Page 15 of Jockstraps & Newspapers

"I didn't ask you to," he huffed.

"Well, don't worry, I'll get out your hair.

" Hot, angry tears welled in her eyes. The truth was, she wasn't doing this for him.

She raced up the track and toward the parking lot.

In his flashy red sneakers and the leggings he'd bought her, his braid coming loose.

She let the scrunchie fall to the ground as she rounded the gate to the field.

The truth was, she kept coming back because of him.

She wiped the back of her hands against her eyes.

How silly…a guy gave her a single iota of serotonin and she was a bumbling mess.

Was she so romantically starved that she'd made up an entire illusion in her head?

Had that night at the pizza shop been a delusion?

Her heart raced as she reached her car. The metal whined as she ripped the door open, tossing her notepad inside.

A small chip of paint fell off the frame of her car as she dropped into the seat.

Her key in the ignition, she debated going back.

Give him a piece of her mind. But, she turned the key instead.

Sputtering. The key turned over and over until she saw plumes of smoke coming out of the hood.

Cass screamed, kicking at the brakes, and slapping her hands against the steering wheel.

Not now, please, not now! But, it didn't matter.

Fate had seen her childish temper tantrum and judged her for it.

The car did not start. Spitting mad and determined to get as far away from the field as possible, she threw herself out of the car.

Cass popped the hood like she would even know what to look for, holding it up with one hand.

Her engine was searing hot. Inhaling sharply through her nose, she steadily let air out.

It didn't help. Her car was broken down and there was nothing she could do about it.

Cassiopeia used the stick to prop her hood open, keys digging into one hand and the other undoing the braid more, she stepped back. "Well, fuck my life."

The sun beat down on her as she stared at the dumpster fire that was her life.

She'd blown her lid at Elliot, blown something inside the car, and probably ruined everything.

There's not a story without Elliot. She hadn't even done his full interview.

"Idiot," she hissed, kicking her front bumper.

"Why did you have to go and do that for? "

Something clattered a few feet back from her and she twisted in place.

As if it couldn't get any worse . Elliot Bonesaw was scraping his water bottle off the asphalt.

When his eyes lifted, catching hers, they both turned to stone.

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

She took another deep breath before breaking the silence, "My car's busted. "

"Let me," he spoke, jogging up to her. She stepped to the other side of the hood; hands crossed under her chest. Every muscle and braincell went on high alert when something was offered to her.

Snapping her attention to his hand, she found her scrunchie and his water bottle offered to her.

"I didn't see you drink much water, you should hydrate. "

Cass wanted to bat both of them from his hands. However, with the looming destruction of her career and her pride held in the balance, she took both offered items. "Thanks."

He waited till she took a long sip from his bottle before looking under her hood.

Cass, shamelessly, studied him as he ripped his t-shirt off his torso to keep his hands safe from the hot metal.

Leaning over the steaming, hunk of junk, he poked at a few things.

"When's the last time you got an oil change? "

"Like last month?" She grimaced, remembering taking it into the shop to change the oil and declining all their services. Not because she didn't want her hunk of junk to run, but because she couldn't afford any of it.

He ripped a stick out of some tube and shook his head. "You're out of oil; bad boy won't start cause you're bone dry. Probably used up the last drop to get here."

"What!" she squawked, once again enraged.

Cass tossed her arms up as she stormed to his side.

He showed her the dipstick and her heart sank.

It was, indeed, dry as a bone. Elliot stuck it back and dropped to his knees.

Poking his head under the car, he grunted something.

Cass waited as he poked and prodded her poor death trap.

It bounced left and right as he moved things.

Then, with a huff of discontent, he scuttled out from under the car.

"What shop did you take this to?"

"I don't remember, the one near my apartment?" She grimaced.

"They didn't change your filter, the oil cap is cracked, and you've got a leak on your transmission. Did they tell you about any issues before you left?" He dried his hands heavily on his shirt before climbing to his hooves.

Cass tossed her head back, stomping away from him.

Another temper tantrum, but this one she wouldn't feel shame for—she kicked and stamped before letting out a frustrated scream. Don’t cry.

Don’t cry. Don’t cry. "No! No, they didn't! They told me I needed to get a tire rotation, my air filter replaced, and that my alignment was a little off. "

Elliot let down her hood and clicked it back into place.

She finally stormed her way back to the car, shaking with rage.

Only, all of it stopped when he gently nudged the water bottle up to her face.

She, without question, took another sip from the rubber straw of his bottle.

It took a moment, breathing in through her nose, taking a sip, then letting the air back out.

He smiled softly, nudging it again. She took another sip.

"Hey, it's okay, I know of a place, friends and family discount, we'll get this fixed for you," he breathed.

She glared at him weakly, "I don't want your pity."

"It's not pity, I'm trying to apologize." He stuffed his hands back into his shirt, looking down at his fingernails. "I…I was mean, back there. It's not you, and I was ignoring you."

She shoved his water bottle forcefully into his chest. He grunted, taking it back. Cass kept her hands busy, wrangling her curls off her neck viciously. "Why? What did I do? I thought we were fine, and then you won't look me in the eyes and you're blatantly avoiding me?"

