by Kara Hart
“C’mon bro, let's go.” One of the second-string players said to me.
“Just a second…” I muttered. I turned to my coach. He knew within a millisecond what was going on. He simply nodded. I dropped my things and started running faster than I had ever run before.
What was her terminal again? I asked myself. Eventually I thought of it. I was so close. I prayed to the gods above that I wouldn't miss her. Gate 19, 20, 21! I had found it!
“Yes!” I practically screamed out loud.
I ran up to the gate doors and found that they were closed. I turned to the lady working and frantically said, “You gotta let me in there! It's important!”
She looked at me and basically laughed in my face. “I'm sorry, sir. The gates are now closed. You can talk to an agent over at the desk over there if you need another flight.”
I pressed my fingers against my temples and tried to maintain my composure. That, of course, didn't last very long. “I don't need another flight! What I need is to get in those doors!”
“Well, sir. What I need from you is to stand back. If you don't, I will call security and they will force you out! Do you understand?” She glared at me, waiting for me to talk back. Well, she obviously didn't know who I was. I was the king of talking back, the king of getting thrown out of interviews, bars, and yes, airports too!
“No, I actually don't fucking understand!” I began yelling now. “And I think if you don't let me through right now, I'll have the NFL bring you to court because—“
“Liam!” A voice rang out behind me. It was Laura! I felt a new level of excitement and energy flow throughout my body.
I gave a sharp look at the woman working and said, “Look, I'm sorry. It's been a bad day. If you want tickets to the Patriots game, just show the people at Will-Call your badge and you'll get through.” She looked confused as hell. I gave her my best smile and turned back around.
“I couldn't let you leave. Not yet, at least. Not without a real goodbye.” I said. She stood up from her seat and faced me.
“Oh thank God!” She exclaimed.
I grabbed her waist and wrapped my strong arms around her. I looked into her eyes and told her the truest thing I could have said at the time, “I've missed you.”
“I've missed you too.” She said. Her eyes were shining against the synthetic fluorescent light, and I realized that, despite the odds, we had come together from our separate corners of the world. It was incredible when you really thought about it.
I leaned forward and our lips touched. That feeling – I had been waiting for it for so damn long. And now I had her, if only for a moment. Her scent enveloped me. I pulled her in even closer. Our tongues circled around each other’s, and I pulled back and lightly bit her lip. Our breathing was quickening. The intensity was building to something we couldn't control.
“Follow me.” I said, grabbing her hand.
“Where are we going?” She exclaimed, although laughing from the thrill of being together.
“You'll see.” I said.
I walked straight until I found a door that said “Cleaning Crew.” I smiled and said aloud, “There we go.” I checked to see if it was locked and it wasn't. We pushed through and found ourselves in a half-empty closet full of cleaning supplies.
“We can't be in here, Liam!” She said. I loved it when she said my name.
I locked the door and said, “Do you always play by the rules?”
She looked at me, determined to spend whatever time we had, and replied, “Hell no.” My kind of woman.
She kissed me this time, pressing her forehead against mine, and pulling back every so often. I ran my hands through her perfect hair and took deep breaths. I couldn't handle how I felt. “I need you. Now.” I said.
“I've been waiting to hear those words from you for so long.” She said, completely out of breath. “Fuck me.”
I tore off her shirt as she slipped out of her yoga pants. Running my hands across her thighs and legs, grabbing her ass, I felt like a fucking king. I felt more manly than I ever felt before. She was a goddess and I was lucky enough to be chosen. God bless her tits, her ass, her body. Before she could even drop to her knees, I lifted her above my head and pinned her against the wall.
“Holy shit.” She cried out with satisfaction. I spun her around and she pressed her hands on the wall, knocking everything off a shelf next to us.
“Now that I have you,” I said, “I'm going to devour you.”
There was no time to spare. Most likely, the whole team was on a bus, waiting for me. I didn't give a fuck. I had been waiting for this more than I had been waiting for the next Super Bowl. Damn if I wasn't gonna take this opportunity.
I licked around her edges, across her pelvic line, and all the way down to her thighs. Within seconds, I had kissed every inch of her. With her perfect ass propped in front of my face, I spread her lips apart, licking around them and pulling them with my mouth.
“Every part of you is so beautiful.” I muttered, worshipping her body. I slipped two of my fingers inside her and pressed hard against her g-spot.
“Oh God.” She moaned. “Yes, just like that!”
“Cum for me.” I said, “I need to see you cum.”
I massaged her until she was dripping wet. I kissed her cheeks and spun her around again. I wrapped my mouth around her core and licked her to completion. Her whole body started vibrating around me. I moved my fingers in and out, working them faster with each slide. My tongue was moving at an incredible speed.
Before I knew it, she was cumming. All the while, she was grabbing my hair and pulling. I whipped out my cock and started stroking myself fast.
“Yes!” She cried. “God, you're hot.”
I kissed her deeply, massaged her trembling pussy, and pushed my hands upward against her tits. I cupped them and lightly pinched her nipples. I could feel the head of my cock thicken. Within seconds I burst. Her panties hung between her ankles and I shot my thick load onto the cotton.
