Authors: Sabrina Riley
Chapter 5
Max started getting up early every morning to run with her. She didn’t comment on it, but he saw a little smile on her face the second morning. She figured he had a glutton for punishment and Laurel didn’t give an inch or a kiss. After a couple of weeks of pining, Max was ready to go insane. He had never gone so long without his needs fulfilled and there were many choices to sway his thoughts.
Every morning they ran together and every evening she coached the practice. They had a couple of games a week and Max always sat next to her on the bus. There were starting to be rumors about the two of them and though he tried to dispel them, it was hard to. He wanted her and though no one else tried, they all did too. So if Max got through to her, maybe there was a hope for them as well. Zach in particular was always keen to find out what was going on with the two of them.
Max had just gotten back from his run and his roommate was up. “You went running with her again?”
Max just nodded and started to grab his toiletries to get into the shower room before the place filled up. It always did around ten, when everyone started to get up. Max wasn’t worried about any of that. He just wanted to get dressed and get down to class on time. It was hard to be on time when twenty guys were working with five showers.
“Yeah, just around the park. It’s no big deal Zach. I am just trying to get in better shape and she is helping me.”
Zach didn’t believe him. “Uh huh.”
“I’m serious. She is just helping me and has already made it clear that she doesn’t date students.”
“Who said anything about dating her?”
It wasn’t the first time that Max had heard comments about their assistant coach. Laurel was untouchable to most of the guys and that had been okay, because no one had a chance. Now that they saw Max around her all the time, they assumed that certain things were happening. While Max wished that they were happening, he knew that they were not. But it didn’t stop people like Zach and others to wonder if they would get their way if they only pushed a little harder.
“I am telling you Zach. She just isn’t that way. She is not like most of the girls around here. I mean I had Denise bedded on my first day here. Laurel is definitely not like that.”
“Then why are you spending so much time with her?”
He shrugged. It was a legitimate question, but the truth was that he liked to. They talked while they ran and he had learned a lot about strategy, as well as making him a stronger runner. Laurel was helping him in everything that she did and that was just how she was. She was making him want to be a better man and her encouragement was just what he needed to do so.
“Because she is helping me Zach. I am telling you. She is not like anyone that I have ever met before.”
Zach believed him. He had always been mystified by the assistant coach, but there had never been anyone that even attempted. She hadn’t dated one of the players before, but unlike what Max said that it wasn’t true, Zach didn’t believe that part of it. No man and woman would be together that much and not have something else going on between the two of them.
“You should put a good word in for me Max.”
Max just nodded. He wasn’t going to tell him that he wouldn’t. There was no way that he would, but he wasn’t going to say that. Max wanted her all to himself and if had nothing to do with bringing her to bed, but that he knew what guys like Zach wanted from her. She was just another girl to them, but to him, she was everything.
***
Zach wasn’t willing to give up on what he really wanted. Now that it was in his mind that he could have Laurel, that there was a chance, he couldn’t stop himself from trying. They had a class together in the evenings right before practice and he had always admired her from afar. That day, he had other ideas. He wanted to be next to her and when he sat down in the empty chair beside her, she smiled a little uncomfortably.
“Hey Zach. How’s it going?”
He just smiled and told her that everything was fine. It didn’t feel fine though. She could tell there was something off about him. He was staring at her in such a way and it was hard to ignore the way it made her feel.
“So I hear you and Max have been getting close.”
There it was. The reason for the look and she wasn’t prepared to answer something like that. It was the reason that she stayed away from the teammates.
“Is that what he told you?”
Zach nodded. “No, but everyone can see that the two of you have gotten pretty close.”
Laurel looked back up front. What was she supposed to say? Zach had tried her before and when she had told him that she wasn’t interested, he had gotten a little upset. The man was huge and he had a bit of a temper. She felt uncomfortable as he stared at her legs. It was the first time that she had wished to have worn pants instead, but she just tried to ignore him. He was the reason that she had made the decisions she had. Not him in particular, but guys like Zach. She had thought Max was like him, but he wasn’t.
