Page 46 of What Are The Odds?
“Grace is upstairs.”
“Calm it, Cap,” Tripp said, feigning fear. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”
I hadn’t realised I’d said that aggressively. Okay, maybe I had. I was definitely finding Ryker next. He could go now.
“Call it at two,” I told Will. That gave them just over two hours. “We have recovery at eleven and we’ll all get reamed if even one player misses it.”
Ryan bounced into the room, his dress shirt undone fully. He was as drunk as I usually was. The life of the party. I didn’t envy him for a second. He’d either go to bed with a puck bunny or his hand. I’d choose what I had waiting upstairs any day of the week.
“Two hours,” I told him.
He pouted. I wasn’t going to waste time arguing. I walked into the living area. It’s where I’d last seen Ryker. I’d retreated outside after seeing his arm around Grace on the couch, but not without telling Tripp and Ryan to hit him up and get him away from Grace. I never said I wasn’t petty. I caught sight of Stella and Ava, leaning against the dining table in the midst of a pack of football players. Ryker was one of them. Reluctantly I made my way over, ignoring the glares that were sent my way. If I wasn’t so focussed on getting back upstairs, I would’ve not-so-politely reminded these guys whose house they were in. Grace’s friends appeared surprised when I stopped in front of them. The chatter around them died down.
“Grace asked me to tell you she’s staying here tonight.” I briefly glanced at Ryker. “Again.”
“She is?”
That was Ava, based on the accent. It was kind of similar to Grace’s, but different enough to know they were from different parts of the country.
“Yeah. She’s upstairs. Did you want to come up and see her?”
“All good. We were just about to head out.”
She gestured over to the circle they were part of. I guess all of them were rolling out. Fine by me.
“Look after her,” Ava said, smiling coyly.
I planned to. As the football team filtered out, Ryker remained. The smug part of me wanted to rub this in his face. But that didn’t sit right. Grace wasn’t a flag to wag around.
“What are you playing at, Holloway? The game’s over. You saw the kiss cam tonight.”
I forced a triumphant smile. “The game isn’t over when she’s waiting in my bed.”
I fucking hated the fact I’d just said that. But it had the desired effect. Ryker was floored.
26. This is about you
Grace.
I woke up as light momentarily came through the crack in the open door. Levi quietly slipped through it, locking it behind him. He took his beanie off then ruffled his hair. Next was his jacket. He slipped it off his shoulders and set it over the back of his desk chair. I watched as his hands then got to work on his shirt. More and more skin became exposed with each undone button until the shirt was entirely gone. The glow from the TV was enough to see the hardness of his stomach. I was used to seeing fit boys. I swum with them each morning, competed beside them in conditioning. But none had ever looked like Levi. He was a different type altogether. He undid his belt, rolling it neatly. A moment later he was slipping out of his pants. I was too wired to even pretend I was sleeping. If he looked my way, I’d be busted. Once he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth, I forced my eyes closed. I continued to feign sleep when the blankets ruffled, and he slipped into the bed. Though that almost became impossible when Levi slid right beside me. I should have faced the other way, away from him. It was too late now. A heavy arm draped over me as he tugged me closer. I didn’t put up a fight. I lazily rolled against him, my head falling into the groove of his warm chest. Falling asleep sober beside Levi was very different to drunkenly passing out together. When Levi had asked me to stay tonight, it’d been so easy to say yes. The thought of my bed sounded cold and lonely now I was nestled against his warm body. Not to mention his bed was like a cloud. I seriously needed to check the brand of his mattress topper because it was the most marshmallow-like bed I’d ever slept in. Levi tenderly stroked my cheek before lowering his head and kissing my forehead. The act was up. My eyes snapped open.
“I knew you were awake,” Levi murmured, lips frozen in a sly smile.
“You just woke me,” I lied.
He didn’t act convinced at all.
“I found Ava and Stella. They’ve gone out with some of the guys from the football team.”
“And Ryker?”
Levi stiffened. “I let him know not to wait up.”
“You hate him, don’t you?”
I studied Levi’s reaction. We were so close, basically nose to nose, and I was totally at ease. It was strange feeling so comfortable around a guy I’d barely known a month. Particularly one girls literally tripped over their feet in front of.
“I don’t hate him, I–” He cut himself off. “I hate that he kissed you.”
