The Quarterback's Only Weakness Ch. 01

Thanks to Francesca my new and awesome editor, enjoy (:

-Sasha

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I sat in a slumped position trying to look enthusiastic as I sat in the VIP box watching once again, another football game. I can't recall who was all playing as the players collided together onto the field. I was beginning to think I'd need ear surgery after listening to my mother's nonstop chanting of "GO LIMINGTON NUMBER 46!" I had watched my mother take Ray Limington from college star to professional athlete, being I was only eleven. Every individual I looked at was ranting and screaming with mouth's open as far as they could, except for me. Among the cheering people, was Jake, Ray's fourteen year old son. If you have to ask why I was being such a downer, then I'd tell you that my mom had dragged me here on the night of my birthday. The birthday she had promised to take me to dinner on, which would've been her first night off in five years. This all occurred because of Jake Limington.

It seemed as if Jake was more her child then I was. Over the years, I had found my mom going to less and less activities of mine and more to Jake's. She had missed my middle school graduation for one of his football practices, my award ceremony for doing the best in county on my state tests for his training, and so on. That was all until my mom died four months ago.

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8 years later...

I was pissed. I was sitting in a dimly lit booth next to the dance floor clicking my black stiletto on the tile impatiently. Jake has an interview at seven tomorrow morning with ESPN and there he was grinding on some slut with fake boobs wearing a slinky black dress at almost midnight. He was a great football player but irresponsible. I was going to beat him up, I thought. Even if it takes a step ladder and a baseball bat to reach all 6'2 and 200 pounds of pure muscle he was.

"That's it." I said to myself. I got up, my heels clicking on my way toward him. His green eyes nearly popping out of his head, he knew not to mess with me.

"Whoa." He said putting his hands up knowing I would drag him out of this club by his ear if we didn't go now. I walked away knowing he would follow, he did. "You cock blocked me!" He said irritated once we were in the parking lot.

"Like you need any more sluts in your bed."

"Oh come on, they usually don't stay the night." He said running his hand through his short dark brown hair.

"And, that makes it better." I said with a smile while throwing him the keys to his hummer.

"They get too pissed at me to stay the night." He mumbled looking down.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing." He said quickly.

"I am your manager, so I'm managing you, deal with it." I said with a smile. I climbed up into the hummer crossing my legs in the seat. "I'm going to need a bucket of cold water to get you out of bed in the morning."

"How about, some coffee by my bed and a loving shake to wake me."

"Loving shake my ass, a loving punch in your side is what you will receive."

"Ha-aha." He laughed sarcastically, turning up some random rock station.

We pulled up to his house twenty minutes later, and for my ears sake he turned down the music. I stayed at Jake's so often I eventually claimed one of his extra bedrooms. Since I lived almost over an hour away, coming to get me every morning was too much hassle so we agreed on this arrangement. I hopped out of his car and followed him to the front door, heels clicking on the stone at each step.

I made my way through his dark living room filled with trophies, ribbons, and metals from random sports he excelled at. It was also filled with pictures of my mom holding his arm up after he won a game and of her cheering him on. I threw my purse and shoes into the closet and put on some black cotton shorts and a blue tank and crawled in the bed, falling into the deep sleep I was used to.

I rolled over and snuggled into a pillow, to realize it was way too hard to be a pillow. I squinted my sleepy eyes at my so called pillow to realize it was a shirtless chest, and then up to see Jake's sleeping face. I was contemplating on whether to wake him up and demand why he was in my bed just as he rolled over and wrapped his arms around me. He then rubbed his hands up and down my back mumbling "It's okay Alex, I'm here." This caught me off guard, was I calling him or something in my sleep? I wondered. I was too sleepy and decided not to give up the offer of a warm body to snuggle with, back to nothingness.

I woke up I didn't know how many hours later when my alarm went off, Jake-less. I stumbled rubbing my eyes toward his bedroom. It was quite obvious he hadn't slept in his bed. He lay on top of the covers on his stomach breathing deeply. I fell back on his bed disturbing him.

"Get up." I groaned. "I don't have the energy to fill up a bucket and lug it in here." I whined. Then I knew he was awake because his form shook with laughter.

"Get up." I groaned again.

"No." He groaned back.

"Yes."

"No." He whined.

"Just get your ass up so I can go get ready."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Too bad."

"I'll sit on you if you don't get up."

"Ah! No Alex don't sit on me, NO!" He said sarcastically. "I have guys more than 250 pounds tackle me. You sitting on me doesn't sound too scary."

"You asked for it." I stood up on the bed and fell on him. He didn't even make a sound.

"I could do push-ups with you on my back."

"Sure." I said sarcastically.

"I will show you." He pushed me off his back easily then fell into a perfect push-up stance. "Jump on." He encouraged. I sat on his back and crossed my legs as he did ten perfect push-ups.

"Ha, you see."

"Ha, you see I've gotten you up and you have had your morning exercise." I teased. He turned his head to look up at me and rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"You asshole." He whispered then laughed.

