Chapter Twenty-Six
Girl on Girl Action
I've seen a lot of weird stuff during my career in pro football, but finding out your rookie wide receiver is dating your ex-girlfriend ranks high on the list of awkward locker room scenarios.
The morning after Chandra's bombshell visit, I'm lying in bed with Regan, staring at the ceiling and mentally calculating all the ways this might make training camp a nightmare.
But I also can't resist fantasizing about Regan and Chandra going head-to-head in a mud wrestling contest.
Nude wrestling, preferably.
"You're thinking too loudly," Regan mumbles, her face half-buried in her pillow. "I can practically hear the gears grinding."
The way she gazes at me with sleepy blue eyes and her golden-brown hair fans across the pillow makes me long to be insider her again. Even with bedhead and morning breath, she's gorgeous.
"Just wondering," I say, "if Carstairs knows what he's getting himself into. The kid needs a need a survival guide for navigating life with Chandra."
"I bet he'll be good for her." Regan stretches that lithe body, wriggling in ways that are sure to get me hard. "People change, Mike."
"Yeah, and sometimes tigers change their stripes. Doesn't mean I'd volunteer to pet one."
Regan props herself up on one elbow, studying my face. "Are you jealous?"
"God, no." I slide my hand down to the silky hairs on her mound, gently stroking her mound. "I've got everything I want right here. Carstairs is a good kid with a ton of potential. I don't want him to get chewed up and spit out."
She lifts her brows. "Like you did?"
I wince. "I wasn't exactly innocent in that relationship either."
"Fair enough," Regan says while tracing idle patterns on my chest. "But Devin's an adult. He can make his own choices."
"Yeah, I know. Everyone on the Bigfoots team gets along, with only a few spats, mostly about who gets the last bagel."
"The carbs keep you in tip-top shape, hm?" Regan's gaze turns misty, and she sighs dreamily. "Can't remember the last time I ripped open a hot, tempting bagel."
"Love to bake some for you, sunshine." I cup her breast, making her shiver. "I'll add that to my post-football career plans. Mike Banks: Quarterback, husband, crafter of fresh, steamy, horny rolls."
"Horny bagels?" Regan struggles not to laugh. "You're weird, Hannigan, but I love it."
I pull one tit into my mouth, letting it slide out little by little. "Weird is better than boring."
She pats my cheek. "Speaking of plans, weren't we supposed to be on our honeymoon right now?"
"Hm, yeah." I sweep her up in my arms. "Let's go to the beach. It's a beautiful day, and I'd love to lather my wife up with suntan lotion."
Regan gives me her patented eyeroll. "Is sex all you think about?"
"Getting you naked and slick? Booya." I pull her lip into my mouth and suckle it, letting go gradually. "I just had a great idea. Let's invite Chandra and Devin to come with us."
Regan freezes, her eyes unblinking. "This is our time, Mike."
I jump up and spin round and round with my wife still in my arms. "Come on, give it a go. Wouldn't it be great if we had another couple that we're friends with?"
My wife growls menacingly, like a caged tiger. "Michael Hannigan---"
"You sound like my mother." I set her down. "Come on, please. Let's at least try."
Regan blows out a gusty breath. "Fine. But you will ask them, not me."
"No problem." I grab my phone and pull up Devin's number. "I'll text him right now."
"Wait, you're serious?" Regan's eyes widen. "I thought you were joking. You want to invite your ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend---who happens to be your teammate---on our honeymoon?"
"Not the whole honeymoon," I clarify, already tapping letters on my phone. "Just for the beach day. It could be...I don't know, healing or something."
Regan flops back on the bed with a dramatic sigh. "This is exactly why men shouldn't be allowed to make social plans. Your emotional intelligence is somewhere between a toaster and a goldfish."
"Hey, come on. My emotional intelligence is at least microwave level." I hit send on the message. "Besides, aren't you even a little curious about them as a couple? I mean, Carstairs and Chandra? I still can't picture it."
