by Kira Blakely
I did leave him a note, though. You know, just in case he woke up looking for me, which I highly doubted.
I took a cab to the stadium, and I whistled low at the large turnout. I checked the field to see if Parker was already there, but he wasn’t, so I called him. He picked up immediately.
“Wait for me at the concession stand. I’ll meet you there,” he instructed, not even bothering to say hello first.
I was a bit miffed, but I met him anyway. I waited by the hotdog stand and saw him walking toward me in his full gear, his helmet pinned to his side under his armpit.
“Where did you sleep last night? I called your place so I could pick you up for the game, but Ariana told me you didn’t come home. So, where were you?” he asked.
I blushed as I remembered everything that happened last night in Sean’s apartment. Parker scowled at me, and I coughed, trying to think of a way to answer him. I couldn’t think of any.
The feeling of guilt for wanting to lie to my best friend ate me up from inside. I bit my lip and sighed, resolving to tell him the truth.
“I was with Sean last night. We met up for coffee in the afternoon,” I admitted.
“Must be some killer coffee you guys had yesterday if it rendered you unable to come home,” Parker said, sarcasm dripping from his every word.
It was my turn to scowl at him, pissed off that he was acting like this.
“I don’t see why it matters to you, anyway. You are not my boyfriend, Parker. So, stop acting like it,” I snapped.
Hurt and anger blazed in his eyes but I was undaunted.
“I already told you what I feel for you, Parker. I love you as this guy who’s always been there for me. You’ve got a shoulder I can actually cry on, and I will always be grateful for all of the care and love you’ve shown me these past years,” I told him, clenching my fists and willing myself to deal the final blow, because only then would he finally accept it. “But, Parker, I can’t see you as anything more than my best friend.”
“And West? What about him? Can you see him as anything else?” he asked me.
“I had sex with Sean last night. That’s why I didn’t come home early,” I responded.
Parker took a sharp intake of breath as he stared at me like I was a different person. “Why would you do that? I told you to stay away!”
I shook my head. “I couldn’t do that. I’ve been in love with him for so long that I can’t seem to think properly when he’s around. I’ve watched him from the stands in every game. When I met him because he almost ran me and my dog over, I was secretly happy. That’s how fucked up my heart is.”
I could tell that what I was saying was really hurting Parker a lot, and it hurt me that I was hurting him. He was my best friend, after all. If only he hadn’t started thinking of me in a different light.
I stood closer to him and placed both of my hands on his cheeks, looking at him with all the sorrow and regret that I was feeling for him.
“I’m so sorry, Parker. You know I never meant to hurt you. If I could choose…” I trailed off, not wanting to give him false hope. The truth was that even if I had the choice, I wouldn’t choose to love Parker instead. He would always be the best friend in my life, even if Sean wasn’t involved. Lying to him would only hurt him more. “You’ll always be my best friend,” I said instead.
He winced like he was physically hurt by what I told him, and even though I regretted having to hurt him like that, it had to be done. He turned around and walked away, shaking his head, but not once did he turn back to look at me again. I sighed and walked back to the stands, hoping that Parker moved on fast and we could go back to how we used to be.
There was someone out there for Parker, I was sure of it. But it just wasn’t me.
Chapter Sixteen
Sean
“Just in time, West!”
“Yeah, you barely made it, but good job, Sean,” Johnny said, patting me on the back.
I grinned and went to my locker, slightly embarrassed at the attention they were giving me, but was grateful all the same. They had started being like this as soon as I stopped being a huge douchebag, and it was a welcome change from all that hostility.
I was putting on my uniform when I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned my head to the side and was met with a fist hitting me in my right eye. The side of my head slammed on the cold metal door, and I skidded down the wooden bench a little. I looked up and saw Parker, his face red and his teeth bared as he looked down at me. He picked me up by the shirt and threw me against the wall, glaring at me like he wanted me to drop dead on the spot.
“I fucking hate you!” he hissed, his grip tightening on my shirt as he tried to bury me against the wall.
“I get that. But mind explaining why?” I rasped, taking one of his hands off my shirt. He clocked me again, and I slid down to the floor, my eyes seeing little stars from the impact. Then he released me, and I glared at him.
“What the hell is your problem?” I asked.
“You had sex with her,” he spat, and I knew then immediately who he was talking about. I should’ve expected him to have a serious problem with the idea of Charlie and I having sex for the first time or even just dating. He’d had a hard on for her for I don’t know how long, so it probably hit him hard when his arch-nemesis came in and swept her off her feet just like that.
“You fucking piece of shit! I told you to fucking stay away!” he bellowed, the others holding him back as he tried to walk toward me.
“I tried, Nolan! I tried. But damn it, Charlie makes it so easy to…” The word ‘love’ was on the tip of my tongue, but I hesitated in using it.
Do I love Charlie? Is that what I’ve been feeling all this time? The reason why I’ve been through so much heartache, pain, and happiness whenever I was around her?
I shook my head, filing that idea for later and instead kept going with my previous thought. “You should know how fucking irresistible she is. Can you honestly tell me that you could stay away from her?”
