Lucky Catch: A Quick Snap Novella

by Lea Coll

  Lexie smiled. “Thank you, Gavin. That was what I needed to hear.”

  Something passed between us. It was more than an understanding or friendship. She exuded confidence and inner beauty. I was attracted to all of her.

  After dinner, we walked back to the hotel—her hand curled over my elbow. Had this been a date, I would have preferred to hold her hand, but this position allowed her to walk closer to me. She dropped her hand when I opened the door, following her to the elevator.

  She was quiet in the elevator as if she were thinking hard about something. When we stepped out onto her floor, it was empty and quiet. We stopped at her door. She slid her card over the sensor. “Do you want to come in for a minute?”

  I glanced at my phone. “Sure. I have an hour until curfew.”

  I followed her inside. It was a standard hotel room with two queen beds. I pulled my gaze from the beds, looking around the room for luggage. “Do you have a roommate?”

  “No. I don’t.” She shook her head. A strand of hair fell in her face.

  I stepped closer to her, tucking it behind her ear. Her breath caught. My gaze drifted to her parted lips. They were inviting me to kiss her. My hands cupped her head the same time I stepped closer—my feet on either side of hers as I tilted her head to the right angle. Her proximity lit up all my senses, her scent, her touch, her warmth. I wanted to be closer to her. I wanted to feel her body pressed up against mine.

  “Gavin.” My name on her lips came out breathy and full of longing.

  This might have been the single biggest mistake I’d ever made, but I wanted to make it with every fiber of my being. I wanted to possess her even if it was only for one night. I slowly lowered my lips to hers, intending to heighten her anticipation. I nibbled the corner of her mouth before her lips parted and she invited me in.

  When I should have backed up, calling it a night, my mind was screaming at me to stay. Lexie was everything good I wanted in my life. She thought about me. She worried about me. Most importantly, she wanted me. Not Jake’s younger brother.

  As I took the kiss deeper, she pressed her body into mine. I swore I could feel the hard nubs of her tits against my chest. I groaned. I had an hour before I had to be back in my room when I wanted to spend all night exploring her body.

  I pulled back, wondering if I should wait until we had more time. “Do you want me to go?”

  I didn’t want to, but I would if that’s what she wanted.

  She smiled softly. “I want you. I know I have this rule against dating football players, but right now, I don’t want to remember why.”

  I smoothed her hair, tilting her head up. “Nothing has ever felt more right. Not picking up a football for the first time, not being drafted to Seattle, not mentoring kids. Nothing has been more right than this moment here with you.”

  She briefly closed her eyes. When she opened them, tears sparkled in her eyes. “I feel the same way.”

  My lips were on hers before she finished her sentence. I reached around to slide her zipper down. She stepped back, allowing the dress to fall down her body, revealing a black lace bra and a triangle of lace. She stepped out of her dress before reaching down to unbuckle her shoes.

  “Leave them on.” My voice was gruff and strained with need. She was gorgeous. When I first met her, I thought she was model pretty, but now that I’d gotten to know her, she was beautiful inside and out, and all mine.

  I lifted her, laying her gently on the bed. Her hair spread out behind her on the pillow. I wanted her nipples in my mouth. Then I wanted to explore every inch of her body. “There’s not enough time for me to enjoy you.”

  She smiled softly, her eyes hesitant. “This is just the first time.”

  “Fuck, yes.” That was what I wanted to hear to make the first move. I pulled the cups of her bra down until her breasts spilled over, sucking a nipple into my mouth. I lavished it with attention before turning to the other. Her fingers tangled in my hair as she held me to her breasts. After a few seconds, I slid down her body, leaving kisses as I went. I pulled down her panties, settling my shoulders between her legs.

  I licked her once from her opening to her clit before settling in to devour her. I wanted her writhing with need. I reached up with one hand to tweak her nipples. She arched into me, whimpering. When her hips bucked, I pumped a finger inside her and curled it as she exploded around me. I let her ride the wave before I kissed my way up her body.

