“Hey, fancy seeing you here,” I joked.
“Hey, you! Great play!” Alexa said.
“How come you didn’t tell me you were coming?”
Alexa shrugged and made a smiling face to her friends who did the same with each other. “Oh, I don’t like to make definite plans like that. I just go by instinct alone.”
She was so funny. “Well, I’m glad you came. I hope you enjoyed the show.”
“I did. You were fantastic,” Alexa replied with a big, grin.
“Hey, you want to get together later on? I can shower quickly and we can go do something.”
Alexa looked at her friends once again and the three of them shared a knowing nod. “I’m afraid that we have plans already. But maybe later this week we can find time to do something.”
I knew the game she was playing and I was keen to play along. This was not my first rodeo. “Ok,” I said. “That’s cool. Just let me know.”
I put the ball back in her court, knowing full well she had no intention of contacting me first. She would wait for me. But if I waited long enough then she would start to get worried that I’d misread her cues and that I thought she was not interested.
She wanted to play the long game. That worked for me. It was fun. No problem.
I gave her one last smile and then I jogged back towards the locker room. As I came off the field, I noticed Billy glaring daggers at me. He’d seen me talking to his sister no doubt and he was angry as could be about it. Well, then he’d have to stay angry because I wasn’t going to stop seeing her.
I showered and got cleaned up before putting on my clean clothes at my locker. I was just about to leave towards home when Billy stepped in front of me. His eyes were full of fury. I kept my calm, cool demeanor and stared him down.
“You never learn, do you?” Billy asked.
“Well, you might have to explain it to me again. I’m not sure what your dumb ass is talking about,” I said.
“Oh, you forgot already? You get hit on the head? Are you losing your marbles? Ok, well I’ll explain this one last time. The likes of you are never going near my sister again. Is that clear?”
I laughed. “No, I don’t think that is clear at all, because your sister and I are really getting along quite famously. And once again I need to remind you that it is none of your business.”
“None of my business?” Billy snorted. He looked at his friends who were laughing and backing him up. I wondered if they’d get involved when Billy started losing the fight. Possibly. Bullies never fought fair. They always had to have the numbers advantage.
I knew what was going to happen even before it did. Billy was far too predictable.
He turned and threw a haymaker right hand towards my face. I stepped inside and blocked it with my left as I deliver a hard, right cross to his face. Billy’s head flew back and he staggered to the ground. The other two guys, part our B squad—Tyler and Eli—got ready to charge at me.
Thinking quickly, I kicked Tyler in the kneecap with a hard front kick. As he screamed in pain and his leg throbbed underneath his weight, I instantly jabbed Eli in the nose and followed it up with a hard right hook to the jaw. Both of them hit the deck.
Billy was getting back to his feet, ready for another round as blood spewed from his nose. He was ready to come at me again when Coach Smith and his new assistant coach Woody stepped in and pulled Billy away.
“What in the hell is going on here?” Coach Smith screamed.
Billy didn’t answer. He just held his hand to his busted nose. The prick.
Coach looked at me. “I demand to know what is going on.”
“Nothing coach. Billy is a little bitch, that’s all.”
“You mother—“ Billy started.
Coach held his finger up to him to silence him.
“I don’t know who started the fight and I don’t care. Tomorrow morning you both owe me twenty laps after practice. You got it?”
I scoffed. “I was just defending myself. You shove those twenty laps up your fat ass.”
I walked out of the locker room ignoring the shocked looks on everyone’s faces.
It was funny. That dumb bastard coach couldn’t do anything to me and he knew it. Besides, I was clearly in the right here. Three guys ganged up on me and I was in trouble? Whatever.
I left the field house and drove home. When I arrived home, I poured myself a scotch on the rocks and sat back in my massage chair to relax for a bit. I wasn’t sure how anyone in this sport could get along without a nice, state of the art massage chair. Sometimes after games or practices I’d feel so sore and stiff that I felt like I’d been hit by a truck, but after thirty minutes in my massage chair, I felt like a million bucks.
I was just about to pour myself another drink when my phone rang. I sat the bottle back down on the end table beside my chair and answered the phone without looking to see who it was on the other end. I was delighted to hear that sweet voice speaking up “Hello.”
It was Alexa.
“Hey, how’s it going? You not having as much fun with your other plans as you thought you were going to?” I asked, being coy.
“I am, but I got a crazy phone call from Billy. I heard that you got in a fight. He claims you attacked him, which I don’t believe for a second, but I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
I laughed. “Billy lies? Wow, that’s a shocker. Yeah, I’m doing just fine.”
“Good to hear it. For some reason, I feel the need to apologize on behalf of my brother. He is an idiot.”
“I’m starting to figure that out. The man is obsessed with who you spend your time with. What is his deal?”
“I don’t know. Ever since we were kids he’s been that way.”
“Yeah, no worries,” I said. “I put him in his place. He got a little banged up, but he and his two friends will think twice before attacking me again.”
“His friends? He didn’t even have the balls to fight you one on one?” Alexa asked. “Figures. He is a jerk.”
