Misconduct (FSCU Pitbulls Book 1)

by Stella Marie Alden

  I nod, warmed by his concern. “Yeah. I handed everything in, just before midnight. I got a text this morning. I’m good.”

  He nibbles on my ear. “Great. How about we agree not to no talk about FSCU for two days?”

  I laugh and turn when his tongue tries to tickle my ear. “Bet you can’t do it. What about the game?”

  “NFL doesn’t count.” He kisses my neck as he pulls my hands off his upper thigh. “Shit. Stop, unless you want me to fuck you right here.”

  I glance at the driver, my face red. “What are we betting?”

  “If I win, you have to make love to me, in complete silence, while my parents sleep in the other room.” He laughs at my horrified face.

  “Fine. But what if I win?”

  “What do you want from me, darlin’?”

  He’s already given me everything I’ve ever wanted, except some assurances for the future and it’s way too soon to ask.

  “Hmmm.” I grin and pretend to think hard as the airport comes into view.

  “I want, in writing, no matter what, I will get front row tickets to your first Superbowl.” His brows go up and then a slow smile spreads across his face. “Done.”

  The limo driver pulls up to the curb and halfway across the lobby, a young couple recognizes Ryan and asks him for his autograph. He gives him that Texas persona, winks, and with a hand to my lower back, escorts me to a short line.

  “This is first class.” I check my plane ticket to be sure.

  “Yeah, I know.”

  I show my driver’s license and soon, we’re in the air. All the time, he either has a firm hand on my knee, my arm, or has his fingers intertwined with mine. Even in the first-class seats, we squish, shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh. He puts his arm around my shoulder, and I lean into his warm body, wondering how long before we can have sex.

  Then, with the roar of the engine, the comfort of his beating heart, my eyes get heavy. I haven’t slept well for days and exhaustion finally overcomes me. I would have probably snored until the plane touched down but for the pressure in my ear. Yawning, I open my mouth to clear the ache and note how I drooled on Ryan’s shirt. He grins down at me when I try to dry him off with my sleeve.

  “Welcome to Texas, sleepy head.”

  “Rats.”

  “What?”

  “My first time in first class and I slept through it.” The wheels of the plane come down as he snickers.

  “I think that’s the point.”

  In the main terminal, there’s a tall gray-haired version of Ryan waving. He must be his dad. The plump woman must be his mom. They hug him fiercely while I stand at the sidelines, squirming uncomfortably until Ryan lets go and introduces me.

  “Mom, Dad, meet my girlfriend, Kira.”

  I wave my fingers and give a shy smile at their shocked look. On the way to the parking lot I whisper, “Didn’t you tell them I was coming?”

  He pulls me aside, “I may have neglected to mention the friend I was bringing home was female.”

  Why in God’s name would he do that?

  There’s no way to ask because their car is waiting right outside. A thinner blond version of Ryan jumps out of the car and slaps him on the back. The man who must be his brother stares at me almost as stunned as the parents.

  “You’re Ryan’s friend?” He chuckles, gives me my first warm smile, and glances at his brother. “I’m Brad and you are?”

  “Kira. Nice to meet you.” Brad grabs my knapsack and whispers something to Ryan as they put our luggage in the back of the truck.

  Woo hoo, we’re on our way.

  “Ever been to Austin before, Kira?” Sitting in the front seat between Brad and Ryan’s dad, his mom glances back.

  “Ah, no.”

  “We’ll have to take you on our famous Riverwalk. So, where’re you from?”

  “I was born in Asheville, raised just outside of Charlotte.”

  “So, do you go to school with Ryan?”

  I glance over at him, wondering how much he’s told them. Obviously, not a lot. “Yes. I ah, tutor him in English.”

  “Don’t you all have any family of your own? Sorry, that didn’t come out quite right. Won’t your family miss you?”

  Ryan seems content to watch out the side window, so I hit him in the arm and glare my message, telepathically. For fuck’s sake say something.

  Because he seems painfully oblivious, it’s up to me. “I wanted to spend time more time with Ryan. We’ve been seeing each other since September and it’s been hard, with our schedules.”

