by B. B. Hamel
“You can’t fail that sort of test.”
“What sort?”
“You know the kind, when people are trying to decide if you’re cool or not. You always pass that test.”
I shook my head. “I’m not cool at all.”
“You are. You just don’t know it.”
“You’re the cool one. You noticed people staring at you, right?”
“Yeah. I’m good at ignoring it, though.”
“That’s cool.”
“Nah,” he said, looking into the distance. “That’s not cool. Being cool is being sure of yourself, being comfortable. Cool is doing whatever you like to do and not apologizing for it. You’re as cool as they come, Avery Carpenter.”
I bit my lip and didn’t have a word to say. Nobody had ever said anything so nice to me before. It seemed unlike him. He normally complimented my body, made crude jokes to me, made me blush, but this time he was complimenting me, my personality, the person I was.
It made me feel good, really good. He was being so genuine, and it surprised me.
Finally, we ended up at my door. He nodded at me, smirking. “I’d ask you to invite me in, but I suspect you won’t.”
“I guess not,” I said.
“Invite me anyway.” He stepped closer, and I took a deep breath.
I wanted to. I wanted to invite him so badly. I wanted to drag him into my apartment and let him do whatever he wanted to me.
But I couldn’t. I shook my head. “Good night, Gibson.”
“Night, Avery.”
“See you tomorrow.”
I opened my door and shut it again. I leaned up against it, breathing deeply.
I wanted him, but I was so afraid of what it meant, of the man he was. I was afraid of the mob money, afraid of his fame, afraid of dragging him down. All of it was holding me back from doing what I wanted.
But tonight had felt good. He took me out and gave me a glimpse of his real life. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
And I’d be seeing him tomorrow.
25
Gibson
I could still hear the screams of the crowd as I slowly dismantled Alabama’s defense.
It was supposed to be a hard game. We were supposed to be two of the best teams in football meeting early in the season. Everyone said it was going to be a clash of titans.
It wasn’t. I didn’t hold back, and we rolled over Alabama. I felt like I couldn’t do anything wrong as I found my targets one after the other. We marched down the field time and time again, destroying Alabama’s team, embarrassing them.
It was a huge win, the sort of win I really needed after that problematic game against Mountain. This was a win against a real team, and there was no struggle to be found. If anyone had questioned my abilities, they were definitely silenced after this performance.
“Come on, man,” Hynes said to me. We were the last ones in the locker room. “We gotta go celebrate.”
“We will,” I said, “but I told Avery I’d meet her here. I’ll see you guys later.”
“Fine. We’ll be at Dom’s. Don’t miss out, man. You deserve a little celebration.”
I nodded as he left and leaned back against the lockers. I sat there and replayed the game in my head, tried to get the feeling that I’d had on the field back. I wanted to experience that buzzing high and excitement again as people screamed my name and I dismantled my opponent.
There was a bump, and I looked up. Avery stared down at me.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hey yourself. Good game.”
“Thanks.”
“You destroyed them.”
“I tried to.” I sat up. “Ready to take my measurements, nurse?”
She just smiled and got to work. I stripped off my shirt and let her do her things, watching her the whole time.
It was strange. I had just won one of the biggest games of my college career, but all I wanted to do was sit in this room with Avery. I didn’t care that she was just taking measurements and wanted to keep me at a distance. This was all I wanted.
“You look good,” she said.
“I’m aware.”
“I mean your vitals. You’re in amazing shape, you know.”
“I work out a little bit.”
She laughed. “I bet. Just a little jogging here and there.”
“Nothing more.”
“Sure.” She shoved a thermometer in my mouth. “Listen, I just want to say this while you can’t respond. Today’s game was amazing, and I’m really proud of you. I’m glad you put all that other stuff behind you.”
I smirked at her and nodded. When the thermometer beeped and she took it out of my mouth, I took her hand. “I’d like to be behind you.”
She laughed. “You had a few seconds to think of something to say, and that was the best you could do?”
“Sorry. I spent most of my brainpower on the field.”
“That’s fair. I’ll give you a pass.”
She had finished up and started to put her stuff away.
“Come out with me,” I said suddenly. “I’m meeting some guys at Dom’s. Then we’ll probably go to a party or something. Come celebrate with me.”
She smiled. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I’m feeling like shit. Did you know being pregnant isn’t really very fun?”
“At least you’re glowing.”
“Glowing,” she said, frowning. “Why do people say that? I’m not glowing. I don’t feel like I’m glowing. I feel tired and cranky and sick.”
“You’re still sexy as hell,” he said, “regardless of how you feel.”
“Thanks, but I’m still not coming out.”
“Okay then. Your call.”
She smiled again at me, and I could tell that she was enjoying herself. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Okay?”
“See you.”
She stood up and left the locker room.
I slowly gathered my stuff, throwing my shirt back on.
As stupid as it was, that little moment in the locker room with Avery was something I had been looking forward to all day. Even during the game, I couldn’t help but think about her on the sidelines while the defense was playing. I had scanned the crowd, wondering where she was, but couldn’t see her of course. I had managed to get her tickets for the rest of the season, but I didn’t know where the seats were exactly.
