My teammates and I passed the cheerleaders doing a dance routine in the middle of the road. Eve tried to catch my eye but I ignored her, which obviously made her pissed. I knew very well that she wasn’t really interested in me anymore. It’s just that she hated the fact that I had been the one to ditch her first. All this time, she hadn’t seem to have gotten over it.
Donning a pair of hiking pants as well as a dri-fit shirt printed with the Windfield Warriors logo and my last name and number, I went over to the wall climbing facility that had been set up beside the road. We were hooked up to the rope quickly.
To my surprise, the woman whom I had talked to a while ago came to join me shortly. She had changed from her rider’s outfit to one that was more appropriate for this activity. It dawned on me then that she was the stuntwoman standing in for Eve.
“It must be my lucky day,” I remarked with a grin as she approached and took her place beside me.
She grinned back at me and said, “It will be your lucky day if you beat me to the top.”
“A challenge!” I exclaimed with a laugh. “I like that!”
“Okay,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “Ready when you are.”
The director called out additional instructions. There were no specifications on who should get to the top first, so the race was on between me and the mystery lady.
Once the go signal was given, I hoisted myself up from foot to foot, making sure I had a steady grip on the “rocks” as I went further up. I didn’t dare look down, though I was well aware that we were now a long way from the ground. Fortunately, the wall was just flat, created for beginners. I’d done this several times before so it was a breeze for me, especially given my gym and football training.
I was oblivious to the cameras around us and above us. There was even one strapped on my helmet. All I could think of at that moment was winning the silent race. Glancing sideways, I saw that the beautiful woman beside me was catching up quick. She wasn’t even panting.
Without looking at me, she went to surpass me toward the top. I groaned when she got there first and grinned down at me, mouthing “I win!”
We had to do several more takes after that, which was greatly exhausting. What’s even more frustrating was the fact that she out-climbed me every time. This was no ordinary athlete, after all. She appeared to be a highly skilled and experienced stuntwoman against whom I was no match.
It was certainly damaging to my ego, but nevertheless, I found myself immensely challenged while having fun, too.
When it was finally announced a wrap, all of us sighed in relief. We looked like we’d been to battle. I trudged to the tent to get dressed, but not before I caught sight of the dark-haired woman that had captured my attention from the very beginning. Wearing a sexy black tank top, I couldn’t help but stare as she wiped the sweat off her body. My eyes zoomed in to the flesh on her neck and then glided over to the silky smooth skin showing on top of her breasts.
She suddenly looked up and caught me gaping. She narrowed her eyes at first and then eventually grinned and waved. Something inside me did a somersault. Was it my heart beating so fast, possibly driven by my male hormones? It certainly wasn’t “love at first sight” as others would mistake it to be. But there was just something about this woman that intrigued me. I found myself thinking about her even as the boys and I mingled with the cheerleaders during the dinner treat for the commercial stars.
Unfortunately, the woman was nowhere to be found now. She and the other stunt people had already left. I didn’t even get her name.
Chapter Three
Tasha
Stryder Cooper. I couldn’t get his name and his gorgeous face out of my head for the next two days. I was so enthralled that I found myself eventually googling him. There was little to be said about his personal profile, except that he was the son of a famous football star from the eighties--- Douglas Cooper. The reports on him mostly described his ascent to his current center position and his extraordinary performance during the recent months.
I found myself even more attracted as I read on and ogled his photos. He wasn’t very tall, probably just two inches taller than me. But he had an impressive built and a naughty glint in his brown eyes that went well with his lopsided grin. He always wore his hair in a rather short style, with some bangs falling over his forehead from time to time.
On the third day after the shoot, I still couldn’t help thinking about him. It was rather astonishing when I suddenly received a call from one of the commercial’s crew members, asking me to step in for Eve who had gotten sick.
I drove to the well-known Windfield football field without a second thought, a little bothered that I was actually more eager to “bump” into Stryder again than do an extra stint for additional income.
They were in the middle of shooting a football scene when I’d arrived. I stood at the lower section of the bleachers, mesmerized by the live scrimmage happening while cameras whirred about. Immediately I spotted Stryder’s broad shoulders and numbered back. He had just done a pass and was running across the field, his strong legs moving gracefully. I couldn’t see his face through the helmet, but I could tell he was deep in concentration.
As they continued to do the shoot, I decided to head down and announce my arrival to the crew.
“What do I do?” I asked the person in charge calmly.
He looked at me casually and grabbed some clothes off a chair. “You were the stand-in for Eve before, right? Well, today you get to be a real cheerleader. Good luck.”
What the fuck! I thought in alarm as I laid out the skimpy cheerleader uniform in front of me. Am I really going to do this?
For a while, I was stricken with panic. I saw the two other cheerleaders practicing their dance routine. Holy shit.
I stood frozen on the spot until the crew member gave me a push. “Hey, hurry up! We don’t have much time. You still need to be made up to look more like Eve!”
