Just for Kicks by Tracy Solheim

Sixteen

* * *

THE SALON WAS closedon Mondays, making it Andi’s favorite day to work. She usually spent the day restocking, confirming appointments, and ordering supplies. Today, however, she was finding it hard to concentrate. Her mind continually drifted to the night before. Dex’s boast about giving her pleasure all night long hadn’t been a boast at all. The man certainly had the stamina and conditioning of a prime athlete performing at his peak.

Not that she was complaining. Her body was tight as a bow just thinking about how he’d brought her to ecstasy over and over. She fanned her warm face with the list of supplies she’d been creating.

“Jeez, Andi, are you glowing?”

She nearly jumped out of her chair at the sound of Clive’s voice.

“What are you doing here?” Flustered, she gathered up all her papers and stacked them into a neat pile.

Stepping into his office, the one she normally commandeered on Mondays, he leaned a hip against one of the file cabinets while studying her with a speculative eye.

“Last time I checked I owned the place, which means I can come here whenever I want.”

She ground her teeth. “I meant, what are you doing here on your day off?”

He set down a brown paper bag on the corner of his desk. “Daniel thought you might want some catnip to help tame Fletcher’s wee beasty.”

“Oh.” Because what else could she say. He was just trying to be sweet and here she was biting his head off.

“Your turn.” He crossed his arms over his chest, tucking his hands beneath his armpits. “Why are you glowing?”

She avoided his gaze. “I’m not glowing. It’s just warm in here.”

He made a sound of disbelief. “Oh, for crying out loud. You slept with him, didn’t you?”

“I—I . . .” She didn’t want to lie to her friend, but she didn’t want him knowing the truth either, as if talking about it would burst the bubble of bliss. Clive was sure to bring up the ticking clock that measured the lifespan of her marriage, and she wasn’t ready to deal in realities just yet.

“Never mind. I don’t want to know.” He snatched the folder from the desk. “I just hope you know what you’re doing, Andi.”

She did. Or, at least, she thought she did.

“Clive,” she called after him. “Is it okay if I order some supplies under your account?”

She normally ordered what she needed for her soaps and lotions using the salon account to take advantage of the discount and free-shipping. But this order was going to be sizable given what she needed for the swag bags. She didn’t feel right not running it by her friend first.

“I thought you weren’t going to need anything new until your branding project at the end of the semester?”

“Change in plans.” She was equal parts excited and overwhelmed by the opportunity she was given. It likely showed in her expression because he wandered back into the office, a concerned look in his eyes.

“Meaning what, exactly?”

“My soaps are going in the swag bags for the Growlers’ ball. They’re expecting five hundred guests.”

He whistled. “That’s incredible.”

“I know. I just hope I can get it done in time.”

“You will. You’re Andi Larsen, remember?”

She swallowed roughly at the use of her maiden name. “Actually, legally I’m Andi Fletcher now. I had to change my name for the time being. You know, to make things look . . . real. Mr. Hilbert even got me a passport. Crazy, huh?”

He gave his head an annoyed shake. “Whatever. I’m happy to front you the money, if that’s what you’re asking. Daniel and I know you’re good for it.”

“Actually, it’s okay.” She plucked the Platinum card Dex had handed her earlier this morning from the pile on the desk. “I’ve got it covered.”

His eyes grew wide. “Please don’t tell me you slept with him for his damn credit card?”

She recoiled as if he’d actually struck her. It took her a moment to push words past the disgust squeezing her throat. “It’s not like that!”

“It certainly looks like that from where I stand,” he shouted. “Andi you signed a contract. Whatever this is you two are playing at, it’s over in six months. Hell, with his track record, he’ll be on to someone else days later.”

Her chest burned with every breath she drew. It didn’t help that her friend was right. Still, she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of admitting that at the moment.

“Never mind,” she snapped. “I’m sure Dex won’t mind me charging the extra shipping. I’m sure I can make it worth his while tonight.”

Turning her back on him, she sat back down and opened her laptop. She stared at the screen until his retreating footsteps faded. She wanted to thrash him for turning what was a lovely experience with Dex into something tawdry and disgusting. Unfortunately, if the truth came out, the rest of the world would see things the exact same way.

