Page 17 of Maverick (Playing For Keeps #2)

QUINTON

Long before Maverick admitted to having a past with Reese, I could cut the tension between the two of them with a knife. Seeing Reese sneak into Maverick’s room at the beach only solidified it.

After all, they do say that love and hate are two sides to the same coin.

To keep things on neutral ground, I reluctantly peeled myself away from Maverick to sit across the table, trying not to notice the longing in his eyes.

If these two were going to be anywhere near fair to each other, I needed to put some distance between us.

I couldn’t be “Daddy” right now. I needed to be “Captain.”

Seeing as they weren’t going to do it, took the opportunity to start the conversation. “Before things get too serious, I have to ask both of you: Are you okay with what happened back there?”

Maverick nodded feverishly, while Reese scoffed, “More than okay.”

“Were there any boundaries crossed? Anything that needs to be discussed?” Both men shook their heads. “Good. Now, what happened on the field? ”

Maverick answered instantly. “I don’t like it when he tells me what to do.”

“I was trying to?—”

“Reese, listen to him,” I scolded. Red-faced, he shrank into his seat. “He’s told you that you’ve done something wrong. Automatically jumping to the defensive makes you come across combative, like you’re ready for a fight.”

Reese closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he turned his attention to Maverick. “I’m sorry, but it’s hard to help you when you won’t even look at me half the time.”

“Maybe I don’t want your help.”

“That’s not the way to tell him that, is it, Maverick?

” Those pretty green eyes bounced everywhere in the room but at me.

I reached across the table, hooking a finger under his chin and redirecting his attention.

“I didn’t want to pull the ‘Daddy’ voice on you right now, but it seems to be the only way you’ll listen. Is that how you talk to people?”

Maverick swallowed hard, twin spots of color accenting the smattering of freckles across his cheeks. He shook his head, and for Reese’s sake, I let that be an acceptable answer. “I thought I could figure it out myself.”

“I’m not the one who needs to hear that.” I guided him to face Reese and lowered myself back to my seat to let them talk it out.

“I thought I could figure it out myself,” he muttered, this time vaguely in Reese’s direction.

I’d take it.

“There’s nothing wrong with needing help, Mav.”

“Says the one who grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth.”

“Maverick!” I scolded. I’d be the first to admit that Reese deserved some of the shit that got tossed his way.

He was small, but feisty, and easily got under people’s skin.

Knowing the background he came from, it was easy to see how he grew up to be that way, but I didn’t know what had gotten into Maverick.

In the grand scheme of things, I didn’t know the man very well at all, but he’d been so quiet and soft spoken…

An outburst like that didn’t make much sense for him.

Hurt flashed across Reese’s eyes then—a sort of childlike vulnerability that I’d never seen from him before.

“It’s just…” Maverick groaned. “You’ve always breezed through everything you’ve done. It all comes so easy, and I never understood it. I’ve worked my ass off my entire life and I’m still not good enough.”

Those words felt like a stab to the chest, but I swallowed my emotions and stayed quiet. These two were finally talking to each other, and I couldn’t interrupt them.

“I couldn’t cook until last year.” Maverick’s brow furrowed and though he didn’t say a word, he finally looked at Reese.

“We had a personal chef when I was growing up, but I promise it’s not the luxury it sounds like.

I never got a say in what I ate—my parents decided for me.

I never had to do more than operate a microwave.

Imagine what happened when I moved out and I couldn’t even turn on the stove. ”

“Really?”

“I know it looks like things come easy for me, Mav, but that couldn’t be the furthest thing from the truth.

Money can’t buy everything. I’m sorry that I ever made you feel like you weren’t good enough.

The truth is, I was never good enough for you .

You were light years ahead of me emotionally, and I made you suffer for that. I’m sorry.”

Maverick focused on a drop of condensation on the outside of his water bottle, fixating as it danced down the plastic and dissolved into the napkin beneath it. “I… I guess I could use some extra drill practice.”

“Much better,” I praised. “Now, how do you two want to move forward?”

“With training?” Maverick asked, hope lacing his voice. All it took from me was a crooked brow, and he blushed and looked down at his feet. “I… don’t know. ”

My heart thundered in my chest as I built myself up to ask my next question. I had to be prepared that the answer wouldn’t be what I wanted and judging by the look on Reese’s face, he felt the same way.

“Sweetheart, look at me.” Maverick peered up at me through dark lashes. “Do you want to make a decision?”

“No.” His answer was instant, and Reese and I let out identical sighs of relief. “But that doesn’t mean I expect the two of you to be something just because I don’t want to choose.”

“Reese?” He jolted, having had all of his attention focused on Maverick. Blue eyes snapped to me, and he swallowed hard. “Is that something you want?”

Maverick flinched as Reese’s hand found his knee and squeezed. “I’d be willing to try.” Then he stiffened. “Wait—does he know about…”

“He does,” I responded, getting them both blushing. Maverick grinned but slid a little closer to Reese. “Do you think you two can try again?”

“I’d like to,” Reese admitted. “I know I fucked up and that I have a lot of making up to do, but I’d like to try.”

“Maverick?”

He gazed between the two of us, almost like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You would really be okay with this? Both of you? Sharing me?”

“Of course,” we answered in unison.

“Sweetheart, when I first told you that we didn’t have to be exclusive, what did I say was the most important part?”

“That I told you about it.”

