The Boom

by Glenna Maynard

  “Keep telling yourself that, Am. That guy is smitten with you. Rumors going around about how some wish they were the one that was finally dating King, others want to claw your eyes out, and some want to be your friend thinking that they’ll have an in to all the football after parties.”

  I sigh. I’m in serious trouble here. Tate has put his spell on me. I am all shook up and about ready to chase him down and tackle him for some relief, but instead I wait for Court to pass out, and I take care of business in the shower.

  Chapter 17

  Tate

  The guys and I pile out of Adams’ SUV and inside my Mom’s place. One Friday a month we do a big dinner together. Every month my parents rotate who hosts it, when scheduling allows it. We get inside, and after mom hugs us all, we get seated around the dining room table. She’s cooked a pot roast and veggies.

  The guys dig in filling their plates. Everyone is too busy eating to do much talking.

  “We should have brought Amaya,” Big Tex shouts suddenly.

  “Oh, is Amaya the girl who gave my Tatey-poo his boom?” Mom asks. “The dancer?”

  I groan at the nickname she gives me whenever my friends are around.

  “Hell yeah, ma’am! Tatey-poo here is all love sick over the girl. However, she won’t date him,” Bucky says with a mouthful of bread.

  Mom’s eyes go wide. “Why wouldn’t she want to date my baby? What’s wrong with her?”

  “Nothing is wrong with her mom, she just needs some convincing. You remember Keith, right?” Mom nods and her eyes narrow, she has always hated that shit. He isn’t welcome over after he showed up drunk and puked all over the couch. Not to mention none of us like him. “That’s Amaya’s ex-boyfriend, and she hates football players because of him.”

  “She doesn’t hate football players, just refuses to date them,” Big Tex adds.

  “Well, we’ll have to change her mind about that, then won’t we? Tate, honey, when are you going to bring this Amaya girl home so we can get her to be your girlfriend? We’ll make a big thing out of it. I’ll invite Cindy and your dad over too.”

  “If you do that you’re going to have to triple up on the food order,” Adams tells her.

  She looks confused. “Is she a fat girl?” Mom asks, quietly. “Because that’s okay, that’s perfect. My son needs a healthy woman in his life with lots of meat on her bones.”

  I want to get out of this house, now. God. Mom knows she’s not a fat girl, I’ve already told her about Amaya, unless she forgot the description I gave her and only focused on me having my boom. She drives me nuts. She does this shit just to get a rise out of me and it’s working.

  “No way. Amaya is the smallest thing you’ll ever see, but she can out eat me,” Big Tex tells her. “If Tate doesn’t marry her I’m gonna.” He laughs until I punch him in the shoulder.

  “Now boys,” mom scolds and I grumble.

  I turn to mom. “I already invited her, remember? You told me to ask her a few weeks ago?”

  “Oh yes, I remember now. Did she say yes?”

  I nod. “Yeah, I haven’t set a date for the visit over here but I figured since Halloween is coming up, maybe bring her for Thanksgiving? That way these assholes aren’t around.” I point in Adams and Bucky’s direction.

  “Oh, that’s perfect! All the family will be here for Thanksgiving, and we can meet this girl that has you so in love.” Mom sighs dreamily.

  Fucking hell.

  “Tate got his boom,” Adams snorts and Bucky howls in laughter and starts singing that song, Here comes The Boom. Fuckers.

  I try to drown them out. They are all ganging up on me. It doesn’t matter though I am winning her over with every kiss.

  **

  After dinner, we head out to the frat house for a party. Just a typical Friday night bash. I try to only do the party thing once a month, just to show up, make an appearance. I only joined the fraternity because it looks great on applications. I tried inviting Amaya but she just said no.

  Don’t blame her, last time she was at the frat house was when she found Keith cheating on her.

  After the big meal at mom’s, I could go to sleep, but I promised the guys I’d hangout tonight.

  “King!” I hear random people calling my name. I nod and wave not having a clue who’s talking to me. I follow Adams straight to the kitchen for a beer. Beer pong is already going on. Parker is shitfaced. His cheeks are beet red as he tries to score and pathetically misses. He’s like a damn fish in the water but other sports are not his forte.

