by Alley Ciz
The adrenaline from our win flows through my body and into our connection. I widen my stance, supporting her weight with my legs, freeing my hands to run under her hair, cupping her face to change the angle of our kiss.
Everything around me goes fuzzy as I lose myself in the feel of her in my arms. Nothing exists but Kay.
Our tongues battle it out. Her moans make my dick so hard I swear it’s going to bear an imprint of my zipper for a week.
It isn’t until I hear Trav’s booming voice that we finally come up for air. “Mase, how about you get your tongue out of your girlfriend so we can get some grub?”
“Oh my god,” Kay whispers, burying her face into my chest like she’s trying to disappear.
I can’t help but chuckle at how embarrassed she sounds. I lower her from the wall, enjoying the feel of her body sliding down mine.
Behind me, snippets of conversations find their way to my ears.
“Casanova has a girlfriend?”
“No way—he doesn’t date…”
“That’s what QB1 said.”
“He’s kissing her…”
“How many times have we seen him doing that or more?”
“But she’s wearing his hoodie…”
“Who is she?”
I ignore the jersey chasers and focus on those who are important.
“Come on, babe. Let’s eat.” I pull her to my side when she tries to step away after tugging the hood of the sweatshirt over her head.
We split up so Kay can drop G and CK off at their respective dorms/houses as I drive Trav, the twins, and myself to the restaurant.
I send the others inside as I wait for Kay to arrive. A few minutes later, her candy-colored Jeep pulls into the lot.
My eyes eat her up as she climbs out and walks in my direction. As much as I like seeing my name and number on her, I do miss watching the sway of her body since it’s dwarfed by my hoodie.
“Do you have any idea how hot you look standing like that?” Her gaze rakes over me.
“It’s the hat, isn’t it?” I don’t move from where I’m leaning against the hood of the Shelby, arms and ankles crossed.
“That and the way your tats stand out with your arms crossed.”
I release said arms to cradle her against me. “Did that hurt?”
“Did what hurt?” She gets a cute little crinkle between her brows.
“Giving me a compliment?”
“I compliment you. I just try not to do it too often to keep your ego in check.”
“Babe”—I drop a kiss to her forehead—“you say the sweetest things.” Pushing back, I say, “Let’s go. I’m hungry.”
“Should I be nervous?” She threads her fingers with mine, her small hand disappearing in my big paw, but the easy acceptance of such a simple move after earlier is everything. I don’t know if it’s because we’re away from campus or because we’re official status after our first date, but I’m not going to complain.
“About dinner?”
Her hand flexes in mine, readjusting her hold over and over. I pull us to a stop when I see the worry swimming in her eyes.
“Babe.” I stroke the line of her jaw, pleased when she leans into the touch.
“It’ll be fun.” She scoffs—can’t say I blame her after her first experience with my family. “I promise.” We start walking again. “Wait until you meet Trav’s Nana. She’s the best.”
Nana McQueen is a force to be reckoned with. She’s always reminded me of Helen Mirren with her sleek sophistication and almost royal-like air. No one, not even Brantley, dares challenge her.
As much as I love my family, I don’t know if we would have come if Nana wasn’t going to be here. There won’t even be a veiled dig over the whole Olly-is-a-cheerleader situation in her presence.
The private dining room is set up with a large round table big enough for all of us, and my muscles relax when I see the two seats that are open are between Trav and the twins. I’m hoping being closest to those she’s most familiar with will help ease some of Kay’s nerves.
“Hey, Short Stack.”
“Hey, T. Hell of a game.” Kay bumps her knuckles with him.
“Of course it was.” He tugs at the shoulders of his polo, vamping it up like You know me. “Sure you don’t want to ditch this loser and date the real star of the team?” He gives her a wink.
If I wasn’t sure he was joking, I would drive my fist into his face—I don’t care that he’s my best friend. I do put an arm around Kay and pull her in against my side.
Are you sure she wouldn’t do something like that? You’ve seen it happen before.
I shut those thoughts down faster than a center snaps the ball.
“Who is this lovely creature?”
The crown of Nana’s white hair peeks out from behind Trav as she peers around him to get a better look at Kay and me.
“Nan, this is Mase’s girlfriend, Kay. Short Stack, this is my Nana.”
“Mason Nova, you have a girlfriend? I never thought I’d see the day.” Nana play gasps.
“I said the same thing, Nan,” Mom adds from across the table.
Everyone’s got jokes. I can even feel Kay’s body shake with repressed laughter.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yuck it up,” I grumble.
Kay’s hand gives my knee a squeeze under the table, and my body settles. Conversation about the game goes on around the group, but I mostly tune it out, focusing more on the press of Kay’s body and the scent of her peppermint hair.
“JT texted me earlier,” Olly tells Kay.
“I figured he would after I sent him some video from practice.”
“You took video?”
“Technically Coach Kris did.”
“Can I see?”
“Sure.” Kay leans farther into me as she tilts to the side to pull her phone out of her back pocket.
After cueing up the video, she hands the phone to Olly, and I shift so I can also see what is happening on the screen.
