Nice Guys Don't Win (A College Sport's Romance)

by Micalea Smeltzer

  Cole

  I wake up slowly, a little disoriented from the sex dream I had last night. I wish I could say it was the first time I’ve dreamt of Zoey that way, but it would be a lie.

  Rubbing my eyes, I stifle a yawn and scrub my hands down my face. Looking around, I realize I’m not in my room, nor in my own bed.

  “Oh, holy shit,” I curse, coming fully awake when I look down and find Zoey nestled between my legs with my cock in her mouth.

  Everything comes rushing back to me. I came fast and hard our first time, then made love to her slowly and gently the second time, drawing out both of our pleasure. After that, we took a break and renewed our energy with snacks before going at it again.

  I have no idea what time it is now, but it doesn’t matter.

  She watches me through half-lidded eyes as she sucks on my cock like it’s her very own lollipop. We didn’t get around to that earlier, though she tried once. I just wanted to bring her pleasure and didn’t want her to feel obligated to return the favor. But fuck I was missing out. Her mouth is magic.

  I sit up slightly, reaching down to cup her breast. I play with her nipple and she moans around my cock. My hips jerk off the bed from the vibration of her mouth.

  “You’re going to be the death of me,” I tell her in a garbled breath.

  Her mouth releases my cock, saliva clinging to her lips that are swollen from how many times I kissed her last night.

  “We can’t have that now. I like you too much to kill you.”

  I rub my thumb over her wet bottom lip. “Me or my cock, sweetheart?”

  She smiles. “Both.”

  And then I nearly lose my mind when she takes my cock in her mouth again, stroking the base with her fist.

  I grip her hair, the curls twining around my fingers. “Fuck, babe. I’m gonna come in that pretty mouth if you don’t stop.” This only spurs her on and she hums, taking more of me even when my cock grows thicker. She doesn’t stop as I come, swallowing every drop. She releases my dick and it’s still half-hard.

  Wiping her thumb over her lips she gives me a self-satisfied smirk before climbing up the bed and cuddling her naked body against mine. I press my lips against her forehead.

  “We need to try to get some sleep.”

  “Mhmm,” she hums, eyes growing heavy.

  Wrapping my arms around her, I tuck her head beneath my chin.

  I’m not falling for this girl anymore, because I already have.

  Smooth arms wind around my waist, fingers dipping beneath the waistband of my boxers.

  “What are you doing?” Her silky voice purrs behind me, her lips pressing to my shoulder blade as I focus on the eggs crackling in the frying pan.

  “Scrambling eggs.”

  She moves beside me, leaving an arm around my middle, those fingers rubbing tantalizingly against me. My cock hardens and I start counting backwards from one hundred.

  “You could be scrambling mine.”

  “Fuck,” I curse, turning the burner off.

  She squeals when I grab her by the waist, lifting her onto the counter behind me. “That’s not nice.” I cage her in with my arms.

  “You know what else isn’t nice?”

  “What?” I kiss her full bottom lip.

  “I woke up and you weren’t in bed.” She leans forward and kisses me.

  I get lost in her lips for a moment before I come back to reality. “We need sustenance.”

  “Food is for the weak,” she pouts.

  I grin, kissing the end of her nose. “Well, we’re eating.”

  “You’re no fun.”

  I step away and go back to finish the eggs. “Why don’t you get the toast ready?” I point to the toaster. “The sooner we eat, the sooner we can do other things.”

  “When you put it that way,” she sing-songs, hopping down from the counter.

  It doesn’t take long to finish the eggs and plate them. We sit down in our usual seats, exchanging heated glances between every bite.

  I could kill Teddy for what he did last night, kissing her in front of me, but I also know exactly why he did it. For this. So, I’d get my head out of my ass and make her mine.

  We finish breakfast and clean up the dishes before I can’t take it a second longer and pick her up. She wraps her body around mine, holding on tight as we kiss. Carrying her down the hall, into the bathroom, I don’t even let go of her as I reach in and turn the shower on.