  Heading to the main room, I look around drinking my beer, the freshmen are getting their asses beat.

  Owens is the pledge who is getting the brunt of the licks. He’s here on a soccer scholarship and having the time of his life. A few cheerleaders have him bent over the arm of a chair spanking him with a paddle. By the smile on his face, I don’t think we’re gonna hear him complain. His ass will be chaffed soon.

  “Girls, make sure you lotion him up later,” I tell them with a chuckle. I don’t plan on drinking too much, since tomorrow is game day.

  Big Tex sucks down his red solo cup and announces he’s next. Crazy bastard. He’s still sulking over Amaya’s friend. I hand my beer to Owens and go back to the kitchen for another.

  “Hey King,” Leslie says, slithering up to my side.

  Shit. This chick has been after me for a while now. She’s pretty and comes from money, but that isn’t everything. I know her endgame and I’m not interested. She wants to be on my arm for status.

  Gently, I remove her hand from my arm.

  “Excuse me.” I step to the side trying to be polite.

  “So, Tate. When are we going to make this happen?” She motions her fingers from her to me. “You can’t really be slumming it with that dancer?” She shakes her head with a light laugh.

  “It’s not any of your damn business. But yeah, I’m with Amaya now. Respect it or don’t but me and you, never gonna happen.”

  I cut through the laundry room and go up the back stairs and out to the upstairs balcony for some fresh air. I wish Amaya were here, that’d shut Leslie up. If it wasn’t getting so late I’d call and ask her if I can come over. I’ve got it bad. When I’m with her all I want to do is kiss her, and when I’m not, I’m thinking about kissing her.

  I enjoy the quiet for a minute and head back down to hang with my boys.

  Bucky decides to do some beer pong, so Adams, Big Tex, and I decide to just chat about our play for the game coming up.

  I know when she walks in, I can feel it, also because of Tex’s mouth telling me his future wife just walked in.

  I know he’s joking but it makes me want to kick his ass every time he says shit like that about my girl.

  Chapter 18

  Amaya

  “Tell me again why I am allowing you to drag me to this party?”

  “Because you love me and you don’t want me going alone. And you want me to get you that cheesecake sampler.”

  Ugh. “I’m going to hate this. I mean, I will probably sit in the corner and have resting bitch face all night.”

  “I think you will be surprised.”

  The cab stops and as soon as I step foot onto the lawn, I’m ready to jet back to the dorm. There’s people passed out in the grass. Some chick is dancing on the balcony in her bra and panties. Kill me now. I never came to these for Keith and the one time I did, it broke me.

  “I told Tate I wasn’t coming Court,” I tell her.

  “So?”

  “So, what if he thinks I just said that so I could randomly just show up to see if he’ll cheat on me or something?”

  She swats a hand at me. “Nope, Tate isn’t an ass like that. Plus, as I’ve already said, I’m dragging you to this, so shut your face. If he questions it, you can blame me.”

  We walk into the party and it’s so damn crowded. I’m scared to look around, to ask about Tate, because I’m so scared of what I could possibly find. But to my surprise Tate, Adams, an
d Big Tex are just sitting on the couch talking. Not a woman around them at all.

  “Huh, would you look at that, our men are being good,” Courtney shouts over the noise.

  She grabs my hand and we move quickly through the crowd.

  Tate looks shocked to see me and then he grins, taking my hand from Courtney, and he pulls me down, sitting on his lap. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

  “I wasn’t, but whoreface there made me.”

  “Good, I’ll have to tip her double next time I’m at Chili’s.”

  I look to Courtney and see she’s on Adams’ lap.

  Uh what? I quickly look to Big Tex, and see him glaring at the couple. “Uh Tate, you might want to get Tex outta here. Now!” I shout urgently.

  He looks confused until he sees Adams and Courtney making out next to us. “Shit!” He stands up and puts me down gently, grabbing Tex by the arm and fighting with him to leave the room.

