Off the Field: Bad Boy Sports Romance by Heidi Hunter, Bad Boy Team

of humor.”
    “It’s just been hard trying to be a civilian again.”
    “But you’ve been a civilian most of your life. You were only a marine for a couple years.”
    “You don’t know what it was like over there…” His voice faded as he looked off into the distance.
    “No, I don’t.”
    After a moment of silence, he said, “Without love, life has no meaning. “
    “That’s deep.”
    “Well…”
    “Look,” I stopped walking, turned and grabbed his arm. “We were close at one point. This is not the you I remember at all. I miss you.”
    “You went off to college, and I went off to war.”
    “But we’re together again now.”
    He nodded slightly, but I could tell he wasn’t convinced. We started walking again, making it to the library a minute later. We stopped under the shade of the large Maple tree on the left side of the building. As I stood in front of him, emotions from the past overwhelmed me. I reached out and took his hands in mine. He didn’t resist. We made eye contact.
    Just as we were about to kiss, Missy and Terry rounded the corner and spotted us. I pulled my hands back impulsively, hoping I didn’t hurt Gunner’s feelings. He meant so much to me. As they approached, I glanced over at my stepbrother and saw he was uncomfortable. Even before going off to war, he hadn’t been very social. After coming back, he could easily be labeled anti-social.
    “We’re going to get a few drinks at a party. You two want to come?” Missy asked.
    “I don’t know…” I said.
    “Please. You have to come,” she begged. “Terry’s great, but I need my girl at my side.”
    She winked at me and gave me the face that meant she was totally hot for the guy she’d just met. I sighed as I turned to Gunner.
    “I’m going to get a book or two, I think. You guys have fun.”
    Before I could try to talk him into coming, he walked off toward the library entrance. I wanted to run after him, to talk to him more after we’d almost just kissed, but Missy needed my help. She was a sloppy drunk, and I had to make sure she wasn’t taken advantage of if she went to the party full of strangers. Gunner rounded the corner and disappeared from site.
    “Okay, let’s go,” I said to the other two, trying to mask my disappointment.
     

 
     
     
    Gunner
     
     
     
    As soon as I was out of sight, I doubled back around the library and headed toward Easy Breeze to get my bike. Was she really about to kiss me? I hated social situations and just wanted to get back to the lake and go out on the boat for a joint or two. Family week was bad enough without Missy showing up and taking up all of Cass’ time.
    When I got to the dock, I climbed into the rowboat. I untied it from the dock. The sun beat down as I pushed off with my foot. Once out in the water, I started rowing to the center of the lake. This early in the day, I would have it to myself. A few kids would probably be swimming near the shore, but I’d be safe to lay in the bottom of the boat and smoke a couple joints.
    I stopped rowing. The boat coasted through the water a little further. Part of me wanted to scan the shore for any threats, but I reminded myself I wasn’t at war anymore. After so much training to be able to kill the enemy, it was hard for me to just turn that part of me off. Hemingway and other writers made a lot more sense to me when I got back and started reading.
    A cloud of smoke rose into the air. I closed my eyes and continued smoking. Time lost all meaning as I floated on the water’s surface. My thoughts centered on Iraq at first, but toward the end of the first joint, Cass was once again on my mind. I replayed her taking my hands into hers and looking deep into my eyes. She understood me. Was she going to kiss me?
    The questions clouded my mind, lining up and demanding to be answered before I could think of anything else. Did I have feelings for my stepsister? Yes. Would I act on them? Probably not. Would she act on them again? Probably