Page 22 of Hidden Plays (Desert Football #1)

TEN

HOLDEN

I had so much to think about. But one thing I knew—I was falling hard for JJ Matthews. No doubt about it. I swung the door open to my apartment and stepped inside.

Arden, sitting on the couch and watching the news, turned around. “Hey, Holden. Where the hell were you all night?”

On the best fucking date of my life . “Uh, I was in Old Town, with…with a friend.” I patted my hair. Shit, I hadn’t checked how I looked before I left the car.

“Oh, really.” A slow smirk wandered across his face. “The wrinkles in your linen shirt give you away.” With a snicker, he stood, his gaze raking over me from head to toe. “Who’s the chick?” Arching a brow, he stuffed his hands into his back pockets.

“N-no chick, really.” I flattened the wrinkles on my shirt. “I’m uh, tired and need to go to bed.”

“Your hair is snarled in the back.” He cackled as he followed me. “Come on, who is she? Is it Mandy from class? Dude, did you tap her?”

“I didn’t tap anyone.” With a scoff, I stepped into my room and shut the door on him. Jesus fuck, what should I tell him ?

He pounded on the door. “Come on, Holden. Inquiring minds need to know.” He sniggered and pounded again.

I had to tell him. Throwing the door open, I said, “Okay, it was a date and there were some…sexy times.” I sounded like an idiot. “But it wasn’t Mandy, and you don’t know her.”

“Yeah? How’d you meet her?” Shifting his feet, he planted his hands on his hips. “Dating app?”

“No, why does it matter?” With a huff, I primped my hair in the back. He was right. It was like a rat’s nest back there.

“Because I’m curious where you found a chick who made you look like you were ridden hard and put away wet.” He burst into laughter.

“Stop it.” Dipping my head, I rubbed my eyes, giggles escaping me. “It’s not funny.” But it was, wasn’t it?

With his laughter slowing, he said, “Okay, man, just let me know if she has a single friend.” Tapping the doorjamb, he sauntered away.

After closing my door, I rested my back against it. Fucking JJ would love this.

The next day at the gym, I did my best to keep my eyes off JJ’s fine ass and my mind focused on training.

But we exchanged flirty glances a time or two.

Afterward, I had an hour to kill before my biometrics class, so I strode to the local Starbucks, ordered an iced coffee and sank into a chair in the corner.

I’d promised my parents I’d call Noel, and he should be awake by now.

Whether he was at work was questionable.

I fished my phone from my backpack and dialed his number. It rang a few times. The fucker wouldn’t answer?—

“Hey, bro.” Clanging slipped through the connection.

“Are you at work?” I sipped my drink and gazed through the tinted window next to me, the sidewalk and palm trees already washed out in the morning sunshine. Maybe he’d straightened up.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” He scoffed.

“You missed dinner with Mom and Dad a few nights ago.” I shifted in my chair, resting my ankle on my knee, a twinge reminding me of the injury.

“I apologized to Mom already. Don’t you get on my case too.”

“What happened?” My gut tensed, readying for his lie. Why did I even ask?

“My car broke down, and I had to get it towed. The truck took forever to get there.”

Bull. Shit. “Then why didn’t you call? I could’ve picked you up.” I drank more coffee.

“I…I forgot about the dinner. When the car wouldn’t start, I focused on bringing it to the shop.”

“Where did it break down?” I had to see how far he’d take his lie. Planting my elbow on the table, I rested my cheek in my hand.

“At a friend’s house.” He scoffed. “What does it matter? The car is fixed.”

“With Dad’s money? He said you couldn’t pay your rent. How did you have money for a car repair?” Did he think I was stupid?

“Did you just call to harass me? What the fuck, Holden?”

“No, I didn’t.” I sighed. “I want to know how you’re doing, man.” My stiff shoulders relaxed. “Mom and Dad are worried about you.” I blew out a ragged breath. “Fuck, we all are.”

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Except you can’t pay rent. Mom said your roommates were looking to kick you out.” My throat tightened. Would he ask to sleep on my couch if it happened? Arden wouldn’t be happy about it.

“Look, the rent is paid and I’m at work. What more do you want from me?” he asked through his teeth .

This escalated quickly. “Nothing.” And nothing was what I’d get from him. I drank more coffee.

“Look, how about we meet for a drink sometime?”

“Okay, when?” I shifted, leaning back in my chair. Would he even give me a day?

“How about Saturday?”

“I have a game on Saturday. I’m training ASU’s football team.” Didn’t he know that? Mom would have told him. Or...maybe he just didn’t listen. I skimmed my fingers along the plastic of my cup.

“I don’t know, Holden. You’re the one who’s always busy. How about you pick?”

