Page 129 of Studs Up
He hadn’t gone away, hadn’t gotten tired of the secrecy. It was the opposite. He embraced it, respected it, and fostered a level of comfort I’d never known before.
My game had gotten so good I was two goals away from the Golden Boot award. Another achievement I’ve always wanted. None of it would have happened if I hadn’t let him in. It wasn’t just the sex it was the love that had been there for a long time that freed me.
I was a better player with Nolan in my life, despite the fucker trying to ruin it. I thought Nolan would have made it all worse.
There was a light at the end of this tunnel. I just didn’t know how to get there.
If the Guardians won against LA then we’d be in for a repeat of last year. So I was put in the awkward position of wanting Nolan to win because I loved him and wanting his team to lose because we’d have better odds against LA.
But of course the love of my life held the line and it only took one goal from Quinn Taylor to put them through.
“Fuck,” Alex groaned from the other side of my couch as the Guardians celebrated on the field. “Turn it off.” I didn’t because Nolan was getting an on field interview.
I watched him answer questions through his gritted teeth because he hated doing interviews, especially on field ones. I don’t think he liked being put on the spot and it definitely killed the high of winning.
“So the trip when well,” Alex commented.
“Hmm?”
Even when he was at his most irritated, he was perfect.
“You’re sex trip,” Alex said loudly. Heat and contentment swirled together and I settled further into the couch missing him but also feeling good for the first time in a really long time.
“It was amazing,” I said.
“You are so fucking lost aren’t you?” Alex grumbled.
“What do you mean?” I couldn’t look away. The warm fuzzy had taken over.
“Look at your face,” he threw popcorn at me.
“Hey,” I finally turned as one kernel after another hit me in the face. “Stop that asshole.”
“You are in love, it’s fucking gross.”
“Just because you’re not getting the dick you want doesn’t mean I cant be happy.”
“Yes it does,” he grumbled and put the bowl down. “How is this gonna work? Last year you guys hated each other’s guts. Now you’re all,” he waved a hand at me and scrunched his face. “Happy.”
“It’ll be no different.”
“How? Please explain to me how you two are going to go out there and battle it out without letting your icky feelings get in the way.”
“Easy,” I said. “Winner gets bragging rights for a whole year.”
He looked at me and then to grumpy Nolan and then back to me.
“Oh we have to win. Fuck the trophy.”
I laughed.
We cleaned up, and I made Alex hunt down every last piece of popcorn he threw before I let him leave.
The door had closed and Alex’s car fired up when the next text came.
Big mistake. Did you really think you could hide your getaway? You can't hide from me. Last chance.
That was it. How could they possibly know? No one had followed me in or out. For miles and miles, no one had been behind me.
