Chasing Sunshine: A New Adult Sports Romance (NE University Book 1)

by Hannah Gray

  She walks right up and runs a long red fingernail down my chest. “Looking for a repeat, Kade? Maybe, this time, I can get mine too.”

  My face twists in disgust. How did I think she was hot twenty-four hours ago? The smell of her perfume assaults my nostrils—and not in a good way. Not in the way Cameran’s sugary-peach scent does.

  I remove her hand from my chest. “Um, no, thanks, Layla. Have a good day.”

  I begin to walk off, and I hear her annoying, whiny voice say, “It’s because of her, isn’t it? That blonde chick you chased after last night at Carter’s? What does she have?” She lets out a bitter laugh, and her friend joins.

  I shake my head and walk off.

  “Call me when you get sick of vanilla sex.”

  I laugh this time because I know sex with Cameran will be anything but vanilla.

  I turn around, continuing to walk backward, holding my hands up. “Not going to happen, Layla. Find someone else.” I get in my truck and shut the door.

  Mason looks at me. “Dude, she’s crazy. Might want to look out for that one. She seems like a fucking nut. Did you fuck her or what? And then you took Cam home later. Man, you’re ruthless.”

  “Relax. She blew me. That was it. I regret it, but I was pissed. I had seen Cameran giving Carter her number and laughing with him after she pushed me away. Layla had just happened to be there.”

  I do feel like a fucking asshole, doing what I did to Cam after getting a blow job hours earlier. I cringe at my own actions. What the fuck was wrong with me?

  The fact that she still came home with me says everything that we can’t stay away from each other. I feel like I need her. She’s actually someone I would consider breaking my no-distractions rule and pursuing. I don’t want to take things slow. I want to jump right in. But I know I can’t push her. I can’t force her into a relationship when she isn’t ready.

  sixteen

  Cameran

  It’s two fifty, and Anna and I pull into The Atlantic to start our training.

  My stomach is in knots at the thought of seeing Carter. I feel horrible. He seems like a nice guy, and I got him punched in the face.

  We’re in white shirts and black jeans, which Carter requested we wear as our uniform. My hair is in two French braids, and I applied a little more makeup than I normally would. Some mascara, a little winged eyeliner on the top of my lids, and some natural-pink matte lipstick. I actually feel like I look pretty dang good. Anna looks like she was made for this uniform. With her black jeans that have a few tears in them, which is allowed by the manager’s guidelines. Her red bob is down in messy, loose curls, and she has on her usual amount of makeup. She always wears more than I do, but she’s smoking hot.

  We open the door and walk inside. Carter is behind the bar, putting an order in the computer. Once he’s done, he looks up and spots us. He gives us a hesitant smile and puts his hand up in a wave. We walk over.

  I take in his black eye. Wow, Trent really got him good. It looks painful.

  “Carter, I’m so sorry about last night. I have no idea why Trent did that.”

  “Yeah,” he says curtly. “Look, Cameran, what’s the history with you guys? Kade’s not really one to punch guys in the face over some chick. So, what’s going on?”

  “We’re friends,” I throw back because, well, it’s all I’ve got.

  “I have a lot of friends. I don’t punch people who dance with them.” He shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair.

  His energy is different today. Almost dark. Angry maybe? I mean, I guess I can’t blame the guy. I’d be mad, too, if I got punched in the face at my own party.

  “Yeah, I don’t know what got into him. He’s just protective sometimes; that’s all.”

  Thoughts of last night creep back in. The way he held me as I set free years of secrets that had been weighing me down like an anchor.

  He chuckles bitterly. His face twisting into irritation. “He’s never been protective of a girl. Usually, girls need to be protected from him.”

  This strikes a nerve. “What are you saying, Carter?” I cross my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes.

  I have no idea why I’m being defensive. I haven’t even known Trent that long, so why on earth do I want to punch Carter in the face for talking bad about him?

