This is my favorite time of year. The end of July, summer at its highest point. The sun rises early and goes down late. Kids dread going back to school in a month and their moms can't wait. Dads are trying to clear their weekends so they can squeeze in one more camping trip, one more visit to the inlaws, one more ball game before school starts and brings all the business that comes along with it.
For me, it's when my school year starts. Three and a half weeks before the first day of classes is my first day of school. In all actuality I've been preparing for this day since football season ended last fall. All the coaches on my staff have. We've watched film, worked to strenghten the returning players, hosted camps for the incoming players, made a few additions to the playbook, and tried to get as much of a jump on the competition as the state of Texas will legally allow. Now we get to see how much our work has paid off. The kids won't be coming in until next week, but us coaches are already punching the clock, figuratively, of course. Man, I wish we got paid by the hour. Especially those that teach classes on top of their coaching duties. I get to school around 6:30 on a school day, teach all day, then go to practice, which starts during the last period of the day and goes until 6:00 PM. Then the coaches have a quick meeting to discuss the day's practice, I go
home, call in a delivery order, and then do any grading or lesson planning I need to do. By the
time I've set aside my "work" stuff, it's around 10. I watch the news, Jay Leno's monologue, and then go to bed. If it's a game day, well, then I won't get home until midnight or later, depending on where we played. Yeah, as I figure it, I work about 83 hours a week, give or take. Getting paid by the hour would be nice.
But right now I've got work to do. Today is our first official meeting to plan out this season. As the athletic director and head coach, I've got a lot to do. Luckily, I truly believe in the rest of my staff and know we can get the job done.
I've got Tim McGee as my Defensive Coordinator. Six years out of college, so he's still a bit fresh, but boy, is he good. He has an uncanny ability to read the opposing offense and knows what defense to use. I've learned not to second guess his decisions on the field. He's also my "roommate." We've been together for 4 years, but know that two men living together would not go over well in this town. Especially as football coaches. So we live in a three bedroom house and call ourselves roommates.
I've got Jethro Gibbs as my Offensive Coordinator. That man has been coaching football longer than I've known it existed. Two years ago he retired as head coach of the Texas State Bobcats. He still wanted to coach, but not have to deal with all the politics that being a college coach brings, so he decided to go back to high school. Luckily for me, he has family here in Spring, so getting him on my staff was virtually painless.
Jimmy Palmer is my Specialty Teams guy. He also works a bit with the kickers. Never thought a guy who played college soccer would know so much about kicking a football, but he sure does. I know he's been working with Will, our punter, this summer and can't wait to see the improvements. He's also the last living advocate for the barefoot punt. Most high school coaches refuse to let their guys kick barefoot for fear of broken toes, but Jimmy knows that if you teach a guy to do it right, he won't break his toes and he'll be far more accurate. Gotta love a guy who thinks like you do.
Donald "Ducky" Mallard is my running back and recievers guy. You'd never tell by looking at him, but back before he busted his knee up, he was an All-American reciever for Michigan back in the day when they were a college powerhouse. He was on the fast track to the pros until that car accident. He's not bitter, though. He's perfectly happy teaching history and coaching football. His mom is our biggest fan.
Abby Sciuto rounds out my team as the trainer. Girl is young, but knows her sports medicine. Plus, she's hot, so getting my guys to go see the trainer is not a problem. Abby is also gay and in love with the cheerleading coach Kate Todd. No one knows about them, either. Sucks, but you do what you gotta do.
So that's the backbone of my coaching staff. I have a few other men on staff, but these are my go-to people. My very own personal "dream team."
Hearing the alarm finally go off, I turn over and watch Tim wake up. First the arm that had lain across my back is jerked off and flung over his head. Next a mess of brown hair peeks out of the covers. A grunt is heard as a reach for the alarm is made. Then a sigh as the noise disappears. Just as he's falling back asleep, I make my move.
Pressing the full length of my body against him, I find his ear and whisper, "Timmy. Wake up, Tim." I lick the shell of his ear and blow across it. He shivers and turns his head toward
me.
"Go away."
"Come on baby. We got a football season to prepare for."
"No." He's never been a morning person.
"Fine. I'll shower alone." Kissing his cheek and giving his neck a quick nuzzle, I leave the room and head for the shower.
I'm about halfway through washing my hair when I hear him come into the bathroom. I slow my scrubbing so that he can finish it for me. Washing my hair is one of his kinks. Not that I mind. It's my favorite part of a no-sex shower.
"Morning." Arms wrap around my waist and a kiss is placed on my shoulder blade.
"Morning. You ready for today?" I lean my head back as his fingers massage my scalp.
"Yep." He pushes me forward to rinse and begins on his own hair. "You sleep much last night?"
"Nope."
Laughing, he turns me around to give me a proper good morning kiss. Breaking away, he's still smiling. "You are like a boy on Christmas morning. I love you like this."
I'm smiling, too. Not just because of the coming season, but because of him. "And I love you like this."
"Like how? Drowsy and barely functioning?"
"No. Wet and naked in my shower."
We finish our shower and get ready for the day. I love the mornings with him. We jam as many touches and kisses as possible into the time when we are couple, so that the time spent as roommates is a little more bearable.
We stand by the front door before heading out. I've pulled him close against me and am kissing the life out of him. I've gotta make this good; it's the last one I'm gonna get until about 7:30 tonight. He knows it, too, and gives as good as he's getting. Groaning, I finally pull away.
"I love you, Timmy."
"I love you too, Tony. Now let's go get ready for a winning season." He hides it better, but he's just as excited about today as I am. His love for football is what made me hire him in the first place. That and his smile. Okay, and his ass. But mostly the football thing. That's still one of my favorite reasons to love him.
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