Lesson one when you choose professional sports as your career. Never fuck unwrapped. More importantly, never come inside a woman especially when she’s so damn hot you can’t help but want to take this little floor romp on the road. Dalton knew better. His best friend is Jerome Speed, the Speed Demon of Love until recently. His paternity suits hit double digits. Not that Dalton thought Willie set out to get pregnant, but shit happens and the fact he didn’t want to remove his limp cock from inside her wasn’t helping.
“My headache isn’t completely gone,” he said finally unlatching himself from the best piece of ass he’d ever known.
Willie crawled from his arms and pulled herself up on the couch as if her legs no longer functioned. They sat there staring at each other for five minutes. Each in their own world until Willie reached for her pajama bottoms and left the room. Dalton watched until her apple shaped ass was no longer visible.
“Dumb ass,” he bemoaned and dropped his head in his hands. His cock twitched like a crack addict knowing its next fix was less than a minute away. Looking to his crotch, he scolded the wayward monster. “You’re not helping.”
Willeen was hot, slick and tight. When she came, he might as well have been in a vice made of pussy. Where could this go really? Sure, he had money and any wife he married would be well provided for and not need to work, but Willeen was a country girl. He couldn’t imagine her trying to fit in with high heeled, big hair and thick make up girls in the family suites. Danika wasn’t that way, but she had a style and grace that could command a room.
Why did Dalton even think this way? Fucking optics that’s why. He’s a damn cartoon character and you can’t introduce another character without approval from a damn committee. Pulling himself up, Dalton tucked his cock away and zipped back up. His phone had fallen from his pocket at some point in the night he assumed, but it was no good since the battery had died.
The shower had been on for a few minutes telling him Willeen’s plans. Part of him wanted to slide in the warm water with her, but that didn’t seem right. What was right? Wasn’t the point of this trip to unplug from what had been and discover what could be?
“Alright moron, what’s your next step?” he asked. “Stay? Go? One-night-stand seems beyond rude. It’s not like you don’t want to hit that about twenty more times.”
“You call all the women you fuck a that?”
Dalton spun around and discovered he had a little bit of alcohol still in his body. “How long have you been there?” he asked unsure if the vision of Willeen was real. Her hair was pulled up into a bun as droplets of water beaded on her caramel colored skin. The towel she wore wrapped around her round bosoms he’d overlooked in her work clothes. She had a body for sin and Dalton hadn’t gone to confession in a decade. Seeing her in flannel and jeans had him burning to touch. This…explained why he was thinking long term.
“You talk to yourself a lot?”
“Define a lot?”
“Right, well don’t feel obligated to me. I have got a list longer than your—” She caught herself. “Maybe not, um, Dalton I don’t usually… I’m not available.”
“Is there an angry husband I need to worry about?”
“No, not like that.” She tightened her hand around the towel on her chest. “Me personally. I’m unavailable. Most days I don’t even spend with myself.”
“You schitzo or something?”
“I live in a small cabin, but it’s overflowing with baggage.”
Dalton turned his head from side to side and had to admit there wasn’t much to the cabin. A couch, two-person table with only one chair, a desk with a computer so old the display wasn’t flat and triangles were it’s bouncing screen saver. There were only two doors in the room. One to outside and one to what he assumed was a bedroom.
“Either way,” she continued. “We were two people working out some tension for different reasons.”
“Exactly what were those?” he asked as she went into the small kitchenette that had an apartment sized fridge and freezer and a stovetop, but no oven.
“For me it’s a long dry spell.”
“And me?”
“I’m not a mind reader, but I suppose I could follow you around and wait for you to start babbling again.”
“In my defense,” he said as he stood up and crossed to her. “I’m not used to being alone, alone, if you know what I mean.”
“Not a clue.”
“I’m an offensive lineman. We tend to move in packs. Most don’t listen to what we say. Also, I’ve had a few concussions in my day and self-talk helps move me from place to place. If a coach isn’t yelling at me to get off my ass, I have to do it myself.”
“Are all linemen this weird?”
“Possibly, I haven’t met them all, but I can tell you I’m uncomfortable being alone.”
“Why?” she asked and as she pulled out a few pieces of bread and tossed them in a toaster oven.
“Now you sound like Danika.”
“And she is?”
“My life coach.”
“Wow, you live for coaches huh?”
“I understand them. My dad’s an amazing one actually.”
“Okay, so this Danika, how does she help you?”
“What do you know about me?”
“Very little. Your name is familiar, but that’s about it.”
“Have you ever seen a Grizzly’s jersey covered in blood?”
Willeen cocked her head to the side and paused. “Um, yeah actually I have.”
“Those are mine. I’m the Blood Thirsty Bear of the Gridiron.”
“The what?” she laughed as she removed her toast and started to butter it. Dalton had to fight back the urge to sweep back the few wisps of hair along her neck. He wanted to devour her in every way and the fact she hadn’t dressed was making it hard on him. Curves strained at the terry cloth towel barely covering her thighs leading to her long legs only to end in the most perfect toes. Barefoot and practically naked, what more could Dalton want? “How do you go from babbling to speechless in less than a minute?”
“I wasn’t lying when I said you were hot.”
Willeen’s eyes locked on his as she brought the toast to her lips and then bit. Dalton pulled his bottom lip to squelch the need in him to press against her. The caveman was creeping back into his mind. With an arm on either side of her hips he trapped her against the counter before lifting her at the waist to place her on the countertop. Her eyebrow raised before pointing her toast at him. With a crunch, he bit the cooked bread and inched her knees apart.
When the hormones weren’t surging Dalton was highly intelligent. Three days had passed and when not in each other’s arms they had talked about everything, except football. Games were starting and although his team had a bye, the fact he wouldn’t be suiting up the next Sunday was grating on him. When he would workout, she would work and try to settle the teenage giddy taking over her body.
