Chase

It's been a week since that incredible night with Lindsey. The team has been traveling for the last several games. We've been kicking ass, winning all but one game, but I miss my girl. I've talked to her every night before bed, mostly when Liam is in the shower- he and I room together when we travel, which makes talking to Lindsey difficult. I have to be careful when I call her- don't want him to start asking questions about who I'm talking to late at night.

When we can't talk, we text. The conversations start out innocent enough but usually turn flirty fairly quickly and end with one or both of us sending racy pics. I'm sitting on my bed, so immersed in one of those conversations that I don't notice Liam has come into the room. I have a cheesy smile plastered on my face as I type my spicy response to what she just sent me- some innuendo about her being too hot to wear her top layers of clothes.

I can just imagine her removing those layers while looking right in my eyes...oh, the things I would do...

I hear a chuckle. "Who are you cheesing over, huh?"

Fuck!

I snap my eyes, now wide as saucers, to Liam, trying to think of a smart reply as I hide my phone screen in my chest. "Uh, what? Nothing, man, just saw a funny video."

"Suuurre man, what video? If it was that funny, I wanna see." He calls my bluff.

"Uh, I- uh- I already scrolled and lost it, sorry, dude."

He looks at me smugly. "Yeah, okay, whatever you say." I thank my lucky stars he's willing to drop it.

"Tell whoever she is, your roommate says hi! And please don't have phone sex while I'm in the room. I don't care if I'm sleeping; just wait til we get back home, and you two can do whatever perverted shit you want in your own space." He laughs, and my jaw drops to the floor.

I think all the color has drained from my face. Is my jaw still attached to my body? Shit, he knows I'm talking to a girl, but obviously, he doesn't know who- thank God! If he only knew! I'd be a dead man right now.

As I try to formulate a response to Liam- any response- my phone buzzes twice with incoming messages. Both from his sister.

"You better not keep her waiting, bro." A shit-eating grin spreads across his face.

Yeah, better not keep your sister waiting.

I gulp and let out a shaky breath and risk a look at the messages. Fuck, she sent pictures. The panic must be painted on my face.

Liam shakes his head, "don't worry, dude, I won't ask you to share with the class. I'm going to sleep anyway. Just remember what I said." He rolls over and shuts off the light by his bed.

He is going to kill me when he finds out.

Yep, I'm a dead man. No way in hell was I letting anyone see these pictures, least of all her freaking brother! If he had tried to look, I would have been out a phone because I would have launched this thing straight out the hotel window.

Luckily, she was smart enough not to include her face in them, but still, there is a very nice view of her cleavage, barely covered by a thin lacy bra and another to showcase her matching panties.

I am a very bad man.

I shouldn't be doing this with Liam in the room. I shouldn't be looking at these pictures thinking the things that I am knowing that it's his little sister, but I can't help it. She started a fire inside of me, and I have no desire to put it out any time soon or at all.

I know we'll have to tell him about us eventually, but she's not ready, and neither am I. And after our most recent exchange, I don't think I'll be ready to confess anything to him for a long, long time. Shit, he already thinks I'm having phone sex with 'whoever' it is I'm talking to. Yeah, don't need to tell him that 'whoever' is his sister. They would never find my body.

Maybe I'll tell him...in a few months, or years, or decades. Yeah, or maybe on our deathbed when I'm sure he's too old and frail to chase after me and end my life. I'm such a shit! I just know I can't quit whatever it is I have going with Lindsey, she's too special, and I'd rather be damned than give her up.

I hear Liam snoring in the bed next to mine. I sigh as I think about how I'm sneaking around behind my best friend's back and have no intention of stopping any time soon. Eventually. Eventually, we'll tell him...

Sorry, buddy.

......

We made it back home this morning, and I was able to see Lindsey, but touching her in any capacity with Liam around is a huge nope! He already suspects that I'm seeing someone; the last thing I need is for him to see me getting affectionate with his sister. So, even a hug is out of the question right now; which sucks; I really want to pull her tight and tell her how much I missed holding her while we were on the road.