I placed her onto her feet and smiled, both of us taking deep breaths. We kissed each other and held one another close as if this were the last time we might see each other again.
After some time, I whispered, “You missed your flight.”
She shook her head and squinted her pretty brown eyes. “Ugh, I know! Work’s gonna kill me.” She said.
“Guess you'll just have to come to the game.” I laughed.
“Guess so.” She said longingly. Then she smiled and slapped my ass. “Alright, you have to hurry and catch up with everyone right? Here, let me see your phone.”
She grabbed my phone out of my pocket and put her number into it. “You better actually call me this time!”
I kissed her soft cheek and said, “I'll call you tonight.”
When we walked out of that closet, we were holding hands.
Laura
He let go of our intertwined hands and walked to the bus, toward the other players. His hair was unkempt, clothes disheveled, and he looked like he just fucked a stripper in the VIP room. Well, today I was his girl. We would see about tomorrow. Sure, he was willing to prove himself for a good time. But was he willing to stick around?
I kept thinking about little Alex and the incredible future that lay ahead of him. Was I willing to compromise our situation for this stranger? After all, he was a stranger. I had one incredible night with him. Other than that, I didn't know him and he didn't know me. If that were the case, however, what was I feeling? Why did I long for his strong body against mine? Why did I dream about his handsome face?
I kissed him goodbye and told him I would meet him after the game. “You better!” He called out. The whole team was hollering and yelling out the window at us in good fun. He ran on the bus and ducked his head out of the back window. “See you later, my brown eyed girl!” He winked. God, he was cheesy. Yet, that made him even more attractive to me. I waved goodbye and shook my head. Liam Conway, you're a handful. I thought to myself.
I made
my way back home and called my boss. “Hey guys, I'm sorry. I didn't make my flight.” I said, sounding as exhausted as possible.
“What happened? Are you okay?” She asked me.
“Long story.” I lied. “I'm going to need another flight. Take it out of my pay if you need to. Afternoon would be wonderful, thanks.” I smiled to myself, finally realizing the full potential of who I was to them. They needed me. I had the upper hand now.
“Wai—” I hung up the phone before they could get a word in, and I switched it off. No need for trivial things. Today is going to be a good day.
I got home and found Alex sleeping peacefully in the sitter’s arms. “He's so cute.” She whispered, staring at his little hands. Then she did a quick double take and said, “Oh my God! You missed your flight! What happened?”
I laughed and picked up Alex. “The best thing that could happen.” I said. “I saw an old friend and accidentally missed my flight. Now I have another day to relax.”
“Well, do you want me to go home? I kind of need this job…” She muttered.
“Leave? Hell no. I need you to stay. Just pretend I'm not here. I have, uh, plans for the night.” I said.
“Oh! Sounds like a date! Is it a date? Please tell me it's a date!” She squealed.
I set Alex in his crib and turned to her. “It's not a date.”
She was practically jumping up and down. “It is totally a date!”
I sighed loudly. “Okay it's a date. And it's complicated.” I admitted. “Very complicated.”
She played with her hair, putting it into a ponytail. “What do you mean complicated? Oh, did you meet him on one of those dating apps or something? He sounds like a real creep.”
“No, no. It's not like that. He's…” I paused and tried to think about how I could explain something like this to a 20 year old woman. I figured she’d get it enough and decided to go with the full truth. “He’s Alex’s father.”
Her jaw dropped. “What?! Who is it? Who!” She yelled.
“Calm down.” I hissed at her. “I don't want to say. He's, uh, high profile I guess.”
“Well, do you like him?” She asked so innocently.
I thought about that for a second. It was an obvious answer, yet full of complications. “Of course I like him. But with Alex in the picture, it makes things a little weird. To be honest, I barely even know the guy. It sounds weird saying that, but it's true. I like him a lot, but I can't let him know we have a son together. I just can't.” I felt the heavy pressure rise up in my body. Tears formed in my eyes but I shook them away.
She sat down next to me on the couch and held me in her arms. “It's okay. I understand.” She said softly. “Us women always get the shit end of the stick. I don't have much advice to give, but if he actually wants to be with you, then he’ll have to man up and prove himself. Because as of right now, he's done nothing of the sort.”
I shook my head. “It's not really all his fault. There's more to it.” I admitted.
“Like hell it’s not!” She yelled, getting fired up. “It's all his fault!”
I couldn't help but laugh. “Alright, fine. Whatever. Anyway, I'm willing to forgive him. I just don't know if I'm willing to bring Alex into this. You're right. He has to prove himself. So far, he hasn't.”
“That’s right! He hasn’t. But he will. You have it all. He’ll pine for you, girl.” She said confidently.
* * *
It wasn’t long before he texted me. “There’s a booth with your name on it. Best seat in the house. There’s a badge in there you can wear to get all the food and drinks you can handle. Go crazy, the night is yours, baby.” Right after he sent me those words, he sent a picture. It was a luscious room, complete with leather couches, a stereo system, and everything else you’d want during a game.
“I’ll only come if you sign my football.” I said sarcastically.
“Deal. See you after the game.” He said.
