Page 70 of Playing a Player (Sweet Cravings 1)

"Oh my God, it's just you. Connor, you almost gave me a heart attack." I took a deep breath to calm down. But then I realized that I shouldn't have to. He shouldn't just keep showing up like this. "What are you doing here?"

Connor laughed. "I am so, so sorry. I didn't realize that you'd be home." He scratched the back of his neck. "You remember Julie."

I had been too scared to even realize that my friend from college was the one he was making out with.

"Oh, geez, Julie. Hi, it's been forever."

"Hi, Keira. I'm sorry, Connor said no one would be here. We may have had a little bit too much to drink. And..."

"And decided to bang on my couch?"

"Rory's couch," Connor said. He looked embarrassed. "And we were only kissing."

"I'm really sorry to break this up, but I'm going to need that key back Connor. All you've been using it for is scaring me to death."

"I really am sorry, Keira. I wouldn't have come if I thought you were going to be here."

"Why do you keep saying that? Of course I was going to be here. It's my apartment, not yours." I was so full of emotions tonight. I just felt like exploding. I was jealous of Emily, yet so happy for her. And I was worried about what Rory was going to say to me when we talked. And my heart hurt already. Because most of all I was full of love. And I was terrified of losing that feeling. Everything was just too much for me to handle. I couldn't deal with Connor right now.

He just stared at me.

"Seriously, why did you think I wouldn't be here?"

"I don't know..."

"Connor." Something was wrong. He looked so guilty. What was he hiding from me? "Connor, tell me!"

"Rory said he was going on a date tonight." Connor's voice was soft. "I just figured he meant with you."

I looked down at the envelope in my hands. Of course. His plans were with another girl. The next girl. The one he'd tell Jackson about first. I had tried to play with a player and failed miserably. Instead of making him change his ways, I had fallen in love with him. And he was probably sleeping with someone else right now.

"Keep the key, Connor," I said. I walked over to the front door and opened it. "I'm not going to be needing it anymore."

"Keira?"

I walked out of the apartment.

"Keira, wait!"

I slammed the door behind me.

Part 3

Chapter 28

I looked down at the envelope that was still clutched in my hand and slowly opened it. It was dated at the top, two days before my articles about Rory had started being published in the paper. I began reading what I had felt then.

I wanted to learn how to play with a player. I came up with the idea to write about my experience, with all the juicy details, so that every woman out there could do the same. This new norm of one night stands is completely horrendous and unacceptable. What happened to gentleman callers and flowers? We all want more. And I wanted to fix it. But I'm not sure I'm the right person for the job anymore. Because I'm falling for the guy I thought I could play.

A few weeks ago, I put an ad in the paper looking for a new roommate. That's when Rory showed up. Rory is the kind of guy that you crush on from a distance but have never actually talked to. You know, the one with the perfect amount of scruff on his perfect face, with abs that you only see on movie stars, and a smile that makes your knees weak. Trust me, I've tripped over my own feet quite a few times around him.

But since he was my roommate, we had to talk. Which may have been worse than admiring him from a distance because I'm so awkward when I have a crush. I ramble and say stupid stuff I don't mean. Somehow we agreed to just be friends in this weird, twisted roommate pact, which I actually wanted nothing to do with. So I started acting even more awkward. Listening to his bed squeaking with different women screaming his name every night made me physically sick. I couldn't handle it. I completely hated that he was a player. Because I wanted him to want me, and only me.

But I knew that was impossible. He barely even noticed me. So my brilliant idea? I asked him for advice on how to have a one night stand. And then I pathetically followed his advice and used it on him. Never in a million years would I normally do something like that. I've only ever had sex with my boyfriends. With Rory though, I'd take what I could get. So I experienced my first one night stand. Despite the label, it wasn't a one night stand to me. A better label probably would have been "best sex of my life" or "best night of my life". I was completely and utterly hooked. All I wanted

was more. And now all I can think about is more. So I failed my assignment. I can't play with a player because I've been completely played.

I'm falling for a guy who just wants to be my friend. So I have to listen to his bed squeak and other women scream his name. I have to sit next to him on the couch and pretend everything is fine. And I have to watch the guy I'm falling for eventually fall for someone else.

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