Page 14 of Game On
“Four stars,” she says, the edge still in her voice as she crosses her arms over her chest. “Room for improvement.”
“Bullshit,” I retort, “you came three times, darlin’.”
“Did I? Happens so often I can’t possibly remember them all.”
I snort. “Would you testify to that in a court of law?”
She doesn’t answer, just rolls her eyes and pushes past me on the way to the door. “If it wasn’t apparent,” she says, “I’m leaving.”
I move closer to her, placing a hand on the doorframe above her head and leaning into it. “You sure you don’t want to stick around? Go for four, maybe five if we both get lucky?”
“Look, as fun as last night was … I’m not really into the whole one-night stand thing,” she says, quieter now. “It’s not me. I thought—I don’t know, that maybe it would help me get over …” She pauses, and there’s a flicker of hesitation in her eyes before she shakes her head. “Anyway, I should go. This was a mistake.”
My hand drops from the doorframe as she ducks under my arm and steps into the hallway. I follow her to the front of the house, waiting there as she slips on her shoes and opens the door.
“Hey,” I say, and she glances back, one hand poised on the doorknob. “Did you decide this was a mistake before or after you read Gabi’s messages?”
She offers me a guilty smile. “I, um, well—”
My lingering amusement fades into irritation. “I get it. You read a few scathing words, and now you think you know me. I appreciate the snap judgment. Truly.”
“This has zero to do with your reputation and everything to do with my own baggage.”
My jaw clenches. “Right.”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but my ex-boyfriend of five yearsjustdumped me out of the blue. So, pardon me if I’m a bit skittish.” She chews her lower lip before continuing, “When we met last night, it was refreshing to talk to a man who didn’t know me at all. And … maybe I just wanted one night to forget. To be reckless.”
“And when you woke up the next morning, you realized that I’m a real person, and decided that I didn’t measure up to your standards.”
She sighs, long and heavy.
“It’s fine,” I say before she has the chance to respond with some long-winded excuse. “But you’re right, you should go. Thanks for the four-star sex, though. I’ll see you around.”
She takes another careful step backward, mouth gaping, and then I shut the door on her with a soft click.
An hour later, I’m standing at the kitchen counter, nursing a steaming cup of coffee, when Levi finally shows up. His six-foot-three frame fills the doorway, messy blond hair falling into his eyes—a look that’s both boyish and tough at the same time.
Or, at least, that’s what he’s told me he’s going for. Repeatedly.
I’ve known Levi Montgomery since the start of freshman year. We were both wide-eyed rookies and much more naive then. On the field, he’s my loyal receiver. Off it, he’s a bit of a pain in the ass. A free spirit, whereas I pride myself on being disciplined.
He’s also my best friend, and with that comes a sort of trust I don’t give easily.
He pauses when he sees me, brows raised in a question. My arms are folded, and I’m giving him a pointed look. “Where were you last night?” I ask, sounding a whole lot like my nagging mother.
He shrugs nonchalantly. “Out with Sammy. Why, did you miss me?”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “No, but I woke up and the house was empty. No text, no note,nothing.”
“Sorry, Mom,” he quips, flashing a mischievous smile. “Didn’t realize I needed to send a carrier pigeon with my every move.” He moves to the fridge and takes out a carton of orange juice. “I crashed at Sammy’s place after a late night. Figured you wouldn’t care too much after picking up that girl at Sidetrack.”
I tense slightly. “Yeah, well, she’s long gone now.”
His glass pauses halfway to his mouth. “She stayed the night?”
“Uh-huh.”
He snorts. “And what, you scared her off this morning?”
