Page 31 of Out of Bounds

“Not something we’ve talked about,” he answered truthfully, watching as Liam’s gaze flicked back to the group of trainers. Leaning over a bit to get a better look, he let a smile break through as he noticed a young woman with bright red hair. Is that where Liam was going with this? “Why, you trying to make plans?”

Liam’s eyes skittered toward the young lady once more before snapping back to Gunnar. The look on his face was borderline guilty, like he knew he’d been caught staring.

“No, I’m sure I’ll end up just crashing, but Dash heard about some great club in downtown Denver, and he wants to go there,” he said with a shrug.

Unless little red decides to join them… Gunnar thought to himself. He didn’t dare say it out loud, knowing it would only embarrass Liam, but he’d known the young man a long time and knew that look on his face.

"When we land, I’ll talk to Cowboy about a curfew and let everyone know, cool?”

Liam nodded before heading back to where he’d been seated before with a bunch of the other players. The rest of the flight went by quickly, and Gunnar was thankful when they were finally on the ground in Denver. Now maybe he could fully focus on the game ahead instead of wondering where Felicity was.

* * *

“Stop getting fancy, Dash!” Gunnar yelled as the ref blew the whistle for a foul. They were up one nothing over Denver thanks to a questionable handball in the box earning them a penalty kick during the first fifteen minutes of the match. Overall he was happy with how his team was playing; he just wished that his striker could actually find the back of the net.

He wandered back over to the empty bench on the side of the field, glancing over at his alternates who were keeping loose down behind the goal Liam was currently in front of. Soon enough he’d need to do some subbing, if for no other reason than to see everyone in action today. Preseason didn’t limit him on the number of subs he could use, and he had every intention of putting in everyone. They had another match in a few days’ time anyway, and if he was going to change up the lineup, he needed to know who was match fit and who wasn’t.

The whistle blew again, bringing his attention back to the game. One of the Denver players was on the field, grasping at his knee, his face scrunched like he was in pain. Oh fuck. The ref turned to Boone Jarrett, who was making a disgruntled face of his own, pulling out the yellow card. Oh fuck…

“That wasn’t a yellow!” Gunnar screamed, popping up from the bench, waving his arms wildly. Not that he saw whatever Jarrett had allegedly done, but the player on the field had been taking dives all night. And judging by the way he just popped back up to his feet, he wasn’t in near as much pain as he was selling a moment ago.

“Go tell Elliot he’s up,” he muttered to the tall, lanky staffer who was sitting behind him. The trainer let out a loud whistle and motioned for Elliot to stop warming up and head this way.

The game paused a moment later for the substitution, a pissed off Jarrett walking off the field.

“I didn’t trip him, Coach!” he spat.

“I know. He’s a good little actress. Fucking Oscar winning performance right there. He should try out for the Olympics with all those dives he’s taking. You did good.”

Gunnar knew that he was setting a horrible example with his player with the incredibly sexist statement he’d just uttered. But right now, he was too pissed to care. Not that the only person who would really care was even here to womansplain to him all the ways he was wrong for using it. Although now, all he could see was the fire in Felicity’s eyes again. Fuck, he needed to stop thinking about her and focus on the damn game. He was really starting to think she might just be the end of him.

The rest of the game went on without any more cards, but also without any additional goals. Not for lack of trying on either side though. Denver had kept Liam plenty busy, and thankfully he’d been ready.

As the bus pulled up to the hotel, Gunnar’s stomach let out an audible rumble. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until now, and the idea of a hot shower, a cold beer, and a nice juicy burger sounded like perfection. A quiet night in his quiet hotel room.

Alone.

He didn’t know why, but the idea that Felicity was not going to be in his room when he got there seemed weird. Had a handful of nights sharing a room really had that much of an effect on him? No, he was losing his mind.

I don’t want her there, Anya. I swear I don’t…

“Yes, you do,” he heard her teasing giggle say. “But go ahead and keep lying to yourself, Gun.”

He didn’t want her there. He wanted…oh hell, he did want her. It didn’t matter how much he wanted to deny it, he wanted her. Under him, on top of him, wrapped around him. As long as she was naked, he would take her however she wanted.

“I’m not going to be sleeping on a cot without a toilet again, right?” Cowboy asked as they walked into the lobby.

“Nope,” Dalton laughed. “Flick called earlier today and read them the riot act. I also called just before the game to double check. All the rooms are waiting for us just as she booked them.”

“Good.”

“Where is she?” Gunnar asked, unable to hold back the question. It’d been burning in him since this morning. He hadn’t wanted to be the one to bring her up, out of some irrational fear that Cowboy would magically connect the dots of his detour last night during dinner and curiosity now. “I figured she would have insisted on being here.”

“She has a date,” Dalton said, tapping away at his phone.

“A date?” Gunnar repeated, trying not to let his anger show. A date? She was on a date? How could she be going out with someone else tonight after kissing him yesterday. There was no way he misread her body language. She was into him.

“Uhhh, yeah,” Dalton answered, still distracted by his phone.