“’Bout time you showed up,” Stanley said as he came out of his cabin and tossed her the keys to his truck. She wasn’t sure why, he never locked it and with how damaged his ignition was she could use a screwdriver to turn it over.
“The transmission just arrived today,” Willeen said as she dropped her tailgate. “I’m gonna need your wench.”
“Where have you been?”
“Around.” Willeen took out her phone. “Did I miss something?”
“You usually stop by. I was worried about you. If I didn’t see the storm windows on the Quince cabin I would have called the sheriff out to search for your body.”
Willeen had been mauled by a grizzly for the last three days and couldn’t think of a better way to spend her time. “Bucky’s guest has needed a little extra coddling.”
“Has he now?” Stanley’s eyebrow arched as he crossed his arms. “Do I need to have a discussion with this man about his intentions?”
Willeen laughed. “That’s sweet, but I think I can handle him.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Stan replied. “Willie, he’s an NFL player. Emphasis on the player part.”
“Do you even know his name? What position he plays?”
“Does it matter?”
“Didn’t you take in my father even though he was a drunk native?”
“That’s not fair. Your dad had his issues, but have you ever talked to Bucky about the athletes he works with? The stories he tells—”
“Dalton is…” Willeen trailed off. “It doesn’t matter, he’ll be going back to Chicago soon.”
“And the smile on your face, will it be gone too?” Stan stuffed his hands in the pockets of his windbreaker. “That’s what I don’t like Willie. You’ve had more heartbreak than a girl your age deserves. I just want you to be happy.”
“And Dalton isn’t the man to do that for me?”
“Are you thinking long term? Because I guarantee he isn’t.”
“I’ll never have a long term. Not with Hector still breathing. I came to terms with that awhile ago. Right now, I’m all about the moment. And in this moment, Dalton puts a smile on my face.”
Stan and Willeen set up the wench and removed his old transmission, then put the new one in. After the heavy equipment was done being used, Stan borrowed Willie’s truck and headed into town while she spent most of the day attaching the bolts, wires and making sure the timing belt was set correctly. Using a rag, she wiped her hands only to suddenly lose her feet. They swung out in front of her as Dalton’s massive arm wrapped around her belly.
“Hey there sexy,” he growled in her ear and finally set her back on the ground.
“That’s me,” she said proudly with her arms in the air. Standing in a long sleeve T-shirt, jeans and hiking boots. “Runway models have nothing on me.”
Dalton reached for the rag resting on the side of the truck and wiped at her cheek. “Sorry, I should have asked if that was your make-up. Guess I think you’re too beautiful to need any.”
Willeen’s heart sped up and the smile she’d been wearing all day widened. “What are you doing all the way over here?”
“Cardio,” he said and she took in his soft shorts and t-shirt. “Gotta get my heart pumping one way or another.”
“Your knee’s okay?”
“Still a little tender, but hey I’m turning into the hulk now.” Dalton lifted his right short leg a bit and the once deep purple bruise had lightened to a greenish blue. Stepping forward, he lifted his fists in the air until he had her trapped between him and the grill of the truck. Bringing his fists down on either side of her he called out. “Hulk smash.”
“We back to that huh?” she teased and snaked her arms around his neck. “So tell me, what do I need to do to get Bruce back?”
“You don’t like the monster?”
“I’ve never seen him. Sorry, I only see you.”
“You’re the only one, but I like that.” Dalton leaned down and captured her lips. His hands went from being fists to soft and gentle as they cradled her head. The kiss was deep and his hands continued to travel down her body until he rested them on her hips. With a tight squeeze, he lifted her up and her legs wrapped around his waist. He braced her with his strong hands on her ass as he walked her around to the bed of the truck and sat her down. “Come back to Chicago with me.”
“What?” she asked unsure of what he had said when their lips broke from the kiss.
“Come to Chicago. The next game I can play is up in Green Bay, you can come to that one, but I have to go back home to prep for it. Besides, I’ll be playing a home game the next week. Both are less than a day trip for you.”
“Come watch you play? Or come to Chicago with you?”
“I know you have a life here, but it’s been almost a decade since I had someone special in the stands. Until I met you, I never noticed how much I missed having someone with me after the game.”
“Don’t you have a dozen jersey chasers every game?”
“They don’t care what guy grabs them at the end of the game. All they care about is his annual salary.” Dalton shook his head. “One time we made one of the Quality Control guys walk out in a suit with the rest of us after the game. We warned him not to sleep with the girl. It took everything he had. Who turns down a girl who drops to her knees with in five minutes of meeting you? When he finally told her his job, she kicked his ass out of her car so fast his head spun. She’d been pawing him up and telling him how sexy he was. A minute later he was a loser.”
Dalton’s hands rubbed up and down her arms. Their eyes were locked on each other’s as he leaned in for another kiss she felt her lips tremble. The sound of her truck couldn’t stop the draw Dalton had on her. The idea of being caught by Stan couldn’t outweigh the feel of Dalton’s lips on hers as the whiskers of his beard tickled her.
“Did I keep you from your job?” he asked as he pulled back and Willeen’s lips kept searching for him. “I’ll take the hit for you.”
“I had been finishing with the last few wires. Just needed to turn it over to make sure it spits like the asthmatic cat it is.” Dalton stepped from between her legs and Willeen hopped off the tailgate. Stan got out of her truck and came to his. “Punctual as always. Let’s see if I got the timing belt on there right.”
“How is this going to work?” Dalton asked himself as he packed his suitcase. “You know you have to get back to the city, but you want her to come with.”
Shaking his head, he tossed his t-shirts in the duffle bag and zipped it closed. Green Bay Mist tickets were hard to come by, even for players. The area lottery guarantee’s fans get tickets, but not with the regularity they probably truly want. A call to his college roommate DeMariaus Lewis garnered him a set. With Stanley as Willeen’s plus one, Dalton wasn’t sure if the man was going as protection from the crowds or him. It seemed most times Dalton got to be alone with Willeen the last few days, Stanley showed up. As if he were keeping them apart in a way Dalton hated, especially since he knew he was going to have to get used to not seeing her once his life went back to normal. If nothing else, he learned more about his beautiful distraction than if he’d been allowed to lay in bed with her.