  There. I finally get my boyfriend’s attention. His brows raise, then he frowns. Somewhere, I read when collegiates go back home, their parents treat them like teenagers. Certainly, mine do. I wonder if that’s what going on here? I’ve never seen this side of Ryan and I can’t say I like it.

  I try to hold his hand and he backs away. His attitude isn’t much different inside. If I’m so damn embarrassing, why the hell did he invite me?

  “Your house is lovely.” I say to his mom.

  It’s a modest size, three-bedroom ranch with a modern, eat-in kitchen and open living room. A big real-looking tree sits in front of a brick fireplace, decorated in red and gold. Tastefully wrapped presents are lined up underneath and I wonder if they’re decorations or real.

  “Would you like to freshen up, dear?” His mom points down the hall and I look to Ryan for some kind of signal but he’s staring off to never-never land.

  “Ah, sure, Mrs. Finnegan.” Giving up on him, I follow her down the hall.

  “You can have Ryan’s old room. I have him set up in the basement. You look exhausted. Why not rest until dinner?”

  After she departs, I sit on a twin bed in a room full of trophies and posters, completely perplexed. At the sound of his angry voice echoing down the hall, I crack open the door.

  “I don’t care, bringing her here was thoughtless.” His dad sounds ready to explode and Ryan fires back.

  “Exactly why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d give me shit.”

  “You never think things through. How is she going to feel when the year ends, and you leave her, huh?”

  “It’s not like that. We’re serious.”

  His brother Brad takes the Lord’s name in vain. “You haven’t gone and done anything stupid, have you?”

  “Fuck. I am not having this conversation. I just thought you might like to meet my girlfriend. Guess I was wrong.” Ryan rakes his hand through his hair as his dad steps closer.

  “Son, stop and think. You’re about to become a multi-millionaire. Women are going to be all over you. You, of all people should understand how hard they are to resist. Don’t settle.”

  Settle? Well, shit. Tears well. Nothing good ever comes from eavesdropping but they don’t even know me. I get how I didn’t get all dressed up for the flight but I’m not f’ugly. And, I got a three-point-eight average. Someday, I’m going to host a morning news show.

  The waterworks disappear and instead, my fists clench. Fuck them, fuck Ryan, and fuck Christmas. I just need to get through the next couple days with my ego, Then, I’ll go home, try to make nice with my family, and hope they’ll forgive me.

  I almost forget it’s Christmas eve, until after a tense dinner, Ryan’s mom and I clear plates.

  In the kitchen, she asks, “Would you like to go to Midnight Mass with us?”

  “Sure. I’d love to.” Right about now, prayer is probably a good idea.

  “You don’t have to.” Ryan surprises me when he comes up behind me, wraps an arm around my waist and whispers in my ear.

  I lean into him, grateful the man I’ve grown to care for has resurfaced.

  “But I love Christmas carols.”

  “Come outside with me?”

  His Mom smiles warmly. “Go ahead, you two. I got this.”

  Outside, he grabs me with one hand and rasps the growth on his chin with the other. “Listen. I’m sorry. I had no idea…”

  “They’d hat
e me?”

  “Fuck. They don’t h-”

  “Ah yeah, they do. I could hear the conversation in the kitchen.” I sigh, stop, and cup his cheeks. “This was a bad idea. Why don’t I book a flight home?”

  His brows furrow. “You really want to?”

  “No, but I don’t want to be the cause of friction between you and your family.”

  He laughs bitterly, shaking his head back and forth. “You don’t get it. This is my norm. I thought if I invited you, they’d be on their best behavior. I didn’t tell them because they’re usually nicer if they’re caught off guard.”

  “You should’ve told me.” I let him see the hurt in my eyes and he closes his, unable to deal.

  “I know, I know, but I didn’t want to waste the few minutes we get together trying to explain my family’s level of crazy.” He kisses me until my toes curl and of course, all is forgiven.

  When he slips his arm around my shoulder, I lean in. “You understand I’m not after your money, right?”

  He chuckles. “Says the girl who’s worried about my credit score?”

  I punch his arm. “It’ll be hard for us to pay back all these extravagances if something happens and you don’t make the cut.”