  “Never mind. Forget I said anything. Just be careful, Cameran. Guys like Trent? They are looking for one thing. You seem like a nice girl. I just don’t want you getting caught up with someone you shouldn’t. I have to work the bar today, so, Anna, you’ll be with me. Cameran, you’ll be with Abby. She’s been a waitress here for a few years, and she will train you.” He nods his chin to a girl with jet-black hair and a tattoo sleeve.

  She is beautiful. She could be on the cover of a tattoo magazine; she’s that stunning.

  She walks over and smiles. “Hey, I’m Abby. You ready to get started?”

  I nod. Wow, she’s even more breathtaking up close. Gorgeous sapphire-blue eyes, a fair complexion, and a heart-shaped face. She’s about my height but maybe a tad bit slenderer. I’m not big by any means, but I’m pretty heavy-chested and have a “bubble butt,” as Anna tells me. This girl is much more petite and smaller-framed. She looks like a total badass.

  I follow her to the kitchen, where she walks me through where everything is. She shows me how we put an order in on the back computers and where the food orders come up. She introduces me to the chefs. The three men, who seem to range from late thirties to late fifties, all smile and greet me. I think I’m going to like it here.

  The rest of our shift goes well. Luckily, Abby is very patient with me and a kick-ass teacher. Toward the end of my shift, I notice Trent along with some other gigantic football players file through the door. Even though I can feel his eyes on me, awakening every nerve in my body, I do my best to play it cool and ignore him, focusing solely on my new job.

  seventeen

  Trent

  It always feels good to win by a landslide. But honestly, I like the games better when we’re tested, pushed to play to our full potential.

  The coach always tells our team, “If you’re not giving one hundred percent, you might as well give nothing.”

  So, no matter what, we always play to win. We’re now 3-0, which is a good start, but the season’s only just begun. Delaware didn’t have anything for us tonight, but that doesn’t mean the other teams won’t. In fact, I know they will. We played New Hampshire a few days ago and we thought we had that in the bag. It wasn’t until three minutes left on the clock that we finally pulled ahead and took the win. It goes to show we can never get too cocky.

  Luckily, in tonight’s game, we got a touchdown in the first two minutes, and the rest was gravy. Touchdown after touchdown, we continued to take them down. We ended the game 35 to 6. I’m glad that tonight’s game wasn’t against our more challenging competitors because, let’s face it, I’m fucking distracted.

  The entire game, I was fighting battles in my own head on whether or not Cam was safe. It’s been a couple of weeks since everything went down with us and she told me about her past. Since then, I can hardly focus on anything. The thing is though, I don’t see it as a burden to carry her secrets. If anything, I just wish she’d let me help her more. Fuck, I’d happily take these distractions if it meant she was naked in my bed every night. But she hasn’t been in my bed since that night two weeks ago, and even then, nothing happened. Which, honestly, is fine by me, just as long as she’s there.

  She’s climbed so deep into my brain, my body … fuck, even my soul. I can’t even look at another girl like that. She’s ruined the idea of me having sex with any other woman who isn’t her after I’ve only had a small taste of what it would be like with her. The way she clenched around my fingers, the way her eyes fluttered shut when she was close, how she arched that sexy back when she wanted me to give her more. Fuck, this girl is going to be the death of the Trent Kade everyone knows.

  I close my eyes and take a deep bre
ath, urging these thoughts to get out of my brain.

  We all jump out of Mason’s truck. I know Cam’s working tonight because I texted her earlier and asked.

  I notice Red’s Jeep parked in the corner of the parking lot and tip my chin at Mason. “Now, I know why you were pushin’ so hard to come here after the game.”

  He holds his middle finger up and walks in front of me, hollering over his shoulder, “As if your ass needed convincing.”

  He has a point there.

  I laugh because he’s right. Following him in, I stop at the entrance and scan the room. I see her right away. That mess of blonde curls isn’t hard to find.

  Cameran

  I set the drinks down at my table and take their order. A bunch of young college guys. Yippee. Cue the sarcasm.