“Friday. We can meet for happy hour.” Then it wouldn’t be too expensive for him. I sucked in a deep breath.

“Uh, can’t. I’m busy Friday.” He huffed.

“With what?” I clenched my jaw. I didn’t want to sacrifice a Sunday hanging out with him when I had to get up early the next day. He’d push me to drink more than I’d want to.

“None of your business.” He chuckled. “Maybe I have a date.”

My brows rose. “Are you seeing someone? Do you have a girlfriend?” Jesus, who in their right mind would date him?

“Yeah, sort of.”

“Who is she?” I covered my lips with my fingers. I shouldn’t have asked.

“No one you know.” He snickered. “How about you? Are you dating anyone?”

Oh, fuck. “Nope, no one.” An ache ghosted through my chest. I couldn’t tell him about JJ. I had a feeling he’d react badly. Plus, I wasn’t ready. It wasn’t fair to JJ, though.

“Thought so. You’re too busy for a girlfriend, I suppose,” he said. “Even though you’re surrounded by the hot cheerleaders at the games.”

“So?” I sipped more coffee. Where was he going with this ?

“With your looks, you should have nailed a few of them by now. But I know you. You’re too focused on being the good son.”

I scoffed. If he knew the truth, he’d take that back. Why had I even called? “Listen, Noel, let’s schedule time for a drink. Maybe next week?” He’d only see me if liquor was involved, and nothing good would come of this conversation today.

“Sure, I’ll text you.”

“Okay, I’ll be looking forward to it.” Except, he might never text. I glanced through the windows. Did anyone else have a brother like this? Why me? “Talk to you soon.”

“Sure, bye.” He ended the call.

I balled my fist against my thigh. I’d never hear from him, and I knew it. He might not even answer my call again if I tried. I was so tired of his shit.

The next morning, I strolled into the gym, prepared with new exercises to test on the guys. I’d been texting with JJ nonstop last night, keeping our little fake but real relationship going for his friends. I stepped up behind them.

JJ stood with Casey and Eli at a treadmill, hovered around JJ’s phone.

“Dude, that’s a good one.” Eli pointed at the phone. “It sounds like you two are serious.”

“When will we meet this guy?” Casey planted his hands on his hips. “You’ve been dating for a few weeks now, and if you’re having sex, it’s time to let us assess him.”

“Naw, not yet.” JJ tapped his phone. “We’re still in the discovery phase. Before I do that, I want to confirm he’s a keep?—”

Clearing my throat, I shifted my stance. What had JJ told them about us? He told them we were having sex?

Twisting around, JJ stared at me, jaw falling open. “Uh, Holden.” He stuffed his phone into his shorts. “How much of that did you hear?”

“Enough.” My mouth tensed. Was I happy or angry about it? I knew he was showing them the texts, but there wasn’t anything about having sex in them. “JJ, a word?” I curled my finger at him.

“Uh-oh, JJ’s in trouble. Will he get a spanking?” Casey cackled. “Hey, Holden, he’d like that, in case you’re interested.”

“Sure.” With a glare at his friends, JJ followed me.

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I strolled to an empty side of the gym by the mats. They were already teasing me about being with JJ. How would they act if they knew it was true? I stopped and faced him. “What was that about?”

“What?” He gave me an innocent grin.

Leaning close, I whispered. “Did you tell them we had sex?” I studied his face.

“Yeah, but it was with Harry.” He glanced behind him for a beat, his hands resting on his hips. With a broken chuckle, he said, “I told them I gave Harry a blowjob in the backseat of my car.”

God damn it. Heat flickered through my body. “But that’s what we did.” I wasn’t one for kissing and telling. It was no business of theirs.

“So?” He smirked. “I don’t have a great imagination, and I used real life. They don’t know it’s you.”

“But at some point, we’re coming clean, right?” I pinched my lips. “And when we do, then they’ll think everything you told them about Harry was actually about me.” I mean, that’s what I’d assume.

“I’ll tell them Harry was fictional.” He eyed me. “Why do you care so much? They’re fucking queer. They think you’re a god in the sack at this point.”

“What? What else did you tell them?” I gripped my iPad to my chest. The longer we hid the truth, the deeper we’d dig ourselves into a hole .

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I told them you have an enormous cock, and you give the best head I’ve ever had.” His lips curled on one side. “It’s not a lie.” He held his hands over his groin.

I gaped. Did he really think that? “It’s not?”

“Nope.” He moved his hands, pointing down, his swelling dick bulging in his athletic shorts. “Look, just thinking about it gets me hard.”

“Jesus.” I shut my eyes and turned my head, drawing a deep breath, my balls tingling. How would I get through this training session, knowing JJ was horny as hell and his friends thought I was some sort of gay sex god?