Page 43 of Off Sides

I actually can hear him swallow in an audible gulp, and I let myself smile. “Uhhh . . .” he stutters. “I want that too.”

I grin and then press a quick kiss on his lips. “I just need to have dinner at my house. My brother is getting suspicious.”

“Oh.” He looks worried, and I hate that.

“It’s fine. I just probably need to be home tonight and tomorrow, but . . .” I can’t resist kissing him again, and it lingers for a little longer than I meant it to. When I finally pull back, we’re both a little breathless. “The game. Friday. After the game. I think I want to go to a party.”

“Oh yeah?” he breathes.

“Well, at least that’s what I’m going to tell my parents.”

His smile is bright and beautiful.

“Okay, it’s a date then.”

I kiss him again, faster this time and then regretfully tell Jenna I can’t stay for dinner before going home and suffering through dinner with my family.

Would it be so bad to give this up? I can’t stand them. Their judgment. They’re all I have, but at this point, maybe that’s not true.

I think about Jonah and his sweet, sure smile.

I do have him now. But he’s going on to much bigger things, and what will that leave me with then?

CHAPTER NINETEEN

jonah

Sitting next to my boyfriend on the bus on our way to our first away game is torture.

It’s pure torture.

Not being able to touch him is just totally unfair. But I still like it. I love it, actually.

Getting to sit this close to him and listen to everyone else’s chatter on the bus as we head to Hayes for our game.

I’m not worried about the game at all. We’ve got this.

I’m jittery and excited for the game, yes, but also for what comes after the game. Adler and Shields have been fairly quiet this week too. They didn’t even say a word when I sat with Calvin on the bus.

Maybe they’re bored with it. Maybe my brother’s punishment worked, but I’m not that naive. I’m sure they’re just waiting around like the dickheads they are.

I don’t care though. Bring it on.

The game is seamless. Calvin and I are unstoppable, and thankfully, our defense is almost as good. We win by two touchdowns, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s good to see my brother so happy too.

We ride the bus back to our school, and I want to just pull Calvin to my truck and run, but we have to go into the locker room to shower and change. Again, it’s fucking torture being this close to Calvin and not being able to touch him.

To see him wet and naked after his shower, but again—can’t touch. Can only dream about all that delicious skin and muscle and hair. Fuck me. I have to force myself to look away so no one see the predicament my dick is in right now. I can’t help it if he knows just how good Calvin feels.

I don’t know what we’re going to do tonight—I just know I want it all too. The kisses. The touching. The rubbing. The coming. The talking. Maybe the laughing? God, I love hearing him laugh. It’s like my own personal challenge now to hear that sound.

To see that devastating smile I swear he saved just for me.

Finally, we head out to the parking lot, my body full of excitement of what’s to come. “I was thinking maybe we could camp out at the lake.” Calvin surprises me, and I stop walking. “If you want to, I mean. And if you think Coach and Jenna would be okay with it.”

He’s starting to sound nervous, and my throat has gone totally dry now. The implications. The possibilities. Shit. Say something.

“It was stupid. I brought a bag though. We can stay at your place, if you want. Or I can go home. This was stupid.”