Page 36 of Necessary Roughness

Sloane

I grinned at the giant television erected in front of the stadium, where Knox’s handsome face was displayed.

He’s talking about me! On national television!

I felt like I was on cloud nine as we filed into the stadium to watch the actual game. Knox must have felt just as good, because he moved around the football field with divine providence in his feet, ducking under tackles and deftly avoiding the grasping hands of the opponents.

He wasn’t the only one shining under the spotlight today. Logan caught four touchdown passes, setting a school record for receiving yards in the process. By the time we won the game, my voice was hoarse from alternately screaming Logan and Knox’s names.

“You’re developing feelings,” Bryson said as we shuffled out of the stadium with thousands of other students.

“So what?” I challenged. “I can’t help but like them. They’re both very likable.”

“Yes, but in this case, they like you back,” Bryson replied.

“I would hope so, considering what we’re doing twice a day.”

Bryson wouldn’t relent, though. “You know what I’m saying, Sloane. This isn’t just physical.”

I gazed over my shoulder at Jayden. “You’ve been awfully quiet in all of this.”

The other twin hesitated, which I immediately knew was a bad sign.

“What?” I asked. “Spit it out.”

“You know I was totally gung-ho about this sexy athletic arrangement at the beginning of the semester,” Jayden said. “But now I’m afraid you’re biting off more than you can chew. I don’t want a Twilight scenario.”

“Huh?” I asked.

“Twilight scenario,” Jayden repeated. “You know. Having to choose between Edward and Jacob? A love triangle?”

“I never saw those movies,” I said.

Jayden gasped.

“Or read the books,” I added.

Jayden clamped his palm over his mouth. “I will refrain from saying what I really think about you, because it might irreparably damage our friendship.”

“I’m not necessarily against it,” Bryson said carefully. “Polyamory is a lot more mainstream than it used to be.”

“Ohh! Polyamory!” Jayden exclaimed. “That’s so trendy right now.”

Bryson went on. “My only concern is that your relationship may come under the microscope of national attention. One of your boyfriends was on ESPN this morning, and your other boyfriend broke a school record. If anyone finds out about what you’re doing…”

Boyfriends . I hadn’t thought of them that way until now, but I kind of liked how it sounded.

“I’m just taking it one day at a time,” I replied. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”

“You sound like Knox being interviewed about their perfect season,” Bryson muttered.

I turned around, walking backwards while spreading my arms wide. “What can I say? He’s rubbing off on me.”

“More like rubbing off in you,” Jayden said with a toothy grin.

I flipped him off, which made the three of us laugh even harder.

*

I got home before my three football player roommates, which wasn’t a surprise since they had to shower and do their post-game interviews and everything.

I opened a bag of chips, relaxed in the leather recliner, and played the full College GameDay interview.

I had missed most of it since I was out in the crowd, the cheers and boos from my fellow students drowning out most of what was being said.

It was fun pausing the TV and squinting at the crowd. There was a flicker of blue to the right which might have been me, but it was tough to tell.

“I have all the support I need in my life,” Knox said. “And that’s all I’ll say about that.”

By now, I knew Knox pretty well. He had a different smile he reserved for TV interviews and for students who intercepted him on campus asking for a selfie. But that smile right there? That was the smile he saved for me .

It gave me a warm feeling inside.

The door opened, and I prepared to excitedly greet the boys home. But it was Roman who came inside and closed the door behind him.

“Oh, hey,” I said, feeling my cheeks go hot. “Good game today.”

“Good for the offense,” he muttered. “We didn’t do so well.”

“Oh. Yeah. Right.”

Roman sighed heavily, dropped his duffel bag on the floor, and approached me. “Stand up.”

“Shit. Sorry. I know this is your recliner, I was just watching the highlights from GameDay.”

But when I got to my feet, Roman wrapped me in a tight bear hug. I was too shocked to do anything but accept his embrace, warm and strong and totally foreign.

When he pulled back, he braced me by the shoulders and stared at me with those dark, intense eyes. “Stop. Being. Awkward.”

“What… what do you mean?”

His grip tightened, holding me in place. “You blushed the moment I walked in the door. It’s been over a month. You’re starting to piss me off. Let it go.”

“I can’t help it!” I said. “You saw… well, you know.”

“What’s going to fix this?” he demanded. “Do you need to walk in on me having sex with some random cheerleader?”

“Maybe? I don’t know. I’m sorry.” I made myself look him in the eye. “I’ll try harder.”

He looked like he was going to say something more, then sighed and went into his room. I could still feel the strength of his fingers on my skin long after he was gone.

I watched the rest of College GameDay that continued after Knox left to prepare for the game. I couldn’t wait for him and Logan to get home. Their success felt like my success, as silly as that sounded. Like I was a part of the team, along with the trainers and physical therapists.

I giggled to myself. Physical therapist. Maybe that’s what I would start calling myself around them.

Roman came out of his room and rummaged around in the kitchen behind me. “Need anything?” he asked.

Trying to make things less awkward, I said, “I’ll take a hard seltzer, please. Black Cherry, or Lime if we’re all out.”

The fridge opened and closed. Then Roman appeared next to me, extending the can in front of my face.

“Thanks,” I said, turning toward him.

He was totally nude.

Well, not totally . He was wearing a pair of boxers that hugged his crotch like a second skin. It left nothing to the imagination, and I quickly pulled my eyes away and up to his face.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!” I croaked.

“Trying to defuse the situation,” he said, walking to the front door and peering out the window, directly in my line of sight. “I saw you nude. Now you’ve seen me mostly nude.”

“It’s not the same thing!” I sputtered. I knew he was a huge, imposing man, but it was different seeing him clothed and seeing him bare.

“I’m willing to try anything,” he growled at me, “because I’m sick of your face turning cherry red any time I walk into my own house. If you have any other ideas, I’m all ears.”

He clinked his own hard seltzer against mine in passing, then disappeared into his room.