“God, her laugh is amazing,” he told himself as he gazed out across the lake. Stepping out on the porch, he rested his arms on the railing and tried to plan out his day. “You need to be in Chicago by noon, that’s when your suspension is over. Go straight to the facility, give Bucky back his key and hit the weight room.”
“Fun times,” Willie said as he heard a creak from her coming on the porch. “I see you’ve got your day planned.”
Her hand rubbed circles on his back. Dalton closed his eyes and fought back his need for her. All he could think of was tying her up and taking her with him.
“Slightly illegal, but…” he shook his head as he saw she had an arched eyebrow as she looked at him. “I said that out loud didn’t I?”
“Possibly. What crime were you planning on committing?”
“It’s not illegal if you come willingly.”
Willeen crossed her arms and rested her back against the railing. With her feet crossed at the ankles, her relaxed smile showed her calm when around him. His hand went to her cheek as the soft velvet of her skin warmed his palm and he pushed his fingers into her shoulder length hair. Today it wasn’t restrained and he marveled at the jet-black tresses framing her face perfectly. Leaning down he found her lips and wished he could take possession of the cabin from Bucky. His career had become distant and foreign to him while he was here. When Bucky tossed Dalton the keys he could have never conceived a place or time when offensive schemes weren’t his priority.
“You know I have a few minutes before I have to leave.”
Her hand cupped his by her cheek. “I know, but that will just make it harder. We’ve had fun and thanks for the tickets for the game. I’ll really try to make it next week.”
“Don’t just try. I know where the seats are. I’ll be looking for you.”
“I’m not one for crowds.”
“Stanley will be there.”
Her lips turned in to his hand and kissed the center of his palm, scalding him as if she’d branded him as hers. Although he’d thought about Chicago the week after, he wasn’t going to bring it up with Willeen. Each step he took toward her, she retreated into a corner like a frightened animal. Unsure who he could ask about her past, he had to wait for her to reach for him. There was something haunting her. The way she was with him and he’d found if he sat back offering treats she came out of the corner. Although she had family in the local tribe, she’d been raised out west. Her father had passed, but that’s not why she returned. Stanley was her current protector. Only Dalton didn’t know from what and still wasn’t sure how he did that, considering his age and size, but most people in the area knew about Stanley’s maintenance of the local cabins. Willeen’s name made their heads cock to the side as if God would drop the information into their ear.
“I know.” Her fingers trailed down the center of his chest to his belt. “Will I get a chance to see you?”
“If you don’t mind looking like a bit of a stalker.”
“Oh my God! That was totally going to be my Halloween costume.”
“Perfect.” Pulling her into his arms, Dalton breathed in the scent of her hair and kissed the crown of her head. “I’ve got to go babe.”
“Me too,” she replied and stepped back. Their hands didn’t seem to want to separate, but they knew they had to. “You’ve got my number if you need it. You know if you forgot something in the cabin or…” Willeen trailed off as she let her eyes wander to the lake. “Have a safe trip Dalton.”
Need. There was an understatement. Dalton needed to sort out what was lust verses…well not love, but a definite desire beyond Willeen’s body. The ride back to Lake Forest to the practice facility was a blur that made him wonder if he’d even been behind the wheel. When he walked in he was greeted by Bart Tomlinson, although smaller than Dalton, he was almost as wide and made it hard for him to pass without shoving the left guard to the floor.
“Can I help you?”
“Do you know what I’ve been dealing with?” he snapped.
“Worthington not filling my shoes?”
“Oh, he’s in your shoes. Like a fucking three-year-old stumbling around. You know this mother fucker’s ankles were crossed while blocking? While blocking! If you can call what he did blocking. I call it playing patty cake. I was trying to seal the edge on twenty-three. You know what this fucker did?”
Dalton sucked in his lips and bit to avoid making a mistake and running his mouth.
“His ass turned like a fucking tight end in search of someone to push. Then this water head had the nerve to say he thought Matty called for twenty-seven. Twenty-seven!”
“I’m going to throw it out there that Coach Tricket didn’t add a new play.”
“You know he didn’t. Twenty-seven! It must be Matty’s fault because he said twenty-three four times. Three, plus four equaling twenty-seven.”
Dalton slapped his teammate on the shoulder. “Since when did you learn how to add?”
“Fuck you. If I get stuck with Worthington again I’m twisting my ankle.”
“Basically, you missed me.” Dalton beamed while rocking back and forth with his hands in the air as if in praise. “Admit it, you like me.”
“Next time you want to forfeit a paycheck and take a week off, let me know.”
Worthington was sitting on the end of the bench press with his eyes turned down to the floor. The second-year man out of Baylor had been struggling, but Dalton saw the same thing Tricket saw. Size and power. The two things that couldn’t be coached. Football IQ, that was another thing. Not that Dalton was looking to mentor a kid in line for his job, but he was his father’s son.
“Hey kid,” he said as he kicked at Worthington’s shoes.
“This where you impart some wisdom, toss glitter on me and start singing the more you know.”
Glaring at Dmitri Yeltsvinick, Dalton held his index finger up. “One time, you can’t let that shit go. How am I supposed to make them feel special if they know my tricks?”
“You emotionally scarred me,” Dmitri’s flat tone relayed his sarcasm.
“But it works, doesn’t it?” Dalton questioned about his advice on blocking a defensive lineman’s swim move. “It took me a week to get rid of the glitter.”
“It’s called showering. Those of us past the Cro-Magnon age discovered it helps with all sorts of ailments.”
“Fix him,” Dmitri ordered as he got up and headed to the trainer’s room. “If you don’t, we will and trust me, that little pet won’t like it.”
