The Star (Charleston Condors Book 1)
The Star: Chapter 18

“I WAS WORRIED YOU two wouldn’t be back from your LA love fest in time to join us,” Carter said as Riley and Landry walked into the Pirate’s Booty hand-in-hand.

They were still being circumspect, but it wasn’t like they hadn’t done way more obvious things within this bar’s walls.

But now that they’d told Landry’s parents and his siblings, Coach Kelley, Mr. G, and a few of their friends who happened to be players about their relationship, there was only one person of note left to tell: Aidan.

Landry couldn’t lie to himself or to Riley; he was worried about it.

It wouldn’t be the first time Aidan had been pissed off at him, and he could handle it, but Landry hated when Aidan was shitty to Riley, and he could already imagine how this was going to go.

“When you texted and said you were doing this, we caught an earlier flight,” Riley said, letting go of Landry’s hand and pulling Carter into a quick hug. “You doing alright?”

“Me, oh, I’m fine,” Carter said with a lazy grin. “Nobody expected us to win that game anyway.”

“Doesn’t mean we didn’t try to win it,” Deacon said with a snort from his spot at the bar. He was resting his elbows on the smooth wood surface, his expression wry. “I don’t know about you, but I’m hurtin’ today.”

Yeah, Landry had definitely been feeling the number of times he’d grappled with Spencer Evans when he’d woken up this morning.

Waking up with Riley in his arms hadn’t changed that, but it had sure made it worth it.

Plus the fact that when Landry asked, Riley said he hadn’t heard a peep from Aidan.

For the first time after a game, Aidan hadn’t sent an email detailing everything he’d done wrong.

He knows what’s coming. Maybe not the shape it’s gonna take, but the idea of it, Landry realized. He knows he’s fucked up.

Except because he was Aidan freaking Flynn, that didn’t mean he was going to do a damn thing about it.

“Yeah,” Riley said ruefully. He stepped up to the bar.

“Sparkling water with lime,” Kieran said without even asking Riley what he wanted.

Riley nodded.

Kieran glanced over at Landry. “And a beer for the big guy.”

Deacon slid the pitcher over the bar towards Landry. “Feel free to share my misery,” he joked.

“This is supposed to be a party to celebrate losing, not a pity party,” Carter argued.

“Yeah,” Beck said, “that doesn’t feel any weirder the more you say it.”

“The plane ride home sucked. Sitting there today thinking about it sucked. I didn’t want to do it anymore,” Carter claimed. “And I don’t think I’m alone.”

“You’re not, but it’s still weird,” Deacon said. He let out a heavy sigh. “We need a fucking corner. We have Rex, or someone better than him, we’re in that game. Against the fucking Super Bowl champs.”

Landry nodded. They’d only lost by two touchdowns. Take away one of those easy gimmie TDs to Chase Riley, and they’d have been right in the thick of it.

“Well, then,” Jem said, as he approached the group, “tell your Grant to get you a fucking corner then.”

“He’s not my Grant, Jesus,” Deacon retorted. “And you think I haven’t told him? He knows. He was there yesterday, wasn’t he?”

“Anyone check on how Desmond’s doing?” Riley asked as Kieran poured his drink and handed it over. “I texted him yesterday, but he didn’t reply.”

“Probably licking his wounds somewhere,” Jem said quietly. “He’ll be fine. He knew we were asking too much of him. Frankly, asking anyone to cover Chase Riley is a lot. But I’ll check in on him, too.” He patted Riley’s shoulder. “You’re a good guy for trying.”

Riley nodded, and the group fell quiet.

“I know someone who could do it.”

The whole group looked at Beck.

“What?” He threw his hands up. “I do.”

“I thought you didn’t want to talk about Rose,” Jem said.

“Trust me, I don’t. But it’s the truth.”

Landry always paid special attention to the Piranhas since Logan had ended up there two years ago, and he knew Micah had struggled there at first, but towards the end of his rookie year and the first few games of this season, he’d found himself again.

