Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

brENDON

It's been a little over five weeks since Carter and I discovered our feelings for each other, and it's been insane in the most amazing way possible. It's like I've been riding a high that never stops. It's addicting, and I hope it never goes away.

"Yo, B and C," someone shouts down the hall as we are making our way to class Monday morning.

"Sup, Mace?" I ask with a tilt of my chin when one of our teammates catches up with us.

"Are you excited to start practice next week?" Leonard Mason, better known as Mace questions.

I nod. "More than ready. We've been getting in a bit of practice on our own for the past couple of weeks, but it's not the same as being with the whole team."

"Tell me about it," he replies with wide eyes. "Con and I have been hitting the court in our free time, but it's going to be so much better to play with everyone again."

"How is Con doing?" Carter checks.

David O'Connell is one of our teammates who was injured at the end of last season and has spent most of the summer in physical therapy, regaining his strength and conditioning his body back to peak performance.

I've stayed in contact with him throughout the summer, and since we've been back at school, but if I know anything about athletes, it's that we'll always say we're fine even if we aren't. So it's nice to hear from someone else that he's actually doing good.

"He's doing awesome," Mace responds with a big grin. "I've actually never seen him so driven before. He's at the top of his game. I think you guys are going to be super impressed when you see him in action."

I can't help but smile back at him. "That's awesome. Maybe we should plan a little game of two on two sometime so we can get a sneak peek at this new and improved version of Con," I suggest.

Mace's face lights up, and he nods. "That would be awesome! What are you guys up to tonight?"

I look at Carter, silently asking him if he's up for a friendly game with our friends. He shrugs, then nods as if saying, "I'm game if you are."

"We're free," I respond.

"Fuck yeah," Mace cheers. "Maybe I can get some of the other guys to join us. This is going to be so much fun."

"Perfect. I'll book a court out for us and meet you at the athletics building tonight," I tell him.

"Works for me. See you guys later," he says with a wave, then heads in the opposite direction.

"I'm glad Con is doing good," Carter says as we continue our walk to class.

"Same. I've been texting him on and off, but even if he wasn't doing well, you know he'd just say everything was good," I tell him.

"You mean like the time you broke your wrist in the seventh grade?" Carter responds with a lifted brow and a smug look on his stupidly handsome face.

I roll my eyes and shove my shoulder into his. "That was different," I grumble. "I was fine."

"The x-ray said differently," Carter reminds me, and as much as I'd love to argue, he isn't wrong.

I tried to convince everyone that nothing was wrong, but everyone saw through my bullshit. It didn't help that I literally couldn't move my hand without wincing. It was clear to everyone that I wasn't okay, but I refused to admit defeat. All I wanted to do was get back in the game.

Thankfully the break was minor, and I was only in a splint for about six weeks and back in the game two months after the injury.

"Smug isn't the best look on you," I murmur, earning a laugh from my boyfriend.

"I'd say grumpy isn't a good look on you, but you're sexy no matter what you do," he whispers with a waggle of his brows.

I fight back a groan because now I'm horny again. I thought I had a high sex drive before I got together with Carter, but now I'm insatiable.

Thankfully I'm really good at fine tuning my focus during classes and when we're working out or playing ball. But outside of those times all I think about is C and how badly I want him.

"Are you trying to give me an erection before class?" I question in my low, growly voice. The one that never fails to drive C crazy.

Carter shivers but tries to hide it and shrugs with a smirk. "Not my fault you're horny all the time."

I ball my hands into fists at my side, wanting so badly to pull him into me and smash my lips to his. "You know damn well it's entirely your fault that I'm like this."

A mischievous gleam passes behind his eyes, and he leans in closer to me. "If it's such a problem, we should head back to our place for lunch. But instead of actually eating, you can devour me," he whispers before stepping back and walking away from me.

I'm frozen in place for a moment, my cock hard as a fucking rock and my heart racing with pure desire.

Once I'm able to get my brain back online, I rush after Carter and grab his shoulder right outside our classroom. "I hope you enjoy being punished because you're acting like a fucking brat right now," I growl the words into his ear.

He flashes a sexy smile at me and shrugs. "Promises, promises," he responds before heading into the room.

I don't immediately follow him, needing a moment to calm myself down. Getting my head in the game to listen to our professor might actually be a challenge today. Carter has never been this flirty while at school before, and as much as it's torture, I fucking love this side of him.

Now I just have to figure out a way to make Carter feel the exact same way as I do.