“So, what are you up to right now?” I asked.
“Oh, I’m just finishing up here and about to go home, maybe get some work done. Why?”
“Well, that offer to get together is still on the table.”
“I probably should get some work finished. I’ve blown it off all day.”
“Ah, you can always work extra tomorrow. Too much work isn’t good for you. There comes a time when you have to make sure that you recharge the batteries and just relax a bit, have some fun.”
She laughed. “That’s all I’ve done all day. But thanks for the offer. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Ok, later,” I said.
I ended the call and leaned back in the massage chair. I started it back up and then grabbed the bottle of scotch off the table. I poured a glass and then set the bottle back. Sitting there feeling very relaxed as the chair poked and prodded my muscles, stimulating and relaxing, stretching them out, I began to wonder how much longer Alexa would continue to play the hard-to-get routine. She clearly cared about me because she called to see how I was after the fight. She didn’t think I was hurt, did she? Or did she feel the need to check on my emotional state? Was I expected to be upset or something? I didn’t really get that. Other people are way more emotional than I am. I’ve just never really let things stress me out too much, especially other people. I’ve always been fairly even keel. That thing with the paparazzi was more the exception for my behavior than the rule.
I really wished that Alexa was there with me. I’d been thinking about touching those sweet lips to mine over and over again. I wanted her so badly. When would I get the chance? I was trying my best to be patient, but the waiting was killing me.
Was she thinking about me the same way? Was she just better at playing hard to get than I was? Or was she doing some other game strategy that I was just not really attuned to? I didn’t know, but it was messing with my head and making me want her even more. Maybe that was part of her dastardly plan.
She was slowly going to drive me crazy. I was getting to the point that I was losing sleep over not seeing her. It had only been a few days since the kiss, but it felt like an eternity.
I had to laugh at myself and the way that I was acting. It was completely out of character for me. I wanted to just feel normal and act normal, but it would seem that Alexa was trying to thwart this and make me act insane and irrational. She was a clever girl that one. She’d hijacked my mind and taken control over me somehow. I could see it clearly… this was the downfall of Kip Raynes.
The idea was fun to joke around, but only because it slightly soothed my pain. I was feeling the pain deeply from not progressing things with Alexa. It felt like it was all happening in slow motion. Normally, I never cared if things were moving forward with a woman, because I had several other women that I was regularly seeing, but now that I’d cut ties with everyone but Alexa, I was really kind of dependent on her for that fulfilment. In an odd way, I supposed some of that desperation might have been coming across and pushing her away.
But so far I thought I’d held it all together pretty well. I just had to take my time and wait to see how things would come around. Besides, I could use this time to reflect on how I could improve my gave and make sure that there was no way those pro talent scouts didn’t sign me after the season was up.
That was more important to me than anything at the moment.
Well, almost anything. I closed my eyes and thought about how wonderfully perfect it would have been for Alexa to come to me right then. I wanted to make sweet love to her more than I wanted to breathe.
And soon, I knew that I would get my chance.
Chapter Ten
Alexa
I was in my room listening to some music and working on designs for some new dresses I was trying to create, when the knock at the door came. I had been in a huge creative boost lately and it seemed that my imagination was on overdrive. I just wanted to draw and think, create, design, and master so many projects and ideas. I was barely able to sleep the past several days because I kept staying up all night to put these designs together.
“Come in,” I said.
Billy came walking into my room with that stern look on his face that he always got when he wanted to try to boss me around. I was not in the mood to hear his bullshit. I knew what it was about and he was going to have to just take his comments and leave with them.
The moment he entered my room, I saw the few bruises and the swelling around his nose. I could hardly hide the smile. I hoped that Kip broke his nose. That would have been hilarious. This punk deserved all of it. But I didn’t think that the fight was even that severe.
“You like this?” Billy asked.
I didn’t say anything.
“This is what that new boyfriend of yours did to me when I was minding my own business,” Billy continued.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure it happened that way.”
“Oh, you talked to your new boy toy? Is that what he told you? That I started it? Well, I guess there are a few sides to every story—the right side and the wrong side. It just depends on which one you want to believe.”
“Get out of my room,” I said. “I’m busy and I don’t care to talk about this anymore.”
“No. You are going to listen to me. You are not going to date this guy anymore. He is a player. Hell, he’s made it with half the girls in school. I know this guy. That’s why I don’t want you hanging with him. I know what he is going to do. He will dog you out and dump you so fast your head will spin.”
“Well, that’s my problem, not yours. You don’t get to tell me what to do. You never did. I’ve never listened to your stupid ass before, what makes you think I’m going to start now?”
“Because I’m your older brother. It’s my job to look out for you. I look out for you and this family.”
I laughed. “You’re delusional. Dad looks out for the family. Now leave me alone before I call him in here to clean your clock.” My brother and father occasionally got into it and had come to blows before (started by my brother of course, and my dad had to defend himself), and my brother always ended up with his ass beaten and limping away to lick his wounds. My father was old school tough and not someone you wanted to throw hands with.
