BluesDog
Sex God
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Power Play Chapter 4
ZACH
The next couple of days I try to keep from thinking too much about Trevor, but I am losing the battle. He pops up in my thoughts in the weirdest ways. Pouring a cup of coffee, I think about him because he always yammers on about meeting at a coffee shop. The Student Union where he interrupted my lunch with friends reminds me of Trevor. The quad where he ran me down to return my pen— Trevor. The frat house where we kissed, the Leaning Tower of Pizza, the sports complex at the edge of campus— Trevor, Trevor, Trevor.
Not to mention when I soap up my cock in the shower. Ugh!
I am obsessed with him, and I know that it is all part of his diabolical plan, teasing me as I starve for his touch and pulling the plate away just as I am ready to feast.
On Sunday morning I sleep later than usual since I was up half the night wondering if he would stick to his plan to only kiss me on Tuesday and take it no further. That is just plain wrong. Hasn’t he heard that the Sexual Revolution was fifty years ago? And we won?
As I head to the University Library to find some place to study in peace, I stop at the Java Hut to buy coffee. The special of the day is a caramel macchiato, and that makes me think of Trevor’s liquid brown eyes and their thick crowd of lashes. Wondering how eyes that warm and gorgeous can cover a mind that is crafting devious plots to drive me insane makes me flash on an image of me tied naked to a bed, moaning with pleasure, while Trevor scores angry red welts into my bare skin with a leather crop.
Fuck! Where had that come from? That kind of kinky play has never interested me before, and now I am popping a stiffie in a coffee shop thinking about it as if further proof is needed of how unsettled he makes me.
I jolt from my reverie and order a large back coffee before fleeing from the store.
After studying as best as I can for most of the day I finally quit in disgust when I realize that I keep doodling little hockey players in the margins of my notes. I swear that if he doesn’t fuck me soon I will not be responsible for what happens. He is an inch or so taller and thirty pounds heavier, but I am way past motivated. With the element of surprise, I am fairly sure I can take him down and force him to have his way with me.
If the jury can just see his cocky, boxer-dropping grin, I am safe from conviction on the sexual assault charges on account of he drives me fucking insane.
On Monday, Trevor is not in the class that we have together because he is out of town for a road game. In the middle of the lecture, I slip my phone out of my pocket and, keeping it out of Professor Fowler’s view, thumb a text to Trevor.
—hey!
After a few seconds, he replies— hey urself
—class is boring ur not missing much
—awww! u miss me!!
—not what I said. do NOT go there
—2 late already there. did u pick where we go 4 dinner 2morrow?
—crab house ok?
—great. i’ll make a reservation
—gotta go. fowler’s giving me the stink eye. bye
—l8r
When I go home that night I know that something is up as soon as I walk through the door. The raucous conversations in the living room fall suddenly quiet, so I poke my head in there with some reluctance. Everyone is here… Rob and Rory; Justin and his girlfriend, Samantha; and Dan, our other house mate. They’re all looking at me as though I was about to do some card tricks.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing,” says Rob, far too casually to not be suspicious.
Right, I think. After grabbing a beer from the kitchen, I flop on one of the couches next to Rob. “What are you cooking up in here?” I demand.
“We’re not up to anything,” says Justin.
I raise an eyebrow. “Really? You stop talking as soon as I enter the room and all of you look at me as though I have three eyes. No bullshit… what’s up?”
“Well,” drawls Dan, “none of us have seen you for a couple of days because you’ve been holed up in your room, so we’re curious about what you’ve been up to.”
“Beyond the usual? Studying, sleeping?” I ask.
Justin adds, “You’ve been walking around all semester either scowling like you want to punch someone or in a trance like your thoughts are a million miles away.”
“Jeez,” I grumble. “I’ve got a lot on my mind. Sorry if I’m bugging you.”
Rory pats my leg. “Ignore them, hon. It’s nobody’s business but yours. You don’t owe any explanation to Dan or Justin.”
My face is burning as I take a long pull on my beer. I cast a sideways look at Rob. “What is your contribution to this?”
He shrugs. “I didn’t repeat anything.”
Rory gasps, “You told something to Rob?” She pins him with a steely glare.
Rob rubs both hands across his face and hisses at me, “I told you that your little secret would get me in trouble!” To Rory he cried, “Honey, he made me swear not to tell anyone, not even you. He’s the evil one! I’m just his helpless puppet.”
She jabs a finger in his direction, “I’ll get back to you later.” To me, she said, “The cat’s out of the bag, Zach. Spill it!”
I groan. “Do you remember last week when we had lunch at the Grill and some guy stopped by to ask for my notes from class?”
“The hockey player?” asks Dan.
“Yeah. He kinda asked me out to dinner.”
“Kinda?” asks Rob.
“No, he definitely asked me out,” I clarify.
“Ooh!” says Samantha. “Super hunky! You said yes, of course.”
“Eventually,” I admit. “Tomorrow night.”
“You sly dog,” Rob punches me in the arm. “Where are you going?”
“The Crab House.”
“Fancy!” says Justin.
“And pricy.” Rob snickers, “Someone will have to put out after that’s paid for.”
“Shut the fuck up!” I say, feeling the heat in my face again.
“What’s up with all the blushing? That’s not like you,” says Rob.
Rory offers, “So of course, you know I’ll be happy to help you pick out something to wear.”