For the first time in a long time, I felt that feeling in my stomach. You know, the feeling of butterflies. I hadn’t felt that since college. Okay, so he was trying a little bit at least. He wasn’t perfect and it wasn’t all his fault for not finding me. I left, gave him the wrong number, and he tried his hardest to get to me. I didn’t really hold any grudges. Mainly, I was just excited to get to know the guy. We had such a strong connection, what could possibly go wrong?
From the other room came the sound of Alex’s shrill cries. Oh yeah. There’s that…
Liam
She was coming to the game. She was really coming. I honestly couldn’t believe it. Most of this season I had felt like shit. It was one bad day after another. My playing was horrible out there on the field. My team resented me for it. But now was my time to make a come back. Now was the time for me to shine.
“Alright, bring it in.” I said to the rest of the players before the game. “Look, I gotta level with ya’ll today. It’s not easy for a guy like me to lay my cards all out on the table, but it’s something I feel I need to do. I’ve had my head in my ass this past season. I’ve let you all down. Charlie, I’m lookin’ at you. I’m sorry, brother.”
He nodded as if to say, “It’s all water under the bridge.”
I continued my speech, “So I get it if I’m not the most popular guy on the field. That’s okay. I’ve never been the most liked. What I come to you with is this: my utmost apology and a guarantee for you all. I promise you that I won’t fuck up again. I know how far behind we are in the stats. I know just how much we need to win to be taken serious again. But I’m tellin’ you right now that we can do it. We can fucking do this and I won’t let you down. Never again. You all with me?”
I looked at the small crowd of players around me. There was silence and a whole lot of hesitance in the air. Finally, after mulling it over for a few minutes, Charlie came forward.
“I’m with you, man.” He said, giving me a huge man-hug.
“Thanks, brother.” I said in his ear.
“Anybody else? Or is it just Charlie who’s cool with me now?” I asked.
“Just don’t let us down.” Another player said. I nodded.
Slowly but surely, everyone stood up and said their words. They were all on my side. That is, they would be if I proved myself to the team. Well, I had a lot of proving to do, but I knew I could get it done with hard work and severe determination. Anything was in reach if I really wanted it. And God damn did I want it.
“Alright, assholes. Let’s bring it in! Who are we?” I yelled.
“The motherfuckin’ Patriots!” Charlie screamed.
“What did we come here to do?” I asked them, pounding my chest.
“We came to destroy!” Dalton Wiseman, a defensive lineman yelled.
“That’s right! We are the destroyers! Patriots till our last dying breath. We’re a united team and we will not be stopped! Today is our day, boys!”
“RAH!” Everyone cheered, banging their heads against each other, the walls, even the ground. The energy was uplifting and exciting. I felt our win already.
From the door of the locker room, we could hear the loudspeaker say, “…the New England Patriots!” This, of course was our cue. We smashed open those metal doors and lunged out into the field. We went full force, running to the starting positions. Those who weren’t out on the field were on the sidelines cheering everyone on. The cheerleaders, all with bright smiles on their faces, did spins and backflips.
Our opponents, the Rams, kicked the ball toward our best players. The spinning ball of pig skin was spiraling in the air, right above my head. I looked away, up at the booth where Laura was sitting, and pointed at her. Then, I caught that ball and ran as fast and hard as I could. The crowd roared in approval, as I smashed through the defense of the other team. It was clear we were already at an insane advantage.
I found myself underneath at least three of their defensive men. “Keep on trying, boy.” One of them whispered to me. “We’re going to make sure you never go to the pla
yoffs ever again.” He said, laughing.
“Get off me.” I said, picking myself up off the field. “I’ve got nothing to prove except my love of the game.” I said, feeling proud.
Pretty soon, we were winning the game. And by winning, I mean by a lot. I’d like to take all the credit for it too, but I couldn’t. In fact, it was the best all of our team had played during this season. Advertising agencies, sportswear, and soda companies were all most likely lining up and making calls to get us to be their spokesmen.
However, only two things were on my mind: Winning the game and winning Laura’s heart. Every play I made, I would look up to that box and I would see a speck of a person looking down at me. Her beautiful hair, that incredible body. I hoped she was feeling something for me. Because I sure did feel something for her.
Halftime came and went. We were enthused. We were going to win this one. We had to. On the field, I came face to face with Jenkins. He looked kind of sour, but when I walked past him he whispered, “Keep killin’ it out there, brother. Always rooting for you, no matter who you’re playing against.”
His camaraderie was special, that’s for sure. I gave him a thumbs up and said, “Me too, Jenks. You’re one of the best.” No doubt the media would have a field day with that one.
Well, maybe I shouldn’t have said what I said to Jenkins. Because, before I knew it, he was zipping through our defensive linemen, pushing past our linebackers and slamming that ball into the end zone.
“Fuck!” I yelled, each time he scored.
By the fourth quarter, we found ourselves in deep shit. We were down by 3, with only five minutes to spare. Was it even possible to catch up? Of course it was. But time was running out and our run this season had the whole stadium in doubts. “Will Liam Conway fail again?” Was the question on everybody’s mind. Well, fuck ‘em. I was in it to win it.