He let out a low whine, "Cassie, I'm sorry, but please don't ask."

"Well, too bad! I'm mad, I'm asking, and you owe me an explanation.

What's going on with you? One moment I think we're …

" She couldn't even speak it. One moment she thought they were going to kiss.

One moment she thought they were on the same page.

One moment she thought for once, someone saw her for her.

Then, Elliot hit her with a bag of bricks and swung with the might of…well…him. "Cassie, I'm in heat."

She blinked, hands falling to her sides. Her keys clattered to the ground. Heat? She stared up at him, confusion filling her face. Brows knitted down, mouth hung open an inch, brain blank, she stammered. "Heat?"

"Yeah, minotaur's get them randomly. It just pops up and it's a bad time—okay?

I've been avoiding you… because every time I go to talk to you, this happens.

" He waved his hand grandly to his hips and, for the first time, she looked below his belt on purpose.

His gray sweatpants were tented like he was holding them up with a lead pipe.

Her stomach twisted into an angry knot as she immediately jerked her attention away from his pants.

"Oh, uh—well."

"I didn't want to tell you because it's not your problem to deal with…but that night at the pizza shop, it came over me and it won't go away, not while you're here." He spoke with a flap of his hands.

She stared at him, open mouth breathing. "Wha-what does that mean? Do you want me to leave? Is that it?"

"No!" He put his hands to his hips. "I like you, and my Heat is determined that I have you, but that's not fair to you."

"Why isn't that fair to me?" she retorted with a sneer.

"Because you don't…" He trailed off, his face softening as he looked at her.

Truly looked at her, and the sharp sting of a blush covered her cheeks again.

He took a step forward and her heart turned into a drum solo.

A soft hand brushed against her cheeks, tucking a loose curl around her ear.

Cass shivered as he dragged it around the pointy tips, his fingertips lingering above her pulse. "Cassie, be honest, do you like me?"

She snorted, "Of course I do! Are you kidding? I've been fawning over you like a school yard crush! Was it not obvious? I…"

Her throat closed up as his hands cupped the nape of her neck.

He dragged her till she was pressed against his chest. Elliot panted, tiny puffs of air hit her face.

Her lips quivered. Their faces were close enough, just another inch and…

Elliot's eyes fell closed first. Then, she smashed her mouth against his and the world spun.

Her fingers fisted the fur on the side of his face.

His water bottle crashed to the ground and rolled away as he grabbed her side.

He tasted of a hint of green apple as he speared his tongue through her lips.

The hand cupping her neck crawled into her curls and clenched them tight.

Something hard like metal and heavy like a boulder pressed against her stomach, pulsing as she groaned into his kiss.

"Fuck," he hissed, ripping away from her mouth. Elliot stumbled away, twisting from her, and putting his hands to her car hood. "Cassie, I—"

"What's wrong?" She blurted out, rushing to his side.

"You're wearing pants and we're in public and I'm so fucking hard I'm dizzy." He hung his head, groaning loudly. "We should…we should."

Elliot sank to his knees, forehead against the ancient metal of her car. Cass knelt beside him, rubbing a hand to his arm. "Elliot?"

"It'll pass," he breathed, flashing her a weak smile. "Besides, I was still trying to apologize. The last thing you deserve is to have me horn dog you while I'm trying to grovel, you know?"

She barked with laughter, body trembling. His smile grew stronger as he sat back on his calves. Cass clenched her fingers around his shoulder caps for support as she tried to sober her chuckles. "Horn dog? Really?"

"Yes, really." He leaned toward her, putting their foreheads together. "Please, Cassie, forgive me."

She sighed, "You know how much I hate being ignored, how much that hurt me. Why wouldn't you just tell me?"

"I was worried, and I didn't want to scare off my girl. Heat is a lot, and it's kind of embarrassing—an uncontrollable red flag that screams, ‘hey world, I have to bone’." He pulled back before kissing between her eyebrows.

The words ‘ my girl’ played on repeat in her mind.

It made her heart flutter. Glancing up from his face to her car, she scanned the parking lot around them.

Everyone was still on the field. Their chanting and music filled the air.

Cass let out a shaky, excited breath as she whispered, "Elliot… are there cameras in the parking lot?"

His eyes widened in surprise. He swallowed loudly, like a cartoonish gulp. "No, not out here."

Cassiopeia climbed to her feet, taking her keys with her.

Elliot followed her like a lost puppy, practically crawling after her.

Something akin to pride surged in her with wicked desire.

She unlocked the back door to her wide, four door death trap, and it creaked open.

He could fit in the frame. She spun to face him, his hands pinned against the metal of her car.

Excitement and nerves sparked in her belly, turning her core into a wet, churning mess.

Buzzing with need, she was hyper aware of every inch of her body.

"I think there's a way you can get me to forgive you, while also taking care of your heat. "

Elliots eyebrows shot up on his face. "Are you sure? We can just take care of your car, you don't have to."

"Elliot Bonesaw, if you don't hurry up and fuck me in this backseat, I'm never going to forgive you." She put her hands to her hips.

He let out a sheepish laugh, "Whatever my girl wants."

And he scooped her up, tossing her into the backseat of her car.