Jilted Jock : A Hero Club Novel

by Rebecca Jenshak

  Unfolding and opening it, I bypassed local and world news for the Sports section. Then I flipped and stumbled upon a heading that made my heart skip a fucking beat. In Love with an Almost Married Man.

  I kept reading. It was some sort of advice column.

  Dear Ida,

  I’m in love with my engaged coworker. We’ve been working together for almost a year and have become friends. We spend late nights at the office together, we even text about non-work-related things on the weekends. I think he might be interested in me too, but I’m afraid to make a move and ruin our friendship. Should I tell him how I feel before it’s too late?

  The Other Woman

  Ida’s advice was about what you’d expect. TLDR: don’t make a move and stuff those feelings deep inside. I didn’t like that answer. I considered writing Ida myself to let her know what I thought of her crappy advice. How could you expect someone to make a decision on forever without all the information?

  But Ida wasn’t wrong either. I didn’t know if what I was doing here was the right move or not. I didn’t want to blow up Adele’s life, I just needed to see her. Though, she already knew how I felt, I needed her to confront me like the Ghost of Christmas Past.

  I re-folded the paper and set it down on the table. I’d just picked up my coffee when I saw her. Actually, I saw Pixy first. A goat has a way of grabbing your attention when you see it anywhere other than a petting zoo or farm.

  Chance, Aubrey, and CJ walked in front of her. Adele followed; arms crossed over her chest like she was cold. Her hair was longer, down around her shoulders. Dressed in jeans and a plain white t-shirt, she looked comfortable, casual, and fucking sexy as hell. Living with her those two weeks I’d mostly seen her in work clothes – conservative dresses and skirts that looked too old for her – too stuffy and prim like she was playing dress up.

  I’d come to love her yoga pants and tanks because I hadn’t felt like she hid behind them, but seeing her like this made me feel like I’d missed out, like I hadn’t been privy to every version of her.

  I didn’t care which version I got – I wanted them all or whichever she’d give me. I just wanted her, but I was insanely jealous that I hadn’t seen this one before.

  A cab pulled up at the curb and they all took turns hugging Adele before getting inside. When it was just her left on the sidewalk, I finally got to really see her. The smile on her face was genuine as she held her hand up to wave as the cab pulled away.

  She turned to go back inside, and my gut twisted with my answer. She was happy here.

  Flo’s voice woke me some time later. “Morning, handsome.”

  I pulled my head from the table and groaned at my stiff muscles.

  “I’m about to head out. My shift is over. Can I get you anything else?”

  “What time is it?”

  “Almost six.”

  “A.M.?” God, no wonder I felt like hell.

  Flo shrugged. “We don’t normally let people sleep in here, but it was a slow night and Reggie, the manager, wasn’t here. Don’t get any ideas, though. You’re cute, but I’m not risking my job for another pretty face.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m leaving today.”

  Flo’s brows lifted in surprise, but she just nodded.

  I’d already paid my bill last night, but I grabbed my wallet and pulled out some more cash and dropped it on the table before standing. I needed to grab my stuff from the hotel and see if I could get a flight back. I shivered outside. I was ready to get back to California.

  “Hey, handsome, wait up.”

  Flo came out the door of the diner with a to-go cup. She handed it to me with a smile. The red lipstick had been wiped off and she was in regular clothes now instead of her uniform getup. Well regular-ish. A plaid schoolgirl skirt with black tights and boots with a long button-down shirt that looked big and bulky enough to belong to a man.

  “For the road.” She winked and took off down the street. I was going in the opposite direction so I watched her a moment to make sure she was okay, but the way she strutted down the street I had no doubt if anyone messed with her they’d be the one that was sorry.

  I took a sip of the hot coffee and turned to head to my hotel, but a woman stood right in front of me. Jaw slack and eyes wide.

  “It is you,” she said in a shaky voice.

  “Adele.”

  We stared at one another like neither of us could believe the other was real.

