Page 12

N ASH

“Fucking hell.” I drop the weights I’ve been deadlifting on the floor with a slam. Totally against gym etiquette, but everything I’ve said and done for the past few weeks breaks etiquette as well. Might as well stay consistent.

It’s been three days and I still can’t get that kiss out of my head or forget Kendall’s taste. Hell, I can’t stop thinking about how she’d taste in other places. Her neck. Her tits. Her pussy.

Places I don’t deserve to touch, much less think about. She was spot on with her accusations. I behaved like a douchebag. Even if she did sleep around, it was a dick move to kiss her then basically tell her she wasn’t good enough.

The hurt in her eyes showed a layer of vulnerability I hadn’t witnessed in her before. She’s always been so confident, sure of herself. But I crushed her with my words.

Again.

“You alright, Hump?” Darius hands me a towel and I use it to wipe the sweat off my face.

“Sure.”

He laughs. “Sound more convincing and I’ll believe you. Need to talk it out on the treadmill?”

Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get the load off my chest with Darius. He’s a family man. Married with two kids. Loyal to his wife and boys. They come around a lot during preseason and watch practices when they can.

“Sure.”

“If you were any more enthusiastic I’d think you were jonesing for me.” He chuckles on his way to the treadmills.

I follow him and start up the machine next to him. We jog in silence for a bit. When I reach a mile, I ask him, “You and Mindy had Trey before you got married, right?”

It’s no secret. Everyone knows, even the media. They’d been dating for a few months when she got pregnant, and he stuck by her side. Almost a decade later, and they act as much like newlyweds as Walker and Riley.

“Yeah,” he says with a smile. “It was the only way I could convince her to marry me.”

“Had to work hard for her, did you?”

Darius barks out a laugh. “You’ve met my wife. I had to grovel, beg, and woo her for months to convince her to give me the time of day.”

“I thought you were already dating before she got pregnant.”

“By dating, you mean having sex, right? Cause, yeah, we were doing that. She didn’t trust that I wasn’t a player, and she didn’t want to get her heart broken. So she pushed me away time and time again. I’m a flirt, and I love to look, but I’m not a cheat.”

“But you kept going back.”

“Hell yeah I did. Took her some time to trust me. I don’t blame her for that. Professional athletes get a bad rap when it comes to monogamy.”

“Football players aren’t as bad as hockey and basketballers.”

“True dat. But convince a woman worth settling down for? That’s hard work.”

I stew on that for another half mile and pick up my speed. “What if the tables were turned?”

“Meaning?” Darius chugs from his water bottle.

“What if she was the flirt in the relationship? Would you still have pursued her as hard as you did?”

“If it were any other woman, probably not. But Mindy is worth it. She owns my heart and soul. I knew it from the minute I picked her up at a bar.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, man.” Darius shoots me a stupid grin. “Best decision my sperm and I ever made was knocking her up. She’s stuck with me forever now.”

I shake my head with a laugh. “Good for you guys.”

“Done using me and my beautiful wife as a distraction and ready to tell me what’s really on your mind?”

“I’ve been a royal dick to a woman that I...” That I what? Like? Lust after? “I don’t know what it is about her that makes me irritated and god damn hard at the same time.”

Darius chokes out another laugh. “I hear ya, man. Let’s start with the hard stuff.” He snorts. “And by hard I mean the shit that’s got you in a funk. The irritating stuff. Keep your dick issues to yourself. There are paid therapists to help you in that department, and I ain’t one of them.”

My dick isn’t the problem. My mouth is.

“I have a way of insulting her in one breath and asking her for favors with the next.”

“If you’re talking sexual favors, and the degradation thing is your kink, again, I’m not your shoulder to cry on.”

“Fuck, Dar. No, that’s not what I mean.” I slow the treadmill down and take a swig of my water. “I need to talk to Buck about this.”

“Hell, man. If you’re going to Miles Buckingham for love life advice, you’ve reached an all time low.”

“Not for advice. He knows the woman I’m...I’ve been an asshole toward. I just need to know if they have something going on.”

“I can’t see Buck settling down anytime soon. He’s fucked his way through Boston and every other town he visits, so chances are your girl may be marked by him. Will that change the way you feel about her?”