Kay looks hot as hell in her practice gear, her toned stomach on display between her sports bra and capris. I can read the word COACH down one leg, and when she turns around, sure enough, PF is written on the back of her top.
I chub up at the sight of her boobs pressed together and her ass in those tight pants. Same as last night, my dick doesn’t care that it’s totally inappropriate given our current company.
In the video, Olly looks nervous as Kay gestures with her hands. She stands in front of Olly, whose hands are on her hips. They bounce slightly together before Olly lifts her over his head, a foot in each hand. With a small bend of his elbows down, Olly pushes Kay back up where she does a back tuck before Olly catches both her feet in one hand.
The video pans over to show Livi with a college-aged man, and they repeat the same stunt.
“Damn,” I say under my breath.
“Yeah, that stunt is actually harder for the flyer, so I wanted to make sure Livi felt solid before having her do it with Olly.” Kay’s coach side makes an appearance.
As the focus goes back to her and my brother, both Trav and Nana move over to watch.
Olly and Kay are holding hands, each facing the camera. With the same start bounce, her legs curl in and stretch out as he lifts her over his head in a handstand. They hold the pose for a few seconds then repeat the prep bend, and Kay flips up to be held over Olly’s head with one leg in his hand while she stretches a foot in front of her by her heel.
You can hear others in the gym cheering them on, and then, like before, we watch Livi and her partner repeat the stunt.
“Your heel stretch is so good. Definitely one of our most flexible flyers,” Kay tells Livi. “This is the last stunt Coach Kris taped.”
This time, Kay stands a little farther in front of Olly. She does a back handspring into Olly’s hands and he pushes her up by the hips to hold her over his head once again.
Before the video can show Livi doing the same, a text notification comes through on Kay’s s
creen.
“Sorry.” Kay pulls the phone closer to her, and I can read the text over her shoulder.
CTG BFF JT: You okay?
A part of me feels like I should look away and not eavesdrop on her conversation, but seeing as how Kay knows I can see her phone from over her shoulder and she hasn’t made a move to hide the screen, I assume she doesn’t care either way. Plus, someone asking if she’s okay when she seems perfectly fine to me tugs at my concern.
KAY: I’m fine.
* * *
CTG BFF JT: Are you sure? You’re ALL over the UofJ411 IG.
* * *
KAY: #LifeGoals
* * *
CTG BFF JT: Don’t be a smartass. You know I worry about you.
* * *
KAY: I know you do and I love you for it.
* * *
CTG BFF JT: Love you too. I’m here if you need me.
* * *
KAY: I know that too. *kissy face emoji*
The text exchange happens in such rapid succession, the whole conversation taking place in less than a minute.
Seeing her and another man tell each other they love one another has something ugly bubbling up inside me. Kay’s weighted sigh and the way she starts to massage her forehead has concern overtaking it—for now.
“Babe?” There’s a heaviness to her that wasn’t there before. Her shoulders are slumped, and it’s almost like she’s trying to disappear inside herself.
“Later?” Her gaze sweeps the table, reminding me we’re not alone.
“Okay.” This time her sigh is one of relief, and I tell the niggling voice in the back of my mind whispering this is a Chrissy/Tina situation all over again to shut up. If Kay were hiding something, she wouldn’t have let me read her texts.
“Damn, Short Stack,” Trav says.
“That was nothing, Trav. Check this out.” Livi opens up YouTube.
She pulls up a video of a big guy and a tiny girl in blue, white, and black cheer uniforms. I knew Livi was pulling up something that involved Kay, but I was not prepared for how she would look all done up. I usually tend to stay away from the cheerleaders—too much drama with how much they are around the team—but cheerleader Kay? I’ll make an exception, because…hot.
I watch as JT tosses and flips Kay in the air and over his head. I was impressed with what she was teaching the twins, but the tricks in this video are next level.
“Holy shit, Kay. Why aren’t you cheering for the Hawks?” I don’t think I’ve ever seen Trav look so awed. Livi has to reach over and lift his jaw up from where it’s hanging out in the bread bowl.
“I wouldn’t have time to coach if I cheered for the U of J. As much as I love cheering, coaching is what I was born to do.”
“Well, based on that first video the kids showed us, you are very good at that too, my dear,” Nana says.
“Thanks Mrs. McQueen.” Kay listed off all her accomplishments to Brantley—who was as silent throughout the videos as I expected—yesterday like a boss, but Nana’s simple compliment has her blushing.
“Please call me Nana.”
I catch Trav’s knowing smile out of the corner of my eye. Looks like Nana approves.
Conversation halts as the waiters deliver everyone’s food. I cut into my porterhouse, and it’s perfect. Kay’s fork comes over and steals some of my mac and cheese, so I return the favor by helping myself to her fries. I catch my mother giving me a knowing smirk.
“How did you get into coaching?” The question comes from Mom.
“It was actually an injury that led to me discovering my love for it.”
“Do you get hurt a lot?” Nana furrows her brow.
“Cheerleading as a sport is in the top five for injuries. I’m slightly more at risk being a flyer, and my dislocated elbow at that time was one of my most severe. It had me sidelined the longest. I didn’t officially become a coach to a team until I graduated, but that was the start of running the stunt clinics like the ones these two take.” She hooks a thumb at the twins.
