Rookie Move (Playing for Keeps #1)(27)
I cleaned up, threw on a pair of shorts, a Rush tee, and my Adidas. They’d sponsored me for the past two years, so it was lucky they were actually my preferred brand.
After whipping up and sucking down a smoothie, I headed toward my vehicle so I could get to the practice facility early. The sun was riding behind me, and over one of my favorite trails at Cedar Grove. When we didn’t have practice, it was where I ran. I didn’t feel right without some kind of physical activity every day.
Like fucking.
That was physical.
Fucking Garrett would be physical as hell because I could see both of us battling for control… Get a fucking grip, I chastised myself. Jesus, what was it with this guy? He screwed with my head, and I didn’t like it. At all.
That would all change tonight. He’d play my wingman, even though I had to admit, I still had my doubts. How did I know I could trust whoever we found? But Christ, I couldn’t keep going this way either. I’d find a guy, and once I had my dick in a man who wasn’t Garrett McRae, my desire to explore my bisexuality would be quelled, and with it, my obsession with him.
It wasn’t him I wanted, just a dude.
Or so I told myself.
We’d decided to steer clear of the Imperial Room because a lot of the team partied there. I had no desire to run into any of the guys when I was trying to meet someone to figure out if I liked sucking cock. I mean, I knew I would. I was attracted to men. I wanted men. I always had. I just hadn’t had the behind-the-wheel practice yet.
G said he’d heard Fusion was a popular bar with a pretty diverse clientele. Like the Imperial Room, it was frequented by businesspeople—local and those traveling. It was also known as a popular spot for both queer and straight people to drink. If anyone saw us there, it wouldn’t out me before I was ready like it might if we hit up a gay bar, but I also didn’t have to worry about most of the guys around me only looking for women.
I took a car service there in case I had a few drinks and couldn’t drive home. When I pulled up, Garrett was already waiting for me, leaning against the redbrick building and looking hot as hell in a pair of perfectly fitted jeans and a black tee. My style was slightly all over the place—half jock, half sophisticated. I wore jeans, a button-up white shirt, sleeves rolled to my elbows, and a backward hat.
“Thanks, man,” I told the driver before climbing out. If he’d recognized me, he hadn’t said so. Then I turned to Garrett. “You’re early. You miss me, Little Man?”
Garrett pushed off the wall, and fuck if I didn’t watch his body move as he did. Despite his size, he was graceful in everything he did, agile and smooth, so that even something as easy as standing up straight drew a person’s attention just as much as when he dodged the defense while rushing down the field.
Okay, not just as much, because Garrett playing ball was a beautiful thing to watch, but he looked good just being too.
“I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me tonight. I figure with me here, I’m not sure how much anyone else will want you.”
I barked out a harsh, deep laugh. “In your dreams.” His gaze started at the top of my head and traveled down my body, hot and appreciative, burning with both confidence and blatant desire. I rolled my eyes. “Stop trying to hit on me.”
“I’m giving you a lesson again. You’re a newbie, so I thought you might have forgotten my previous instruction.”
Aaaaaand, maybe it was time to knock Garrett down a peg or two. I let myself appreciate him, let myself take in each muscle as it moved and his chest while he breathed, the way his Adam’s apple suddenly bobbed like he was struggling to swallow. I stepped closer, then closer still, not stopping until his back was against the building, my chest against his, Garrett’s warm breath on my skin when he let it out shakily.
Fuck, he felt good, hard muscle and the scent of some outdoorsy cologne. I willed my dick to be good and not try for a meet and greet with his. I pressed my hands flat against the wall, one on each side of him. “I can assure you,” I whispered close to his ear, rubbing my cheek against his temple before lowering my lips close to his other ear. “If I want someone in my bed, I have no problem getting them there.”
He trembled, fucking trembled, and damned if blood didn’t rush toward my groin. Mayday! Mayday! This was a dangerous game I was playing, but it was fun too. I couldn’t lie, I liked a little bit of forbidden, and Garrett felt very much like a favorite toy I couldn’t play with.
“Wow…someone is speechless?” I asked, still close, our body heat wisping around us like invisible ropes tying us together.
His hands went to my waist, fingers pressing in with enough pressure that I couldn’t deny he was there. “If I’m the one you want, all you have to do is ask.” This time, the tremor rocked through me, vibrated along my fault line before setting off an earthquake inside me. He was playing with me, testing me, I knew that, but it took everything in me not to teach the cocky little shit a lesson and take his mouth with mine. Garrett cocked his head, lips close to my ear like I’d done to him. “Cat got your tongue?”
“You’re playing with fire.” My voice came out on a growl. What the fuck was going on here? This was not the plan, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.
“Or maybe you’re all talk and no bite?”
Fuck if my dick wasn’t completely hard then, throbbing and pulsing with desire for him. This was getting out of hand quickly, but I’d never met a challenge I couldn’t accept, so I leaned down and bit his bottom lip, my teeth sinking in, tongue swiping at the puffy skin here. It was quick, too quick, but definitely enough to elicit another sharp inhale from him.