“I don’t know.” I honestly don’t. It’s not that I expect her, or any woman I date, to be a virgin. But if she’s currently sleeping with him, I don’t want to get mixed up in that triangle. “I’m not sure what I’m feeling toward her.”

“Except irritated and horny.”

“Yeah.”

“What is it that irritates you? That she may or may not have slept with Buck or is it something else?”

“I wish I knew.”

“Sounds like you need answers to the first, then maybe you’ll figure out the second. Go ask Buck. He’s not shy about kissing and telling.”

“Isn’t that the truth.” We cool down and I wipe the sweat from my face.

“I haven’t seen you with a woman or heard any stories about you getting your dick wet since you joined the team three years ago. Is that what’s bothering you? That you found a woman you’re interested in but she doesn’t fit the mold you wanted her to be in?”

Hell, Darius is good. I don’t respond, and he takes my silence as confirmation.

“She’s a party girl and you’re a single father who keeps his life private. Even from the team. We respect that, but there’s no shame in being a father, even a single one. We’ve yet to meet your little girl. I know Mindy and the boys would be down for a play day sometime if you’re ever up for it.”

I should take him up on the offer. Maybe they have connections for babysitters.

“Yeah. Sure.”

Darius stops his machine and hops off. “Another convincing sure .” He slaps my back between my shoulderblades.

“Open communication is the key to any successful relationship. If she’s worth fighting for, talk to her.

And grovel like hell for the stupid shit that came out of your mouth.

Whatever it was and however bad you think it sounded?

Trust me, it was worse. Women can spin the shit out of our words, but if you know you were an asshole, then you really owe some serious ass kissing. ”

“I don’t even know how to do that.”

“Talk to her. Ask about her hobbies. Her passion. Not all ladies swoon over the wine and dine thing.”

“How did you win Mindy’s heart? Besides your magic sperm?”

“Donuts. Those early morning ones fresh from the oven. Can’t tell you how many hours of my life I spent in line to get those early morning donuts for my girl. But it was worth it.”

Something tells me it’s going to take a whole lot more than warm donuts to get Kendall to forgive me.

I wait for Buck at his truck after practice. His swagger can be spotted a mile away, even when the ladies aren’t around. He spots me and shoots me a smile.

“Hump. What’s going on?” He holds out his fist for a fist bump like a teenager. My lack of judgment has me tapping my knuckles against his.

“Do you have a second?”

Buck makes an exaggerated effort twisting around, looking over the vehicles in the parking lot, then looking back at me and pointing at his chest. “Me? Nash Humphries wants a second of Miles the fucking Buckingham stallion’s time?”

“You did not just call yourself that.”

“Don’t be jelly, Hump. You got a cool nickname too. All the ladies want to hump you too.”

“For fuck’s sake. Are we in middle school?”

“I wish. The girls were so much easier back then.”

“Christ.” I lift my baseball cap up and push back my hair before returning it again. “Tell me you didn’t fuck your way through middle school.” I hold up my hand to stop whatever asinine words are about to come out of his mouth. “Nevermind. I don’t want to know.”

“Ah, Humpy. Don’t tell me you’re shy.”

“Don’t call me that.” I shake my head in disgust.

“That’s right. You prefer Nash Potato.”

That’s as good a transition as I’m going to get. “I don’t like it when Kendall calls me that, and I like it even less coming out of your mouth.”

“From what I hear, you like all the things coming out of Kendall’s mouth.”

I close my eyes and moan. “Fuck, Miles. Do you ever stop with the sexual innuendos?”

“Fine. All seriousness, Mr. Nash Humphries. How can I be of service tonight?”

I dare open my eyes and wish I hadn’t. Buck is the worst actor ever and can’t keep a straight face for more than two seconds.

“You’re a fucking idiot, you know that, right?”

He smiles like it’s a compliment. “Someone’s gotta balance out all the old man grump you got going on.”

He’s not wrong. “Fine. I’ll lighten up on the grump if you lighten up on the STDs coming out of your mouth. I’m afraid I’m going to catch something just by standing this close to you.”

“I’m offended.” He smacks a giant hand over his chest. “My soldier is always suited up and ready to go.”

“I’m not here to talk about your dick.” Although, I kind of am.