“No!” Rob snarls. “You’re not going anywhere near his closet or his… his… or anything of Zach’s.”
Dan and Justin look at each other, puzzled. “What the hell, dude?” asks Dan.
Rob yells, “The last time Rory helped him pick out clothes she had him standing around naked for about an hour so she could get an eyeful of his man parts.”
“Yikes!” Justin exclaims.
Samantha wails, “How did I miss this fashion show?” Justin glares at her.
Rory squirms away from the grip Rob has on her, objecting, “It wasn’t an hour, and my interest was purely professional… like a nurse.”
“Sure,” Rob retorts, running his thumb over her lower lip. “You have a little drool there just thinking about it.”
She grins at him, “Okay, yeah. Maybe.”
“I want to be included next time,” Samantha insists.
Rob snaps, “There is no ‘next time’. Zach can dress himself.” He eyes my ripped jeans and hoody. “All evidence to the contrary.”
I snicker, “Don’t hate on me just ‘cause you’re not man enough to keep your woman from looking for an upgrade.”
Rob looks from me to Rory and back again. “You two deserve each other.
“Honey, calm down,” Rory laughs. “Zach has no interest in me. Right, Zach? You haven’t changed teams have you?” She winks at me. “You know that you just have to say the word and I’m all ‘Rob who?’”
Samantha quickly jumps in, “I’ll take some of that action!”
Rob sputters, “You women are dangerous. We have to keep you away from Zach because he gets your hormones boiling or something.”
Dan says, “I’ve never said anything before, but…”
Rob howls, “Not you, too!” He grabs my shoulder, “What this power you have over everyone? One look from you and all they can think about is fucking you!”
I grin, “What can I say? I’m a sex god.”
Dan stares at us, wide-eyed. “Oh, hell no, jeez. That’s… ugh! No offense, Z.”
“None taken.” I laugh, “I guess.”
“No, it’s just I know what you mean about keeping a girlfriend away from the Adonis of South Philly there. Remember the girl I was dating last October?”
Justin asks, “Mandy? Mindy? Something like that?”
Dan nods, “Mindy, yeah. One of the many reasons that we broke up was that she was always hounding me to ask Z to join us in bed.”
“Wow,” says Rob, giving Rory the evil eye as she made a dramatic sigh next to him. “Don’t get any ideas,” he warns her.
Everyone looks at me. “Uh, sorry, bro. I had no idea.”
Dan shrugs, “Yeah, I just could not convince her that I didn’t think that Z was interested in her, and I had no interest in Z, again, no offense. Plus it would be like sharing a chick with my own brother.”
My face wrinkles up. “Thinking about my own brothers, just let me say…Ewww!”
“Exactly my point.”
Rory says, “Changing the subject now. You’ll need us to make ourselves scarce so you can bring him back here?”
“What? Why?”
“It can be a little awkward, going through a crowd of people before taking him up to your bed room,” she says.
I think for a second about whether to tell them the whole story or not, but then realized that these are my closest friends, so it makes no sense to hold back from them. “No need… he made it clear that the evening ends with just a good night kiss.’
Both Samantha and Rory sigh, “Oh! How romantic!”
“I think so sometimes, then I think it’s a little weird setting that up in advance these days.” The exact feeling escapes me. “It’s a little control-freaky.”
Samantha says pointedly, “Definitely romantic.”
Rob shakes his head in disagreement, “Definitely weird.”
Rory grabs Rob’s hand. “He’s courting you old-school. It’s very sweet and old fashioned,” she says.
Justin thinks for a second. “I can see that. Like how our grandparents dated.”
I remember the hot kisses the last two nights I saw Trevor, and the raw, knee-buckling passion behind the groping. No way to tell about Justin’s family but I seriously doubt if any of my ancestors experienced anything like that before the first date. Right now, I want to track Trevor down at his road game in New York to make out some more.
Rory giggles, “Look at that sly smile! Do we even want to know what you’re thinking about?”
“Um, no, you really don’t.”
Rory pouts, “Why don’t you look dreamy like that when you think of me, Rob?”
He turns to me to growl, “Dude, you are so harsh on my game these days.” To Rory he purrs, “Honey, I look much dreamier when I think about you. See, look.” He tilts his head and stares off in the distance for a moment.
Dan mocks him, “I don’t know… kinda looks not so much dreamy as like you need a laxative.”
With a look of distaste, Rory frowns at him. “I have serious second thoughts about you. Is that the best you can do?”
Rob punches my arm. “This is all your fault! Again!”
I lean over to him and tangle my fingers in his hair. Pulling him closer and looking into his eyes, I slide my tongue across my lower lip and drop my voice an octave to say in a deep, throaty rumble, “Awww, hot stuff! I’m so sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?”
Rob stares at me with his jaw dropped, and after a few seconds of silence, everyone else howls with laughter. He jumps to his feet and points at me and Rory, blustering incoherently. He then looks to Justin and Dan, yelling, “When they put me on the one-way bus to Crazytown, promise me you will tell everyone it was these two fucking with my mind that sent me there.” Rory and I bump fists as he stomps off to the kitchen to get another beer.
Rory asks, “Zach, can Sam and I go through your closet to find you something to wear?”
“As long as I don’t have to be there, knock yourselves out.”
They leave as Rob returns from the kitchen. “You stay here where I can keep an eye on you, Tiger,” he tells me.
He studies me over the neck of his beer.
