Page 3 of Auction Time
Back when I joined the team, I could tell straightaway that Matt was the Goody Two-Shoes. He looked like he’d follow Coach Simpson to the ends of the earth and jump if the man told him.
“Yeah, crucial,” Denver added, and mischief flickered in his eyes. “Ready for the last big no-no?”
“What is it? Let me guess. It’s something crazy like wearing a talisman around my neck.”
“You will wish it were that.”
We laughed, and they looked at each other.
“What is it, man?” I prodded.
“The biggest rule of all is this… you mustn’t under any circumstances, no matter how tempting it may be… have sex the night before the game.”
I looked at him and laughed, getting ready for them to laugh too.
Had to be a damn joke, right?
They weren’t laughing though.
“You’re joking.”
“Nope.” Denver laughed now when he saw my face.
“Man, what the fuck are you saying to me?” I tilted my head to the side and glared at him.
I’d taken him for a friend a few years back when we played against each other. We kept in touch after a crazy night out. The man was just like me, and there was no way he could tell me he’d lived by that stupid rule. And not with the girlfriend he had. Jenna was one of the lead actresses in the TV dramaAll about Attraction. She was popular and the kind of demanding woman who wouldn’t have been understanding toward shit like that.
“It’s true.” Matt nodded. “No sex the night before the game. He made us sign a contract year before last on the advice of his psychic, Madam Phoebe. We signed for a joke, playing along and doing whatever he told us, and damn we won. The following year was the same, and we won too, so…” He held up his hands and looked at me like he really believed it.
“Guys, what are you seriously saying to me? No sex before game night?” I asked again, checking because I’d never heard of such shit in all my life.
They nodded.
“That’s what we said. It was the first thing he reminded us of this morning, except you missed that part.” He laughed.
Yes, I’d missed it for the fact that I’d wanted to indulge in the leggy blonde I took home last night one more time. We got caught up in the shower. I never knew that my little indulgence was going to be to my detriment. Nor could I believe Denver and Matt had waited the whole day to tell me something so crazy, or that they hadn’t told me that first.
“So, I’m supposed to live like a priest until after the first game?”
I could do it…ifI wanted to. It wasn’t exactly hard with all the days leading up to the night before the game free for sinning. It was just that when presented with temptation I was the type who couldn’t resist. It made me want to do it even more. Better if I wasn’t told. Chances were I might be so focused on the game that I wouldn’t think of hooking up with anyone the night before.
Being told not to do it felt like a challenge and temptation rolled in one.
Like having Miss Cartwright over there by the pool table pretending to ignore me.
Denver leaned forward. “Like a priest who just took his vows. Those are the ones who can’t be tempted. They’re practically ready to meet the good Lord.”
I pressed my lips together.
“How the fuck is the coach going to keep tabs on that?” That part was even more intriguing. Being a Centaur equaled collateral in the form of the most beautiful women at our beck and call. No way was he going to be able to tell who couldn’t keep their pants on the night before the game.
“He’ll know.” Matt laughed. The subtle music around us changed to something more upbeat swallowing his laughter.
“Well, I guess I’d better be on my best behavior, then.” I was half joking. Like fuck was I ever going to live by such bullshit. The T-shirt earlier was fine. I didn’t mind that. This? No.
Denver laughed. “You’re saying that, and you’ve been looking at that girl since she stepped in here?” He tilted his chin and motioned to Vanessa. “You know who that is, right?”
I smiled at him. “I know who she is.” I didn’t tell anyone Vanessa and I had history. That was something I always kept to myself, but I could share that I knewofher on account that she was the team owner’s daughter.