  “You’re still dressed.” Her chest was flush from her orgasm, her lips swollen, and her lids heavy.

  Lexie

  As hot as it was with him dressed and with me practically naked, I wanted to be skin-to-skin with nothing between us. I sat up to unhook my bra, flinging it to the side.

  Even though we hadn’t dated per se, we’d gotten to know each other the last couple of weeks. I felt a connection with him.

  Gavin stood, making quick work of taking off his clothes. When only his briefs remained, his eyes darkened. His fingers played with the waistband before he slid them slowly over his hips. I sucked in a breath when his cock popped out. He was large and hard, and he wanted me.

  When he turned away to grab a condom from his wallet, I wondered if this was a mistake. Then he turned back to me, smoothing the condom down his cock, and I dismissed my worry. If this were wrong, it wouldn’t feel like this. Every inch of my skin tingled, and my core ached for him. My arms longed to wrap around him. I’d never felt like this with anyone else.

  This was different. It could be everything. I shook off any worries that this was a bigger mistake than Mike Presley. The stakes were higher. Our jobs were on the line.

  I forgot everything when Gavin placed a knee on the bed, crawling over me, his hands braced on the bed on either side of my head.

  His lips lowered to mine as his cock teased my entrance.

  I lifted my hips to encourage him and whispered against his mouth, “Now Gavin.”

  It was all the encouragement he needed as he plunged inside me with one thrust of his hips. I tore my lips from his unable to concentrate with the feel of him filling me up. No one had ever possessed me this completely. He was so confident. He kissed down my neck until his tongue circled my nipples, his thrusts slow and measured. I wanted him to let go of the tightly held control. I met him stroke for stroke, urging him faster. “Harder.”

  He lowered himself onto his forearms until my nipples grazed his chest as he surrounded me with his body and his scent. It was intimate and overwhelming. It was perfect.

  His lips hovered over mine, our breaths mingling as he prolonged our pleasure. This angle provided delicious friction on my clit. His cock stroked that spot inside me quickly, building to another orgasm. “Gavin, I’m so close.”

  He raised slightly, thrusting harder, going deeper than before. I closed my eyes tightly, the sensations threatening to overwhelm me.

  “Look at me when you come,” Gavin’s voice was soft yet commanding and I couldn’t resist doing what he’d asked.

  His eyes were darkened with lust and full of emotion. Was he feeling what I was? Then my orgasm crashed over me at the same time he groaned into my shoulder. I’d never experienced simultaneous orgasms with a partner before.

  He rested on me for a few seconds before kissing my lips and getting up to remove the condom. When he returned from the bathroom, he pulled me to him and kissed my temple.

  “I want to stay all night.”

  “Me too.” I’d never wanted anything more.

  “But, I can’t.” His voice filled with regret. Was it because of what we’d done or our limited time?

  “I know.” I wanted to ask what we were doing. Was this a one-time thing? A slip of judgment or was this more? Gavin tended to be focused and intense about things. He wasn’t the sort of man who made impulsive decisions, but I knew next to nothing about his past relationships other than he’d been burned.

  He held me tightly in his arms, quieting some of my fears. I dozed off before he left.

>   Chapter 10

  Lexie

  I woke by myself the next morning. Even though I expected it, I felt bereft. I wished we’d discussed what happened last night before he’d left. I assumed we were keeping it a secret but had he felt anything close to what I’d felt last night?

  I was sure he’d be affected by seeing his brother today. I wanted to be with him this morning. I wanted to see him go through his pre-game ritual, wish him good luck. Instead, I settled for sending him a good luck text. He didn’t respond, but I was sure he was busy getting ready for the game and focused on that.

  I loved Gavin’s focus on me last night. But we were at the beginning of his rookie season. He couldn’t afford any distractions, and I couldn’t afford any missteps.

  I’d slept with a player—the same thing Janine accused me of. What we’d done last night could not get out. I had to pretend nothing happened. That we were just friends and co-workers even though I wanted to claim him as mine.