“What?” I ask. “You’re freaking me out.”
“And you’re holding something back.”
I flip the hood on my sweatshirt up over my head and slump deeper into the couch. “You know me too well,” I grouse.
“What is it? ‘Fess up to Dr. Rob.”
I scowl. “Trevor comes with a lot of scrutiny and I don’t know if I can deal.”
“What kind of scrutiny?”
“Everyone knows who he is and keeps track of where he is in the room. I’m not used to having everyone try to eavesdrop and watch my reactions. Kinda creepy. The other night at the restaurant, he must have had seven different people come over to talk to him. Not people that he knows… strangers.”
“You ask him about it?”
“Not in so many words, but it seems to be something that he expects as part of being the hockey star Trevor Wellman.” I pick at the label of my beer bottle.
“And you just want the hot Trevor Wellman.”
“Yeah… I guess.”
“It’s a package deal, my friend.”
“I know. Just freaks me out, y’know?”
“Ask him about it. He knows better than anyone how to deal with the fans.”
“Probably a good idea.”
“What else?”
“Like I said the other day, he hasn’t come right out and said it, but I have a good idea that he is looking for a serious relationship, and that…” I leave it hanging there.
Rob thinks in silence for a few moments. “You’re thinking about Matt, right?”
I touch my finger to the tip of my nose to indicate that he is correct. “That was a big old clusterfuck.”
Matt and I had gone out for a while last year. I was content keeping everything light and casual, but he pushed for more from me. The more he pushed, the more I retreated, with the inevitable massive meltdown at a party.
“It was, but you’re a year older and wiser.”
“Don’t want to go through that again,” I groan. “That relationship wore me down, but I don’t just want a wham! bam! hookup.
Rob shrugs, “Should be interesting.” He has a thoughtful look on his face.
“How so?” I ask.
“At the risk of being obvious, Trevor isn’t Matt. You won’t be able to push him around as easily. He’s gonna call you on your shit.”
“The fuck you say!” I yelp.
He laughs, “He already has you spinning in circles and you haven’t had the first date.”
“Ugh!” I moan, scrubbing my hands through my hair. “Some therapist you’re turning out to be. Don’t expect me to pay for your so-called ‘help.’”
He leers at me. “I’ll take it out in trade. Leave your bedroom door unlocked tonight.”
I punch his arm. “You couldn’t hang with me. By morning, your brain would be fried.”
“Serves me right for messing with the Adonis of South Philly,” he laughs.
TREVOR
The highlight of the four-hour bus ride to Ithaca to play Cornell is easily the text message from Zach. When my phone buzzes and I see the mopey photo I took of his face pop up the screen, I practically jump out my seat with excitement. The convo only lasts a couple of minutes, but my face hurts from the big grin I have the whole time. He lets me know that he wants to go to the Crab House for dinner, so as soon as he signs off, I look up the number so I can call for reservations.
“Can you give me one of the tables by the fireplace?” I ask them. The main room at the restaurant has a huge stone hearth, and it’s romantic as hell to sit close to it. When they confirm that one is available, my grin widens even more.
Once that is taken care of, as I jam my phone back in my pocket, I realize that Garrett, who’s sitting next to me, is shaking from laughter.
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
“You!” he snickers.
“What about me?” I laugh in spite of myself.
“I’m expecting you to dislocate your shoulder patting yourself on the back.”
“Get the fuck outta here!”
“No, I think it’s great! You’ve had a long dry spell on the sex front, so seeing you move in for the kill is a good deal. Fuck ‘im and chuck ‘im, get your groove back.”
“It’s not like that at all. I’m serious.”
He scoffs. “Come on! You know your obsession is just because he’s making you work a little for a change. The thrill of the chase. Once you bag him, I think that you’ll lose interest.”
I grab a text book and slam it open. “I know you’re wrong,” I snap.
He snorts in derision and punches my shoulder. “Whatever, Casanova.”
I flip him off with a big grin and say, “You’ll see.”
“No, you’ll see.”
I try to study, but all I can think about is going to dinner with Zach tomorrow. The way that he kissed me at the pizza place, growling that I was not the one in charge… well that was just fucking hot. Garrett would never hear it from me, but he is partly right about one thing: The chase was definitely amping up the action. Zach keeps me off balance, and that is a welcome change of pace.
Garrett elbows me in the ribs. “You’ve been looking at that page for the last eighty miles… and that smile and all of the sighs you keep huffing are not because you are smitten with advanced statistics.”
“So?” I ask.
“It’s annoying me. Cut it out.”
I laugh, “Did I miss the memo where you were named Relationship Monitor?”
“You need one,” Garrett nods. “Might as well be me.”
“Uh, no thanks, Mr. Love-em-leave-em. I prefer something that lasts after the condom cools off.”
He threw he hands up and groans, “Kids today! Trying to grow up so fast!”
Across the aisle, Phillip Berrinau opens his eyes to give us a dirty look for interrupting his nap. “What are you two biddies squawking about now? I swear, you argue more than my parents.”
“Trevor here wants a relationship,” Garrett says sarcastically.
Phillip frowns and his eyes narrow. “With you?”
“No, not with me, you fucking moron!” Garrett roars.
Phillip shrugs. “Dunno. You two squabble all the time. Might as well get the make-up fuck to go with it.”
“I can’t even,” Garrett snaps. “No! With the waiter from the pizza place.”
