Quarterback Sack

by SE Hall

“Stay with me, Ava.” His warm breath fans across my chest as he leans forward and grinds his hips slower. “It’s just the two of us here, making each other feel good. Nothing else.” I surrender my pace and allow him to take over again; the last time I ever let this happen, so I want to absorb everything he’s willing to give.

  He rolls us over, his gorgeous, muscled body towering over me as he moves us up the sheets with each forceful thrust. He’s touched me everywhere, licked me, fucked me and even bitten me… but the way he’s looking at me right now feels beyond invasive. It’s as if he’s pleading with me through his penetrating gaze, begging me to calm down and just let this happen, stop overthinking things and allow myself the freedom to fully enjoy it. I have to look away; I’m not strong enough to fight him when we’re this close.

  He eventually leads us both to orgasm, being patient with me. My mind didn’t help matters, but he managed to make me forget everything long enough to reach another release. If only that meant my worries had slipped away forever, instead of my hormones merely masking them temporarily. If only. I’d give anything for Rush Riggins to soothe me mentally, physically, even half as good as he does physically.

  He collapses on the bed next to me before pulling me taut to his chest. I clinch my eyes closed, shutting out the sensations—sweat slickened skin stretched over rigid muscles, the musky scent of our sex, the rise and fall of his every breath—and battle to hold back the tears when he tugs me even closer. “Ava, stop thinking so much.”

  “I can’t help it. You’re too much.”

  “Shhhh.” He kisses my head. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.” I don’t respond to his sleepy solution. If he dozes off, then I can try to think straight, without any distractions.

  It only takes a few minutes for his breathing to slow and him to relax against me. I need to stay the night with him to make sure he’s okay, but the second morning dawns, I have to leave. No looking back. Tomorrow is a busy day, and about my grandfather. Not about me, or the chaotic tangle of my thoughts and feelings.

  Rush

  “Fuck. Goddamnit, Ava,” I snarl to… no one, waking up to an empty bed, which me frustrates more than I’d like to admit. I’ve never wanted a girl to stay here, but it was an easy decision with Ava. I could tell she was letting all of this get to her last night; guess I was hoping a night in my arms would calm her down, make her realize that we don’t have to let anything stress us out while we get to know each other better.

  Now she’s gone and the rest of the day is shot to shit, no chance of talking to her, because I’ll respect the space she needs in public until she’s ready to accept us for what we are. She can deny this all she wants, but we both know there’s something here, something worth exploring, a thought I’ve never, ever had, and it won’t be that easy for either of us to walk away from it. Not that I’m going a fucking place… except into her thoughts, her life… and back between her legs.

  Yeah, she can hide, out in the open, from me today… but after that, it’s on. I have a plan.

  My brother Jett called me last night and he’s getting me two tickets to his game on Saturday. And come hell or high water, I’m taking Ava home with me. It’s the perfect opportunity for us to see what we really have, away from the stress of the team or worry of anyone who shouldn’t see us. In Alabama, we’ll be able to hide under the radar and just enjoy a day together. Not to mention, I’d love for her to meet my mom, which speaks at an unfamiliar, scary but exciting volume. I think it’s important for her to see where I come from. After all, she really doesn’t know much about me… the man beneath the helmet.

  She’s lumped me into her stereotype of professional football players, which I couldn’t always deny, but I’m different with her. She’s different. I mean, shit, I haven’t been with anyone else since I met her. Even if that wasn’t intentional to begin with, it is now.

  I glance at my phone to find that I’ve slept past noon, so I jump out of bed to get ready. I can’t remember the last time I slept so late. Guess I needed it or I wouldn’t have crashed like that. Or maybe, having Ava in my arms… fuck, enough thinking.

  I have to look classy today, which means I need a damn haircut. Pulling my favorite suit out of the closet, I rip off the bag it came back from the cleaners in and head to the bathroom to clean up. The memory of Ava in here last night haunts me, but I force myself to push that to the back of my mind—today isn’t the day for her to deal with any of my shit. This is a day to memorialize her grandfather, a man more than worthy of such a celebration and the statue to commemorate his time and devotion to the team.

