Chapter 6
Colton
Sunday. Game day.
Colton arrived at the stadium, walking past the usual corridor of photographers. Nowadays, NFL players arriving for the game was more of a fashion show than a mere arrival. There were players that arrived impeccably dressed in designer clothing, players that wore the most crazy, outlandish, and sometimes hideous outfits imaginable, and some players that just didn’t care and came in sweats.
Colton was kind of in the middle. He didn’t really care that much, but he knew he would be photographed, and he needed to look good for his endorsement deals. He didn’t usually wear high-end designer clothes, but he always dressed sharp, and he took a damn good picture.
There was always a large horde of photographers waiting to snap pics of all the players, but when Colton arrived, the clicks and flashes from the cameras were blinding. At first, he had found it super annoying. After all, he was here to play football, asport where men chase a little brown ball around while beating the crap out of each other. Who cared how he dressed?! But that’s what it had come to…photographers and fashion before every game. So he dressed as well as he could, stared straight ahead, and ignored the cameras.
He changed into his gear and headed out to the field. The team usually arrived about two to three hours before the game. That gave them time to warm up for about an hour, then mentally prepare for the game.
Colton was going through his usual warmup, which consisted of sprints, high knees, deep stretches, practice routes, and practice catches and throws.
He stopped for a quick breather and looked to the sideline…
Wait…is that Dean?
Dean stood on the sidelines, dressed in blue-gray slacks, a cream sweater, and a navy pea coat, wearing a Niners beanie and looking very stylish.
He was surrounded by the cheerleaders—of course they’d recognized him—and he was posing for pictures, talking and laughing with them like he had grown up on the sidelines of an NFL stadium. Colton smiled and shook his head.
A gay man, with all that attention from women. It’s no wonder straight men are jealous!
Dean saw Colton looking his way and raised his hand to wave. Colton was immediately drawn to him, his feet began to move and he trotted over to the sideline to meet him. Dean was looking downright edible, and Colton caught himself running faster, a big toothy grin splitting his face as he met Dean on the sideline.
“What the fuck are you doing here, man?” Colton asked, still grinning as wide as the field itself. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
Dean smiled and bit his lip. “You know, I realized this week, I love watching football, but I’ve never actually been to a game in person.”
Watching Dean bite his lip, damn, little flames flickered up the side of his neck. “You’ve never been to a real NFL game?”
“I’ve never been to a real NFL game. So, I decided to treat myself and come watch you play…surprise!” Dean grinned, making jazz hands.
Colton was still grinning, and he felt a slight burning, accompanied by a mild soreness, in his cheeks.
Am I blushing?
“Well, I hope you have fun. Where are you sitting?”
“I have a box up there,” Dean said, pointing up behind him. “On the forty-five-yard line.”
“Nice seats! Who’s here with you?”
“No one, it’s just me.”
Colton scrunched his forehead. “Wait. You’re here by yourself?”
“Well.” Dean sighed. “It turns out none of my friends like football, even if it entails free box seats and catering.”
Colton smiled. “But it sucks that you’re here by yourself. I would say you could watch with my parents, but they aren’t here this weekend.”
“It’s no big deal. I do things by myself all the time.”
Colton tilted his head slightly to the side, thinking back, reflecting. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever done anything by myself. There’s always at least one other person with me.”
Dean smiled devilishly and lifted one eyebrow. “You beat off by yourself, don’t you?”
