Fair Catch (Love and Sports Series) (26 page)

             
“Can you take care of my gear for me?”

             
“Jake, don’t do it.”

             
Jake got in Mason’s face. “I didn’t ask for your fucking opinion just take care of my damn gear please.”

             
Mason held his hands up in defense. “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

             
Jake was seething mad and could feel his body tense up more than it was before as the bus got closer and closer to its designated spot. He tried to calm himself but once the bus stopped and the doors flew open, he jumped off the bus and headed straight toward Lexi who now moved to her car and was standing in front of it waiting for him.

             
She held her arms open. “Hey, there you are…What’s wrong?” She said with a confused expression. Jake grabbed her by the shoulder and moved her to the side of her car so they had a little bit of privacy.  She ripped her arm way from his grasp. “Ouch Jake, that hurt.”

             
“What the fuck was that all about?”

             
She searched his eyes, as if she didn’t know what he was talking about but he wasn’t going to fall for it.

             
“What was what about?”

             
He got inches from her face and pushed her up against the car. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Is Parker the reason why you neglected to be with me this past week?”

             
She tried to push him away but he didn’t budge. “Jake, you’re scaring me.”

             
“Just tell me the truth.”

             
“About what?”

             
He pushed her against the car again, not realizing that he might be hurting her, he was just so mad, mad about the game, mad about her neglecting him, about the guys on the bus.

             
“Don’t fuck with me Lexi, are you fucking Parker behind my back?”

             
Her mouth dropped open in shock and she slapped him across the face sending a sting through his head. He grabbed her wrists and put them by her side. She squirmed telling him to let go but he wouldn’t.

             
“What’s going on over here?” Jake’s coach stepped in. Jake backed off of Lexi just enough so she could give him a swift kick to the shin.

             
“Son of a bitch!” He screamed while clenching his leg.

             
Lexi shouted over to his coach. “Control your men coach.” She got in her car and drove off, leaving Jake in the parking lot, hobbling on one leg.

             
“Taylor, what the hell has gotten into you? I told you not to fuck around with that girl, she is too good for you. You better treat her with respect next time I see you two together or I will make it my personal mission that you never see a minute of playing time in the pros. Do you hear me?”

             
Jake shook his head and said, “Yes, Sir.”

             
His coach walked off and Jake hobbled over to Mason’s car to wait for a ride. He was going straight to Lexi’s, thankfully he had her emergency key so he could get in what he knew was going to be a locked door.

                                                        ***

              Flinging herself on her bed, Lexi buried her head in the pillow and started crying like a fool. Did Jake really think she was cheating on him with Parker? Jake knew Parker and her were close, he accepted that, so why now? Why the questioning? Lexi shifted in bed and felt the rough lace lingerie she was wearing rub against her body.

             
She planned on picking Jake up after he got off the bus and take him back to her place to finally let him fully have her, mind, body and soul. To think that she was going to finally have sex with that Neanderthal. He treated her just like her dad would have treated her mom, well maybe in a more subdued way but still it scared the hell out of her.

             
Why did he freak out so much? She ran into Parker when she was waiting for the bus. He asked how her mom was and how Jake was doing after his big hit. Parker was just leaving and giving her a hug good bye when the bus pulled up. He was going out with Sierra which was another thing. Jake knew Parker and Sierra were an item so what would possess him to think Parker and her were together?

             
Was that why he never contacted her yesterday after his injury? She couldn’t believe he never text her or called her, especially after her trying to contact him for hours. She for sure thought she would hear from him, at least this morning to let her know he would be home soon. It hurt that he didn’t contact her, more than she thought it would hurt. Even though he caused her pain, she still wanted to make up with him and reconnect with him in a way they hadn’t yet, hence the lacey lingerie.

             
Lexi sat up in her bed and decided to get into her pajamas because she had no use for the uncomfortable lingerie anymore. She pulled off her t-shirt and jeans and put them in her hamper. She was about to take off the lacy push up bra that extended a little past her rib cage that opened in the front when she heard her front door slam. She froze in her tracks. Margo wasn’t due back until Monday so that meant only one thing.

Jake.
             

                                                        ***

              Jake tore through Lexi’s apartment and headed straight for her bedroom, he stopped abruptly when he saw what she was wearing. She had on black lingerie, the top was something he had never seen before and she was wearing what Jake could only imagine was a lace thong since the fabric was so small and dainty. He felt all the blood rush to his groin even though he was seething mad at her.

             
Then a thought occurred to him, why was she wearing such an outfit? It sure as hell wasn’t for him since she wasn’t ready to have sex with him, but it currently looked like she was ready to have sex with someone. He felt his fists curl at his sides and his breathing grew heavy from the thought of another guy seeing Lexi in her current get-up. He watched her put her hands on her hips as if what she was wearing wasn’t the sexiest thing he had ever seen. Her stomach rippled with muscles and her toned legs were completely bare, giving Jake a mouth-watering view. She lifted her chin at him in defiance.

             
“What the hell are you doing here?”

             
“Why the hell are you wearing that?” He pointed at her outfit while ignoring her question.