Dalton sat at the bench across from Worthington. “Myron.” Dalton shook his head at the old fashion name.
“My,” he corrected. “You can just call me My.”
“Alright, My, what the fuck’s going on?”
“I get mixed up on the calls that’s all.”
“The numbers? The directions? Or is it just nerves?”
“In the notebooks, I’m golden, then the field is different.”
“I’ve got to check in with the coaches and Bucky.” Dalton slapped at My’s knee. “I’m getting take out, how about you pay and we go to my house. We’ll get this worked out?”
“I’m not a rookie, quit hazing me.”
“Did I say you were buying for the whole team?” Dalton stood. “Just me and hell, I didn’t get my paycheck last week.”
“Who’s fault—”
“Kid, your attitude needs to fucking stop. I saw the game and trust me I watch the line, not the ball. So does Tricket. You still hanging out in here and not being walked out the front door has more to do with me getting cleared than your performance. We’re two weeks away from the trade deadline. The fact you’re not thinking about it tells me your ass needs a lot of schooling. I feel like Italian and I don’t mean pizza. Dessert too. How about you go fetch? I’m going to be talking for a good thirty minutes or so.”
Worthington stared up at Dalton. Yes, they were competing for the same position and he was sure this kid had more than his share of people using his translation from book to field skills against him over the years. It’s a weakness and those without talent tended to exploit that to try to get ahead. But Myron Worthington had the brass ring. He’d made it to the big show and those people got weeded out in the process as coaches saw them for who they were.
“I didn’t get my veteran status by acting as if I knew more than the man that came before me. Stepping on people tends to leave tracks. You got picked up on a waiver, what six months ago? Want to go back out on it, or do you want to stow your victim status and go to school?”
“You’re not afraid I’ll take your spot?” Worthington asked as he stood almost as tall as Dalton did.
“Kid I’m pushing thirty, not every part works the way it did when I got drafted, but the only way you take my spot is if I become a liability. And if I’m a liability you better be able to step up and fill the hole I leave. Then again, Vasser could use some competition.”
“Hey,” Troy Vasser, the right tackle called from across the weight room.
“Quick ear husslin’ you nosey bitch,” Dalton yelled back, then turned to Worthington.
“Italian huh?” he replied.
“Red sauce, none of that white shit.” Dalton rubbed his belly. “Gotta keep my girlish figure you know.”
After a successful game in Green Bay, Willeen became a bit more relaxed as each day passed without strangers showing up at the lake. She had successfully gotten lost in the crowd. Was there a chance that she could possibly be in a relationship? A real one?
Dalton had spent the week texting and calling her in the few moments of free time he found each day. She never understood how he could be so busy, but it was nice to not have the pressure of an all-consuming partner.
Sunday morning, Willeen drove down to Chicago and parked her car at Jerome Speed’s home. Both he and Dalton had been locked down in a hotel close to the stadium. Although nervous at first, Danika, Jerome’s fiancé, not only made her feel welcome, but helped her relax as she cut through the Chicago traffic to the stadium.
An hour before kick-off and with the focus of holding on tight to DeMonte’s hand and protecting him, Willeen couldn’t get the knot out of her stomach. Yes, Dani had a great parking spot where she could walk less than a block in the early November winter air into the stadium, but there were too many faces moving around Willeen for her to relax. For the second week in a row, she’d be at a Grizzlies game. Only this one she wouldn’t have Stanley by her side to keep her company. This week it was Jerome Speed’s fiancé and child who, for just meeting her an hour before, Willeen found accommodating and surprisingly open to dealing with a stranger.
“I know it’s crazy game day,” Dani’s voice was raised.
DeMonte had a set of noise cancelling headphones over his ears to drown out most of the drunks who had tailgated a little too much. For the most part the crowd was comical and cordial, but without Dalton to keep them at bay two women walking by themselves made a great target. A man wearing one of Jerome’s jerseys fell on Willeen, spilling his beer all over the front of her shirt. The worst part was she lost DeMonte’s hand. A wave of people was taking Dani and him away. Willeen froze as the man began pawing at her chest while apologizing for the mishap. The strength she showed most days was gone.
When she had first run, she went to L.A. and thought she could get lost in the crowds. Within a week, she was walking along the Santa Monica Pier in the middle of the day when one man knocked her shoulder. It took less than a minute before she ended up in the back of a car on her way back to Las Vegas.
“Willie, Willie,” Dani’s voice carried over the crowd and Willeen saw the cool blue of Dani’s eyes looking back at her with worry. No longer was she being washed down the street. Instead she had one hand on Willie’s shoulder. “You back with me?”
“Sorry, I smell like bad beer now.”
“Yes you do, I’ll get you one of Dalton’s jerseys. Guess it’s a good thing he has a rep. Hopefully they have some without blood all over them.”
“Yeah, what’s that all about?” Willeen asked as they walked through the player’s family and friend entrance. It had the same security, just a quicker line.
“Are you telling me you didn’t even Google him?”
“A little bit, but it doesn’t tell me about the blood.”
“That’s a longer story, lets get you a clean shirt and get settled in before we have to do all that.”
“Dani,” DeMonte pulled on Dani as they went into the official team store. “Dani, can I get a foots-ball.”
Dani picked up the tan and blue ball with the vicious grizzly growling on the side. It was kid sized and overpriced, but Dani didn’t even bat an eye. “Alright DeMonte, but if you lose it during the game it comes out of your allowance.”
“It won’t, I promise.” DeMonte already had a tan jersey with his dad’s name and number on the back. “Can I gets a hat too?”
He asked and Dani lifted him up so he could point to the one he wanted. “We’ll take the blue Grizzlies stocking hat and a number seventy-seven jersey in size…” Turning to Willeen she scanned her up and down with her eyes. “Extra large in women’s please.”
“Those are cut a little tight.”
“And?” she said with a smile as she pulled her coat back a bit and modeled her blue jersey with Jerome’s number on it. “You’ve got some nice curves, show them off.”
