by Croft, Rose
I lived in a decent apartment, it was nice for what I could afford on a teaching salary. The complex was fairly safe and gated in a nice area. I took the steps up to the second floor. Stopping in my tracks, I stared wide-eyed. John’s huge figure was perched on the ground with knees up, close to his chest leaning back against my door staring at me.
“Where have you been?” His voice was gruff and his eyes slitted.
“What are you doing here?” I was shocked, but I recovered placing my hands on my hips trying not to lose my shit. Was he trying to use some reverse psychology BS on me? Good luck with that!
“I needed to see you since you weren’t returning my calls.” He stood up and approached me like he was going to hug me.
Uh, I don’t think so. I held my hand up. “Don’t.”
He dropped his arms. “Didn’t you get my voicemails and texts? I explained what happened. I told you it was Alyssa, Andrew’s ex?” His voice was louder than usual, and I noticed his hair was messed up like he’d been pulling on it.
“Lower your voice, I don’t need the whole apartment complex to hear this,” I hissed.
“Can we talk about this inside?”
“Seriously John?” I asked perturbed with my hand still on my hip thinking that talking would actually mean having sex. I knew how much he liked that and to what extent. I didn’t like how my body was acknowledging that fact either.
“Just talk, Rose. I promise.” He held his hands up cautiously.
“Fine,” I relented and stepped around him to unlock the door. Then, I noticed a duffle bag against the wall by the door. “Just talking?” My brows drew together pointing to his bag.
He bridged his nose with his fingers. “Look, I came straight from the airport. I can get a ride to my place after we talk.”
I nodded curtly and unlocked the door. When I hit the lights, he had already closed the door and locked it. I set my purse down on the table by the kitchen. He dropped his bag by the door.
“How did you know where I lived?”
“Loren gave me your address.” He was leaning against the door and pushed off of it slowly stalking towards me. I stepped into the kitchen.
“Thanks a lot Loren, for thinking of my safety. How do I know you’re not dangerous?”
“Rose, stop it. You know I would never hurt you.”
“Oh really?” I asked sarcastically omitting the obvious retort. I’m certain he was smart enough to figure out what I was thinking.
“Why are you acting like this? I told you where I was last night. If I was doing something wrong then I wouldn’t have texted you.”
“Or maybe that’s exactly why you texted me, so it wouldn’t look so bad if you did,” I argued.
“I pretty much gave you a detailed account of what happened. Didn’t you listen to any of my voicemails?”
“No, John. I was very busy and didn’t really have a chance. Besides, I needed to stay focused on my job, not playing phone tag and texting when I was supposed to be teaching. I can’t have phone conversations with you during your game, so why would you think my job would be any different.”
“I don’t.” He ran a hand over his face. “I just thought maybe you would see and listen to them during your break.”
“I was very busy today.” Rose was a big fat liar. Rose was insanely pissed. I crossed my arms over my stomach gripping my sides. “I’m listening now.”
He sat down in a chair at the table with his hands on his knees. “After dinner, Javier wanted to go to this new club, which I told you about. He had been dancing with some girls and brought them back to our section. One of the girls happened to be Alyssa. She saw me and wanted to pump me for information about Andrew. That’s all she wanted to do because she’s clearly not over him. Then, she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek, deliberately, took a selfie, and sent it to my brother.”
“That’s fucked up if you’re telling me the truth, John.”
“I know, and I am telling you the truth. Ask Loren. She knows. Anyway, I was pissed after that and settled my tab to leave. As I was leaving, I told her she needed to let Andrew go, and what she was doing was not healthy. That’s all it was.”
“It didn’t look like that when I saw it on the news this morning, and I haven’t even had a chance to see all of the stuff that’s probably on the Internet.”
He exhaled in what seemed annoyance. “I know it looked like we were about to kiss, but I swear to you I would never do that. I would never do that to you and I would never, ever, touch a girl my brother had been with either. That’s not something I would even remotely entertain.”