“You’re no good for her. You and I both know she deserves someone a hell of a lot better than you,” Parker said, and I shrugged because he had a point. She did deserve someone better. Hell if I’d let her go to someone else, though.
I tried a different tactic instead. “What do you want me to do, Parker? How can I prove to you that I’m serious about Charlie?”
Parker scoffed and pulled his arms away from our teammates’ hold. “Don’t ask me, Sean. Just do it,” he said, and I nodded.
The others asked if I was okay, and I told them not to worry about it, though I caught Evan looking at me once or twice like he wanted to check me for injuries or something. I just shook my head at him and finished putting on my gear before walking out with the rest of the team.
***
Charlie
I stood up and cheered with the rest of the Giants’ fans as the team burst through the tunnel, making their big entrance. I spotted Parker immediately, leading the pack, while Sean and a couple of others brought up the rear.
I knew Parker was feeling particularly revved up after our conversation earlier, but it came as a surprise for me to see that Sean looked almost relaxed and subdued, compared to how he usually was during gameday. The sight of his teammates walking beside him and interacting with him openly did bring a smile to my face, though. I was happy he was finally getting along well with the team and hoped that whatever he was doing now would stick.
Soon enough, the game started, and the Giants got plundered by the Bengals in the first half. I was grimacing the whole time as Parker led the team to one reckless play after another, and I knew that if he continued acting this way, they might lose the game. He must’ve thought the same thing, because when the second half started, it became the Giants’ time to shine. Parker’s passes and throws hit their mark, which was usually Sean, and the latter ran like he was on fire. The other team had a hard time catching him once he caught the ball, and the score was starting to go in our f
avor.
The butterflies in my stomach intensified as I saw how Parker and Sean complemented each other so well on the field. It amazed me that they hated each other so much in real life but they worked extremely well with each other. Go figure.
I saw the coach giving a signal toward Parker before calling him back, so I shifted my attention toward Sean, who had gathered some of the players in a mini huddle. Parker came back and joined in, and whatever they were planning, Parker looked like he didn’t like it, but he agreed to do it anyway. Sean slapped his hand on Parker’s shoulder hard, and Parker scowled and pushed him off, but I saw the little smirk he did afterward. Sean was probably starting to grow on him.
The second half started, and the Giants had the ball. Parker called it and walked back, evading a tackle from the other team while he looked far off to the side. Sean was already sprinting toward the end zone, and Parker threw the ball as far as he could. Sean looked up and caught the ball in his arms and continued to run toward the goal line.
The crowd was going nuts, and I found myself standing involuntarily as I bit my lip and watched Sean run the field while the time ran out, the seconds ticking by and adding to the tension.
My eyes widened as I saw four players from the left chasing after Sean. Another one from the right was coming toward him as well. Realizing it was a pincer attack, I couldn’t help but shout.
“Sean, watch out!” I cried, making the rest of the spectators nearby look at me in surprise.
Sean jumped and flipped over the guy on the right and then he landed in the end zone as the time ran out. They piled on top of him, one after another until the referee finally decided to blow the whistle and see if Sean was all right.
They all get off him, and I waited for Sean to stand up, but there was just one problem.
He wasn’t moving.
***
Sean
You know how you expect your whole life to flash before your eyes before you die?
Well, that didn’t happen.
Instead, I was alive through the whole magical experience of having five guys jump and pile on top of me one after another until I felt like I was within an inch of death.
I’m not kidding. Having five two-hundred-pound men above you feels like you’re being crushed to the ground by a bulldozer.
When they got off me, I could finally breathe again. I didn’t want to get up yet, and really, my body had a mind of its own and decided to just screw it and rest up.
I saw the referee stand over me, saying some shit I couldn’t decipher. Damn, I really must be more banged up than I thought, because now that I wanted to get up, I couldn’t. My head was hurting like crazy, and I was afraid that if I tried to get up, I’d end up vomiting all over the place, and that’s just not cool.
My ears finally start working, and I vaguely understood the ref asking if I was all right, so I told him how I was in the most absolute, badass way possible.
“I think I’m dying,” I said, sounding gruff.
Yep. Badass.
Parker and Evan pushed their faces into my line of vision next, looking pale and worried.
“You okay, man?” Parker asked, and I wrinkled my brows at him.
“Who are you, and what have you done with our quarterback?” I whispered.
Evan sighed in relief. “Yep, he’s fine. I think he’s got a really bad concussion, but he’s fine,” he said.
Parker offered his hand and I grabbed it, pulling myself up with a wince. My vision immediately started to spin and I had to grab onto something – probably Parker’s shirt – to keep from falling over. Evan went to my other side and placed my arm over his shoulders while Parker did the same, and together they hauled my ass out of there, all while I kept my mouth closed to prevent any barfing action from happening while they carried me back to the sidelines.
Once I was there, the guys released me, and I saw a flash of red first before I felt a little body tackle me, arms wrapping around my neck tight and the smell of strawberries invading my senses. I held onto her hips to keep her from falling and buried my nose in her neck, inhaling her fruity goodness that was clearing up my head and making me feel less like I wanted to chuck my lunch all over the place.
