I also know the feeling when it crashes all around you.
The rest of practice moves quickly. Sally speaks with Dylan and a couple of other seniors, but doesn’t come over to me again. Francesca has stepped into that role for me and handled it, thank God. Before long, I see the reporter and her lackey heading towards the parking lot and I see Chess closing the distance between us from across the field.
“Hey,” she approaches me quietly and cautiously. I hate that she’s on the defensive end here.
“Hey. How did the boys do?”
She smiles. “Great, Jameson is seriously a natural. Easy to talk to, easy to understand. I think the article will be good for him.”
“Yes, as long as they don’t mention his fuck up coach,” I snarl.
“Jackson, I’m so sorry. I had no idea she was going to go there with that line of questioning. I specifically said she could only come down if the focus was on the boys.”
“That is what she got, right? How the boys overcame their coach’s rep.” I slash my hand through the air like I’m standing on a Broadway stage. “I can see it now … number one in the state despite their black sheep of a coach.”
I turn slightly away from her, watching the boys finish their laps, hands on my hips, hat pulled low. I’m fuming. I’m upset for me; I’mupset for the kids. They don’t deserve to have to overcome what I did a decade ago. “Why am I even important anymore? I’m a has been quarterback, who lost his prime a decade ago. What is the attraction?”
“Don’t get down on yourself. You know what the attraction is. You disappeared. No one knowsyou,except for the stuff they think they know. That’s why I’m here, right? It’s why we’re doing what we’re doing? Bringing the good to light and covering the dark.”
She’s right. It is why we concocted this plan. To fight reporters like Sally who only want to dwell on the past. Who still want to use it to shut me down.
“Jackson, that was your first interview in years. You did well with what you were given. At least until…” She fades off and I turn to her.
“Until what?” I raise a brow.
“Until you went from Jackson Gage to the Jacks-Off Gage we all know and love,” she smirks, then barks out a laugh when my jaw drops.
“Did you just call me Jacks-off… Noches?”Her eyes flare as she sees the attraction in mine come to life as I lazily, and blatantly, stare at her tits. I slowly take a step towards her, raising my eyes back to hers, and then another until I’m chest to chest with her.
Her breathing speeds up and I don’t miss how her lips part slightly, her tongue sweeping out to wet them. I track it with my eyes, wanting to taste her. “Only bad girls call me Jacks-off. Are you a bad girl, Chessy?” She squirms as I reach out and feather my fingers across her collarbone. I watch her swallow and run my hand up her throat into a loose hold around it.
“I can be.”
“Can you, now? I think you may end up being the good girl who gets the bad rep after hanging out with me, after I corrupt you. Are you sure you can handle that? Are you sure you want to be a part of that show?” I’m pushing her again, wanting her reaction, wanting her to allow her true feelings to come to the surface.
I need to know what she’s really thinking.
Her eyes flare at my use of the word show. Hmm, so she doesn’t enjoy being reminded this is all for show after all.
“I signed up for this shit show, so yeah, I can handle it,” she replies gruffly as her wall slides up in my face onceagain.
“How much can you handle?” I’m not letting this go. I reach for her hip, her body stiff. I hold her in place, I also hold her stare, neither of us wanting to give in to whatever is happening here. My mind goes back to the bar again, and how right she felt up against me. And here we are again—close, in public. It doesn’t feel wrong. I’m not against this little PDA we have going on here.
“Coach!” Jameson yells and the spell is broken. I lost her heat instantly as she stepped back from me.
I turn. “Huddle up!” he yells, with that grin like the cat who stole the mouse. I was so consumed with Chess I forgot they finished their laps and were waiting for me. Shaking my head, I turn back to Chess, who says, “I’ll let you get back to your team. Don’t want to interrupt your show,” she gives a small smile, eyebrow quirked, and turns to head to her car in the lot. I watch her for a moment, then run over to the team where they give me slight ribbing. I’ll allow it since I was clearly distracted.
But I leave the field wondering why I’m doing this? Why do I want her to admit she feels something? The answer hits me so clearly, it’s as if someone spoke it out loud right next to me.
So that I’m not alone in admitting I want more.
Chapter 16
Francesca
It’s the morning after the fundraiser. My phone pings with more alerts. I have it set for anytime Jackson’s name is mentioned in articles so I can follow exactly what everyone is saying about him.
There doesn’t seem to be anything new popping up, but there is chatter about him and that’s always good. They mention the press release Sally did about his team and his star quarterback. After the slight hiccup at the field that day, Sally turned out a great article showcasing the boys and the teams’ wins. I was relieved and I’m sure Jackson was, too. That’s the news we want circulating about him—positive portrayals, showing him as a role model for the kids as well as a winning coach.
