Schooling The Quarterback: an m/m college sports romance (GSU), page 14
“I love you so much it’s scary. You hold my heart in your hands,” I whisper.
“I’ll protect it like the treasure it is,” he vows.
“Who’s ready to watch some cars get blown up?” Nana questions when she gets back to the room.
Chase quirks a brow at me, and I chuckle. “Another tradition. We watch action movies. One year, we decided to try something new and spent the evening playing Just Dance. Nana could barely walk for a week after, so we decided it was safer to stick to movies.”
“We could change the genre up if you have something against action movies, though,” Nana offers. “Although I’m not sure I want my grandson dating someone with subpar taste.”
Chase throws his head back, laughing. “Your nana is amazing,” he tells me before turning his attention back to her. “I love action movies, so there’s no need to stray from tradition on my behalf.”
She nods. “Good. You can stay for now, then.” With those words, she heads to the living room, and we follow behind, snickering.
The Chinese food shows up about thirty minutes into the first movie, making Chase whine a little. “We were just getting to the good part.”
“Nana lets us eat in the living room on New Year’s Eve,” I inform him, making his face light up.
“That’s awesome.”
“I am pretty fantastic if I do say so myself,” Nana says with a toothy grin as she stands to pay the delivery man, but Chase stops her.
“Please, let me pay for it,” he pleads, but Nana shoots him a look that makes him freeze.
“It’s your birthday! If for even one second you think I’m going to allow you to pay, you’ve got another thing coming. Now make yourself useful and grab the bags,” she commands. “Gabriel, you get the plates out of the cupboard.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I reply, rushing to the kitchen.
Chase isn’t far behind me, placing the containers on the counter so we can dish up.
“Your nana can be kind of scary,” he whispers, and I chuckle.
“Yeah, it’s best to just listen to her because she has no problem putting you in your place. It doesn’t matter that you are more than double her size.”
“The small ones are always the scariest,” he murmurs.
“Are you calling me scary?” I tease.
“I haven’t seen that side of you yet, but I’m sure you can be,” he insists as he dishes up his food, avoiding the deep-fried dishes. “Only one more game to go, then I can let go a little more.”
“I admire the dedication you have for your sport,” I tell him with an easy grin.
“Football was my life until I met you,” he says, and his words hit me in the gut, and the air wooshes out of me. I wasn’t expecting him to say something like that. It feels like a stronger statement than the one I made.
“I love you, gorgeous,” he whispers, leaning in for another kiss.
“Hurry up and dish up, boys. I need to know what happens next,” Nana states when she enters the kitchen.
“We’ve seen this movie at least ten times,” I remind her.
She rolls her eyes, waving her hand around. “Pish posh, at my age, you forget everything. That means you can watch movies like it’s the first time over and over again.”
I sigh. “You’re not senile, Nana.”
She doesn’t bother arguing further, grabs a plate, and dishes up.
We end up watching three movies by the time midnight approaches, and we do the countdown, staring at Nana’s grandfather clock. “Five… four… three… two… one… Happy New Year,” we all shout at the same time.
Chase pulls me into his arms to plant a kiss on my lips, then leans over and kisses Nana’s cheek, making her blush.
“It seems blushing runs in your family,” Chase notes.
“I’m glad my grandson has someone like you in his life,” Nana tells him. “You make him glow with joy. Thank you for loving him.”
I blink back tears at Nana’s words. I’m not normally a guy who cries. Maybe it’s the fact I’m beyond exhausted. Yeah… we’ll go with that. Chase has been keeping me up late every night, so I’m highly emotional.
“I’m the lucky one to have him in my life,” Chase tells Nana, making more tears bubble to the surface.
I take a deep breath and blink a few more times before I find my voice. “If everyone is done being sappy, Chase and I are going to go,” I declare.
“I packed you a piece of cheesecake to go,” Nana tells Chase, who beams at her.
“You’re the best,” he says, hugging her. “Are you sure you don’t want to come to my championship game on Sunday?”
We discussed his game between shows and eating cake. I know she would say yes if the game were here, but having to fly isn’t appealing to her.
“I’m sorry, but I promise I’ll get over my fear of flying when you make it to the Super Bowl,” she assures him.
“I’m going to hold you to that,” he says, taking my hand and waiting for the piece of cheesecake she rushes to grab.
“Tonight was fucking amazing,” Chase tells me as we walk to his car. “Thank you for making this the best birthday ever.”
In response, I lean in for a kiss. “How ’bout you take me back to your place so I can give you your present,” I flirt, batting my eyes.
His brows shoot up, and he races to his car, dragging me along. “Best birthday ever!” His shout fills the night air, followed by my laughter.
Tonight really was fucking perfect, but every day with Chase is.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHASE
ONE WEEK LATER
Sweat trickles down my back as I stare down the field. We’re ahead by two points, and there isn’t much time left on the clock, but we can’t let our guard down even for a second. I can taste the fucking win, but everyone knows it only takes one wrong move, and everything can change.
I refuse to let that happen.
The crowd is almost half filled with people cheering for us and half against us. Which isn’t how it normally is, but it’s the championship game, and the fans for both sides are out to support their chosen teams.
