Caught Off Guard: A Sports Romance Novella

by Kira Blakely

  I fished my phone out of my pocket and called the only person who could set it straight.

  “Sean? It’s Charlie. We need to talk.

  ***

  Sean

  We need to talk.

  Those are the four most hateful words in the English language, in my opinion. They’re always the opening line to a bad breakup, a death, or just about any bad news you can tell a person. It made me wonder about what Charlie was going to tell me that would prompt her to use those four words.

  I couldn’t fucking wait to be disappointed.

  We agreed to meet up at the coffee shop near my place, the main reason being that if she was going to wreck my heart, it would only be a short crawl back to my apartment. She was already waiting for me when I got there, her hair tied up in a nice little bun as she sipped on her cup. She saw me enter the shop and waved me over, like she thought I didn’t see her or something. I walked over and sat down across from her before picking up the little menu.

  “So, what did you want to talk to me about?” I asked, not bothering to beat around the bush. I’d rather she rip off the Band-Aid with one go than pick it off slowly.

  “Two things,” she said, raising two of fingers at me. “First, why did you go with Ariana?” she asked.

  “She needed a date, and I said ‘yes.’ Nothing more,” I told her.

  “But you went to her hotel afterwards. Why would you do that?” I raised my eyebrows at her.

  “What do you think?” I asked back. Hurt flashed into her eyes, and I felt guilt creeping up my chest. I couldn’t help but be cruel to her right now, knowing she was going to hurt me anyway. I put the menu down and stood up. “Look, it’s been fun. But if we don’t have anything else to talk about–”

  “Ariana told me nothing happened between you two,” she blurted out, and I fell back to my seat, scowling. “Why did you stop it?”

  “You really want to rub it in my face? Fine. I like you. I fucking like you a lot. I couldn’t do it with your sister because I knew that would hurt you. So, I stopped it. Happy? Now, since you’ve already gotten what you came for, you should probably run off to your precious quarterback and hump him sideways till Monday while I go beat the shit out of myself back in my apartment for letting you fucking trample all over me,” I said before stomping my way out of there.

  I heard her run after me, and then she cried out.

  “Parker and I aren’t together,” she cried, and I froze. Of all the things she could tell me, I was not expecting her to say that. I turned to face her, my eyes in disbelief, and she continued. “That kiss you saw the other night. It was nothing. Well, it meant something to him, of course, but I’ve set him straight. Parker and I aren’t dating,” she explained.

  I coughed a bit and tried to play it cool.

  “And you’re telling me this because…?” I asked, swallowing.

  “Because I fucking like you, too, you idiot,” she said.

  It was all the answer I needed. I crossed the space between us and pulled her towards my body, engulfing her lips in a kiss I’d been dying to give her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sean

  Instead of crawling back to my apartment alone, I ran back home, dragging Charlie with me. The sweet taste of her lips made my blood run hot, and I couldn’t get enough of it.

  As soon as we entered my place, Charlie pulled my head towards hers and gave me a deep kiss, sending my senses into overdrive. I wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her close to me, her body hugging mine in all the right places as I paced my other hand under her chin and angled her head as I gave her what she wanted.

  We slowly made our progress to my bedroom, our hands traveling over each other’s bodies and touching through our clothes. She caught the buttons of my shirt and started to remove them, and my hands slowly went down to her hip and found the hem of her shirt. I pulled my mouth away from hers as I pushed her shirt up and over her head, making her raise her arms up to help me. I felt my eyes darken as I saw her black-laced bra covering her supple breasts, my hands aching to grab them. She surprised the hell out of me by taking my hands with hers and putting them on top of her breasts.

  “Don’t stop and keep touching me,” she ordered, and my pants felt tighter as my dick grew hard from her command.

  “Yes, ma’am,” I growled, and I squeezed her breasts through her bra, making her moan. That sultry sound she made shot straight to my dick, and I wanted to hear it more. I pushed my fingers underneath her bra, feeling her skin and tweaking her nipples. Her legs almost gave out, and I took one of my arms off immediately to keep her steady. She caught her balance and was able to take the last button off my shirt.

  We continued to pull each other’s clothes off as I navigated her to my bedroom, and when she was near my bed, I pushed her back so she fell on top of it. I quickly crawled on top of her and started kissing her neck, licking a trail from her shoulder blades, to the side of her jaw and to the spot behind her ear, making her gasp.

  I tensed up as her fingers brushed against my right side, tracing the words I had tattooed there.

  “What do these words mean?” she whispered.

  “To strive and persevere,” I whispered back.

  I didn’t want to explain the reason I had them on me, even though her eyes told me she was dying to know. I distracted her instead by cupping her between her legs and rubbing my fingers at the center where I knew her clit would be. She cried out, placing her hands on my arms and raising her hips, pressing my hand closer.

  I bit my lip and unbuttoned her jeans so she could slide them down her hips. I pulled them off all the way, and I groaned at the sight of her black-laced panties.

