I slowly blinked my eyes open, the sunlight streaming through the curtains blinding me for a moment. I groaned, burrowing deeper under the covers. My body was sore, my muscles protested when I shifted, a pleasant ache reminding me of the night before.

I shifted, suddenly becoming aware of an arm draped around my waist. I froze, the events of the night before rushing back to me. I felt a sudden rush of heat and I twisted, my eyes falling on the man sleeping beside me.

The early morning light streaming through the window illuminated his face, casting shadows across his sharp features. He looked younger, softer in sleep, the usual hardness in his eyes and the tightness in his jaw completely absent.

I couldn't help but stare, taking in his dark bronzed skin, the light smattering of hair on his chest, the way his braids fell across his forehead. I was surprised to find no sense of awkwardness or regret. Instead, I felt... content, languid in a way I'd never experienced before.

I carefully shifted, maneuvering my way out from under his arm, trying not to wake him. The space beside him felt cold once I was gone, but I didn't want to wake him just yet. I sat on the edge of the bed, raking a hand through my messy hair, trying to process my thoughts.

I tiptoed into the adjoining bathroom, shutting the door silently behind me. Once I was alone, I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked a mess, my hair disheveled, my clothes rumpled, telltale signs of the night before written all over me.

I took a moment to splash some water on my face, trying to wipe away the evidence of sleep. Then, I picked up my phone, scrolling through my contacts until I found Hannah's number.

I dialed her number and waited for her to pick up. It rang a few times, and I was just about to give up when her voice came through the speaker, groggy and annoyed.

I could hear Hannah's voice, groggy and annoyed, through the phone. "Girl, what the hell do you want?" Her words were punctuated by a yawn, her tone making it clear that she wasn't a morning person.

I bit back a laugh, rolling my eyes at her grumpy morning demeanor. "What? I can't call my girl just to say good morning?" I teased, injecting as much cheerfulness into my voice as possible.

There was a pause on the other end, and I could practically hear her rolling her eyes. "It's too damn early for that cheerful crap, you know that," she grumbled, but I could hear the fondness in her voice.

"Yeah, yeah," I replied, grinning. "Didn't anyone ever teach you it's rude to answer a phone like that?"

"Bitch, please," she snorted. "You're lucky I answered at all. Anyone else would have gotten that call straight to voicemail."

Hannah's voice came through the phone again, slightly more awake now. "Alright, alright. Enough banter. Why'd you call anyway? It's not like your ass gets up this early normally."

I took a deep breath, bracing myself for her reaction. "Hannah, you won't believe it," I started, my voice a mix of disbelief and excitement. "Tee... asked me to be his."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then I could hear Hannah's disbelief seeping through her words. "Wait, what? I thought you two couldn't stand each other!"

"I know, I know," I rushed to explain, my mind still trying to process everything that had happened. "But... last night, it just... happened. Things changed."

"Wait..." Hannah's tone was suddenly sly, and I could hear the smirk in her voice. "Is that why Tee was all up on his socials last night, claiming you as his?"

My heart skipped a beat at her words. "Wait, what?" I asked, my surprise evident in my voice. "What do you mean 'on his socials'?"

"Yeah, and oh... Ja'Marr liked it too," Hannah added, her tone a mix of sympathy and sarcasm. "Guess he's probably having a great start to his morning."

I groaned, burying my face in my free hand. "Ugh, don't even remind me about him. I don't want to think about him right now."

"Hey, you're the one who dated the guy," Hannah reminded me, her voice laced with playful mockery. "You knew he was a walking train wreck from the start."

Suddenly, the sound of a baby crying blared through the speaker, and Hannah's voice was momentarily drowned out. "Oh, goddammit," she muttered, her voice fading as she spoke away from the phone. "I swear, I can never have a conversation in peace anymore."

The sound of a door closing followed, and the background noise quieted. "Sorry about that," Hannah's voice came through the phone again. "Jacoby's decided that the world should be inconvenienced by his existence today."

I chuckled, "Yeah, sounds like it's Jacoby's world, and we're just living in it," I agreed, leaning against the counter. "You've really got your hands full with him."

"Yeah, and the universe decided to bless me again. Another one's on the way," Hannah responded, her voice a mix of excitement and resignation. "Two under two, what was I thinking?"

"You were thinking... that you enjoy sleep deprivation and endless diaper changes?" I teased, unable to resist poking fun at her.

"Ah, don't even go there," Hannah retorted, laughing. "You think you're exempt from this motherhood nightmare? You'll be joining the land of sleep-deprivation and endless diaper changes soon enough."

I wrinkled my nose, the thought of diapers and late-night feedings not exactly appealing to me right now. "Thanks for that reality check, Han," I replied, trying to sound unbothered. "I was enjoying imagining a life without changing shitty diapers."

