Passing to Payton Read Free Page A

tell you, but I thought it was sweet, and...Uh, Jamie? Man, are you okay?”
    “No,” Jamie wheezed out, his head dizzy. “I thought it was a joke. I told Payton to fuck off.”
    “Uh-oh,” Tucker set a hand on Jamie’s wet shoulder. A shutting door was followed by a commotion from the living space, thudding footsteps and then Tucker squeezing Jamie’s shoulder. “Holy shit, Jamie! You hit the poor guy?”
    “What?” Jamie raised his eyes and met Payton’s serious, green-eyed gaze, then he noticed the welt on Payton’s cheek.
    “I fell,” Payton answered.
    “Now look,” Tucker crossed his arms again. “I don’t want to come between a lovers’ quarrel, but domestic abuse is-”
    Payton’s serious expression broke down into a chuckle. “No, seriously Tucker, I fell. Slipped on a damn bar of soap when I went to chase after our quarterback.”
    “Oh.” Tucker looked back at Jamie. “You ran?”
    “No,” Jamie huffed. “Okay, maybe. Yeah.”
    “Dude,” Tucker shook his head. “And they say I’m dumb... Well, I’ll let you two sort this out then. I’m meeting LeBron out front of Wentz Hall to pick up our dates and take them out to dinner before we take you out to get plastered. Uh, we are still going out to Taters tonight, right?”
    “Am I turning twenty-one?”
    Tucker scratched his chin then grinned with a nod. “Awesome. Okay, see you there at nine, and be prepared to close the place down!”
    As Tucker left, Jamie was attempting not to hyperventilate. He was once again alone in a bathroom with Payton while practically naked. His fist held tightly to the Sooners towel around his waist.
    “I’m sorry, Jamie,” Payton spoke first. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. As encouraging as Tucker was for my stupid idea, LeBron was right. I should’ve just told you as a friend, while fully clothed, instead of making a pass at you in the shower.”
    Jamie looked back up to Payton’s strong jawline and nervously twitching smile. “So, you were making a pass at me?”
    “Wow. Yeah, but apparently I failed horribly at that, too. This is all new to me, you know? I just... Dammit, I like you Jamie. But, I also respect you, and if you just want to be friends, then I’ll accept that.”
    “I like you, too.” Jamie’s eyes bugged as his heart spoke without checking in with the rest of him first. Of course, his dick was all on board with the direction this conversation was going and took the opportunity to bob against the towel.
    Aw, fuck it...
    “I’ve liked you for a while,” Jamie continued. “I mean, you’re fucking gorgeous. You know that, right? And you’re smart... And funny... And... I’m going to shut up now.”
    Payton stepped up to the counter and leaned into Jamie’s space. “Don’t stop on my account. But, if you wanna talk about being fucking gorgeous , you should look in a damn mirror, Jamie.”
    “Oh, please,” Jamie lowered his gaze as the heat rose up the back of his neck. He could toss a football, sure, but he wasn’t one of those quarterbacks that became poster-boys for sports drink commercials or pinup calendars. “I’m just a hick.”
    “With a dimple the size of Texas on your left cheek when you smile, and brown eyes that turn to gold in the sunlight. And the way your whole body moves when you arch back, looking for an opening, or when you wink at me as you hand me the ball to make a run for it... God, it’s a wonder I’m able to run straight and find the goal line.”
    “I do not wink... Shit. Do I really wink at you?”
    Payton chuckled and posted his arms against the counter on either side of Jamie. “Every. Single. Time.”
    Jamie swallowed hard. On the field, he was confident and cool under pressure. Off the field was a different story. And right now, faced with Payton’s body so close, Jamie was an anxious ball of knots.
    Mustering his courage, he lifted his gaze back up to meet Payton’s. The communication was silent, but obvious. Payton