Page 32 of The Night We Met

I give her hand a little squeeze before letting go to unlock my door. “Sounds good. We can go to the cafeteria for dinner.”

Kamryn saunters in and sets her bag on the desk in the corner of my room. I got lucky in the dorm room aspect. As upperclassmen, we have the option to share a room or have a single. Being around the team day in and day out made my decision easier. So I chose the single. It’s big enough for a full size bed, an oversized loveseat couch, a dresser with enough surface area for my TV, and a desk.

I never thought much about having a girl over. Usually it was a quick party hookup at the frat house. But with Kamryn, I’ve never been so glad I have a single room.

“Look at us communicating. It is with food, so not much we can mess up on,” Kamryn verbalizes with a smirk.

A smile attaches itself to my face. I lay out on the couch and hold my hand out for Kamryn. She comes with ease and settles her body next to mine. Her arm wraps around my waist and I feel her body instantly relax.

I play with a curl. Letting the moment wash over me like waves gently rolling to the shore. “How was your Saturday?”

“It was too quiet. I never realized how much life a football team brings to a school.”

“Ah…so you missed me?” I ask jokingly.

Her head pops up and she rolls her eyes. “How much bigger will your ego get if I say yes? I don’t feel like I deserve to miss you this soon.”

My arms tighten around her when she settles her head back down on my chest. “I think you can miss anyone you want to. Time shouldn’t be a factor in that. Because I’ll let you in on a secret. I missed you too.”

Kamryn burrows her face more into my chest and tightens her arms around me. My mind drifts off to the possibility of her and me in the future. One of the reasons I never thought of dating in college was because some girls never date with pure intentions. As soon as some girls find out you’re an athlete with the possibility of going pro, any true connection you think you have with them fly out the window. But not with Kamryn.

When we met, she seemed to have no clue about the extent of my influence. That’s not me being a narcissist, but helping put the football team back on the collegiate map,my face has been plastered all over campus since I was a freshman. I could say the same about her. Kamryn is magnetic. She might not know it, but I see the way people flock to her. She has a calming yet demanding presence that manages to make smooth sailing even smoother.

I reach over to the coffee table to grab the remote. Knowing neither of us will truly pay attention to the movie, I put it on a Fast & Furious movie. My hands drifting up and down her back while I drift away in thought looking at the TV screen.

Sometime later, I wake up with a new movie on and Kamryn’s face turned towards the screen. Her body securely draped over mine.

“Did I fall asleep?” I ask. My voice is scratchy from the sudden use.

I look over at the clock and see it’s just past noon. So not a terribly long nap, but enough to feel slightly well-rested but also confused as to what decade it is.

“I did too. You have some magical hands Mr. Brooks,” She tells me cheekily.

“Is that so?” I question her as my hands roam down her back and to her ass.

Her breathing changes, so I know it’s affected her, “Mm hmm.”

I give her a squeeze and move her legs so she’s straddling me. The movement wakes her up more so when she sits up she takes my hands in hers.

“I think it’s time we had that talk,” She pouts.

I’m assuming I know where she’s going with this, but I need to make sure. “Talk? Like the boyfriend and girlfriend talk? Or…”

“The sex talk, silly goose,” her gaze drops and she plays with the strings of my hoodie.

“Well my parents had the birds and the bees talk with me in high school. You might be a little late to that conversation.” I attempt a joke.

She gets a stern look on her face that has her brows scrunching, “I’m serious. Sex is whatever to some people. I’ve done the casual thing. I’ve done the relationship aspect of sex. But with you…something about sex with you could be different. I don’t want it to mess anything up.”

A breath leaves me. Part of being in a relationship that can go physical is having those types of conversations. And she’s right. “You’re right. I know you are. But just so you know, I haven’t been with anyone since the summer. Which may seem strange, but early practices and coming to campus earlier than others didn’t leave that much time for that.” Her eyes dart around my room and then focus on the strings of my hoodie. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

“Um, well up until recently I was in a situationship with someone.”

“How recently?” I tilt her chin up so I can see her eyes.

“About a week before we met. But he and I made a promise to each other that if and when we met someone we’d stop. He had already pulled away and after I met you, I knew I didn’t see him and I going on anymore. So that Monday I went to the free clinic and got tested. I’m all clean. And protected. I just thought you should know.”

I give her a reassuring smile. “I’m glad you told me. To be honest it’s good we had this talk now. I’m clean too by the way.”

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