“Yo, Martín! You up?”
Every curse word I can conjure leaves my lips in a string of frustrated whispers. Jesse scrambles down and runs to hide in the bathroom while I tuck my aching boner into my waistband and consider swapping my shirt out for something more loose. But AJ is incessantly banging on the door.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming!” I quickly reach for my bag and pull the door open just enough for my body to pass through.
“Are you sick?”
“What? No. Why?”
“You’re ten minutes late. You’re never late. Everyone’s worried that you weren’t the first person down for the team breakfast.”
Shit.This is what I get for being overly responsible. “Well, I’m coming now.”
Like he has a sixth sense for bullshit, AJ leans in and tries to peer into my room. I shoo him away and step out into the hallway, only to pause.
“Shit. Hold on, I forgot my watch.”
Not giving him a chance to step into the room with me, I shut the door in his face. When I turn around, Jesse is there, wrapping his arms around me and pressing a kiss to my mouth. He licks at my smile, and I groan, pulling away.
“Psst!” Jesse gets my attention before I open the door again and tosses my watch to me. I catch it, then take three long, quick steps to wrap my arm around his lower back and pull him into me again for a deeper kiss.
I finally manage to leave the room, hoping the feverish flush living on my skin isn’t too noticeable, but considering the way AJ keeps looking at me like he’s confused, concerned, or both, I don’t think I’m so lucky.
The morning creeps by. The team breakfast is awkward, with everyone sending me strange looks. The longer it goes on, the more I’m convinced everyone heard me getting fucked last night. I can’t decide if it’s worse for them to think I was in there doing something to myself to cause those sounds, or if it’s worth the trouble I’d get into if they knew I had somebody in my room.
When Langley, one of the team trainers, taps me on the shoulder, I nearly jump to my feet and confess everything, but he only takes me into the hallway to check my temperature.
“Any fatigue, lightheadedness, head or body aches, or sore throat?” He asks, making a relieved face when my temperature registers as normal.
“No, sir. I just forgot to set my alarm and slept in a little later than usual.” I cringe, realizing that I’m probably over-explainingand making it worse. “I’m sorry for being late,” I add on, because I can’t help myself.
“It’s no biggie, Luc, really. As long as you get here before the bus leaves, no one’s going to have a problem. It’s just unusual for you and you’re looking a little…”
“Flustered?” I supply for him and nod. “Just embarrassed.”
Langley smiles and thumps me on the shoulder. “You’re alright, kid. Go finish your breakfast.”
Shortly after, we load a bus and head to the Falcon’s stadium to do a walkthrough and very light scrimmage. Then we head back to the hotel for a catered lunch and film session to review game strategy. It’s really only about six hours total, but it feels like it drags on forever.
Finally, we’re on our own. Normally I’d have a treatment with one of the massage therapists, but I opt to cancel my time slot in favor of a nap. Which is to say, I feign a headache so I can get out of socializing for the rest of the day and head back to my room.
I smile at the faint strumming of a guitar that can barely be heard through the door. If anyone heard it, it could easily be blamed on a television, so I don’t worry too much about anyone overhearing.
“Don’t stop,” I tell Jesse when I enter the room.
He’s sitting on a bench seat in front of the window overlooking downtown Atlanta, wearing the same pair of sweatpants he borrowed from me last night and a wide, boxy black t-shirt cut into a crop-top. He grins up at me when I walk over to brush a gentle kiss against his lips. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Ipull my shoes off and settle back against the headboard to watch Jesse as he casts more spells on me.
Stealing time in a world that won’t wait,
Two hearts beating together.
If these moments are all we get,
I’ll cherish them forever.
No spotlight, no crowd, just you and me,
Hiding quietly in plain sight.
