Page 7 of Hidden Plays (Desert Football #1)

With a sneer, he jabbed his finger into my chest. “Matthews, you’ll do as I say. I’m your trainer, and I’m telling you?—”

“Boys, what’s the problem here?” Coach Bowden stepped toward us, his gaze flicking between us.

Holden hung his head. “Nothing. I’m taking him to the back to assess his IT band.”

“Good, I think that’s a fine idea.” Coach patted my shoulder. “Great job on the touchdown, Matthews, but you go ahead now.”

Son of a bitch. “Of course, Coach.” Throwing another glare at Holden, I followed him toward the tunnel as the whistle blew to end the first half.

Inside the medical room, I sat on a therapy table. As Coach Reid’s stern voice filtered in from the locker room, I said, “I told you I’m fine. It’s not hurting at all.” If he pulled me from the game, I swore?—

“Lie on your back.” Holden grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and came at me.

Rolling my eyes, I fell onto my back, lifting my legs onto the table. Pain sliced through my side. Damn it, why now?

He pressed the ice pack to my hip and said, “Stretch the leg across your body with your knee bent. Let’s see if you can.”

“No problem.” I did as he asked and winced as my hip pinched. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Not now! “That asshole had no business jumping on me.”

“I know.” He rubbed the heel of his hand down the outside of my thigh, stretching the muscle. “How does this feel?”

Glaring at the ceiling, I said, “Okay.” No, really damn good. Too good. My skin tingled, and my dick twitched. As my gaze met his, my mind replayed him in tight shorts and a crop top. Goddamn it, football. Think about football.

Focusing on my mouth, he bit his lower lip and then peered at my leg. “You’re really tight here.” He worked his fingers into the edge of a thigh muscle.

“That’s what all the guys say.” I snickered. That’d fix him.

“Jesus Christ.” He dipped his head and freed a soft snort. “I didn’t think you’d be a bottom.”

“I’m not. I’m vers.” I shifted my head on the table. How familiar was he with gay terms? “I’m open to almost anything with the right guy.”

“Yeah?” With his brows twitching, he pushed on my knee, stretching the IT band and it relaxed, the ache dissipating. “What type of guys are the right ones besides hockey players?”

“I don’t know. Guess I like muscular guys, jocks.” I focused on his plump lips, now a redder hue.

“Yeah? I’m muscular, but you said I wasn’t your type.” He slid his hand up my thigh, massaging the muscles and inching inward. “This entire leg is tight. Your other muscles are compensating for the injury.”

Shit…As heat built in my belly, my cock swelled. He was giving me a fucking boner in my football pants. The damn things left nothing to the imagination. “Don’t you think that’s enough? I need to go hear what Coach Reid is telling the team. I can take the ice pack with me.”

He straightened my leg onto the table and his brows snapped up. “Um…” He stared at my now hard dick, stretching toward my hip. “I uh…” His tongue darted over his lower lip and his face reddened all the way to his ears. “I don’t know what to say.”

Awkward as fuck. “Hazard of the job?” My dick had lost its tiny mind. Freeing a stuttered chuckle, I sat up. “I’m gay and your hands were in places only my hookups or boyfriends go.” I gave him my best innocent grin .

He stepped back, clearing his throat and staring at the floor. “Yeah, go ahead. I think you’ll be okay. I’ll, um, let the team doc know…” Planting his hands on his hips, he raked his teeth over his lower lip. “Know you’re okay.” His gaze crept to me and shifted away.

Dude couldn’t even look at me now. “Fine, but we’re still on for tonight, right?” I threw my legs over the side of the table and carefully put weight on them. I didn’t want to undo whatever his massage had done for me.

“Yeah, sure.” As he peeked at me from under his blond bangs, he adjusted himself.

What the hell? I glanced at his groin, his dick bulging through the thin team joggers.

He wasn’t hard, but he sure looked bigger than normal.

No fucking way. “Okay, see you out there.” I snatched the ice pack and hurried toward the locker room.

I didn’t know what had just happened, but I wouldn’t unpack it now.

We won the game, with me scoring yet another touchdown.

I’d set up to meet Holden at the street corner on Mill, where the bar was located.

As I strolled along the sidewalk, past bars and restaurants with people spilling out of them, I glanced at the cars crawling along.

This place was always hopping at night. In the reflection of a window, I assessed my outfit for tonight—short shorts and a sheer white top, which showed off my physique.

Ahead of me, glass high-rises towered over the two-and three-story brick buildings along this older section of town, the streetlamps looking like something from the turn of the century.

‘A’ Mountain rose between buildings, the enormous letter lit for the evening.

They had painted the thing a million times.

Whenever we played our rival, U of A, the bastards painted it in their colors, but now it was white.

I strode beneath the metal stairs to the bar where men lined up. I wasn’t one for packed and loud bars of any kind. I preferred quieter places, like the wine bar down the street. But whatever, I would get this over with.

Holden stood on the corner with his hands in the front pockets of some tight jeans.

Damn, he’d taken what I’d said to heart.

The cut of his t-shirt exposed his arms and midriff, showcasing his stomach muscles, and his hair flowed in perfect waves from his face.

The guy was gorgeous. I had to give him that.

His gaze caught mine, and a smile teased his lips before he dipped his head.

Was he happy to see me? I chuckled. Hell no. My hard on in the medical room still embarrassed him. He’d barely spoken to me after that. “Hey, Holden.” I stepped to him, hopping on my toes. “Are you ready to do this?”