Andi buried her face in her hands. She’d been reckless to sleep with him. But at the same time, she didn’t regret it. She’d spent most of her life feeling alone, expendable, and not worthy. Last night, Dex made her feel like the center of the universe. So what if she had to give all that up in six months. Until then, she was going to be greedy and take what she could. Especially since it would likely have to last her the rest of her life. Squaring her shoulders, she pulled up the list of items she needed to order.

“I’m sorry.”

Once again, Clive’s words had her jumping out of her seat.

“I had no right to say what I did,” he continued. “I’ve known you for practically all my life and you’ve never judged me the way I just judged you.”

She didn’t trust her words to come out as anything more than a sob, so she simply nodded.

“How can I help?”

Andi threw herself at him. He wrapped his arms around her, gently rocking her from side to side. They stood like that for several long moments.

“Is that a serious offer?” she murmured against his shoulder.

“I love you Andi Lar—Fletcher. And I’m always in your corner. Now what can I do?”

“How would you like to host a soap-making party Friday night?”

He groaned.

But he didn’t say no.

* * *

OF ALL THEthings Dex imagined himself doing on a Friday night, making soap in someone’s garage was nowhere on that list. Especially if the evening included the Growler’s goofball punter and his “super-excited” girlfriend.

“Isn’t this fun?” Andi smiled up at him.

“Yes,” he said, surprising himself. Of course, he suspected he’d enjoy himself actually getting his back waxed if she was with him. He leaned down and brushed a kiss over her nose.

“Enough of that,” her friend Daniel called from the other end of the garage. “You two are here to make soap, not whoopie.”

Marlene’s husband laughed. “You kids are still calling it that nowadays?”

“No, but that’s the only euphemism Daniel can use in polite company,” Clive replied.

Everyone laughed. Andi moved to the center of the garage.

“We need to get started. In order to get enough soap to make five hundred bars, we’re going to need to repeat the process twice.” She gestured to the four workstations set up in each corner. “We’ll work in groups of two. All the ingredients and tools you’ll need are at each station. I’m going to guide you through the process step-by-step.”

Palmer pulled on a pair of rubber gloves and safety glasses. “Cool. This is gonna be a lot like high school chemistry.”

“I hope not,” Shaina said. “I seem to remember you setting your lab table on fire with a Bunsen burner.”

Andi shot a worried look at Dex. “Maybe we should have someone supervise him?” she whispered.

Not if it meant Dex couldn’t work with Andi. As usual, both their schedules had been crazy all week. Their only time together between the sheets or in the shower. He was reluctant to give up another moment with her. Especially not for the annoying punter who’d been dogging him since Sunday.

“Get serious, rookie,” Dex commanded. “We’re here to work.”

Palmer gave him a jaunty salute.

Andi sighed. “Besides your stainless-steel mixing bowl, you should all have a few spoons, a thermometer, and an immersion blender.”

“Hey. Is this one from our kitchen?” Clive asked.

“You said you’d do anything to help me.” Andi batted her eyes at him. “Consider it a donation to the cause.”

“You’re buying me a new one, Fletcher.”

“Add it to my back-wax tab.”

Another round of laughter erupted within the garage. Dex suddenly couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed himself like this.

“The ingredients need to be measured precisely,” Andi continued. “We only have one scale, so I need someone with a good eye and a good head for numbers to handle this part.”

“That’s me,” Daniel and Dex said at the same time.

“Fine,” Andi said. “It doesn’t hurt to have two sets of eyes.”

A lot of trash talking between he and Daniel followed, each one claiming to have a better head for numbers. It didn’t take them long to get everything measured and dispersed to each couple. By the time they were done with the task, Dex had recruited Daniel to work with his mathletes on the curriculum involving calculating financial ratios.

“When do we get to the good part,” Palmer complained. “I want to wear my mask.”

“In a minute,” Andi replied. “First we mix the oils. For our carrier oils we are using coconut and jojoba oils. Go ahead and pour that into your bowl. Then we’ll add the essential oils. Each station has a different scent. One has tea tree, one has eucalyptus, one has lemongrass, and Dex and I have citrus. Carefully add those to the oils and mix them together with your spoon.”

