Page 46 of Brick Wall

Sebastian

“ W hy do you keep leaving me with your teammates?” I hear Annie ask as she jumps in my truck in Quinn’s driveway as I turn on the ignition.

“I just want what’s best for you,” I say, keeping it at that.

“Leaving me with people I barely know?” Confusion laces Annie’s tone. She reaches behind her and clicks the seat belt into place. I guess she’s done playing basketball and is coming with me.

I change gears in my truck, press my foot to the gas, and pull out of Quinn’s driveway with my new, unexpected passenger.

“They are great guys.” I leave it at that.

“Maybe, but I’d rather spend time with you.”

We stay quiet as I pull onto the mass pike. I’m not quite sure where I’m driving yet. I just know I’m heading east to return to the city.

“I want to redeem my prize now,” Annie announces in the quiet cab of the truck as it hums lightly on the highway. Neither of us has turned on the radio. I kind of regret that decision now.

“All right.” I can’t really say no. I feel a little trapped, which is probably her intent.

“It’s just one question, and you must be truthful.”

“All right,” I repeat, an uneasy feeling hitting my gut.

“Do you want to break up with me?” The question is just above a whisper. I can barely hear it.

I turn to see her face for a quick second, and she looks so fragile and unsure.

“No,” I say, more firmly than I feel.

“Then why do you keep pushing me away?” Her voice is still a soft whisper, and I cannot help but hear the hurt in it.

“I’m sorry, that’s not my intention.” We are still on the highway, but we’re roughly five minutes away from my place.

“Do you want to come back to my place? It will be easier to have a conversation there.”

She just nods as a reply, which I can see from my periphery.

The truck is quiet, and the drive back to my place feels so much longer than five minutes. It’s never been so awkward between us.

I finally park in my spot, and I lead Annie to the elevator and then to my apartment. We take off our shoes and then silently find a spot facing each other on my black sofa, keeping a safe distance apart from each other.

“What’s going on with us? I can’t figure it out,” Annie says once we are seated and settled, speaking her first words to me since our truck ride.

“I’m not sure,” I admit.

“We were fine a week ago. What changed for you?”

“Nothing,” I say immediately. It’s true. My feelings for Annie haven’t faltered. I still feel so strongly about her. “Fuck.” I cover my face in frustration. “I don’t want my insecurities rubbing off on you.”

Her hands are folded politely on her lap, and she’s looking down at her fingers like they are the most interesting thing she’s ever seen. She slowly raises her face to mine. “Your insecurities?”

“Yeah, you are everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner, but you are way too good for a guy like me.”

“A guy like you? What is that supposed to mean?” She sounds a little insulted by my assessment.

“You know…” I say, waving my hands in front of me like a buffoon.

“I don’t know,” she says firmly. “That’s why I asked.”

I don’t answer her immediately, sitting as still as a statue.

Annie moves closer to me on the couch. Her voice is softer now as she says, “You are the best person I know. Tell me what’s going on in that stupid head of yours.” Annie then leans forward and lightly knocks on said stupid head.

I let out a deep breath but decide to look at my toes instead of her when I admit, “You can do so much better than me.”

“That’s not true,” she automatically retorts. She looks insulted again. Annie is so fiercely loyal. I love that about her.

There’s a moment of silence as I watch Annie intently. It looks like a lightning bolt hit her. “Wait, is that why you keep leaving me with your teammates?”

“Well, it’s going to happen at some point. Might as well happen now before we get in too deep.”

“It’s not going to happen,” she strongly says with a shake of her head .

“It is, especially when there are actual professional athletes to fawn over.” It’s what happens without fail.

“And you’re not a professional athlete?” Annie frowns. “Even if you weren’t, I would still love you!”

She pauses for a second and realizes what she just admitted. Her face turns a very cute shade of red. I don’t think she planned to say that. However, after a slight pause, she continues, “I don’t want anyone else but you. I am in love with you.” Annie enunciates those last few beautiful words.

“What?” I blink a few times. “You. Love. Me?” I ask, confused.