Which was why Landry had thought it was weird he’d asked for a trade.

When he’d texted Logan about it, Logan had said Micah wasn’t necessarily unhappy but that he wanted a fresh start. A clean slate.

Logan wasn’t usually cagey about things, but he had been about this. There was something he wasn’t telling Landry.

“Well, I guess we’ll see,” Deacon said. “He’s the best corner on the market. If he’s actually on the market, anyway. I know he asked the Piranhas for a trade, but if I was them, I wouldn’t want to lose him.”

“Seriously, we know what it’s like to be limping along without a good corner,” Jem agreed.

Carter stuck his hands on his hips. “You are being very depressing, and that’s not allowed here. Who’s gonna go dance with me?”

Riley tucked himself into Landry’s side. Gazed up at him. “You wanna dance?” he asked.

“With Carter?” Landry asked, raising an eyebrow.

Carter grinned. “I would totally dance with you, Landry. Name the time and place, and we’ll do it.”

“I think…” Deacon stood slowly, stretching out every muscle as he went. “I think we should all dance.”

Riley raised an eyebrow. “You do realize it’s Disco Night, right?”

Landry realized that the only other time they’d come to the Pirate’s Booty for Disco Night, most of their group had stayed away from the dance floor.

But what was a celebration without a little ass-shaking?

Deacon grinned. “You afraid of gettin’ down tonight, Flynn?”

“Never,” Riley said. “Come on, let’s go.”

That was how Landry found himself in a group of ten or so football players, grooving to the mellow rhythms of KC and the Sunshine Band.

Carter grabbed Deacon’s hands and tugged him into some kind of move that might’ve been a two-step as they crossed the dance floor.

“Deacon’s got moves,” Riley said to him as Landry caught him by the waist, pulling him in closer. “Who knew that he could get down?”

Landry thought maybe he was terribly biased, but nobody danced like Riley. The way his hips shifted, smooth and sinuous, was a fucking sin, and Landry wanted to indulge all night long.

“On the other hand,” Riley said, smirking, “Beck could use some pointers.”

Beck was trying to find his own groove next to Charlie and Jem, and yeah, Landry had a feeling he wasn’t used to hanging out at Disco Night. His movements were awkward and off-kilter.

But then, Landry didn’t think he was all that much worse than him.

“I think,” Landry said, tilting his head down, breath grazing Riley’s ear, making him shiver, “your crush is still showing.”

Riley grinned up at him. “Maybe a little.”

Carter switched partners with them then, pulling Riley into the center of their group and the two of them together? It was obvious they could really dance, and Landry discovered the jealousy he’d once felt towards Carter had evaporated completely.

It was easy to see why when he knew, deep down, in a place he never doubted, that Riley cared about him.

Riley turned in his direction, and the joy on his face was everything.

Landry wanted him to look like this—laughing, carefree, and more than anything else, happy—for the rest of his life, and he’d do anything, conquer any obstacle, including Riley’s brother and his own best friend, to make sure that happened.

His apprehension about telling Aidan faded away.

It didn’t matter what Aidan said or even what he did.

He and Riley were together, no matter what.

The song segued into a slower number, with the singer begging the object of his affection not to go, and Landry caught Riley’s hand, pulling him in close.

Riley tilted his chin up towards Landry, and he couldn’t help it—he kissed him.

“Awww, really?” Carter cried out.

“It’s alright, Maxwell, I’ll dance with you,” Deacon teased him, and the moment before all of Landry’s attention got stolen by his guy, he spied Deacon and Carter moving into an exaggerated slow dance.

“You’re gorgeous like this,” Landry said, leaning down and brushing another kiss across Riley’s mouth.

Riley chuckled. “Sweaty and in the clothes I wore to fly home?”

“Yes,” Landry said.

