The Quarterback and the Tutor Ch. 06

I guess you know you're a couple comfortable with each other when you're able to sleep in the same bed without having sex, be naked around each other without always throwing an erection. Most of all when you love someone so much that you think nothing of putting his needs before your own without resentment.

I awoke the next morning to find Tom curled into me, his face on my chest, my leg thrown over his, and my arm over his chest. We were both six five but somehow he curled into me like he was a foot shorter. He slept like an innocent baby, such light breaths that I could barely hear them, and such soft skin I wanted to be gentle with him so as not to hurt him. As if I could hurt one of the toughest university quarterbacks in the country. He always seemed to have a bruise or a scrape somewhere.

I carefully extricated myself from him and he continued to sleep. I quietly went into the bathroom and shaved, took a shower, and all the while he still slept. I could only think that my sweet man had been so emotionally shattered by yesterday's events that he was sleeping if off.

I went back into the bedroom and he was still asleep, now rolled over onto his back with his morning erection pushing at his jockey shorts. I got dressed silently and went into the kitchen to fix breakfast; eggs, pancakes, and bacon. As I was turning a pancake he slipped his arms around me and kissed my neck.

"Good morning, baby," he whispered. "I see you're fixing your man breakfast."

He laughed softly.

"I thought I'd give us a treat instead of cafeteria food."

"What can I do?"

"You can go shave those rough bristles off your face and take a shower is what you can do. And don't goof off, Tom. I let you sleep late because you looked so tired but I can't be late this morning. I've got a test in Richenbacher's class and it's my first class of the day."

"Oh, Ricky Bicky's not too hard to deal with, Lucas. You DO know he's gay, don't you? Show him a little extra attention and you'll have him eating out of your hand."

"It helped you that he's a football nut. I don't think he'd give a shit no matter I did. Anyway, I don't like him. He always picks his favorites the first few days of class and everyone else is practically invisible except to be thrown all the hard work."

"And you're not one of his favorites?" Tom teased.

"He acts like he's doing me a favor just to look in my direction. Fortunately his class is strictly math and as long as I can do the work he has to pass me."

"Of course you're doing the work."

"Piece of cake," I grinned.

I was taking bacon out of the pan.

"You've got maybe five minutes, big boy. Get your shower and you can eat in your underwear then get dressed afterward."

He cock teased me the rest of the morning, laughing and grinning but we finally made it to school. Classes passed slowly and I crossed my fingers that we'd be able to get with Louisa Martindale and Anne Marie Williams for lunch. Thankfully, they were seated at their usual table eating salads.

"Is it okay if we sit with the two most beautiful women on campus today?" I grinned.

"What's up, Lucas?" Louisa laughed, "Do you need us to protect Tom from Sandy's claws?"

"Yeah, not likely," Tom snorted. "She's already begging me to take her back."

I couldn't believe Tom would so boldly tell them that. Arrogant prick.

"It's more like we need to protect him from his stalker ex," I chuckled.

"Will wonders never cease?" Anne Marie said in her little girl voice. "Sandy's saying the exact opposite. Of course, WE believe YOU, Tom. Getting rid of her was the best thing you ever did for yourself."

"Everyone doesn't agree," I said seriously. "Coach Sanders has benched Tom for the Friday game over it."

"WHAT?" Louisa yelled. "That's insane. Are you sure?"

Tom nodded. "Certain. He called me yesterday, pissed as hell. Seems he's known Sandy and her family since she was a little girl. So I'm out of the game."

"We'll see about THAT," Louisa bellowed. "Wait until my Daddy hears this bullshit. Don't go out of town, Tom, because I can promise you that you'll be playing. Daddy says you're the greatest quarterback this university has had since Lucas' father."

"He thinks that?" Tom preened. "Well, I can't go out of town anyway. I'm going to have to sit on the bench and suffer in my humiliation. Of course, that's exactly what that bastard Sanders wants."

"Like I said, don't worry about it."

"And here all I did was come over here to ask you two fine ladies if you'd double date with me and Lucas for the game Friday night. A lot of the team members go to the Pizza Hut after the game and I thought you two might like to go."

Louisa and Anne Marie glanced at each other.

"Come on, Anne Marie," Tom pleaded in his best sweet little puppy mode. "I tried my best to get you to pay some attention to me when we took Western Civ together and you hurt my feelings by ignoring me. The least you can do is go out on a date with me."