“Yes,” she says, pulling her body closer to mine and softly placing her right hand on my cheek. “I can’t imagine myself with anyone but you.”

I need to ask: “Are you sure?”

I thought maybe she’d laugh in my face or take back her words, but she leans forward, her hand still on my cheek. She looks straight into my eyes and says, “Yes, I’m sure.”

I place a hand on her cheek, mirroring her, and I instinctively lean in. She matches me, and our lips quickly find each other.

She drifts her hand up my face and runs her fingers through my hair while our lips are surged together. She then tugs on my hair to pull me closer to her.

I dip my tongue into her mouth, and she quickly reciprocates.

She throws a leg over my body and then moves until she’s straddling me without breaking our kiss.

Fuck, I can’t get enough of her, and I don’t care if I’m not good enough for her. She’s mine. I’m not letting her go.

I place one hand behind her back and lift her up; her legs are still straddling my waist. I sprint down the hallway with her and lay her down on my bed, still fully dressed. She’s about to remove her sweatshirt, but I place my hand on hers to stop her.

“No,” I firmly state. “That’s my job tonight.”

She just nods in reply.

I slowly crawl up her body and stop when I reach her stomach. I slightly lift her shirt and kiss her stomach before unbuttoning the top of her jeans and unzipping them.

I move further back down her legs and pull off her jeans where her bright red thong remains.

I take a deep breath and resume my job of stripping her bare.

Our eyes are locked on each other as I move up her body and pull up her sweatshirt above her head. Underneath, I discover a jersey with my name on it; she had it under her sweatshirt, so I didn’t notice it before now.

I take another deep breath, my eyes still locked with hers. “I changed my mind. I’m not stripping you bare. I’m going to fuck you in my jersey instead.”

Her only reply is a whimper as my hands rediscover her beautiful body.

Annie looks so hot, laying underneath me on my bed in just my football jersey, her hair down and wild across my pillow.

I never thought I’d be the type of guy who’d be so turned on by their woman wearing their jersey. I have never been before, but this is different somehow. Everything is different with her.

My hands make their way down to her red panties and I tease them off. I move my hands back up her legs, not breaking eye contact with her. I place two fingers inside her, and she’s already soaked.

“Please, Bash,” she begs. She’s worked up, and I smile down at my needy girl.

I am, however, still fully dressed. I forgo my initial plans and whip my clothes off in one fell swoop. I’m desperate for her. It’s been too long.

I can’t help but sink myself into her. I stay still for a moment, mentally taking her in. How did I almost lose her?

I’m methodical with my movements, each thrust slower and deeper than the one previously. I’m savoring every moan and whimper she makes. She looks so beautiful underneath me, hair splayed across my pillow.

I move positions, hovering over her now, so I can kiss her while we fall apart together. My forehead finds hers and we stay together for a few more perfect moments.

* * *

We are lying in bed, and I somehow became the little spoon, which I love. Why does the giant guy have to be the big spoon?

“Do you want to talk about why you feel you are not enough for me?” Annie asks.

I take a deep breath, and the only words that come out are “the hyena.”

“Ah,” she says simply. “Did you run into her at the holiday party last week?”

“Yeah.” I take another deep breath. “Wait, did you?”

I’m cozy in her arms, but I need to see her face. I turn around from our spooning position, facing her directly now, and look into her bright, beautiful eyes. We are still warm in each other’s arms, stealing heat from one another .

“No, thankfully, I barely saw her. I thought it was a blessing, but I should have known better.”

“Yeah, no, she found me instead.” I should have seen the attack coming.

“What did she say to you?” Her voice rises at the end of her sentence.

“I don’t know. It was just a comment about how I’m not good enough for you, and—”

“Ah,” she cuts me off before I can explain further. “She said the same thing to me. What a bitch.” I huff out a laugh because I never heard her describe a fellow female that way before. She’s usually a very supportive person.

“I hate people who like to cause chaos just because they can,” Annie explains further. “She couldn’t have left us alone.”