  He smiles. “Us pay back?”

  “No?” For a second, I think my heart may fall apart. Maybe I’ve mistaken a college love affair for a forever-thing.

  “Yes. Oh, fuck, yes.” He crushes me into his chest. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what happens after we graduate. I wanted to wait and see…”

  I push away so I can lock in his gaze. “Did you really think I’d only stay with you if you get picked up by a team?”

  “That’s the only thing I am, darlin’. I don’t want you saddled with a guy who can barely spell his name without getting the letters backwards.” The porch light goes on and I grin.

  “You could always write greeting cards for a living.”

  As I’d hoped, his mood lifts. “True, true. I am pretty good at rhymin’.”

  “Seriously, though, Ry? So long as we’re together, it’s all good.”

  He pauses and his lips find mine, his hands wrapped around me to hold me in place. “I could be a house-husband. Watch our six kids while you report the world’s injustices.”

  Under a full moon, we meander back to his family’s garage lined with brightly colored bulbs. After Mass, I say goodnight and as I fall into bed, I pray that someday we’ll always be together.

  In the morning, his family exchanges gifts. I bought a necklace for his mom which she gushes over and a gift certificate for his dad.

  None in his family was expecting me so it’s awkward until Ryan places a pile of packages at my feet. There’s a sweater, a pair of earrings, a charm for my bracelet, and a beautiful scarf.

  “You did too much.” I hand him my one gift for him to open. I’d agonized over what to buy him for days and finally called useless Jeff for advice. He suggested a wallet.

  Really?

  What do you give a guy NFL-bound, about to become a millionaire?

  Ryan unwraps the early edition of “Book of Nonsense” by Edward Lear and grins. “I love it!” Carefully he slips it out of its sleeve and finds the date.

  It’s not a first edition but still, it dates back to the early nineteen-hundreds and I researched. The book of limericks is quite rare.

  He reads a few, everyone laughs, then he kisses me like no one else is there.

  We chat, have breakfast, and text home. My two sisters wish me a Merry Christmas but I guess Mom and Dad are still angry.

  Around two, Ryan, his family, and me sit down for Christmas dinner.

  I should’ve left last night.

  Chapter 21

  Ryan

  As we sit down to my mom’s turkey dinner, I figure everything’s going to be okay. Yeah, Christmas got off to a rocky start but I didn’t screw up too badly. Kira’s forgiven me and in a few more hours, the holiday will be over.

  My father says a quick grace, we pass around our plates, and I chill. With their mouths full, surely my family won’t embarrass me further.

  “So, Kira. What are your plans, after college?” Oh, oh. Maybe I spoke too soon.

  My little darlin’ puts on her southern charm. “I plan on getting a job in social media, specifically, online news.”

  “Sounds like quite an ambition. Brad’s got a law degree, Now that’s, a good solid profession.” My dad glares at me over the string bean casserole.

  “What’s your major, again, Ryan? Communications?”

  Brad laughs. “No Dad, he’s majoring in football.”

  They have no idea how hard it is to keep my grades up while attempting to become one of the world’s most elite athletes. I bite down on my tongue, hard. Why start an argument I can never win?

  My mom beams at my brother while staring at Kira. “Brad graduated from Harvard, Magnum Cum Laude.”

  “Isn’t that nice for him?” Mt. Vesuvius about to erupt, Kira shoots my Mom a saccharine-sweet smile,

  For the sake of Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I search to find a different topic. “Patriots or Rams?”

  My eyes beg my brother to help me out.

  Brad winks and comes to the rescue. “No contest. Tom Brady’s a shoo-in to win.”

  Dad says, “Now, there’s a quarterback. You do know he turned forty-one this year?”

  “You don’t say.” Kira raises one eyebrow.

  “Yup, and got the cutest two kids. He married a supermodel. What’s her name?” Dad looks to me. Ah, fuck. Dad’s determined to get under Kira’s skin.

  I give up the name. “Gisele Bündchen.”

  “Right. Beautiful and earns millions.”

  “Dad, c’mon, now, drop it.” Whatever he’s up to, it won’t be good.