  She was the first to break the silence. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to see you,” I told her honestly.

  She narrowed her gaze. “You came here to see me? Without calling or emailing? How did you know where to find me?”

  “Look can we go somewhere and talk?”

  “No.” She didn’t move. She crossed her arms over her chest. She had on a beige jacket over a black skirt and white lacy blouse. Hair pulled up into a bun and sensible shoes – she was like a kindergarten teacher again. “I have to go to work.”

  “Alright. Lead the way. I’ll talk.”

  Hesitantly, she took a step and then another.

  “How’ve you been?”

  She didn’t answer.

  “Were you surprised when Chance showed up?” I chuckled nervously. “I can’t believe they drove across the country with that damn goat.”

  Adele halted abruptly. “Just stop and tell me why you’re here. Did Chance tell you that Richard and I broke up? Is that what this is? Because just because I’m single, doesn’t mean you can swoop in and—”

  “You and Richard broke up?” I wanted to drop to my knees and kiss the ground in thanks or maybe just drop her to the ground and kiss her instead. I hadn’t thought to look at her left hand, but I did now and found it gloriously ring free.

  “You didn’t know?” She narrowed her eyes and watched my face carefully as I answered.

  “No, I swear it.”

  Some of the rigidness she carried softened. “Finn, what are you doing here?”

  “I had to see you. I needed to know if you were okay.”

  “I’m just fine. Contrary to what everyone thinks, I can take care of myself. I don’t need Richard or Chance and I definitely don’t need you.”

  Ouch.

  “I didn’t mean that you weren’t capable on your own. It’s just since you left, there’s this emptiness inside and I needed to see you in person to know if you felt it too. I swear sometimes it’s like I dreamed the whole thing.”

  “What thing?”

  “Me and you.”

  “There was no me and you.”

  “But there was. There so was. It was in every smile, every annoyed glare. The small moments. Making dinner, watching TV… maybe I really did imagine it. If I did, then I’ll walk away and accept that it was all me, but I don’t think it was, Adele.”

  I’d been blabbering on and hadn’t realized we’d stopped in front of her building. “Can I see you later?”

  “I have plans. My brother is only in town for another day or two and I want to spend some time with them.”

  “What about after they go back to their hotel tonight? CJ’s gotta go to bed early, right?”

  Her mouth pulled into a tight line.

  “Don’t answer now. Just promise me you’ll think about it. I’ll be at the diner across the street if you can make it.”

  She nodded.

  I hoped she’d come tonight, but if not, this would be my last chance. I reached out and grabbed her hand. “I’ve missed you.”

  She lingered only a second before pulling away. “I have to get to work.” A hint of sadness tugged at her voice. “Bye Finn.”

  Finn

  Flo took a seat opposite me in the booth. “Wow, you clean up nice. I’m gonna need a new nickname for you because Handsome isn’t cutting it.”

  “You could just call me by my name, it’s—”

  “Finn McCash. I know. I saw it on your credit card last night. I looked you up. Not an international spy.”

&
nbsp; “Told you.”

  “Tell me, what is a California soccer star doing in New York?”

  I fiddled with the mug of coffee in front of me.

  “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.” She smiled. “I must have been thrown off by that accent and charming face.”

  “What?”

  “You’re here for a girl. Who is it? A supermodel? An actress?” She leaned in close and whispered. “I won’t tell a soul. Cross my heart.”

  “She’s none of those things,” I said. “Better than all of them combined.”

  “A normal girl that’s swept you off your feet. How Matt Damon of you.”

  “What about you, Flo? Dating an actor? No wait, a rock star?”

  She shook her head. “Believe it or not, I’m dating a politician.”

  Well that did have me intrigued, but before I could ask, she smiled and started in again.

  “So, this normal girl. Where is she?”

  I glanced across the street. “Trying to decide if I’m worth it, I guess.”

