Fall for You: Boys of Alabama

by Mica Halstead

  ◆◆◆

  “Louder girls, I can’t hear you!” I shout from my position in the bleachers to the girls that are cheering down below. Sitting back down in my seat I turn towards the only friend I’ve made here other than Ford. She cracks a grin at me and blows on the hot chocolate she’s holding.

  “I see you’re getting the hang of this cheer coach crap,” she laughs, bumping shoulders with me and I roll my eyes at her.

  “It’s really not so bad, they’re a good group of girls.” I cut a glance back at them. They are gearing up to go into a pyramid with Genevieve at the top. I sigh.

  “I wish all of them were as well behaved as Genny.” Avery laughs again.

  “Right? She’s an angel.” She stares at her little sister with the same pride and adoration as any parent would. I drop a hand to her knee and squeeze.

  “You’re doing a great job raising her and Blake,” I reassure her.

  She really is. I’m not sure I could handle raising a fifteen-year-old and a four-year-old. Blake left with Clarissa to go hit up the concession stand. Letting my eyes trail back out to the football field, I take in Ford. He is in his element out there on the field. With a clipboard in one hand and the other one fisted and propped on his hip, he looks so in command. I shiver a little at the thought of him commanding me in the bedroom. I’m looking forward to our date tomorrow night.

  Tonight though, the Wildcats are playing in the state semifinals. The score is 21 - 19, us. And if we win, we advance to the state championship, which will be an all weekend ordeal because the stadium we will be playing in is about a three-hour drive. That means the school will put the players and cheerleaders up in a hotel Friday night and we will play Saturday afternoon.

  “Ahem. Earth to Lex. I’m gonna need you to stop drooling over your boyfriend.” Avery waves her hand in front of her face.

  “He’s not my boyfriend,” I bump my shoulder with hers, “and I can’t help it that he’s so freaking hot.” We both giggle a little. I jump up. “Be back, gonna go see if my girls need anything.” Making my way down the bleachers and under the cable separating the field from the crowd, I head over to the girls. I fix one girl's braid while another girl asks me to make sure her roundoff double tuck is ‘on point’, whatever the hell that means.

  Clarissa comes out after delivering Blake back to Avery and starts getting the girls in formation. It’s almost halftime which means the girls will be out on the field performing their halftime routine and I will be on the sidelines recording them. I’m crouched down digging through my bag searching for my extra SD card when I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket.

  Ford: Those jeans look hot on you.

  I turn around and look for him on the field and I catch his coy smile just as he rubs his hand over his mouth trying to cover it up. I arch an eyebrow at him. He turns back towards the field. Rolling my eyes, I type out a text.

  Me: Eyes on the field, coach.

  I slip my phone back in my pocket and continue rifling through my backpack. I know I stuck an extra SD card in here somewhere. My fingers brush the extra card just as my phone vibrates again. Rolling my eyes, I stand up and shove the card in my front pocket and glance at Ford but he’s not paying any attention to me, he’s talking to one of his players.

  “Ms. Carter? We’re ready,” Genevieve says. I slide a smile her way.

  “Sure thing babe. 1 minute until field time.” I clap my hands together and Riss cuts me a funny look. I hold a finger up to her signaling that I need just a second and slide my phone out of my pocket.

  Unknown: You always did look great in red.

  I feel my face blanche and unconsciously run my hand over my stomach, smoothing my red sweatshirt. Looking up, I quickly glance around, but I know it’s no use. If Jason is here, he’s blending in with the crowd. Clarissa takes a step towards me. I shake my head. Not now, I need to focus on the girls.

  I slide my phone back into my pocket, “Let’s get these cheerleaders out on the field!”

  ◆◆◆

  Ford’s hand slides from my hip, around to my back, and down to my ass where he squeezes me. I moan into his mouth and press my body against his. I can feel his cock against my stomach and it’s hard as a rock. He moves from my mouth, kissing across my jaw to my earlobe, where he nips and sucks. I tip my head back to give him better access to my neck, where he’s peppering a trail of kisses to my collarbone. I sink my fingers into his hair, pressing my chest closer to his face.

  All the cars have cleared out of the parking lot after the game, not a single person in sight. I hung around waiting on him, just wanting to say hi. I had good intentions; I swear. But he came out of that locker room looking so fucking good that I couldn’t resist.

  Now he has my back against his truck, his body pressed against mine, and we have been making out like a couple of teenagers. He runs his hands down my arms causing goosebumps to break out all over me. I shiver. He smooths his hands around my waist, down my ass, and grips the back of my thighs. He lifts me up and I wrap my legs around his waist, threading my fingers through his hair and tugging just a little.

  “We are setting a terrible example right now,” I murmur against his lips, nipping and sucking, and he smiles.

  “Mm,” he makes a noncommittal sound in his throat, “terrible, terrible example,” he murmurs. I shamelessly rock myself against his thick, hard cock and he lets out a low groan.