  I step into the shower and tub combo and only put her down now because I need to get her naked. She lifts her arms, and I pull off the now soaked t-shirt she slipped on. Next go her panties, landing in a plop on the bottom of the bathtub. Shoving down my boxers, I reach for her. She moans at my hardness pressing insistently against her stomach.

  She reaches between us, stroking my length.

  I end up backing her against the tile wall, my body sheltering her from the pounding water. Water drips from my nose onto her face. Her big brown eyes look at me with intense wonder and lust. Lifting her up, I lower her onto my cock, hissing between my teeth when I feel her warm heat clasp around me.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I grind out, just holding her there.

  “What?” She shudders above me, wiggling her hips which isn’t helping my problem at all.

  “Condom,” I bite out.

  She nibbles her bottom lip, watching me carefully. “I’ve been back on my birth control for a while now. It’s safe and I’m clean. If … if you want to. But we can get a condom. It’s not a big—”

  I silence her with a kiss and plunge fully inside her. She feels amazing. Everything about this girl was made for me.

  I fuck her relentlessly and she takes it all. Meeting my thrusts with her hips. She wants me as badly as I want her, and if that isn’t the biggest turn on I don’t know what is.

  “Say you’re mine,” I growl in her ear. “Say it.”

  “No.”

  She’s so goddamn stubborn. “Say it,” I demand, slowing my strokes.

  “No.”

  “Why do you defy me?”

  She smirks at me, a moan drawing out of her when I play with her clit. “Because I can.” I take my fingers away and she mewls in protest. I fuck her harder, then slow again. “You’re being mean.”

  “Say it. Please.”

  Maybe it’s the please that does it or maybe she just really wants to orgasm, but she leans her head back against the tile, eyes hooded. “I’m yours.”

  “Fuck yes you are.” My grip on her hips tightens, and I worry I might bruise her, but I can’t let go. Can’t stop.

  I kiss her, fucking her mouth with my tongue like I am her pussy with my cock.

  She’s invading all my senses until all I know is her.

  I’m ruined.

  No one will ever take her place.

  She falls apart in my arms and I’m right behind her, filling her up with my come.

  Her breaths are heavy, and I don’t let her down, not wanting to leave her body yet.

  “Is it supposed to be this good?”

  I brush a damp curl off her forehead, pressing my lips to my favorite spot there. “I don’t know, but with us it is.”

  I was reluctant to accept Teddy’s invite to Harvey’s when he texted me in the afternoon, but Zoey thought it would be fun, and I guess it gives us a break since we spent most of the day having sex.

  On her bed.

  On the couch.

  The kitchen counter.

  The hall floor because we couldn’t make it to the bed again.

  Taking Zoey’s hand when she hops out of my truck, I kiss her knuckles. Even in the dark parking lot I don’t miss the flush of color deepening her cheeks. Grabbing her by the back of the neck I pull her in for another kiss.

  Her fingers curl into the fabric of shirt and she stands on her tiptoes. I pull us apart before we get carried away and I can add Harvey’s parking lot to the list of places we’ve had sex.

  Holding her hand, we walk to the entrance and I pull
her against my side with the excuse of the crowded bar, but really I just want to hold her.

  We make it to the usual table my friends frequent, and Teddy sits in the middle like the king with his harem. He lifts a bottle of his favorite beer.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “You asshole.” I shake my head, but I’m grinning.

  He’s a dick, sure, but it worked.

  I kiss the top of Zoey’s head and she laughs lightly. We’re glued together as we slide into the booth.

  “You singing tonight?” Teddy hollers.

  “Probably not.”

  Zoey grabs onto my arm, blinking up at me with those beautiful chocolate eyes. “Please?”

  “Only if you sing with me.”

  She recoils. “I don’t sing.”

  “Anyone can sing.” I eye her, trying not to laugh at her visible discomfort.

  “Yeah, but not everyone can sing well, and there lies the difference.” She shudders.