I check on either side of me, making sure my teammates are in position and ready, then yell, “Hike,” and our center snaps the ball into my hands.
I drop back and scan the field. My first option is Mikey, but he’s blocked. So my eyes flash to my second option, who is also covered. No one is available, and the pocket is collapsing, so I have to scramble. I run as hard and fast as I can, dodging the opposing team to the best of my ability. My focus is on the goal line and the best path to get there. I try to avoid thinking about the ticking of the clock, but it’s there in the back of my mind.
So many times, I narrowly miss a body lunging at me, making me so thankful I’ve worked extra hard on my agility this year. When I finally cross into the end zone and throw the ball down, scoring our team a touchdown, the crowd’s roar is deafening. My heart is racing so hard that I feel like I might pass out.
My teammates join me, shouting as loudly as they can. We just won the fucking championship.
The GSU Koalas are fucking championship winners.
A bunch of guys lift me onto their shoulders in celebration, and I laugh so hard my lungs hurt. When they finally set me on my feet, I take a moment to scan the crowd rushing the field, looking for my family, Gabe, and Rio.
When my eyes finally land on them, I push my way through the crowd, pulling Gabe into my arms and smashing my lips to his.
“You did so good,” he tells me when I pull back.
“I feel like I’m high right now,” I admit before turning to hug my family.
“I’m proud of you, son,” Dad tells me, clapping me on the shoulder.
“At least one of us could be a championship winner,” Rio says with a warm smile. He might be sad about his loss, but he’s still happy for me.
We chat until the families are escorted out of the way and the team is lined up for the trophy ceremony. A giant smile is permanently on my face the entire time. I had my heart set on this win, but it feels almost surreal that it actually happened.
The ceremony goes by in a blur, and before I know it, I’m in an eighteen-plus bar surrounded by my teammates, celebrating our win. Everyone over twenty-one has bright pink wristbands on, letting the bartenders know we can drink.
Gabe is by my side the entire time, laughing and having a good time with my friends. I couldn’t ask for anything more than this right now, well, except maybe to be naked and alone with my man, but that can wait for our own private after-party.
“You’re going to have all the teams wanting you in April,” Mikey says, slurring his words a little. “If you aren’t drafted in the first round, I’m going to be so fucking shocked I’ll probably die.”
I laugh at him and clap him on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. I’m praying I’ll end up with Michigan, but we’ll see what fate has in store for me. My agent keeps assuring me that they want me, but you know how the draft works, and they don’t have first pick this year, so it’s anyone’s guess as to who I’ll end up with.”
He nods a hell of a lot like he’s lost in his own head. “Fate does what fate does,” he murmurs before wandering off to talk to someone else. Man, he’s drunk.
“You’re not drinking,” I say to Gabe with a lifted brow.
“I’d rather not be drunk in a city I don’t know. Obviously, you’d have my back, but I don’t want to chance it anyway. You have as much as you want, though. You are twenty-one, after all, and haven’t even had a chance to get drunk in a bar yet.”
I shrug. “I’m good with just one beer. Besides, I’m thinking we should make up an excuse to leave soon.”
“Oh? Do you have something else you want to do instead?” he asks, leaning in and waggling his brows.
“Yeah, you,” I reply, quickly kissing him before saying goodbye to the guys around me and finding Rio to let him know I’m heading out.
“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” Rio asks when I find him, and I nod.
“Do you want to leave with us?” I question, but he shakes his head.
“I’m good. I’ll see you in the morning,” he tells me.
With Gabe’s hand in mine, we walk out of the bar and down the street to our hotel. GSU provided all the players with hotel rooms, but we had to share, and that wasn’t going to work for me. Besides, Gabe also needed a place to stay, so my parents booked an extra room when booking theirs. Thankfully, our room is on a separate floor from my parents because I would hate for Gabe to turn me down tonight. I want to celebrate my win in our bed, doing the horizontal boogie or whatever that saying is.
The hotel is only a short walk away, and as soon as we are in our room, I have Gabe pressed against the door, my lips sealing his in a grueling kiss.
“I can’t believe I’m about to have sex with a champion,” Gabe teases, making me chuckle. “I’m one lucky guy.”
I nip at his lips. “I’m the lucky one, baby. I wouldn’t have been able to play if it wasn’t for your tutoring.”
“Well, since we’re both clearly to thank here, we should definitely celebrate, but we’re wearing too many clothes,” he states, moving to undo the button on my jeans.
We strip out of our clothes at a rapid speed, and the second we’re naked, Gabe pulls me into him. I’m already leaking as usual, and he swipes the palm of his hand over the head of my throbbing cock, using my precum as lube so he can jack me off.
“Watching you play your heart out today really turned me on,” he whispers in a breathy tone, moving his fist up and down. “Since you’re the real winner, I want you to choose how we fuck tonight.”
“I want you to ride me,” I tell him, walking backward. His hand stays on me the entire way, and once the back of my thighs hits the bed, I climb on and lay down.
Gabe lets me go at that moment and rushes to his suitcase for what I’m assuming are supplies.
