The End Zone: SPORTS ROMANCE (Contemporary Sport Bad Boy Alpha Male American Football Romance) (New Adult Second Chance Women’s Fiction Romance Short Stories)

by Jenna Payne

  He must’ve been there recently, because the hammock was still swinging. There were no lights on in the house. It was pitch black inside and that was weird, especially since he always leaves the hallway light on.

  “Can I help you with something, Nikki?” The voice sounded like him, but there was something different in the tone. If I hadn’t known that it was him, I might’ve been terrified out of my mind. I turned slowly and found him standing there with his hands folded in a defensive posture.

  “You almost scared the hell out of me, Travis. You know that I don’t like people surprising me.” He was smirking and I think that’s the first time that I ever saw him look menacing. I think I knew him better than I knew myself sometimes. This was not like him. He seemed cold and distant.

  “Sorry about that. It’s very late and you were going to come over and watch the meteor shower with me. I guess you got tied up with a client and not in good way.” This was the first time that I ever heard him talk openly about my sex life. I thought that that was off-limits, but he had decided to bring it up anyway. “As you can see, everything is fine and I’m just about to turn in. It’s been a long day and I’m feeling a little run down. Please come around tomorrow and we’ll talk.” There was no emotion behind his words and it felt like I was talking to some kind of robot.

  “Um…I’ll be over early in the morning and hopefully you’ll be feeling better by then.” I backed away from him and normally I would turn and walk back to the fence, but for some reason I felt compelled to watch his every move. “I’ll even bring the blueberry scones after I come back from my morning jog.” He gave this weird nod and then he licked his lips like he was undressing me with his eyes.

  “I’ll leave the light on for you,” he said. His posture was different and when he went into the house, he closed the door carefully and without a sound, instead of slamming it like he always did. If he wasn’t feeling himself, that would explain some of his actions. It was funny, but it was the first time since he had told me that he wasn’t interested in me sexually that I began to get this inkling that maybe he was. It ignited a long ago spark that had been extinguished. I felt this pang of desire, something left over from the first day that we had met.

  I didn’t really think much of it and I went back to my house. I stopped at the threshold to my door. I turned and waited, and then suddenly the light in the hallway of his house came on. I kind of breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that, because it made me believe that everything was back to normal.

  “I hope that you’re not coming down with something, Travis and I really can’t afford to get the flu.” I sometimes talk to myself, but only because nobody else was listening.

  Freelance was good for your freedom, but you had to be careful about taking time off or getting sick. There was nobody to take up the slack. There was always somebody else ready to sweep in and get the contract. It was a cutthroat business, but quality was what most were looking for, and most knew that mine was quality work. I was professional, I got the job done and I loved what I did.

  I put my key into the lock and for some reason I felt like somebody was watching me. I glanced over my shoulder nonchalantly, pretending to stretch and yawn at the same time. I saw the flutter of a curtain in his bedroom. He had obviously been keeping a careful eye on me. If it was true that he was showing some interest, then maybe I could have my cake and eat it too. It is said that the best kind of relationships are the ones where you are friends first. I’d already had the friendship for 10 years, and to change that dynamic would be quite the adjustment to make. Don’t get me wrong, I was willing to give it a shot, but I was worried that it would ruin what we already had.

  *****

  I didn’t get much sleep that night and I wasn’t sure, but it felt like I was wrestling with a decision. Before, I would’ve given anything for Travis to be interested, but now that it was happening it felt sort of surreal.

  I got up and showered in the morning. I felt this need to close the curtain in the bathroom window. I never did that before, but since I’d seen him spying on me from across the street, I didn’t want to take any chances. I dressed in my customary blue shorts and then I put on a sports bra and a black spandex top and went out for my jog. I ran in place on my driveway and then I took off, hoping that I would not meet up with any other joggers at this time of the morning.

  I went into town and I got myself a couple of scones from Jerry, as he was just opening his bakery in the morning.

  “Nikki, it’s good to see you. That was one hell of a meteor shower last night.” I wasn’t sure if I would call it that, because it was unlike any meteor shower that I’d seen in the past. “They say that there are fragments out in the mountains and that the government is collecting them, as we speak.”

  “The government is always doing something, Jerry. They just can’t seem to keep their nose out of people’s business”.” I made my way back to my house. It was a split level colonial. I had gotten a pretty good deal, because it needed a vast amount of renovations to make it livable. Travis may not look like it, but he could roll up his sleeves and dive into any project. It didn’t matter if it was construction, electrical or plumbing. He was the dictionary meaning of a Jack of all trades.

  I was tempted to leave Travis alone, since our interaction last night left me with the hairs on my neck standing on end.

  I was just in his driveway, when I heard his voice coming from above “Nikki, I’m just getting up and I should be down and outside on the deck in about five minutes. Take your clothes off and stay awhile.” Again, he had caught me off-guard with a teasing gesture of that nature. “I see that you brought the scones. I have fresh coffee brewing in the kitchen.” He sounded sort of like himself, but there was still something off that I just couldn’t put my finger on. I was just going around back, when I heard the rumble of a car and looked over the fencing to see this black sedan rolling down the road very slowly. Its window was open a crack, and I could see this puff of smoke coming from inside. But the window was tinted, so I couldn’t see anything else.

