Her fake blitz, p.11
Her Fake Blitz, page 11
***
Navy blazer. Check. Red blouse. Check. Navy skirt. On. Alex was ready for the meeting. She made her way into the studio office and let go of all her insecure thoughts. She was going to tackle this interview like the MVP of the Super Bowl. Yes. This was it. Her big game. If Alex handled this interview like her spot with Max it was a done deal. This is what Mason had said on the phone. She passed through the glass double doors and was met by a woman and man. They both clapped with enthusiasm and their giant smiles displaying shiny bright teeth.
“Alex...or do you prefer Alexandra? Jeff, what do you think, Alex or Alexandra? Which one is more trend worthy?” The woman turned her head and focused on the man who wore a plaid shirt and bow tie.
He pursed his lips and nodded. “Alexandra? Hmm...no. Alex. Yes. Alex. That works.” Jeff threw up his palms and the blond woman double high fived him.
“Yesss. Alex. It is so Alex. Oh...My...Freaking...Gawd. How could it be anything other than Alex?”
Alex smiled. This couldn’t be anymore awkward. She blinked to take in the scene. This was nothing like she had imagined. It was almost as if she were behind one of those mirrors that was really a glass window. The reality of her life as it played out before her; and she was not the main character.
The blond inspected her body. “Oh, fawk. Shiat. This is not good.” She shook her head.
“No. Defs, not good.” Jeff shook his head in the same repetition as the woman.
“No. No. No. Honey, let’s circle up.” The blond waved both of her hands to Jeff and Alex.
Alex stepped closer as if they had decided to break the fourth wall and include her in the performance.
“So...here’s the deal. You’ve got to drop some serious LBs if you want to be on the small screen.” The blond cocked her head to the right and nodded.
“True story.” Jeff rocked his head back and forth.
Alex’s insides crumbled. Lose weight? Her stomach clenched tight. The idea of her weight being an issue again was next level CPTSD. Why was she to continue on with this repeat of push and pull of possibilities of a success in her career only to be dashed because of one too many pieces of cheesecake? She hadn’t realized this part of the show was going to attack her on a level she thought she had buried a long time ago. She was a size six. Yes, maybe a curvy size six. But was that not good enough?
Hopes of happiness sank beneath her skin. She took in a deep breath as she contemplated the delivery of nostalgic bad news in the studio office. She pressed her fingertips together. As if she could shrink the dagger to her dreams. Lose weight? She was too fat for television? Alex swallowed. Her eyes filled with tears. Blink. Not again. She was a size six on a good day. How was this not okay? Back in college, yes, she had been overweight. Not the typical freshman fifteen, Alex had packed on freshman fifteen times four. It had taken her two years to lose those pounds. But she did it. Because of him. It had hurt too much to eat. She no longer sought out the comfort of food. It wasn’t until she lost all of it that she began to enjoy the taste of food again. Celery was her go to snack. Plain. Alex could go through an entire stalk in a day. He still had no idea. It was obvious. But she did look drastically different. That amount of weight loss does wonders for one’s appearance and self-esteem. Yet in an instant, she had been gob-smacked back to college. Too fat. Too many pounds. Too hard to lift. Too damn fat. Again. Alex pressed her lips together. She would do whatever it took. She wanted this job and nothing would stand in her way.
“Okay.” Alex nodded.
“Yesss, honey. Okay is right. Right now, you are a butter, ya know?” The blonde shook her head causing her hair to swing around her chiseled jaw.
“Butter?” Alex’s eyebrows raised.
“Yaaah, a butter. But her. Like people like your articles etc. but your face and—" She waved her hand over her body and poked her stomach. “And body...too much.” She tossed her hair. “Lose at least fifteen and you will drop the butter.” She winked.
“Totes agreed.” Jeff double high fived the blond. “Now, rush off to the gym and burn dem calories, yo. Tomorrow you are scheduled for sideline interviews.”
