Page 63 of Fair Catch

“No, but I think you should pace yourself.” Another one of those silly, sinful smirks takes over his face. “After all, they don’t have home runs in football.”

Fifteen

Hayes

After detangling ourselves from each other, we clean up separately; Kason heading for the shower thanks to being covered in both our cum, and I take to the kitchen and use some damp paper towels to wipe my chest and stomach clean.

My mind races while I absently clean myself, then the living room, running in a thousand different directions.

It’s almost as if my entire body is buzzing like a crack addict on a high, and it’s hard to believe I forgot how this kind of want and desire feels. Sometimes it makes me wonder how the hell I can go so long without it, because once attraction finally smacks me in the face, so does my sex drive, and my libido wants to make up for all the lost time.

And when that happens—Exhibit A being today with Kason—I start questioning if I’m even demi at all. I can’t wrap my head around it, despite being the one living it, and likely the reason I didn’t connect the dots for years.

But regardless of how confusing it is, no part of me regrets what just happened. Not at the restaurant, not on the couch, none of it. Yet, as I slip back into my discarded shirt and grab a seat at the kitchen counter, I can’t help but wonder where we go from here.

There’s no fucking way we can go back to platonic roommates or semi-kinda-friends like we were a mere twenty-four hours ago. After making out and dry humping until we both came, we’re in one of thosebells that can’t be unwrungsituations.

The faint sound of the running shower ceases, and my stomach tightens and coils into knots at the thought of seeing him. Which iswild.Insane, even, because there’s never been a moment in time since we’ve met where Kason Fuller has made me nervous.

Irritated? Annoyed? Pissed off? Absolutely.

This is as new as it is unexpected, much like my attraction for him.

It hit me out of nowhere like a ton of bricks, and I know for certain, I haven’t had this kind of bone-breaking desire for someone in a long fucking time. Oranydesire since things ended with my ex over two years ago.

And even then, it wasn’t this potent.

“Hey,” a low, deep voice says, immediately pulling my thoughts back to the present.

My attention immediately flashes to the source, finding Kason standing in the mouth of the hallway, his auburn hair appearing more brown now that it’s wet and pushed back off his forehead. He’s redressed in sweats but still shirtless, his skin glowing red from the heat of his shower rather than blushing embarrassment like it normally is.

I catch sight of a slight bruise just above his collarbone where I’d bitten him, and I smirk at the hickey. It wasn’t my intention to mark him; I’d just gotten caught up in the heat of the moment. But now that it’s there, branded on his skin, I’m not exactly mad about it either.

Nor am I all that upset about him smirking while I check him out. In fact, he leans against the counter and patiently waits—a lot longer than it should take—for me to finally meet his gaze.

“Done admiring your handiwork?” he muses, emerald eyes glittering with amusement.

Oopsie.

“I guess I didn’t realize how much pressure I was using.” My brows clash together while I cock my head, studying the mark some more. “I think I can definitely make it darker next time.”

He lets out a wry laugh. “Yeah, I don’t think so. You’re lucky I don’t pin you down and give you one to match.”

“Threats are only effective if you actually follow through on them, you know.”

“Noted,” he murmurs, eyes heating as his gaze scrapes down my neck. “But as it stands, I’m definitely gonna get some questions when I’m dressing for practice tomorrow. Any ideas on how the hell I should answer them?”

“It could definitely be a bruise from your shoulderpads,” I attempt to reason, my lips quivering while I try my best not to smile. “That’s the perfect placement for them, right?”

Kason’s brow arches, not buying my charade one iota. “A bruise that just appeared out of nowhere? I don’t think so.”

“Most of them have been concussed so many times, I’m sure they’ll just fill in the blanks with whatever makes the most sense. Like shoulder pads.”

“Definitely not how it’s gonna go down, but I like your commitment to the bit.” He takes a step toward me, then another, before leaning on the counter across from me. “Some of the guys might buy it, but I can name a few who’ll be grilling me alive when they see it. Holden being one of them. So how would you explain what happened then?”

There’s a challenge in his stare as he asks it, but it’s not the kind that is meant to be intimidating. It’s quite the opposite; more playful and lighthearted than anything. He’s having fun with this, trying to get me to crack or squirm or bend beneath his perusal.

And what’s more interesting is the amount of fun I’m having tossing it right back in his face.

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