’m not sleeping with anyone else.”
“Dallas,” Reid barks out, and I jump. “Get in here.”
“What the hell is going on?” Dallas stands in the entryway wearing a pink apron and holding a flowered spatula.
“Maverick has a girlfriend,” Reid says.
“I don’t have a girlfriend. I have a fuck buddy,” I clarify. “There’s a big difference.”
“Hang on. Is that why you haven’t been texting in the group chat and June’s been asking where you are? Because you’re sleeping with someone?” Dallas asks.
“We don’t need to make it a big deal. We’re just two adults who fuck each other. It’s no different from what I’ve done in the past with the dozens of other women I’ve been with.”
“You never sleep with the same woman twice,” Reid points out. “Why this one?”
I shrug. “Because she’s fun and smart and I have a good time when I’m with her. Neither of us is looking for anything serious, and our schedules line up well enough to ensure we’ll both get what we want out of each other before moving on with our lives. It’s a mutually beneficial setup.”
“Wow. I never thought I’d see the day,” Dallas says. “Maverick Miller is locked down.”
“I am not locked down. There aren’t any flowers or poems or anything like that. It’s just sex.”
Reid scoffs. “Until it isn’t.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means there’s always some sort of emotion associated with a physical relationship. It might just be sex right now, but eventually, one of you is going to fall for the other, and things are going to get messy.”
I laugh. “Trust me. That is not going to happen. The woman likes me for one thing, and one thing only.”
Except when I woke up with Emerson in my arms the night she wasn’t feeling well. She was staring at me with an expression I’ve never seen from her before, and it felt… important. Like I had a purpose and she was glad I was there, just as much as I was happy to be there helping her.
I haven’t seen it since, though, so it must’ve been a sleep-deprived and utterly spent glance of appreciation after I watered her plants, replaced her door and cleaned her up.
“I don’t know why you act like dating is the worst thing in the world,” Dallas says, leaning against the wall. “It’s exactly what you’re doing now but with other fun stuff.”
“Like wearing matching pajamas? Sounds fucking lame.”
“My daughter picked those pajamas out, you asshole.” He huffs and points the spatula at me. “Just you wait. That’s going to be you one day, and I’m going to give you so much shit.”
“Dream on, Lansfield.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I see fifteen notifications from the team group chat I’ve ignored over the last hour. There’s another message on my screen from Emerson, though, and I grin when I slide my finger across the screen.
Redheaded Assassin
Busy tonight?
Me
Why? Miss me, Red?
Redheaded Assassin
Only your dick.
Me
Thought so.
Three dots show up then disappear, and I wait for her to answer.
Redheaded Assassin
Am I allowed to say yes?
Me
Yeah, because I miss you too.
I am busy tonight. I’m hanging out with Reid and Dallas.
Redheaded Assassin
Gotcha.
Me
How are you feeling?
Can I bring you anything?
Redheaded Assassin
I’m better. I think all the puke is behind me, thank goodness.
Me
Glad to hear it.
What are you doing tomorrow night?
Redheaded Assassin
I’m getting dinner with Piper, Maven and Lexi.
Me
Look at you having a girl squad!!
Sounds like a good time, but bummed I won’t see you until our flight to Toronto the day after tomorrow.
Redheaded Assassin
Think you’ll survive?
Me
You tell me, Hartwell. You’re the one who texted first.
Redheaded Assassin
Blocking you now.
Me
XOXO!
“Why are you smiling?” Reid asks. He tries to take the phone from my hands, but I’m forty pounds heavier than him and easily knock his arm away. “Is it her?”
“It’s no one,” I say. “Mind your business and grab the controller. We’re playing another game.”
“The deflection tactic. I’m onto you, Mav.”
My phone buzzes again, and I sneak a look at it while Reid gets the next round of GTA set up.
There’s another message from Emerson, a single black heart emoji that has me grinning like an idiot the rest of the night.