"Alright, I gotta go," Hannah said abruptly, the sound of a fussy Jacoby in the background. "Duty calls. Good luck with Tee, by the way. I'll be waiting for all the juicy deets."

"Yeah, yeah," I replied, smiling. "Go take care of our future NFL player. And I'll fill you in on everything soon. Promise."

With that, the call ended, leaving me alone again in the bathroom. I hung up the phone, taking a moment to mentally prepare myself for the conversation I knew I had to have with Tee.

I slipped back into the bedroom, my heart racing as I looked at Tee, still asleep in bed. His face was relaxed, his body sprawled out in a tangle of sheets. It was a stark contrast to the intensity he'd shown the night before.

I released Buck from his crate, gently guiding him onto the bed. The dog immediately snuggled up against Tee, who stirred at the added weight, slowly opening his eyes.

I climbed back into the comfort of the bed, the soft sheets feeling cool against my skin. I lay there, watching Tee as he lazily pet Buck, his eyes still heavy with sleep.

He looked gorgeous in the morning light, his dark skin even more radiant against the white sheets. I found myself admiring the contours of his face, the sharp lines softened in his relaxed state.

His eyes finally met mine, a sleepy smile curving his lips. "Morning, princess," he mumbled, his voice a low rumble.

I felt a wave of affection wash over me at the endearment. "Morning," I replied, my own smile mirroring his. "Sleep well?"

He nodded, pulling me closer to him. "Yeah," he murmured, burying his face in my hair. "Best sleep I've had in a while." His arm wrapped around my waist, his touch possessive and familiar.

I settled into his embrace, my head resting against his chest. I could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, a soothing, grounding sound. The room was quiet, and for a few moments, we simply lay there, basking in each other's presence.

Just as the silence was starting to settle, Tee's phone rang, the sharp tone cutting through the peaceful atmosphere. He sighed, reaching over to retrieve his phone from the nightstand.

I watched as he checked the caller ID and a crease formed between his eyebrows. "Coach," he muttered, before answering the call.

"Yeah, Coach, I'm up," he said into the phone, his tone gruff. There was a pause as he listened to the other end of the conversation, his expression unreadable.

Tee's expression changed, confusion now replacing any signs of sleepiness. He sat up in bed, his eyes fixed on the phone clutched firmly in his hand.

"What? Why?" Tee's voice rose, an edge of disbelief in his tone. He pinched the bridge of his nose, the confusion on his face deepening.

I could only hear one side of the conversation, but the tension in Tee's body was palpable. I sat up, pulling the sheets around me, feeling a sense of unease at the seriousness of the call.

Tee was silent now, listening intently to whatever his coach was saying on the other end. The expression on his face shifted from disbelief to something more intense, like he couldn't process what he was hearing.

Finally, Tee responded with a strained "Yes, Coach," his voice carrying a hint of resignation. He exhaled slowly, his expression a mix of frustration and acceptance.

He hung up the phone, setting it back down on the nightstand with a bit more force than necessary. He closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead as if trying to alleviate an invisible headache.

I watched him, my heart sinking at the sight of his distress. It was clear that whatever his coach had said was not pleasant news.

I reached out, my hand touching his arm. "Tee, what's going on? What did your coach say?" My voice was soft, my concern evident.

Tee's eyes met mine, and I could see the storm of emotions brewing in them. "Coach put me on the trade block," he replied bluntly, his voice laced with a mixture of anger and resignation.

I gasped, my eyes widening in surprise. "What? Why?" I struggled to understand why his coach would make such a decision.

Tee shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "He said I'm not being 'a team player,'" he answered, the words filled with a hint of mockery. "Apparently, my 'attitude' is causing locker room problems."

I felt a pang of realization, knowing immediately what he meant. "He means Ja'Marr," I echoed, the pieces falling into place.

Tee nodded, his jaw tensing. "Yeah, apparently my issue with Ja'Marr is causing friction in the locker room, and the coach thinks trading me is the easiest solution."

I tried to sound optimistic, even though the situation seemed grim. "Maybe you'll end up on a better team," I suggested, my hand still on his arm, a silent plea for him to find a silver lining.

Tee snorted, the disbelief clear on his face. "Better team? Yeah, because I'm sure every team is just itching to have me and my 'attitude problem.'" His words were laced with sarcasm, his frustration seeping through.

His eyes darkened, and I could see the raw pain behind the anger. "I've worked my ass off for this team, and now they're just tossing me aside like I'm disposable."

His voice trembled slightly, the veneer of toughness cracking just enough to reveal his vulnerability. I could see the hurt underlying his anger, the years of dedication and hard work being invalidated by a single decision.