  It doesn’t take me long to shower and head out the door, and with only one stop, I make it to the unveiling in plenty of time. Ava’s nowhere to be seen, so I hang with the guys, repeating that I feel fine and will be back in their faces the second the doctors release me at least a hundred times.

  Ava finally appears, with an entourage of press and black suits surrounding her, refusing to make eye contact with me. I give her the space she deserves and keep my distance, not about to do anything that’ll upset her, only pushing her further from me.

  I watch her smile when the cloth is pulled from the statue and fight like hell to stay put when her tears begin to fall. The urge to wipe them away and take her in my arms is too much, pulling at my every protective instinct, so I move to the back and observe from a distance. And still, her eyes never once look for mine, but she feels me here… the flush to her cheeks, rapid movement in her throat as she swallows nervously, the wringing of her hands and the she every so often licks her bottom lip tells me so. I try to ignore the pang of… whatever the hell it is, even though I’m not yet able to define it exactly, that ignites as I realize she’s really going to ignore me and what we have together to save face. The ache of enjoyed soreness still tingling between her creamy thighs not enough to spare me a single glance.

  Coach Benson gives a long-winded speech and Ava follows up with a few “thank yous” and encouraging words for the season to come before asking everyone to meet at Club Thunder for the party.

  Ty slinks in the back door while she’s still speaking, looking like he partied all night. Or he’s homeless.

  “What’d I miss?”

  “Oh, not much, just the unveiling,” I grunt with bland sarcasm.

  He looks forward and nods his head toward Ava. “You here with her today?”

  “Shh, and no. Keep your damn mouth shut and try to forget you know anything. She’s hell-bent on not allowing anything real to happen between us, so, I guess that’s where we’re at.”

  “Damn. Sorry, bro,” is all he says, knowing me well enough to recognize my tone to say I’m not thrilled about it, or in the mood to elaborate.

  Ava picks that exact moment to walk right past me, leaving without another word to anyone. Including me. I’m not sure why this surprises me, I already knew she wasn’t about to talk to me in public, but to not even acknowledge me with a pause to her steps or a sidelong, secret glance is a bit harsh.

  “Maybe she didn’t see you,” Ty mumbles and rubs his chin. Even he knows it’s a pathetic attempt.

  “Yeah, that must’ve been it.”

  “So, you gonna head to the club?”

  I contemplate it for a minute. “I need to at least make an appearance, out of respect.”

  “You need a ride?”

  “Nah, I drove. See ya there.”

  The drive is short, so I sit in my truck a few minutes and dick around on my phone for a while. I want to wait until there’s plenty of people here before going inside so there’s no attention drawn to the awkwardness between me and Ava.

  Sure enough, the second I hit the door my eyes find her on their own, tucked in a corner talking to the same suits, so I go sit with the guys who came solo. Luckily, Pierce didn’t opt for the strippers to be in-house for this event, or the decision was made for him. I can only imagine Ava’s face when she made that demand. I smile at the thought, and for the first time today, she looks my w
ay. I still any movement and let my eyes hold hers for as long as she allows, knowing the time will be short. She’s not smiling back, and her face falls in a frown when she looks away.

  I watch, subtly hope, as she excuses herself and slips into the bathroom. Before I can stop myself, I’m following her, looking over my shoulder to make sure no one is watching as I push open the door to the ladies room. She’s already in a stall, and a quick check confirms no one else is, so I lock the main door and wait.

  Until I hear her blowing her nose and crying, that is. “Ava?”

  “Oh my God, Rush, what the hell are you doing in here?” She flings the stall door wide open, her face red and puffy with tears still trickling down it.

  “I’m just here to check on you, then I’ll leave. No one saw me come in here. I made sure. Now tell me why you’re crying.” I move closer, but she retreats a step for each one I advance.