“She’s very pretty.”
“Yeah, she is, but I have no interest in her. She was clearly using me to get back at Andrew. Of course, social media and the news always speculate and take things to another level.”
“So I assume you got in a fight with Kip, since you both were suspended. Was it over Alyssa? Did he say something inappropriate about her too?”
“No. It was over you,” he responded quietly.
“Me? What did he say?”
“Just something to piss me off.”
“Tell me, John.”
“This is so stupid.” He ran his hands through his hair again. “He was taunting me. Saying he would ‘take care’ of you.”
I stared at him wide-eyed. “And you punched him for that? Why put yourself at risk?”
He stood up and started pacing towards me. “I don’t know. I lost control of my actions when those words came out of his mouth.” John stopped in front of me, definitely in my personal space, but not touching me. “I was already annoyed with the Alyssa thing, and Andrew sent me an angry text too which was understandable. All I kept thinking about was how I never wanted to be there in the first place. My only interest was staring at the beautiful photo you’d sent me to fantasize about you with.”
“Is that so?” My heart rammed into my chest.
“Yes, and the thought of that asshole ever touching you, even thinking about you, made me lose my mind.” He ran a hand up my neck thumbing my jawline. “Please don’t be angry. I swear I would never intentionally do something to jeopardize this. Us.”
I closed my eyes trying to fight the overwhelming emotions he was making me feel with his words. I felt his lips grazing my collarbone. “I don’t know if I can deal with the publicity that comes with being with you. They also posted our picture on the news. Luckily, my face wasn’t in the photo, but it still hurt how people on TV were joking about how you played the field as if I were one of many.”
He paused and pulled back and took my face between his hands and his eyes burned into mine. “You know this is not a casual fling, Rose, or a hook up. If I wanted that, I could do it with anyone, but you’re the only person I want. And, I try not to put myself in bad situations. I’m sorry that asshole took the picture of us. I will try to be more careful with you in public, as well as myself, but there is only so much I can control when people have phones.”
“I know you can’t police what others do. It’s just something I never thought about. You’re a well-known athlete, and I didn’t realize how invasive people could be. I guess it never hit me how popular you are. How do you deal with this on a daily basis?” I knew my anger had already started dissipating.
“At first it was overwhelming, but also exciting, you know, a real ego booster. However, I’m used to it now. I also am aware of it, and usually I try to conduct myself in a positive manner. Last night was an anomaly.” He was stroking my bottom lip with his thumb.
“Whoa, you used another big word. Are you trying to seduce me?”
The cocky smile appeared on his face. “You like that teacher?” He leaned in and whispered against my lips. “I’m just getting started, but now I’d like to kiss your succulent, tantalizing lips. You like those words? I can go on all night if you’d like.” He moved his mouth over mine, slow and soft. But, as always the kiss grew hard and demanding with lots of tongue action.
He p
aused and pulled back. “Have you been drinking? I thought you were working?”
“I had a few drinks after work with a couple of my colleagues. Where we discussed work.”
“For how long? Doesn’t class end at four?” John asked with a slight frown.
I sighed in annoyance. Was he actually asking me this after the mess he’d been in? “Class is dismissed at that time, but I had to conference with students after school, which took another hour. Then, I prepared my lessons for next week. I didn’t leave school until six o’clock. Are you really questioning me after your debacle?”
“Well, I’ve been going crazy waiting to hear back from you. So, when you texted me and said you were still working…” He rubbed his chin like he was a detective in an interrogation room.
“I had two drinks, John.” I was beginning to get pissed off and started backing away.
He grabbed my wrist because he must’ve known I was angry. “Wait, Rose, I’m sorry. I was just worried about you that’s all.” He linked his fingers in mine and tugged me against him enveloping me in his arms. “I missed you so much.”
“I missed you, too. Please don’t ever put me through this again.”
