Rookie Move (Playing for Keeps, #1)

by Riley Hart

The foyer of Ty Roberts’s mansion had a giant fucking compass embedded in the floor. “Jesus,” I breathed out, staring at the ornate tile and stonework that probably cost more than my life. “Is this thing here so we don’t get lost? Is that onyx?”

Warner Ramsey was the Rush’s quarterback, and an undeniably great one. Also, my brother’s best friend.

Because another undeniable thing about him was that he was even hotter in person. Tall, leanly built, with a stubbled square jaw, dark hair, and the kind of blue eyes that could pierce you even from the far end of a hallway. Which they were definitely doing now.

“You’re Warner Ramsey, the guy with two last names,” I fired back, cocking a brow. I’d only ever heard Houston refer to him as Rams or Ramsey, though. Ramsey’s lips split into a musing grin. “My parents couldn’t decide on a first name, so they stuck my mom’s maiden name on the front and called it done.”

I’d learned two things tonight. One: these were my people. Or at least, I wanted them to be, and I was hell-bent on spending the next four years getting there. And two: I was most definitely bi.

He was still building strength—the weight a quarter of what he could have managed before. Sweat made his brown hair curl slightly against his forehead. Houston’s hair was a shade or two lighter than Garrett’s, but the way their grins kicked up, a little higher on one side, and the rumbling sound of their laughter, made it clear they were related. They were similar, yet not. Houston was humble while Garrett wanted the whole fucking world to know how great he was. He wasn’t wrong either, the little bastard. At least when it came to football. Some people thought he’d eventually be even better than Houston, if only because my best friend’s career was cut short.

He rolled his melted-chocolate eyes that matched his hair. He appeared to have put on a few pounds of muscle since I’d seen him last. He was tall and broad, with a runner’s body that was big enough to knock the shit out of other players when needed. He looked like the boy next door, almost innocent, though I knew that wasn’t the case. But his features were soft, and he had thick, dark lashes and a Captain America grin…

“I just can’t figure out how one human can contain so much genetic lottery winnings. It seems like even nature would say, ‘That’s not fair. Let’s give him a weird eye or ears that stick out.’ Something. Some flaw.”

We’d done it. We’d won our first preseason game, and I was pretty sure Garrett was flying. Damn, did I like to see him soar.

Aaaaaand, maybe it was time to knock Garrett down a peg or two. I let myself appreciate him, let myself take in each muscle as it moved and his chest while he breathed, the way his Adam’s apple suddenly bobbed like he was struggling to swallow. I stepped closer, then closer still, not stopping until his back was against the building, my chest against his, Garrett’s warm breath on my skin when he let it out shakily.

Fuck if my dick wasn’t completely hard then, throbbing and pulsing with desire for him. This was getting out of hand quickly, but I’d never met a challenge I couldn’t accept, so I leaned down and bit his bottom lip, my teeth sinking in, tongue swiping at the puffy skin here. It was quick, too quick, but definitely enough to elicit another sharp inhale from him. With one more swipe of my tongue, I let his lip go.

The second we were around the backside of the building, alone in an alley that, unfortunately, stank like trash, I pushed him against the wall and took his mouth with mine.

And this time with the addition of Ramsey’s mouth sealing over mine. Not in a bite, but a kiss that short-circuited every thought zipping through my head.

We lunged together, arms wrapping around one another, fighting for purchase, bodies pressed tightly as I ravaged his mouth. My brain clicked off, desire taking over and muting the part of me that made responsible decisions. Basically, dick on, brain off.

Garrett went down on me, head in my lap, and— “Holy fuck!” He immediately took me to the back of his throat, lips stretched around my girth the way it had been in my dreams—yeah, unfortunately not singular.

My dick, weary from its valiant effort in the locker room and the showers, lost all its willpower. I tilted my hips into his touch with a soft groan of satisfaction when he turned his hand over and cupped me. “I saw you looking at me in the showers.”