Anne Marie burst out laughing.

"Yeah, I knew you were hitting on me but there was no way I was treading on another woman's territory. So now you two are finished and you need me to show her you've already got another girl?"

Tom grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it like a gentleman.

"Au contraire, Mademoiselle," he grinned. "Frankly Scarlett, I don't give a damn, about what my former female acquaintance thinks. I'm moving on and I'd like the pleasure of your company on Friday night. And if we have a good time perhaps you'll come to the game with Penn State we play next Saturday. We've only got two more games after Friday and the game with Penn State will be televised. A beautiful young thing like you will surely show up on the camera."

Louisa and Anne Marie both giggled and I knew we had them.

Louisa looked at me with a teasing skeptical eye.

"I guess this means I'll be going with you, Mr. Blake," she harrumphed. "Well, I know your reputation and I can assure you that I will NOT be putting out on the first date, probably never. I don't care HOW big they say your cock is."

"LOUISA!" Anne Marie blushed. "You should apologize right now."

"You've never put out for me before, Louisa," I laughed.

Tom and Anne Marie looked puzzled.

"Lucas and I go all the way back to freshman orientation," Louisa explained. "We've been friends ever since, true bosom buddies."

Tom and Anne Marie looked astonished.

"It's true," I said. "Louisa's a good companion and friend. When I need to bounce something off a female friend I always go to Louisa. Plus, she helped through Constitutional Law."

"We've had some good times together," Louisa smiled. "Even though he's a total reprobate. Still, I'll admit he got me through Calculus and the occasional math problem here and there."

Anne Marie still looked shell shocked.

"It's alright, Anne Marie," I smiled. "Actually I'm a nice guy. It's the women that keep throwing themselves at me."

All four of us hooted with laughter.

"And I don't suppose it ever occurred to you to say no?" Louisa laughed.

"A gentleman has to be careful about refusing a lady."

"Let me give you a hint, Lucas," Louisa stage whispered. "There are very few who can class themselves as ladies on this campus. Say no all you want."

We joked all through lunch and I occasionally glanced around the dining room to see people watching us, straining their ears to hear. It couldn't have gone better, I thought. Tom Braddock had already hooked up with Anne Marie Williams and was taking her to the Friday game and maybe to all the games left. Sandy was definitely out of the picture.

After lunch Tom walked me to the library.

"That went well, Lucas. Why didn't you tell me you and Louisa are such good friends?"

"If you don't act like an arrogant prick, Tom, I'll bet you'll find that Anne Marie will become one of the best friends you'll ever have, that all four of us will be good friends."

"I just don't want to have the feeling of using her. I can't go through that again."

"I told you the lay of the land with her and you're on equal footing with her, probably the first time you've ever been on equal footing with a woman. Anne Marie will make her own decisions and set her own boundaries with you. Just don't step over them and don't play King Rat with her."

"Do you think she'll ever tell me she's a lesbian?"

"Why should she? Your relationship's never going to be sexual, just two friends. If you're not an asshole and you're lucky. Are you planning to tell her you're gay?"

He looked shocked that I'd ask him the gay question in broad daylight on campus.

"Just be nice to her, be her friend, and I'll bet you'll get it back in full. She's a sweet girl."

"You and Louisa, have you ever talked about...you know...?"

"What do you think, big boy?"

I slapped his head playfully.

"The answer's no. I just lucked on the Louisa the first day I got here and we hit it off. We just started hanging around together occasionally, going to the movies and stuff. She needed help with math; it's her Achilles heel. We've never crossed the line of friendship, never thought about it."

"For obvious reasons," Tom said.

"Hey, everything in life is not about sex. And anyway, I've always thought of myself as an active bisexual with the gay part slammed in the closet."

"And boy have you been active."

"Tom, I've always been above board. Well, as above board as I'm going to get. I've told every girl I've been with that we can have a good time but there's no long term relationship going to happen. I let them know I'm not going to settle down until after I've finished graduate school, if then, and not to count on me as a future husband."

"And they take that? I should have used that line."

"Not all of them. There've been a few nasty turns but they can't say they weren't warned. It's the nature of women, the nesting instinct is what Mom calls it. Some of them think if they go to bed with you then you're going to marry them no matter what was said up front."