  “Fuck baby, you do that again and I’m going to lay you out in the back of my truck and then we really will be setting a terrible example.” I giggle and he drops his forehead to mine, pressing one last kiss to my lips and letting me slide down his body until my feet are firmly planted on the ground.

  “Whew,” I fan myself and brush my hair out of my face, “If that’s the kind of greeting I get after every football game I will happily wait for you. Walk me to my car?” I swoop down and grab my purse and my bag and Ford falls in step beside me, linking his fingers with mine. Beeping the locks on my little Jeep Liberty, I toss my bags into the backseat and slam the door shut, dropping back against it. I grab a fistful of Ford's shirt and tug him towards me.

  Bracing his arm on the jeep above my head, he lazily runs his fingers through my hair.

  “Tomorrow?” I smile as I go up on my toes to kiss him.

  “Tomorrow,” he responds before pressing his lips to mine.

  And for now, if only for a short time, I forget about the fact that my husband has been watching me and I allow myself to enjoy what’s between us.

  ◆◆◆

  I drag my ass through the front door of my house and drop my purse on the kitchen table along with my phone and my keys. I must have beat Clarissa home. She said something about needing snacks when she was leaving the field. The text from Jase really has me shook up. I snag a bottle of whiskey that I keep on the top shelf of a cupboard and grab a glass, pouring myself a double shot. I take a sip, nervously glancing around my quiet kitchen. I’m terrified knowing he’s watching me. I spent years allowing this man to control my life. I can’t go back to that.

  Being with Crawford is like nothing I’ve ever felt before, he’s incredible and I’m pretty sure I’m falling head over heels stupid in love with him. I refuse to let Jase take that from me, but I also refuse to allow him to hurt Ford or either of the kids. He’s a wild card, especially since I left him the way I did.

  A floorboard creaks in the front of the house somewhere and I freeze with the glass to my lips. Holy fuck. I quietly sit my glass on the counter and reach for the knife in my knife block. My hands shake and my breathing quickens as I make my way towards the dining room. Another sound comes from the direction of my room. I cut a glance to my phone on the table, wondering if I should grab it and call 911. I doubt they’d get here before Jase killed me if he was in my house.

  I press myself against the hallway, the knife positioned in my hand, ready to lash out at whoever the fuck it is that had the nerve to break into my house. I reach the doorway to my roo
m and let my head fall back against the wall for a moment. Taking a deep breath, I feel my free hand along the wall for the door handle. Twisting it, I turn, ready to attack whoever is there, but it’s empty. The window is wide open, and I know it was shut when I left for the game. My dresser drawer is also open part way. I press my hand to my chest somehow thinking it will slow my racing heart. Letting the knife clatter on the top of the dresser I take a deep breath.

  Someone was here, I’m sure of it, but the window open makes me believe they’re gone. I close it, making sure it’s locked, and grab the knife from the dresser. I go room to room, checking every window to make sure they’re closed and locked. Maybe I’m just paranoid. I head back to the kitchen where I pour myself another drink and deadbolt the front door before I get ready for bed.

  Ford

  Saturdays at our house are always about being lazy. If we didn’t have somewhere to be we spent the entire day in our pajamas, watching movies, eating junk food, and playing Candyland with Aria. I woke up at 8 a.m. to a five-year-old bouncing on my bed and begging for chocolate chip pancakes.

  I drag myself downstairs to get started. Pulling out all the ingredients we need while she brushes her teeth, I hear my front door opening. Only two people have a key: Zander and my mother. And since my mother is planning on having the kids over tonight while I got out with Lex, I’m assuming it’s Z. The door slams shut, and I can hear his boots clomping on the hardwood floors as he makes his way down the hall towards the kitchen.

  “Aw, making me breakfast, sweetheart? You shouldn’t have.” He drawls while helping himself to a cup of coffee that just finished brewing. I toss a handful of chocolate chips at his head. He snorts as Aria scrambles in from brushing her teeth, crawling around on the floor to eat them. Zander props his hip against the counter and looks down at her. “Shit Aria, that’s disgusting.” She is giggling hysterically.

  “It’s fine, I’m sure she eats worse at school,” I move to start mixing the batter and Aria gets bored eating off the floor, so she runs off to play. “To what do I owe the early morning intrusion?”

  “I got called out. I leave in 36 hours,” he sits his cup on the counter and crosses his arms over his chest. I sigh.

  “Shit man, already? You just got back a month ago.”

  “I know,” he scrubs his hands over his face, looking much older than his 29 years. “I think this is it. I’m really considering getting out.”

  Same old song and dance with Zander. He wants out but he isn’t fooling anyone, he loves being in Special Forces. I wash my hands and toss the towel on the counter, settling back against the island and leaning back on my hands.

  “What would you do?” I ask, “You know that you live for this shit.”

  “I don’t know, maybe start my own security company, like private investigation but more hardcore, because ya know, I’m a bad ass.” He puffs his chest out.

  “You might be a bad ass overseas, but you know I can still kick your fucking ass.”