“Did you want to talk about yours and the way it was rubbing up against Kendall on the dance floor the other night? Rumor has it, your tongue was so far down her throat it poked out of her vagina.”

I shake my head. At least he didn’t use more vulgar terms when talking about Kendall. Still, I don’t want him talking or even thinking about her vagina.

“Where did you hear that?”

“Not denying it?”

“Answer the question.”

“You two were getting hot and heavy on the dance floor. I’ve seen her moves, but never yours. I heard yours were legendary. Kinda nice she brought that out in you. You guys hook up? More than tonsil hockey?”

At least we’re getting to why I waited by his truck.

“No.”

“Hm.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Just hm.”

“Would you be mad if I did?”

“Mad you hooked up with Kendall?”

“Yeah.” Despite the lack of anything remotely serious ever coming out of Buck’s mouth, I study his face for sincerity.

“I mean, I’d be a little jelly.”

“Can you talk like an adult for four seconds?”

“Yes, Mr. Nash Humphries. I’d be jealous that your expenditures made contact with Miss Kendall Wentworth’s nether regions.”

“What the fuck does that even mean?”

“See? Serious talk makes no sense.” Buck squeezes my shoulder. “I’d be jealous that Kendall was able to squeeze some life and emotion out of you when I’ve been trying for years.”

“The fuck? Jealous of me? Are you bi? Because I’m okay with that, but I’m not gay.”

Buck tips his head back and laughs. “Fuck. Do I check out the swinging cocks in the locker room? No, but I don’t shy away from them either. You’ve got a nice one there, Hump. Nothing to be ashamed about.”

How the fuck did we get to talking about swinging cocks in the locker room? “You’re the most infuriating human to talk to.”

“Aw. You called me human. That’s a compliment coming from you.”

Getting nowhere with Miles, I wave my hand at him. “Nevermind,” I say as I walk off.

“Wait. Nash. I’m just messing with you, man. You’re too easy to rile up.”

If I want to sort out my possible feelings for Kendall, I need to know what I’m dealing with. Instead of beating around the bush, I get right to my question.

“Are you and Kendall sleeping together?”

“Sleep? I don’t—”

“Fucking. Are you and Kendall fucking?”

“Presently? No. I’m having a titillating conversation with my favorite defensive end in the parking lot instead of driving my soldier home.”

I round my shoulders in defeat as I get the answer I didn’t want to hear.

“I won’t keep you then.”

As I walk off, Buck calls behind me, “If you asked me if I’ve ever slept with, fucked, or kissed Kendall Wentworth, the answer is no. As far as I know, you’re the only one to stick his tongue down her throat.”

That stops me in my tracks. “Bankes’s wedding. You two slipped out hand in hand.”

That shit eating grin is back. “The little minx dared me.”

“Dared you to what?”

“She said if I didn’t hit on the bridesmaids during the entire wedding, she’d let me moon the bride and groom. We went outside to find the perfect spot where they were sure to see me when they drove off to their honeymoon.”

“What the hell kind of dare is that? And there were only two bridesmaids.” Kendall and Rowan.

“I know.” Buck let out a heavy sigh. “The wedding was small and mostly guys from the team. The only other women were wives or girlfriends. Hence why the stakes were so high on the bet.”

So the giggles, the hand holding, the dancing wasn’t about them hooking up but being in on a stupid bet.

And I called her out for being a slut. Again.

“You and Kendall a thing now?” Buck asks.

“Not even close.”

“But you want to be?” he says in a stupid sing-songy way like a ten year old poking fun at his buddy for liking a girl.

“Doesn’t matter if I do or don’t. Kendall hates my guts.” Rightfully so.

“I can fix that. I’m her favorite person. She’ll listen to me if I sing your praises and tell her about the size of your dick. Unless she’s already been acquainted with it.”

“Please don’t. On either account. I’m not looking to...hook up. I just need to right my wrong.”

“Right your dong ? Is that what you call your soldier?”

“Shut the fuck up, Buck.”

“Look at you. A poet and you didn’t even know it.”

I flip him my middle finger as I cross the lot over to my vehicle.

That was the most draining conversation I’ve ever had. And that’s saying a lot when I’m raising a chatterbox of a daughter.