He wasn’t much of a dancer—much more like Beck than Riley—but he could do a pretty good slow dance because his mom had made sure before they went to any middle school dances the Banks brothers knew how to do right by whatever partner they chose.

They danced for a minute, just swaying back and forth, and Riley’s eyes flickered closed as he lost himself in the music and in Landry’s touch.

He opened his mouth, and the words were right there. He wanted to tell Riley exactly how he felt. Yes, they were at Disco Night and surrounded by their friends and teammates. Yes, this was new. Yes, they had no idea how much shit Aidan was going to give them. But his feelings weren’t going to waver. He already knew it because he’d never felt like this before.

But before he could speak up, finally, his phone dinged. Riley’s phone did the same. Then Deacon’s actually rang.

Landry glanced over at Deacon and watched him look at the screen then wave at the rest of them as he disappeared off the dance floor.

“I wonder what that is,” Riley said.

Landry wanted to say fuck it to the whole world, but his curiosity was undeniably piqued.

Riley pulled his phone out of his pocket, and it was definitely something because Riley’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“The Condors,” Riley said, gazing up at Landry, “just traded for Micah Rose.”

Landry couldn’t help it. He looked straight at Beck, who looked like he’d just been hit by a truck.

Beck turned on his heels and walked off.

“I should…” Riley trailed off.

“Let me,” Landry said. “I’ll talk to him.”

It wasn’t hard to find Beck. He’d ducked off the dance floor and was leaning against one of the brick walls lining the passageway to the main bar.

He looked up as Landry approached, his face totally—and Landry suspected, carefully—blank.

“Hey,” Landry said. “You okay?”

“I’m assuming you saw the news,” Beck said bitterly.

“Yeah, it was kinda hard not to,” Landry admitted.

“I’m sure that was Mr. G calling Deacon, telling him he got the deal done.”

“Clearly, something happened between you two, but maybe this is a chance to mend fences? Mend your friendship?” Landry suggested cautiously.

Beck scrubbed a hand over his face. He had a few days of dark brown scruff, heading into nearly-a-beard territory. “It’s complicated.”

“Seems like it,” Landry said. He leaned against the wall next to Beck. “If you want to talk about it, I’d be happy to listen.”

“Not much to say.”

Landry knew he was lying. But he wasn’t going to force the guy to talk about it.

“He’s a great player. You two are great together. He’ll be an amazing addition to the team.”

“Were great together,” Beck said.

“Ah.” Landry was beginning to wish he’d sent Riley instead. Riley could get blood from a stone with just one of his charming grins.

Or maybe he should’ve sent Jem. Landry knew they were pretty close.

Well, it didn’t matter. He was here now.

“We’ll still be fine on the field,” Beck said quietly after a very long silence. “So you don’t need to worry about that.”

“You didn’t…” Landry trailed off, unsure of what to say and how to say it. Beck had come out after college, but he’d never heard even a whisper of rumor about Micah Rose being queer.

“No,” Beck said with absolute finality. “No, it wasn’t like that.”

“Alright.” Landry wasn’t going to tell him that in the weeks after Pittsburgh, when Riley had rocked his world for the first time, he’d have given the exact same answer in the exact same way.

“I just…” Beck made a noise. “Want to be alone for a minute.”

“Sure, of course. We just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’ll be fine,” Beck said.

“Alright. Well, we’re here for you, no matter what,” Landry said, patting him on the shoulder.

“Thanks,” Beck said, and for a second, there was a flash of something on his face—was it happiness or maybe even relief?—but then it was gone.

When they’d gotten home from the Pirate’s Booty, Landry had said he was taking a shower, and for a moment, Riley had considered joining him, but then his phone had gone off, with Charlie asking a question about tomorrow’s schedule, and he’d told Landry he’d join him in the bedroom in a minute.

Landry had nodded distractedly and headed off to his room.

