Game (Gentry Boys, #3)(8)

I stopped. “What room are you in?”

He looked around. “I forget.”

“No you didn’t. What the hell are you trying to pull?”

He changed the subject. “How are you doing in psych?”

“What? You want to talk about psychology in the hallway of the Excalibur? I’m getting a B if you’re really that interested.”

Chase nodded. “I’m getting an A. I could tutor you. You seem like you might need some help parsing out the id, the ego and the superego. I’ve got quite the astounding intellect, you know.”

“Do you? Did your mother tell you that?”

His expression darkened. “No, she didn’t.”

I crossed my arms more tightly around my waist and the strap of my purse slid off my shoulder. Before I could react, Chase reached over and slid it back up my arm, his fingers brushing across my skin on the way down. I heard the way my own breathing shuddered to a stop as all kind of wild things happened to my body. Chase noticed. His blue eyes fastened on my face. I tore my arm away.

“Chase,” I said sharply. “Cut the crap. This isn’t happening. I’m not some nasty skank who’s going to be grateful for an hour of your attention.”

His eyes widened. “What are you talking about, Stephanie? I can offer you way more than an hour.” He moved closer, spoke more softly. “I can offer you the whole goddamn night, sweetheart.”

I gathered my dignity, ignored the heat between my legs, and stalked away from him. I realized immediately that he was following me but I chose to ignore the fact until I reached my door.

“Why didn’t you let me in last night?” he asked.

I paused with the card key in my hand. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

“Yes you do,” he laughed, swiping the card key away from me. “I saw your shadow cross the peephole. I know you saw it was me.”

All day I’d struggled to suppress the moment of temptation I’d suffered last night. I had seen him at the door. I had wanted to open it for him.

Chase was holding the card key out of my reach. I had no intention of grabbing for it or begging for it. It’s what he wanted and someone had to show Chase Gentry he couldn’t always have whatever he wanted.

“I’ll wait,” I said, leaning against the wall.

He got close, facing me and resting his palms on the wall on either side of my shoulders. He didn’t touch me though.

“Wait for what, Steph?” he asked slowly, seductively.

“For you to leave. You’ll tire of this f*cking game when you realize you’re not getting anywhere.”

Chase appeared to be considering that. He leaned over and ran the card key through the slot, opening the door.

“Fine,” he sighed. “Would have been amazing though.”

I had no answer for that. Chase didn’t know me well enough to know how tough this was for me. Truly couldn’t have told him anything because I’d never even confessed to her how many mixed feelings I had about sex. I wanted it, fantasized about it, but was too self-conscious to enjoy myself when I got it. Sometimes I wondered if I had some kind of hormonal deficiency. Plus, thanks to Xavier, I was extra messed up now. These days the thought of getting naked in front of any man was revolting.

Honestly, I was very attracted to Chase, no matter how much of a conceited prick he seemed to be. But if we did anything about it, I knew I’d never be able to keep up with him in that area. I couldn’t stomach the idea of having him running around telling everybody how much I sucked in bed.

Chase dispensed with his raunchy attitude as he held the door open. “Hey, I really do have to piss. You mind if I use your bathroom?”

“Help yourself,” I grumbled, following him inside the room.

The first thing I did was turn the game on. The Dodgers were still on top but the score had narrowed. The Cubs were only two runs behind now. In spite of the fact that I had nothing at stake here I found myself rooting for the Cubs. Who doesn’t love a perennial loser?

Chase exited the bathroom less than a minute later. He nodded at the game. “What inning is it?”

“Bottom of the eighth. Cubs are down by two. If the Dodgers win they’ll go to the World Series. If the Cubs win there will be another game.”

Chase chuckled. “I understand the way it works, Steph.” He perched on the edge of the bed. He did it in such a way that it didn’t seem lewd. He sank down as if it was just a convenient place for him to sit.

I was still standing awkwardly by the television “You a baseball fan?”

He shrugged. “Sure. Sometimes I lose track of the standings during regular play but I always watch the post season. Hey, you mind if I stick around and watch the end of the game?”

I hesitated. I was worried that if I didn’t push Chase out of there right at that moment then I might lack the will to do it later. I watched him as he rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, causing the bedsprings to creak slightly. He looked very youthful and intent on the screen in front of him.

“Fine,” I sighed. But I couldn’t stand being in this dress a minute longer. It made me feel like I was participating in some kind of comical masquerade. I just wanted to get back into my regular clothes. There was a commercial break between innings and I headed to the bathroom, grabbing my backpack off the floor. “I’ll be right back.”