  That is one sucky part of the job. Obnoxious college guys who need to show their friends who has the biggest dick. I inwardly roll my eyes while forcing my face to stay pleasant. Well, as pleasant as I can muster up. The restaurant side closes in forty-five minutes, and it cannot come fast enough. I’ve worked a double today, and I am beat. My feet ache, and I probably smell like fried food and beer.

  In between tables, I start some side work to get me out of here on time. I hear some hoots and hollers from the bar area. I peer around the corner. My heart skips a beat at the sight of Trent. Everyone is congratulating him. Girls are trying to be the one he notices. Batting their eyelashes and thrusting their perfectly round silicone breasts toward him.

  He seems so unaffected by the attention. He doesn’t appear uncomfortable, yet he just seems indifferent to the rest of the world. They all just want a piece of him. The guys want to be him or to be his best friends. And the women? They are more than content with being his place to let off some steam. He uses them, and they don’t care. They are thrilled actually.

  I finish my side work and check my tables. Picking up some empty plates and dropping off their checks.

  The obnoxious college guys are my last stop. “I have your check ready. Is there anything else I can get you before dropping it off?”

  The cocky one on the end, who looks to be a freshman, leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. “As a matter of fact, there is.”

  I know something douchey is about to come out of his mouth. He has no brain in that skull, and he’s probably only at NEU because of daddy’s money.

  “This place closes soon. You got any plans?”

  I continue clearing the plates. “Yes, I do have plans.”

  He looks a little caught off guard for a second and then recovers quickly.

  “Yeah, but I bet those plans are lame.” He leans closer and talks quietly, “We scored some coke. I’d love to spend the night high with your fine ass.”

  I don’t even try to hide the unpleasant look on my face. “Um, no. You can pay your bill at the front register. Have a good night.”

  I begin to walk off when the asshole puts his hand on my hip.

  “Look, I wasn’t meaning to sound pushy, but you’re making a big mistake. You sure you can’t blow off those plans?”

  I swat his hand away and notice how huge his pupils are. He’s clearly already snorted some of this coke.

  “Get. Your. Fucking. Hands. Off. Of. Her.”

  I don’t have to turn around to know that voice. And as tired as I am of him going around fighting people, this kid needs to be put in his place. I only pray Trent won’t make a huge scene at my work.

  Trent

  I saw all of those preppy fuckers checking her out. I knew they were up to something, so I sat at the end of the bar, closest to them, and waited to strike.

  “Get. Your. Fucking. Hands. Off. Of. Her,” I growl out. I can feel my hands balling up into fists, and that vein in my forehead is about to pop.

  The preppy fuck’s hand lets go of her instantly, and his eyes are the size of his dinner plate. I can tell just by looking at him that he’s on something. Not like that’s an excuse to put his hands on my girl.

  “S-sorry, man. I-I—we didn’t know she was your girl. No disrespect.”

  I grab his throat and squeeze. Not enough to kill the fucker, but enough to let him know that I can. Small drops of sweat begin to form beads on his forehead.

  “Don’t ever come in here or near her again. Do you understand?” I breathe out through gritted teeth.

  “Y-yeah, man. I-I got it,” he struggles to say under my grip.

  I let him go, and he falls back and grabs his neck. He and his fuckface friends all jump up, throwing a bunch of money and grabbing their shit.

  As they walk off, I hear his friend scolding him, “Way to go, Ryan. You assaulted Trent Kade’s girlfriend, you fucking moron.”

  I look at Cam. “You okay?”

  She gathers up the bill and the money and pushes past me without a word.

  I follow her over to the register, staying on the customer side of it. “Damn it, Sunshine. I asked if you were okay.”

  She continues putting the bills into the cash register and then sticks the change leftover in her pocket. I catch a look at it before she does. A hundred-dollar bill. Good, I’m glad the useless fucks at least tipped her well.

  “Talk to me, Cameran. Please.”

  Her face is red. Shit, she is pissed. Fuck, I guess I did the wrong thing—again.