“I’d like to be able to breathe.”
Dani leaned in to whisper in Willeen’s ear. “You’ll be breathing, heavy when Dalton sees you in this.” With a quick swipe and no second thought, Dani had purchased the items and they were off to the ladies’ room to change before going to their suite.
Ushers opened the door and Willie saw children running around as the adults conversed with drinks in their hands. A gust of perfumed air assaulted Willeen and she coughed trying to get the flavor of it out of her mouth.
“Dear God what are they covering up with that,” she blurted.
“Their rotting soul,” Dani said as she took the football and headset from DeMonte as he ran to one of his friends. Placing the headset around her neck, Dani watched to make sure DeMonte got to his destination. “At least DeMonte has made friends with Matty’s kids. Three home games in a row he finally acts like a kid. Now if I could get him to go to away games we’d be money. Oh no, trouble in the first thirty seconds, let me get him settled. Why don’t you find us a few seats?”
Willeen wandered around the tables all ready occupied by women in high heels, fake nails and the source of the stench. Trying to push through the cloud of perfume, she attempted to make her way to the front of the suite where cushioned seats were in rows. Less people were sitting there and she saw a few openings together.
“Excuse me,” a woman’s voice called at Willeen while the woman’s claws circled her upper arm. “Who’s are you?”
“Who’s what?” Willeen asked as she looked at the woman who may be wearing a jersey but she had it knotted on her belly to tighten it and show off her stomach and belly ring. The long maxi skirt she wore was flesh colored to match the Grizzly’s tan coloring. It clung to the woman’s ass as if one wrong move would tear it in half. Talk about not being able to breathe.
“Which player are you sleeping with?” Her syrupy sweet tone seemed staged and Willeen didn’t know how to respond. “I know you’re not with the beast you’re wearing. Not even my girl LaLa would sleep with Dalton.”
“Right, okay I’m going to step over there,” Willeen tried to step away, but the woman’s grip was stronger than she imagined. Plus, who holds tight when someone says they are stepping away? What kind of freaks do they have here?
“Not yet love.” Love? “You’re new here, let me guide you.”
“I’m a big girl.”
“I can see that, is that what Dalton sees in you? Hips, ass, and a woman who can almost look eye to eye. What do you do?”
“Do?” Willeen hadn’t ever felt so lost in her life. She had been in the woods for too long. The most she ever had to deal with was one person at a time. Not a group all and she found herself surrounded as the questions were getting thrown at her from every direction.
“She would be clutch to add,” a voice said.
“Oh yeah, a little bit of makeup and she’s good to go. What nice cheekbones.”
“And that hair,” another said while running her fingers through Willeen’s ponytail. “Where did you buy this? Is it Indian hair? I have a guy on Michigan Ave that sells quality shit like this.”
“Please, you know you wear that cheap horse hair shit,” another laughed.
“Hello,” a man said as he jumped in front of Willeen and pulled her from the gaggle of women. He was shorter than her, with a head set and overly product ladened hair. “I’m going to need you to sign these papers.”
The clipboard loomed in front of her as she stumbled to find where she was supposed to sign and why. “What is this?” she asked as her eyes were unable to focus on the words in front of her.
“Basic release, nothing much.”
“Release for what,” Willeen asked as her pen balanced ready to sign.
“Look if you want to be in here you need to sign this.” The man had no patience for her.
“Or what,” Dani bit and took the clipboard away from Willeen. “First off, that’s less than B level lines and its off script.”
“Script?” Willeen questioned, but Dani held up her hand.
“She can reshoot it,” he replied. “I’ll have a script ready to go by half time and we can just pretend it’s the start of the game. Come on Dani, if she’s really the blood thirsty bear of the gridiron’s woman I could see a full spin off.”
“Spin off? Script?” Willeen was trying to patch the words together in search of what the man was offering. The foggy haze that happens when confronted with a ton of data at once had her trying to focus on an object she understood. Pen. She knew what a pen was. GOGS? Balancing the pen between her fingers she screwed her face to the side.
“First off Bryceson, quit telling people they can’t be in here without signing a release. Not only is that a lie, but if you keep it up I’ll have a talk with Bill Cuemark and get you and your show tossed out of here. Trust me, the last thing Cuemark wants is to have two of his starter’s women being treated poorly for a set a benchwarmers whores.”
“Who you callin’ a whore?” the first woman said as she stood up and began removing her huge hoop earrings.
“The one who stood at attention when her title was announced,” Dani spat. “The cameras aren’t running, LaDonna.”
“This has nothing to do with the cameras, my man loves me.”
“That’s why he married you right? Oh wait, wasn’t last season’s cliff hanger if he was going to dump you for good?”
“See, you watch.”
“Only to induce vomiting. Now sit.” The woman and her entourage with women of every race followed suit. Unlike Dani and Matty’s wife who wore jeans and a jersey, these women were half dressed with heels Willeen only saw on the strip. “Now Bryceson, how about you take your little camera crew and stand in the corner.”
“Are there going to be cameras here the whole time?” Willeen asked as her stomach knotted. “I can’t be caught on camera.”
Dani’s eyes studied Willie’s and she gave her a nod before turning to Bryceson. “Everything with DeMonte, myself or Willie here better not show up on your show. I don’t care if she’s hanging out in the background. Blurring will not be enough.”
“This is a public area.”
“Out there is public,” Dani informed him as she pointed to the general seating. “In here, is for families to not be assaulted by you or your friends. My father’s lawyers have already spoken to you once, right?”
“You know this woman has a mind of her own,” Bryceson countered. “Maybe she wants to be on GOGS.”
“Good point.” Dani turned directly to Willeen who finally found herself coming back to the planet earth. “Willeen, do you want to be on the totally scripted reality show Girls of the Gridiron?”
“Reality TV, no thank you.”
