The Wrong Quarterback: Chapter 18

It was a fact that I was fucked in the head. My brain was incapable of believing that someone like Parker Davis could really be interested in someone like me. So when I walked out of my dorm, still rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I completely froze.

Parker was the most beautiful man on the planet. It was a fact, undisputable in every way.

His shirt was tight, accentuating every one of his muscles and fuck…it wasn’t fair to the rest of us that he could look like that. I had the urge to glance behind me, because I still wasn’t convinced that the smile curving on his lips was actually for me.

Everyone who walked by was staring at him, and who could blame them? It would have been weird if they didn’t. He had this larger than life magnetism that made you want to fall to your knees and worship him.

“Good morning, baby,” he said, holding out a coffee. One that I would bet was my favorite, once again.

I took it, still stunned. Before I could get my words together, he leaned in close, his voice dropping to that low, steady tone that did things to my insides. “One thing you should know about me,” he murmured, his eyes locked on mine, “I always keep my promises.”

The words lingered in the air between us, and I just stared at him, speechless. He straightened, his easy confidence in place, and grabbed my hand, pressing a kiss against my skin.

Of course, I blushed, because I couldn’t help but think of where those lips had been just the night before…

I fell into step beside him, warmth from the coffee, and his touch seeping through my veins.

“I have practice this afternoon,” he said, his tone apologetic, like it was something he needed forgiveness for.

There was another home game tomorrow, I remembered.

“Who are you playing?”

He smiled like he thought it was cute that I hadn’t memorized his entire football schedule. When he looked at me like that he made me want to, even though last week had been the first football game I’d ever watched in my life.

“Vanderbilt. They’re not looking that great this year, but it’s a rivalry game, so they’ll be gunning for us.” He glanced at me as we walked.

“You’re going to come, right?”

Before I could answer, the group of students in front of us thinned, and I spotted him—Gray, standing just outside. Since I knew his class wasn’t anywhere near here, it was obvious that he was waiting for me.

At least he didn’t look hungover today.

My breath caught, the now familiar mix of sadness and anger twisting in my chest. But before I could process it, Parker’s arm slid around my waist, his hand settling there like it was where it belonged. I glanced up at him, wondering what he was thinking, but he wasn’t looking at me; his gaze was set firmly on Gray, a clear threat in his eyes.

Gray’s eyes were wild as he stalked toward me, his shoulders tense, jaw set tight. He stopped just inches away, his gaze locked to where Parker’s arm was still firmly around my waist. His face twisted, hurt and accusation clashing in his expression.

“Are you for real right now, Case?” he said, voice thick with disbelief. “I heard rumors last night, but I didn’t want to believe them. I thought…I thought they couldn’t be true.” He shook his head, his face paling as he searched my eyes. “You lied to me. You made me think I was the one messing up. And look at you, fucking around with him the entire time.”

His eyes welled up with tears, and I wanted to die, because I’d never wanted to see him like that.

“Whore,” he whispered, the words sharp and venomous.

My stomach twisted, and I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Parker moved faster than I thought was possible. One second he was standing beside me, his body tense, and the next his fist was crashing into Gray’s face with a sickening crack. I cried out as Gray stumbled back, his hand flying to his nose as a rush of blood poured out, bright and startling against his pale skin.

“Say that again and I’ll fucking kill you,” Parker growled, his voice low and dangerous. His entire body radiating fury, his chest heaving as he stared Gray down.

Gray stumbled back, wiping at his face, smearing the blood across his cheeks. Giving me one last look that showed how absolutely betrayed he was feeling, he spun around and walked away, his back rigid as he disappeared down the hall.

For a moment, I just stood there, numb. The world felt blurry, the edges of everything dull and muted.

“He didn’t mean it,” I whispered, like I was trying to convince myself.

“I will kill him.” Parker’s voice was calm in a scary way that would have made me shiver if I hadn’t felt so numb. He gripped my waist, and he turned me to him as my chest ached with a disarray of guilt and confusion. “You did not do anything wrong,” Parker said firmly, his voice steady, like he could see everything unraveling inside me and was determined to pull me back together. “This? Us? It was always going to happen.”

I laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that didn’t feel like mine. “Gray’s right,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I wanted you from the moment I saw you. I couldn’t get you out of my head.”

Parker’s grin spread, slow and satisfied, as if I’d just given him the best news of his life. “Well,” he murmured, his voice dropping low, “at least you’re admitting it.”

Before I could react, he pulled me in, his mouth capturing mine in a kiss that was anything but gentle. His hand slid up my back, anchoring me, and I lost myself in the heat of it, in the intensity that left me pulling at his shirt, wanting him closer, wanting him more. When he finally pulled back, my heart was pounding, and my legs were unsteady.

Parker smirked, brushing a thumb over my cheek. “Come on, let’s get you to class,” he said, like nothing had happened. With his arm still around me, he led me down the hall.

I was a mess of confusion, though, with the agony in Gray’s eyes echoing in my mind.

