Page 14 of The Purest Fake

“Back off. That’s my girl you’re talking to,” Cooper quickly jumps in, shutting down any flirting before it can begin.

Thor cocks his head. “What?”

“Scarlett’s my girlfriend,” Cooper informs him.

“Why didn’t you mention that when we went out after the game?”

“We weren’t ready to tell anyone yet,” I say. “So I acted like I was just doing him a favor.”

“Why didn’t I know this?” Griffin asks.

“I knew,” Rogan’s quick to add.

A line appears between Griffin’s brows. “What the fuck, dude? I thought we were bros.”

Cooper shrugs. “We are.”

Rogan grins. “You’re just not the bros that we are.” Griffin holds up his middle finger.

“How you got such a gorgeous girlfriend is beyond me,” Thor says, shaking his head.

“Actually, it was pretty easy for him. I have a thing for blonds with tight—I mean, who are tight ends.” I lean over, resting my cheek on Cooper’s shoulder.

He presses a kiss to the top of my head. “And I have a thing for tall, beautiful brunettes.”

“Looks like it’s just you and me in the sea of single women,” Griffin says, fist bumping Thor. “And variety is the spice of life.”

Thor nods. “Yep. There’s plenty of time to settle down after we’re done with football, and until then, life’s a pussy buffet.”

“Eww,” Autumn says at the same time I laugh.

Griffin’s lips slowly part in a smile. “I like the visual that conjures.”

“Me too,” Thor agrees.

Autumn grimaces. “I don’t.”

“I do. As long as the buffet is made up of ten of your vaginas,” Rogan says, wiggling his eyebrows at Autumn.

“Do you believe these two?” Thor poses the question to Griffin. “Rogan becomes the starter and gets a girlfriend. Cooper starts playing in his rookie year and gets a girlfriend.” He shakes his head.

“What’s the problem with either of those things?” Autumn asks.

“They’re finally in the prime position to get laid anytime they want, and they tie themselves to one woman,” Griffin explains. He raises his hand. “No disrespect meant to either of you ladies, though.”

Autumn looks at me, rolling her eyes.

Rogan slings his arm around his girl, drawing her closer. “I think I should point out the irony of what you said since I get laid anytime I want.”

Griffin raps his knuckles on the table. “Let me reiterate what I already said: Variety is the spice of life.”

“Maybe you just haven’t found the right person,” I suggest to Griffin.

“I haven’t. But I can’t say I’ve been looking for anything deeper than a casual relationship.”

I lift my shoulders in a brief shrug. “There’s nothing wrong with that. But when you meet your person, you won’t want variety, at least not in terms of sleeping with multiple people. Sex doesn’t get boring because you’re in a relationship. That happens because you’re not with the right person or you’re not working at spicing things up.”

“Relationships take effort,” Autumn interjects.

---