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“Sound advice.” I took another sip of my drink. It warmed my throat, just not the rest of me. I pointed with my glass. “You’re the best wide receiver in the league.”
“Because I have the skill set to be the best.” He settled back in his chair.
I didn’t disagree. That was mostly true.
“But I have Jake Marvel breathing down my neck.” He wrinkled his nose, reminding me of Electra.
Fucking hell. My grip tightened around the tumbler. Too many things during the week had made me think of her. A rainstorm, mangos, and now my buddy. I was so fucked.
“You have no competition. Jake is full of shit. He’s not near as good as you. He makes excuses for every pass he drops.” I pointed at my best friend with my chin. “You bring down every fucking pass I lob your way.”
“You don’t ever lob anything.” Zack shook his head. “You have an arm like a rocket. If you aim the ball my way, I’m gonna catch it.”
“Yeah. So, what’s your point?”
“You don’t take chances. You think everything through.” He narrowed his dark blue eyes. “Every decision you make on and off the field is strategic.”
I tensed. I didn’t feel like this was headed anywhere good.
“I’m saying you don’t typically take risks when it comes to women.”
“And you do?” I fired back, and I didn’t feel guilty for doing so, any more than he did. We had zero tolerance for bullshit in our friendship.
“No, I don’t.” He frowned. “But the difference between you and me is that I don’t fuck the same woman every week. That’s boring. I take whatever looks good—blonde, brunette, redhead, whatever. No bitch is ever gonna have me by the balls again.”
“All women aren’t like your ex,” I reminded him. We’d discussed this before.
“Theoretically, they aren’t,” he said. “But I haven’t yet met one that didn’t have an ulterior motive while taking my cock. That’s why I prefer to get what I need at Fantasy. The chicks there know the score.”
“You pay them to get you off?” I’d never paid a woman for sex.
“I do.” He bobbed his head. “Because with a monetary transaction, I know what I’m getting and so do they. Fucking without any fake expectations.”
“I guess.” My brows drew together.
“Not much different than what you do with Mercedes.”
I frowned at that. “I don’t pay her.”
“Yeah, but where’s the excitement? At least I have variety.” He leaned an elbow on the table. “Fantasy is top-notch. The girls are tested regularly for STDs and drugs. The lap dances are expensive, but they’re hot. Everything’s consensual. There’s even a disclosure form. It’s all very neat and tidy and satisfying.” He drummed the table. “You should come along with me sometime.”
“I gotta break it off with Mercedes before I even consider doing something like that.” What we had might not be real, but I respected her.
“Out of respect for Mercedes, or because you’re still hung up on that Saint Croix chick that flew the coop?”
Zack’s east Texas rural upbringing bled into his sentences whenever he got fired up. Apparently, he was angry at Electra on my behalf.
He was a good friend. But would he remain one if I we weren’t playing football together anymore? My confidence was at an all-time low after Electra.
“Never seeing her again wasn’t my choice.” My frown deepened. Zack wasn’t the only one angry at Electra.
“So you say, but you giving her a choice in the first place is out of character for the Champion Valentine I know.” He clucked his tongue disapprovingly. “That guy wouldn’t have improvised like you did. He wouldn’t have chased. He wouldn’t have let her set the terms. No last name, no phone number, no up-front nondisclosure. What the hell were you thinking?”
“You didn’t see her,” I mumbled.
“So, she’s pretty. Lots of women are.”
“Not like her.” Knowing he didn’t understand, I attempted to explain. “Never seen another woman that beautiful, and I felt like I could be myself with her. We connected, more than just physically.”
