After The Snap (36 page)

“Hey. He missed,” Colby choked out.

Seth laughed and shook his head. “No, he was aiming for you. I’m glad he was a bad shot though. You’re still here.”

“Hi, I’m Doctor Phillips. Can you tell me your name?”

“Colby Mercer. Why do I hurt so much?”

“We’ll help you with the pain, but it might make you fall asleep. We just needed to wake you up and chat for a while.”

“How long?” Colby asked.

“You were shot yesterday,” Seth said.

“God, I missed a whole day. When can I go home? I have a new husband to care for.”

The nurses and doctor laughed and Seth blew out a breath. Colby would survive. “You’ll be here for a few days,” the doctor said.

Seth was eventually left alone with Colby. He stared down at his man, sadness filling him. “I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” Colby asked.

“It’s my fault. How can you ever forgive me?”

Colby moved his hand and Seth reached over, taking his fingers and squeezing gently. His heart squeezed and he was sure he wouldn’t make it if Colby had died.

“Babe, you didn’t do this.”

“But if I hadn’t been involved with that bastard. I’m so sorry.”

“Seth, look at me.”

He stared into his husband’s eyes, pain centering around his heart. The love he felt for Colby was even deeper than before.

“You didn’t cause this. You’re not to blame. He acted on his own. I love you.”

“I don’t know what I would have done if you had died.”

Colby nodded and closed his eyes. For a moment Seth thought he was asleep but Colby opened his eyes and smiled up at him. “You’ve made my life complete. I would never change any of this. I love you. There is no question in my mind that I love you. You’re amazing and when I get out of here, we’re going to be a family.”

Tears streamed down Seth’s cheeks and he vowed never to let Colby down again. “Thank you.”

“Babe, I love you.”

Colby was moved to a room outside of the ICU. Seth’s parents came and he went back to practice. He was glad they had a bye week or he wasn’t sure he would be able to play. The Monday after Colby was shot, he came home.

With Colby in his bed again, Seth breathed a little easier. Slowly their lives returned to almost normal. Colby decided to take a leave of absence from his job. He was too tired to keep working and recover. Eventually he might return to work, but for now he would just focus on resting. Seth’s parents had gone home, so on game day Maddox’s wife and daughter came over and watched the game with Colby. Seth appreciated how helpful the team was being. The other players had been there for him, supporting him through his pain. They won the game and advanced to the next round of the playoffs. Seth couldn’t believe how well he was doing his first year in the NFL.

The public’s viewpoint of Channing had changed drastically. No one believed the story that Channing had spun in the crazy interview he’d given. The district attorney was trying to get Channing to plead guilty but Channing was trying to cut a better deal. Seth didn’t try to keep up with the case because he knew it would make him crazy.

The next weekend Colby traveled with him to the host city. He could tell that the trip had exhausted Colby, but his husband wouldn’t stay home. It hit Seth about midway through the game that they were most likely going to the Super Bowl. He didn’t want to get too excited, but when they hit the middle of the fourth quarter and they were ahead by thirty points, Seth was ready to freak out.

Time counted down and the game was over. Nothing compared to marrying Colby, but this came close. He had post-game interviews to do, but he really wanted to see Colby. They were doing the interviews in a huge room, not the locker room, and he had to hurry through his shower. Once he settled at the press table, he spied Colby sitting at the back of the room. He smiled but didn’t wave because he didn’t want the reporters focused on his husband.

Seth looked over the crowd and didn’t see Blaine in the mix. He took his seat beside Wayne, Maddox, Coach Louis, and Pete, who had scored two touchdowns. Tina, one of the reporters he actually liked, stood up to ask a question.

“Mr. Mercer, you’ll be the first gay player to play in the Super Bowl, how does it feel?”

Seth chuckled, “Well, Tina, I’m not the first gay player, just the first player who is out. I would say it feels about how the other quarterbacks in my position have felt. I can’t believe it, and I’m excited. I’m proud of my team and my coaches. We have a great group of people in San Diego. I couldn’t be happier with how everything has turned out.”

Another reporter stood. “Jake Zabinski with the Times, how is your husband?”

“Thank you for asking, Jake. He’s doing better. It’s been a slow recovery, but he’s taking the time to get well.”

“Will he be traveling with you to the Super Bowl?” another reporter called out.

“Yes, Colby will be in the box with the players’ spouses.”

“Does he get along with the wives?”

Maddox chuckled and spoke up. “My wife can’t say enough about how wonderful Colby is. Now, how about we talk about football?”

The reporters laughed and Seth caught the smile on Colby’s face before he stepped out of the room. His life couldn’t get much better. He had everything. With Colby by his side, Seth knew he could accomplish anything.

