“If you’re out of breath, I’m sure we can find someone to replace you,” Jake taunted while around him them were more howls of laughter.
“Fuck off, McBride,” Ethan wheezed.
“You can still go easy on her. Just let her think you’re not. We’ve learned that trick over the years and she’s never realized,” Buster said softly, so Annabelle couldn’t hear.
“You couldn’t have told me that sooner?” Ethan straightened as he sucked in a deep breath.
“Where would the fun be in that?” That was from Newman, who patted Ethan’s back as he passed.
Taking his place again, Ethan scowled at Annabelle then turned to whisper something to Buster and Branna and the three teenagers on his team before they took their places again. As the play started, Branna ran towards Jake. Distracted as she bumped into him, Buster went long and Ethan sailed a ball right into his hands.
“Touchdown!” Buster declared.
“That’s cheating! Branna deliberately took Jake out of the play!”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Annabelle.” Branna smiled sweetly up at her fiancé, then kissed him and jogged back into the line.
“Nice move, Tex.” Jake shook his head to clear it, then called his team in.
“Last play, because I need food,” Newman said.
“Wouldn’t hurt you to go without a time or two,” Buster called.
“What?” Newman looked down at his stomach. “You saying I’m fat?”
“Just looking out for you, man.”
Newman flipped him the bird. “I’m still a size down from you in shorts, Baker Boy.”
Ethan drifted back as the play started, keeping his eyes on Annabelle. She started running and he shadowed her. Around them people were yelling, faking, and running decoys, but he kept her close, and then the ball was coming. He saw it out of the corner of his eye. She jumped, both feet pushing off the ground, reaching upwards to catch it.
“Got it!” Her cry made Jake whoop, but Ethan wasn’t done yet; she still had to make the touchdown. She started running, those long legs pumping, but his were longer. He dove, catching her around the waist, then they were both falling. She grunted as she hit the ground, and he followed, making most of his weight hit the ground beside her. When they settled he rolled on top of her.
“Sorry about that, honey, but you’re short.”
It took her a few minutes to get her breath back, and then she was wriggling to get him off her. Ethan just settled himself better, spreading his body over hers. He felt her hipbones, the flat planes of her stomach, the press of her breasts. They were both hot and sweaty and all he could think about was taking her. Pulling the zipper of her shorts down, running his fingers under the band of her panties and touching her. He wanted to sink into her slick heat and ride her hard.
“Get off me, Gelderman. You’re fat.”
And then there was that mouth. Lush, mobile, and he wanted to silence her with kisses, hot, hard, slow and sweet.
“Just so we’re clear, no touchdown was scored, Smith.” He looked down into her eyes and saw the heat simmering back at him. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her.
“Let me up.”
“When you’ve told me that you didn’t score that touchdown, Annabelle, I’ll let you up.”
Her eyes told Ethan she could feel him pressing into her, knew that he was aroused.
“You two getting up?”
“Not until she tells me that she didn’t get that touchdown.” Ethan said the words still looking at Annabelle, his eyes running over her face.
“Could be a long wait, Tex. We’ll save you food. Annabelle’s not exactly known for giving in,” Jake said from behind him.
“Yeah, remember that time in school when I said the first person to talk has to do the homework?” Ethan heard Newman’s voice this time. “She was still at it when the bell went off at the end of the day.”
The voices grew faint and then there was just the two of them.
