Page 20 of The Jack*ss in Class

“I’ll be here.” I watched her hurry away, nearly colliding with a chair in her rush. Only after she’d disappeared did I realize I hadn’t used either of my two questions for the day.

Somehow, I had a feeling she’d planned it that way.

I packed up, feeling a little off kilter. The campus rec center was exactly where I needed to be. A good workout always cleared my head, and after that... study session, my head definitely needed clearing. I checked my phone as I pushed through the doors, finding a text from Gryff.

You missed training, jackass. Whoever she was, must have been hella cute.

What he was really saying was that she’d better have been worth it.

She was.

This was ninety percent of the reason why I didn’t do girlfriends. They were a distraction. But everyone knew Kingmans played better when we were getting laid. It waswhy the Mustangs were going to win the big Bowl this year. All four Kingmans on the team had a woman in their bed.

In their lives.

In their hearts.

That was a bit much for me. I didn’t need to be in love. Ever. I just needed to have some fun. That way nobody got hurt.

Time to focus on football and forget about the way Tempest’s eyes lit up when she talked about Shakespeare, or how she didn’t simper or giggle or?—

“Oh my god, Flynn. I didn’t know you worked out here.”

I looked up to find Brittany from my business capstone class walking over, followed by two other girls I vaguely recognized from the department. We’d probably had classes together sometime in the last four years.

All three of them were wearing matching pink workout sets that had definitely never seen a drop of sweat.

“Hey.” I switched on my media smile, the one that made headline writers call me ‘charming’ instead of ‘cocky.’ “Just getting in some work to prep for the combine next month.”

“That’s so amazing.” Brittany twirled her ponytail. “You’re going to get drafted so high. I just know it.”

“First round for sure,” one of her friends chimed in.

A semester ago, this would have been exactly what I wanted. Easy conversation, obvious interest, clear expectations. My two-week rule was practically famous oncampus. Everyone knew exactly what they were getting into with me.

But now all I could think about was how Tempest had rolled her eyes when I’d mentioned playing pro ball. Not dismissively, like she didn’t care about football, but like she wasn’t impressed by it either. Like I’d need to bring something more to the table than just my future draft prospects.

“Thanks.” I adjusted my gym bag. “But I should probably?—”

“We’re about to do a spin class,” Brittany said quickly. “But maybe after, we could get smoothies?”

She was pretty. They all were. And they were exactly the kind of girls I usually dated. Ones who knew the score, wouldn’t get attached, perfect for my no girlfriends rule.

Unlike Tempest who had just flat-out refused to be charmed by me.

“Can’t today.” I gestured vaguely toward the weight room. “Serious training schedule.”

“Oh my god, you’re so dedicated.” Brittany’s friend—Kirsten? Kylie?—stepped closer. “That’s so hot.”

I waited for the usual rush of blood to my dick from female attention like this. Nothing.

No, what got my engine revving was Tempest’s unimpressed “you actually do your homework?” And how much better it had felt to surprise her, to prove her assumptions wrong.

“Thanks.” I took a step back. “But I really need to?—”

“Here.” Brittany made a motion for me to pull out myphone. “Let me give you my number. You know, in case you want company during your next workout.”

I let her put her number in my phone, more out of habit than interest. She’d probably tell her friends I was playing hard to get. They’d probably find it exciting.

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