  I rub my nose against the crook of her neck, kissing the spot where her pulse races. “Please. Sing with me.”

  “Ugh. Fine. It’s really annoying how you just have to give me that look, and I’ll do whatever you say.”

  “What look is that?” I ask curiously, not sure what she’s referring to.

  “That one.” She waves a hand at my face. “You’re just so hot and sweet and earnest and your eyes go all soft and I’m putty in your hands.”

  I curl an arm around her waist, pulling her against me in the booth so our legs are pressed firmly together. “I would never want you to do something you really don’t want to,” I murmur against her ear and she shivers.

  “I know. If I really didn’t want to, I’d say so. It’s nerves more than anything else. I don’t like being stared at by people, but I’ll be with you.”

  “Exactly. Just focus on me.” I kiss the shell of her ear.

  I can’t seem to stop kissing her. Touching her. Just being close to her. I need the reminder that this is real. We haven’t exactly talked about it yet, what this means—if we’re together or not—but the fact we’re not acting as if nothing happened makes me feel good like this thing is going somewhere.

  A tray of drinks is delivered, and I pass a shot to Zoey before I take one for myself.

  The alcohol hits my system, mellowing out the hum that’s been there since last night.

  “So,” Cree speaks up from the opposite end of the table, his floppy black hair falling into his eyes, “are you two like … a thing now?” He points at us with a bottle.

  I laugh at the irony that his question coincides with my thoughts over us not having this conversation yet. I look to Zoey and she smiles, shrugging.

  “Yeah, I guess we are,” she says to him.

  Cree turns his attention to Teddy. “Is this why you smothered her with one last night? Trying to make the big guy jealous and do something about it?”

  Teddy rolls his eyes, leaning back in the booth. “Someone had to get him to get his head out of his ass. You too, Zoey. Anybody could see the way you two looked at each other. Like just fuck already. And from the looks of you two, I’m guessing a lot of that went on last night.”

  I shake my head. “Shut up, Teddy.”

  “You know you love me. XOXO Gossip Girl.”

  I shake my head at his typical Teddy antics. “I’m gonna grab a root beer. You want one?”

  Zoey nods eagerly. “Yes, please.”

  I slip from the booth and order two at the bar. The bartender gives me a funny look, but I don’t give a shit. I don’t want to get wasted tonight. Not when I want to take her home and continue where we left off.

  Carrying the drinks back to the table I pass one to Zoey and sit back down. Cree’s in the middle of telling an animated tale of his on the ice antics. Sitting beside Zoey, surrounded by our friends, I realize how much I love this. Having friends who are like family and a girl I lo—care about. I don’t dare let myself even think the word lest it chase her away. Zoey’s guarded, more than I am, and what we have is good. And I don’t want that to scare her. Her ex was a douche, but I’m not him. She can trust me.

  About an hour later, holding Zoey’s hand, we take the stage.

  “What song are we singing?” Her hand tightens around mine, her palm slightly sweaty.

  “I thought we could do the one I sang before.”

  “Tequila?”

  “Yeah, it’s a duet.” I shrug.

  She bites her lip and nods. “Okay.” She closes her eyes and blows out a breath, like she’s mentally preparing herself.

  Once everything is set, we sit down side by side on the stools on top of the stage and start.

  Zoey’s voice is soft and crackly. Not horrible, but you can hear the hesitancy in it.

  Her fingers tighten around the mic, but she keeps her eyes on me the whole time, ignoring the crowd, and I do the same.

  I’ve never sang with anyone else before, but there’s no one else I’d rather share the stage with. Basketball is my life, but music is my soul.

  The song ends and she throws down the mic, diving into my arms.

  I carry her off the stage and into the cheering crowd.

  The actual music starts up again and I pull her onto the dancefloor. I’ve been wanting to dance with her again, but it never seemed to go right any time we did, but now it’s different. Now I’ve had her. Now, I hope, I think, she’s mine.

  I spin her around and she shakes her hips to the song.

