The End Zone (Atlanta Lightning 2)

“You know it.”

“Good.”

It was a busy day of people in and out. Team doctors, my coach, my family. The only people who stayed the whole day were Jeremy, Mia, and Momma. Jeremy was quiet, only speaking up here and there, taking a back seat to my mom and sister.

At one point, they pumped some more of the good painkillers in through the IV, and I started to feel a little loopy.

“Momma…”

“Yeah, baby?”

“Miaaaaaa,” I added.

“Yeah, he’s feeling good,” my sister said.

“Can I get a few minutes alone with my man or what?” I knew I was talking too loudly but couldn’t seem to stop myself.

“Shhh.”

“Mia always thinks she’s the boss of me,” I told Jeremy.

“You have to be quiet, okay? We have to be careful what we say.”

“I can’t help it.” I smiled at him. “I miss you, Angel.”

“Oh, wow…” Mia said. “This is really happening, and it’s sweet.”

“Shhhhhhhhhhhh. I dragged that out a really long time, didn’t I? We have to be quiet. Jeremy said so.”

“Let’s give them a few minutes.”

Finally!

“I love you, Mia.”

She chuckled. “I love you too.”

She and Momma slipped out, closing the door.

“They’re probable…probability, probably standing guard. They won’t let anyone in. I don’t want to keep you a secret.” Oh shit. I didn’t, did I? I mean, I knew there were reasons I needed to, though I couldn’t think of them right now.

Jeremy sat on the bed beside me. “I know, and that means the world to me, but we need to for now. You’re injured, you’re a free agent in a few months, and we don’t know how the whole two-queer-guys-on-the-same-team thing will go.”

He was putting me in a bad mood, and…oh yeah, I was queer now, wasn’t I? Because I liked Jeremy. I maybe loved him. “I’m demiromantic for you.”

His forehead wrinkled. “You’re what?”

“Demiromantic…for you. That’s what Anson said. Not the sexual one, but…romance…romantic…relationships… That’s a lot of R’s…but that, I never wanted that before you. We said that before, didn’t we? But not the demiromantic part because I was scared to say it.”

“Oh God…” Jeremy said softly. “You don’t even know what you do to me. Don’t break my heart.”

“I won’t. You helped me figure out mine wasn’t broken…wow…that sounds cheesy. Why do I feel like I’m floating?”

Jeremy laughed. “It’s the meds.”

“I still meant what I said, though.”

He brushed his hand over my cheek. “I know.”

“I can’t wait to fuck you.”

Jeremy laughed. “Simmer down, big guy. None of that here.”

“Since I’m with a dude now, that means you’ll want to fuck me too. I’ll let you. I’ll let you do anything you want to me. I watched gay porn to get ready. Anson said not to, but I was curious.”

“Stop talking.” Jeremy held two fingers to my lips. “We’ll have this discussion later. Why don’t you try to get some sleep?”

“You’ll stay?” I asked, my eyes feeling heavy.

“I’ll stay as long as you want me to.”

With my eyes closed, I grinned. “Night, Angel.”

“Good night, Troublemaker.”

It wasn’t nighttime, but that didn’t matter. I let the darkness take me, knowing Jeremy was there with me.

Chapter Twenty-One

Jeremy

Darren was still sleeping a couple of hours later when the nurse came in. Mia and Jada were back, and Deon had come down as well. I was mostly quiet because I wasn’t sure what to say. They’d just found out their loved one was into a guy, didn’t really have much explanation about any of it, and then he was hurt and I was shoved all up in their business. I was sure they were as thrown by all this as I was.

“Is anyone planning on staying with him tonight?” the nurse asked. “We don’t like to keep more than two people overnight, but I’m sure since it’s Darren Edwards—”

“That’s all right. Thank you, though,” Mia cut her off. “My butthead brother doesn’t need special treatment, and he wouldn’t want it either. That’s not really how we roll. Jeremy and I will stay. He’s a close family friend.”

While on the one hand, I appreciated that she’d automatically included me in sleeping over, I was a little bummed that it wouldn’t just be Darren and me, and a lot bummed that she’d made sure to stress that I was a close family friend. I understood why she did it, but it didn’t stop the sharp sting of sadness.

I wondered if she would have stayed with him had I not been there. If they would have said their goodbyes and left, but they knew I wouldn’t, so Mia had to make it less strange that I planned to stay.

The nurse checked his vitals and left. Darren was starting to wake again, so Jada and Deon said their goodbyes to him, then to Mia and me, and left as well.

“Hey,” he said, looking over at me, his voice rough and his eyes heavy. “Sorry there’s no Thanksgiving meal.”