Playing Hard to Get(37)

Oh well, that’s what she gets for lifting me up and knocking me down all in one sentence.

I’m headed back to the locker room, when I spot something that makes me do a double take.

Derek’s standing in the end zone, talking to a couple of girls, including my sister. But that isn’t what has me seeing red.

It’s the fact that Joanna is there too, laughing at whatever Derek is saying.

Fuck.





FIFTEEN





JOANNA





“You gals should meet up with us later.” Our new friend Derek smiles at us, and while I can’t deny he’s charming, I’m also a little put off by how he calls us gals.

Seriously?

“Oh, we’re down.” Natalie nods enthusiastically, ignoring my glare.

Our other new friend—freaking Knox’s little sister Blair—is also nodding enthusiastically. “That sounds like fun!”

The look Derek gives Blair is one of pure fear. “Your brother won’t kick my ass if he catches us hanging out, will he?”

“Of course not.” Blair pats his shoulder, reassuring the big, intimidating football player still in his gear, which is kind of funny. “I’ll put in a good word for you.”

“If he thinks I’m flirting with you, he’ll kill me.” His gaze lifts, going wide. “Oh shit. There he is.”

Blair and Natalie whip their head in Knox’s direction as he struts by, but I wait a few seconds before I check him out.

He’s scowling in our direction and oh wow, he looks mad.

I assume that’s about his sister. She already told us how overprotective he is of her. Derek is an idiot to talk to her right now. I’m guessing Knox most likely will kick his ass in the locker room if he takes it too far.

“Did you see the look he gave me?” Derek’s voice is shaky.

“You’ll be fine. I promise. I’ll text him right now.” Blair pulls her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and taps out a message, waiting for Knox’s reply. “Might be a minute before I hear from him though.”

“Yeah, we don’t have our phones on us when we’re in uniform.” Derek starts walking backward, a big smile on his face. He is cute, I can’t deny it. Dark hair and eyes. Friendly smile. He aims it straight at Nat. “See you ladies later at Logan’s!”

The moment he’s out of earshot, I’m on Natalie. “I don’t want to go.”

She frowns. “What? Why not? It’ll be so much fun! I’m sure we’ll get free drinks out of those boys.”

“What is up with you and free drinks anyway?”

“I’m a broke college student. You know this. So are you. I’m out to get free drinks whenever I can.” She rolls her eyes. “And come on, Jo. You had fun at the game, right?”

I nod. Reluctantly. I definitely had a great time at the game, which surprised me. It was fun watching them play, getting swept up in the crowd’s enthusiasm. But my eyes were pretty much locked on Knox whenever he was on the field.

I was completely entranced by his agility. His speed. The ease in which he caught the ball, blindly most of the time it seemed. He just had that much faith the ball would land in his hands. Witnessing him run that touchdown in had me leaping out of my seat, cheering like a major fangirl. Natalie gave me a look like, what’s gotten into you?

Knox Maguire. That’s what’s gotten into me.

Well. Not literally. Unfortunately.

See, that way of thinking leads to trouble. There will be no more making out during our tutoring sessions. We need to keep things on the up and up, which means I need to keep my distance. I shouldn’t hang around him tonight.

Assuming he’d even want to hang out with me. He’ll be swarmed by women at the bar, all of them clamoring for even five seconds of his attention, so why would he waste his time on me? He’s already had me in a sense.

No way do I want to see him move on with someone else.

This is why I should avoid guys like him. Like my father. They’re nothing but trouble.

“I’m so tired though.” I offer her a wan smile, lowering my lids to look sleepy.

More eye-rolling from Natalie. “Yeah, that’s not going to fly with me. We’re going.”

“You don’t mind if I tag along, do you?” Blair’s eyes are wide when we both turn to look at her. “It’s just—I never get to hang out with the guys. Knox is always chasing them off, or chasing me off. I don’t have a lot of friends yet here and—”

“You can definitely tag along,” Natalie interjects, her voice soft. The look she sends me tells me I can’t back out now. We have to do it for Blair.

“Oh my gosh, thank you guys! I appreciate it.” Blair lunges forward, wrapping both of us in a group hug and we automatically hug her back.

She really is sweet. She talks nonstop, but it’s not annoying. I think she’s just lonely for friendship.

“It’s going to take a while to get out of here. I’m sure the parking lot is a nightmare,” Natalie says as we exit the stadium and pour into the lot with the rest of the crowd. “And I’m starving.”

“We can grab something to eat real quick before we go to Logan’s,” I suggest, making a little face when I say the bar’s name.