  I could still kill Teddy for that stunt he pulled, but I know he’s right, if he hadn’t Zoey and I would still be tiptoeing around this thing.

  Fear tends to hold us back from the greatest things imaginable and I know she’s the real deal. She’s the girl you don’t let go of. The one you marry. The one who has your kids.

  I just hope she sees me the same way.

  26

  Zoey

  I’m striding across campus when I hear my name being called repeatedly. I don’t pay attention at first, assuming someone is calling after another Zoey. It’s not a super common name, but it’s not uncommon either.

  But as the voice grows closer, louder, and more insistent I finally stop and look around.

  When I see the girl trying to flag me down, I nearly throw down the textbook in my arms and haul ass out of there like I’d been trying to do.

  The last thing I ever expected in a million years was to see my former best friend on the Aldridge U campus.

  I blink and blink again, thinking maybe she’ll disappear like a mirage, but nope she’s still there.

  With one hand I tug my beanie down over my ears, protecting myself from the cold and the incoming avalanche of emotions.

  She stops in front of me, her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. Her makeup is done flawlessly, and she’s dressed like she’s just stepped off a runway. She fits in on the posh campus far more than I do.

  Now that she’s in front of me she seems unsure. “Hi,” she says awkwardly.

  “Liza, what are you doing here?” The words tumble out of my mouth.

  “I…” She looks around at the students milling by us. “I wanted to talk to you.”

  “You came here, all the way to my school, to talk to me?”

  She bites her lips, eyes hesitant. “Yeah.”

  I exhale a breath, watching as it fogs the air. Do I want to talk to her? I really don’t, but she was my friend for years and if she came all the way here just to talk to me, I’m not sure I can turn her away.

  “Okay. There’s a coffee shop close by.” There’s a hesitancy in my voice, but something is telling me to do this. This conversation is long overdue.

  “Are you sure?” she asks. “You don’t have class? I can come back later or—”

  I level her with a glare. “It’s now or not at all.”

  I know if I give myself too much time to think I won’t speak to her.

  “Okay. Now then.”

  Neither of us say a word on the walk over. We place an o
rder for coffee and then take a seat in the back where there are less people.

  “So,” she curls her fingers around her cup, “how have you been?”

  “You came all this way to ask me how I am?” The snarkiness in my tone is obvious and I try not to cringe. I know I’m not in the wrong here. It’s not like I slept with her fiancé, but I would like to be the bigger person. After all, I’ve moved on.

  She winces. “No.”

  I take the lid off my coffee, letting it cool down. “I think it’s better if we don’t waste our time on the niceties.”

  She looks out the window as snow flurries start to descend from the gray sky. More than likely it won’t even stick. Not yet at least.

  Inhaling a breath, her eyes meet mine. There’s a hesitancy there, a worry like she’s afraid I might reach across the table and throttle her. I have news for her, I’ve moved on from her and Todd. I’m not angry. Not even hurt anymore. If anything, all I feel is indifference.

  “I wanted to apologize to you. Face to face.” She stares down at her cup. “I can’t even begin to tell you how horrible I’ve felt—”

  “Because I caught you.”

  “No,” she shakes her head, “I felt bad as it was happening, but I couldn’t stop it because … I wanted it. You and Todd seemed like the perfect couple and I was jealous. I wanted that. Wanted him. And when he started to pay attention to me, flirt … I went along with it. I liked the way it made me feel wanted. I didn’t think about what I was giving up by being flattered over his flirting. I threw away our friendship. I realize that now and it’s the biggest mistake I’ve ever made.” She wipes tears from her eyes. “Anyway, I know you probably never wanted to see me again, but I wanted you to know that it’s my biggest regret and I’ll forever be sorry.”

  It takes me a moment to wrap my brain around everything she’s said. “You were jealous? Why?” I don’t know why I choose this to focus on.

  She snorts like it’s unbelievable that I don’t understand. “You’ve always had your shit together, Zoey. You’re smart, beautiful, going places, and then you were engaged. It’s just felt like I was falling behind while you were propelling forward.”