“You scared me half to death, you idiot,” she cried softly, and I caressed the top of her head, trying to make her feel better.
“Funny how I’m the one who got injured but I’m the one comforting you,” I teased, and she hit my chest with her fist softly.
I looked up and saw Parker standing a few feet away, his eyes downcast but wearing a sad smile on his face. He nodded at me, and I mouthed my thanks before pulling away from Charlie. She looked up at me teary-eyed and confused, and I placed my palms on either side of her face, trying my best to concentrate on her as the world kept spinning behind her.
“Charlie, I need to ask you something before I throw up,” I told her seriously, and she blinked.
“What?” she asked, and I took a deep breath.
“I don’t just fucking like you, Charlie,” I said, and her eyes widened. “I fucking love you. I love how you smell. I love how you tackle me like a linebacker when you barely reach my shoulders. I even fucking love it when you call me out on my shit and beat me up, even though I could totally throw you across the field if I wanted.”
The grin on her face began to grow, and even though it was risky as hell, I went down on one knee and looked up at her beautiful face. I could hear people start cheering and yelling in the background.
“I am so unbelievably in love with you that I am willing to let Parker bash my face in a hundred – no, a million times – over for the chance to ask you for a fucking date. So, please, Charlie. End my misery. I’m begging you… be my girlfriend?” I asked.
The world legit stopped in those few seconds that Charlie was silent. I felt the sweat on my brow start to drop, and I hoped like hell that I had not just made a fool out of myself.
Charlie smiled and took my face in her hands and gave me the best, most mind-blowing kiss in the history of the planet, and after a few minutes, she abruptly pulled away.
“If you didn’t understand what I meant by that kiss, it means yes, you adorable jock,” she said, and then she pulled me back in so I could kiss her again.
Best way to stop barfing. EVER.
Epilogue
Sean
Two months later…
It had already been two months since Charlie and I got together, but honestly, it still felt like it just started yesterday. Being the boyfriend of a fashion conglomerate has some huge perks, I shit you not.
The fact that she treats me like her personal driver aside, she hands me freebies from the parties and meetings she’s required to attend now that she’s become a big shot in her father’s company.
Ever since Charlie and Ariana joined forces, the Jameson Company has been booming, what with Charlie at the business helm and Ariana finding her creative niche and designing dresses like crazy. They were doing so well that they sent Nicholas and his wife to the Bahamas for some well-earned vacation.
Evan still hasn’t scored Ariana’s number, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. The moment Charlie became my girlfriend, he started begging her for Ariana’s number like crazy. Charlie was still in the process of patching things up with her sister back then, so she couldn’t give him what he wanted, but she did give him the best piece of advice she could ever give him if he wanted to have a chance with the wicked sister in the Jameson family.
The only person who deviated from the plan was Parker, who, after accepting that Charlie and I were together, was never the same again.
He abandoned his dependable, charming (Charlie’s words, not mine) persona and shifted into a brooding, silent, and surly asshole. In short, he turned into me, pre-Charlie, only he was the less hot version.
According to Charlie, he frequented bars to try and drink away his misery, snapping at anyone – even women – who attempted to talk to him mid-drink. Well, at least he wasn�
�t getting himself into more trouble than that.
I parked the car in front of the main entrance and got out before heading straight for the receptionist. I was about to ask if Charlie was still in a meeting when my girl came out of one of the elevators and smiled brightly at me. I smiled back and kissed her hello before grabbing her suitcase for her and walking her back to my car.
“No practice today?” she asked.
“I wanted to surprise you,” I told her, and she shook her head, grinning at me.
“You didn’t have to do that. I mean, I know how tired you are,” she said, and I shrugged.
“I want to. Besides, it’s been a while since we had some time together,” I pointed out, and she bit her lip. It was true, though. Between her meetings and my games and practices, we barely had enough time to catch up with each other every day, but somehow, we made do.
I took her to a fancy dinner and then to the theater to see that movie we’d both been wanting to see but were too busy to go and watch. After that, we just walked around the mall for a little bit, and then I told her that that was all I had planned. She bit her lip and stared up at the ceiling as she thought about what else we could do. A few minutes later, she looked up and gave me a coy grin.
“Take me home, Sean. I want to show you something I know you’ll like back in my bedroom,” she said, and my dick twitched with excitement.
“Yes, ma’am.”
***
Charlie
I had never felt as sexy and desirable as when I was with Sean. The man unleashed the femme fatale inside of me who wasn’t afraid to ask for what she wanted, and she wanted to make love with her boyfriend right then.
I had only ever slept with one guy before Sean, and he didn’t make me as insatiable for sex as Sean did. I didn’t just crave the pleasure it gave me, but the feeling that I was completely fulfilled and loved.
Sean put the pedal to the metal, and we arrived back at the mansion in record time. We ran inside and up the stairs in haste, sidestepping away from Sarah at the last minute so we didn’t hit her. I opened the door to my room, and as soon as we got inside and locked it, Sean immediately held me in his arms and kissed me hungrily. He nibbled on my lip, and I moaned as his hands traveled from my stomach and pushed my shirt up over my breasts.