“Of course not. Hyenas love to hunt and prey on others,” I say simply. I can’t believe I let my guard down so she could get to me like that. Hyenas are intelligent and clever, after all, and I fell prey to her scheme. I could have lost the best person I know.

“I’m sorry I screwed this up,” I say, holding her close.

“You didn’t. You almost did, though,” she says with a little laugh. “Do you want to explain to me why you set me up with your teammates now?”

“Because they deserve someone as great as you.”

“You do, too. What was that crap about you not being a real athlete?”

“I know I’m technically a professional athlete, but it doesn’t really feel that way. You know?”

“No, I don’t. Explain it to me,” Annie says as she lightly rubs my arms up and down.

“I’m just a brick wall that blocks. I don’t do anything important.”

“First, we both know that neither of those things is true. You do way more than block; your job is very important and underappreciated. Quinn is the best-protected quarterback in the league.”

I hum in response. Yes, my job as an offensive lineman is to protect the quarterback, and yes, Quinn is an amazing QB with phenomenal stats. And yes, he has only been sacked once this year. However, Quinn releases the ball fast, and it’s my teammates that deserve most of the credit.

Annie is apparently not done. “The Revs have the number one rated offensive line currently in the league, and you are a huge part of that. I’ve also never seen you play better these last few weeks.”

It’s true. I’ve always been a solid player but with proper treatment of my sleep apnea, I’ve seen a huge improvement in my game, and multiple people have commented on it. I didn’t even realize how tired I was until I got a true night of sleep. I have benefited greatly since my diagnosis.

Annie pauses for a second and then appears thoughtful. “You are obviously a professional athlete, and not everyone on your team could play your position, especially so well. What’s this really about?”

I take a deep breath and then another for good measure. “I know I’m called the Brick Wall but it takes no skill to run into me. I don’t have an athletic body at all. I have a dad bod. Those guys are true athletes and can easily switch into another career if they wanted.”

“I’m not sure if that’s true,” she rebuts. “Some could, sure, but you and I know the best athlete in one sport may be subpar in another. ”

I’m not sure what to say to that. She’s going to go all inspirational coach on me if I continue my pity party for one. I can feel it.

“Can I ask you a question?” I feel her go a little stiff in my arms. “You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to.”

I slowly nod to indicate my willingness to answer.

“Was Athena the only one who left you for a teammate?”

I take a deep breath. “No.” I take another breath while I try to figure out my words.

“It has happened a few times to me. We’d go out on several dates, and I’d think things are going well, but then I’d introduce them to my friends.

” I shrug to show it doesn’t really bother me, although it kind of does.

I’ve never been in a solid relationship with a woman before Annie.

All my relationships, if you can call them that, were short-lived.

I also see now how unbalanced and shallow they all were.

My relationship with Annie is completely different than anything I’ve experienced before, and in the best way possible.

“That’s shitty. Is that why you left me alone with your friends? Were you testing me?”

“Maybe a little,” I admit sheepishly. I look her in the eyes to see if she’s upset or angry with me, but those eyes have a dash of amusement in them.

“Well, I’m glad I passed your test,” she says with a bit of humor.

“You’re not angry?”

“Nah, I can see why you did it. But don’t do anything like that again.” She sticks her finger out to look stern, but she looks more adorable than anything. “It explains why your walls were so high when we first met,” she replies thoughtfully.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I’ve had terrible luck in the past, and I kind of gave up on finding my person.” It’s an understatement, really.

“And now?” she goads, but I notice a little twinkle of hope in her eyes.

“And now, I’m thankful that I didn’t. I’m so thankful that I have you.” I lean in and press a kiss to her forehead.

“Me too,” Annie softly says.

I move gently, leaving her on her back, and crawl on top of her. Her beautiful green eyes are shining with mischief already.

“Thank you for loving me. I love you too,” I say directly into her eyes from above her.

She wraps her arms around my neck, pushing me closer to her, and I kiss her fiercely.

“I love you too,” she says between breaths, and a smile takes over my face.

Is this what happiness feels like?