Phillip scrunches his nose in thought. “I can see it. Does he have a sister? I’d hit that.”
“Older sisters,” I say.
“Ooh! MILFS,” Phillip grins. “Still interested.”
“I think that they are all married.”
“Even better!” he grunts. “No sweat off my balls if she ends up preggers.”
Garrett chuckles, “Until she gives birth to an eighteen-pound baby with a hairy back.”
Phillip side arms an empty soda can into Garrett’s chest. “At least I’m a manly man, you little pussy, and not some waxed diva like you two.”
“Leave me out of this,” I snort.
“Yeah,” Garrett coos. “Trev gets all hot and bothered thinking about your hairy back.”
I shove an elbow into him. “Don’t tell Phillip about my secret crush on him! You’ll make him nervous.”
Phillip says, “Nope. I’m okay with you, bro. It’s your buddy there that I don’t turn my back on in the shower.”
“Me?” says Garrett.
“Yeah. I’ve seen you hump a fire hydrant. No telling what my furry back would drive you to do.”
Phillip and I are both laughing while Garrett bellows a string of curses at us.
“Hey!” the coach stands in the aisle and yells from the front of the bus. “You three are seniors. Show a little leadership.”
“Sorry, Coach,” we chorus and then shut up.
We’re quiet for a while as we near the Cornell University campus. As the bus pulls up outside their arena, I lean into Garrett and ask, “Are we cool?”
He looks at me from the side of his eyes, and says, “I’m cool. Honestly, you’re a bit of a douche.”
I laugh and reach up to ruffle his hair.
He pulls sharply away. “Not The Hair. Nobody messes with The Hair.”
“Sorry. Forgot,” I say as he smooths it back down.
__________________________________________________
The bus is noisy with a post-game celebration for about the first half hour on the way back, but then the team settles down. Garrett falls asleep leaning agent the window in the seat next to me. Phillip is sprawled out across the aisle, playing a game on his phone. I have my stats text open in my lap, but no interest in reading it.
Phillip glances at me and asks, “What’s with the bitch face, Trev?”
“What?”
“Last time I saw a face that grumpy was when my thirteen-year-old sister found out that Justin Bieber had cancelled a concert.”
I shrug. “Just the usual. Lot on my mind”
“Worried about your friend?”
I turn to look at him. “No. Well, maybe.” I look to see if Garrett is awake since I don’t need another fucking lecture from him tonight. His mouth droops open, so I guess he is out. “I’ve put a lot of pressure on this deal tomorrow, maybe too much.”
“You’ll do fine. Just keep up your end of the conversation, and a word of advice?”
“Yeah?”
“Those of us who live this side of Framingham find a little of that Boston accent goes a long way.”
“Screw you!” I grin.
“Seriously, rein it in a little. You sound like a thug.” He thinks for a moment. “Wait! You’re from Boston, so you are a thug. Never mind. Carry on!”
“You’re as bad as Garrett here.”
Phillip scoffs, “Now you’re just being cruel and trying to hurt my feelings.”
“Whatever,” I grunt.
He leans across the aisle and says, “All kidding aside, you’ll be fine. He’s a hockey fan, right? You can always talk about hockey.”
“Not really,” I respond.
Phillip looks at me for a moment, and then chuffs out a breath before going back to his game.
“What?” I ask.
He looks back at me, chewing his lip. “I don’t want to add to your whatever-you-have- going-on-here,” he says quietly, “and let me know if I’m being an asshole, but that’s a big difference, your life mostly hockey and him not part of that at all.”
“Maybe,” I say reluctantly, not wanting to pursue this topic.
“Again, if I’m out of line, just say so, but a couple of years ago I was seeing this woman…” He swallows hard. “The sex was mind blowing. She was not one of those women who aren’t really into the whole blow job thing, y’know?” I nod at him. “Julie loved oral more than me almost. Hoovered my cock every chance she got.” He lapsed into silence.
“Cool story, bro,” I say after a while. “Thanks for sharing.”
“Sorry,” he smirked. “The point is that she had zero interest in hockey, which is a big part of my life. Wouldn’t come to our games, wouldn’t watch on TV, didn’t want to meet any of my team mates. Zilch. We were great between the sheets, but once we left the bedroom, not much was going on.”
“Yeah, I guess. Sounds rough.”
“I’m not saying that you can’t work that out with your guy, but without some intersecting interests, it’s that much tougher.”
I sock his shoulder. “Thanks. That gives me something to think about.”
Phillip leans his head back and closes his eyes. “You’ll be fine, Trevor. Just watch the accent.”
“Jerk!”
I think about what Phillip said for a while, and looking at my phone, I see that it is just after midnight, so I text Zach.
—awake?
He answers quickly.
—yes
—we beat cornell
—I know. listened on radio. 2 goals/2 assists. not bad hockey boy
Relief floods through me. Not only had Zach listened to the game, he paid attention to what I was doing. I look over at Phillip, but it looks like he is asleep already.
I quickly tap out —cant wait for tomorrow night
—me too
—i’ll be the one wearing the big grin
—i’m hoping a grin and nothing else?
—think you may be kind of a pervert.
—nothing kinda about it. ask me sometime about the fantasy i had about you at the coffee shop.
—yeah?
—not now. still trying to impress you
—mission accomplished
—lol. see you tomorrow
—good night
I click the phone off and close my eyes. Tomorrow can’t come soon enough.