“I’m sure dad would back me up on this one,” Billy said. “You are not going to see this prick anymore. After the way he disrespected me and after the way he is going to disrespect you—I forbid it. You will listen to me and you will respect my wishes. Got it little sis?”
His face was right in front of mine now. I wanted so badly to deck him. All I was doing was waiting for him to physically try to harm me, which he’d never done before because he knew better. Dad would kick him out of the house for something like that. I couldn’t believe he’d let him back in after the last fist fight those two had. But Billy hitting his daughter, no, my dad would have beaten Billy within an inch of his life and then kicked him out. And that was only if there was anything left of Billy to beat after I was done with him. The bastard knew I was a high level martial artist. I had black belts in taekwondo, had studied Muay Thai for years, and also I was now studying Brazilian JiuJitsu. This would not end well for him. He was outmatched.
“Get the fuck out of my room,” I growled.
Billy smirked and walked away closing the door behind him. I was so livid that I wanted to throw something. I wanted to hit something. How dare that cretin tell me what to do and try to intimidate me? He was actually threatening me? Really? Was he high?
That bastard… I was tired of dealing with him. I wanted to rip his lungs out. He was a moronic narcissist and he was getting increasingly volatile. I wondered sometimes if he was dangerous. He was just stupid enough to be. And his ego had gotten out of control on such a level that I did not always feel safe in my own home.
And I wanted to feel safe. I knew one place I would definitely feel that way. Kip’s…
I needed him. I’d been waiting and playing it cool, sometimes even against my better judgment since I’d known Kip, especially since the other night when we’d kissed. Wow, what a night. I never anticipated that it would go that far, but the kiss had happened and it had been phenomenal. I wanted him. It was safe to say that I actually needed him.
I had to go to him. I would show up at his place and surprise him. He’d actually told me where he lived once before. It was at the end of a nice, gated community. He was so rich. That lifestyle that he was used to, would I ever get used to just having a little taste of it here and there?
I tried not to think too much about stuff like that. It made me feel nervous. It made me feel cheap in some ways. This was weird and unusual for me to think about the fact that the man I was with had too much money. I could just hear people wondering if I was even interested in Kip because of his wealth or the slight promise of celebrity that he might offer. Nothing could be farther from the truth and anyone who looked at Kip or spent any time getting to know him at all would have known that this was an asinine motion.
I left my room, got in my car, and drove towards Kip’s house. It was about a twenty minute drive to his place and during the drive I enjoyed listening to some music and clearing my head. I was sure I was doing the right thing. I wanted to be with Kip tonight. We may or may not have slept together, but whatever happened it would be natural and something we both wanted. I didn’t want to impose any rules on this. No. I was going to go there tonight to surprise him and see where the evening would take us.
And I was not doing this to spite Billy. Well, maybe some of that was in the motivation, but certainly not most. Billy had pissed me off, but he’d also scared me and hurt me. I mostly needed someone to comfort me. That solace was what I was after more than anything else. But I was not naïve. Even with my limited sexual experience (I’d only been with three men), I was not naïve enough to ignore that comfort seeking often leads to sex. I was well aware of it and if it worked out that way, then I would enjoy that with Kip tonight.
I pulled up in front of his gate and pressed the button for him. He answered a moment later. “Hey, is that offer still good?” I asked.
He let me right up.
His place was nice. It was not some humongous mansion or anything, but it was a nice, reasonable looking two story home with a swimming pool in the backyard. It looked as if it was kept up very nicely. Wow, I was impressed.
Kip greeted me at the door. “Wow, what a surprise,” he said. “I surely did not expect to see you tonight.”
“Yeah, well you will learn that I’m full of surprises.”
He led me into the living room where he gestured towards the sofa. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Sure,” I said. “Whatever you are having.”
“Two old fashions coming right up,” He said.
“You know I’m not legally old enough to drink,” I joked.
“Shhh… I won’t tell anyone if you don’t. After all, you wouldn’t want me to get into trouble now would you?”
“No, definitely not. But aren’t you in trouble anyway for what you did to my brother’s nose?”
He laughed. “It is just a bruise. He is fine. The coach wants us to run laps, but I decided that I didn’t deserve that punishment, so I politely declined.”
“You just said no?”
“Yep. We have an understanding. If he doesn’t piss me off too badly, I might just win a season championship for him.”
I laughed. “I guess that works. Become too valuable and your boss would be a fool to get rid of you, right?”
“Precisely,” he replied. “So, why did you change your mind about coming over tonight? I’m pleasantly surprised, but genuinely curious.”
“Oh, my brother got me so pissed off that I had to get out of the house. He comes into my room, tries to bully me into not seeing you anymore. So, in a way you can thank him for me coming over.”
“You are here just to piss off your brother? Sure, I’ll take that,” Kip teased.
“No, not just. But it got me fired up enough that I couldn’t focus on work anymore. So I left. It’s kind of late and I was thinking about seeing you anyway, so I decided to come on over. I hope that is alright.”
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