I got dressed and glammed up for the role right before I was led to the choreographer.
“Hey, I’m really hoping you’re a quick learner because we need to do this fast,” she told me. “Don’t worry, it’s just basic steps and you’ll mostly be covered by the two cheerleaders. We’re just going to shoot a separate solo routine for Eve and the video editor can do the rest.”
I nodded nervously. I could jump off a cliff and run through flames of fire, but dancing?! I had two left feet, for crying out loud!
Nevertheless, I did my best to follow along. So far, so good.
“Relax!” the choreographer told me for the nth time. “You’re too stiff. Just imagine you’re dancing with a hot guy in a bar.”
I don’t do bars, bitch, I said in my head, frowning.
She was actually losing control with me, too, because we’ve been going over the routine for quite some time already. Eventually, I did begin to get the steps even though I probably moved quite awkwardly. The cameraman who was watching us assured the choreographer it would do at some angles.
“Whew,” I muttered under my breath as we finally did the first take. Because I was super conscious, I was well aware of the cameras around. Good thing the bleachers were empty.
It was even more nerve-wracking when I saw Stryder and the other guys watching. They were obviously done with their own sequence.
“You can do this,” I whispered to myself as I tried to focus on doing the steps more naturally. I was certainly rattled, but I didn’t want him seeing me in that kind of predicament. So I closed my eyes and tried to imagine myself as a graceful dancer. It was definitely hard to envision but I had to try.
I couldn’t remember how many takes we had. But at one point, when my eyes shifted to where Stryder was standing, I saw a smirk on his lips and an amused look in his eyes. I scowled and tried to ignore him.
Finally, after some time, the director said it would do. I breathed deeply and headed straight to the dressing room for the extras.
To my utter shock, Stryder was waiting
right outside the door, his arms folded across his chest. A wide grin was plastered on his face, making me glower.
“What?!” I said.
“Well, hello to you, too,” he responded with an amused expression on his face. “Nice dancing back there.” He even had the nerve to check out my revealing outfit, his eyes lingering on my long, lean legs.
“That cheerleading outfit seems to suit you well,” he added, probably knowing it was an insult to me.
I was certainly pissed, but I didn’t let on. “Shut up,” I said but in a cool voice. “Can you please move? I need to get dressed. I don’t have all the time.”
“Sure,” he said, stepping aside and letting me in.
My heart was thumping like crazy while I changed and removed some of the makeup, making myself look normal.
When I went out, you could imagine my surprise when I saw the cocky football player still there, waiting for me.
“Are you stalking me or something?” I demanded.
“Do you want me to?” he said nonchalantly, making my blood boil even more.
“No!” I answered adamantly. “So just go and bother someone else.”
I walked past him, but he actually grabbed my arm and spun me around. The sudden impact made me slightly lose my balance, causing me to crash into his muscular chest. I caught a whiff of his after-shave which made me a bit heady. His arms instantly went around me, his touch making me shiver.
My eyes popped open as I automatically looked up. I was actually taken aback when I saw the look of dazzle on his face. “You look different,” he uttered in a puzzled tone of voice.
“Yeah, well, this is the real me,” I pointed out sarcastically.
“I like the real you better,” he said matter-of-factly, making my heart race.
“Thanks,” I muttered. “Now will you please let me go?”
“Only if you tell me your name first,” he said, grinning widely again and even drawing me closer in his strong arms. The movement made my heart jump into my throat.
“Tasha,” I whispered, my eyes locking with his. I could feel our immediate connection. “It’s Tasha Rodriguez.”
Chapter Four
Stryder
For a moment, I felt like kissing her right then and there. But of course I didn’t. I let her go, but I followed her out of the football field.
“Why are you following me?” she demanded, stopping right before her car and placing both hands on her waist.
“Just curious,” I answered. “And I was hoping you’d say yes to grabbing coffee with me?”
She hesitated, then shook her head. I thought she was going to turn around and leave then. But instead a playful smile began to form on her lips. “You know, I’m kind of in the mood for coffee. But I get to choose the coffee shop, okay?”
I suddenly felt elated. I wasn’t playing it cool like I usually did, which bothered me a lot. Nonetheless, I was ecstatic that she said yes.
“Sure, of course,” I said. “Lead the way.”
“Ride with me?” she asked, motioning to her old Civic model.
“No problem,” he said. “Just bring me back here later so I can get my car later.”
She smiled, looking more at ease now and even quite excited. “Of course, Stryder.”
Nothing prepared me for the scariest city car ride of my life. From the moment I sat on the passenger’s seat and strapped the seatbelt in place, I was submerged into a hair-raising experience. She was beating the red light on some intersections, dodging cars along the way and overtaking them whenever she could. I felt like I’d been transported into a video game where I could crash at any time!
I gripped the sides of my seat tightly, my teeth grinding together as I reeled myself to endure the rest of the terrifying ride. We were fortunate enough not to have been caught by the authorities and not to have crashed.