“Okay, will do.” Alex nodded and shook their hands. Too fat. Fine. She would lose the weight. No more ice cream. She wanted to be on-air. This was her dream. If it meant no more sweets and treats of the mouth then so be it. Well, there was one treat she could have that wouldn’t be too many calories. Cane’s cock. She needed it right now. Deep in her mouth where she could swallow his cum. If the calories were too much, she would work it off on him. It was time for some sexercise.
Call or text? She wanted to hear his voice but there was a piece of her that feared the idea of his voicemail. Text.
“Pre-game scrimmage?”
A lump formed in the back of her throat. Was that a stupid text? No, it was fine. He would like it. Or maybe not. Either way, his cock could clear the lump. She was sure of it.
“Home team advantage?”
A smile formed on Alex’s lips. The lips that would soon encircle his hard erection. “My place. Twenty minutes or I’ll have to sub you.”
“I can’t be subbed. Ever. Be naked when I get there.”
No problem. She made it home in record time and left the door unlocked. Alex was going to let him find her in bed. Maybe she would begin without him. She laughed internally.
Alex stripped off her clothes and tossed them on the chair in her room.
She climbed on her bed and ran her finger over her clit. Her phone was in her hand. She pulled up the image of Cane’s cock. The apex of her thighs tingled. With an ounce of courage, she snapped a photo of her thighs and sent it to Cane.
“You’re missing the kickoff.”
The snap of the latch to her apartment sounded and sent a vibration deep inside of her. A tiny sense of fear that it wouldn’t be Cane popped up in her mind but was quickly dismissed as his large frame crossed the threshold of her bedroom doorway.
“I can’t miss kickoff if I’m already on the field.” He flashed her a wide grin. His muscles flexed through his t-shirt.
“You’re late, Corn Fed.”
“I’m here now, that’s all that matters.” He threw his shirt over his head and onto the ground as he sifted his legs out of his jeans.
“I’ll answer that after we review your performance.”
“Great, after our seven minutes of cuddling.” His lips ran along her neck. “I like that you ran with my call on no clothes.”
“I was going to be naked with or without you, Corn Fed.” She reached down and stroked his cock.
“It would still be with me because you would be thinking about me. Tell me how many times you’ve looked at my photo.” Cane rubbed his erection against her clit.
“None.”
“What did I tell you about lying, sweetheart?” He circled his cock over her point of pleasure.
“Quit teasing me.”
“Tell me how many times.” He thrust the tip of his erection in between her legs.
Alex bucked her hips in an attempt to take Cane in. He pulled back. Alex’s hand grasped his cock. “Come on, the clock is ticking.”
“You know I like overtime.” His mouth met hers and their tongues twisted together. This was what she needed. A distraction. Her mind was swept away into a point of ecstasy and he thrust deep inside of her. Finally.
“I knew you wouldn’t hold out forever. Corn Fed, you put yourself in the danger zone. You were about to get traded out.” She wrapped her legs around his hips as he slammed into her harder.
“No subs.” He pushed deeper. “No extra players.” He was so deep she couldn’t speak. “Just us.” He lowered his mouth to her breasts. First, he sucked on her nipples, then he kissed each one with such intensity it threw Alex over the edge, slamming her into a crescendo of euphoria. A sensation akin to a million pieces of shattered glaciers splintered across her skin. Light made up of white and gold scattered in front of her eyes. Dayum. He rolled over and pulled her body into his. She let out a deep breath. Her heart raced in her chest. Cane patted her butt.
“Such a great ass. Plenty to hold on to. Nobody would fumble with this.”
Alex recoiled. Arg. She needed to get to the gym. “Ha, which is why I need to run. You’ve got to go.” She hopped up out of bed.
“We just worked out. Now we cuddle remember?” He pulled her back down to the bed and wrapped his arms around her.
“No, I can’t. I really have to run. You realize TV adds extra weight, which might be fine for a quarterback but not a reporter.” She wrestled out of his arms and made her way to the bathroom.
Alex threw on her workout clothes and found Cane in her living room. Cane raised his eyebrows. “Gym clothes and ice cream works for me.” He flashed her a white toothed grin.
