Page 82 of Play Maker

“Don’t push me, Ax. I’m like dry tinder at this point.”

“I can handle it.”

“I don’t think you can. Or that I can.” Jace stopped and stared at me. “I don’t know what I’m…what we’re doing. Or why you’re…I mean, what even is this?”

“Not here,” I replied and motioned for him to keep walking.

“In case someone overhears us?”

“That’s not my concern.”

“It should be. We’re flirting in public, for fuck’s sake,” he hissed.

“I know,” I admitted. “I can’t help it.”

“You?” he looked at me with incredulous eyes. “I’m the flirty one.”

“Yeah, you are. You’re also possessive. You didn’t like Archie talking to me or asking me to join him at the rowing club.”

“Oh really?”

I nodded, grinning at him, finally gaining the upper hand.

“You could’ve just grabbed that cue chalk and marked your initials on my ass,” I quipped. “And for some reason, I more than like that idea. It’s so fucking hot.”

“Argh!” Jace held up both hands and then stormed off.

I caught up to him, reaching for his arm.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Don’t make things worse.”

“Fine,” I replied. “Let’s go back to your room and make it better.”

He shook his head.

“I just…I can’t handle this right now.”

“Can’t handle the fact that you want me?” I asked him. “Or that this is more than fucking?”

“Both.”

His admission left me reeling.

“Alright,” I replied calmly. “Can I at least walk you back to the dorm?”

He shook his head.

“If you so much as take one step closer, Ax,” Jace licked his lips. “Just one step.”

I wanted to, fuck, did I want to. But my instincts told me not to push him. Instead, I motioned to the campus.

“Go on. Go. I’ll see you at practice,” I muttered in resignation.

Jace hesitated for a second and then nodded. “See you then.”

I shoved my hands in my pockets and watched Jace as he walked off. Every step grew fainter and yet the silence when he was finally out of sight, when I was alone, was really loud.

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