A few weeks before coming on this vacation, I used the excuse to go home to see my mom, sister, and niece but instead met with the doctor who did my original surgeries.
After some tests, she assured me my leg is fine and the pinching could be from the nerve damage that both the injury and surgeries caused, but I have to wonder why the pain only started this last season.
Her answer? “It can happen. A physiotherapist will be able to help.”
Thanks, Doc. How many years of med school did you go through to come up with that explanation?
According to her, I’m still good. I’m still healthy. I’ve put a lot of strain on my leg since the injury, but it’s holding. For now.
Yet every twinge, every workout, the doubt of it staying that way gets louder and louder.
“Tell him,” Damon says and stands. “Preferably before training camp next month. I’m gonna go find Maddy.”
I know Damon’s right. I just don’t want to do it.
Talon and I have achieved our college dream—the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl together. To only last one more season past that does leave a huge sinking feeling in my chest, but we both have to realize that nothing can last forever. Especially NFL careers.
Eight years is an amazing feat. Even if I was only on a practice team for two of those years and out with my injury for one. They still count. Even taking those away, that’s still five, and that’s more than a lot of players get.
I shouldn’t feel ashamed.
But there’s still that part of me that remembers what it was like to be injured, watching from the sideline with a broken heart.
Talon and I belong on that field, and I’m giving it up a lot sooner than I expected or wanted, but my gut is telling me it’s time.
With Matt and Noah having kids, it’s making me think about what Talon’s and my future looks like.
Marriage is a given, and I think Talon would make an incredible dad. He’d understand our kids on the most basic level because he’s still one himself.
Case in point: with a huge smile, he comes up the side of the boat and appears in front of me dripping wet.
I know what he’s going to do before he even makes his move. “Don’t even think about it.”
He climbs on top of me anyway. “Think about what?”
I grunt. “Doing that.”
“Getting you all wet?”
I can’t even be mad when he rubs himself all over me. “Do you have to make everything sexual?”
“Have you met me? Besides, this is nothing.” Talon grinds his hips while his hand snakes between us to rub my cock over my shorts. One touch from my man and I’m hard and aching for it.
That’s what Talon does to me.
“Mm, nothing, huh?” I ask. “Think the other guys would agree if they walked up here right now?”
One of the other guys answers. “Nope. That’s downright pornographic.”
Ollie.
I didn’t even hear anyone come up. It’s hard to when Talon’s touching me. I guarantee it’s how we’re going to die. There’ll be some big natural disaster, but Talon and I will be too busy fucking to evacuate. Bam. Dead.
Not the worst way to go.
Instead of scrambling off me, Talon teases me more. “You know we like an audience.”
Ollie laughs. “I’ll pass, thanks. Just came back up here to get a towel. Though, I’m starting to think this group is a little too close for comfort. Soren saw Maddox and Damon going at it, they saw me and Lennon, and now I’ve seen you two.”
“Talon has seen Matt and Noah,” I supply helpfully.
“It’s the circle of life … or fucking … something like that.” Talon turns his head toward Ollie. “And if you don’t hurry up and get the fuck out of here, you’re gonna see a lot more.”
Ollie holds up his towel. “I’m out.”
Talon flips his hair away from his face, whipping more water all over me. “Now that he’s gone …” He reaches his hand into my shorts now, giving my cock a hard pump.
“Most likely, one of the others will be next.”
“Then let them see.”
“Or, we could use one of the six bedrooms on this thing and put it to good use.”
He lowers his lips to my ear and whispers, “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Are you saying sex with me on our own, in a private room, is not fun?”
“Of course not.” He climbs off me. “I’ll show you.”
He helps me up, but as we take the steps to a lower level, the familiar twinge that’s been happening on and off since the end of last season makes my leg drop from under me.
Being on the stairs, I tumble, and I’m not small. I try to save myself by gripping the side of the boat, but it doesn’t help.