"I'd like to say that Sandy's like that but she's not. Sandy will drop any man if she's got a better option. I fucking hate her. All she ever did was use me."

We were near the library and I stopped under a tree.

"Look, I'm going to say this just once, Tom, because I love you. You and Sandy are two peas in a pod; arrogant, self-centered, stars. Those kind of people don't make good couples. I can't stand the bitch but I'm sure that somewhere in her world she's a nice person and a lot of people love her."

"She's a bitch all right. You got that right."

"And you, Tom, you used her just as much as she used you."

He looked surprised.

"Oh, yeah, the star football quarterback with the pretty cheerleader as eye candy on his arm. You're never going to move forward and have a decent relationship with Anne Marie, or any other girl for that matter, until you admit that you're as much at fault for your situation as Sandy. Just admit it and get over it."

"She's a fucking cunt! The meanest bitch I've ever known," he said angrily.

"You want to move on? Admit to yourself that you caused a lot of that mean ass bitch behavior and just stay away from her and let it go."

"You sound like you're on her side," he said accusingly. "I thought you were on my side, that you love ME."

I moved in close to him, maybe too close for our public location but what the hell.

"I really do love you, big boy, but you've got to let this shit go. Why do you think I went to the trouble to set you up with Anne Marie? She's perfect for you and she's a sweet girl. You hurt her and I'll kick your ass. Fucking move on and wipe Sandy off your slate. No more text messages, no more shit. Block her number."

He sighed. "I just don't need all this shit. Sometimes I wish you and I could just move to a beach condo and it just be us, no one else. I'm tired of all the games."

I squeezed his shoulder supportively.

"I'd like that too, Tom. AFTER we finish the university and I've got a great engineering job. We can move in together and I'll support you."

He laughed at that.

"No, I'm going to the NFL and you're going to move in with ME and I'm going to support YOU and after my first successful season as a pro quarterback I'm going to marry you and tell the whole fucking world you're my husband."

"I could deal with that," I grinned. "Now you need to get that sexy ass of yours over to the athletic building so you can piss off your coach."

"Don't remind me," he groaned.

I slapped his ass playfully. To the viewing public it was two guys cutting up; to us it was the touch of a lover.

Tom left and I went into the library. The afternoon was quiet until I ran into Sue Martin in the library around 4 PM. She cornered me in the engineering stacks on the fourth floor.

"Spill," she ordered.

"Where? I don't see anything on the floor."

I pantomimed searching the floor.

"Cut the shit, Lucas. You know exactly what I mean. Is it true that Tom Braddock is taking Anne Marie Williams to the game Friday night? And to all the games for the rest of the season?"

I nodded.

"Plus, we're going to the Pizza Hut after the game."

"Right. You're taking Louisa Martindale since you and Braddock are grown at the hip now."

"My, someone has big ears, Granny. I'm sure someone is taking you to the game Friday. Right?"

"I'm going with Carl Sims. We've been dating all semester."

"Maybe we'll see you at the Pizza Hut."

Sue had her teeth in a bone and I knew she wasn't done.

"It'll be a little embarrassing with Tom benched Friday night, won't it?"

"I don't think he really cares, Sue. If Sanders uses the backup quarterback it'll be just another loss for the university and we've already lost twelve years in a row. It's a win-win for Tom either way. If he's benched and we lose everyone will say it's Sanders' fault and if he plays and he wins everyone will say it's a good thing Sanders got overruled."

"And if he plays and loses?"

"It'll be due to Sanders' poor game plan," I grinned. "Don't worry, he'll win."

"Got a lot of faith in your man, don't you?" she laughed.

"I always believe in having faith in your team. It's called team support."

"Did you know that Sandy has let Tom know that she's willing to forgive him and take him back? He's moving a little fast with Anne Marie, don't you think?"

I felt a blaze of anger and I know my face flushed. I wanted to tear into her with a fury but I knew it would be a mistake.

"Sue, I don't really want to hash out a situation that's not our business. Those two just need to move on. They're both prima donna pricks and it was only a matter of time until they exploded. Why do we even care?"

"But he's your friend..."

"And I take it Sandy is yours? Look, I told him to move on, get over it all. You should tell your friend the same thing."

"But Sandy's willing to take him back."

I laughed a nasty laugh.

"Sue, would you take back a man you caught fucking another woman, his student? If you say yes you're not the Sue I've known for over two years."

