Page 6

Kate

“He practically admitted to you that you overheard him jacking off to thoughts of you after catching you all wet in a towel?!” Melissa practically hoots with laughter the next day while we are sitting at the counter, in the library, taking our lunch break. I’m munching on turkey and cheese on wheat with a side of pickles, and she’s eating a chicken, bacon, and ranch wrap with a snack bag of pretzels. I reach over and snag one.

“Yup. I couldn’t even swallow; my throat was so dry. I have to give him credit though. Had roles been reversed, I probably would’ve just shriveled up and died right there. I don’t even think my room would’ve been far enough of an escape. No, he goes and makes popcorn then eye fucks me for two more hours.”

Melissa chews another bite of her sandwich and her eyes get big at the sight of something behind me. They glitter with mischief. “Speak of the devil,” she says under her breath. “Hey, Laaaaandonnn.” Landon’s name on her lips draws out due to the Cheshire cat smile on her face. Crap.

“Hey, Melissa,” Landon smiles and says breathily as if he had rushed into the library to get to me. Sounds good on him.

“Kate, will you do me a favor?” I feel Melissa’s foot tap against mine excitedly, and I kick her back to stop her. She pouts but then rests her chin on her hand and smiles up at Landon, probably picturing him pleasuring himself in the shower. Kill me now.

“Sure. What’s up?” I side eye her then look up into his amused but wary eyes. So blue. He sits on top of the table by me. He’s dressed all sporty comfy today in an Under Armour tee and black basketball shorts. I bite my lip. He notices.

“We have extra conditioning today because Trevor and Jace were dicking around at practice this morning. Coach decided the whole team could participate.” He frustratedly growls. “I forgot about it. My mitt is stupidly on the table by the door instead of in my bag. I won’t have time after class to run and grab it. Would you be able to meet me at the field and drop it off? Bout three-thirtyish? Please?” He gives me the sweetest, boyish smile you can imagine, and Melissa and I both just stare back and blink. She kicks me again.

“Sure! Kate and I will drop it off for you. Is there anything else I can do for you?” Melissa answers and cocks her pretty little eyebrow at me. It makes her blonde curls bounce as she suggestively swings her head back to face him. Her innuendo is not lost on Landon nor I, and I snort a giggle and kick her again. She takes it like a champ, not letting up on her megawatt smile.

“Uh...no. I’m good.”

My phone vibrates with a text message and Landon looks down, notices Trevor’s name on the screen, and frowns. He sighs and rubs a palm over his mouth. Looking weirdly back at me, he then leans in and kisses the top of my head. “Thanks. See ya later.” Landon bounces up and takes back off toward the front door.

“Kate, if you don’t do something soon about that seriously hot specimen of a man who clearly adores you, I just might,” Mel threatens, her eyes attentively on his ass as he leaves. “I mean it. That ass!” she whisper-yells at me. Both of us giggle, and I toss a pretzel at her. “Our shift ends in an hour. I’ll gladly go with you to drop off that glove, then we’re going to my place to get sexified for a night at the bar. Who texted you?” She stares expectantly at me as I check my message from Trevor.

“Trevor wants to take me on a date.” I bite my lip, unsure of what to do. “Do I say yes?”

“I think,” she holds up one finger, “One: why the hell not? Trevor’s cute, and Mister Sexy Pants hasn’t stepped up to the plate yet. So, yeah, go have some fun. Number two? It’s probably a really good way to show him there’s competition and he better mark his territory or someone else might.” She gives a truly feline smile. “He might get pissed, but I think I’d like to see that.” Her eyes get all big. “You think he might go all Alpha, yell, “MINE”, and throw you over his shoulder? Ooooh girl, that would be so hot.” We both break into a fit of laughter and get back to work, finishing up stocking the shelves right on time for the shift to end.

Landon

I grit my teeth as I zip up my ball pants and bend down to tie my cleats. He is fucking texting her.

“Jace!” I hear Trevor shout across the locker room. “Kate said she’d double with me, you, and Trisha tomorrow night!” I freeze and glare up at Trevor, and Jace whoops obnoxiously on his way out the door to the field.

“Got something to say about that pretty boy?” Trevor’s eyes glitter with triumph, a clear taunt in his tone.