“He’s getting his dick sucked.”

Jace’s voice cut through the daydream I’d been having about Casey, and I glared at him.

“What did you just say?” I asked, a threat clear in my voice.

He held up his hands, already dressed for the game. Matty was also watching me with a frown, like he didn’t recognize who I was.

“I’m just saying, where are you? Because it looked like you were thinking about getting your dick sucked,” Jace continued.

“I wasn’t thinking about that,” I griped, working to get my shoulder pads on since I’d been sitting here spaced out for who knows how long…

Because I’d been thinking of getting my dick sucked.

Casey on her knees was my wildest fantasy at the moment, and something I really wanted to happen…soon.

I tried to will my erection down, thankful I was already wearing my football pants and it wasn’t as obvious…even though my dick was trying to pop out of them.

Jace would never have let me off for having a woody right before the game.

I got the rest of my uniform on, working on self-visualizing and manifesting plays and touchdowns—all the things that our sports psychologist went over with us regularly.

They were just more interesting manifestations today. Because every time I imagined myself passing or running into the end zone…the play ended with a blow job.

I needed to get my shit together. As long as Casey’s roommate did her job, Casey was going to be front row, right behind the end zone. If I wanted to get into that end zone, I needed to actually think about football without it ending in an imaginary orgasm.

I’d thought about her after every play last game, wondering if she was in the crowd…if she was watching me.

And then when I’d looked up and saw her on the screen…well, I’m sure she didn’t connect that the blown kiss had been for her.

But it was for her. Everything was for her.

“Alright, this is getting serious, Davis. Which animal has the largest chest?”

I gaped at him. “Why do you think that’s going to help with my focus?”

“Because you’ll be at least thinking how clever and witty I am rather than how you want your dick massaged,” Jace snapped, sounding very confident in his idea.

“Can we stop talking about Parker’s dick?” Matty complained, rolling his head back as he stretched his arms.

“Almost sounds like you’re jealous, Matty,” I told him.

“That inch really stays with you, doesn’t it?” Chappie called out from across the room.

“Parker’s dick wasn’t even there that day! It could be smaller for all I know!” Matty said indignantly.

“Really, Matthew. Are you pretending you haven’t seen Parker’s dick?” drawled Jace. “It’s like a monster had a baby with a blue whale and settled between his legs for a party.”

“That was…oddly specific,” I frowned. Although he wasn’t wrong…

“CAN WE STOP TALKING ABOUT PARKER’S DICK!” Matty roared.

The whole locker room burst into laughter, and Matty flipped us all off. “I hate you all,” he hissed.

Well, at least I was distracted now.

“Oh, what’s the answer, Thatcher?” Collins, our kicker, called out.

“Well, since you asked so nicely…to remind you—since y’all motherfuckers interrupt me every single time—the joke was, ‘which animal has the largest chest,’” Jace began.

I resisted the urge to interrupt him.

“A Z-bra,” Jace finished…right as Coach Everett came into the locker room.

That didn’t stop us from groaning and throwing things at Jace—because we were professionals like that.

“Fucking hell. Get your heads on straight,” Coach barked, along with some other choice words, as we got ready to run down the tunnel.

“You feeling good, QB?” Jace shouted, jumping up and down.

I grinned, rolling back my shoulders. “I’m always good, Thatcher.”

He snorted and shook his head.

We ran down the tunnel, and the noise of the crowd rolled over us, the stadium roaring with excitement. The bright stadium lights made everything come alive, the air charged with the energy of thousands of people. My heart pounded in my chest, but not just from the anticipation of the game. I scanned the stands, searching for her.

And there she was.

Sitting in the front row, right where I wanted her.

And fuck…I was getting hard again. She was wearing the jersey I’d had delivered to her room—the one with my name on the back—looking a little nervous as she stared around, like she wasn’t sure how she’d ended up there.

Her roommate was beside her, talking a mile a minute judging by how many times she was opening her mouth, but Casey’s eyes…they were on me. I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.

Perfect.

I locked eyes with her for just a second before I tugged my helmet on, and I turned back to the field. That was all I needed. She was here. She was watching. Now it was time to give her a show.

The game started fast, Vanderbilt coming at us hard like they always did, but I didn’t let it faze me.

I lived for games like this.

Jace’s worries about where my head was were in vain. There was no way I wasn’t playing like I was fucking Superman with Casey watching. Thinking of her sitting just yards away, taking in my every move, every pass, every play…it pushed me, made me sharper, faster. I wanted her to see me at my best.

The snap, and I took the ball, feeling the weight of it settle into my grip. I dropped back, scanning the field. Matty was already cutting across, weaving through Vanderbilt’s defensive line like it was easy. I launched the ball, a tight spiral, and watched as he snatched it out of the air, gaining us a good fifteen yards.