“There you go,” Dani said as she spun back to Bryceson. “She wouldn’t fit in anyway. Did you hear her use the phrase thank you? It’s like she was raised with home training.”
“I know you didn’t just go there, bitch,” LaLa chimed in this time. Now it was security from the show stepping in to protect them from the wrath of the benchwarmer’s girls.
“Come on,” Dani said as she pulled Willeen to their seats. “Thank God for Rachel, I swear reality TV is destroying the world. She’s the best. The real wives are. Those things are just trying to get their fifteen minutes any way they can. The worst thing is they are tanking their player’s chances for a contract extension. The more air time they get the less the owner is happy.”
“Why would they do it then?” Willeen asked as she flipped through a menu and tried to block out the prices.
“It’s all about them, not their so-called love of their life.”
“Where’s DeMonte?”
“Rachel, Matt Bishop the quarterback’s wife, is watching him along with her three kids. Plus, they have a personal nanny. She’ll be over soon.”
Rachel showed up right as a local artist sang the Star-Spangled-Banner. After being introduced, Willeen could see there was a large divide between all the women. Those who were considered serious sat by Rachel, who was the queen of the court. She let Willeen know all about the support system between the players’ wives and how they all looked out for each other. Since Willeen was with Dani, it was assumed she was in this group.
“You and Dalton huh?” Rachel questioned after her second pretty pink drink. “Never saw that man ever being tamed.”
“I told you the hype is just that,” Dani countered. “Hype. And hopefully we can get rid of his reputation. Willie, you could help him a lot.”
“Help how?”
“Marrying him.” Rachel had the black straw of her drink on the side of her mouth as she sucked back a shot of the liquor. “A woman like you, then you pop out a few kids and the world would know he wasn’t an animal anymore.”
“What do you mean a woman like me?” The hair on the back of Willeen’s neck stood up.
“One with class,” Rachel said with more sincerity than a nun. Willeen looked behind her, sure she couldn’t be talking about the axe wielding half-breed. “You’re fucking gorgeous and look at you wearing the perfect outfit for your debut.”
“I can’t really debut.”
“Why not?” Rachel questioned as she smoothed her blonde hair back into a ponytail as Dani appeared as interested in the answer.
Willeen needed someone to talk to besides Stan. When was the last time she was allowed girlfriends? Junior high, maybe, but they all abandoned her when she sprouted up like an uncoordinated freak.
“I have a bad ex. He doesn’t know where I am.”
“How bad?” Dani asked. “On the stalker sliding scale?”
“Nine and a half. And I only give him that half because he hasn’t found me this time.”
“This time,” Rachel said as she waved her empty glass at the bartender for a refill. “How many times have you had to run away from him?”
“Four. The first time I didn’t get away in time. I’ve been in hiding for almost a whole year this time.”
“Did he beat you?” Dani asked. “Because I’m pretty sure Dalton could take him.”
“Because he’s the blood thirsty bear? I don’t want to add to his reputation. Plus, that’s not the way Hector works. His hands don’t need to get dirty anymore.”
“He’s already had years of it huh?”
“To say it lightly.”
“Screw him,” Rachel stated and Willie found out she was stone cold sober. The only thing in her drink was pop. “I’m the damn mama bear here, for this season at least, and you guys are all my cubs. No one messes with my babies.”
Whether it was Rachel’s pledge to protect her or finally getting the weight of her situation off her chest Willeen could breathe better. Could this be her life? The women she was surrounded by were strong and protective. With the threat of trades and never knowing where they might be living season to season had them creating a bond. One that supports the men they truly love and the game that affords them a comfortable lifestyle. Unlike the GOGs in the back of the family suite who were constantly doing the same thing over and over until the take was right. Reality, right? Willeen shook her head then went back to the group of women who were commenting about the play on the field.
“Did you just puke?” Rome asked Dalton as he walked back to his locker. “I mean, should I worry about you being pregnant?”
“Rome the comedian.”
“You don’t have the flu or something, do you?”
“Dysentery. You’ll get the shits right about kick off.”
“You tellin’ me I have something to look forward to, sweet.” Rome pulled up a chair and sat by Dalton.
“Willie came down this morning.”
“I know, Dani told me. They rode together.”
“Oh, I forgot about that.”
“She was at the game last week, why is this worse?”
“Any woman can go to one game. This one she’s in the family suite. My parents are the only ones I’ve ever got tickets for there.”
“Does this mean you’re going to play like shit?” Rome asked. “Because if so, puke one more time and tell the trainer you have the flu. You can’t cost me a game, especially against the Archers.”
Cleveland had the worst record in the league. Even with their up and down season the Grizzly’s were still north of five hundred. Losing would shift that a bit too much and might knock them out of the playoffs.
“I’m good man, I usually beast on an empty belly.”
“Let’s go gentlemen,” Xavier Jackson, the tight end coach called and the men started to line up. Walking down the tunnel toward the end, they began to lock arm in arm five across and eleven deep. In the end of the line up were the defensive starters since they would be the ones introduced.
Dalton was linked up with the offensive line as they started a growl. It echoed against the walls and his heart raced. He couldn’t remember the last time a regular season game made him this excited. Especially a non-conference game that should be a blow out, but for the first time in years he had something outside of himself to play for.
Smoke blocked his view as sparks flew from the pyrotechnics. Far from the paper banner he ran through in high school. No longer did a thousand people constitute a good crowd. Now, if they didn’t hit sixty-thousand a community push would happen.
The announcer got the crowd to their feet and the stomping could be heard above them. Dalton closed his eyes as his heart pounded in time to the drum line at the end of their glory line. Dmitri Yeltsvinick put one foot forward and the line moved as one. Starting the run with their arms locked until they had taken one step into the cold of the stadium. Breaking apart, but still in lockstep they ran onto the field with one arm raised high. It wasn’t until they joined the line at the end, did Dalton take a moment to look up into the second tier of seating where glassed in suites contained premium seating. Three were connected and although it cost more than a normal ticket Dalton hadn’t bought his allotted ones for years. Splurging on Willeen didn’t seem a waste. It was the cost of having family in his life again. A connection he missed.
