Page 31 of Hidden Plays (Desert Football #1)

“Hell no. I’d graduated and gotten a job in construction by then.

” He tsked. “According to our parents, I had to either stop drinking or move out and support myself.” He shrugged.

“So, I moved out.” He picked up his beer, studied it for a beat and drank it.

“This shit makes my life livable, you know?” His gaze flicked to mine.

“Especially with Mom and Dad always doting on Holden.”

Jesus, he was messed up. I ached for him. It wasn’t my fault he fucked up his life. Things could have been so different.

Jabbing a finger on the bar, Noel said, “And that’s why I’m telling you, when Mom and Dad find out about you guys, Holden’s on his own.”

“Okay, enough about that.” As heat swirled inside me, I glared at him. He’d made his point, and we needed to change the topic. “How’s the girl you’re seeing?”

“What girl?” Noel wrinkled his brows.

“You told me you were dating someone.” Had he forgotten, or was it a lie? I sipped my beer.

With his eyes widening, Noel said, “Oh, Heidi. Yeah, we broke up. She was a slut anyway.” He pursed his lips. “Turns out she was fucking another dude who was supplying her with coke.”

I stared at him. Was he doing cocaine? I wouldn’t ask. I didn’t want to know. “That sucks.” I rubbed a finger along the bar surface. “You don’t seem very broken up about it.”

“She wasn’t worth being upset over. She gave good head, but that’s about it.” Noel chuckled. “I bet gay men give amazing head.” He raised his brows at JJ.

“We do.” Wrinkling his forehead, JJ smirked. “Maybe you should try it sometime.”

Noel dropped his mouth open and closed it. “If it’s good enough for my brother?—”

“Okay, that’s enough.” This could go downhill fast. I tapped my phone, resting on the bar, and read the time. It was getting late. “We have to go. Like I said, we have a game tomorrow.”

“Sure.” Noel scanned the bar. “One of my buddies is coming in a little while, anyway.”

I flagged Margaret down to get our checks, and we paid.

“It was good chatting with you, bro.” Noel gazed at me, no hint of sarcasm in his voice. “I mean it. We should get together more.”

For a second, the brother I’d grown up with before the booze and drugs sat beside me.

I missed that person so much. “Yeah, we should.” If he’d show up on time and not get plastered.

I held my hand out, and he grabbed it, then side-hugged me with a pat on my back.

Whispering in my ear, he said, “JJ seems like a nice guy.”

“He is. Thanks.” I released him and glanced at JJ, standing with his hands in the front pockets of his designer jeans.

“Nice to meet you, JJ.” Noel stretched his hand to JJ. “Take care of my brother now. You hear?”

“I will.” With a soft grin, JJ shook Noel’s hand.

“Come on.” I snatched JJ’s hand and led him from the bar, taking one last look at Noel as an ache quivered through my chest. If he could only get his life on track and stop with the booze.

But there wasn’t much I could do about it.

“Where did you park?” I stopped on the sidewalk, next to the boulevard, the lights from the traffic signals glinting color in JJ’s hair.

“Across the street.” He pointed to the parking lot. “You?”

“Same.” I shifted my weight. I needed him tonight. Having Noel see us together unnerved me. “Can I, uh, stay with you tonight?” Despite not playing until the evening, we still needed a good night’s sleep for the game tomorrow.

He grabbed both my cheeks and planted a hard kiss on my lips, his eyes locking on mine. “Of course you can. Grab your stuff and come over.”

With a nod, I swallowed the lump climbing up my throat. What was up with my emotions?

I parked outside JJ’s house, grabbed a small duffel bag with my toiletries and strode up the driveway to the front door and then knocked. The place seemed quiet. Were all the guys in bed already ?

JJ opened the door and stepped aside. “Come in.”

Walking in, my gaze swept the main room, the low lights from the lamps resting on the side tables at the couch. No one else was here. “Is everyone in bed?”

“Yep, looks like. Or in bed watching game footage on their phones, more like.” He smirked and closed the door behind me. “Are you okay? You looked off when we left the bar.” He grabbed my bag from me and set it on the floor by the hallway. He could tell.

“Yeah, I was more than just off.” I scrubbed my face, ambled to the couch and dropped onto the end.

“Want a beer, a Gatorade or water?” JJ slipped into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. “I’m having a Gatorade.”

“Get me a beer.” Fuck it. I wasn’t playing tomorrow, and I’d only had a few drinks at the bar. I was not my brother.

JJ returned with a canned beer for me and snicked it open, then held it out while he sat beside me. “Talk to me, Holden.”

I sipped the cool beer. “I wish my brother was normal, you know? How amazing it would be if he were here at school with me, or if he’d been there when—” My breath hitched and my eyes stung. Fuck, he’d been nowhere to be found when I’d almost imploded from my injury.

“When you dealt with losing the game you loved so much?” JJ draped his arm over my shoulders and pulled me to his side, brushing his fingers through my hair and kissing my head. “I can’t imagine. It’s like the guy is there, but he’s not. He was sort of nice to us.”

I twisted the beer can in my lap. “Yeah, I swear at the end, right before we left, he almost looked sad we were leaving. It was like he wanted me to stay.” I clenched my jaw through the raw emotion bubbling inside me.

“Doesn’t he know I’d do anything to make him sober?

” My voice cracked. “Fuck, he’s throwing his life away.

He was a good brother when we were kids. He watched out for me then. ”

JJ stroked my hair, holding me tightly. “When did it change?”

“When he was about thirteen, I think. Fucking adolescence did him in.” I breathed through the pain in my chest. “I don’t know what happened. Maybe he was involved with the wrong crowd. But that sounds so cliché.”