“Are you a race car driver?!” I asked loudly.
The woman looked calm. She gave me a casual grin. “Don’t worry, Stryder. We won’t get into trouble, I promise.” She seemed to know what she was doing, but that didn’t calm me one bit.
“We’re not in a fucking movie!” I yelled over the sound of the engine.
“I know!” she answered with a smile. “Real life stunts are so much more exciting!”
“You’re insane!” I couldn’t help saying out loud.
“I know!” she once again answered, laughing over the sound of the engine.
We had reached the highway leading out of the city. There were hardly any cars, so she pressed on the gas again, driving wildly into the night. I was being a sissy, perhaps, but I certainly didn’t want to die or have a run-in with the police. My dad would never let me live, especially if it was because of some stupid girl.
“Where are we going?” I asked, trying to calm myself down. “I thought we’re just having coffee.”
“Oh, we are,” she replied mysteriously, her blue-gray eyes twinkling. “But we’re going to have some fun, too!”
She was a huge mystery indeed, which fascinated me even more. I was admittedly smitten, though I was sure it was temporary. I had never stayed attracted to a woman for more than a month.
I glanced at her sideways as she began to slow down. I was relieved. I could think more clearly. And that’s when it hit me that she was a woman like no other I had ever met in the past. It’s probably why she seemed to have me wrapped around her little finger. It was the opposite of what I was used to. But somehow, I didn’t mind it much.
We came to a halt in front of a small white structure with no labels. It looked like a contemporary home made of metal and glass.
“This doesn’t look like a coffee shop to me,” I said, making her chuckle.
“We’re visiting a friend of mine first,” she explained as she called someone on her phone.
After a while, the door opened. An older guy came out. He gave Tasha a quick hug, which made me suspicious. But then I saw the wedding ring on his finger.
“What a nice surprise, Tasha,” he said. “How can I help you?”
“Hi, Phil!” Tasha greeted. “If you’re not busy tonight, I was hoping you could let us fly?”
“Sure, no problem,” he said. “Anything for you. My wife and kid are out, anyway, and I’ve got nothing better to do.”
“Thank you so much!” Tasha said. “By the way, this is my friend Stryder. Stryder, Phil is a former classmate of mine and a really good friend.”
“The football player!” Phil exclaimed, extending his hand. “It’s nice to meet you in person. I’m a fan.”
“Really now,” Tasha said, groaning. “Just my luck.”
I smiled and shook his hand. “Thanks, Phil. It’s good to meet you.”
Phil ushered us into his minimalist modern home and offered us coffee and cake. We chatted for a while and I could see that he and Tasha went a long way back. There was no malice involved, though.
I scoffed at Tasha’s idea of a coffee date, though. Why did we have to go all the way here and have coffee in another man’s house?! It surely wasn’t my idea of “fun,” unless she just wanted to take me on a daring ride going here. Or perhaps she didn’t want us to spend time alone.
After a while, Tasha looked even more excited as Phil led us out the kitchen door. To my amazement, his idea of a “backyard” was a huge cemented area that served as a parking lot for his chopper.
“I’m a sucker for helicopters and all flying vehicles,” he explained to me, chuckling. “Do you like these toys, too?”
“Uh, haven’t had the chance to explore them yet, I guess,” I said uncertainly as I followed him and Tasha to the helicopter.
In an instant, he’d gone inside and had brought the flying machine to life. The raucous sound was deafening in the silent evening, especially there in the midst of the city’s outskirts.
“Let’s go on the ride of a lifetime!” Tasha bellowed above the noise, taking my hand and pulling me toward the chopper. We climbed aboard and settled inside, putting on
our seatbelts. I was both excited and tense as the vehicle began to lift off the ground, the rotor spinning fast above us and making a boisterous sound.
We were above the town in no time, gliding across the moonlit sky. I looked up with amazement at the stars that seemed to be within reach, and then down at the breathtaking view of the city lights below us.
“Wow, this is beautiful,” I said.
“Yes, definitely one of my favorite views of all time,” Tasha agreed. She leaned closer to me, looking out the window and pointing toward familiar towers in the city as we roamed around. I was very much aware of our proximity, her touch and scent fusing with the thrill of the moment. I could feel my heart racing and the hardness in between my legs growing as our shoulders kept rubbing.
Phil brought the helicopter back toward the direction of his home. As we were nearing the edges of the city, Tasha grabbed some jumpsuits from under our seats. She handed one to me. “Put it over your clothes,” she ordered.
“Why?” I wondered, looking at the blue jumpsuit strangely.
“Just do it,” she said as she wore the red jumpsuit quickly. I followed without any more questions, somehow enjoying the mystery and adventure of it all. She obviously had a penchant for electrifying ventures and gripping moments.
Next, she took out some gear from the back of our seats and strapped them onto herself and onto me. The way her hands touched different parts of my body stimulated me more, distracting me from my initial curiosity.
Wild Play Page 2