Close enough. “As long as we keep open communication, then there’s no way all three of us couldn’t be happy together.”

Maverick cut in before I could continue speaking. “I know I said I didn’t want to make a decision between the two of you, but I want us to be exclusive… Is that okay to ask? ”

“I’m perfectly happy with that,” I said at the same time Reese excitedly blurted, “Absolutely.”

“But if we’re going to make this work, you two need to get along on the field. Which means Reese, you need to learn when to walk away.”

“I’d say so,” Maverick muttered.

“And Maverick, you need to learn when it’s time to ask for help. You can’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

He took a moment, seeming to consider my words before he faced the man beside him again. “Maybe you can show me what I’m doing wrong.”

Reese offered him a small smile. “I’d be happy to.”

With a quick glance at my phone, I grimaced. It was getting way too late for my liking. “You two can start by showing up an hour early for practice tomorrow. I’ll be here with you.”

Maverick spoke up. “You don’t have to do that.”.

“I know.” I stood and rounded the table to stand next to him again. “But it might be the only way I can make sure neither of you end up with any more injuries.” Casting a pointed glance at Reese, I asked, “Did you get that knee looked at?”

“Yeah, just a bruise.”

“Good.” I bent down to kiss Maverick on the cheek. “Are we all happy with where things are?” With nods from both of them, I indicated the mess on the table from our dinner. “If you two will help me clean up, we can get out of here and get some rest.”

Reese and Maverick met me on the field bright and early the next morning. I wanted the two of them to have some time together away from the team and frankly, that’s exactly what I wanted as well.

Them . Both of them. Some switch must have flipped in that shower because I couldn’t stop thinking about Maverick without picturing Reese with him. Some way, somehow, I would have to get those two together in front of me again.

But for now, I settled on watching them battle it out on the field.

Currently, Maverick stood to the side to watch.

I’d told him to study us closely. I hadn’t picked up on what he’d been doing wrong myself, but Reese was picked in the first round for a reason.

If he spoke up about something, I had full confidence that he knew he was talking about.

“Ready for this, Webby?” Reese taunted me with that ludicrous nickname as he strapped on his helmet.

I only rolled my eyes. “Keep calling me that and I’ll kick you through those goal posts.”

“Enough with the foreplay, Daddy . We’re supposed to be working.” He smiled around his mouthguard, and his bright blue eyes sparkled in the early morning sunlight.

Christ. I groaned, securing my own helmet. This boy was going to be a handful. “Are you watching, Maverick?” I called to the sidelines.

He nodded, slowly sipping at the protein drink I’d given him. I hoped he’d learned his lesson about chugging the things.

Over the next few minutes, I let Reese treat me as if I were a blocker.

He tended to be our secret weapon. His size tended to give people the wrong impression.

He was small, but he had incredible strength behind him.

He shoved me off easily every time. It was easy to see why he was such a strong contender in the draft.

Out of the corner of my eye, I started to notice Maverick pace a slow circle around us, studying the technique from every angle.

Once Reese and I were both panting and drenched with sweat, we took a step back and snatched off our helmets. Maverick offered us bottles of water, shaking his head. “I still don’t see it. I thought that’s what I was doing.”

Stepping to the side, I indicated for him to take my place. “Show me,” I said. “Maybe I can see something you can’t.”

The second they started, I clocked what it was: Maverick wasn’t following through, and he tripped and stumbled because of it. Before I could step forward and help him to his feet, Reese did it for me. To my surprise, Maverick allowed it. “You’re not making the connection long enough,” I called.

“What do you mean?”

“Slow it down. Take it step by step and I’ll show you.”

Maverick gripped the front of Reese’s shirt and slowly shoved him to the side, letting go just a millisecond too early.

“There,” I told him. “Don’t let go yet.” Getting as close as I could, I wrapped my arms around Maverick from behind and placed my hands over his.

“Keep contact with him until he’s behind you. ”

I helped Maverick, guiding Reese to the side and tugging Maverick’s hands away once Reese was behind us. “Make sense now?” I asked, taking advantage of the privacy to keep my arms around my princess for a bit longer.

“I think so.”

“Try it again, and don’t be scared to use your size to your advantage. Remember that the guy you’ll be shoving around on the field likely won’t be as small as Reese.”

“Hey!”

“Am I wrong?” I questioned, crooking a brow at him over my shoulder and tossing in a wink for good measure. “Let me see it again!”

I gave them some distance and the next time Reese dashed toward him, Maverick shoved the smaller man right to the ground—luckily not onto anything important.

“That’s it!” I praised, carefully, since other players were now showing up to practice.

“Keep doing just that.” I glanced down at my cornerback on the ground, who wore a proud smile on his face.

“You good?” He nodded with a proud smile, so I left them to it.

“I want you two together all morning. Work on that drill until he’s confident with it. ”

Once the rest of the guys took the field, it was difficult to keep my eye on Reese and Maverick.

The next time I got a chance to walk around the field and check on them, I found them rolling around in the grass.

My pulse jumped, sure they were fighting again.

But the closer I got I realized they were…

laughing. Reese gained control and flipped Maverick to his back, hands headed right for his ticklish spots.

“Stop fooling around you two!” I called.

Red-faced and gasping for air, both heads snapped in my direction. “Sorry, cap!”

Under my breath, I added, “There’ll be plenty of time for that later.”

I couldn’t help the smile that curled my lips as I walked away.