She shook her head. “Just when I was beginning to think you had some brains up there, I have to use pictures to explain it to you. I’m going to run. No ice cream.” Alex grabbed a pen and paper and drew an ice cream cone then marked it with an x. She handed him the paper.
Cane laughed. “Fine, replay at my house tonight?”
“Hello, I am on-air tomorrow. If I were to stay at your house you would keep me up all night. No away games.” She opened her door and he followed her out into the hallway.
“Alright, sweetheart. I’ll make reservations for Masraff’s.” He pulled her in close and kissed her hard like it would be a year until the next time their lips would meet.
“No way. I have zero self-control and cannot walk in through those doors without eating the Chocolate Mouse Napolean.” She licked her lips. The berry infused whipped cream would be so much fun to lick off of Cane. No. No more desserts.
“I’ll pick you up at seven.” He tugged on her pony tail.
Alex laughed. “Not happening. Besides, I don’t ride with guys in cars unless the relationship is going somewhere.”
“That’s funny. You don’t need an escape plan with me.”
She did though. Alex couldn’t go all in with him, not again. “It’s not a joke.” It was true. Alex always had an out and that meant being behind the wheel of her own car.
“You’re a great writer but your stand up needs some work.” Cane slapped her on the behind.
Alex rolled her eyes and sighed. “I’ll see you on the sidelines.”
“I’ll see you for dinner.”
***
Alex regained her composure as the image of Cane faded in her rearview mirror. Too much. She shouldn’t have called him. It was like they were boyfriend and girlfriend and she couldn’t do that. Not with him. Being official with Cane would only mean heartbreak, she was sure of it. No. That would have to be it. Her chest tightened. Air escaped from her lungs. No, she couldn’t not see him. They would see each other. But not date. Alex let out a deep sigh. It was not meant to be. He had called the play in the huddle and changed it at the line. She couldn’t go through that again. Alex knew who the mike was in this relationship. Being tackled again was one replay at the down she didn’t want to repeat. Honesty was the only way to resolve this situation and the pain that burned against her chest. It was time to snap the ball.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Cane’s eyes narrowed when Alex opened the door. She was wearing his jersey and nothing else. Her hair was wet like she had just got out of the shower. “I wasn’t expecting round two until after dinner, but I’m always game.” Cane pulled her against his chest and kissed her hard.
After a few minutes, Alex pulled back. “What are you doing here?”
“I told you we have dinner plans.”
Alex lifted the celery stalk she was eating. “I can’t. I told you that. We had an entire conversation about it less than two hours ago. You’ve taken one too many blows to the head, Corn Fed if you can’t remember that.”
“I remember you making some bullshit excuse but we’re still going to dinner.”
A furrow formed between her brows. She was sexy when she was annoyed. Lucky for him, he annoyed her a lot. “I can’t go to dinner at Massraf’s. I have no will power when it comes to that place. I was serious when I said I needed to diet. I am going to be on camera now. Time to shake this writer’s ass.” As if to demonstrate she lifted the hem of the jersey.
“Dang, woman. Looks good to me.” Cane grabbed a cheek and squeezed. “Feels even better. Want me to show you how much I like it?”
Alex pulled the shirt down. “Camera ready,” she repeated, waving the stalk of celery. “I’m serious.”
“And I’m serious that I love that ass. Don’t get rid of it. We’re friends. I am really fond of that ass. I will miss it, like go into serious mourning if it leaves and then we won’t make the playoffs. Texans will lose all because of you. Don’t do that to the fans, sweetheart.”
Alex laughed. “I’m glad you have a special bond with my backside but the rest of America doesn’t share your affection.”
“Only because they haven’t seen it. Here, let me show them.” Cane pulled out his phone. “Show me that ass, sweetheart.”
“No! You’re ridiculous.”
“I really am but now I want a picture of your ass. Don’t worry, I’m not going to show anyone. This one is all for me. Want me to send you the picture of what I do when I look at it?”
Alex flushed. “You already sent me one,” she reminded him.