ZACH
The next couple of days I try to keep from thinking too much about Trevor, but I am losing the battle. He pops up in my thoughts in the weirdest ways. Pouring a cup of coffee, I think about him because he always yammers on about meeting at a coffee shop. The Student Union where he interrupted my lunch with friends reminds me of Trevor. The quad where he ran me down to return my pen— Trevor. The frat house where we kissed, the Leaning Tower of Pizza, the sports complex at the edge of campus— Trevor, Trevor, Trevor.
Not to mention when I soap up my cock in the shower. Ugh!
I am obsessed with him, and I know that it is all part of his diabolical plan, teasing me as I starve for his touch and pulling the plate away just as I am ready to feast.
On Sunday morning I sleep later than usual since I was up half the night wondering if he would stick to his plan to only kiss me on Tuesday and take it no further. That is just plain wrong. Hasn’t he heard that the Sexual Revolution was fifty years ago? And we won?
As I head to the University Library to find some place to study in peace, I stop at the Java Hut to buy coffee. The special of the day is a caramel macchiato, and that makes me think of Trevor’s liquid brown eyes and their thick crowd of lashes. Wondering how eyes that warm and gorgeous can cover a mind that is crafting devious plots to drive me insane makes me flash on an image of me tied naked to a bed, moaning with pleasure, while Trevor scores angry red welts into my bare skin with a leather crop.
Fuck! Where had that come from? That kind of kinky play has never interested me before, and now I am popping a stiffie in a coffee shop thinking about it as if further proof is needed of how unsettled he makes me.
I jolt from my reverie and order a large back coffee before fleeing from the store.
After studying as best as I can for most of the day I finally quit in disgust when I realize that I keep doodling little hockey players in the margins of my notes. I swear that if he doesn’t fuck me soon I will not be responsible for what happens. He is an inch or so taller and thirty pounds heavier, but I am way past motivated. With the element of surprise, I am fairly sure I can take him down and force him to have his way with me.
If the jury can just see his cocky, boxer-dropping grin, I am safe from conviction on the sexual assault charges on account of he drives me fucking insane.
On Monday, Trevor is not in the class that we have together because he is out of town for a road game. In the middle of the lecture, I slip my phone out of my pocket and, keeping it out of Professor Fowler’s view, thumb a text to Trevor.
—hey!
After a few seconds, he replies— hey urself
—class is boring ur not missing much
—awww! u miss me!!
—not what I said. do NOT go there
—2 late already there. did u pick where we go 4 dinner 2morrow?
—crab house ok?
—great. i’ll make a reservation
—gotta go. fowler’s giving me the stink eye. bye
—l8r
When I go home that night I know that something is up as soon as I walk through the door. The raucous conversations in the living room fall suddenly quiet, so I poke my head in there with some reluctance. Everyone is here… Rob and Rory; Justin and his girlfriend, Samantha; and Dan, our other house mate. They’re all looking at me as though I was about to do some card tricks.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing,” says Rob, far too casually to not be suspicious.
Right, I think. After grabbing a beer from the kitchen, I flop on one of the couches next to Rob. “What are you cooking up in here?” I demand.
“We’re not up to anything,” says Justin.
I raise an eyebrow. “Really? You stop talking as soon as I enter the room and all of you look at me as though I have three eyes. No bullshit… what’s up?”
“Well,” drawls Dan, “none of us have seen you for a couple of days because you’ve been holed up in your room, so we’re curious about what you’ve been up to.”
“Beyond the usual? Studying, sleeping?” I ask.
Justin adds, “You’ve been walking around all semester either scowling like you want to punch someone or in a trance like your thoughts are a million miles away.”
“Jeez,” I grumble. “I’ve got a lot on my mind. Sorry if I’m bugging you.”
Rory pats my leg. “Ignore them, hon. It’s nobody’s business but yours. You don’t owe any explanation to Dan or Justin.”
My face is burning as I take a long pull on my beer. I cast a sideways look at Rob. “What is your contribution to this?”
He shrugs. “I didn’t repeat anything.”
Rory gasps, “You told something to Rob?” She pins him with a steely glare.
Rob rubs both hands across his face and hisses at me, “I told you that your little secret would get me in trouble!” To Rory he cried, “Honey, he made me swear not to tell anyone, not even you. He’s the evil one! I’m just his helpless puppet.”
She jabs a finger in his direction, “I’ll get back to you later.” To me, she said, “The cat’s out of the bag, Zach. Spill it!”
I groan. “Do you remember last week when we had lunch at the Grill and some guy stopped by to ask for my notes from class?”
“The hockey player?” asks Dan.
“Yeah. He kinda asked me out to dinner.”
“Kinda?” asks Rob.
“No, he definitely asked me out,” I clarify.
“Ooh!” says Samantha. “Super hunky! You said yes, of course.”
“Eventually,” I admit. “Tomorrow night.”
“You sly dog,” Rob punches me in the arm. “Where are you going?”
“The Crab House.”
“Fancy!” says Justin.
“And pricy.” Rob snickers, “Someone will have to put out after that’s paid for.”
“Shut the fuck up!” I say, feeling the heat in my face again.
“What’s up with all the blushing? That’s not like you,” says Rob.
Rory offers, “So of course, you know I’ll be happy to help you pick out something to wear.”
“No!” Rob snarls. “You’re not going anywhere near his closet or his… his… or anything of Zach’s.”