“I won’t.” He kissed my forehead.
I wanted to get loss in him, but the heels I had on were killing my feet, and I needed to put on my comfy clothes. “I have to change out of these clothes.”
There was that devious grin of his, and I knew what was coming. “I can help you with that.”
“Um, that’s okay. I’ve got this. Why don’t you have a seat on the couch and get the PlayStation ready?”
He looked me up and down. “Is that what you wore to work? I can only imagine how distracted the boys in your class must have been.”
“Sometimes, you’re just ridiculous. This is appropriate for work.” I had on a light pink button-up blouse with black piping around the collar that buttoned up to the neck, a gray pencil skirt that went to my knee, and black heels.
“Are you kidding? Some of the buttons on your shirt look like they’re about to pop off. And that skirt is so damn tight across your ass it’s just begging for my hands to touch it.” As he spoke, he ran his hands over my butt, and squeezed tightly, jerking my hips against his hard body. “And don’t even get me started on the sexy shoes you’re wearing. Now, I’m definitely jealous you weren’t my teacher.” He nuzzled my neck as he continued to rub my butt. “Jesus, Rose, did you even wear underwear today? It doesn’t feel like it.”
“Um, I’m not sure.” I put my finger on my temple trying to recall.
“You really are a dirty teacher aren’t you?” He breathed into my ear and I felt his erection against my stomach.
“I’m going to change, now.” My voice sounded raspier.
“I can still help you.”
“Nope. I can do it, thanks.”
I hadn’t really planned on flying to Dallas, but when Rose wasn’t answering my calls and texts, I got panicky. It wasn’t like I had anything going for the next three days anyway. When I got back to my condo in Chicago, I called the airlines and found the earliest flight and repacked. Yep, I was definitely turning into an obsessive boyfriend. But, I had to get to the airport, so I didn’t really have time to dwell on it. Keep telling yourself that, John.
As I passed through O’Hare airport, I tried to remain incognito with a baseball cap and a hoodie. I was sweating my ass off because it was too fucking hot to be wearing something long-sleeved. When I landed in DFW and stepped outside, I felt like I was in a damn inferno.
I called Andrew. “’Sup trouble maker,” he said.
“Hey.”
“You’re back in Chicago? Wow, a three-game suspension. Way to go dumbass.”
I shook my head. I wasn’t in the mood for this shit, but I needed something from him. “Yeah, thanks. Actually, I’m here in Dallas.”
“Oh. I guess you sorted everything out with Rose.”
“I’m still working on that. Rose hasn’t called or texted me back.”
“Really.” There was a slight pause. “Do you need me to pick you up?”
“No. I’ll get a ride, but I wondered if I could get the address to her place.”
“Okay,” Andrew said slowly. “You’re just going to show up at her place like a stalker? I don’t know if that’s the best idea.”
“Shut up. I need to talk to her. Can you get her address from Loren and send it to me?”
“Yeah, probably.”
“Okay, thanks. Has Loren talked to her by any chance?”
“I don’t know.” I heard him ask her in the background. “Loren texted her earlier, but Rose never replied.”
Wow, she must be really pissed if she wasn’t responding to Loren either.
“Hey, my ride is here so could you text me her address, please?”
“All right. Are you coming to the loft tonight? Just give me a heads up if you do.”
“Why? Are you and Loren gonna go all Skinemax all over the place?” I asked knowing why he wanted a warning.
“That’s a stupid question. I’ll send you the address.”
“Later.” I hauled my bag over my shoulder making my way to the car.
It was a twenty-minute drive to her place and almost seven in the evening. Luckily, we followed a car through the security gate. When I knocked on her door, she didn’t answer. I rapped a few more times. Finally, I gave up before someone came out and saw me banging on the door like a psycho.
Again, I texted her not expecting to hear back, but she finally responded. I was relieved, but a little skeptical that she would still be at school working this late. I sat down and leaned against her door waiting.