“Of course.” With a deep inhale, he raised his chin. “Like I said, I’m not homophobic. I can handle this.”

“Okay.” Like the way he handled my boner tonight? I twisted my arm around his. “Let’s get into character. You’re my boyfriend now, and you don’t want any men touching me. Right?” This would be so much fun watching him squirm.

“Yeah, whatever.” His gaze trailed over me. “You look, um, nice.” He bit his lower lip, his cheeks flushing.

“Thank you, so do you.” I guided him toward the stairs. “If I didn’t know better, I’d totally think you were gay.” Would he take it as a compliment?

“Okay.” Swelling his chest, he held his head high as we approached the stairs. “So what will we do in there?” As we stopped at the end of the line, he eyed a tall twink standing in front of us.

“We’ll go in, get a drink, and shoot the shit. I’ll photograph myself on the dancefloor, so the guys will think I’m having the time of my life, and we’ll leave.” My attention drew to the twink, eye-fucking me. Here we go.

“Hey, are you two together?” The twink gave me a flirtatious smile and touched my forearm .

“We are.” Holden shifted his stance and pushed me behind him. “He’s my boyfriend.” His throat dipped with a hard swallow.

Holy fuck. A soft giggle sprang from my throat. This was hilarious. I needed to keep my mouth shut and watch.

“He is, huh?” The twink swayed his head, peering around Holden. “Lucky you.” He tapped his fingers on his lips. “Threesome? I’d love to be the cream in your donut.”

Holden’s eyes widened. “Uh, no.” Shaking his head, Holden pressed his lips together. “We don’t cheat.”

“Oh, honey, having a threesome isn’t cheating.” The twink clucked his tongue and walked up the stairs, following the line.

Turning to me, Holden whispered, “Do you gay men have a lot of threesomes?”

“They can. I’ve done it once or twice. It’s fun.” Except it always fucked with my need for connection. I wouldn’t admit that to Holden. I glanced up the stairs. The line progressed, but the place would be in full swing once we were inside.

“I don’t, uh, I’ve never had a threesome.” Hooking an arm around my waist, he clung to my side and kept his gaze on the stairs.

My lips curled. He was feeling uncomfortable. I leaned against his hard body, and my chest warmed. What the hell was wrong with me? I hated this guy. Being here with him wasn’t supposed to make me feel good. It was to prove a point. Okay, and get my roommates off my ass.

After moving through the line, we showed our IDs and stepped into the bar.

Holden stopped, his gaze winding through the flashing lights, the men chatting, kissing and grinding on each other, bouncing to the beat of the techno dance music. “Holy fuck.” His grip on my waist tightened. “Is it always like this?”

“Pretty much. At least it was the other two times my friends dragged me in here.” I brushed his bangs off his paling face. He was scared shitless. With a sharp laugh, I said, “I thought you could handle this? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

He gaped, and his gaze swept to mine, his jaw clenching. “I’m fine. It’s not a problem.”

A heavily muscled man carrying shots approached, his Speedo straining. “Would you like to try a Sex on the Beach shot made with coconut vodka? It’s on the house.” He picked up a small plastic shot glass, the colorful drink dripping down the side.

“Sure.” Holden snatched the drink and downed it. “How many are on the house?”

“For you, big boy? I’d give you three.” The Speedo guy trailed his gaze over Holden. “For a kiss.”

“A-a kiss?” Holden cut his gaze to mine, darting it over my face. “Uh, but I have a boyfriend.”

“He won’t mind. Will you?” Speedo guy touched my chest and smirked. “It’s only a kiss.”

“I don’t mind.” As a full-blown smile spread over my face, I pushed Holden toward Speedo guy. This was too much fun.

“O-okay, uh, babe, I guess it’s okay then.” Grabbing two more shots from the tray, he tipped them back, one after the other.

Speedo guy wrapped his hand around Holden’s nape and leaned in, pressing his lips against Holden’s.

With his eyes popping open, Holden squirmed and dropped the plastic glasses to the floor, his hands fisting and opening.

Muffled sounds squeezed from his throat and after a moment, he shoved Speedo guy’s chest, pushing him backward.

“Holy fuck.” He drew deep breaths and swiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

As I choked out a laugh, a second of heat flickered through my chest. This was funny, right? Wrinkling my nose at Speedo guy, I said, “Okay, a little aggressive, but at least you got my boyfriend warmed up for me.” I wound an arm around Holden’s bare midsection .

Wiping the corners of his lips, Speedo guy said, “It was totally worth it. He’s a little shy, but he’s got great lips.” He fluttered his lashes at Holden. “Like pillows.” With a flourish, Speedo guy walked to his next target.

With a glare at me, Holden said, “Kissing random guys wasn’t in the contract.”

“Oh, just random guys? What about me?” The fuck did I just say? I dropped my mouth open. How could I recover? “I-I mean, I’m supposed to be your boyfriend, and if you want the guys in this bar to think we’re together, it might help if?—”

With a growl, he slapped his hands on my cheeks and crushed my lips with his.

The fresh cinnamon scent of him invaded my senses, my cock waking and shivers running along my skin.

Holy hell, what was happening? I snuck my tongue behind his teeth and swiped it against his, a soft moan spilling from me.

He stayed on me a moment more, slanting his mouth over mine, his lips devouring me in demanding caresses. And then he ripped free. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me.” He pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead. “I need to go somewhere. I can’t fucking breathe.”