  “What? I’m just chattin’ about quarterbacks and their families. Now Aaron Rodgers. Want to know who he’s dating?”

  Her eyes narrow. “Do tell.”

  “A woman race car driver… can’t remember her name, do you remember Bradley?

  “Danica Patrick.”

  “Right. A beauty and worth a fortune.”

  “Dad, that’s enough, I- “

  Kira puts a finger to my lips, puts her fork down, and dabs the sides of her mouth with a napkin.

  Then, she turns to my Mom as she scoots out her chair. “Thank you for the lovely meal, Mrs. Finnegan.”

  “Gentlemen? I do believe I have worn out my welcome. Y’all have a Merry Christmas.” In front of them, she pulls a phone out of her purse, and blatantly texts.

  “My Uber will be here in five minutes.” She turns on a pretty heel and clicks down the hall.

  I glare at my Dad. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  “Good thing you got me and Brad here. You never were that bright. Thank God you’re good at something.”

  “Argh! I have had it!” Kira storms back down the hall, pushes me aside, and stands at her place at the table.

  “You can insult me all you want but you will not insult Ryan. Y’all hearin’ me? He is not stupid.”

  “You never saw his report cards.” Brad chuckles under his breath.

  “He’s dyslexic. What the fuck is wrong with you people?” She grabs his red wine and tips it over his head, followed by his water glass.

  My Dad’s face grows red, “How dare you…”

  “No sir, how dare you?” She glares at him and after, my mom. “Why didn’t you ever have him tested? Get him the help he needed?”

  The tops of my Mom’s cheeks grow red. “I tried, but you have no idea.”

  “Shut up!” My Dad stands, slams a fist on the table and my mom cringes, covering her head with her arms.

  Dammit. She told me he had changed but I see all too clearly, nothing has.

  “You bastard.” I point an index finger at my father’s face as I grab Kira and push her behind my back.

  “You will not speak to me in that tone.” Knuckles white, he raises his hand like he has hu
ndreds, if not thousands of times before, when I was a kid.

  “Go ahead, do it.” My heart pounds, ready for a fight and neither one of us blinks.

  The refrigerator motor whirs, the ice-maker clinks, and behind me, Kira’s rapid breathing reminds me she doesn’t need this this kind of shit.

  “Y’all need help, some serious therapy shit.” I send a disgusted glare to the three sitting at the table, grab my girlfriend’s hand, and walk down the hall. “C’mon, darlin’. We’re out of here.”

  In my old bedroom, a tsunami of Christmases-past flood my consciousness as I drop my ass on the twin bed. “I’m sorry, Kira. Somehow, I thought being top draft would change things. I’m not a kid anymore. I swear, I was ready to hit him.”

  I might’ve killed him and yet there’s no remorse, only a deep-seated satisfaction I was the one who walked away. I am the bigger man.

  Not trusting my dad, I walk her down into the basement so I can pack.

  After, as we wait outside for our Uber, she gives me a sad little smile. “That’s two for two.”

  “I’m not following your meaning.” I glance back at the empty front window where no one waves goodbye.

  “Thanksgiving and Christmas, I ruined both. But what they said to you? It just wasn’t right and I couldn’t stay quiet. I am so, so, sorry.”

  I pull her into me. “Don’t be. It’s my fault for thinking things could change for the better.”

  Soon, the Uber arrives and I give the driver the address of The Four Seasons. “I will make this up to you, I promise.”

  When we get there, I snicker at her gaping, open mouth. “We can’t afford this. What if you don’t get drafted?”

  “Are you trying to jinx me, hun?”

  The guy at the front desk grins as I hand him my ID. “Taking the Pitbulls to the bowl this year, Finn?”

  “Damn right I am.”

  He hands me a key card. “This is the best suite I got. You win, we all win.”

  “Thank you, and Merry Christmas.” I grab my girl’s hand and lace my fingers through hers.

  I manage to keep my hands off her in the elevator and in the hall but by the time I get inside the room, I’m pretty much out of control. Kicking the door shut, I step close, and sink into a kiss. Her sweetness erases all the crap from my past and today, more than ever, I need it gone.