  “What is it?” said Travis, suddenly. His voice came out of nowhere and I practically jumped out of my skin. My heart was racing and my palms were sweating. I turned to face him and I slapped him lightly on the chest, as a way to chastise him for trying to scare me yet again. When I struck his chest, it felt more defined and if I didn’t know any better, I would say that he had more muscle tone than he did yesterday.

  “Travis, there was this car that seemed to be taking an awfully big interest in this neighborhood.” He pushed me away and I almost fell, as he peered over the fence at exactly the same spot where I’d been. He then turned and walked back to the deck overlooking the small stream in the back.

  “Nikki, I don’t think there’s anything to worry that. It’s probably just somebody trying to find a friend.” He served the coffee and took a scone. It looked like he was taking tiny bites like a bird. He was scrunching up his face, like he didn’t like the flavor, although this was his favorite of all time.

  I took a sip of the coffee and I almost spit it back out. It was not only black, but it was bitter and didn’t have that cinnamon flavor that he always puts in his coffee. I was ready to get up and start our daily regimen. I felt like he was once again watching me with a keen interest.

  “Nikki, have I ever told you that you are a beautiful and sexy woman?” If I haven’t, then I’ve been meaning to. I think that it’s high time that you and I go on a date.” This time I actually did spit up my coffee. “There’s nothing to get choked up about. I think that we’ve been doing this dance long enough. 10 years is a long time to keep me at arm’s length.” I wasn’t the one who was keeping him at arm’s length. He was the one keeping me at arm’s length.

  “I think you’ve got that ass-backwards.”

  “Let’s not quibble over the details of who said what to whom. Are you interested in turning this platonic relationship into something a little bit more physical? I’ve wanted to
kiss you for a long time and those red lips are very enticing. I find you fascinating and I would really like to get to know you in a more Biblical sense. I know that this might sound like it’s coming out of left field, but frankly I’ve been feeling like this for some time.” He had me completely stunned into silence and there was no way that I could possibly come up with a response to something like that. “Just give it some thought. I just thought I’d throw it out there and see if it stuck.” He took my hand and he lifted me off the chair easily. I could have sworn that his biceps were much bigger, and were almost ripping through the shirt that he was wearing.

  “I don’t know what’s got into you, Travis, but you’re freaking me out.” It wasn’t just that it was strange, but it was also exciting. It was the kind of sexual tryst that I was looking for. I wanted him and I had hidden it for a long time, so much so that I had almost forgotten that there was an immediate attraction from the moment that I met him. “I don’t think I’ve noticed how well put-together you are.” The last time that I’d seen him without his shirt on was yesterday, and just feeling him through his shirt now was like night and day.

  “What can I tell you, Nikki, I guess you made me think that I should be better than who I am. I decided to put a little extra effort into my workout. I think that you can see the results or at least feel the results for yourself.” He had my hand by the wrist and he was dragging it down his torso, so that I could feel every single muscle in detail. “I thought you should at least know what you were giving up. I have to say this friendship did benefit us both, but I think that we could be a lot more.” This was not the same Travis and God help me, I was enjoying myself.

  As my fingers made contact with his abdominal region, I stared at him, because I just couldn’t believe that I was running my hands down railroad tracks. He was never defined like this and he had a flat stomach, but not even close to what I was feeling now. Was it possible that I just didn’t notice or maybe I didn’t want to? It could be that I was trying to put him into a different light and not be so tempted by the man that lived across from me. I was trying to convince myself, but I think my body was doing most of the convincing for me.

  My panties were soaking wet. When he put my hand on his package, I almost cried out in orgasmic delight. My knees were shaky and I could’ve pulled away, but I didn’t want to.

  “I think we both know that we could be good together. We could burn up the sheets, tear into each other like wild animals and wake in each other’s arms covered in a sheen of sweat from a night of lovemaking that would put a smile of both of our faces.” I had to get out of here and clear my head, otherwise I was going to do something that I would regret later on. “I want you, Nikki and I can see in the way that you’re looking at me that you feel the same way. This is your chance to get what you’ve always wanted. I’m laying it out there for you and all you have to do is reach out and take it. I guess you’re already doing that.”

  “I just don’t know if we should cross that line Travis. We’ve been friends for way too long to let something like this get in between us. I would hate to lose what we already have, but you’re making it very difficult on me to say no.”

  He put his hand up to my mouth and traced my lips with his fingers. “I think the only thing that you really need to do is say yes, and damn the consequences. You don’t see me fighting this and I don’t think that you should, either.” Instinctively, I sucked his finger into my mouth and wrapped my tongue around that digit as if I’d never let go. He was now fucking my mouth with his finger and I was basically giving him a pretty good idea of what this would feel like on another part of his anatomy.

