Payton turned around, his front side lathered in suds spattered across more tattoos. His deep green eyes pinned Jamie in place as Jamie’s pale skin burned crimson.
“Hey, Jamie!” Payton grinned, apparently oblivious to the complicated aspect of the situation.
“Aw, shit.” Jamie forced himself to eye the white tiles at his feet and quickly turned his exposed, fully erect cock away from Payton. “I’m so sorry, dude. I didn’t hear the shower and thought everyone was gone.”
“That’s okay, man,” Payton’s deep baritone replied. “It went cold on me, so I turned the water off for a minute. I think LeBron took one of his twenty-minute sauna showers again.”
Jamie gave a tight, flimsy laugh. “He’d say he earned it, and the rest of us slackers can freeze.”
Payton’s laugh was rich, and it vibrated against Jamie’s insides. “Ain’t that the truth. Can’t say I disagree. You should get a warm shower, though. He caught the ball and scored the touchdown, but you threw that beautiful pass right into his hands.”
“Thanks.” Through the nerves racking his entire body, Jamie managed a smile. A small uncomfortable silence formed, and Jamie decided to make an escape. “Uh, just let me know when you’re done.”
“Wait a sec. You don’t gotta leave.”
Jamie paused in his crouch to pick up the traitorous shampoo bottle. “I do.”
“I talked to Coach and told him how dumb that rule is. About the showers, I mean. After so many wins, he had to admit it wasn’t fair.”
“It’s not about what’s fair,” Jamie argued, a little heated under his non-existent collar. He didn’t need the other players talking to the coach for him, even a good friend like Payton. Jamie was a full grown man, not some lost puppy. “I do it out of respect for my teammates; you included.”
“What about respect for you, though? Making you wait is bullshit, just because pansies like Peterson are uncertain about their own sexuality. I told Coach that shit wouldn’t fly next season if he wants me back on the team.”
Jamie’s face paled. “You... You what ? Payton, you can’t risk your scholarship for me or-”
“Didn’t do it for you. Okay, so maybe partially for you. But, I did it for me, too. No way in Hell am I gonna wait at the back of the fucking bus to take a shower after one of Coach’s death-march practices.”
Jamie blinked then slowly raised his eyes up to Payton. “Why would you have to wait?”
Payton swept a hand through his wet brown hair, his lips twitching into a tiny smirk. “I, uh, sorta came out to Coach yesterday.”
Jamie’s mouth fell open, all coherent thought derailed. “You... But... What?”
Payton exhaled and leaned against the shower wall. “It took me a long time to come to terms with it. I’ve always liked men, but I always fought it, you know? All through high school, I dated girls because that was what I was supposed to do. Then, I transfer to Oklahoma State, and there you are – out of the closet and playing football. It threw my whole perspective for a loop.”
Standing there naked with a shampoo bottle lamely held in front of his junk, Jamie’s world spun. The guy he’d been attracted to all season – this huge, tight end with a really nice tight end – was gay? “No fucking way...”
Payton’s deep laugh echoed through the shower room. “That was Coach’s first thought, too, I think; judging by the look on his face. I figured, heck, I’m turning twenty-one and only got one season left, so why not own up to it?”
“Have you told the others?”
“Not everyone,” he shrugged. “Not sure it’s any of their business. I don’t ask Peterson which sorority girl he’s banging this week, so why should it be anyone’s business who I’m dating?”
Jamie winced, part of him wanting to agree so badly. “It’s not the same.”
“It is, and you know it.” Payton took a step out of the stall. “Look, I get it. You took that first step for guys
“Hey, Jamie!” Payton grinned, apparently oblivious to the complicated aspect of the situation.
“Aw, shit.” Jamie forced himself to eye the white tiles at his feet and quickly turned his exposed, fully erect cock away from Payton. “I’m so sorry, dude. I didn’t hear the shower and thought everyone was gone.”
“That’s okay, man,” Payton’s deep baritone replied. “It went cold on me, so I turned the water off for a minute. I think LeBron took one of his twenty-minute sauna showers again.”
Jamie gave a tight, flimsy laugh. “He’d say he earned it, and the rest of us slackers can freeze.”
Payton’s laugh was rich, and it vibrated against Jamie’s insides. “Ain’t that the truth. Can’t say I disagree. You should get a warm shower, though. He caught the ball and scored the touchdown, but you threw that beautiful pass right into his hands.”
“Thanks.” Through the nerves racking his entire body, Jamie managed a smile. A small uncomfortable silence formed, and Jamie decided to make an escape. “Uh, just let me know when you’re done.”
“Wait a sec. You don’t gotta leave.”
Jamie paused in his crouch to pick up the traitorous shampoo bottle. “I do.”
“I talked to Coach and told him how dumb that rule is. About the showers, I mean. After so many wins, he had to admit it wasn’t fair.”
“It’s not about what’s fair,” Jamie argued, a little heated under his non-existent collar. He didn’t need the other players talking to the coach for him, even a good friend like Payton. Jamie was a full grown man, not some lost puppy. “I do it out of respect for my teammates; you included.”
“What about respect for you, though? Making you wait is bullshit, just because pansies like Peterson are uncertain about their own sexuality. I told Coach that shit wouldn’t fly next season if he wants me back on the team.”
Jamie’s face paled. “You... You what ? Payton, you can’t risk your scholarship for me or-”
“Didn’t do it for you. Okay, so maybe partially for you. But, I did it for me, too. No way in Hell am I gonna wait at the back of the fucking bus to take a shower after one of Coach’s death-march practices.”
Jamie blinked then slowly raised his eyes up to Payton. “Why would you have to wait?”
Payton swept a hand through his wet brown hair, his lips twitching into a tiny smirk. “I, uh, sorta came out to Coach yesterday.”
Jamie’s mouth fell open, all coherent thought derailed. “You... But... What?”
Payton exhaled and leaned against the shower wall. “It took me a long time to come to terms with it. I’ve always liked men, but I always fought it, you know? All through high school, I dated girls because that was what I was supposed to do. Then, I transfer to Oklahoma State, and there you are – out of the closet and playing football. It threw my whole perspective for a loop.”
Standing there naked with a shampoo bottle lamely held in front of his junk, Jamie’s world spun. The guy he’d been attracted to all season – this huge, tight end with a really nice tight end – was gay? “No fucking way...”
Payton’s deep laugh echoed through the shower room. “That was Coach’s first thought, too, I think; judging by the look on his face. I figured, heck, I’m turning twenty-one and only got one season left, so why not own up to it?”
“Have you told the others?”
“Not everyone,” he shrugged. “Not sure it’s any of their business. I don’t ask Peterson which sorority girl he’s banging this week, so why should it be anyone’s business who I’m dating?”
Jamie winced, part of him wanting to agree so badly. “It’s not the same.”
“It is, and you know it.” Payton took a step out of the stall. “Look, I get it. You took that first step for guys
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