Playing Hard to Get(39)

Blair magically appears, saving me from having to continue this uncomfortable conversation. “You guys ready to go?”

“Let’s do this.” Natalie grins.

When we arrive at Logan’s, it’s packed wall to wall with people. We edge our way inside, holding onto the back of each other’s shirts in a chain, not wanting to lose one another. Natalie forces Blair to lead the way, since she’s Knox’s sister, and it works. The second one of the football players spots Blair, they wave her over and we join them in the deepest corner of the bar, where the team has set up court at three separate booths. Knox sits at the center table on the farthest right side of the circular booth, his gaze tracking our every move as we approach.

“You made it!” Derek says, approaching us, cutting Knox out of my view. Derek completely ignores me and Blair though, his hand going to Natalie’s elbow. “Want something to drink? Beer?”

Natalie wrinkles her nose. “You have something a little harder?”

“Come on, let’s go to the bar.” He hesitates, his hand still on Natalie’s arm, his question directed at us. As if he just realized we’re standing there. “You ladies want anything?”

“I’ll have whatever Nat’s having,” I answer.

“I’ll take a beer.” Blair marches over to the table her brother isn’t sitting at and grabs a pitcher of beer, filling an empty mug.

“I’ve got you.” Natalie blows me a kiss before leaving with Derek.

I stand there, feeling very alone, when Knox slides out of the booth, indicating the sliver of space left behind.

“You can sit next to me, Jo Jo.”

His deep, inviting voice seeps into my skin, making me tremble, and I don’t dare look him in the eyes.

Don’t do it, don’t do it! My mind screams, the warning bells clanging louder and louder as I approach his table.

Like I have no control, I slide onto the booth seat, a soft gasp leaving me when Knox slides in behind me, wedged so close, I can feel every inch of him burning into my side. I still haven’t looked at him, still haven’t spoken a word, even though I can feel him watching me.

I’m scared to meet his gaze and what I might find there—hell, I’m scared to even freaking breathe.

“Hey.” I get a chin flick from the guy sitting across from us, and I squint at him in the darkened bar. He’s familiar, but I don’t know his name. “I’m Cam.”

Oh. Camden Fields, the quarterback. I’m a little starstruck, only because I’ve never met him. “Hey. I’m Joanna,” I say weakly, offering him an awkward wave.

Knox snorts. Like I’m embarrassing him, which only makes me want to sink under the table.

“How do you two know each other?” Cam points at me, then Knox.

I pretend to glance over at Knox, when all I’m really looking at is his shoulder, which is covered in a dark gray hoodie. He smells clean and warm and I wish I could snuggle up close to him and feel his strong arms wrapped around me.

Again, the last thing I need to think about. Or want.

“She works at the bookstore,” is Knox’s answer and I realize that’s all he’s going to say. He’s not going to mention the tutoring sessions.

Guess that’s our secret.

Relief flows through me and I nod and smile at Cam. “Yeah. The bookstore.”

“Oh right. The bookstore. You hang out there now?” Cam’s dark brows shoot up as he reaches for his beer, taking a sip. “I thought you had other—priorities.”

I finally take my chance and look at Knox’s face. Big mistake.

He looks guilty. And handsome.

Ugh. So handsome.

“I’ve got that situation handled,” he says breezily, leaning against the booth seat and stretching his arm across the back of it.

Directly behind me.

My lips barely curve upward. I know what they’re referring to.

The celibacy vow.

Boys are so stupid sometimes, I swear.

“You played a great game today,” I tell Cam.

He lifts his beer mug up in acknowledgement. “Thank you, but it’s not all me. I work with a great team.”

Ah, so modest. And including his teammates. I like that.

“You’re always pretty fucking stellar out on that field—Fields.” Knox grins.

Cam chuckles. “You’re the one who ran in that touchdown today.”

Knox shrugs. “It was only one.”

“Better than none. And we still kicked their ass.”

“Yeah, we did.” They clink their mugs together, beer sloshing onto the center of the table. Knox leans forward with the movement, his arm dropping onto my shoulders for the briefest moment, his fingers catching a few tendrils of my hair.

I turn to him, my eyes widening in shock, but he doesn’t acknowledge me, lifting his arm away from me like it was never even there.

Like he never ran his fingers through the ends of my hair, as if he wanted to test it. See how soft it is.

A couple of pretty girls, decked out in Golden Eagles gear, stop at our table, their eyes only for Cam as they start sweet-talking him. Everyone else at the table is involved in their own conversations.

Except for me and Knox.

I rest my arms on top of the table, curling my hands together as I scan the room in search of Nat and Derek, but they’re nowhere to be found. I’m dying of thirst—more like I need liquid courage to get through this moment. This entire night. I knew Knox would be here, but I didn’t think I’d be sitting next to him in a booth with his body heat seeping into me.