  I came to my senses for a moment, and took out his finger. “Travis, I’m going give you one more chance to back down. If you don’t, then I won’t be responsible for my actions.” That feeling of complete desire was coming over me and if he didn’t take the out that I was giving him, then I was going to attack him.

  “I think that I’m going to walk in there and start taking off my clothes one item at a time. I hope that will be more than enough incentive to get you to join me.” I thought for sure that he was bluffing, but then he started to take off his shirt and dropped it on to the ground with me staring at him the entire time. “If you don’t want this, then I’ll understand, but I don’t think that you can deny that feeling that is building by the second. I know that it has been murder on me to be this close to you and not be able to do something about it. I’ve been aching for the feel of you in my arms.” He had dropped the hidden meaning behind his words and was basically telling me flat out that I was his for the taking.

  When his pants came down and I got a look at his rock-hard ass, I almost dropped to my knees like a panting dog. Instead, I began to take off my clothes. I really didn’t know what the hell I was doing, except that I was living in the moment and not worrying about tomorrow.

  I felt like I was in some sort a trance. He was drawing me to him like a sexual magnetic force.

  I took off the sports bra and felt liberation in stripping down and walking into my destiny. I took off my shorts and that cool breeze that wafted over my bald mound was more than enough to seal the deal. I was going to do this and I wasn’t going to allow anybody to stand in my way. It was like this compulsion that could only be satisfied one way. He had awakened something that I thought was long dead and buried, a feeling that I had convinced myself wasn’t there. Each time that he came over, I would feel in the back of my mind that there was a possibility that we could make this friendship even stronger with a certain physical release. I never acted on it, but he was now giving me the green light and I would be a fool not to take it.

  I stood at the balcony door, naked. I was ready. I wondered what this could do to our friendship, and whether I should back out. But it was only a momentary indecision. I knew from the moment that he took off his pants that it would be impossible for me to walk away.

  *****

  It took me a long time to get upstairs, because I was constantly stopping and rethinking the situation. With each step, I was resolving to do something that might have been ill advised. He was honestly not himself, but for right now I couldn’t care less. He had thrown the gauntlet down and he was daring me to pick it up. I’d already told him that I wasn’t sure if this was a good idea to cross this line, but I was growing less interested in thinking about it. It was time to go big or go home.

  “I don’t know what’s taking you so long, but I had to start without you,” said Travis. I looked up and saw that he was standing on the top of the stairs with his cock in his hand. He was using his own spit and what was leaking from the top to smooth the way for a quick and easy jerk. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to finish without you. I thought that I might have to, but I heard the creaking of the stairs and it made me smile.” My mouth was wide open and being naked in his presence had made me feel a little self-conscious about the extra weight on my hips.

  I had never had any complaints about my shape, but he was different and for some reason I wanted to please him in not only the sexual act, but also in the pleasure of seeing me au naturel. “I just needed a few moments to collect my thoughts. Everything is happening, so fast and it feels like my head is swimming.” I knew that I had a deadline back in my office, but the beauty of freelance made it possible for me to go back to that later on. Right now I had much better things to do with my time than to come up with an ad for a new deodorant. Then again, this could be classified as work related. After all, I was sweating and that need to feel clean was never more apparent than right now.

  He was like the pied piper and he was walking backwards with his hands still stroking that magnificent penis. He did not look like the same Travis. He had filled out in all the right places. The one thing that didn’t change was the size of his manhood. It was still a very awe-inspiring sight to behold. No wonder Emily down the street was watching him so intently. If I were her, I would’ve thrown caution to the wind and grabbed him for a little some
thing.

  “I think that is our problem, Nikki. We’ve been thinking about this too much. You don’t have to be afraid of me and I’m not going to hurt you. That is of course, unless you want me to.” If I didn’t know any better, I would think that this was Travis’s big brother, but I knew for a fact that he didn’t have any siblings. “Like I said, all you have to do is reach out and take it.” I did exactly that and I held onto the base and could feel the heat, as he walked backwards, until we were inside his bedroom.

  I saw up on his bed that there was a Superman bedspread and all around was his collection of memorabilia concerning superheroes. This did remind me of Travis, but not the Travis that I was now holding onto, or the Travis that was now lifting my chin and leaning in for a kiss. The moment felt like it was taking forever and then when he finally planted one on me, I thought that I was going to faint from the sheer anticipation.

  It was one of those lingering, passionate kisses that kept going, until there was nothing left to do, but pull away from each other with a breathless moan. He had his hands on my hips. He turned me and pushed me back on the bed with this leering gaze on his face. “Finally, we don’t have to pretend anymore. You have to know that he… that I have always felt this way.” I don’t know why, but the way that he said that made me pause for a second. It didn’t last long, especially when he lifted my left leg into the air and over his shoulder.

  My other leg was on the bed, as he began to lick my toes and suck each individual one, until I was squirming on that bed for some sort of pleasurable relief. “I need this and I’m glad that you came to me willingly.” He made it sound like he was going to take me one way or the other. His forcefulness was a little jarring, but it was exactly what I wanted. It didn’t give me time to do much thinking, as he started a slow climb from my ankle up to my knee with his tongue.