Dex mixed the two oils into the bowl. Andi picked up the spoon and began to blend them together. The smell of both oils combined to make the irresistible scent of Andi. He wrapped his arms around her as she stirred.

“Lass, you have no idea what that scent does to me,” he murmured against her ear.

“Actually, I think I do.” She wiggled her ass against the erection straining his jeans.

Dex groaned.

“Can we get to the good part, now?” Palmer complained.

“Yeah, can we?” Dex whispered.

Chuckling softly, Andi pushed his arms away and stepped back into the middle of the room.

“Apparently not all of us,” Dex mumbled.

Before he knew it, they were all donning masks and safety gear. Daniel moved to open the garage door for better ventilation.

“I hope none of the nosy media following you drives by,” he quipped. “Lord knows what they think we’re doing.”

They carefully mixed the lye with the distilled water.

“That’s it?” Palmer’s disappointment echoed throughout the garage. “I thought there was going to be a lot more smoke or something.”

“Only if you did it wrong,” Clive said. “Now we take a cocktail break while the water cools to a hundred degrees, right boss?”

“Not too many cocktails,” Andi warned. “We still have more work to do.”

When she moved to follow the rest inside, Dex wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her out into the cool night.

“How long does this part take?” He grazed his lips along her jaw.

“Mmm. It depends. Twenty, thirty minutes.”

“I can think of a lot of things we can be doing during that time.”

Her fingers wandered to the fly of his blue jeans. “Perhaps you can show me.”

They made it to his car without anyone noticing. He pulled her on top of him in the passenger suit, dragging her face down for a fierce kiss. Straddling him, she pressed up and down against his erection.

Jaysus.He’d had this woman multiple times a day, multiple ways for a week now and he still couldn’t get enough. He nipped at her bottom lip.

“I wanted to take you just like this the other night on campus,” he told her. “You have no idea how bad I burned for it.”

She pulled the lever beside him, pressing the seatback down so he was nearly horizontal. As she nibbled way along his chest, she slid lower until she was crouched on the floorboard, her mouth lined up with the part that wanted her the most. He bucked when she palmed the inside of his thighs, the denim abrading the sensitive skin there.

Realizing what she was up to, he groaned harshly. “Andi.”

She ignored his warning. Her hands brushed against his belly as she pulled the button on his fly free. The sound of the zipper lowering was like the referee’s whistle to his body. He let out a pained breath when his john sprung free. As much as he wanted her to climb on top of him now, there was no way he could make himself say the words. He was mesmerized watching her.

Her eyelids slid shut when her fingers wrapped around him. He thrust into her palm, willing her to move. A laugh that sounded more like a pleasured sigh passed from her lips as she began to stroke him up and down.

Slowly.

Too slowly.

“Lass,” he groaned.

“Mmhmm.” She leaned over and blew on the tip.

Dex thought he was going to die before she finally put him out of his misery and drew him into her mouth. Unable to keep still, he threw his head back. All sorts of unintelligible noises roared from his chest as the pleasure built. He fisted his hands in her hair, guiding her hot, wet mouth over him. When her fingers reached into his jeans and found his balls it was all over. He came so fiercely he was sure the car would roll.

When he was finally able to open his eyes again, there was his Andi, her hair tangled from his fingers, her cheeks glowing and a generous smile on her face. She kissed him on the corner of his mouth before silently slipping out of the car.

It was at that moment that Dex decided he rather liked making soap.

* * *

THE FOLLOWING NIGHT,Dex was holed up in the hotel room he shared with Van Horn. Their pre-game rituals were dramatically different. Both attended the evening meal and team meeting, but afterwards, Van Horn retreated to the offensive coordinator’s suite to go over game film one last time. Dex, on the other hand, enjoyed a game of chess with the team’s equipment manager. He was surprised, therefore, to find Van Horn back in their room long before curfew.

“You wouldn’t believe the tales Palmer is spreading,” Van Horn led with.

Dex blew out an annoyed breath. He could only imagine the stories the rookie was regaling his teammates with. Most likely about their little soap making party the night before.