  “Goddamn it, Trent!” she whispers through gritted teeth. “I had it under control! This is my place of work! I am glad that you feel the need to take me on as a charity case to look out for, but please! Back off!” She walks over to the time machine and clocks out. Grabbing her sweatshirt, she pushes past me.

  I watch her as she stomps over and sits at Red’s side of the bar in the seat next to Mason. Red slides her a Coke. I go over and sit next to Lane at the other side of the bar. See, you probably think I am giving her space, but I’m actually being a selfish bastard. Because of the shape of the bar, this allows me to watch her. Aggravating her more. Which is sort of addictive.

  I pull my phone out, shooting Mason a text.

  Me: When does Red get out?

  I watch him take his phone out of his pocket and begin typing.

  Mason: Midnight. Why? You waiting on blondie?

  Me: She getting a ride home with Red?

  Mason: That’s the plan, but I am trying to get Anna to come over for a bit since practice isn’t till tomorrow afternoon.

  I push off my stool and head over to Cam. I plunk my ass down in the empty one next to her. She doesn’t look over, just twirls the straw in her drink.

  “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you at work. I just couldn’t sit back and watch some prick make you uncomfortable. When I saw him put his hands on you … I don’t know, Cam … I lost it.” I glance up and nod when Red slides me a beer. I take a long swig off of it, hoping it will calm my need to beat that fucker for putting his hand on my girl.

  “You’ve got to stop treating me like I’m your younger sister and you’re a protective big brother,” she snaps back, a little more sass than I’ve heard her have before.

  I snort and almost spit out my beer everywhere. After taking a napkin to wipe my mouth off, I say in a low tone, “Trust me, Sunshine, I’m definitely not your big brother.”

  Cameran

  The way the words roll off his tongue in such a cocky tone should annoy me. Instead, I find myself wanting to be back in his bed. Only this time, not just talking.

  His voice is so incredibly sexy. It’s rough yet smooth, if that even makes sense. He smells so good; that in itself makes me want to rip his clothes off. I’ll admit it; it has been a struggle lately, being in the presence of Trent Kade.

  If I’m being honest, I’m not really mad that he looks after me. Lord knows I could use someone to do that. I’m mad at myself for trusting someone so fast again. And someone with a temper at that. For some reason—a reason my brain isn’t able to comprehend—my body, mind, and soul all trust this man that I have only known for a month. I have told him more than I hav
e told anyone in the entire world. That’s what makes me angry. I am just falling into someone else’s trap. I am setting myself up to be hurt—or worse, to be kept under lock and key. But when I am around him, why do I feel like maybe everything could be okay?

  I’m pulled from my thoughts by his deep voice.

  “You okay over there, Sunshine? You look a little … dazed, should I say?” He takes a swig off of his beer and smirks.

  I’m totally busted for being turned on.

  I roll my eyes, shoving his shoulder. I can’t stay mad at him forever. Especially when he was looking out for me. “I’m good. I was just wondering how one gets so confident in themselves. Did you wake up one day and think, I’m fucking Trent Kade, and I am the man?”

  He puts a hand to his chest and feigns hurt. “Who, me? Overly confident? No way. I am as humble as they come, babe.”

  I try not to let the word babe go to my head. He probably calls all girls babe.

  I let out a laugh. “Bullshit. You have the biggest ego I have ever seen. I’m sort of surprised you don’t refer to yourself in the third person.”

  “Pfft, only people who are trying to prove they are awesome do that. Everyone already knows I’m awesome.” He winks at me. “So, are you going to stay here till midnight and wait for Red’s shift to end, or you want to go do something?”

  I look at him, eyes wide.

  “Get your head out of the gutter, Sunshine. I was going to suggest we go for a ride somewhere. Although if you meant something else, I’d be happy to oblige.” He wiggles his eyebrows and leans his side into me.

  I nod to the empty beer bottle in front of him. “You’re drinking though.”

  “I have had one beer. Trust me, I am one hundred percent sober. One thing I don’t fuck around with is drinking and driving.”