"Don't be angry because I know you so well, just get ready." I said hopping off.

I stood in the studio by the camera watching Jake's interview as he repeatedly flashed his winning smile. While the little brunette girl blushed repeatedly every time he smiled. I will admit he is hot, but that girl did nothing to hide that she thought he was also. A few minutes later he walked toward me with a smile, who couldn't smile back one of his flashy smiles.

"I think the girl interviewing you, likes you." I said.

"Who doesn't?" I just shook my head.

"Right know she is glaring at me with an evil look."

"She's just wondering why you get to be around such a stud muffin so often."

"Sure..." I laughed.

"This will be your first away game since you took over, you excited?" He said not even addressing my laughs as he opened the front door of the studio for me and followed me out.

"I know I will be the only girl manager or person there."

"Nah, I think Bobby is bringing his girlfriend but both I and he are breaking the no girls rule." He smiled.

"Oh, I totally forgot that she was coming. That reminds me, we need to talk about something." I said opening the car door and sliding onto the leather seat.

"And, what is this?" He said as he jumped in the opposite side and started the engine.

"I need to know why you sleep in my bed at night, and why you haven't told me about it." I said quickly in an even voice.

He took a deep breath and let it out. "Jake, you can tell me I'm not mad."

"I didn't think you would be mad. "

"Just tell me." I said crossing my arms.

"Can it wait tell we get back to the house?"

"I guess." I said letting out a breath.

We pulled into the driveway and walked up to the steps and as soon as the door was closed I asked, "Now will you tell me?"

"Yeah." He said walking toward the living room and plopping down on the leather couch and patting the spot beside him. I reluctantly stepped toward him and sat down beside him.

"So, at night..." He hesitated.

"And..." I said trying to speed him along.

"I know that you were close to your mom and everything, I also know that since you have lived here you haven't cried. I think in some kind of weird way you let the bottled up emotion out at night."

"What does that mean?" I said eyebrows furrowed.

"You kind of move around at night a lot, mumbling different things."

"That doesn't explain why you are in there." I said with my arms resting on my chest.

"I simply come in there to comfort you and you don't seem to do it if I'm in there. "

"Oh, how nice." I said sarcastically rubbing my palm on my forehead.

"Wow, you're taking this better than I thought. "

"What do you mean?"

"Like I said before I haven't seen you cry at all about your mom passing away. So I kind of figured that something like that would finally bring you over the edge to actually grieving, instead of holding it all inside."

I stood up. "Over the edge?" I said hands on hips. "If you don't remember the last eight years of my life, I rarely ever saw my mother. She cared about you more than me!" I said turning my back to him, tears beginning to cloud my vision.

"Alexia." He said softly standing up.

"Don't. I don't want any more of your comfort." I said walking away from him.

"Look at me."

"No."

"Look at me." He demanded a little louder. I turned around and stared directly in his eyes stubbornly even with my eyes a little red and a few tear streaks staining my cheeks.

"She cared about you more than anything in the world." He said walking toward me, hands in pockets.

"I don't want to hear it." I said turning my back to him again, walking back to my room. I shut the door fiercely and turned the lock so hard as if it were to take back my entire mother-less years. I soon found my bed and plopped down onto the comforter. I sat with my back against the headboard. I tucked my knees under my arms bringing them to my chest. Scooping up my face into my palms, I let the tears fall with no desire of keeping them in.

Where did he get the right to tell me I haven't cried enough? I thought. If anyone should be grieving over her it should be him, she practically raised him! My thoughts were cut off by a light tap on my door.

"Go away Jake!" I shouted.

"Come on, let me in!"

"Just go away." I shouted again.

"Just let me in!"

"No!"

"I will break this door!"

"Do it." I taunted him.

"Alex, just let me in there!"

"Why?"

"Why? You're upset that's why!"

"I don't want any of your comfort, don't you get that?!"

"No, let me in!"

"You're going to have to break the door."

"Fine."

I really doubted that Jake would actually do it, but just in case, I slid onto the hard wood floor and crawled under my bed. I then heard him try to ram down the cedar door with all his body weight, only causing the wood to lightly splinter. I can't be sure of what he did next, but the sound of the door's lock giving way and slamming into the wall assaulted my ears.

"You are seriously going to hide too." He said after a few moments. "Come out, come out wherever you are." He laughed as he looked in my closet; I was starting to thing I was in a horror movie. Then I watched as his shoes walked by, then a knee came down beside me, then a hand, and finally he poked through the bed skirt revealing his smiling bright face at me. I smiled back of course, that was my curse.

"Alex come out from under there, your acting like a child."

"No." I said stubbornly. His free arm snaked its way under the bed, grabbing me by the arm, I went limp. Of course, he didn't care as he continued to pull me out from under there like a rag doll.

"You're hurting me."

"Then you should have just crawled out from under there by yourself." He said as he grabbed me by the waist and stood me upright. "Will you talk about it with me now?"

"No." I said beginning to walk away.