Dan and Justin look at each other, puzzled. “What the hell, dude?” asks Dan.
Rob yells, “The last time Rory helped him pick out clothes she had him standing around naked for about an hour so she could get an eyeful of his man parts.”
“Yikes!” Justin exclaims.
Samantha wails, “How did I miss this fashion show?” Justin glares at her.
Rory squirms away from the grip Rob has on her, objecting, “It wasn’t an hour, and my interest was purely professional… like a nurse.”
“Sure,” Rob retorts, running his thumb over her lower lip. “You have a little drool there just thinking about it.”
She grins at him, “Okay, yeah. Maybe.”
“I want to be included next time,” Samantha insists.
Rob snaps, “There is no ‘next time’. Zach can dress himself.” He eyes my ripped jeans and hoody. “All evidence to the contrary.”
I snicker, “Don’t hate on me just ‘cause you’re not man enough to keep your woman from looking for an upgrade.”
Rob looks from me to Rory and back again. “You two deserve each other.
“Honey, calm down,” Rory laughs. “Zach has no interest in me. Right, Zach? You haven’t changed teams have you?” She winks at me. “You know that you just have to say the word and I’m all ‘Rob who?’”
Samantha quickly jumps in, “I’ll take some of that action!”
Rob sputters, “You women are dangerous. We have to keep you away from Zach because he gets your hormones boiling or something.”
Dan says, “I’ve never said anything before, but…”
Rob howls, “Not you, too!” He grabs my shoulder, “What this power you have over everyone? One look from you and all they can think about is fucking you!”
I grin, “What can I say? I’m a sex god.”
Dan stares at us, wide-eyed. “Oh, hell no, jeez. That’s… ugh! No offense, Z.”
“None taken.” I laugh, “I guess.”
“No, it’s just I know what you mean about keeping a girlfriend away from the Adonis of South Philly there. Remember the girl I was dating last October?”
Justin asks, “Mandy? Mindy? Something like that?”
Dan nods, “Mindy, yeah. One of the many reasons that we broke up was that she was always hounding me to ask Z to join us in bed.”
“Wow,” says Rob, giving Rory the evil eye as she made a dramatic sigh next to him. “Don’t get any ideas,” he warns her.
Everyone looks at me. “Uh, sorry, bro. I had no idea.”
Dan shrugs, “Yeah, I just could not convince her that I didn’t think that Z was interested in her, and I had no interest in Z, again, no offense. Plus it would be like sharing a chick with my own brother.”
My face wrinkles up. “Thinking about my own brothers, just let me say…Ewww!”
“Exactly my point.”
Rory says, “Changing the subject now. You’ll need us to make ourselves scarce so you can bring him back here?”
“What? Why?”
“It can be a little awkward, going through a crowd of people before taking him up to your bed room,” she says.
I think for a second about whether to tell them the whole story or not, but then realized that these are my closest friends, so it makes no sense to hold back from them. “No need… he made it clear that the evening ends with just a good night kiss.’
Both Samantha and Rory sigh, “Oh! How romantic!”
“I think so sometimes, then I think it’s a little weird setting that up in advance these days.” The exact feeling escapes me. “It’s a little control-freaky.”
Samantha says pointedly, “Definitely romantic.”
Rob shakes his head in disagreement, “Definitely weird.”
Rory grabs Rob’s hand. “He’s courting you old-school. It’s very sweet and old fashioned,” she says.
Justin thinks for a second. “I can see that. Like how our grandparents dated.”
I remember the hot kisses the last two nights I saw Trevor, and the raw, knee-buckling passion behind the groping. No way to tell about Justin’s family but I seriously doubt if any of my ancestors experienced anything like that before the first date. Right now, I want to track Trevor down at his road game in New York to make out some more.
Rory giggles, “Look at that sly smile! Do we even want to know what you’re thinking about?”
“Um, no, you really don’t.”
Rory pouts, “Why don’t you look dreamy like that when you think of me, Rob?”
He turns to me to growl, “Dude, you are so harsh on my game these days.” To Rory he purrs, “Honey, I look much dreamier when I think about you. See, look.” He tilts his head and stares off in the distance for a moment.
Dan mocks him, “I don’t know… kinda looks not so much dreamy as like you need a laxative.”
With a look of distaste, Rory frowns at him. “I have serious second thoughts about you. Is that the best you can do?”
Rob punches my arm. “This is all your fault! Again!”
I lean over to him and tangle my fingers in his hair. Pulling him closer and looking into his eyes, I slide my tongue across my lower lip and drop my voice an octave to say in a deep, throaty rumble, “Awww, hot stuff! I’m so sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?”
Rob stares at me with his jaw dropped, and after a few seconds of silence, everyone else howls with laughter. He jumps to his feet and points at me and Rory, blustering incoherently. He then looks to Justin and Dan, yelling, “When they put me on the one-way bus to Crazytown, promise me you will tell everyone it was these two fucking with my mind that sent me there.” Rory and I bump fists as he stomps off to the kitchen to get another beer.
Rory asks, “Zach, can Sam and I go through your closet to find you something to wear?”
“As long as I don’t have to be there, knock yourselves out.”
They leave as Rob returns from the kitchen. “You stay here where I can keep an eye on you, Tiger,” he tells me.
He studies me over the neck of his beer.
“What?” I ask. “You’re freaking me out.”
