thought they’d be. It’s obvious he’s well loved by his teammates, who rush one another in silly, testosterone-fueled hugs when one of them makes a goal.
It ventures to an almost homoerotic place once the game is over and they’ve won.
“Wow,” Finley says, and I sigh in agreement. They’ve all taken off their shirts and it’s quite a sight. Carter uses his jersey to wipe the blood off his knees. I would have thought it impossible but nineteen has been good for him. Good for his body. He’s taller and sleeker, making his muscles more pronounced. When he looks in my direction, I turn away because I don’t think about him like that anymore.
I don’t.
Finley grows quiet and I look over and her eyes are shut.
“What are you doing?”
“Just committing all of this to memory.”
“Um…why?”
“For later. Ryan won’t know what hit him.” She opens one eye and takes a peek at Carter walking across the field. “Yep, it’s going to be epic. I may finally get that diamond out of this one.”
“Gross,” I laugh and push her on her shoulder. We climb down the bleachers and wait among the other spectators for the team to leave the fiel d. I whisper to Finley, “I think most of these are girlfriends or something.”
“And friends,” she says pointedly. “Because why would Carter invite you to something only girlfriends go to.”
“Shut up,” I say. I hold up my jacket. “I’m going to go put this in the car, okay.” I don’t admit I have a bottle of Gatorade in there for Carter, too.
I’ m locking up my car when I overhear two girls going to the vehicle next to mine. It’s a convertible, with the top down.
“Damn he’s hot.”
“I know. Too bad he’s a lost cause.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nancy thinks he’s gay.”
“He’s not gay. He had sex with Sarah after the fall formal. And Cathy said she fooled around with him after one of the football games.”
“ That was months ago. Mitch said he’s been celibate or something for months.”
“Mark thinks anyone who’s not humping like a rabbit is celibate.”
“No really,” the girl says with a laugh. “Something happened a couple months ago and he just lost all interest in girls.”
“Maybe he has a secret girlfriend.”
“Or boyfriend.” They both giggle.
“Whatever it is, it’s too bad. He’s incredible.”
“Sarah said he’s good, too. Like really good.”
“Damn.”
They start the car and pull away without a glance in my direction. Why should they? I probably look like someone’s mom out here. I walk back to the field. Obviously, they were talking about Carter. Who else could it be? And the no sex thing? I think back knowing good and well that it lines up to when we started seeing one another again.
I push all this to the back of my mind , because he and Finley are walking toward me. His cleats swing from his finger tips and he’s still not wearing a shirt and God, it’s been such a long time since I’ve seen his body. I fight the natural reaction I have, which is to jump him right here.
Why does he do this to me?
“Great game.” I give him the bottle of Gatorade and a hug. He smells like grass and sweat.
“Thanks,” he says. “They were pretty tough.”
“Yeah, sure. You guys killed it.”
A group of guys from the team start piling in a couple cars and Carter nods in their direction. A couple of them check us out. “We’re going back to shower and then going to O’Riley’s. Can you come?”
“I’ve g ot plans with Ryan tonight,” Finley says, winking. I roll my eyes. “But thanks for asking.”
“Ruthie?”
“Ehhh…” I hedge, I look at Finley for help but she’s suddenly very interested in her nails.
“Please?”
Like I can say no to that. I’m already half dazed by his chest and the testosterone wafting off his body and the stuff the girls said by the car. “Okay, I’ll come. But I’m not buying you beer or anything.”
“Like I need an ID to get beer,” he
It ventures to an almost homoerotic place once the game is over and they’ve won.
“Wow,” Finley says, and I sigh in agreement. They’ve all taken off their shirts and it’s quite a sight. Carter uses his jersey to wipe the blood off his knees. I would have thought it impossible but nineteen has been good for him. Good for his body. He’s taller and sleeker, making his muscles more pronounced. When he looks in my direction, I turn away because I don’t think about him like that anymore.
I don’t.
Finley grows quiet and I look over and her eyes are shut.
“What are you doing?”
“Just committing all of this to memory.”
“Um…why?”
“For later. Ryan won’t know what hit him.” She opens one eye and takes a peek at Carter walking across the field. “Yep, it’s going to be epic. I may finally get that diamond out of this one.”
“Gross,” I laugh and push her on her shoulder. We climb down the bleachers and wait among the other spectators for the team to leave the fiel d. I whisper to Finley, “I think most of these are girlfriends or something.”
“And friends,” she says pointedly. “Because why would Carter invite you to something only girlfriends go to.”
“Shut up,” I say. I hold up my jacket. “I’m going to go put this in the car, okay.” I don’t admit I have a bottle of Gatorade in there for Carter, too.
I’ m locking up my car when I overhear two girls going to the vehicle next to mine. It’s a convertible, with the top down.
“Damn he’s hot.”
“I know. Too bad he’s a lost cause.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nancy thinks he’s gay.”
“He’s not gay. He had sex with Sarah after the fall formal. And Cathy said she fooled around with him after one of the football games.”
“ That was months ago. Mitch said he’s been celibate or something for months.”
“Mark thinks anyone who’s not humping like a rabbit is celibate.”
“No really,” the girl says with a laugh. “Something happened a couple months ago and he just lost all interest in girls.”
“Maybe he has a secret girlfriend.”
“Or boyfriend.” They both giggle.
“Whatever it is, it’s too bad. He’s incredible.”
“Sarah said he’s good, too. Like really good.”
“Damn.”
They start the car and pull away without a glance in my direction. Why should they? I probably look like someone’s mom out here. I walk back to the field. Obviously, they were talking about Carter. Who else could it be? And the no sex thing? I think back knowing good and well that it lines up to when we started seeing one another again.
I push all this to the back of my mind , because he and Finley are walking toward me. His cleats swing from his finger tips and he’s still not wearing a shirt and God, it’s been such a long time since I’ve seen his body. I fight the natural reaction I have, which is to jump him right here.
Why does he do this to me?
“Great game.” I give him the bottle of Gatorade and a hug. He smells like grass and sweat.
“Thanks,” he says. “They were pretty tough.”
“Yeah, sure. You guys killed it.”
A group of guys from the team start piling in a couple cars and Carter nods in their direction. A couple of them check us out. “We’re going back to shower and then going to O’Riley’s. Can you come?”
“I’ve g ot plans with Ryan tonight,” Finley says, winking. I roll my eyes. “But thanks for asking.”
“Ruthie?”
“Ehhh…” I hedge, I look at Finley for help but she’s suddenly very interested in her nails.
“Please?”
Like I can say no to that. I’m already half dazed by his chest and the testosterone wafting off his body and the stuff the girls said by the car. “Okay, I’ll come. But I’m not buying you beer or anything.”
“Like I need an ID to get beer,” he
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