"Alex." He said grabbing me by the arm once again.

"Let me go." I managed to get out as I tried jerking my arm from his grasp.

"You're really pissing me off, Alex." He said through clenched teeth, grabbing me by the arm more firmly.

"I don't give a fuck." I said attempting to pull away from him again. I sucked in a breath through my teeth. "You're hurting me." I growled.

"You're hurting yourself." He growled back. I clutched at his hand in pure reflex to the pain. I tried prying a finger off my arm it seems as if my hand would barely fit around one single finger.

"Jake, let-me-go." I snarled.

"No."

"Jake, you're really hurting me, badly." I said a little bit calmer but still clutching at his hand. I had managed to push him over his edge. His grip loosened but not enough to stop the throbbing.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled. Then he let my arm go and ran out of the door way so quickly I barely had time to register that the pressure on my arm had stopped. I looked down at my arm; my whole upper arm was red. I could already see the blue green finger shaped bruises appearing.

I really didn't want to focus on the fact my door was dented and propped against my wall, and the throbbing coming from arm. So I threw my suitcase on the bed and began to pack. No matter how furious Jake had made me, he was my client before everything else, so this game was mandatory for me.

An hour later I had packed all my essentials and had changed into a pair of dark skinny jeans, a white tank top, and my favorite red heels. I had let my light brown curly hair down from its bun and touched up my make-up. I gathered up my black leather purse and red rolling suitcase and made my way past Jake's room. I caught a glimpse of his back as he was packing his own luggage. I continued my way back down the stairs and through the front door. I threw my bag into the back seat and my purse in the passenger seat and walked back to the house.

I opened the front door and ran directly into Jake's stone hard chest. I fell off balance almost falling backward until he grabbed me by the waist, crushing my breasts to his chest. As soon as he knew I had my balance back, he let go of me so fast you would have thought I was on fire. He stepped back, focusing his vision on anything but me. I stepped past him, not sparing him a glance as I jogged back up the stairs.

I turned off my lights and walked back down stairs turning off any random lights left on, locked the door, and closed it. I knew Jake would be waiting, he was. I hopped into the seat, closed the door, and crossed my legs and arms. I spotted Jake eyeing my arm out of the corner of my eye.

"Look Alex, I'm really sorry."

"I know. I pushed you way too far."

"But you were acting very childish."

"You were acting like a monster. Breaking my door and bruising my arm."

"Monster?" He said clenching his jaw while tightening his grip on the wheel, his knuckles turning white. "I'm no monster." He growled.

"You're acting like a monster, just like your father." I slurred at him.

I heard him take in a sharp breath, as he tried to maintain control.

"I will never be like my father." He said through clenched teeth, I wouldn't have been surprised if he broke the steering wheel with the grip he had on it right now. "Never."

"Then you have something you need to work on." I said coldly.

He laughed; it wasn't a happy laugh by any means. "Alex you really know how to make me so mad." He continued through clenched teeth while tightening and loosing the grip on the wheel.

"It is an art form." After this, no more words were exchanged. Jake's death grip on the steering wheel didn't loosen, and the tenseness in the car didn't falter.

I stood hunched over the balconies railing, resting my head on my palm trying to take in the fresh night air. I really didn't know what to think about the debacle with Jake, but that didn't matter for the rest of this weekend. He was my client, and nothing else.

"Hey, Seth and Lena are here." Jake said as he opened the sliding glass door leaving it open. I turned around and followed him back in.

"Hey guys." I smiled.

"This in Alexia, but we all just call her Alex." Seth said as he introduced me to Lena. Seth was an all American looking guy with brown hair and green eyes. He stood not as tall as Jake at 5'10, just an inch taller than me. His build was thick and bulky. The slight country accent completed his look.

"Hey, I'm Lena." She smiled at me. Lena was pretty; she seemed the average type Seth would go after. She was blonde, had big boobs, and petite.

"Hi." I smiled back.

"How long have you two been together?" I asked eying them both.

"Two months." Seth spoke up.

"Cool." I said rocking back and forth on my heels. "Well both of you probably need to get to bed, big game tomorrow. I'll be in the shower." I said patting Jake on the chest.

I stood under the hot spray, letting it relax me. Soon, my relaxation was rudely interrupted. "So you're just going to pretend nothing's wrong." Jake said sounding irritated.

"Yes, for this weekend at least. Anyways there is really nothing wrong with me. You're the one who thinks I haven't cried enough, you're the one who broke my door, and you're the one who bruised my arm."

"Don't pin this all on me, Alex."

"Could you get out now? You're bothering the only relaxation I have these days."

"No, I need to brush my teeth."

"Then brush them and get out." After a few minutes he left and I got out of the shower. I threw on some shorts and a tank top and left the bathroom for Lena and Seth. I turned off the lights and slid under the covers next to Jake. I tried getting as far away from him as the bed edges would let me. I shut my eyes while snuggling my head into a pillow, trying my hardest not to let this happen again tonight.