Page 7 of Personal Foul (The San Diego Storm #3)

Colin

I was struggling to keep my thoughts and hands off my teammate. From the moment my eyes landed on him, I knew this was going to go one of two ways. We’d either kill each other or end up fucking each other to the death.

The sexy American was my height, with meticulously styled dark blond hair and wary hazel eyes.

He was uptight, making Carson St. James so much fun to mess with.

He appeared straight as an arrow, but like I told him, his eyes gave him away.

Whether he took me up on my offer to pursue his fantasies would be up to him.

I was down to fuck or fuck around any time he wanted.

It just might take a bit to get him there.

But pushing his buttons was going to be my new favorite pastime. I could find creative ways to get under his skin just to rile him up. It didn’t take me two seconds to observe his pressed denim jeans with the crease down the front and clean-shaven face to know what kind of man he was.

When we got outside the doors of the airport, I stopped in my tracks and waited for him to catch up.

I grinned when he walked past me carrying my ruined suit and giant suitcase.

I wanted to tell him it had wheels, but he was having such a good time showing off his manhood that I let him do it. Who was I to interrupt his good time?

Carson glanced over his shoulder a time or two as I purposefully trailed behind him. He had a delightfully tight bum, and I hoped one day to sink my cock inside it. Just thinking about the squeeze made me moan.

The sound made him stop and turn around, muscles flexing as he scowled at me. “What are you doing?”

I grinned. “Nothing. Taking in the scenery.”

He squinted his eyes, then turned. “Stop staring at my ass.”

“But why? It’s a fine specimen. Buuuut,” I said, “mine is better. Firmer. That’s what rugby does to a man.”

Carson whirled on me again. His eyes were blazing as he got nose to nose. I was tempted to kiss him. Since he didn't push me away or punch me in the airport, I figured it was all good.

“Let’s get something straight right now,” he seethed.

“Okay,” I said, wanting to say he wasn’t. But I held myself back. “What’s got your undies in a twist?”

Carson acted as if he might explode, so I held up my hands. “I’m sorry. I’m listening, Cappy.”

He craned his neck to the side as if relaxing the taut muscles. His neck was thick and muscular, begging for me to drag my tongue across it.

“This team means a lot to me. And if you’re here just to fuck with our dynamic while your lawsuit gets settled, I’m warning you now to get your ass back on a plane.”

I frowned. “What lawsuit? I don’t have one unless Leland didn’t tell me. Asshole.”

Carson seemed confused. “You’re suing the NRL for suspending you.”

My eyes popped open. “I am? Since when? I didn’t know you could do that.”

He studied my face as I gazed into his eyes. There were flecks of gold and brown in them that sparkled in the sunlight. I wondered what he’d do if I kissed him again?

But I didn’t get the chance. Allister started meowing and moving around. I released the handle of my suitcase and squatted down to put his carrier on the ground. Unzipping the top, I put my hand in just enough to soothe him.

“I know, buddy. It won’t be much longer. I promise, sweet boy.”

Allister rubbed his face against my hand and purred. When I had him settled down, I looked up into Carson’s eyes. They had lost some of their fire but taken on an air of understanding.

“He’s been cooped up a long time. And he’s done well for a first-time traveler.”

Carson nodded, then grabbed the handle of my suitcase. He set the bag with my suit on top, then rolled them both, leaving me with only Allister.

“My car is over here,” he said over his shoulder.

As he walked away, I picked up my baby and carried him in my arms.

“Do you like animals?” I asked, closing the distance with long strides.

He smirked. “Yes. I have a dog. She’s a good girl.”

“Really? What kind?”

Carson glanced over his shoulder. “Ironically enough, Bella is an Australian Shepherd. Kinda got hair like yours.”

I found his quip funny. Maybe I should have been insulted by being compared to a dog, but I knew they were beautiful animals.

“You know they’re not from Australia, right? They’re originally from your great state here.”

“Yes, I know. Bella is my baby. She’s black, brown, and white.”

“And good with cats?” I asked.

“Guess we’ll find out. But you’ll be in the guest house. Not mine.”

Carson paused behind a white Range Rover , then unlocked the doors. Lifting the hatch, he placed my bags into the back before closing it.

“Let’s put him in the backseat,” he said quietly. “He’ll be more comfortable.”

I followed him to the right side of the car and waited for him to open the door. Carson scowled. It was really sexy when he did that.

“What are you doing?”

I blinked. “Getting in the car. What are you doing?”

“ Driving the car,” he smirked. “We’re on the left over here.”

Bloody hell. I’d forgotten. Nodding, I moved to the other side and opened the back door. I placed Allister’s carrier on the seat, then gently closed the door. My shoulder ached a bit from lugging him around for a full day.

Sliding onto the right side, I closed the door and sighed.

Even though I’d slept on the plane, I was exhausted. My adrenaline was dropping quickly along with my energy. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I’d be out.

“Is this all you brought?” he asked as he started the car. The quiet engine purred to life, relaxing me more.

