I immediately recognize the voice as one of the scouts that’s been heavily interested and invested in Tanner. The guy who left me a ten minute voicemail the night of Tanner’s accident, but never left his name or the name of the school or organization he’s with. He says things likeheavily interestedandhis success post-injury is in your handsanddon’t ruin him before he can shineand then oddly requests a meeting. I beg off, saying I’ll return the call later, because this guy gives me the goddamn creeps, and there are plenty of scouts in the sea.
After a rougher practice, I lead a few boys to the training room to see West, and decide to pay Tanner a visit and let him know just how much his team misses him.
When I pull up, Clara June’s car is in the driveway and my stomach kicks with excitement at the thought of seeing her. I hadn’t intended on seeing her today, in fact, I’d kind of assumed she was working.
Archie answers the door immediately after I knock, letting me inside with a “howdy, coach,” and a chocolatey grin.
I step inside, surprised at the condition of the place. It’s picked up and not at all the storm it was when I was here before.
“Who was–” Clara June’s voice is soft and delicate, and my heart flips and flutters when she steps out from around the corner, a kitchen apron tied to her small frame, her chestnut hair down around her shoulders, the waves long and enticing, perfect to wrap my fingers around. “Oh,” she says, but I don’t miss the flare of color in the apples of her cheeks, and the way pink pops up in splotches on her neck and along her collarbone. “Hi Coach.”
Fuck if I don’t like the way Coach sounds coming from her. Dirty thoughts flood my mind, and I tip my head before taking my hat off and holding it to my belt, hiding the effect she has on me. “Hi there, Miss Clara June. I thought I’d come by and check on Tanner. See how he’s doing.”
I glance at the couch, but Tanner isn’t there. “The place sure looks nice,” I tell her, looking around the freshly vacuumed and lemony smelling home.
She brings the back of her wrist to her head, swiping against the sweat that I hadn’t noticed a moment ago. “Thanks. It’s only going to last another,” she pauses, glancing at her watch, “two or so hours, but thank you.”
“What happens in two hours?” I ask, suddenly nervous that I’m crashing something important.
She shrugs with a simple smile that makes my insides catch fire. “The other two boys will be home.” Archie runs past, the vacuum hose in one hand, the lifeless vacuum rolling along behind him as he heads for the back door, through the kitchen.
“Freeze,” she says as he steps one little boot onto the porch. “Drop the vacuum.”
“Aw, man,” he huffs, but the hose clatters to the floor a moment before the screen door clicks, and he’s gone. She cups her hands to her mouth, calling after him, “No peaches, Archie!”
When she faces me, heat spiderwebs through my chest, so I shove my hands through my sticky, sweat-damp hair and smile. “Off today,” I say stupidly because obviously she’s off.
Clara June nods. “Yeah, finally, huh?” She waves an arm around the small living space, decorated with an old painting of a rodeo on the wall, framed in oak, a lamp in the corner, some pillows and blankets in a woven basket near the hearth, magazines spread along the coffee table next to a box of coasters and a line of remotes. It’s cozy, and just a minute in this place and I can feel the warmth radiating from every piece of furniture. Everything in this house has a story, a depth, and being here feels like being part of something bigger.
Maybe that’s how family feels, and I’m just not used to it. I don’t know, but what I feel standing in front of Clara June has me asking, “Mind if I sit?”
She nods. “Can I get you something to drink?”
I shake my head. I’d die of thirst before I’d make this woman wait on me. No fucking way. It ought to be the other way around. “Where’s Tanner at, anyhow?”
She sits in the armchair adjacent from the couch, but not before she unties the apron and wads it up. In tiny black work out pants and an off-the-shoulder faded gray t-shirt, her feet bare and her hair down, my vision flickers for a moment. My breathing stutters, my heart leaps, and my chest, for just a second, aches with painful wanting.
“Are you okay?” she asks, her head tipping to the side,ends of her dark hair dragging along her forearm. I could watch Clara June complete a crossword and have a hard-on, I swear.
“Yeah, I’m okay. And hey, I’m sorry for popping by unexpectedly. I just got done with practice, the boys are all ready for Tanner to come back, so I thought I’d come check on him and tell him that. To boost his spirits.”
She pulls her feet into the chair, wrapping her arms around them, hugging herself into a ball. I’ve never been with a woman of her stature, petite but curvy, and the idea of it kind of melts my brain a little.
“Oh, he’ll love to see you. He always does.” She smiles and I smile back, and a thick current of electricity and desire runs between us, undeniably overwhelming. My chest nearly goes concave from being the recipient of that goddamn smile. “To answer your question, he and Rawley went to the library to grab some books. Rawley has a paper due next week and Tanner is going to help him.” She taps her chin, and I can’t help but see my thumb on her chin, tugging her lips apart, making room for my cock, which she eagerly and wantonly begs for.
I clear my throat. “That’s nice of him. They’re close, your boys, aren’t they?”
She nods proudly, and I like that about her, too. How proud she is of her beautiful family, and all the hard work she’s put into making kind, smart, hard working sons. “They are. We all are. We’ve always been close.” Her head tips to the side, and she nibbles on the inside of her cheek, like there’s something she wants to ask, but isn’t sure if she can.
“What is it?” I ask, setting my hat down on the table now that my crotch has finally calmed down. Though in her presence, I’m starting to think I need a damn cup.
“It’s just… you’re so kind to check on Tanner. To show him so much respect and kindness. I just… I can’t believe someone hasn’t swooped you up.” She stares into my eyes for a moment, and I get lost in the way she focuses on me, and I get a taste of what it may be like to always have her focus, and it feels insanely good. As if realizing what she said, her spine snaps straight, and she claps her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry, that was incredibly inappropriate and I?—”
“I think the same thing about you, Clara June.”
Her hand slowly drops to her lap, but her lips remain parted, mouth open, eyes locked onto mine. “What?” she eventually asks, her voice hoarse and thin.
My heart is beating faster than it does after lifting. “Don’t feel bad about wondering why I’m single because every time I’m around you for more than a second, it’s all I can think about.” I inch forward on the couch, and drop my voice to not much louder than a husky whisper. “Where has this gorgeous woman been?”