  “Daddy! That’s a dollar for the swear jar!” Aria shouts as she scrambles off the floor, her chocolate chips finished. Zander laughs and she throws herself at him, but he’s prepared and catches her, swinging her up onto his hip. “Are my pancakes ready? Uncle Z, is you gonna stay and eat with me?” She looks up at him with her sweet little face that makes it so hard to say no. He brushes her blonde curls away from her face.

  “I wish I could, peanut, but I was just coming to say ‘see ya later’ because I have to go to work and I’m gonna be gone for a while.” She pouts her little lip out and Zander bops his finger on her nose. “Now none of that. You know Uncle Z always comes home.”

  “Promise?” She questions as she wraps her little arms around his neck.

  “Promise,” he whispers against her hair right before he kisses her head before releasing her and she skips over to her plate that I just sat down at the table, forgetting all about the conversation she just had with Zander and only caring about the sugar rush that is sure to come from that stack of pancakes.

  I head down the hallway with Zander as he shouts upstairs for Zane. They say their goodbyes, Zander giving him his usual speech about needing him to check in on grandma since he has to go away. After agreements and man hugs, Zane heads to the kitchen for his breakfast and I’m left standing at the door with my little bro. He pulls me into a man hug. I clear my throat. We’ve said ‘see ya later’ a lot, but for some reason this time feels different. More meaningful.

  “You come back in one piece; you hear me?” I say, shoving him in the shoulder. He winces and rubs it before opening the door. He trots down the front porch stairs and out to his F250 that is sitting in my driveway.

  “You know me, big bro. I can’t come back in pieces. Who else would give you shit for all those gray hairs you're sporting?” I laugh a little as he rounds the front of his truck.

  “Don’t forget to stop and see ma!” I shout just as he slams the door. He waves to me as he backs out of the drive.

  “Daddy! Can I have a glass of milk?”

  Duty calls.

  ◆◆◆

  I made my way back across town after dropping the kids off to my mother, who was visibly upset about Zander being called out again. Who knows how long he will be gone this time and that’s a hard thing for her to understand. It’s not long before I’m pulling into the driveway of Alexis’s little bungalow. Making my way up the porch, I raise my hand to knock, but the door swings open just before I can. Holy shit. I suck in a breath.

  Lex looks hot as fuck in a little black dress. It’s cut just low enough to show the swell of her perky tits, and only long enough to brush mid-thigh. Short sleeves make it look more casual than dressy, her hair flowing around her shoulders in loose waves.

  “Hey,” she breathes out, hitching a shoulder, “is this okay? I wasn’t sure where we were going. If it’s too dressy I can run back and change quick.” She hitches her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of her bedroom.

  “No,” I growl out, sounding pained, “you look fucking fantastic, and if you go back to that room to change I’m sure as shit going to follow you and we won’t even make it to dinner.”

  “Oh.. okay.” She squeaks out, her cheeks turning pink. “Let me just grab my purse.” She ducks out of view and comes back with a black purse dangling from her shoulder. She steps out to join me on the porch and pulls the door shut behind her, locking it up before we head out. I shove my hands in my pockets, so I don’t do something inappropriate, like reach over and rip her dress off of her before we even get to my truck. Opening the door for her, she hops into the passenger seat. I slam the door and round the front, getting in myself.

  We make small talk on the way to the restaurant. She asks about my day with the kids and I tell her all about the six games of Candy Land that I lost and about my brother stopping by this morning.

  “I’m so sorry,” she reaches across the center console of my truck and pats my thigh after I tell her about Zander shipping back out. I glance over at her and smile.

  “Thanks. He will be home in a few months, driving me fucking insane again, I’m sure. Barging into my house and eating all of my food.” She laughs a little, shaking her head.

  “I always wanted a sibling. You’re lucky. It was always just my mom and me.” She lays her head back against the headrest and gazes out the window at the passing scenery. I want to know everything about Alexis Carter. Who raised her, her favorite flower, what song she likes to sing in the shower, her favorite sexual position. But that’s neither here nor there, because now we are pulling into the parking lot of the Italian place that I made a reservation at and she’s nervously fidgeting with her purse, likely afraid that I’ll pry into her past. I want her to want to open up to me.

  Coasting into a parking spot and tossing the truck into park, she starts to reach for her door handle.

  “Ah, ah, ah,” I say, reaching out and squeezing her knee. “This is a date. Don’t you dare touch that door, I’m coming a
round to get it.” She smirks but holds her hand up in surrender. Jogging around to her side, I open her door and do a dramatic sweep with my hand. “M’lady,” I hold my hand out to help her down, all the while she’s smiling. I love seeing her look so happy. I’m starting to think I would do just about anything to see that smile.

  We walk into the restaurant, fingers laced, our arms swinging back and forth between us like a couple of teenagers out on their first date instead of two grown-ass adults. I give the hostess our name and she tells us it will be just a couple of minutes, that they’re clearing our table. I pull us over to a quiet corner to wait, tucking Lex into my side. She sighs.

  “Happy?” I ask her, tucking her hair behind her ear and kissing her temple.