  I’m confused as hell as to what’s going on right now. How could Adams do that to his friend? Court even knows those two are good friends. I want to punch her so bad right now.

  Instead, I elbow her in the tit.

  “Ow, shit. What was that for?”

  “For rubbing your whatever this is in Tex’s face.”

  Adams at least has the decency to look guilty while Court rolls her eyes. She turns back to him and ask if he wants to go upstairs. I can’t believe her. This is so not like her. I watch as Adams leads her up the same stairs that I walked up last semester to find Keith with that skank freshman.

  Refusing to get caught up in the past or Courtney’s drama, I go looking for Tate.

  I find him and Tex out on the front lawn playing flag football. I plop down in a chair and cheer them on.

  I catch Tate’s eye when I clap for him and he gets sacked. Oops. A few minutes later, the game wraps up and he jogs over to me all sweaty and sexy. He doesn’t wait for an invitation. He takes me by the hands, pulls me up into his sweaty embrace, placing his lips on mine. Our kiss deepens, and I don’t even care that he’s slick with sweat.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he says and I grin.

  We get a ride back to the dorms from the sober driver the house provides for the party goers. The whole ride we can’t keep our hands off each other. I am about ready to take him in the backseat.

  We exit the car, unable to keep our hands off one another. I should feel bad for taking off on Courtney, but it isn’t as though she wasn’t occupied upstairs doing her own thing. She’ll know I’m with Tate, but I guess I should send her a text so she doesn’t worry.

  Am: Whoreface, I left with Tate. Talk to you tomorrow.

  Tate chuckles as he reads the message over my shoulder. “You’re such a sweetheart.”

  “Are you making fun of me?”

  He nuzzles into my shoulder, hugging me from behind outside of our building. “Nope.” He pops the P. I twist around in his arms, meeting his mouth with mine. He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth, nibbling me playfully. I can taste a hint of beer on his tongue that normally would bother me, because I hate beer, but Tate makes it taste great.

  “Get a room,” someone calls as they go inside.

  Tate sighs and squeezes my butt. “My room, let’s go,” he all but growls at me.

  With a nod, I follow him inside to the elevator. Courtney hasn’t messaged me back, so I assume she is having a good time.

  Tate’s dorm room is similar to mine but with an extra bedroom. It’s cleaner than I expected. Court and I are total slobs. I follow Tate into his single sleeper room and no sooner than I step into his room he is pulling me onto the bed with him, his mouth is merely an inch from mine.

  I can’t get enough of his kisses.

  If I’m being honest with myself, I can’t get enough of Tate.

  He kisses my cheek and I need more.

  “You drive me crazy,” he grits, his hands traveling over my stomach and up under my shirt, leaving a trail of fire everywhere he touches me.

  I nearly jump him, taking what I want, more of his mouth on mine.

  Chapter 19

  Tate

  I’ve got Amaya back at my room, while the guys are still at the house. I hope they stay there tonight.

  Amaya is lying in bed with me. If she wasn’t so petite, we wouldn’t fit so easily. Kiss Me, is playing on the radio. I grin and give her a sweet peck on the cheek. What starts out as an innocent kiss to her cheek soon leads to her lips being on mine. I could kiss her all damn day. Her tongue sweeps against mine and I’m a goner. I want her.

  We go from lying side by side to her straddling my waist. Fuck, she’s making me hard. I grip her hips as she sucks on my neck. She starts to move against me and it’s turning me on. My hands slide up from her hips to the hem of her shirt, raising it over her head. We’re moving fast, frantic, and fevered but I can’t stop. I don’t want to. Her breasts are covered by a scrap of white lace. Her nipples are playing peekaboo with the thin fabric, teasing my eager tongue. I wet my lips and pull her forward, needing just one taste of her sweet skin. Every nerve in my cock is tingling with need.

  She grinds against me and runs her fingers through my hair, tugging on it lightly. We’re tongues and fingers as we continue to touch and taste. My fingers skim along the waist of her jeans eager to take them off her and sink my fingers inside her. Her tongue traces the shell of my ear, her heated breath leaving a trail of fire.

  “Tate,” she pants my name in a sultry whisper.