“It’s not like that. I am just helping him with his running. The team needs more stamina.”
He just nodded his head, making it clear that he didn’t believe a word she said. “Well I am needing help with my stamina. Do you think you can help me?”
“I think you are looking for something else Zach and for that, no I can’t help you.”
His dark green eyes got darker and he had a look on his face. It was the look of being turned down again and it didn’t seem to be going over any better that time around. “I am looking for what every man is looking for with you. Do you really think that Max likes you for who you are?” His question was not meant to be answered. It sounded silly to even think like that. Of course Max just wanted her for what was between her legs, like every other man that she coached.
“I mean, really Laurel? You should know better.”
She felt heat rising to her cheeks and it still amazed her how quickly a jerk like Zach could kill her mood. “I don’t really care what you think or what you are implying Zach. Me and Max are just friends.” She thought to herself that he was a horrible friend to have. It was clear he was trying to shift Max under the bus. It was all just too much and her eyes went to the clock, wishing it would change and the bell would ring for them. She no longer wanted to be in class and she didn’t want to be anywhere near Zach.
When the bell finally rang, she was the first one up from her seat. She didn’t look back, but she didn’t have to. She could feel his gaze on her back and a shiver ran up her spine. Something just wasn’t right and she wished that she hadn’t had the conversation with him. It was hard to deny his words and then he was in her head, making her wonder if what he said was true. Was that the only reason Max was hanging out with her? She knew that he wanted her, but Laurel thought that there was more than just desire between them. She was hoping that he would like her for more than her looks, for who she was. Now she questioned everything.
Chapter 6
“I didn’t see you yesterday morning. Are you feeling okay?”
She nodded that she was fine, but Max could tell that there was something different about her. She seemed out of sorts and it had been the first day that she had missed in the month since she had started running with him. He had missed her the day before and without any practice, it had been a whole day without seeing her. It was hard not to notice her absence. It was felt more than he would have imagined possible.
“Yeah, I just needed a break I guess.”
“Well I missed you.”
Laurel would never admit how much she liked to hear it, but still Zach’s words were in the back of her head, making her wonder why it was he missed her. “Why?”
“What do you mean why?”
“I mean, why did you miss me. We just run together. It is not like we are with each other or anything.” It sounded harsh again and she could tell from the way his face dropped a little, that it was not what he had wanted to hear. She knew that she was letting Zach get in her head, but it was because Laurel had always questioned motives. What was Max trying to get out of her? Everyone wanted something.
“I always thought of you as a little more than just a running partner.”
“Well you shouldn’t.”
“I shouldn’t see you as my friend?”
Now the handsome face had completely fallen and she stopped stretching. “I didn’t mean it like that Max. I see you as my friend.”
“Then why are you acting this way?”
She sighed and started off towards the park. He was beside her, their legs and feet moving in step together. Max had gotten stronger since running every day and it was easier for him to keep up now. Something was different about her and he wasn’t sure what it was, but it was clear that something was bothering her and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like that she was upset about something and he wanted to know why she was so different that day.
“Acting what way?”
“I don’t know. Like you did when I first met you.”
“It’s just who I am I guess. I don’t have to answer to you or anyone else for that matter.”
She was trying to pull ahead of him, but her training had paid off and the trainee was keeping up with her with no problem.
“This isn’t you Laurel. What is going on? Did something happen?”
Laurel wanted to tell him about what Zach had said. It had upset her and she couldn’t get it off of her mind, but at the same time, it didn’t make sense for her to start something within the team. It was better to just not say anything at all. There was always just ignoring the situation with Zach and hoping that he would move on and leave her alone. He had done it before.
“Nothing, I just, I don’t know. I am having a bad day I guess. Just been feeling strange.”
“You can talk to me about it Laurel. I don’t know if I would be any good for you, but I will always be here to listen if you need me to be.”
“Thanks Max. You are a really good friend. I never would have thought that possible with one of the players, but you aren’t like the rest of them.”