“Didn’t your parents try to straighten him out?” JJ sipped his Gatorade.

“I guess. I think the change in him dumbfounded them as much as it did me.” Blinking the blurriness from my eyes, I swiped the wetness away. “I’m sorry I’m such a bummer tonight and you had to experience all of that. I really didn’t think he’d show.”

“Holden, I’m here for you. I’m glad I got to meet your brother and see what you’ve been dealing with.” He kissed my head again. “At least he wasn’t a total dick about us.”

“Yeah, I guess he took it better than I expected.” I forced a calming breath. It was good to get this out. Who knew JJ could be such a great listener?

“Do you think his opinion about your dad was correct?” His hand stopped in my hair.

I lifted my head, my gaze searching his face. “I…don’t know. I hope not.” It sure as hell didn’t make me want to tell Dad about us, though. Maybe I’d put off coming out to my parents. “If I don’t tell my parents about us before Thanksgiving, will that be?—”

“No, it’s not a problem, babe. Do it on your own time.” He dipped his gaze, threading his fingers in mine. “I’ll let my mom know you’ll be stopping by but can’t stay.”

My gut pinched. I was letting him down. “I’m sorry, JJ.”

He shrugged. “Whatever. What’s important is we’re together, right?” He gave me a thin-lipped smile. “And tonight, it’s just you and me in my bed.”

“One day earlier than we’d planned.” I focused on his generous lips, so close to mine, and my cock woke. I could forget all this shit and lose myself in him. “JJ, I don’t think I want any more of this beer. Let’s go to bed.”

“Hell yeah.” With the edge of his lips curling, he stood and pulled me up. “We don’t have to do anything unless you want to.”

“I want to.” I cupped his junk swelling behind his zipper. “Those are some nice jeans. I like how they show off your ass -ets.” I chuckled.

After preparing for bed and undressing, I climbed between the cool sheets in JJ’s bed and lay on my back. These damn sheets were the best. “What’s the thread count of these sheets?”

Rolling to his side, he said, “I don’t fucking know. My mom bought them, so I’m sure they’re the highest you can get.” Skimming his fingers over my stomach, he kissed my shoulder. “How are you doing?” He shifted closer, his hard cock pressing against my hip.

“Better now.” I turned to face him, gazing deeply into his light blue eyes, the pupils blown. “Come here.” Grabbing his hip, I tugged him closer, our dicks slotting together, and crushed my mouth on his.

With a soft moan, his hard cock jerked against mine, and he grabbed my ass, heightening the pressure and friction.

A shock of pleasure rocketed up my spine. Yep, he was exactly what I needed to forget. Rolling my hips, I rubbed my leaking cock against his.

“Wait, we need lube. Everything’s better with lube.

” With a slow smirk, he shifted on top of me and grabbed lube from the nightstand.

“Wait till you feel how good this is.” Slathering lube on his fingers, he snuck his hand between us and slicked both our cocks.

“Now try it.” He propped his elbows on either side of my head, his legs falling outside of mine.

With my hips rocking, my dick slid against his, the smooth pressure heating my skin. “Kiss me, babe.” Grabbing his nape, I pulled his lips to mine.

While he devoured me in hungry kisses, he rutted against me, his tongue dominating mine.

I broke from his kisses, panting, tension coiling in my gut, my balls already tightening. As pleasure pulsed inside me, my toes curled. “Fucking hell, this feels good.” Sliding my hands down his muscled back, I gripped his ass cheeks.

“Yeah, baby, dig your fingers in.” He bit and nibbled at my jawline, all the way to my neck, and sucked under my ear.

Shivers ran down my side, and sensation jolted through my balls. “Fuck, JJ, getting close.” I arched my head back while thrusting harder against him. Almost there. Dipping my fingers into his crack, I pushed on his hole, and it clenched.

“Oh, fuck, that’s it.” He shuddered over me, his brows tensing and mouth dropping open, while hot cum spurted between us.

Caught in a wave of need sweeping my body, I watched him.

My balls tingled, and pleasure heightened to the raw peak.

“Oh, fuck, coming.” Tumbling over the edge, I sprayed between us, my cum mixing with his.

Our talk on the couch had made me feel closer to him than anyone before.

My emotions spilled over. “Fuck, JJ, I love you so much.” As it slowed and my head cleared, I held still.

I hadn’t said what I thought I’d said. Did I?

Oh, my fucking God. I swallowed thickly.

JJ lifted, his eyes glistening as he focused on me and cupped my face, his thumbs tracing my cheeks.

“I love you too, Holden.” As a slow grin played on his lips, he rubbed his nose against mine.

“So much.” He placed a sweet as sin kiss on my lips.

“I wondered if it was too soon to say that, but it’s how I feel. ”

“I…” I gaped. I didn’t know what to do next. “It sort of slipped out, but yeah, it’s how I feel too.” With my heart swelling, I wrapped him in a tight hug and held him to me. “Fuck, JJ, what have you done to me? I’ve only been in love once. ”

“I don’t want to hear about that now.” He chuckled against my cheek.

I kissed his hair. Fuck, what was wrong with me? “Sorry, I’m not thinking, my?—”

“Blood’s all in your dick still?” JJ pushed up with a sly smile. “A dick that size requires a lot of blood to get hard, so I understand.” He planted a quick kiss on my lips. “Let’s clean this cum off us and go to sleep. I have a feeling it’ll be the best sleep I’ve ever had before a game.”

“Yeah? Okay.” I followed JJ into his bathroom.