             
Lexi looked down at herself and then answered, “That’s none of your business.”

             
“To hell it’s not. Last time I checked you were my girlfriend and I have the right to know why the fuck you’re wearing…that.” He said while pointing up and down at her body.

             
“Oh, is that right? Then how come you didn’t give your girlfriend the courtesy of letting her know you were ok yesterday?” Her voice caught in her throat. He couldn’t deal with her right now if she decided to cry. When she cried it completely tore apart his touch exterior and broke him down to absolute mush.              

             
“Oh, you mean you actually wanted to know how I was? You didn’t have other things to do? You weren’t too busy to care?”

             
“How dare you.” She said while charging toward him. She pushed his chest but he stood still, not budging an inch. “I can’t believe you didn’t call me…out of spite.”

             
“It wasn’t out of spite.”

             
“Yea, right. You’re a fucking bastard. I was worried sick about you, wondering if you were going to be able to walk and instead of easing my worry you decided to use that moment to get back at me? What the hell is wrong with you? Why would you do that?” A tear ran down her face but she quickly wiped it away.

             
Jake didn’t intentionally handle the situation with malice but now that he thought about it, his sub-conscious might have helped him in some of his decision making.

             
“That was not my intention. But it does suck doesn’t it? When you care about someone and they won’t talk to you. Now you know how I felt all last week.”

             
Lexi turned around and paced the room. When he looked down at her perfect, round ass he confirmed that in fact she was wearing a thong. Jake couldn’t help but stare at her tight little bubble butt. God, even though he was furious with her, he wanted her so bad.

             
“I can’t believe you.” She let her tears flow now. “I was genuinely scared, Jake. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to talk to you again and you decide not to talk to me because of what happened last week?”

             
“How do you think I felt all last week? Worrying about you and what was going on, wondering if you were going to break up with me because you wouldn’t let me close enough to help.”

             
“So you go and punish me?”

             
“No! That wasn’t intentional.” They were both screaming at each other, most likely putting on a good show for her neighbors.

             
“Sure it wasn’t Jake.” She threw her hands up in anger.

             
“And like yours wasn’t intentional. You’re the whole reason I got hit, because I was worried about you.”

             
She charged after him. “How dare you blame that on me?” She was still crying but screaming at him the same time. He tried not to focus on how the swell of her breasts jiggled ever so slightly when she yelled at him.

             
“Well, it’s the truth. Let’s just get it all out in the open Lexi, are you cheating on me?”             

             
“No!”

             
“Then what is it?!” He yelled back.

             
“My dad beat the shit out of my mom and I was housing her last week, I didn’t want you to have to get involved you ass!”

             
Devastation wrapped around Jake’s heart as Lexi went into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. Jake felt all the wind in his chest get knocked out of his lungs, leaving him breathless. He was a gigantic ass, but what he didn’t understand was why she didn’t just tell him? He would have helped her through it. That’s what being in a relationship was about, being there for each other and taking care of each other when they needed it the most.

             
While she was in the bathroom, he ran his hand through his hair and paced her room trying to figure out how to handle the situation before him. He heard her blow her nose and wished he could just go in there and pull her into a hug. He stared at the picture he first saw of her and her parents that was displayed on her desk. They all looked so happy in the picture, who knew behind those smiles was a world of pain and despair. Jake’s heart ripped in two for Lexi. He didn’t have his parents anymore in his life but when they were alive his dad treated his mom like a queen and his dad would always tell Jake that he needed to treat his woman the same way when he was older.

             
His dad was right. Lexi was his woman, the one he wanted to be with, the one he loved. The last statement hit him like a ton of bricks. He loved her. He fucking loved her more than anything. He needed to take his father’s advice and treat Lexi like she deserved to be treated, like a queen.

             
He went to the bathroom door and knocked on it. She didn’t answer so he twisted the knob, praying she didn’t lock him out before he got the chance to enter the small space. Thankfully she didn’t. He pushed the door open and found her sitting on the counter with her head in her hands. He pushed her legs open and wrapped them around his waist. He tilted her chin up and wiped away her tears that were streaking down her face with his thumbs. He kissed her forehead and pulled her in for a hug.

             
“I’m so sorry baby, about everything. I’m so damn sorry.”

             
She cried into his chest and squeezed him tight. “I’m sorry too. I should have told you about my mom but I was so ashamed.”

             
“I don’t want you to think you can’t tell me things. I’m here for you no matter what.”

             
He bent down and kissed her lips, they tasted like Lexi with a hint of salt from her tears. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened their kiss right before she said, “Take me to bed, Jake.”

             
He stepped back and looked at her. “What?”

             
“Take me to bed, Jake.” She hopped off the counter, grabbed his hand and walked him toward her bed. She put her hands under his shirt, grabbed the hem and lifted it over his head, exposing his bare chest that she explored with her dainty hands. Her gentle touches were making his senses run wild. He felt himself growing hard at a rapid pace in his southern region from every stroke and caress she played against his body. She took notice of his growth and pulled his pants and socks off, leaving him only in his boxer briefs covering up his very noticeable erection.