The crowd roared, but I barely heard it, already lining up for the next play. Hurry-up offense was my preference, and I grinned as Vanderbilt scrambled to get to the line. I did a quick handoff to Griffin, our running back, and he barreled forward, muscling through, dragging two defenders with him until he was finally brought down, but not before we’d clawed our way another ten yards closer to the end zone.

“Let’s keep it moving,” Coach yelled from the sidelines, his voice urgent as he motioned for us to line up fast. I called the next play, eyes scanning the defense, watching as they shifted, their safeties moving up, ready to blitz.

On the snap, I took off, running to the right with the ball tucked tight against my side. The defense shifted, leaving a gap just wide enough for me to exploit and allow me to sprint down the field. The crowd was going nuts, the sound shaking the ground under my feet, but all I could think about was getting to the end zone. Getting to her.

I faked left, then darted right, slipping past one defender and narrowly dodging another. With every step, I closed in on that end zone, and I could feel the anticipation thrumming through my veins. There was just one guy left between me and the goal line, his eyes locked on me, ready to take me down.

Normally I’d run out of bounds, but today, with Casey’s eyes on me, I felt invincible. He dove forward, and I launched myself in the air, hurdling over him in one clean motion.

For a heartbeat, time froze, the world blurring around me as I sailed over his back. And then, with a thud, my feet hit the turf. The crowd erupted.

Touchdown!

I straightened, holding the ball high, my chest heaving. This—this was why I played this game.

My adrenaline was spiking as I glanced back at my teammates running to celebrate with me. But I wasn’t done. Not yet.

I jogged toward where Casey was sitting, my heart hammering with anticipation. The crowd was still going wild, the cheers echoing in my ears, but my focus was on one thing. One person.

Her.

Ripping my helmet off and throwing it on the ground, I hoisted myself up onto the railing, my eyes locked on hers. For a split second, I saw the surprise flicker across her face.

I didn’t give her time to think.

Without a word, I wrapped my hand in her hair, leaning in and kissing her, the noise of the crowd fading into the background as I tasted her, licking deep into her mouth like I’d licked her pussy just the other night. She whimpered against my lips, and my kiss turned rougher, more desperate. I made it last, even with the roar of the crowd around us. I wanted her to know exactly what this was. I wanted him to see this, somewhere in the stadium. I wanted him to watch this on the screen and know…

This girl was mine.

When I pulled back, I grinned, pressing the football into her hands. “This is for you, my lady,” I said, my voice low enough that only she could hear.

Her eyes were wide, her breath coming out in cute little gasps as she stared at me, still processing what had happened. I gave her one more kiss, and then I jumped down, becoming aware of just how loud the crowd had gotten, that the ref was blowing his whistle…and that Coach was literally losing his mother-fucking mind.

I smirked and waved at the crowd before grabbing my helmet and jogging over to the team. But I couldn’t help glancing back at her one last time.

She was still watching me, clutching the football like it was some kind of lifeline, her expression a mix of confusion, excitement, and something else. Something that told me I’d gotten a little bit closer to getting her.

The game wasn’t over, but in my mind, I’d already won.

“Knew you were still thinking about getting your dick sucked,” Jace mentioned as I made it back to the sidelines, elbowing me with a huge, goofy grin on his face.

“Go fix your hair,” I scoffed. But I was grinning back.

This was just another reason why Casey was everything. She made everything better. Even the game I’d loved my whole life.

“I can’t breathe,” Nat squealed, grabbing my arm and literally shaking me.

“You can’t breathe? He just did that in front of everyone…ESPN is at this game!” I gasped, feeling a little light-headed because I was still hyperventilating over what had happened.

I would think I was just dreaming if it weren’t for the fact that Nat was rattling my brain with her excitement. Pretty sure my dream wouldn’t be creative enough for that.

“You’re the luckiest daughter of a bitch I’ve ever met, Casey Larsen. And also, I’m pretty sure that I have telepathic skills…because who told you this was going to be your year? This girl,” she said, finally releasing me to point at herself with two thumbs.

“Did you just say ‘daughter of a bitch’?” I asked, trying to ignore the people around us that were now all staring and talking about me.

“It felt more girl-powerish,” Nat replied primly, before she started jumping up and down and shaking me again. “Parker is in luvvv with you. Parker is in luvvv with you.”

“Sit down,” I hissed, my face bright red. Of course, that didn’t stop me from watching him like it was my job. Taking in every detail as I watched him joke around with Jace.

“Pinch me,” I suddenly demanded…just in case.

Nat snickered at me and obediently pinched my arm…hard.

“Ow,” I said, gazing around. Nope, I was still here. This had really happened.

I watched as Parker ran back out on the field. “Nat,” I told her, feeling strangely sad as I watched him play like some kind of football god. Because this felt so big, I wasn’t sure how it was possible for me to survive it. “What do I do?”

She grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her. “Girl, you hold on fucking tight and enjoy the ride.”

Nat released me and my eyes snapped back to the field.

“Enjoy the ride,” I murmured to myself, listening to the crowd scream as Parker threw another completed pass.

I really wanted to try.