I chuckle and shake my head as I walk out the door to head toward the field. I won’t give into his baiting. He wants a fight. She’s worth fighting for, but not in this way. She’ll see what a tool he is pretty soon. He’ll end up sticking his foot in his mouth. They always do. Hell, I’ll be happy to oblige by helping him shove it in there. When he fucks up, I’ll be there to pick up the pieces and hold her in my arms. Soon, Kate will see I’m the better choice. I just have to get a bit more blatant with my actions.

The other night when I basically admitted I was fist-fucking myself to the thought of her, she was dumbstruck. She was NOT expecting that. Hell, I was not expecting myself to just go with it, but it just came out. The look on her face was GLORIOUS.

It’s almost three-thirty. She’ll be here any minute to bring my mitt. I look over at Trevor stretching.

Game on, motherfucker.

Kate

Melissa and I pull up to the field and see the guys running laps around the field, all their muscles so taut beneath their shirts and tight baseball pants. MMM mmm, there’s nothing better than an ass in baseball pants. A couple of them are already shirtless since the late summer sun is beating down on them today. Coach has them line up to start burpees, and I can pick Landon out in the line. They finish a set. Landon stands, rips his shirt off, and wipes the sweat dripping from his face and the back of his neck. When he sees me and gives me a slow, easy smile, my core clenches, and I’m blatantly staring. He clearly finds it amusing.

“Lawd have mercy, I’m going to need new panties,” Melissa breathily says next to me, staring at all the hot bodies on display.

He nods his chin up at me in official acknowledgement and runs off the field toward me. His abs, and, well, ALL of his muscles, contract and shift so smoothly, like a well-oiled machine.

Damn, damn, damn. He is still breathing hard from his workout when he reaches me.

“Thanks so much for bringing this to me. I really appreciate it.” He looks at his sweaty shirt then looks at me. Landon proceeds to rub the towel starting at the side of his neck and follows down to that little notch at the bottom of his neck, then over his pecs. Spectacular pecs. It follows down the middle of them and so slowly down, down, down.

He stops at his waistband, and I flip my eyes up to his. They are alight with mischievous amusement, and his pupils are dilated, clearly loving the way I’m ogling his body. My lip stings and I realize that I’ve been biting it this whole time. His eyes take my lips in, and heat flares brighter in his eyes.

He reaches out and snags the Gatorade I also thought to grab last minute, twists the cap, and starts chugging, all the while keeping his eyes locked on mine. The way his throat is working is mesmerizing… Melissa clears her throat and giggles, elbowing me to help snap me out of whatever sweet spell this man has me locked in.

“You going to Swig’s tonight?” Landon asks huskily after practically downing the bottle.

I shake my head, but don’t actually answer.

“Yes, we will be there!” Melissa, who has a voice still and clearly remembers how to use it, pipes up.

“Good,” Landon almost growls, and my knees feel wobbly. “I’ll see you there.” He winks. Winks at me. I smile as he tosses the almost empty bottle lightly back into my hands. I fumble to catch it which causes him to chuckle.

“See you...” I whisper as he turns and takes off jogging back to the team. Mason says something, making Landon laugh and lightly push his shoulder. Landon spares me one more quick glance and a wave as he drops for push-ups. Trevor is standing off over to the left with Jace and they raise their hands, waving at the same time with goofy grins. We both wave back.

“Uh...what the fuck did I just witness?” Melissa guffaws, looping her arm in mine as she drags me back toward my car.

“I don’t even know…” I say in a daze.

“He was totally eye-fucking you and giving you one hell of a show. On purpose. I didn’t think wiping sweat off a body could be that hot, but he has proved this girl very, very wrong. We should drop things off at practice more often! Hot damn! I need the AC before I melt.” Mel shakes my arm. “Earth to Kate, you with me?” she’s grinning ear to ear at me.

“Yeah, I’m with you.” I shake my head to clear it from what my eyeballs just drank in. I have never looked at him so blatantly like that before. Noticing before that he has a nice body? Yeah sure. Straight up soaking him in like that openly to his face? I don’t know what came over me. I need a margarita.

“Let’s go raid your closet. I need to look hot tonight, and I’m going to need a margarita or two,” I say with renewed determination.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about. Mission accepted,” Mel grits out as she swings open her door and climbs in my car, enthusiastically bouncing into my passenger seat.