Fallen Fourth Down (Fallen Crest #4)(30)

His eyes narrowed and studied mine. He nodded. “Sounds good.” He pounded me on the shoulder. “We’re at Cliché tonight. Just ask for the Cain U footballer’s private box. They’ll show you the way.” He turned to go, but paused. “A lot of the guys from the team go there.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t worry about age. They worked out a deal with one of the captains a long time ago. They don’t serve ‘alcohol’ to minors.” As he used his fingers for air quotes, I assumed that meant we could get alcohol just fine if we wanted. He added, “And don’t feel weird. A lot of the guys bring their wives too, you know, the guys in serious relationships like you.”

I grunted. “Yeah, okay. We might swing by. My brother would probably like the club.”

“Sounds good, man. Have fun with the wife and kids.”

As soon as Drew moved away, Matteo lumbered over to me. He had showered, but he only managed to get his pants on. Still shirtless, he was rubbing lotion over his chest as he said, “You coming out tonight?”

“I think so.” I jerked my head in Drew’s direction. “The wife comments, are those veiled insults?”

“What?” My roommate’s eyes got big, and he glanced where Drew was talking to two senior players. “No, man. If it is, I’ll be pissed. They call Georgie my wife too. That's what they call the serious relationships.”

“So there’s no shade with that?” I wanted to make sure. Drew had been smirking, but I knew he was still on an adrenalin high from the win. He threw four touchdowns, but I wasn’t going to stand and be laughed at without hitting back.

“No, no, no.” Matteo seemed taken aback. His hand paused in rubbing the lotion, but he started again a moment later. “They want us to be wifed-up. Girls can mean problems for the single guys. Hook-ups sometimes become baby-mommas. Some of that shit happens on purpose. You know how it is. They want the guys to have wives. They’re more stable. Those girls are rocks for some of us. I know Georgie is for me. If I step out of line, she smacks me back in, and I regret it for the rest of my life.”

I grinned, easing up a bit. “Good to know.”

“How about you?” He sat down on my bench. “You don’t talk too much about your woman, but you guys talk every night.”

“Me and Sam?” I grunted. “I guess I’m the rock.”

“She doesn’t smack you around if you step out of line?”

I didn’t step out of line. I never wanted to. Shrugging, I commented while I saw my phone buzzing, “No. We don’t really fight that much.” I read the text and saw it was from Logan. Get your ass out here. Mine is hungry and wanting sweet relief, if you know what I mean. Serious, tho. Get out here. Sam won’t look away from the hallway you said you’d be coming from.

I typed back: Coming. I said to Matteo, “I need to go. Happy birthday and I’ll see you later tonight.”

“Yeah, I want to meet your woman. She didn’t stop by earlier.”

I began backpedaling and lifted my arms up in a shrug. “They were late. Logan said there was some fight, but they’re here now.” As I moved through the main open area of the gym, I raised my voice and lifted a hand, “Happy birthday to Matteo! May your dick be tired tomorrow morning.”

“You douche,” Matteo called after me, laughing.

The guys who were still in the locker room called out their own cheers for him, and as I went out the door, I knew my roommate was soaking up all the attention

It didn’t take long to walk from the locker room to where I knew Logan and Sam were waiting. I came up the side stairs, and when I opened the door, I noticed the stadium had cleared out. Going past some offices and conference rooms, I turned and saw them at the end of the hallway. The walkway was huge. Sam and Logan looked like ants compared to the massive posts around them. One of them jerked upright from a wall.

I grinned, waving. It was Sam. Fuck, it’d been too damn long. She broke into a run, and I walked faster. Her eyes were wide, her mouth opened, and there was no hesitation. She threw herself at me. Grabbing a hold of her, I turned and pressed her against the wall. My legs were unsteady, from the game and seeing her, and I needed more balance. Closing my eyes, I pressed a kiss to her forehead and hugged her. She hugged me back.

Home. That’s what Sam was to me.

Moving to her ear, I whispered, “It feels good to hold you again.”

She clasped onto me tighter and wrapped her legs around my waist. When she didn’t respond, I knew she couldn’t. I wanted to kiss her, but she was pressed into my chest and her head went to my shoulder so I stopped thinking and just held her. I’d forgotten how perfectly she fit with me.

I needed time with just her.

Logan had walked closer, but he saw my look and nodded. Reaching behind him, he took his girl’s hand and said something in her ear. When he led her out the door, I knew he had given us some privacy. I wasn’t going to waste any time. Sliding my hands under Sam’s ass, I stood from the wall and her legs tightened in response.

“Mason?”

I turned for one of those conference rooms. Locking the door, hitting the lights off, I pushed her against the wall again. Her legs fell so she was standing on her own, and she gazed up at me in confusion. I cupped the back of her head and slammed my lips down on hers.