After the interviews, Seth found Colby and pulled him close, kissing the side of his head. “Thank you for supporting me.”

Colby kissed his chin. “Babe, thank you. You have no idea how much you’ve given me. I love you so much.”

“Having you in the stands makes me feel wonderful,” Seth whispered.

Colby squeezed him. “Everyone seems supportive.”

Seth nodded and let his lips trail over Colby’s neck to his ear. He stepped back and stared into Colby’s eyes. “We may run into some hate here and there, but this is better than I thought it would be. I have you, and that’s enough. If other people don’t understand our relationship or don’t support us, it doesn’t matter.”

“No, it doesn’t. We have each other, and that’s more than others ever get. I love you, Seth Mercer.”

Seth brushed his lips over Colby’s, taking in the love his husband offered. He had found the perfect man when he hadn’t even been looking, and now he had what could only be described as the perfect life. Colby was his and he was Colby’s, and that made his heart sing.

The End…but of course there was more…

Epilogue

Colby’s fists were clenched, his forehead covered in sweat. He’d quit his job long ago, but his old boss, Devon, came over to watch the game a couple of times during the season. Devon and his wife turned out to be some of their best friends outside of Seth’s football buddies.

“He’ll get it back,” Devon said as the announcer started talking smack about Seth.

“He’s going to be so angry if they lose.” Colby twisted his hands together, knowing they would be sore in the morning.

“Look, Wayne is lining up.” Devon said.

Colby nodded and kept his eyes on the screen. He hadn’t sat down at all in the last quarter. The Chargers were behind by three. Three points and it didn’t seem like Seth could do anything to get them ahead. Every play ended in frustration. Colby could see the anger in the lines on Seth’s face when the cameras did a close up shot.

Then the ball was snapped and Seth took four steps back, letting the ball fly. Colby drew in a deep breath, watching and waiting for the ball to drop from its beautiful arc. Wayne jumped, grabbing the ball and tucking it under his arm. He ran, and for a second Colby thought one of the guys on defense would catch him, but Wayne proved to be too fast. The referees signaled a touchdown and Colby lost it. He screamed and jumped around, tears thick in his eyes. This was the second time Seth was going to the Super Bowl. There wasn’t enough time on the clock for any sort of a comeback from their opponent. The Chargers won the game and he was so proud of his man and everyone else on the team. They were family, special, better than any group of people he’d ever met before. That they accepted his and Seth’s relationship made him love them all the more. And now they were going to the Super Bowl a second time.

Late that night, Colby heard the garage door of their new house open and he rolled over, turning on the bedside light. He slipped from between the sheets and made his way from their bedroom to the kitchen. Seth stepped in, his head lifting when he saw Colby.

“Every time, it still gets me,” Seth said as his gaze raked over Colby.

“Every time?”

“Babe, you’re sexier now than you were when I first saw you. Of course, you greeting me naked helps. God, if you had been naked in that bar, I never would have passed you by. So fucking sexy.” Seth set his bag on the floor next to the kitchen table and took off his coat. Colby helped him with his tie and loosened the buttons on his shirt.

“I’m so glad I decided to talk to you that night.”

“I’m glad too. I was so nervous.”

“Congratulations,” Colby whispered before he slid his tongue over Seth’s chest to his nipple.

“Oh fuck, that feels so good.”

“Tell me, Mr. Mercer, how does it feel to be going to the Super Bowl again?”

“Not nearly as good as it does to have your tongue toying with my body,” Seth groaned.

“Good answer. I’m proud of you, babe. You’re amazing. I know you still get crap about being gay, but you take it so well.”

“I have you, Colby Larsen-Mercer. You make all the difference in the world, and my team is good. The other guys, they’re idiots and what they say doesn’t matter.”

“Your it for me, Seth. I still can’t believe that you’re mine.” Colby’s heart gave a little catch as he whispered the words.

“Always yours, babe, always. I’ll never stop loving you.”

Seth pulled him close and plastered his lips to Colby’s, kissing him deeply as he began to make love to him. After five years, it was still fresh, amazing, and just exactly what Colby wanted and needed. Together, they could take on anything, their hearts joined as one, their lives intertwined as they did what they knew best—loving each other.

About The Author

Peyton Miller loves sports and loves sports romances. Growing up in the south, Friday night football was a religion, drawing more people than church on Sundays. Along with a healthy appreciation of football, Peyton enjoys baseball, and hockey. When not feeding the sports beast, Peyton enjoys reading and writing.

After The Snap Copyright © 2016 Peyton Miller

Cover Art Sara York ©Copyright 2016

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