I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. He resisted for a moment before collapsing against me, his head resting on my shoulder. His strong body trembled slightly, and I could feel the weight of his disappointment and frustration seeping out of him.

The ringtone of my phone broke the silence, a shrill sound that felt out of place in the midst of our conversation. I reluctantly pulled away from Tee, glancing at the screen to see who was calling.

Tee took my phone from my hand, hitting the speaker button as he answered the call. "Hey, Terry," he said, his voice a mix of annoyance and resignation.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then Terry's voice came through the phone, sounding far too cheerful for the situation. "Morning, lovebirds! I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

I rolled my eyes at Terry's cheerful tone, but Tee's expression was stoic, clearly not in the mood for small talk. "What do you want, Terry?" he replied, his voice flat.

Terry's voice grew more serious, losing some of its earlier cheer. "Yeah, got some news, bro. Heard you got put on the trade block. Sucks, man."

Tee let out a humorless chuckle, leaning back against the headboard. "Yeah, coach seems to think I'm causing more problems than I'm worth," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Terry's sigh was audible through the phone. "That Ja'Marr kid is causing problems for everyone," he grumbled. "Can't believe the coach is buying his crap."

"Coach sees what he wants to see," Tee responded bitterly, running a hand over his face. "Ja'Marr's the star player, and they'll bend over backwards to keep him happy."

There was a moment of silence, and then Terry's voice came through the phone again, more hopeful this time. "Listen, I'll talk to my coach, see if we can work out a trade. I've been asking for a new wide receiver, and you're definitely one of the best."

Tee glanced at me, his expression a mix of surprise and skepticism. I could see the flicker of hope in his eyes, but he was trying to keep his expectations in check.

I spoke up, my voice filled with gratitude. "Thanks, Terry. We appreciate your help." I looked at Tee, waiting to see his reaction.

Tee's expression softened slightly, his eyes meeting mine. He nodded, a silent acknowledgement of Terry's offer. "Yeah, thanks, man," he said into the phone, some of the earlier tension in his voice seeping away.

"Alright, man, talk to you later," Terry replied, his usual cheerful tone returning. "Keep your head up, bro. We'll figure this out."

With that, he hung up, leaving the room in silence once again.

Tee set the phone down, his eyes meeting mine. There was a mixture of hope and uncertainty in his gaze, his mind likely swirling with conflicting emotions.

I tried to sound reassuring, wrapping my arms around him again in a comforting hug. "Hey, don't worry too much about it," I said softly. "Terry's a good guy. He'll do what he can to help."

Tee leaned into the hug, his head resting on my shoulder once more. "Yeah, I know," he muttered, his voice tired. "Just hard not to feel like my future's completely out of my control right now."

I gently grasped his chin, turning his face towards mine before pulling him into a slow, deep kiss. My lips moved over his, hoping to offer some comfort and assurance I knew he desperately needed.

His body tensed at first, surprised by the suddenness of the kiss, but he quickly melted into it, his arms wrapping around me and pulling me closer. The kiss deepened, a silent exchange of emotions and reassurance passing between us.

I pulled away slightly, our lips barely parted. I looked into his eyes, my voice filled with conviction. "You're a talented player, Tee. If you end up playing with Terry and Jayden, your future in football is gonna be amazing. I truly believe that."

He searched my eyes, his expression a mix of vulnerability and determination. I could see that my words had reached him, some of the doubt and worry fading from his gaze.

"You really think so?" he asked, his voice quieter than before. There was a hint of vulnerability in his tone, as if he needed the reassurance, needed to hear that his dreams were within reach despite the current obstacle.

"Without a doubt," I replied, my voice firm. "You've got the skill, the drive, the passion. And with Terry's help, you'll end up on a team that appreciates you for who you are, both on and off the field."

I gave him another quick kiss, the gesture affectionate and comforting. "Come on," I said, tugging on his arm. "Let's go back to napping. Everything else can wait till later."

He followed my lead, laying back down on the bed, his arms encircling me as he pulled me close to him once more. As we settled into each other's embrace, I could feel some of the tension leaving his body, his breaths becoming slower and more steady.

Buck, sensing the change in atmosphere, hopped back onto the bed, snuggling up against us. His presence was a warm, furry comfort, and I could feel his little body curled up against my legs.

With Tee's strong arms around me and Buck's soft, furry body against my legs, the room felt safe and peaceful. I closed my eyes, feeling the exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster slowly taking over.

@lahjay_10: no more distractions.
Liked by camjuice5, djread and 154k others.

@user1: get tee off trade block yall need him.

@user2: NO MY SHAYLAAA

@terry_25: bye bye byeee

@user3: terry 🤨

@andreiiosivas: uno!