  “Rush, you have to stop. I can’t do this. People will see the damn quarterback coming out of the women’s restroom no matter what you do. How do you expect to hide this?” I hear her, but I don’t care what she’s saying.

  “I don’t give a fuck what they see, but I know you do, so I’ll stay in here for a while and follow another chick out. They’d expect that from me, you know, since I’m just one of those football players.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” she snaps, glaring daggers at me while she waits for an answer.

  “You said it yourself, you can’t be with someone like me. So you should know exactly what it means. Matter of fact, I’m still trying out the dimensions of the box you decided I fit into.”

  “I did say that, and nothing’s changed, even though we’ve had sex. Amazing sex, yes, but,” she huffs out a heavy breath and pinches the bridge of her nose, “you’re dangerous to me, your career, and everything my grandfather dedicated his life to. Too unpredictable. I mean, look at you! Following me into the bathroom when I have the entire team, press, coaching staff, and everyone else involved standing right outside that door.”

  I close in as she speaks, her tears beginning to fall again—the last straw for me. I use both thumbs to dry her face and pull her into a tight hug before speaking.

  “I. Don’t. Care. About any of them. Only you. And nothing about us being together could destroy The Thunder; your grandfather built a solid, irreplaceable legacy. As for my career, I’m a damn good ball player, Ava, and I have faith in that. I wanted to check on you and I’ll never apologize for that. Besides, you look beautiful and I needed to tell you so.”

  She finally takes a deep breath, and after a few seconds, slides her arms around my waist and begins to really cry, letting it all out.

  “Why do you have to confuse me like this?” It’s broken, asked amidst sobs.

  “I guess that’s just part of the Rush package deal.” I kiss the top of her head, letting my lips rest there while I rub her back, calming her down. “Ava, it kills me to leave you like this, but I’m gonna go and miss the rest of the celebration. You can call me tonight when you get home if you want, but promise me, no more tears. Your grandfather would be proud as hell of what you’ve done with this team. I’m proud of you too. Did you see everyone who showed up today? The guys support you, and that’s no easy feat for a woman in this industry. Especially in such a short amount of time.”

  “Thank you,” she says quietly, giving me a weak smile.

  “It’s the truth.”

  She steps out of my arms and to the mirror, drying her face again. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to leave.”

  “It’ll be easier this way.” She doesn’t disagree because she knows I’m right. “I’ll wait until you’ve been gone for a while before I slip out. Maybe you can get their attention with one of those famous speeches of yours or something.” She smacks me on the shoulder, but at least I get a real smile out of her.

  “Thank you again, Rush.” She lets her hand linger on my arm as she begins to pass by and something in her tone, her touch, unhinges me. Suddenly, all I can think about is making this trip to the bathroom more memorable. She reaches for the handle but I’m right behind her, flush to her back and holding the door closed.

  “I made a promise to torture you every time we’re together.” I murmur in her ear.

  She draws in a deep breath as I slide her hair away from her face and take in her profile from the side.

  With her eyes pinched closed, she resists me, pulling on the door. I release it, unwilling to settle for anything less than her full, willing surrender. “You already have,” she whispers… and leaves me standing, alone.

  Chapter Nineteen

  AVA

  It’s been three days since I’ve seen Rush. Three excruciatingly long days since I’ve answered his calls or texts. And three lonely, colorless days since I’ve smiled. I thought a clean break from him was what I needed, but apparently, I know nothing.

  “Why don’t you just call him? This is ridiculous.” Marcy is here to do an intervention, trying her best to make me leave my house. Or eat. Maybe bathe. Anything, really.

  Rush stopped calling at midnight last night, and in all honesty, I thought he’d be busting through my doors by about one in the morning, if not earlier. Again, I know absolutely nothing.

  “No, this is good. It is,” I can barely speak the bullshit. “When I told him how I felt, he just ignored me and kept pushing, so maybe he’s finally getting the hint now.”