  It was after dark. Adele came back with Chance’s clan nearly an hour ago and then his family piled into a cab and Adele went inside her building alone. Which meant there wasn’t anything stopping her from being here.

  Flo stood. “Cinnamon roll?”

  “Nah. I’m good. Thanks, Flo.”

  I flipped through today’s paper until I got to the Dear Ida column. Today’s unfortunate soul had fallen in love with a narcissist. Love seemed to be the crux of everyone’s problems.

  When I’d read the paper twice and had enough coffee to keep me awake for days, I finally paid, accepted a sympathetic smile from Flo, and walked outside.

  I was frustrated and angry and feeling just reckless enough that instead of accepting defeat, I stormed across the street.

  A guy going in used his fob to unlock the door and then held it open for me. I added shit security to the list of cons for Adele living here, but otherwise the place looked nice. I took the elevator to her floor, heart beating wildly in my chest. She was so close but holding herself so far away and I didn’t get why. If she felt nothing for me, then just tell me that. If she wasn’t talking to me, it meant she was hiding something, and I wanted to know what it was.

  When I came to her apartment door, I knocked loudly. “Adele, it’s Finn.”

  It opened immediately like she’d been standing just on the other side. And I guess she had, judging by the fact she wore her coat and had her purse in hand.

  I walked in without an invitation. I turned and watched as she hesitantly closed the door and faced me.

  “You didn’t show.”

  “And you found me anyway.”

  “Why won’t you talk to me? I don’t understand. Ever since that night… the night I kissed you, you’ve been running away. I thought we were friends. I thought I at least deserved to be heard.”

  “I’ve heard you loud and clear.” Her voice was louder and angrier than I’d expected. She shrugged out of her coat and tossed it, then put her purse down on a table near the entryway with a slap and came toward me. “All I can hear is you. Since the day I met you, you won’t shut up. If you’re not talking to me directly, it’s plastered on social media or the news. Did you know there’s a billboard with your cheeky grin on Times Square? I’ve been listening to you, Finn, but what you say and do contradict. You profess you miss me and want to talk like you have something life altering you need me to hear, but there’s nothing to say. Drunken nights, girls on both arms, kissing supermodels in clubs… should I go on or have I made my point?”

  “You might have been listening, but your comprehension skills suck, sweetheart.” I closed the distance in two quick steps and framed her face with my hands. I brought my lips to hers in a crushing kiss. Was it possible to kiss the truth into someone? I was damn well going to try.

  Her lips gave under mine and I swept my tongue inside. She pushed at my chest, breaking our lips, and staring up at me with fire in her blue eyes. “You can’t just kiss me. Who do you think you are?”

  I smiled. “I’m the guy that gets you so riled up you forget to put up your guard.”

  “Oh, it’s up, you just bash through it headfirst with no regard for your safety or mine.”

  “Safe is boring.”

  The hint of a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. I brought my lips back to hers and this time I felt her resolve crumble away. Months without her, a lifetime before her not realizing there was someone who could make me feel this way, I put all of that into the kiss. I was either going to scare her off for good with the intensity vibrating through me or she was going to understand once and for all that she belonged with me.

  When she wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her body against mine, I lifted her and started walking. I’d barely given the place a once over when I’d walked in, but I knew there was a couch somewhere behind me.

  I laid her down on the leather sofa. Brown hair splayed out around her, chest rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath… I’d remember the way she looked right now until the day I died.

  I hesitated, wondering for all of two seconds if we should slow down before she looped her finger in the pocket of my jeans and pulled me down on top of her. Somehow, she still smelled like California and the sweet fragrance that was hers alone. If Bear Grylls were talking in the background, it’d be exactly how I imagined it all the nights watching TV with her. Not that I liked to include another dude in my Adele fantasies, but it’d come to be something we shared.

  “God, I missed you.” I kissed a path from her neck to her collarbone as she ran her fingers through my hair.

  My lips roamed every inch of available skin thrice over. I wanted to worship and memorize every detail.