  Last night was like a dream. It was like we were the only two in the restaurant. He’d placed his hand on my lower back and offered his elbow when we’d walked to and from the restaurant. Everything muddled my brain and made my body think it was a date and not the first one because we’d spent some time together before last night. So, when I invited him into my room, I’d known what I’d wanted and what could happen. I wasn’t scared or tentative, because I wanted him.

  I hadn’t wanted the evening to end when his lips touched mine. His touch caused a fire to ignite, rapidly spreading to every limb and inch of my skin. A fire only Gavin could put out. I’d wanted him with a ferocity only he’d brought out in me. I wanted him still. If I thought one night would be enough, I was wrong. It only made me crave him more.

  I tried to focus on the drone of sports news on my TV, my notes in my lap. I wanted to know what the sports media commentators were saying about Jake and Gavin’s reunion so I could figure out my angle. I didn’t want to do what everyone else was doing. I wanted something fresh. But what? I couldn’t reveal his mentoring and volunteer work until the televised interview.

  Although we’d intended last night to be a business meeting, it wasn’t. Everything he’d said was in confidence. How he’d always played in Jake’s shadow, but today was his chance to shine on his own. It was weak, but I couldn’t come up with anything. I was still in a Gavin haze from last night as I sat on the rumpled bedsheets that smelled like him.

  I dressed in a suit and applied make-up. I needed to get out of this room so I could focus on my job and not the feel of Gavin’s cock inside me and his whispers in my ear. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d treat me differently on the field. The bigger question was, did I want him to?

  I took a van to the stadium with a few of my co-workers. I stepped out to find a quiet spot to go over my notes.

  The national media channels focused solely on this so-called showdown with his brother. What made Gavin an asset for Seattle was his height. He had an uncanny ability to come down with the ball when the quarterback threw it into coverage. The question was could he do the same thing in a professional game when the players were bigger and the hits harder. No other Seattle wide receiver was taller or had better hands. Satisfied it was the angle I’d go with today, I met up with Bill before heading to the locker room to speak to Coach Phillips.

  I walked through the locker room, debating whether I should talk to anyone else before the game. I didn’t want to disturb the rookies who’d be feeling the most pressure, so I stopped to talk to Will Montgomery. He was used to the attention. As a veteran, he probably wouldn’t see any snaps today.

  I quickly ran through a few standard questions about the season and then asked what I wanted to know. “What do you think about the starting wide receivers this season?”

  “It’s still early. We’ll see how they do in the preseason games.”

  “You know, I looked at your college tapes. You seemed to have a great rapport with your receiver, Ace Barron.”

  Will’s eyes settled on me. He was impressed I’d taken the time to study his tapes. “I was confident when I’d throw into coverage, he’d catch the ball.”

  I tilted my head, considering him. “Do you think Gavin Keller has that same potential?”

  Will’s eyes widened with interest and if I wasn’t mistaken—respect. “We’ll see how he does the next few weeks. Coach Phillips makes those decisions.”

  I didn’t mind his generic answer because I’d planted the seed. Gavin just needed to go out and impress everyone today.

  I finished my interview with Will, exiting the mostly vacant locker room. The team was lined up in the tunnel, waiting to run out. My gaze landed on number eighty-five with Keller stitched on the back of the jersey, Gavin turned. When he saw me, he gave me a slight nod. I smiled but kept walking. It was all we had for now.

  I let the energy of the crowd flow through my body before the team ran out. I loved the moment the team ran out—the roar of the crowd, the excitement for the season. It was more subdued at an away game, but I saw a fair amount of Seattle jerseys in the crowd.

  “Good job interviewing Will Montgomery. You did your homework,” Bill said.

  “Thanks.”

  Tampa ran out to the roar of the crowd, but when Jake Keller came out last, the noise was deafening. After waving to the fans, Jake approached Seattle’s bench, shaking Gavin’s hand. I couldn’t see what they were saying, but both had smiles on their faces. Whatever Jake said before he released his hand, caused Gavin to laugh. I hadn’t talked to Gavin much about their relationship, but it seemed amiable.