“Yeah.” I turned toward him but didn’t lift my head from the headrest. “I figure it’s warm here, so I didn’t need a lot of clothes right now. My best mate has a couple of boxes to ship when I need them. Besides, I hear beaches here don’t mind the nudies.”

I watched as his jaw ticked, unsure of what to say. He flipped on the AC, then fumbled with the radio.

“It’s hot in here,” he mumbled, pressing the button for his window.

It wasn’t, but I grinned. “If you say so.”

“Put on your seatbelt. It’s the law.”

His stern, bossy side was working for me, so I complied and did as he asked.

Carson slipped on sunglasses and backed out of the parking space. The late afternoon sun was well above the horizon as we left the parking lot. It was tomorrow morning in Australia, and the fatigue was setting in.

He didn’t speak as he scowled out the front window. He had a bee in his bonnet, and it made me wonder if it had anything to do with the lawsuit he’d referred to.

“Why did you think I was suing the league?”

When he didn’t reply, I turned to look at him. He was still scowling, but his ears were now turning red.

“What?” I asked. “What aren’t you saying?”

He cleared his throat and stared intently at the stoplight.

“A teammate told me you were suing the league. And you’d come over here to bide your time until it was settled.”

I shrugged. “I did come over here to bide my time, but not because of a lawsuit. I want to play, and sitting around for eighteen months wasn’t going to get me a paycheck.”

He huffed out a breath through his nose, still not looking at me.

“What else did you hear, mate?”

The stubborn ass clammed up but turned the radio up to fill the void. He was an odd lot. One minute he’s chewing me out, the other he’s personable. Something was off, and I had to get to the bottom of it.

“You okay, mate? Have I already made you uncomfortable?”

He snorted. “No. What makes you think that?”

I shifted in my seat. “Well, when you seized up tighter than a virgin when I kissed you, I thought I might have knocked you off your rocker.”

Glancing over at me, the scowl was back.

“I’m not…” he sighed, then ran a hand over his mouth. “I’m not a pretentious asshole. But I’ve heard a lot of things about you. And if you’re here to take my job, I’ll tell you now good luck and fuck off.”

I grinned. “I’m not here to take your job, you cunt.”

Carson’s eyes widened. “Don’t use that word, fucker.”

I laughed. “So I can’t call you my friend? Fine, whatever you say, Cappy.”

“That’s not what that word means here, Kearney. It means something completely different. You might get punched if you use it here.”

Shrugging again, I glanced out the window. “Noted. Don’t call Carson a cunt. Got it.”

I turned my attention back to him. “But you’re okay with me hitting on you? It doesn’t have to mean anything. It could just be a way to blow off steam. And just so you know, I’m very good with my mouth.”

That must have gotten his attention because he pulled off the road into an empty lot. Stopping the car, he took off his sunglasses and glared at me.

“Let’s get this straight right now. Whatever this is between us is not going to happen. The way I responded to your kiss was, like I said, purely a physical reaction to a stimulus. If I made you think otherwise, I apologize.”

I smirked, then nodded. He was so full of kangaroo doo. His body language alone told the story. “Apology accepted. But I have one question.”

He sighed and ran his hand over his mouth before replying. “What?”

“Are ya gay, or bi? Or maybe pan? If you’re fluid, that’s even better. I’m just trying to sort you out, ya know?”

He placed his head on the steering wheel, evidently exhausted from all that denial. The poor hottie had no idea how good having a man inside him could be.

“I’m not divulging my sexuality to you or anyone. It’s none of your fucking business.”

I sighed. “Okay. Fair enough. Bi then.”

As if the damn burst, he shot his arm out across the car and pointed at my door.

“Get out,” he yelled. “Get out of the car. You can call Coach and tell him I dropped you off at the Burger Hut.”

I laughed but didn’t move. Instead, I took a chance and settled my hand on his shoulder. He didn’t flinch or push me away. Carson sat there perfectly still as I gave it a good squeeze. It made me wonder how long he’d been without a tender touch.

“I’ll behave. I promise. However, if I get pissed, all bets are off. But for the record, just so we’re clear, I’m gay, Cappy. And I promise to do my damnedest not to ogle your sexy body or your firm buttocks.”

He whipped his gaze to me. “I knew you were staring at my ass.”

I smiled. “It’s a fine ass. It’s like looking at a sports car. You can appreciate it without having to drive it.”

He blinked as he processed my words. “I guess that makes sense.”

My face hurt from all the grinning I’d been doing. “One more question. Will you mind if I bring a hookup or two home sometimes?” I motioned toward my cock and mimicked jerking off, just to see what he’d do. “A man has needs.”

Carson shook his head, making me think he was going to say no. But he surprised me. “You’ll be in the guest house. Do whatever you want as long as I don’t have to see it, hear it, or clean it up.”

“Good,” I said, giving him a firm slap on the shoulder. “Now, can we go home? I need to release my pussy and take a shower.”

Carson shook his head as if he didn’t understand me, then pulled out of the parking lot. But I knew the truth. He might not want to say the words, but his body did all the talking for him.

He’d want to fuck in no time.

On the drive, I sent a message to Owen letting him know I’d arrived safely and would call soon. I was dead on my feet and wanted to sleep.