“You won’t have to stretch me,” he tells me when he gets back. I quirk a brow at him, confused as fuck at his statement. “When we got changed after dinner, I prepared a surprise for you.” He turns around and bends over, showing me the plug in his ass.
“Fuck, that’s hot,” I breathe out.
“Take it out so I can ride you,” he requests, and there’s no way I’m arguing with him.
He climbs on the bed, giving me better access, and sheaths my cock as I slip the plug out of him. Then he turns around and straddles me, reaching behind him to grab my cock. He lines me up with his entrance, slowly sliding down, a needy mewl slipping past his lips when he takes me inside him.
“Fuck, you look so hot on top of me like that,” I tell him.
He licks his lips. “You… feel… so good… inside me,” he replies through panted breaths.
I groan as he continues his descent. “Take it all, baby.”
Fully seated on me, he leans down to nibble at my lips and steals my breath away with a toe-curling kiss. Can he feel the way my dick is twitching inside him?
“Ride me, gorgeous,” I encourage him after a few amazing kisses. “Use me to get off. Show me what you got.”
He listens eagerly, shifting his hips in circular motions, not moving up and down just yet, but fuck, does it feel amazing.
Our breaths are labored, and heavy pants fill the space of our room. A thin layer of sweat covers our bodies, and when Gabe places his hand on my chest for balance, I’m certain he can feel the way my heart is racing.
“Give it to me, baby,” I plead, needing more.
This time he really starts to ride me, bouncing up and down on my throbbing cock.
“Fuck,” I groan as he picks up his pace. “You’re so fucking sexy.”
He smirks at me, but his mouth falls open, and he cries out when I raise a hand to pinch his nipple. “Yes!”
I buck my hips, fucking him from the bottom, causing needy mewls and whimpers to leave my man’s lips.
When he slams down on me again, my toes curl, and a jolt of electricity shoots through my body, telling me I’m not going to last. I grab Gabe’s bobbing erection, stroking him in rhythm with his movements. Even though I know he can come hands-free, I don’t have the patience to wait for it tonight. My orgasm is so fucking close I can taste it, and I want him to come with me.
“So close,” he moans out. I use my free hand to pinch his nipple again, this time harder. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” he shouts as his climax takes over, shooting his load over my chest and stomach, a drop hitting my chin, which would make me grin if his channel wasn’t clamped down on me so tight, making it hard to breathe.
Moving my hands to his hips, I buck into him as hard as I can, chasing my release. It doesn’t take long for my balls to draw up and for me to fall over the edge, coming so hard my eyes roll into the back of my head.
Gabe collapses on top of me, not caring that he’s lying in his cum. I hold him as our heart rates lower and our breathing returns to normal, but eventually, I have to let him go so I can dispose of the condom.
“Care to join me for a shower?” I ask once I’m out of bed.
His eyelids are already drooping, and it’s obvious it has also been a long day for him. He also always gets sleepy after an orgasm, where I usually get a shot of adrenaline.
“I guess I have to,” he murmurs. “I’m covered in cum. I shouldn’t have laid on you.”
I chuckle. “Why don’t I just grab a cloth and clean you up,” I offer.
He gives me a sleepy smile. “That would be amazing.”
I head to the bathroom, discard the condom, and then warm up a cloth so I can take care of my man. When I return, Gabe’s eyes are already shut, but I don’t think he’s asleep yet.
“That feels nice,” he whispers while I clean him up, making sure to wipe away as much cum as possible. I also give a few swipes to his sensitive hole to wipe away the lube.
“Rest well, baby. I’ll be back in a little bit,” I tell him when I’m finished and kiss his forehead.
While I’m in the shower, I can’t help but think how fucking amazing my life is right now. I have a man who’s so fucking fantastic, better than anyone I could have ever dreamed up, and a promising career ahead of me in the NFL.
Now, I just have to keep my fingers crossed that I land the team I want when I get drafted.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
GABRIEL
ROUGHLY SEVEN WEEKS LATER
The past two months have been like a dream. Chase and I have spent more time together now that he’s done playing football for the season. And even though I still have a busy schedule, Chase makes sure to work around it to the best of his ability, never letting a day go by without seeing each other.
He’s told me he is addicted to my lips and needs a hit at least once a day. I acted like he was crazy, but it only made me turn to goo on the inside.
Today, he left with his agent to go to Indiana for the NFL Scouting Combine. I’m already missing him, which is obviously ridiculous, but I can’t help it. Unfortunately, it also makes me anxious. If I’m already feeling like this, and he’s only going to be gone for a couple of days, how am I going to cope if he gets drafted by a team that isn’t Michigan?
According to the stats, Chase is ranked in the top ten for the draft, and we are aware multiple teams want him. His agent has made that much clear. He’s assured Chase that whoever he ends up with, his contract will be amazing. But Chase doesn’t care about the money, not as much as he cares about staying close to his family and me. In the end, the choice isn’t his.
“Your face looks weird,” Sasha declares when he comes into the living room where I’m studying.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I question.
“It’s not weird, it’s just sad,” Max supplies, and I roll my eyes.
Sasha snaps his fingers. “That’s it,” he exclaims. “I’ve gotten used to the goofy smile you’ve been sporting since Chase walked into your life.”