  “Oh, he’s getting the hint, alright… the big, flashing fucking hint that you’re too stubborn to let yourself be happy so you purposely make decisions to sabotage any hope of that, ensuring your own loneliness.” Marcy imparts her two cents about my love life in a loud, frustrated rant… but something in her tone… wait a damn minute!

  “Did he send you here?” I ask, my eyes suspicious slits.

  “No! Well, yes,” She mumbles her confession. “But only because no one has heard from you in days and we both agree that’s complete bullshit.”

  “Okay. Now you’ve seen me and can vouch that I’m doing just fine, so please, leave me be.”

  “Fine is debatable, but I’ll give you the part where I’ve seen you.” She scrunches her nose and waves a finger in my direction, as if repulsed by the sorry sight before her. “You have two options. You can call him and go on this trip with him, or I’m staying until you shower and then you’re going shopping with me.”

  “Trip? What trip?”

  “Call him and find out,” she quips right back.

  “So basically, I’m choosing the better of two evils?”

  “No, not really. You’ll be calling him before the day is over whether you go with me or not. I’m just helping you speed things along.” She’s such a pain in my ass, and if she’s determined to make me talk to him… then that’s what I’ll be doing. Marcy’s relentless; I don’t stand a chance against her will. “He tried to get in your gates, you know. Do you really think it was necessary to have security keep him off your property?”

  “It worked, didn’t it?”

  “For now,” she grins conspiratorially, traitor. “But I don’t think you realize, my dear, silly friend, that all you’ve really done is make him crazy, and the second he sees you, he’ll do whatever it takes to get through to you. Lucky girl. He won’t care if it’s in public or not, so I hope you’re ready. Actions have consequences. Gorgeous, muscled up, tight-assed consequences,” she sing-songs.

  She’s right, and I’d considered the possibility already, so I do plan on talking to him before my next public appearance with the team. But that’s not today.

  “Can I just have a few days to think about everything? I mean, it’s all happened so fast and my head literally spins until I have whiplash when I’m around him.”

  She interrupts my plea with her loud laughter, then simple statement. “The man gets to you.” I can’t even argue with her… so I don’t. “Ava, just call him, before he does something drastic to get to you.”

  I kick the blanket t
o the ground and peel myself off the couch for the first time today. “Fine., I’ll call him, but I’m not shopping with you.”

  “No, you have to call him and go with him or I’m going to be so far up your ass you’ll be begging him to let you move in just to get away from me.” Damn her. Absolutely relentless.

  “I’m not going anywhere with him.” I shake my head. “I can’t be seen with him and you know it. Everyone knows who he is around here. You know that too.”

  “But, you don’t know where he wants to take you. Call him and go.” She tosses my phone to me and stands there, staring me down, with a hand on her cocked-out hip as she waits for me to dial.

  “Ava,” he answers on the first ring, his exhale of my name sounding relieved.

  “Marcy’s here and demanded that I call you.” She rips the phone out of my hand and hits mute before she lays into my ass.

  “You have to talk to him and deal with all of this. Don’t throw my name out there just because I’m the one making you take care of business. Do what he’s about to ask you to do and then decide what you want after that—either work things out or tell him goodbye once and for all. But dammit, Ava, give him, yourself, this one last chance. I mean it.” She glares at me with a tough love in her eyes as she shoves the phone at me.

  “Hello.” I walk away from the bossy psycho in my house to handle this call and find out what she’s talking about. “Sorry. I’m back.”

  “I’ve been worried about you. A simple text back would’ve been nice, Ava. I can give you space, but don’t make me worry, please. I don’t deserve that.”

  He’s right. I should’ve replied, but then I would’ve continued to respond… because he always pulls me in.

  “I’m sorry, Rush, I am. I’m not trying to be a bitch or worry you. I just, I can’t think straight when you’re around and I needed some time to gather my thoughts.”

  “And? Did you figure anything out?”

  No. I’m no clearer now than I was as I laid in his arms, awake the entire night.