“There is a fresh one every day. You provide me with a lot of material to work with. Come on, show me your ass. It’s only fair. I did a strip tease for you.”
Alex laughed and shook her head. “One picture. And if I find it on any big bottomed fetish sites, I will ghost you for good.”
Cane laughed. “As if I would do that. This ass belongs on my-girlfriend-has-a-perfect-ass fetish site.” He clicked the camera icon and admired the photos. “Will be using these for years when I am playing in other cities and I can’t see my woman.”
Alex rolled her eyes and bit into her celery.
“Woman stop eating the celery, I am taking you to dinner. I don’t take you out enough. Seriously, put the stalk down. You’re going to ruin your appetite.”
Alex stared at him dubiously. “I really won’t.”
Unease settled in him. She really thought she needed to lose weight. “Don’t diet to fit some mold, Alex. You’re beautiful but that’s not why you got this job. You got this job because you are a good journalist.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “This is part of my job. You should understand that. You lift heavy things for like four hours a day because it is part of your job.”
Cane shook his head. Alex tried to look away but he forced her head back round to face him. “I lift weights to perform well in my job. The size of your ass will not affect your performance. You’re a good journalist. And you’re sexy. But those two things have nothing to do with each other.” Did she really not get that?
“Look, I don’t want to go to dinner.” Alex pulled away and he didn’t try to stop her. That’s what she did when she was upset, she retreated into herself. He could argue the point until he was hoarse and she wouldn’t hear a single word because she had already shut the conversation down.
Cane pulled her back. “Alex, I will support you in this because I will support you on everything. But I don’t agree. Your body is perfect. No, don’t look away. I need you to hear that.”
Alex was quiet for a long moment. She stared down at the hands that held her against him. She bit her lip as she considered what he said. “What if I wasn’t perfect? What if I gained weight? Lots of weight...say sixty pounds.”
Cane had to smile. It was an oddly specific number. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“You will probably gain that much when you’re pregnant and it won’t put me off. Is that what you’re hoping for? To get a break from me? Cause that ain’t going to happen. Even if we have to widen the doors and reinforce the furniture, I will still want you. I love your body, because it is your body.”
Alex stared up at him with dark eyes, clearly unconvinced, but she didn’t say anything. She wouldn’t. She hated to argue. She ran from conflict. Cane let go of her and lifted up his shirt. He pointed at the grooved plane of his abs. “I have no doubt this twelve pack will go when I retire. I might even lose my hair. Will you still want me?”
“Of course. I mean, I will miss the twelve pack but I will have plenty of pictures of it by then to get me by. And there is always your Twitter feed.”
“So, you will still be into me, but I am shallower than that. As soon as your body changes, I’m out? Is that it?”
Alex stared him straight in the eye. “Yes.”
She didn’t pull away this time, no retreating from conflict. The honesty of her answer surprised him. When did he ever give her the impression that what they had was dependent upon the way she looked? He hadn’t even found her beautiful when they first got together, because he was an idiot. But now she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. He couldn’t tell her that though, it would hardly help his case.
“Why?” he asked. “Why do you expect me to be shallow?”
Alex blinked like she wasn’t expecting the question. “Because men are visual people.”
Cane ran a hand through his cropped hair. “I’m going to ignore that blatant sexism, Alex. I expect more from you.”
Alex bit her lip again, hard enough to make it bleed, the skin drained of color where the incisors pressed. Eventually she spoke. “That’s the point, Cane. I don’t expect more from you. We’re doing this now because it suits you. But what about when it doesn’t?”
“Why would I stop wanting you?” he asked incredulously. Annoyance grew within him. Why did she still think this was some flash in the pan thing? How had he ever given her the impression that he was not all in?
She shook her head. “Because the saying about history repeating itself is often true.”
She looked so sad and defeated. He was torn between wanting to gather her in his arms and comfort her, or shaking her to knock some sense into her. Under his annoyance, disappointment spread. What they had didn’t mean a whole hell of a lot if she didn’t trust him.