“And you’re holding something back.”
I flip the hood on my sweatshirt up over my head and slump deeper into the couch. “You know me too well,” I grouse.
“What is it? ‘Fess up to Dr. Rob.”
I scowl. “Trevor comes with a lot of scrutiny and I don’t know if I can deal.”
“What kind of scrutiny?”
“Everyone knows who he is and keeps track of where he is in the room. I’m not used to having everyone try to eavesdrop and watch my reactions. Kinda creepy. The other night at the restaurant, he must have had seven different people come over to talk to him. Not people that he knows… strangers.”
“You ask him about it?”
“Not in so many words, but it seems to be something that he expects as part of being the hockey star Trevor Wellman.” I pick at the label of my beer bottle.
“And you just want the hot Trevor Wellman.”
“Yeah… I guess.”
“It’s a package deal, my friend.”
“I know. Just freaks me out, y’know?”
“Ask him about it. He knows better than anyone how to deal with the fans.”
“Probably a good idea.”
“What else?”
“Like I said the other day, he hasn’t come right out and said it, but I have a good idea that he is looking for a serious relationship, and that…” I leave it hanging there.
Rob thinks in silence for a few moments. “You’re thinking about Matt, right?”
I touch my finger to the tip of my nose to indicate that he is correct. “That was a big old clusterfuck.”
Matt and I had gone out for a while last year. I was content keeping everything light and casual, but he pushed for more from me. The more he pushed, the more I retreated, with the inevitable massive meltdown at a party.
“It was, but you’re a year older and wiser.”
“Don’t want to go through that again,” I groan. “That relationship wore me down, but I don’t just want a wham! bam! hookup.
Rob shrugs, “Should be interesting.” He has a thoughtful look on his face.
“How so?” I ask.
“At the risk of being obvious, Trevor isn’t Matt. You won’t be able to push him around as easily. He’s gonna call you on your shit.”
“The fuck you say!” I yelp.
He laughs, “He already has you spinning in circles and you haven’t had the first date.”
“Ugh!” I moan, scrubbing my hands through my hair. “Some therapist you’re turning out to be. Don’t expect me to pay for your so-called ‘help.’”
He leers at me. “I’ll take it out in trade. Leave your bedroom door unlocked tonight.”
I punch his arm. “You couldn’t hang with me. By morning, your brain would be fried.”
“Serves me right for messing with the Adonis of South Philly,” he laughs.
TREVOR
The highlight of the four-hour bus ride to Ithaca to play Cornell is easily the text message from Zach. When my phone buzzes and I see the mopey photo I took of his face pop up the screen, I practically jump out my seat with excitement. The convo only lasts a couple of minutes, but my face hurts from the big grin I have the whole time. He lets me know that he wants to go to the Crab House for dinner, so as soon as he signs off, I look up the number so I can call for reservations.
“Can you give me one of the tables by the fireplace?” I ask them. The main room at the restaurant has a huge stone hearth, and it’s romantic as hell to sit close to it. When they confirm that one is available, my grin widens even more.
Once that is taken care of, as I jam my phone back in my pocket, I realize that Garrett, who’s sitting next to me, is shaking from laughter.
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
“You!” he snickers.
“What about me?” I laugh in spite of myself.
“I’m expecting you to dislocate your shoulder patting yourself on the back.”
“Get the fuck outta here!”
“No, I think it’s great! You’ve had a long dry spell on the sex front, so seeing you move in for the kill is a good deal. Fuck ‘im and chuck ‘im, get your groove back.”
“It’s not like that at all. I’m serious.”
He scoffs. “Come on! You know your obsession is just because he’s making you work a little for a change. The thrill of the chase. Once you bag him, I think that you’ll lose interest.”
I grab a text book and slam it open. “I know you’re wrong,” I snap.
He snorts in derision and punches my shoulder. “Whatever, Casanova.”
I flip him off with a big grin and say, “You’ll see.”
“No, you’ll see.”
I try to study, but all I can think about is going to dinner with Zach tomorrow. The way that he kissed me at the pizza place, growling that I was not the one in charge… well that was just fucking hot. Garrett would never hear it from me, but he is partly right about one thing: The chase was definitely amping up the action. Zach keeps me off balance, and that is a welcome change of pace.
Garrett elbows me in the ribs. “You’ve been looking at that page for the last eighty miles… and that smile and all of the sighs you keep huffing are not because you are smitten with advanced statistics.”
“So?” I ask.
“It’s annoying me. Cut it out.”
I laugh, “Did I miss the memo where you were named Relationship Monitor?”
“You need one,” Garrett nods. “Might as well be me.”
“Uh, no thanks, Mr. Love-em-leave-em. I prefer something that lasts after the condom cools off.”
He threw he hands up and groans, “Kids today! Trying to grow up so fast!”
Across the aisle, Phillip Berrinau opens his eyes to give us a dirty look for interrupting his nap. “What are you two biddies squawking about now? I swear, you argue more than my parents.”
“Trevor here wants a relationship,” Garrett says sarcastically.
Phillip frowns and his eyes narrow. “With you?”
“No, not with me, you fucking moron!” Garrett roars.
Phillip shrugs. “Dunno. You two squabble all the time. Might as well get the make-up fuck to go with it.”
“I can’t even,” Garrett snaps. “No! With the waiter from the pizza place.”