I started trying to figure out how she and I could have some more time together while we were on the plane. I came up with a date night idea for us, something real sweet and romantic somewhere away from the apartment where we wouldn't get caught by Liam. We just have to tell him that both she and I have dates planned for that night- separate dates, so he won't suspect us.

Taylor told me for this idea to work out, Lindsey and I should have our dates start at different times, and we should stagger when we leave so Liam's spidey senses don't quirk up. It's a good idea; I just hope it works. He thinks I'm seeing someone anyway, so me going on a date shouldn't be hard for him to buy. However, Lindsey having a date on the same night may make him too curious.

This may require outside intervention. Enter Taylor.

She said she'd help lay the groundwork for it to look like Lindsey's date with 'mystery man' will seem legit. She said she could talk to Lins about the date in front of Liam, and Lins can say how excited she is to get to know this guy- supposedly someone she met at work. Totally believable, right?

And if all else fails, and he gets suspicious regardless of all of our seamless planning, Taylor will step in and distract him- threaten to drag him dancing or something like that to refocus his attention away from mine and Lindsey's random dates planned on the same night.

~

I have everything set up for my date tonight with Lindsey. I hope she likes everything. It took a lot of effort to make it all come together and make this night perfect for her. I feel nervous, I never get nervous before a date, but something about this date makes me very anxious. It could be that I have high expectations for what the rest of the night will hold, and if any part of my plan fails, I'll be very disappointed.

It's not that I'm expecting anything from Lindsey; I just want to make sure the date goes perfectly, and she isn't in any way disappointed. She deserves the best. Perfection. And I hope I can deliver that for her.

So, I'm standing in front of the mirror in my room, fastening the last button on my dress shirt, checking for scuffs on my shoes, and debating on wearing a tie or not, for the thousandth time. Liam believed the story that Lindsey and I told him, that we both happen to have dates tonight. Me with 'phone girl' and Lindsey with 'guy from work'.

He was pissed that 'guy from work' wasn't coming to the door to pick Lindsey up, but she convinced him that she wanted to meet her date at the restaurant and not risk Liam scaring him off on night one. She said having 'him' meet her over-protective big brother was not the best way to start off their date. He fussed and tried to demand the guy at least come to the door, but Taylor stepped in and reasoned that he should just let it go and let Lindsey handle things her way. He finally caved after that.

I emerge from my room dressed and ready to leave for my date and see Liam perched on the couch. He turns my way when I come out to the living room.

He narrows his eyes, taking in my outfit. "You never go to this much trouble for a chick. What gives?"

I shrug, trying to appear nonchalant. "I just like her, man. A lot."

He nods slowly. "She must be something special."

A genuine smile shines back at him. "She is, man. She really is." If only I wasn't too chicken to tell him who 'she' is.

I grab my wallet and phone before telling Liam I was heading out. He wishes me good luck and goes back to watching his show. I step out of the apartment and head outside. Lindsey will head out in about 15 minutes. She told Liam her date arranged a car for her that would pick her up and drop her off outside- the only honest detail she gave him about tonight.

So, I take a seat in the lobby and wait for the car I arranged for the night. After 10 minutes, the car pulls up, and I step outside to take a seat in the back, hoping Liam isn't spying on Lindsey's chauffeur. I tell the driver we have someone else coming shortly. After texting the car description and plate to Lindsey, I sit back and try to relax as I wait for my girl to come downstairs.

Several minutes pass, and my nerves are worse than they've ever been. I just want everything to go well tonight for her. I suck in a deep breath as I look back to the front of the building.

I nearly stop breathing. I see my girl heading toward the car, looking better than any supermodel I've ever seen. She looks stunning. I think she scrambled my brain, stepping out looking like that. I can only formulate one word in my head right now.

Wow.