  After the National Anthem, Clay and Will went to mid-field for the coin toss. I blocked out my worries about Gavin to focus on the game and what questions I should ask at half-time.

  During Seattle’s first possession, running back Eric Boston, ran twice for a few yards. On third down, the second-string quarterback Brett Edmunds threw the ball over Gavin’s head out of bounds. The punter Felix Watts fumbled the punt resulting in a Tampa touchdown. The second possession for Seattle was more of the same, a dropped ball, short gains on runs, and an inability to convert on third down. Tampa came out with its third-string quarterback, Robert Quinn, threw short passes, moving quickly and confidently down the field. Seattle’s defense was unable to stop them. At ten and goal, Robert Quinn completed a pass into the end zone for Tampa’s second touchdown.

  On the next possession, Seattle fumbled the ball, resulting in a third Tampa touchdown. The mistakes kept coming. The team wasn’t playing well at all. When the team went to the locker room at half-time, I said to Bill, “That was underwhelming.”

  Bill grinned. “Too many dumb mistakes, dropped balls, fumbles, and not completing on third down. I’m sure Coach Phillips is lighting a fire under them as we speak.”

  I grabbed Clay when he returned to the field and nodded for Bill to lift his camera and film.

  “What did Coach Phillips say to the team at half-time?”

  Clay’s expression was grim, his eyes determined. “He said we’re all fighting for a position right now. Our play should reflect that.”

  I sucked in a sharp breath. It was an interesting approach, but I could see from Clay’s demeanor he took it seriously. “Thanks, Clay. Good luck out there.”

  He nodded before he ran over to the bench.

  “Is that usual?” I asked Bill.

  He shook his head and then chuckled. “No. He must be disgusted with them.”

  I didn’t know if every position was up for grabs or if he was bluffing to encourage them to play better.

  I watched the rest of the game, resorting to my old nail-biting habit, as Seattle came back from a three-touchdown deficit to tie the game. With two minutes to go, a gasp went through the crowd when Will Montgomery stepped onto the field for the first time.

  “This is risky,” Bill said.

  I could only nod. If Will got hurt in a preseason game, no one would be happy—the front office or the fans. Maybe this was
a chance for Gavin to shine. If Gavin could show he worked well with Will, he would solidify his position.

  They tried two running plays in a row with only a few yards gain.

  “He’ll have to pass,” Bill said quietly.

  I couldn’t respond because Gavin was on the field. I closed my eyes briefly to visualize him running down the field and jumping to catch the ball. I said a quick prayer before I opened my eyes to catch Will drawing his arm back and the receivers scrambling for an opening. I scanned the field until I saw Gavin running long with a Tampa defender a few steps behind. I sucked in a sharp breath, hoping Will would see him.

  Will let the ball fly. I watched as two more defenders left their men and ran toward Gavin coming from opposite directions. Will had thrown a high ball into coverage. It was risky, but this was the scenario Gavin usually shined. I could only hope he would here.

  Come on, Gavin, this is your chance. Gavin ran into the end zone and jumped above the other men with his arms outstretched. The ball grazed his fingertips, two defenders hit him from either side, twisting his body unnaturally. The ball popped out. The initial roar of the Seattle crowd died down as everyone waited to see if Gavin would get up.

  I clasped my hands tightly around my microphone. Please get up, Gavin. Please. Trainers ran out onto the field and hovered around him. I wanted to run out onto the field to see if he was okay, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t my place. I couldn’t even ask Bill if he thought he’d be okay. I didn’t trust my voice. My hands shook, my throat tightened, and tears pricked my eyes.

  The trainers took his hands, helping him stand. The crowd stood, clapping as he walked off the field. I breathed a sigh of relief, itching to follow him as they helped him down the tunnel to the locker room.

  Play resumed with our kicker getting the field goal. There was thirty seconds left on the clock, leaving only enough time for the kick-off return. Tampa’s receiver was tackled at his forty-yard line. The clock ran out.