The Game (That Girl, #2)(19)

“Nah.”

I load up on cinnamon bears, jerky, and a diet soda, then go back to my spot. Levi has control over both fishing poles, so I decide to take off my hoodie and soak up some rays. The sun is radiating heat on the dark brown dock.

“Hot?”

“No, I just want to sun a bit.”

“Taking your pants off too?”

“Not hardly.”

I lay out my hoodie right up next to Levi’s lap, then lay down on my back, propping my head up on his thigh. I use my hand to find the snacks lying next to me and stack them up on my belly, trying my best to balance them.

“Am I hurting you?”

“No. I see you found my kryptonite.”

Raising an eyebrow and peeking up at the snacks, I wonder what his kryptonite is. The diet Coke, jerky, or cinnamon bears.

“Uh-oh, these?” I hold up the bears with a sly grin and make eye contact upside down.

“Yep, I love those spicy little bastards.”

Well, that’s one way to describe them. I grab one, raising it above my head, trying to find his mouth, but only jab him in the cheek with it.

“This is hard upside down.”

“Here, let me help you.” Levi’s teeth nibble my skin.

“Ouch!”

Levi finally snatches the treat out of my hand.

Comfortable silence takes over again, and this time I’m okay with it. The clouds are gorgeous, the sound of the water and wildlife peaceful to my ears, and the leg I’m resting on is perfect. A couple of times Levi sneaks his hand over to my stomach and snatches some snacks. And he wasn’t lying about loving cinnamon bears. I had to scarf them down to keep up with him.

I notice the shadow of his hand coming over my head again. This time I grab it and pull it down onto my belly. His hands feel just as sexy without even seeing them. I just want to hold him.

“I’m scared,” Levi says, breaking the silence, “of never playing again.”

“My dad died in a car accident while I was driving.”

“I can never love again because of Rebecca.”

“We suck,” I admit.

Levi gets the final words in. “I still want to f*ck you.”





Chapter 6





Jazzy



“So, what the hell was going down in your kitchen this morning?”

Lynlee just arrived home from school and caught me in her kitchen. Not even a hello or how are you. She went straight for the kill, and I can guarantee you she’s wracked her brain all day wondering what was going on.

“I told you. He came to wake me up for fishing? spooked me, and I hit him in the nuts.”

“Jazzy, I don’t believe this story. There’s something fishy about it.”

I toss a loaf of bread at her head. The girl won’t give up, but I refuse to tell her what happened. She’ll get all excited and way weird about it, or she’ll freak her shit and start cock blocking all over the place.

Changing the subject quickly. “So, has Linc ever taken you back to the pond?”

“No. We refuse to ever go back to that house and those woods. I left my old self there. Lincoln promised me I’d never have to go there.”

Shit. Instantly I feel like a senseless *. I totally forgot about that night and Lynlee. It’s the place where she almost lost her life, she did lose an unborn baby, and it was all at the hands of Lincoln’s mother.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring it up.”

“Don’t worry about it, Jazzy Jou Jou, I just want to know what the hell is going on with you and Levi.”

“We’re just friends. Yesterday in the car when I took Levi a new hat, we both agreed to play nice for your sake.”

“So, then why the big blow up at the mall between the two of you?”

“OMG, you are so nosy, Lynlee. Something just triggered in me, and I had a bad afternoon.”

“You wouldn’t tell me if you did like Levi, would you?”

“Nope, and anyway, he doesn’t do love or any of that shit. So, no worries.”

“He’ll crush you, Jazzy.”

“We’re just friends. What don’t you get about that? First we fight too much and give you hemorrhoids, and now you’re worried about me. What gives?”

***

Levi



I’ve listened to the women long enough. Not on purpose, by any means. After soaking in a hot bath before physical therapy and after fishing, I realized Jazzy was spot-on worrying about me overdoing it. Walking down the stairs was the most painful thing I’ve done since coming out of surgery. With every step I felt tendons and nerves rip. At the bottom, I decided to take a rest, and that’s when the conversation piqued my interest.

The girls remind me of two bitching sisters more than friends, and it’s clear Lynlee is suspicious about what she witnessed this morning. I feel for Jazzy and the grilling she’s taking. I understand how it feels when no one understands the risks you’re willing to take to feel some pleasure.

The girl is smart. At least she realizes I’m not into love or relationships. That’ll never happen. Never.

It’s time to save Jazzy. “You got my damn sandwich made, woman?”

Both girls look up with horror covering their faces. Jazzy deepens with a blush, knowing I heard some of the conversation, but not knowing how much. Fishing with her this morning was the best time I’ve had in months, or even years. I felt free for once, and not chained to the gridiron or to my dad’s dream. It was just us being us. The people we both want to be, but neither of us knowing how to get there.