  She sat up and pulled her t-shirt off and then unhooked her bra. My girl was impatient and damn if that didn’t make me harder. She was cautious and hesitant until she’d made up her mind, but right now she was resolute in being with me and I couldn’t get us there fast enough.

  The lacy, black material hung loosely, and she paused, hands holding the delicate straps up, so it didn’t completely uncover her yet. Through hooded eyes, a slow smile lit up her face and she dropped her hands.

  I groaned and my cock throbbed as her pretty pink nipples were bared to me. With both hands, I cupped her gently, watching her eyes flutter closed. She arched into my touch. My mouth replaced one hand and I alternated until she writhed and moaned beneath me.

  “You’re perfect. Every curve.” I placed a kiss at her belly button. “And every freckle.” I nipped at the skin just under her left breast where two small freckles stood out against her pale skin. “Absolutely exquisite.” I kissed her mouth and then framed her face, looking into her eyes. “And we belong together.”

  With frantic hands, we removed her pants, my shirt, and my jeans made it down to my ankles. I couldn’t tell you who moved first or who took off what. It was a tornado of clothes between kisses. We were beyond want and need. Months of foreplay and longing, at least on my part.

  While I tore open the condom wrapper, she gently stroked me. I hissed out my next breath and ground down on my back molars. She licked her lips and I could practically read her mind. If she got that hot as sin mouth anywhere near my dick, I was going to come all over her. Dots blurred my vision at the thought of my cum sliding down her throat. Fuuuuck.

  I sheathed my cock and wasted no time positioning myself at her entrance, but before I pushed in, I claimed her lips with mine. Maybe we were skipping about ten steps ahead, but I’d done things in the correct order before and yet it’d never felt this right.

  “Are you ready?” I asked, resting my forehead against hers.

  Her answer was a breathy yes as she wrapped her arms around my neck as if to keep me close to her. The air around us was thick and I held my breath as I inched into her. She moaned and the walls of her pussy clenched me tighter.

  “Jesus,” I muttered and tried to grab h
old of a fucking ounce of control.

  Her feather light caress slid down my shoulders and over my elbows, continuing until her hands found mine. She interlaced our fingers and squeezed. The pressure let my mind focus on something else.

  It was two slow pumps before our bodies demanded more and collided together in a frenzied pace. Fingernails dug into my knuckles and teeth ripped at my shoulder like she was trying to get inside. God, she didn’t know how far under my skin she already was.

  Her cries came first, but not a second too soon because my balls tightened, and I came so fast there wouldn’t have been any stopping it.

  We laid there panting, chests heaving. Her eyes were closed, but her lips tipped up in a lazy smile.

  Breathless and body weak from release, I tried to move off her and nearly tripped with my pants still down around my ankles.

  I glanced down at her, finding her holding in laughter at my expense.

  “Well that was unexpected.”

  A giggle escaped and she sat up so she was leaning back on her elbows. “I’ll say.”

  I ran a hand through my hair. “I know you’re not going to believe me based on that performance, but I’m usually not quite so… eager.”

  “I might make you prove that.”

  “Oh, I intend to, but first we should talk.”

  We pulled ourselves together and Adele made coffee. I looked around the apartment, which I learned was a studio she’d rented shortly after getting to New York.

  The place was small and pretty bare, but I could tell she’d made an effort to try and get settled. Framed pictures of Chance and Aubrey on their wedding day, one I could only assume was her and Chance as kids, and a few of CJ sat on top of a bookshelf right next to the gold vase I’d given her.

  “How’s the job going?”

  “Good. Really good, actually. It’s the main reason I stayed. Well, that, and the city.”

  “Did Chance know you and Richard broke up?”

  “No.” She brought me a mug and we sat back on the couch. A piece of furniture I could never look at without thinking about fucking her on it for the first time. “I knew he’d be worried or worse, try to convince me to come back to California. It felt awful keeping it from him. I’m glad he knows now.”