It was stupid, idiotic. She didn’t want anything else from me. She just wanted me to be a part of our baby’s life.
But I wanted more, and I was going to get it.
Dom’s was loud and packed. When I got there I was greeted with cheers and cameras flashing from students who wanted pictures. It was totally weird to have your peers taking pictures of you, but I smiled and high-fived everyone before finally ending up at the bar with Hynes.
I sipped a beer but wasn’t in the mood. People were jubilant, taking shots and laughing, and the music was up loud. But for some reason, the whole place felt wrong to me.
I couldn’t figure out what it was. I just wasn’t in the mood to party. Normally, after a win like that, I’d be out of my mind with joy. And I was happy, but I didn’t much feel like being in a packed room, drinking with strangers, talking to people I didn’t care about and who didn’t really care about me.
A couple hours passed. I managed to drink a beer or two, but nothing to make me feel drunk. Finally, the crew decided to move the party to some house just off campus.
We got outside. Hynes was making some joke to Drinkwater about the game, and Reggie was off being the prissy little fuck he was. I looked off into the distance and realized something.
“Hynes,” I said.
“What up?”
“Look, man, I got something to do.”
“Hell yeah you do. You got to party your fucking face off, for tomorrow we have more practice.”
I laughed. “No, man. Something else, something I’ve been meaning to do all day.”
“All right. Whatever, man. Are you coming out later?”
“Probably. I’ll meet you there.”
“Cool. Go do your thing.”
I nodded and headed off, my mind made up. It was around nine at night, but the campus was still alive with people excited from the win. I made my way past the stadium, trying not to get recognized, though I did have to give a few handshakes and pictures.
It took me nearly a half hour, but finally I stood outside Avery’s apartment door.
Fuck it. Going out to celebrate just felt fucking wrong without her. If she wasn’t feeling well, I knew one good way to make her feel better.
I knocked on the door. She answered after a minute and looked surprised. “Gibson,” she said.
“Hey,” I answered. “I came to see you.”
“Shouldn’t you be out partying?”
“Probably,” I said, and stepped closer to her. She was wearing a tank top and short cotton shorts, and she looked so fucking sexy. “But I didn’t feel like celebrating without you.”
“Gibson,” she said.
I took her by the hips and pulled her against me. She didn’t resist.
“We shouldn’t,” she said.
“Probably not, but fuck what we should do. I’ve been thinking about this all day.”
When I kissed her, it felt right. I knew as soon as my lips touched hers that this was exactly what I’d needed to do all day. She didn’t resist for a second, just wrapped her arms around my neck. I moved her into the apartment and kicked the door shut behind me.
“Harper isn’t here,” she managed to say. “Studying.”
“Good.” I kissed her neck and slipped my hand down the front of her shorts. She wasn’t wearing panties, and her pussy was soaking wet already.
“You fucking dirty girl,” I said as I began to slowly work her clit. “You’re not wearing panties.”
“I didn’t expect anyone,” she said.
“Are you sure? Or were you hoping I’d show up?”
“Oh shit,” she gasped as I pressed my fingers deep inside her. “I was hoping. Fuck, I was hoping.”
“You wanted me to find you like this, looking sexy as fuck, not wearing any panties.”
“Yes,” she gasped as I fucked her pussy with my fingers. She kissed me hard, her tongue and lips working mine as my fingers pressed deep inside her soaking pussy.
I loved the way she tasted. I loved the way she felt. I loved how soaking wet her pussy was for me, even just moments after seeing me. She was ready to be fucked, practically begging for it, even when she thought it might complicate things.
That didn’t matter to me. All that mattered was her, was Avery. I could be out partying, getting hammered, getting treated like a fucking hero. Instead, all I wanted was her.
I pressed her back down onto the couch. She fell back and stared up at me. I dropped onto my knees in front of her and kissed her hard, my hands roaming her body, feeling her skin and her breasts. I began to kiss her neck and slowly slid her cotton shorts off.
I spread her legs nice and wide. She bit her lip as I kissed up her inner thigh and began to slowly tongue her clit.
“Shit,” she gasped. “Maybe we should go into my room.”
“No,” I said. “I’m not moving an inch. I’m starving for your pussy, Avery. I need to taste you.”
I began to suck and lick her clit harder, my tongue working her. Her only response was a moan, and that was how I fucking liked it. All I wanted to hear was her saying my name and moaning over and over again.
I loved the taste of her. I loved the noises she made as I sucked that soaking clit. I felt her hands lace in my hair and her hips move as I licked and sucked her, my tongue roaming every inch of her pussy.
I slowly pressed a finger deep inside her as I sucked her clit. That made her gasp. “Gibson,” she said. “Oh my god. That feels incredible.”
“I know what you like,” I said, fucking her pussy slowly with my fingers and looking at her. “I know what you need.”
“I need you.”
“You need my tongue and my fingers on this wet little cunt,” I said, and went back to work.
I worked her deep with my fingers, working her pussy. I wasn’t easing off or going at this slow. I’d wanted her so fucking badly all day long, and now I was taking her. I sucked that clit, making her feel incredible as I fucked her pussy with my fingers.