The truth is, I'm dying to know what the hell my rookie sees in my ex or vice versa. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You know it's going to be disastrous, but you can't look away.
My phone buzzes with a reply from Devin. "He says they'd love to join us. They'll meet us at the south end of Cannon Beach at noon."
Regan stares at me like I've sprouted a second head. "Oh, terrific. I always dreamed my honeymoon would include double dating with your ex-girlfriend and her new squeeze."
I crawl across the bed and pull her into my arms. "Relax, we'll spend a couple hours with them, satisfy our curiosity, and then make our escape. I'll fake a muscle cramp or something if necessary. I promise it won't ruin our day."
She narrows her gaze at me. "You'd better not be doing this to make sure Chandra isn't manipulating him or something equally noble and stupid."
I wince and shrug. "Maybe a little. Please, Regan, the kid's practically a puppy. And Chandra is...well, Chandra."
"Fine," Regan concedes with a sigh. "But you owe me. Big time."
I grin and kiss her forehead. "I'll make it up to you tonight. Promise."
Three hours later, I'm questioning all my life choices as we spread our beach blanket on the sand.
The Oregon coast is stunning today, with blue skies, moderate temperatures, and the massive Haystack Rock jutting out of the ocean in the distance.
It's exactly the beach day I'd pictured for our honeymoon---except for the fact we're waiting for my ex-girlfriend and my wide receiver to show up.
"There they are," Regan announces, nodding toward the parking lot.
I follow her gaze and almost do a double take.
Devin strides across the sand in board shorts and a tank top that shows off his athletic build, carrying a cooler in one hand.
Beside him, Chandra looks like a completely different person from the woman who showed up at our door yesterday.
Her hair is in a messy bun, she's wearing minimal makeup, and---most shocking of all---she's wearing a simple sundress instead of some designer outfit.
"Am I hallucinating," I say, "or is Chandra actually dressed for comfort?"
Regan waves at the approaching couple. "Maybe she really does like him,"
I plaster on my best quarterback smile, the one I use for post-game interviews after a particularly brutal loss. "Hey, guys! Glad you could make it!"
Devin's face lights up like he's just found out he made the Pro Bowl. "Thanks for inviting us, Captain! This is awesome!" He sets down the cooler and extends his hand for one of those complicated handshakes we worked out during rookie training.
I go through the motions automatically, still trying to reconcile the woman standing before me with the Chandra I used to know. The Chandra who once refused to join me at the beach because "sand ruins designer footwear" is now barefoot, with chipped nail polish on her toes.
"Mike, Regan," she nods, offering a smile that seems almost shy. "Thank you for inviting us. I wasn't sure you would want to see me again after yesterday."
"Life's too short for awkwardness," I reply, even though this entire situation is marinating in weirdness. "Besides, Devin's my teammate. We should all get to know each other better."
Regan shifts beside me, and I can almost hear thoughts.
Devin eagerly drops onto our blanket like an overgrown puppy, while Chandra carefully sits beside him, smoothing her sundress over her knees.
"So, uh, how long have you two been..."
"Dating?" Devin supplies helpfully. "About for months now. But we've been talking about for longer."
I try to keep my expression neutral even though my mind is racing with questions. A few months? That means they got together not long after Regan and I went public with our relationship.
"And how did you two, you know..." Regan makes a vague gesture with her hand.
"Meet?" Chandra finishes. "We bumped into each other at one of the team events last season. Remember that charity auction, Mike?"
I do remember. Vaguely. It was one of those mandatory appearances where players auction off signed memorabilia and "experiences" with team members. I was distracted that night because Regan had just qualified for Olympic team consideration and we were celebrating privately afterward.
My discomfort lessens when Chandra and Devin assure us that they do not intend to hang out with us all day.
They stay for only an hour. Since they brought a picnic basket full of decadent treats, we don't mind them hanging around for a while.
Once they've gone, my wife and I enjoy some afternoon delight in the backseat of the car before we head to our hotel.
Life sure can change fast.