“Hey, Gresham,” Coach Tricket called. “You move to special teams and forget to tell me?”
“Huh?” he asked then looked out on the field to see he’d not only missed the national anthem, he was still standing like a dumb ass inside the white lines. Stepping back, he shook his head as Rome glared at him. “I’m good.”
“You’re sprung is what you are,” Rome said. “I’m making sure Dani brings this woman back to my house after the game. I gotta see her.”
The ref’s whistle blew and the kicker for the Archer’s took off booting the football through the end zone. Kick off return ran through their routes and curved to the side when the back-judge’s whistle signaled the ball dead.
Jogging out to the twenty, they huddled up with Matty still making the calls. A simple run block for Rome, but Rome seemed more focused on Dalton than their Quarterback.
“Dalton,” he warned before they all lined up.
With one hand in the dirt on the twenty-five, Dalton felt good. He hadn’t fucked up and gone to the traditional yard line for a touchback, the twenty. As Matty called out, Dalton’s focus was singular as he burst forward on three and blew the Archer’s defensive lineman back. Tomlinson, the left guard was so close for the first three yards with his man that their shoulder pads touched. It wasn’t until Dalton’s foot hit the thirty did he break away from Tomlinson and by eight yards down, the defensive lineman stumbled backwards causing Dalton to run him over. Finally done with his assignment, he could figure out where he was needed next. Rome had made it to the forty before the Archer’s secondary collapsed in on him and took him to the ground.
Popping up off the turf, Rome pointed the football to Dalton before tossing it to the line judge. Jogging up to the huddle, Dalton listened for the next snap count and forgot about anything but the game. By halftime, the Grizzlies were up seventeen to ten and Dalton grabbed a water bottle as they headed into the locker room. The shift in temperature was nice, but he sat as close as he could to the door because he didn’t want to completely thaw.
“Do I need to talk to your publicist?” Coach Tricket asked as he gathered the linemen together after Coach Marshall gave his halftime speech calling out their errors and strengths.
“Who me?” Dalton responded after a felt the glare of his hardened coach’s stare.
“Where the hell is the blood thirsty Gresham? The last two games he’s been missing, against the Mist I figured it was because it was your first one back, but I need you to rip a man’s head off.”
“Has Matty been sacked from the left once?” Dalton countered as he stood up since the clock signaled they had five minutes until halftime was over. “Because last time I checked that’s my damn job, not baying at the moon.”
Coach Tricket sucked in a hard breath before scanning Dalton from head to toe. “’Bout fuckin’ time. Saving your QB only to get a fifteen-yard penalty is about as useless as tits on a boar. I was ready to push for you to be released. Your jersey sales helped you the last three times I went to the front office. Don’t make me go again.”
Dalton stared blankly unable to process Coach Tricket’s comment. He hadn’t said a thing to Dalton. New to the Grizzlies last year he hadn’t been one to rock the boat. Maybe that’s why his agent Carter had been changing his branding.
By the end of the game the Grizzlies increased their lead to twenty-four and as he walked off the field his eyes once again drifted up to the suite.
“Forget it,” Rome said as he slapped Dalton on his shoulder. “If I know Dani, they’re already heading home.”
“Why?” Dalton asked as they headed to the locker room. “Because you didn’t get in at the end?”
“Nope, she watches till the end, but then she books it. Especially since GOGs started filming in there. Dani stayed late one time and they spent the whole time reacting to plays that involved their men.”
“Recreating a reaction?” Dalton laughed.
“Of course, for reality sake.”
“Who’s the dumb asses dating those girls?” Dalton asked.
“Fuck if I know,” Rome replied and tossed his shoulder pads into his open locker. “Does it matter?”
“Yeah it does, because of those fifteen minutes of fame bitches cause one of our guys to get off their game, I’m gonna kick their ass.”
“The girl or the player?” Rome asked while retrieving his soap and towel. “Because I thought you were supposed to be softening your image.”
“Rome,” Coach Marshall yelled across the locker room. “Make it short, they want you for the press conference.”
“God damn it,” Rome grumbled under his breath before calling back to the coach. “Alright.”
“Was Dani planning on bringing Willie to my house?”
“Now I’m your damn social secretary?” Rome replied. “Look, I have to hit the shower.”
“Yeah, get going superstar.” Dalton unlocked the small locker they had inside the large open one and pulled out his phone.
Hey babe. He shook his head wishing texts could be pulled back.
Hey yourself.
You going to Rome’s?
My bags are there. Wish I would have known I wouldn’t get to see you outside of your uniform.
Dalton felt his cock begin to swell as he thought of Willie’s long, lithe body laid out on the bed with the sun setting in the picture window.
You can see me out of uniform anytime you want.
Hahahahaha, I knew the second I hit send you’d make it dirty.
Don’t leave. Stay tonight.
The three little dots pulsed on his phone. Dalton missed that he had stopped breathing. His heart beat hard against his chest as he clutched the phone willing her to type a response. Had it been three seconds? Minutes? Hours?
There’s an early storm predicted. I can stay a few hours, but I have to get home to plow.
Dalton’s heart sank at the message. He wanted Willie to stay, but if nothing else he saw how selfish the NFL life could be for the spouse. Dani made an exception to see him on Tuesday, but he’d never noticed his seven day a week job before meeting Willie. Sure it wasn’t year-round, but even the days off weren’t that. He had responsibilities related to the team every day of the week. The suspension and bye week gave him more time off than he’d ever received in his professional life.
I’m gonna hit the shower. I’ll try to be there to pick you up in an hour.
K, I’m trying to not overstay my welcome at Rome’s.
Not even possible. Dalton’s finger hovered over the I on his keyboard. He’d typed and deleted I love you three times. No, too soon man, Dalton shook his head and went for a more neutral response.