Fuck, his confidence with men was definitely growing, and it was a total turn-on. I closed the short distance between us and straddled him, expecting him to wrap a hand around my cock immediately. Instead, his fingers cupped my chin and pulled me in for a gentle, lingering kiss. My lips parted for the press of his tongue, and I groaned as he plunged inside, his other hand smoothing down my back and pulling me tighter against him until our cocks rubbed his stomach. I rolled my hips against him, then pulled back.

I wrapped my arms around him, reeled him in easily, like he was happy on my hook. His ass pressed against my hard cock, Garrett pushing back like his hole was begging for attention while I peppered kisses along the back of his neck. “I can’t wait to fuck you.”

Goose bumps prickled across the back of my neck as Ramsey brushed a kiss over my nape. His hands closed over the tops of mine on the bar.

The room was quiet except for the sound of our breathing. We were both naked, after I’d just come in Garrett’s ass. There was nothing like fucking him, especially since we’d been going at it raw.

That’s when I acknowledged I’d done something incredibly stupid, that this was a little more than just a crush. I was legit falling for Garrett McRae.

I was defending someone I care—my friend.” He cocked a brow at me. I was fucked. “Shit, Warner.” He rubbed a hand over his face, elbows on the desk. He didn’t need me to confirm G and I were a thing. All he had to do was look at me to know it. “Is this going to be a problem? I can’t have fights on my team. Are we going to have to navigate dating, lover spats, and breakups in an NFL locker room?”

“I’m not nervous,” he repeated, adorably insistent, and nipped my lip when I grinned.

I’d been missing out. I’d studied Garrett a lot when he was beneath me, took in the sounds he made, the way his body arched toward me, trembled, and melted when I fingered him, then pressed my cock in deep. But feeling it the other way? The initial burn and stretch, knowing I had another person inside me, and the pleasure jolting down my spine each time he brushed over my prostate…fuck, I didn’t know how to explain it. And he hadn’t even given me what I really wanted yet—his cock.

“You have no idea how hot this is, watching your tight little hole stretch around my fingers. Knowing you’re giving this to me, that I’m the only man who’s gotten to see you like this, the only man to take your ass.”

“Wow…you’re going to marry my baby brother.” “No I’m not.” “And have his babies.” “Ha-ha.” “You’ll adopt a bunch of them, fill that big-ass house of yours, buy a minivan with stick figures on the back windshield.”

“I’m pretty sure Garrett’s wanted a minivan and ten kids with you for years.” That shouldn’t have made me smile—I didn’t even want children—but it did.

Ramsey dropped to his knees, the heat of his mouth a balm on my cold skin, then an inferno as he licked up the side of my cock.

“I’m such an idiot. I can’t believe I thought you were boning Houston. Either some freaky shit is going down between the three of you and Houston and Garrett might end up arrested because of it, or I had the wrong fucking brother.”

“I love you,” slipped out of my mouth and…what the fuck was that? Why had I said that now, in front of all these people? And how much would they hate me if I turned around and ran out? Claimed temporary insanity?

I rolled on top of him, bent like I was going to kiss him, but licked the length of his cheek instead.

“What do you want, Dad? My boyfriend and I are heading out.” I might as well start the not hiding right now. We were on our way to tell the team anyway. Eventually, it would leak. I’d meant it when I said I was done keeping quiet, and I wasn’t going to tiptoe around my dad either. If he turned out to be homophobic, it was another reason he didn’t belong in my life unless he made changes.

I figured they knew what was going down anyway, and honestly, I didn’t think most of them would care. I stood up. “I’ll make this short and sweet. I’m bisexual, in a relationship with Garrett, and—”

Goddamn, I was so happy. “I love you, G,” I told him, mouth close to his ear. “I love you too.”

Ramsey laughed as I pulled him toward the door, my body already on fire at what the next few hours held for us, along with the softer comfort of knowing I’d wake up next to him tomorrow. And all the tomorrows after that.