All day, I felt anxious and annoyed because I received a million texts and calls from family, friends, and my publicist, and the only person I wanted to talk to wouldn’t respond. When she finally did, it was kind of like she was blowing me off anyway.
Nine million years passed, it seemed, when she walked up the steps and saw me. Her face was priceless. First, there was shock, and I also thought maybe a little elation to see me, but that could be wishful thinking on my part. However, her gaze quickly converted into I’m-gonna-kick-your-ass-mode.
I wanted to question why she was working so damn late, but knowing how angry she was I refrained. Let it go, John. Use your negotiating skills, bro. Right, Broseph, I got this. Yeah, from the looks of her, this was a piece of cake. Loved these talks with myself. Luckily, she let me in and listened to my explanation.
Now, here I was in her apartment, gripping her ass in the sexy clothes she was wearing. I was jealous of a bunch of horny teenage boys lusting over her. That sounded fucked up, but I remembered being a teenager and knew for damn sure some of those boys were probably jerking off thinking about her.
I’m glad she seemed to be reasonable because I honestly would not take a girl home from the club. The fighting part was probably a dumb decision on my part, but how could I let that asshole get away with making derogatory comments like that—especially, after he’d already done it before.
I turned on the game and played as I waited for her. I needed to keep myself preoccupied, so I didn’t follow her into the bedroom. Although she seemed to forgive me, I didn’t want to press her for sex. At least not yet.
“You getting your pre-game in before I kick your ass?” I heard her behind me. Fucking feisty she was. I turned noticing she had on a tank, with a bra on, and shorts—kind of like something you would sleep in which immediately sent my thoughts to wanting to take her to bed.
“Yeah. Sure.”
She sat down on the couch. “I haven’t played since last week.”
I reset the game and set it on two players. “Let’s do this.” This was different, playing the game next to her. Hopefully, I could concentrate.
I was batting first, and she was throwing some wicked pitches causing me to swing and miss. “Are you sure you haven’t been practicing?”
“No, John, when would I have time?” she as
ked as if it were improbable.
Before I knew it, she had struck out two of my batters. Seriously, what the fuck? I’d never seen her use pitches like that. When my third batter was up, he got a hit, but it was a pop-up to center field, and her player caught it easily.
She was cheering herself on while smack-talking about how my batters sucked. I shook my head and decided I was going to turn on the heat. “Okay, let’s see how well your batters do.”
I threw the first pitch, a curve ball, but her batter hit it and got a double. “Oh yeah!” She cheered.
Her next batter stepped up, and I pitched; he bunted and made it to first base. “When have you ever bunted in a game, Rose?” I didn’t even know she knew how, but she placed it in the perfect spot. Something was up.
“I don’t know. I guess I was lucky.” Her smirk cancelled out the humble tone.
Now, she had my video self up, and I knew for sure if I threw a fastball down the middle that my electronic me would probably go yard. I needed to change up pitches and switch velocities on throws. I also knew I was prone to chase pitches, too. I couldn’t believe I was strategizing against my video self. This was too strange.
I threw one low over the left corner of the plate, and Rose didn’t bite. Damn, my girl was impressive. She kept her eyes on the screen, focused. She really wanted to win.
The next pitch was over the corner, but she swung and missed. I snorted. She ignored it, keeping her eyes glued to the TV. I threw another pitch to the corner, but it didn’t land where I wanted it to, and next thing I knew the ball was sailing over the wall into the stands. Home run.
I almost cursed, but saw her jumping up and down talking all kinds of shit about how she was kicking my ass this time. I wanted to respond, but I got side tracked seeing her tits and ass wiggle as she bounced around next to me.
Once she settled down, I was about ready to abort this game and pull her into my lap. “Are we still playing, Rose?”
“Um, yeah, John. You can’t quit because you’re being a sore loser.”
Something was aching, but not from losing. “Quit wasting time, Rose.”