Everyone at the Pirate’s Booty had been both excited at the possibility of a new player joining the team and understandably concerned about Beck, who hadn’t rejoined the party before they’d eventually broken up to go their separate ways home.

Riley answered Charlie’s text, then after brushing his teeth and stripping down to his briefs, headed down the hallway to the bedroom he was essentially sharing now with Landry.

He’d never even hooked up with a roommate before—never mind ended up in a relationship with one—and he was continually surprised at how easily they’d fallen into the pattern of two people living together. And not just how easy it was but how effortless and right it felt.

It made perfect natural sense for Riley to walk down the hallway to their bedroom.

Made perfect sense for him to set his phone on the charger on what had become his side and settle into bed as he waited for Landry to finish up in the bathroom.

Then Landry walked in, naked and totally at ease with it, striding over to the bed, and Riley swallowed hard.

It was more than comfortable.

It was also hot as hell.

“Hey,” Landry said, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Riley. His hand curled around Riley’s neck, warm and a little damp just like his hair.

Just like his whole fucking body. Gloriously right there.

Riley struggled to get his suddenly uncooperative brain on the right page. The easy and relaxed romance page. It just kept wanting to land on the fucking til they couldn’t even think, couldn’t even breathe page.

Leaning over, Landry gave Riley a quick peck on the lips.

Not what you really wanted, Riley’s mind screamed. Right along with his cock. For once, they seemed to be in perfect accord about this particular craving.

“You look surprised,” Landry said, pulling back. “Everything okay?”

“It’s…” Riley stuttered. He wasn’t used to having so much trouble vocalizing what he wanted. Of course, he’d never wanted it this much before.

Needed it.

Landry’s fingers tightened on his neck. “What is it?”

“You said…before…that you wanted me to…uh fuck you. Is that still something you’d want?”

It was still unbelievable to watch as Landry’s eyes dilated. Going from a warm, loving brown to a dark, hot pinpoint. “Yes,” he said. “Yes.”

“We don’t have to do that tonight or…”

But Riley didn’t get the last of the words out before Landry was kissing him, hard and fierce, pouring his own kind of need into Riley’s mouth.

It didn’t take long for their kisses to grow even wilder or for Landry to end up on top of Riley, grinding his bare cock against Riley’s still-clothed one.

“Fuck,” Riley said breathlessly as he broke off, fingers digging hard into Landry’s bicep.

“Yeah, I think that’s the idea,” Landry said, chuckling.

He rocked back onto his heels and reached out to tug Riley’s briefs down, but Riley squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment, searching for control. This was Landry’s first time bottoming, and he wanted him to enjoy it. Wanted him to love it.

That was much less likely if he was ready to go off like a rocket.

His hand caught Landry’s before he could get him totally naked.

“Not yet,” he said.

Landry raised an eyebrow.

Riley patted the bed next to him. “Lie down,” he said.

Well, ordered was more like it, but he was the resident expert here, wasn’t he?

Landry must’ve had the exact same thought because he went easily, shooting Riley a smirk as he lay down. “What am I supposed to do?” he asked. “Just lay and look pretty?”

“Just lie there and enjoy it,” Riley corrected. He found the lube in the drawer and, for a second as he moved back towards Landry’s naked body, took time to really enjoy the view.

It was a serious, control-ruining view.

Every inch of Landry was big and thick and muscled, his legs and arms and even his chest dusted with a fine layer of golden brown hair, same color as the tumbled waves on his head. His eyes were drooping and languorous as he moved his hand down to where his cock sat, just as big and thick as the rest of him.

“No,” Riley said, batting his hand away again. “That’s mine.”

He wasted no time wetting his fingers and then crouching low, flicking his tongue out, licking up the underside of Landry’s cock as he explored lower with his fingers.

Landry groaned as Riley pressed the pad of his thumb against his hole, swirled it slightly, getting him used to the idea of Riley touching him there. “Shit,” he said, voice rough. “Shit, that’s good.”