We all tuck into our food as Nana and Mom continue to pepper her with questions, which she answers with such passion.
Eventually Trav reaches across me to sneak a fry off Kay’s plate. Just as his hand lifts his prize, she smacks it.
“I swear, you need to learn to get your own food.”
“Come on, Short Stack.” Trav bats his eyelashes at her. “I’m a growing boy.”
I pop my best friend in the chest. “Stop flirting with my girl.”
“What? Afraid she’ll ditch you?”
Yes.
I flip him the bird and the table laughs around us.
“Don’t be an ass, T.” Kay snuggles against me and takes the last bite of my lobster mac.
The press of her body against mine calms me instantly. She’s done nothing to make me think she would stray, but…I get the impression there’s something she isn’t telling me.
I drop my arms and pull her in tighter.
“This is why she knows I’m the better choice—I let her eat my food.” I lean down and place a kiss on the top of her head.
Kay shakes her head and rolls her eyes at us. She chooses to ignore us and turns back to talk to the twins.
Dinner winds down and we all make our way back outside. My parents and Trav’s family head out first, leaving only the kids behind.
“Mase, are you staying at home tonight?” Livi asks hopefully.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I check the time. It’s shortly after ten; might as well head home and avoid the chaos at the frat house to sleep in my peaceful bed.
“Sure.”
Livi claps her hands in glee and turns her puppy dog eyes on Trav. “You too?” Trav, never able to deny my little sister anything, agrees.
“Movie night?”
“Anything for my favorite girl.” Trav scoops Livi up and places her on his shoulders as we make our way to where the cars are parked.
“What about you, babe?”
“Sure,” Kay replies, mimicking my response and placing a kiss on the underside of my jaw. “But just so you know”—she steps onto the running board of Pinky to look over her shoulder at me—“I’m not sharing my popcorn with you.”
#Chapter37
My mind has been plagued with thoughts of what could be posted by that damn UofJ411 to have caused JT’s concerned texts. Tessa is the Taylor sibling more trigger-happy about telling me if I show up on social media, but JT? It has to be significant if he’s bringing it up.
I can’t focus on the potential fallout wearing Mason’s hoodie might mean for my anonymity until I have hours of alone time.
I knew the risk when I said yes to Mase asking me out, but knowing and being faced with it are two entirely different things.
Not the time or the place, Kay.
The twins practically bounce into the house, and I let their excitement banish the negativity and old insecurities from my brain.
“We’ll get the snacks and popcorn and meet you in the theater room,” Olly shouts as they run down the hall to the kitchen.
“Theater room?” I turn to Mase with a raised brow.
A chuckle rumbles through his chest. “Are you really that surprised to learn this monstrosity has its own theater room?”
I shake my head, following him down a different hallway deeper into the house and coming to a stop at a set of impressive mahogany doors with a lighted black and white CINEMA sign.
Inside is a movie buff’s dream. A hundred-inch screen dominates a wall in front of two rows of four black leather recliners and a third row made up of a large black leather couch and matching ottomans, practically creating a bed.
Classic movie posters hang on the side walls, and the back has a mini concession stand with a beer and wine fridge.
Trav starts tossing pillows and blankets onto a few of the seats as Mase goes to the bar and uncaps beers for the three of us.
The twins walk in, each carrying a gigantic bowl of popcorn, and Olly
hands one to Mase.
“Guess you are sharing your popcorn, babe.” The waggle of his eyebrows turns my teasing statement from earlier into a double entendre.
After snack distribution is taken care of and the twins select the latest Marvel film, we all settle into our seats.
Mase and I claim the back couches and I snuggle deeper into his side, breathing in the fresh scent of his soap, which I can’t get enough of.
Throughout the movie, he runs his hand through my hair, twirling the ends around his fingers. I swear the way he’s always touching me—and not in the pervy way, though he does a lot of that too—sets my heart aflutter. It reminds me so much of how Bette and E are with each other, and they are #CoupleGoals.
The action is so soothing, and at some point I must fall asleep because next thing I know I’m waking while he carries me up a set of stairs.
“Mase?”
“Hey there, Sleeping Beauty.”
“What’s going on?” I ask stupidly, my brain still half-asleep.
His smile widens, causing both dimples to now be on display. “I’m taking us to bed. As comfortable as the couch in the theater is, I much rather sleep on the king-sized memory foam mattress in my room.”
“I can’t just sleep in your bed with you at your parents’ house. I should go home.” I move to get out of his arms, but they tighten around me.
“Not a chance, Skittles. It’s late and both my mom and I don’t want you driving. Besides…” His mouth hitches up on one side. “Mom loves you.”
He refuses to put me down, even when he needs to open the door to his room. He carries me like my weight doesn’t even register. It’s hot.
The large corner room is roughly half the size of my dorm. Off to the left there’s a door open to an ensuite bathroom and another I assume leads to a walk-in closet. There is also a set of French doors that open out to a balcony, flanked by large chairs in navy material and metal stud edging.