  “Were you expecting this to happen?” I asked her, my voice sounding raspy as I was slowly overcome with the need to take her. She fluttered her eyelashes and bit her lip as she drew circles on her stomach with the tip of her forefinger, going lower and lower until it was brushing against the top of her panties.

  “I was hoping for it,” she admitted, her voice low and seductive in my ears, and I growled once more. I stood up on the edge of the bed and took my jeans off, smirking as I saw her eyes widen while she stared at my cock.

  I crawled over her once again, licking my lips as she hurriedly unhooked her bra and threw it across the room. I pushed her back down on the mattress as I kissed her, forcing my tongue inside her mouth and sliding it on top of hers. She kissed back, and our tongues battled for dominance as our hands continued to explore every inch of each other’s skin, my fingertips tingling from how smooth and supple hers was.

  I give her one last kiss on her lips before moving downwards to explore her body more thoroughly with my mouth, my tongue tracing the valley between her breasts before sucking on her nipples hard, forcing her to arch her back from the pleasure. I bit the nub softly before soothing it with my tongue, swirling it around the areola while I caressed her other boob with my hand. I switched my mouth’s attention to her other breast, and my ears started ringing from those sexy noises she was making again. I swear I could feel my cock getting harder than ever, begging to get inside her sweet cavern and give her the ride of her life.

  I couldn’t handle it anymore. I needed to be inside that wet heat, like yesterday.

  I crawled over her body so I could reach my bedside drawer. I took out one of the packets and tore it off with my teeth. I was about to suit up when she took it from me. I opened my mouth to ask what she was going to do with it when she grabbed my cock suddenly and I hissed. She put the condom on me and then lowered herself back to the mattress.

  She kept surprising me with the sudden bouts of control, but I’d be damned if I didn’t like it.

  I put myself over her and positioned my dick right outside of her entrance, slapping her hand away as she tried to grab my dick again so she could push it inside her, and I chuckled as she glared at me for it.

  “Stop teasing and fuck me already,” she demanded, and I growled and pounced on her, thrusti
ng into her with one quick stroke, making us both shake in pleasure.

  I plunged my dick inside of her slowly, loving the feeling of her walls clenching tighter and tighter around me like a well-fit glove. She rolled her hips, and I buried myself deeper in response before increasing my pace.

  She held onto me for dear life as I pounded into her, her nails digging into my back as she struggled for purchase. Her hips rose to meet mine thrust for thrust, and I growled as I felt her start undulating around my cock.

  Her moans grew louder and louder with every move, and I could tell she was getting close. I dropped my hand towards her clit and started rubbing ferociously, making her cry out. She held onto me tightly as she let go, her mouth looking for mine, and when she finally found it, she bit on my lip so hard it started drawing blood. The sting from her bite only made me wild with need, and I abandoned my pace, bucking into her wildly as I chased after that very same high she was coming down from. I could feel her start to undulate again and then finally, we came together.

  I collapsed on top of her, totally spent from that hot, wild ride I had been dreaming about for so long. Her warm body felt comfortable underneath mine, and I was tempted to just stay like this, but I knew that Charlie wouldn’t be able to breathe. I moved off her and to one side of the bed. She turned and immediately curled herself to my side, and I wrapped my arm around her.

  My eyelids wouldn’t stay up, and the last thing I felt before I fell asleep was Charlie’s lips brushing against my cheek.

  The next day, I had looked forward to waking up with Charlie still in my bed, ready and willing for another round, but when I reached for her and came up with nothing, I opened my eyes and saw that she wasn’t there anymore. Immediately, my heart sank. This was the first time a woman did the screwing and leaving to me. I didn’t realize how much it hurt until now.

  I got up from my bed and walked around my apartment to look for her, or at least, anything to prove to myself that what happened was real and not just a fantasy. All I found, however, was a white paper pinned under my phone on the desk.

  She told me she had to go early and that she wished me good luck today. I frowned because I didn’t know what she was wishing me good luck for. I don’t remember anything-

  I suddenly realized what she meant, and I looked at the clock frantically. Holy shit, I’m gonna be late for the game again! Why didn’t she fucking wake me up?!

  ****

  Charlie

  I giggled to myself as I imagined how Sean must be running around in his apartment to get ready for the game. I didn’t want to wake him up because I didn’t want him to think I was overstepping his boundaries or anything.

  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 followed him anyway. I waited by the hotdog stand and saw him walking towards 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, and I blushed as I remembered everything that happened last night in Sean’s apartment. I saw Parker scowl 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 about what I feel for you, Parker. I love you as this guy who’s always been there for me. You’ve got the shoulder I could 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, and I sighed.

  “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!” he cried, and 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 explained.

  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 moves on fast and we can go back to how we used to be.

  There was someone out there for Parker, I was sure of it. But that’s just not 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’s had a hard on for her for I don’t know how long, so it probably hit him hard when his arch-neme
sis 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 towards 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.

  Have I started to love Charlie now? 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?” I asked him.

  “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 does deserve someone better. Hell if I 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?” I asked.

  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.