"You've got a point."

"So tell your friend to let it go."

"Okay, Lucas, let me be blunt here. Trying to be diplomatic isn't working."

I arched my eyebrows at her.

"Are you sure I even want to hear? Already this whole thing sounds like some bad afternoon shock talk show that I never watch. Is there a camera filming this? Where's Jerry Springer?"

"Get off your high horse, Lucas. Sandy's father's a lawyer and he's filed a twenty million dollar lawsuit against the university and Professor Kitchens."

"And this concerns me how?"

"You might let your friend know that Sandy thinks that Tom busted into Dr. Kitchens office because he still loves her. It's why he's not included in the lawsuit."

Sue had this self-satisfied smug look on her face that made me want to slap her.

"So you're telling me that Tom should crawl on his knees to Sandy and beg her forgiveness? He'd rather die, I can tell you that much myself. He fucking hates her."

"That hatred will get him added to the lawsuit."

"A lawsuit that is totally bogus."

"Yeah, Tom threw the clothes out the window leaving them naked and humiliated. I think the courts might find him liable for some damages."

"He'll never do it. He'll never bow to her."

"I know it," she sighed. "And so does Sandy. I've tried to talk to her but she won't listen. Sandy's determined to call him out in public."

"Why, Sue? Tom's done with her and he's moving on. I encouraged him to take Anne Marie to the football game."

"You what?"

"It's the principle of falling off a horse and getting back on again. One relationship busts up and you need the companionship of friends to recover. Anne Marie's a friend, same thing with me and Louisa and the same thing with you and me. You and I have known them for a long time and they're good people."

"I know Anne Marie and you're right. You'll never find a sweeter person but I don't know Louisa."

"I met Louisa at freshman orientation and we took Constitutional Law together. She's one of the smartest people I know, she's pre-law, and she's probably going to be a fantastic lawyer."

"So is she another one of your wham-bam-thank you, ma'am girls?"

"No," I laughed. "Louisa's just a friend. If I want to go out and have a good time without feeling opposite sex pressure I call Louisa."

"I'm not sure I'd take that as a compliment coming from a player like you, Lucas. I hope you don't describe me that way."

"Come on, Sue. You KNOW what I mean. Every man should have female friends where there's no sexual relationship and vice versa. I've got you, haven't I?"

"Well, Lucas," she laughed. "There've been times that I was hurt that you didn't go after me for romantic reasons."

We both laughed. She was kidding or so I hoped.

"Look, for whatever it's worth, Lucas, I'm having to listen to Sandy's side in the dorm at night and I guess you're having to listen to Tom's version."

"We're dealing with two kinds of people here, Sue. Sandy's the type that's never going to let this go, the kind that become ex-wives from hell. Tom, on the other hand, probably won't remember Sandy's name next year. Why? Because it's over and done and he'll put that kind of shit behind him and just move on. I know because it's what I do, I just get on with my life and cut out of the herd anyone who tries to pull me down. Sandy's just going to end up a vague memory with no details."

"So you don't remember old girlfriend's names? I'll bet you'll remember Mary Beth's."

"Mary who?" I teased. "Sue, a freshmen psychology student will tell you that it's no good to just keep hanging on to shit that you can't change. I make a conscious effort to try to remember only those things that are useful to me."

"Maybe that's a man thing..."

"Or maybe it's just a healthy way to live your life."

"Okay, Dr. Freud, let me put it this way. If you care about your buddy Tom then you need to prepare him for the fact that Sandy's going to pop out of the woodwork somewhere soon because she won't be satisfied until she feels like she's got the upper hand, the last say. And she's determined to have it out with him in a public place."

"And of course if he doesn't bow down and kiss her feet she'll hand him a court summons."

Sue laughed. "Probably."

"This is a sick version of elementary school recess fight. You know, Sue, there's a part of me that thinks that Tom and Sandy are loving every minute of this, their moment in the sun, like some famous movie star couple breaking up. And it makes me want to puke. I don't give a damn what happens."

Sue laughed. "I think you're entirely right. Sandy could be a great tragic actress and Tom is the pin up poster boy with a vapor head."

"Sue, I've got things to do. If your girl wants to look like a fool so be it. If you're such a close friend of hers you might tell her that Tom's through with her, he's happy that he's going out with another girl. She just needs to go fuck her professor and forget about Tom."