“Yeah?” Riley ducked his head, sliding more of Landry’s cock into his mouth as his thumb finally penetrated him.

He kept up a regular sort of rhythm, alternating short, teasing sucks of his cock with his thumb pushing and then receding, again and again until Landry was begging him and his cock was leaking against his tongue.

“God, please, give me more,” Landry pleaded. His voice was a slur like he was drunk on the pleasure of it.

Riley pressed the hard heel of his hand against his own dick so he wouldn’t do something crazy like lose his mind and just rut against Landry’s big, muscled thigh. He wanted inside him, but the control needed was a big ask, especially when he felt like this.

Landry would do it for you, he’d do anything for you, so you can do anything for him.

It was just the reminder Riley needed.

He returned to his task, sliding a finger in along his thumb, carefully stretching Landry out one agonizing movement at a time.

“Shit,” Landry moaned. “So good, so fucking good. God, give it to me now. I want you inside.”

“I’m gonna make it good for you.” Riley’s own voice wasn’t exactly even as he lined up a third finger. Landry’s cock twitched as he slid it home and began pumping in and out, slow at first and then with more force, more speed, until Landry was nearly fucking back on his fingers.

Riley had thought he was gorgeous before, but like this, sweat beaded on his forehead and on his collarbones, hard, leaking cock making a mess of his abs, eyes squeezed shut, head thrown back with how pleasurable it was, he was a vision.

And all yours.

His hands were shaking with the force of the thought as he tore open the condom packet and slid it on.

Landry had been his before this, of course, but the moment he slid into his hot, wet tightness, he felt it more strongly than he ever had before.

Landry’s hands scrabbled against Riley’s arms, trying to pull him in harder, tighter.

Riley half-groaned, half-laughed, as he tried to control his movements, resisting with every bit of self-control he had not to just thrust wildly.

To take his own pleasure.

It was undeniable now, swirling inside him, building up as he carefully slid in one inch at a time.

When he was finally fully seated, Riley panted. It felt so good, it was almost impossible not to just move.

“Jesus,” Landry said roughly. “Come on, I know you want to.”

“I want it to be good for you,” Riley said stubbornly, though with the way Landry’s hot, tight body was sucking him in, he wasn’t sure he could hold off much longer.

And if Landry’s still rock-hard cock was anything to go by, he wasn’t exactly hating this.

Which…didn’t that light a whole other fire inside Riley?

“It’s good, it’s so good.” Landry was slurring again and then thrashing as Riley reached down and wrapped his fist around Landry’s dick.

“Yeah?” Riley asked, giving a careful experimental thrust. Precome bubbled out of Landry’s slit, and yeah, it was so good.

So fucking good.

“Come on.” Landry was full-on trembling now. “I can’t…I won’t…”

Riley wasn’t going to last much longer, either. He was overwhelmed by the tight squeeze of Landry’s body, every tremor, every bit of pleasure magnified around Riley’s cock.

But before he came his brains out, he was going to make it good for Landry.

Well, even better for Landry. He started thrusting, working his hips the way he knew would send Landry into the stratosphere.

Less than a minute later, Landry was babbling, coming in his fist, and that was all it took for Riley to follow him.

It felt like an endless orgasm, both sharp and mellow, and also all-encompassing.

He pulsed and pulsed, knees straight up shaking as he came down from the overwhelming pleasure.

He collapsed next to Landry, and the first thing Landry did was turn towards him. His eyes were big and wide, and that was all Riley saw before Landry was kissing him over and over again, mumbling a long litany of somethings Riley couldn’t quite catch.

But it didn’t matter, Riley thought hazily. Nothing else mattered now. Just the two of them in this bed.

Sex had always been good for him. Varied and pleasurable and fun.

It had never felt like that before, like he’d been scooped out, but not empty, because someone else filled in the gaps before he could think to miss anything.

I love you, Riley thought, and for now, for tonight, that was enough.

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