I was a very stupid man with a very dangerous addiction.

Charley’s little pussy was unlike anything I’d ever tasted before. I’d had my fair share of pussy, but Charley was something else completely. I didn’t want to immediately leave as soon as we were finished. I even found myself wanting to stay over.

I couldn’t, though. That was too far and too soon. Plus, she was a damn journalist.

But that didn’t seem to stop me from making stupid choices.

Back in the gym, Calvin was having a leg day and I was working on my back. I’d left Charley’s place around three in the morning, after she was comfortably asleep. It was around ten in the morning now.

I glanced over at Calvin. “I want you to meet someone,” I said.

He grunted. “That girl?”

“Which girl?”

“From the party, man. Don’t play stupid.”

“Fine. Yeah, her.”

“Okay.” He shrugged. “Can’t pretend like I’m not curious as fuck.”

“But you can’t be a dick about it.”

“Am I ever a dick?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, fair point.” He grunted again, finishing his set. “I won’t be a dick. Scout’s honor.”

“Don’t give me that shit.”

“Fine. I’ll be nice.”

“Good.” I finished my set and grabbed my phone. I shot a text to Charley.

“I gotta say, Bull. I’m fucking surprised.”

“Don’t be an ass.”

“Are you with this girl?”

“It’s complicated.”

“So why am I meeting her?”

I sighed. “You have a good eye for people. I want your read on her.”

“Damn. You really love me, don’t you?”

“Shut up.”

“Are you getting all sentimental?”

“I’ll beat your ass, Calvin.”

“Okay, okay. Yeah, man, I’d be happy to meet her.” He leaned against the exercise equipment. “But why is shit complicated?”

“I can’t really say,” I answered. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know, or you don’t want to say?”

“Mostly I don’t want to say.”

“Shit, man. You’re being so fucking cryptic.”

“I know.” Charley texted me back. I sent her another message. “How about meeting her in a half hour?”

Calvin laughed. “Okay, sure. After we’re done?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Fine.” Calvin shook his head. “You’re one strange motherfucker, Bull. You know that?”

“I know it.”

I got back to work and the chatter stopped.

I knew it was weird to bring Charley around Calvin, but I was getting so fucking sucked into this girl. I needed another set of eyes on her to really see if she was what I thought she was.

Sure, she was a journalist, but she was good. I knew she was good. She wasn’t going to fuck me over in the end, even if she easily could. I wanted to trust her, but I still had some reservations.

Calvin could maybe help. He had a really good read on people, and I always took his opinion as gospel. If he said a guy was trash, he was trash. If he said a guy would work hard, he would work hard. Calvin just knew people, like fucking magic.

Well, not like fucking magic. He wasn’t perfect. Calvin made mistakes. But I trusted the guy, and I could already see that I was in way over my head at this point. I wasn’t going to spot and act on any red flags on my own.

We finished our workout and hit the locker room. My driver had gone to pick up Charley since she had agreed to use a sick day. My excuse was to take her out to lunch, but really I just wanted Calvin to meet her.

After the showers and the bullshitting, we headed out front. I got a text from my driver saying that they were five minutes out, so we sat down on a low stone wall and looked out across the parking lot.

“You ever wonder why we do this shit?” Calvin asked me.

“Do what?”

“Play ball. You know.”

“What else would we do?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Become doctors?”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Nobody is going to want me to be their doctor.”

“You get what I’m saying. Why don’t we do something important?”

I gave him a weird look. “Where is this coming from?”

“I don’t know. We’re fucking killing time, so I was just asking.”

I looked out at the cars and frowned. “Truth is, I don’t have a fucking answer for you. I do it because I’m good at it.”

“You could be good at other things.”

“I’m a dangerous man, Calvin. Maybe I could have become a fucking thug or something. Playing ball is better than killing guys.”

“Probably,” Calvin said, grinning.

“Probably,” I agreed. “But we have it good, man. We sacrifice our bodies and maybe even shorten our lifespans, but we live like fucking kings.”

“That’s the fucking truth.”

Just then, I saw the car pull up. We watched as Charley got out of the car and waved up at us. I grinned and Calvin waved back as he walked over.

I felt a pang in my stomach. She was wearing short jean shorts and a green shirt, loose and draping but still managing to show off plenty of skin. She looked fucking incredible, her long hair falling down along her shoulders.

“Hey, boys,” she said.

“Charley.” I hopped down from the wall. “Thanks for coming.”

“Well, when you get invited to lunch with Bull Dixon, you don’t say no.”

Calvin laughed and hopped down from the wall. “Charley, nice to meet you. I’m Calvin.”

“I know who you are,” she said. “I’ve seen you on TV.”

“Caught a game or two?”

“Once or twice.” She smiled. “You’ve got one hell of an arm.”

“Don’t inflate his ego,” I said. “He’s enough of an asshole already.”

“He seems okay,” Charley said.

Calvin grinned at her. “Flattery will get you nowhere.”

“I don’t know. You seem pretty easy.”

They laughed together, and I smiled. She turned toward me. “Ready to eat?”

“Always am. Give us a second?”

“Okay.” She headed back to the car and got in.

I looked at Calvin. “Well?”

“Well what, man?”

“What do you think, dickhead?”

“She’s a nice girl.”

“Come on, no weird feelings? No fucking Spidey senses tingling or some shit?”

He laughed and shrugged. “Nothing. She’s a nice girl.” He paused. “But you do know who she is, right?”

I cocked my head. “What do you mean?”

“She works for NSPN, man. I remember her. You don’t forget an ass like that.”

“Careful,” I said.

“Seriously, you know that, right?”

“I know.”

He frowned, glancing at the car. “And you’re cool with her being a journalist and all?”

“Maybe,” I said. “Haven’t decided.”

“Ah, shit. I see what this is now.”

“What?”

“You want me to make you feel better about fucking a sportswriter.”

“That’s not it.”

“Yeah, it is, brother.” He laughed, shaking his head. “You think you’re the first player to fuck a journalist?”

“No,” I said. “I’m not.”

“It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Players don’t date them.”

“Maybe.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “But since when did you give a fuck about that?”

“Good point.” We shook hands. “All right then. I have your blessing.”

“You don’t have shit. I think it’s a bad idea to date her, but I know you’re going to do it anyway, and she seems okay.”

“Good enough.” I walked over to the car.

“Later, Bull.”

I waved and then got into the car. Charley was sitting there, smiling at me.

“What was that about?” she asked.

“Just player stuff.” I scooted across the seat and took her chin in my hand, gently kissing her lips. “Ready?”

“Ready,” she said, smiling.

I knocked on the partition, and the driver pulled out.