Phillip scrunches his nose in thought. “I can see it. Does he have a sister? I’d hit that.”
“Older sisters,” I say.
“Ooh! MILFS,” Phillip grins. “Still interested.”
“I think that they are all married.”
“Even better!” he grunts. “No sweat off my balls if she ends up preggers.”
Garrett chuckles, “Until she gives birth to an eighteen-pound baby with a hairy back.”
Phillip side arms an empty soda can into Garrett’s chest. “At least I’m a manly man, you little pussy, and not some waxed diva like you two.”
“Leave me out of this,” I snort.
“Yeah,” Garrett coos. “Trev gets all hot and bothered thinking about your hairy back.”
I shove an elbow into him. “Don’t tell Phillip about my secret crush on him! You’ll make him nervous.”
Phillip says, “Nope. I’m okay with you, bro. It’s your buddy there that I don’t turn my back on in the shower.”
“Me?” says Garrett.
“Yeah. I’ve seen you hump a fire hydrant. No telling what my furry back would drive you to do.”
Phillip and I are both laughing while Garrett bellows a string of curses at us.
“Hey!” the coach stands in the aisle and yells from the front of the bus. “You three are seniors. Show a little leadership.”
“Sorry, Coach,” we chorus and then shut up.
We’re quiet for a while as we near the Cornell University campus. As the bus pulls up outside their arena, I lean into Garrett and ask, “Are we cool?”
He looks at me from the side of his eyes, and says, “I’m cool. Honestly, you’re a bit of a douche.”
I laugh and reach up to ruffle his hair.
He pulls sharply away. “Not The Hair. Nobody messes with The Hair.”
“Sorry. Forgot,” I say as he smooths it back down.
__________________________________________________
The bus is noisy with a post-game celebration for about the first half hour on the way back, but then the team settles down. Garrett falls asleep leaning agent the window in the seat next to me. Phillip is sprawled out across the aisle, playing a game on his phone. I have my stats text open in my lap, but no interest in reading it.
Phillip glances at me and asks, “What’s with the bitch face, Trev?”
“What?”
“Last time I saw a face that grumpy was when my thirteen-year-old sister found out that Justin Bieber had cancelled a concert.”
I shrug. “Just the usual. Lot on my mind”
“Worried about your friend?”
I turn to look at him. “No. Well, maybe.” I look to see if Garrett is awake since I don’t need another fucking lecture from him tonight. His mouth droops open, so I guess he is out. “I’ve put a lot of pressure on this deal tomorrow, maybe too much.”
“You’ll do fine. Just keep up your end of the conversation, and a word of advice?”
“Yeah?”
“Those of us who live this side of Framingham find a little of that Boston accent goes a long way.”
“Screw you!” I grin.
“Seriously, rein it in a little. You sound like a thug.” He thinks for a moment. “Wait! You’re from Boston, so you are a thug. Never mind. Carry on!”
“You’re as bad as Garrett here.”
Phillip scoffs, “Now you’re just being cruel and trying to hurt my feelings.”
“Whatever,” I grunt.
He leans across the aisle and says, “All kidding aside, you’ll be fine. He’s a hockey fan, right? You can always talk about hockey.”
“Not really,” I respond.
Phillip looks at me for a moment, and then chuffs out a breath before going back to his game.
“What?” I ask.
He looks back at me, chewing his lip. “I don’t want to add to your whatever-you-have- going-on-here,” he says quietly, “and let me know if I’m being an asshole, but that’s a big difference, your life mostly hockey and him not part of that at all.”
“Maybe,” I say reluctantly, not wanting to pursue this topic.
“Again, if I’m out of line, just say so, but a couple of years ago I was seeing this woman…” He swallows hard. “The sex was mind blowing. She was not one of those women who aren’t really into the whole blow job thing, y’know?” I nod at him. “Julie loved oral more than me almost. Hoovered my cock every chance she got.” He lapsed into silence.
“Cool story, bro,” I say after a while. “Thanks for sharing.”
“Sorry,” he smirked. “The point is that she had zero interest in hockey, which is a big part of my life. Wouldn’t come to our games, wouldn’t watch on TV, didn’t want to meet any of my team mates. Zilch. We were great between the sheets, but once we left the bedroom, not much was going on.”
“Yeah, I guess. Sounds rough.”
“I’m not saying that you can’t work that out with your guy, but without some intersecting interests, it’s that much tougher.”
I sock his shoulder. “Thanks. That gives me something to think about.”
Phillip leans his head back and closes his eyes. “You’ll be fine, Trevor. Just watch the accent.”
“Jerk!”
I think about what Phillip said for a while, and looking at my phone, I see that it is just after midnight, so I text Zach.
—awake?
He answers quickly.
—yes
—we beat cornell
—I know. listened on radio. 2 goals/2 assists. not bad hockey boy
Relief floods through me. Not only had Zach listened to the game, he paid attention to what I was doing. I look over at Phillip, but it looks like he is asleep already.
I quickly tap out —cant wait for tomorrow night
—me too
—i’ll be the one wearing the big grin
—i’m hoping a grin and nothing else?
—think you may be kind of a pervert.
—nothing kinda about it. ask me sometime about the fantasy i had about you at the coffee shop.
—yeah?
—not now. still trying to impress you
—mission accomplished
—lol. see you tomorrow
—good night
I click the phone off and close my eyes. Tomorrow can’t come soon enough.
Thanks, BD.