  “Tell me you’re mine Amaya, all mine,” I growl in her ear, as I grab her by the belt loops of her jeans and pull her into me.

  She gasps and opens her mouth ready to give me what I want. I unbutton her jeans to see a hint of white lace. My cock twitches and she grinds on me again. Fuck, she’s so sexy. I rub my fingers over the thin material and can feel her heat and attraction. I’m so close to touching her skin to skin. Her hips thrust as she presses into my hand.

  I’m about to capture her rosy bud between my lips to suck it when the door to my suite bangs against the wall, and I hear Bucky and Big Tex barging in and bickering about who has a hotter ass, Beyoncé or Nicki Minaj.

  Amaya sighs and leans back, slipping her shirt back on. I scrub my hand over my face. Fuck, I wish I lived alone sometimes. The sexual tension in my room is smothering.

  “Ignore them,” I grit out. My fingers snake under her shirt to that sexy lace, taking hold of her nipple, rolling it until her tender bud hardens beneath my touch.

  There’s my girl. Her attention lands back on me as I claim her mouth once more. Her pants are still unbuttoned as I continue trying to get them off. I am making progress getting her worked up and back on the same page as me after being interrupted. I brush my fingers over her panties again.

  Her arms are cradling my neck as we get back to kissing and touching.

  “Yo, T-Dog, we got pizza,” Bucky shouts.

  Amaya jumps up. “I’m starving.” She starts fixing her clothes, and before I can pull her back to my bed she is out the door for food!

  She actually leaves me lying on my bed with a raging hard on for pizza. Biting my knuckles, I smother my face with my pillow. I take a few minutes to collect myself. After I take a leak, I walk into the living room to find my girl, pigging out with my guys and playing a video game with them.

  “Dude, why didn’t you tell us your girlfriend was hot and can kick ass at Call of Duty!” Big Tex yells at me with half as slice of pizza hanging from his lip while mashing on his game controller.

  Amaya grins as she blows him up for the fifth time with a grenade launcher. “I’m not his girlfriend. He's just a good kisser.” She ends the game and grabs the last slice from the box.

  Now’s not the time to argue about what we are.

  Tex slings his controller to the side and says, “If you don’t marry her I will. No other woman can out eat me and out play me. She’s wicked.”

  I snort with a light laugh. Inside though, I am freaking out. When he said
the M word I could see it in my head. I could see myself marrying her. I can see it all. Us getting married, her having my son. I want it all and that terrifies me more than anything. It’s not supposed to happen so fast like this. It isn’t part of my plan for getting to the NFL. Amaya isn’t part of my plan, but now…I really hope she will be.

  When they finish up the game I ask, “Where’s Adams? I figured he would have come back with you guys.”

  Big Tex throws his controller across the room and stomps angrily to his room, slamming the door shut.

  “We haven’t seen him since he and Courtney went upstairs at the party,” Bucky whispers, like it matters.

  This shit is getting intense. First Tex is pissed Courtney won’t give him the time of day and now Adams is fucking up our dynamic for dating his ex. You don’t do that shit, ever.

  Amaya yawns. “I’m gonna get home guys. Thanks for buying me those two pizzas,” she says with a smile. Since she can out eat any of us, the guys bought large pizzas for each of us but two for her, and of course, she devoured them. I still can’t get over how much she eats and stays as skinny as she does.

  “Let me walk you down.” She only lives a floor below me which is awesome since we don’t have to walk far.

  She shakes her head no. “I know what will happen if you walk me down and Courtney’s not there. Tonight got out of hand, we need some space.”

  I narrow my eyes at her and just give her a chin lift. This shit is starting to piss me off. She leaves after shouting, “bye” at Big Tex through the door.

  “One step forward and six back, hey?” Bucky inputs.

  I run my hands through my hair and sigh. “Fucking killing me man. It’s clear she wants me, but won’t actually admit it.”

  Bucky shrugs. “Keep pushing man, you know you’ll break down her walls, eventually.”

  He’s right. I’m not backing off. She might want to, but it only means I need to step it up.