“Feeling slighted?” Dex asked, deciding to simply take the bull by the horns. “Your non-girlfriend doesn’t look like the type to enjoy getting dirty, so we left you off the invite list.”

Van Horn snorted. “Jade can get quite dirty when she thinks there’s something in it for her. But you’re right. I doubt something as domestic as making soap would appeal.”

“There you have it then.” He stretched out on his bed and picked up the book he’d brought along. Something about his friend’s demeanor put him off.

“I don’t get it,” Van Horn said a few minutes later.

Dex snapped the book shut. “Don’t. Get. What?”

“A week ago, you were sleeping in separate rooms. Now you two are disappearing for long chunks of time to do the wild thing in your car. What gives?”

Damn Palmer. Dex leaped off the bed. He was going to rip the punter’s tongue out of his mouth. Andi and his absence had been obvious, but there was no way anyone saw them. The asshole rookie was just spreading tales. True tales, but no one had to know that.

“I donnae appreciate my teammates gossiping like a bunch of hens about what I do with me wife!”

Kessler chose that moment to pop his head in the room. “Hey, Fletcher, Maryland is putting a hurt on Wisconsin. Your Badgers need some of your juju. You wanna come watch?” He glanced between Dex and Van Horn before stepping into the room and closing the door. “What the hell has gotten into you two lately? You look like you’re ready to rip off each other’s head.”

“The only head I’m looking for right now is bloody Palmer’s,” Dex ground out.

“You don’t have to worry about Palmer,” Van Horn replied. “I sent him to his room without dessert.”

He glared at the quarterback. The asshole was enjoying this.

“Great. Then why don’t you guys come watch the game with the rest of us?” Kessler asked, attempting to do what the receiver always did, diffuse a contentious situation. The rest of the Growlers may not have noticed, but Dex saw right through Kessler. The guy was a veritable Pollyanna in pads. The crazy dares or wagers were his way of conflict avoidance. Kessler liked his view of the world to be rose colored, his glass more than half full. The only conflict the guy put up with was on the playing field with the opposing team. And even then, he was the first one there with a hand out when a player from the other team was ass down on the turf.

There was a story there for sure, but right now Dex didn’t have the patience to suss it out of his friend. He was too busy keeping his own secrets intact.

Van Horn powered up his laptop and reached for his noise-cancelling headphones. “Nah, I’m going to give this film one more look.”

Dex picked up his book again. “I’ll check the score in a minute. I’m just gonna read to clear my head.”

Kessler shrugged. “Suit yourselves.” He pinned them both with a hard look before slipping out the door.

A tentative silence settled over the room. Dex should have known it wouldn’t last.

“I warned you about hurting her,” Van Horn said, matter-of-factly. “Andi may have gone into this thinking she could handle a pretend relationship. But once you start having sex, it’s no longer pretend, dude.”

Dex jumped back off the bed and let loose a string of expletives that should have had his roommate cowering. Except it didn’t.

“What happened to my marriage being none of your business?”

Van Horn kept his gaze on the computer’s screen. “She’s a sweet girl, Declan. She’s taken some hard knocks in her life, but that doesn’t mean she can handle the heartache coming her way when the game is over.”

“Worry about your own bloody girlfriend, asshole.”

The quarterback had the nerve to laugh. “I doubt Jade has a heart. She’s like us.” Van Horn did look up at him now. “We don’t need another person for anything more to satisfy our needs or advance our career. All Jade wants out of life is her own satisfaction. And her standards are freakishly high.”

Jaysus.Was that how people saw him? That’s not who Dex was. Van Horn was wrong. It wasn’t that he didn’t want someone to love. It was that he couldn’t have that. Not after what he’d done. There was a big difference.

And as for hurting Andi, that was the last thing he would ever intentionally do. His friend didn’t know her like he did. She was much stronger than she looked. Besides, her heart wasn’t in play. She’d said so herself. Not that he was going to share that tidbit with his idiot roommate. The guy would just twist things around.

He threw his book onto the bed and stormed to the door. Watching his Badgers get beat up by some namby pamby turtles was better than listening to this shit.