Blindsided (Fake Boyfriend #4)(14)

I narrow my eyes. “Why don’t I believe you?”

“Okay, fine. Jackson said I was being cheesy and cliché, but we won, so it was totally my motivational speech.”

I grin. “What was in your motivational speech?”

“The president’s speech in Independence Day.”

“You didn’t.”

“Oh, I did. Then Jenkins told me to shut up.”

“I think your authority is compromised now.”

“We won, didn’t we? It’s like a loophole. I get to act like a jackass so long as I’m pulling off the wins.”

“Ooh, so that explains your behavior for the last …” I squint as I pretend to count. “Oh, your entire life.”

“Ooh, I almost forgot. I brought you something.” Talon reaches into his pocket and pulls out his middle finger.

I cough in between muffling the word “Mature.”

“Never, under any circumstances, have I ever been accused of being mature.”

The conversation is how any conversation between me and Talon would’ve gone back in the day, and I fucking miss him so much. Having him close has messed with my head like no other person ever has.

“So, umm, yeah, Tina’s getting team management approval for me to go home and have the surgery in New York,” I say.

“What? Why?”

I think it’s panic clouding his eyes.

“I’m gonna be on crutches and need help getting around.”

Talon shrugs. “Come stay with me.”

My brain cannot emphasize how much of a stupid idea that would be. Like beyond stupid. “Mom’s already called me blabbering on about how she’s retired now and bored and needs to fuss. She said it’s her job to look after me.”

Talon used to give me shit in college about being a momma’s boy, but I’m not too proud to admit I owe everything to that woman. She worked two jobs to put my sister and me through college. I had a full ride, but she wanted Vanessa to go to the same school as me so I could look out for her. Mom did everything for me and my sister, and she’s the reason I’m in the NFL today, so generally whatever she demands, she gets.

“Besides, you’ll hardly be there and won’t be much help.”

Not to mention I need a break from being around Talon. Everything comes back to him and me and everything I’ll never have.

Talon pulls up the visitor’s chair next to my bed and slumps into it. “I hear that. My mom’s still mad I didn’t accept the offer from Denver.”

That had confused me as well.

“Why didn’t you go to Denver? Your entire family is there, and you complained about being so far away from them constantly when we were in college. You grew up there—”

“Money. The Warriors offered more.”

“Not buying it. Denver would’ve offered you close to what Chicago did.”

“Not trying to sell it.” Leaning forward, Talon rests his elbows on the side of my bed and clasps his hands together.

This bed is tiny for a normal-sized human, so he’s dangerously close to my thigh, and even though it’d be painful as hell for him to graze his hands over it, I want him to do it.

“This isn’t going to make any sense to you, but the only way I can explain it is my gut sent me to Chicago.”

“Your gut … because Chicago has such great pizza?”

“I knew you wouldn’t understand.” Talon, for once, is not in the joking mood, and that’s even more confusing than anything else that’s happened this last month.

“No, I think I understand,” I say. “It’s like on the field. You’ve got a sixth sense out there. It’s impressive … and annoying as hell.”

He backhands my arm.

“Hey, asshole, I’m injured here,” I complain.

“Didn’t realize your hamstring’s in your biceps. Guess I should’ve paid more attention in anatomy in school.”

“Oh, I’m sure you paid attention. Just to the wrong anatomy.”

He smiles. “You’re gonna be fine. Next season, we’ll kick ass together.”

It’s the first time since he’s been back in my life that it feels like it used to between us, but then he squeezes my good leg, and the nostalgic feeling of having my best friend by my side is gone, and it’s replaced with the need I’ve always had for him. I try to suppress a shiver.

Even in pain—although a lot less thanks to the painkillers they’ve pumped into me—I still get turned on at his slightest touch.

I throw my head back on the pillow and close my eyes, willing my stupid dick to calm down.

“Shit, are you okay? You in pain?” Talon gets to his feet and leans over me, and fuck, this makes it worse. His face, so close to mine I can feel his body heat without even touching him. “Want me to get a nurse?”

I shake my head. “I’m all good.” Distraction, that’s what I need. “I do need to take a piss though.” Doing that with this hard-on should be interesting.

“You need a hand?”

“Yeah, thanks.” I shuffle to remove the ice packs from my leg as I brace myself to get up and try not to let the blanket fall off me. It’s the only thing remotely hiding my cock.