Quarterback Sneak (Red Zone Rivals #3)(52)

“But I don’t much care for the heat of summer,” I admitted. “I think I like the spring the most, the in-between, when it’s warm but not hot, and the nights are still chilly, and you can enjoy the sunshine but not sweat your ass off.”

“That’s funny.”

All heads swung to Holden, who took a big gulp of his water without continuing.

“What’s funny?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I just would have pinned you as a summer girl,” he said, and his eyes zeroed in on me. “Since I know you love to swim so much.”

Flames licked along the skin of my neck, and when Holden’s mouth curled into a teasing grin, I tried my best to give him a warning glare without it being enough that anyone else would notice.

Giana turned to me, confused. “You swim, Julep?”

“Sometimes,” I lied, because if I said no, it’d just raise their suspicion more.

“That’s cool,” Riley said, smiling.

She carried on the conversation, talking about how her brother, Gavin, and she used to race each other to the swimming pool every summer. But I wasn’t listening anymore, I was staring at Holden, who just grinned right back at me as he cut a piece of his chicken breast and bit it off the end of his fork.

Clay narrowed his eyes at me first, then at Holden, and then I looked back down to my plate before he could try to put any other pieces together.

“I need to run,” I said suddenly. “I forgot about something JB needed me to work on.”

“Are we still on for studying on Sunday?” Giana asked as I stood.

“Yeah, sure,” I said without thinking, and then I bolted.

I knew he was following me before I even turned to confirm it, and I waited until I’d dumped my tray and swung into the hallway. Then, I glanced over my shoulder, and cut a hard left into the first room that was unlocked. It was primarily used for reviewing game film, and it was dark when Holden followed me inside.

I pulled the blinds closed as soon as he did and turned the lock.

“What the hell are you doing?” I hissed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I scoffed, folding my arms. I could only see a soft silhouette of him with the lone sliver of light beaming in-between the shade and the edge of the window.

“Are you trying to get us caught?”

“I’m trying to get you to talk to me. Like you promised.”

I clamped my mouth shut, ignoring the ache in my chest at his words. “Holden, we made a mistake.”

That word hung between us like a death sentence for a long, weighted pause.

“Is that what that was?” He tested the space between us, his hand just gently resting on my hip. He thumbed the skin there, and I closed my eyes before forcing myself to step back.

“Yes.”

“You sure about that?”

Once again, he stepped into me, this time both hands holding my waist as he backed me into the wall. I gasped at the feel of him pressing in on me, at the warmth of him invading my space. He pressed a light kiss to my neck, his mouth hovering there as he spoke again.

“Didn’t feel like a mistake to me.”

I wet my lips, dizzy from his touch. “Then you’re blind. Or an idiot. Or both.”

“We didn’t get caught.”

I sobered, pressing my hands to his chest and separating us. “And yet here we are, testing the possibility of that yet again.”

Holden’s breath was labored, just like that night at the pool, and even though I couldn’t see him clearly, I knew the fire that lived inside me was burning in his eyes, too.

“Look…” I said, huffing. “I… I had fun. We both did. But…” I shook my head. “I’ve only just earned my dad’s trust. I don’t want to ruin that. And you were just cleared to play again,” I reminded him, knowing that my father had left the training room earlier to go tell Holden he was in for the game on Saturday. “Do you really want to throw that all away?”

He didn’t answer me.

I sighed, taking a step toward him. I reached out until I could touch his face, aching when he leaned into my palm.

“We can’t, Holden.” I shook my head. “We just… can’t.”

“What if no one had to know?”

I almost laughed. “Someone will find out.”

“No, they won’t.”

“They will.”

“How?”

I shook my head, grappling with words. “Because,” I said, floundering. “They just will.”

“We’re smart,” he said, stepping into me with more confidence. He backed me into the wall again, knee sliding between my legs and jolting the memory of the pool right back to the surface of my mind. I inhaled a breath and held it when his lips brushed against mine. “We can keep it secret.”

“So, that’s what you want?” I asked, hating how my chest ached. “A secret?”

“I want you,” he shot back, and his hands pinned my hips then, palms roughly sliding up and over my rib cage. I let my eyes flutter shut when his thumbs brushed the bottom of my breasts. “And if quietly is the only way you’ll let me have you, I’ll take it.”

I swallowed, writhing under his touch as his palms slid up and cupped my breasts under my thin bralette. My nipples hardened of their own will, and I whimpered when Holden ran the pad of his thumb over where they peaked.