Page 56 of Blocked Score

Yeah, more than silly. Fucking stupid. Especially for someone who’s always logical and realistic like me. But it did hurt; it hurt like there was a gaping wound in my soul, and even though the pain eventually faded into the background, it never went away.

“Now we’re living together,” I continue after telling Rhys everything, “and I’m still hung up on her while she clearly just wants to stay friendly while trying to coexist in the same house. So, yeah, it’s fucking me up a little, but I’ll deal.”

Rhys’s forehead is scrunched as he nods slowly, taking in my words. I can sense the gears of his brain turning behind that thick skull of his. “Have you guys talked about how things ended between you since you met again?”

I blanch, shaking my head. “No way. I don’t want her to think I still have a thing for her.”

“But you do.”

“Right,” I grouse defensively. “And she doesn’t. I don’t want to make her more uncomfortable than she probably already is. Think of it from her perspective. She lost her housing. Had no choice but to move into the room I offered. Imagine if I’m suddenly making it clear that I’m still into her after she dumped me a year and a half ago.” I shake my head. “I don’t want to put her in that position.”

Rhys’s lips press flat. “I get it. But …”

I cut him off by pushing to my feet. “There is nobut. Sometimes things just suck and all you can do is deal with it.”

Like if all the rest of my games this season are as pathetic as the last one I played.

If I’m not able to end my college career with the Frozen Four championship win after all.

If my professional career doesn’t even start because it becomes clear I’m nothing but damaged goods after my injury.

“I’m hitting the showers,” I announce.

I don’t look back, but I know Rhys is shaking his head as he watches me storm off.

27

SCARLETT

Maybe I should just give up on sleeping tonight.

It’s a school night, and I slid into bed at the very reasonable time of 10:25 pm. Now it’s just past one in the morning, and I haven’t gotten a minute of sleep.

I’ve been lying here with my eyes closed, I’ve even resisted the temptation to reach for my phone, but my stupid brain just won’t let itself turn off.

With a groan of defeat, I fling off my blanket and swing my feet onto the floor.

I’ll go downstairs and get a drink, and then maybe I’ll just throw in the towel and scroll on my damn phone, letting the possibility of a decent night’s sleep truly fade into nothingness. Hopefully I end up with at least two or three hours of shut-eye before I have to get up for classes in the morning.

I open the door and step into the hallway at the same time the bathroom door opens. My breath hitches as I’m met with the wide expanse of a bare, muscular chest.

Sebastian is standing in the doorway of the bathroom, his leanly muscled body on full display. And I do meanfulldisplay.

I can’t say I’ve pondered the question before, but now I know what Sebastian wears to sleep: nothing.

Without asking permission from my brain, my gaze hovers down his frame of its own accord, raking over his defined six-pack abs, down to—oh, wow. Sebastian’s definitely ashower.

I pull my eyes away from the impressive girth of his flaccid penis. Sebastian does a little jolt of startle and covers himself with his hands.

“Oh, shit, sorry,” he blurts. “Guess I should get in the habit of wearing a pair of shorts to the bathroom now that the house isn’t a sausage fest.”

Sebastian’s boyish grin and good humor keep the run-in from being awkward. Actually, it’s kind of weird that I don’t feel my cheeks going red or any heat stirring between my legs even though a drop-dead gorgeous guy with a perfect, sculpted body is standing right in front of me.

I can recognize how hot he is, but it doesn’t translate to any feelings of lust or desire.

Which is funny, because Sebastian’s more my usual type. His look and personality give off more artist vibes than jock vibes, despite the peak shape of his body. He’s closer to the kind of guys I’ve always been drawn to than Lane is.

But it’s still Lane who makes a tender ache of want coil low in my belly every time I come near him; who has electric heat crackling through my bloodstream whenever we accidentally share a glancing touch …

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