See you soon, babe. Willeen clicked off her phone and gazed out at the busy city streets. This had already gone too far. She’d have to talk to Dalton about what was happening between them. The game was fun, but she couldn’t get lost in a crowd. Not with him by her side. If nothing else the GOGs taught her that and Dani confirmed it. Not on purpose, but when they were leaving a bus drove by with a picture of Dani and Rome on the side. It advertised a charity, but was that what was expected of an NFL girlfriend? Willeen couldn’t be a girlfriend to anyone, let alone a man in the spotlight.
“You okay?” Dani asked.
“Yes, Dalton said he wanted to see me before I left town.”
“You’re leaving tonight?”
“I’ve got a job.”
“Right, but I thought it was pretty flexible.”
“It can be, but mother nature dictates a lot of it.”
The storm forecasted was a tracking snowfall not one that would require the plow, but what was she supposed to do, spend the night? Dalton didn’t have to play again until the next Sunday. He could easily talk her into holing up in his house until then.
Willie camped out on the couch in the living room where Dani had put the afternoon game on the TV. DeMonte passed out before they got two blocks from the stadium. Dani was happy to have Willie carry the toddler to his bed. The warmth of his little frame had Willie smelling his hair and dreaming of what could never be as she tucked him in for a nap.
“You alright?” Dani asked and Willie felt a trend starting. “Sorry, I’ve just noticed a shift in you since we left.”
“End of the high I guess.”
“Could be, or—” Dani put her hands up in surrender as they backed out of DeMonte’s room. “Professional pitfall. Rome says I’m always looking for a problem to solve.”
“Dalton said something about you helping him.”
“I’m trying, but until he knows what he wants I can’t help him achieve it.”
“He seemed a bit lost when he first came to the cabin.”
“And a bit more grounded when he left,” she surmised.
“I’m not that girl.”
“Which one? The one who completes a lost man?”
“It’s not what or who I can be. I don’t have baggage, I have a shipping crate.”
“Hmm.” Dani led the way back to the living room where they both spread out on the couch. “When I first started dating Rome, I thought I had too much for him to handle. There’s a strength and focus in men like Rome and Dalton. They’ve achieved what less than one percent in the world can. It’s not given to them. They work every day as if they were trying to make their first team. Rome and Dalton are superstars and you wouldn’t know with how much effort they put in during the week.”
A little yip made Willie jump and Dani laughed as she picked up a gray mop of fur. Plopping the puppy on the couch it sniffed around and then turned its little head toward her. Barely making out the black eyes behind it’s long hair she couldn’t help smiling at the tiny creature. The puppy responded by climbing up on her lap and curling into a ball.
“Wow, the only other person Floppy has been that quick to befriend is Dalton.”
“I couldn’t imagine this on him.”
“They’re cute together.” Dani smiled and let out a sigh. “Speaking of which I have a feeling he’ll be pulling up any minute now.”
“Darn, he’s kinda growing on me,” Willie said as she scratched between Floppy’s ears. “Is it a therapy dog?”
“I may need to look into registering him. He seems to suck all the stress out of people.”
The door opened, Floppy’s head popped up and his front paws balanced on Willie’s forearm. With a bark as threatening as a gummy bear, Floppy attempted to protect his home. When Dalton turned the corner into the living room Floppy took off, leaping off the back of the couch through the air. With one hand Dalton fell forward and caught the pup mid jump. The gray mop of fur rested in the lineman’s huge hand as if it were a newborn.
“Floppy, are you crazy?” Dalton scolded as he held Floppy nose to nose with him only to get a lick. Willeen marveled as she watched a man who could easily crush the animal being as delicate as if he were a precious crystal vase. “You are.”
Cradling the dog in the nook of his arm Dalton’s soft and gentle side had Willeen holding herself back.
“Hey you.” He smiled at Willeen and she stood up. “You want to head out.”
“Not before I get to see the woman—” Rome rounded the corner and came up short as he saw her. Looking between the two of them he let out a loud laugh. “Who has you whipped like—”
Dalton thrust Floppy at Rome. “I am the only thing between you and Amar Golden next week.”
“Not true.”
Dalton raised his eyebrow and Rome took possession of Floppy. “Willeen this is Jerome Speed, the man I make look good every Sunday.”
“Nice to meet you,” Willeen said as she extended her hand. “And I don’t believe ninety percent of what he says.”
“Brains and beauty. I thought I had found a unicorn when I met Dani. Guess my good luck is spreading.” After shaking her hand Rome leaned down and kissed the crown of Dani’s head. “Where’s the little man?”
“Passed out. He’ll probably be up in a little bit.”
Willeen watched the interaction with longing. Although Dani was not DeMonte’s mother biologically, the shift was happening in the home. One where Rome and her were both becoming mother and father to the boy Rome only knew from pictures six months ago. A simple step to the left and they had become a family.
“Nice jersey,” Dalton said.
“My shirt got beer spilled on it,” Willie confessed. “Speaking of which, what do I owe you?”
“Nothing,” Dani replied. “Trust me, I’m good.”
“No, that doesn’t seem right.”
“She’ll bill me for it,” Dalton interjected as his eyes seemed to be examining the jersey a bit close.
“Not much better.”
“You’ve met her now,” Dalton said and gave Willeen a wink causing her to smile shyly and turn her eyes down to the floor. “I’ve got a dinner planned and we don’t want to be late.”
Willeen said her goodbyes and headed to the front door with Dalton. “Where are we going?” she asked as they stepped into the cool November late afternoon. Hugging her coat tight to her chest, she soon was awash in heat as Dalton’s arms surrounded her from behind. A quick shiver shot through her body when his beard brushed against her neck a moment before his lips. They walked slowly in lockstep toward her truck. “Not going to tell me?”
“My house,” he whispered. “You’re driving. There’s only one thing I’m in the mood for. I just hope we can make it all the way there before I get to dessert.”