Her body was mine to do whatever I wanted with. And this, my tongue on her clit and my fingers fucking her, this was exactly what I wanted. Her moans made me fucking hard as hell, my cock ready to burst from my fucking jeans, but I was waiting. I could be patient. I wanted to make this pussy come once before I even slipped my cock deep inside her.
I kept working her, my tongue and lips sucking her clit. I felt her press harder on the back of my head, pressing me against her pussy as my fingers continued to fuck her.
“Shit, Gibson,” she gasped. “Wait. Wait. I’m so close.”
I felt her tug at my head, but I didn’t let up. I kept sucking and sucking her, working her clit, my fingers deep inside her. She gasped, wiggling her hips, her fingers tightening in my hair.
“Wait. Oh shit. I’m going to come.”
I fucked her deeper, faster. She was dripping wet as I kept licking her, sucking and eating that pussy.
And then she started to come. Her whole body stiffened, tightening, as I kept working her, licking and sucking, fucking her pussy. I wasn’t letting up, wasn’t easing off. I wanted to get her off hard and fast. She was moaning loudly, her fingers tight in my hair, pressing my face hard against her pussy as I worked her harder, faster.
She came for me nice and rough, came against my mouth, and slowly I could feel her body softening, relaxing. Her fingers released my hair, and I looked up at her.
“Shit,” she gasped. “My fingers are numb.”
I grinned at her and then kissed her pussy again. “God I fucking love the taste of you.”
“Come here.” She pulled me up and kissed me. I kissed her back, my cock straining against my pants.
That was when I heard the front doorknob jiggle.
“Shit!” she said. “Harper is coming home.”
Thinking fast, I grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and threw it over her. I sat next to her and spread the blanket out just as Harper came in the front door.
She stopped, surprised to see me there. “Oh, hey, guys.”
“Hey,” I said.
“Hi, Harper,” Avery said, trying to play it cool.
“Good game today, Gibson,” she said, coming in.
“Thanks,” I answered. “I try.”
“It was awesome.” She looked at us and could sense the awkwardness. “Well, uh, anyway. I’ll leave you two alone.”
She quickly disappeared back into her bedroom.
Avery was bright red. “Oh my god,” she said. “That was so awkward. I’m so embarrassed.”
I laughed. “She didn’t know,” I said.
“She knew something was going on. I mean, why do you think she ran off like that?”
“Maybe, but who cares?”
“I care,” she said, sighing. “Where are my shorts?”
“Over there.” I got up and grabbed them for her, holding them up. “You want these?”
“Gibson,” she hissed. “Give them to me.”
“Say please.”
“Gibson,” she said, annoyed, “I’m not playing.”
“Say please, Gibson. Please give them to me.”
“Gibson.”
I laughed and tossed them to her. She sighed and pulled them on.
“Look, I promised Hynes I’d meet him out,” I said. “You should come with me.”
She shook her head. “No. That’s okay. Go have fun.”
“Come on, come with me.”
She walked up to me and kissed me. “No. Hang out with your boys. I’m in for the night.”
“Fine.” I kissed her. “If you change your mind, call me.”
“I won’t.”
I turned and headed toward the door. “See you tomorrow morning?”
“Yeah,” she said, “you will.”
I turned the knob and left her apartment. I could tell she was too embarrassed about Harper almost walking in on us for me to stick around, so I figured I’d leave and give her some space.
Her taste lingered on my lips as I headed down the stairs and out the front door. I texted Hynes to see where they were.
That was the celebration I had wanted. Maybe I only got a taste of her, but it was what I had needed. I’d wanted her body, so I went and I took it.
Avery could pretend she didn’t want it, but when it came down to it, she was going to spread her legs and beg for me every time. We both knew she couldn’t resist.
26
Avery
I was so mortified that night. I could barely look Harper in the face as we sat on the couch and watched TV.
If she had come home a minute earlier, she would have seen Gibson’s face between my legs, eating my pussy like it was the last thing on earth.
I wasn’t the kind of girl to get off in the middle of the living room. That just wasn’t me. But with Gibson, I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t stop it when he came close to me. There was just something so incredibly intense about the way he looked at my body, like it was the only thing he needed in the world. I knew that if I let him touch me, I’d feel better than I could have guessed.
That was what Gibson did to me. He took me outside my comfort zone and showed me that I could feel incredibly good things just because he wanted me to.
I was up nice and early the next day. I headed over to Gibson’s and was surprised that they were both awake. Hynes seemed hungover as hell, but Gibson seemed normal. I didn’t want to stick around, because I had studying to do and Gibson kept giving me a knowing look.
He knew what I was thinking about. He knew I was thinking about his tongue between my legs, licking my pussy, sucking my clit, making me feel incredible.
I didn’t linger. I took my measurements and got out of that apartment before I did something stupid. I went right to the library, wanting to get an early start.
I tried to concentrate on starting my biology project, but every time I looked at the data, I just kept thinking about Gibson. I kept seeing Gibson without his shirt on, his tattoos and his muscles, and that cocky way he looked at me.