Playing Hard to Get(11)

“Doesn’t having sex relieve some of that pressure for you?” Cam asks, appearing perplexed.

I get it. I’m not making much sense. I’m not acting like my usual self, but maybe that’s the problem.

I need to change it up. Become even more focused on the important things in my life. Football. School. I can’t fuck up. Too much is on the line.

Like my future.

“Hey.” Cam nudges Derek in the side, getting his attention. “Knox says he’s giving up women for the football season.”

Derek snorts, turning to face us, momentarily ignoring the clingy woman whose tits are pressed to his chest, her hand curled around the back of his neck. “Yeah right.”

“I’m serious.”

He gently pushes the girl away as he studies my expression, then starts nodding, his gaze finding Cam’s. “I think he is.”

“Bullshit,” Cam mutters.

“Naw, it’s true. I need to do something about this—” I wave a hand around me, “feeling I’ve been dealing with.”

“Eliminating sex from your schedule is pretty extreme,” Cam says.

“I can do it.” I lift my chin, vaguely offended Cam doesn’t believe in me. “It’s already been two months since I got laid.”

Derek and Cam’s mouths hang open at my confession.

“Two months?” Cam sputters, shaking his head.

I nod, crossing my arms. “Kind of forgot about it, if I’m being real right now.”

“You forgot about having sex with a beautiful woman? Something is clearly wrong with you.” Cam shoves at my shoulder, chuckling.

“Let’s make a bet.” Derek grins, hovering closer. “Thousand bucks says homeboy here won’t make it to week four.”

“Make it five and you’re on,” I throw back at him.

“Wait a minute—” Cam starts.

“Five thousand bucks?” Derek’s brows shoot up. “I can’t afford that.”

“Fine. Let’s make it three.” I shrug.

Cam is shaking his head while Derek contemplates me. I can practically see the cogs turning in his head. He knows me well enough to believe I’ll cave to the first hot woman who grabs my dick, and maybe he’s right.

Though I’m thinking he’s not. I’ve got this. I can resist a beautiful woman.

I can.

“Nah. Make it one thousand and we’ve got a deal.” Derek thrusts his hand out toward me and I shake it briefly. “You have to be real with us though, Maguire. Come clean when you slip up.”

“Are you doubting my integrity?”

“No,” he scoffs, “but I’d lie to save a grand. Wouldn’t you?”

“Nope.” I say it with such finality, they have to realize I’m telling the truth. “I give in and end up hooking up with a girl, I owe you. And if I abstain from women for the rest of the season, you owe me.”

I grin. So does Derek. Cam just shakes his head.

“You’re going to lose,” Cam tells me.

“Thanks for the support,” I say wryly, still annoyed he thinks I’ll cave.

I won’t.

Watch me.





FIVE





JOANNA





I’m at work, minding my own business as I restock miscellaneous items that have been returned or misplaced throughout the store. It’s always so messy at the bookstore during the first few weeks of class. Weekday mornings, when students are either in class or still asleep, are my favorite times to work.

Like now.

It’s quiet and peaceful. Only one customer is currently browsing through the store, rifling through the dismal leftovers of school mascot-themed shirts and sweatshirts. When I first spotted her in the section, I let her know we have a new shipment coming in later this week, but that didn’t deter her.

She’s still looking through what’s left, her disappointment palpable.

I’m currently putting away a variety of calculators, which of course makes me think of Knox Maguire and our interaction at Logan’s last night. The whole thing had been so incredibly embarrassing, racing for the chair and landing on his lap like that. I’m still surprised he didn’t push me off of him in disgust.

But he didn’t. Instead, he’d grabbed hold of my waist with those giant hands of his and kept me still. I could feel him beneath me. Hard as rock thighs. Something else might’ve been hard too.

Maybe I was imagining things. I don’t know. But I’m pretty sure he was sporting a semi beneath my butt.

And it was big.

Couldn’t admit that to Natalie though, who found the entire interaction between me and Knox last night amusing. I, on the other hand, did not. It was a humiliating moment I’d rather forget. I’m sure plenty of girls would want to drop on top of his lap and have him grip them by the waist, but not me. I don’t care how tingly I felt when those hands landed on my waist. The entire moment was unsettling.

It's weird though. I’d been with Bryan for a couple of years. He was my first, my only boyfriend, the supposed love of my life, and not once did I ever feel like that just from him putting his hands on me.

The worst part was Knox didn’t even remember me. Not at first, which kind of hurt, but then again…