Max felt that he was almost glowing with her praise, but it still made him wonder why she was so upset in the first place. What was the rest of them like to her that she would seem so upset about it?
“Are you sure you are okay?”
She said that she was, her eyes not quite agreeing, but he knew not to push. Something was going on with her and Max just didn’t want to be one of the people that she pushed away. He meant what he said and had come to see her as a good friend. He could talk to her about anything and didn’t feel judged. She would give her opinion, but it was always to help him. He had never known a woman or anyone for that matter that made him want to be better. Max knew that he was lucky to have met her.
“No I am okay, really. But thanks for caring Max.”
***
Laurel tried to push the bad out of her mind and most of that bad at the moment was Zach’s words. She didn’t think that Max was how his roommate made him out to be. Everyone on campus knew what everyone else did and since the night with Denise, Max hadn’t been with anyone else. If he had, he had kept quiet about it and either way, she liked the idea of it. She would have been lying to herself if she hadn’t have said she was attracted to him. She was, very much so, but she still had rules to follow.
The next class that she had with Zach, she ended up not even going. She couldn’t fathom talking to him again and Laurel knew that she would not be able to hold her tongue if she did. It was a week before he seen her again and when he came walking towards her, she groaned inwardly.
“Hey coach. Good to see you. I didn’t see you last week. Are you skipping class?”
She shook her head that she wasn’t. “I’ve just been busy. Are you ready for the game tonight?”
Laurel wanted to talk about anything, but what they had spoken on before. She didn’t want to talk about personal matters with a man like Zach, but she could talk about the game. It was a safe subject and it was her default conversation.
He didn’t seem to notice one way or another and Laurel was happy to take his mind off of what she was sure he was going to want to talk about. “I am ready for the game. Who are you starting tonight?”
She gave him the names from her notebook and started to relax a little. Maybe he had just been having a bad day the time before, she thought to herself. He didn’t seem to be so upset like he was before and she spent most of the class talking to him about the strategies. She wouldn’t have normally talked to him in class, but he wasn’t so bad when he wasn’t trying to get into her pants.
After class he followed her out to her car. “Thanks for bouncing the ideas for the game with me. I like to get feedback from the players. The information you guys give me is very important.”
“No problem. I am here for whatever you need Laurel. Anything at all.”
She looked down. The needy look was in his eyes again and she didn’t know how to stop it. When he leaned in, much like Max had done before, she stopped him with a hand on his chest. “What are you doing Zach?”
“What you want me to do.”
He added more pressure to her palm that was trying to stop him, but he was too strong. The grip on her arm was hard, almost to the point of being painful and his tongue was pressing into her mouth suddenly. Laurel had to stop herself from biting the intrusion and she used all of her strength to push him away. When he looked back down at her, the dark eyes made her nervous. There was nowhere to go though, her car’s door on her back.
“Stop Zach.”
He moved into get another kiss and she slammed her foot down onto his. The large, blonde man doubled up in pain, but she didn’t care.
“You bitch.”
For a minute, she thought he was going to hurt her. He looked like he wanted to beat her into a bloody pulp and Laurel had to wonder if there wouldn’t have been pedestrians looking over at them, if he would have. Men like him, looking as he did, scared her and though she hated the fear, it was hard not to feel that way about him. Zach was a scary man when he didn’t get what he wanted. She couldn’t help it, if what he wanted was her.
“You are such a damn tease. I should have known that you were just being nice to me.”
“I thought we were just talking. I didn’t mean to hurt you Zach. I just wanted you to stop. I like you as a friend, nothing else. I thought I had made that clear before?”
He didn’t want to answer her and gave her a dark look before he turned around and started towards his truck. Laurel shouldn’t have been satisfied with the bit of a limp that he had acquired. She shouldn’t have, but there was some kind of satisfaction in seeing it.
Zach just reminded her why she stayed away from guys like him. It also showed her that she shouldn’t be spending so much time with Max. It was innocent and she had really liked their time together, but it was causing problems, that much was clear.